Seekers of the Stone Maker

Leaf felt his breath leave as the dragon passed overhead, leaving the campground untouched. Before he could react, he felt a sharp pain on his face and winced away from it. Above him, Mr. Muffins reeled back to punch him again but stopped, his anger quickly subsiding, becoming a calmer seething.

“What the fuck did you do?”

Leaf sat up. Looking down at his hands, he immediately noticed the card had disappeared.

“I-I don’t know.”

“You need to get your shit together. I’m damn tired of picking up after your constant need to poke and prod at everything in your eyesight. Damn it!”

He wanted as Mr. Muffins stood and walked away, passing cabins and disappearing around a corner. Next to him, Lyla was standing, and he could see the look of concern on her face, both wanting to defend Leaf and convey the heavy disappointment in what had happened. Looking over to Ana and Rhokhishi, Leaf tried to see if anyone was hurt.

“Are you okay?” Ana asked.

“I think so.”

“What happened?” Lyla questioned as she stepped towards him, looking over at the bruise that already started to form on his face.

“Similar to how you were obsessed with opening the door last night. I looked inside and felt a need for those cards. I had to have them. I tried pushing away the thought, but my magic followed my wants.”

“Where are the cards?” Rhokhishi asked.

Leaf held up his hands. It seemed they had just disappeared after pulling the one for the rest of them. He knew better, though. He could feel the weight in the inside pocket of his robe, the edges of the card box poking at his chest slightly.

“I’m not sure. It seems like they disappeared as soon as the card was pulled.”

What card did you pull? Lyla asked him.

He wanted to answer but hesitated. He could hear Lyla speak to him but realized that other minds were still connected. Myla’s new abilities were strong, and she seemed to connect to the party still, even with their distance from her. He replied after focusing on who was still attached and ensuring no one else was.

The Fates.

The Fates? As in the three women? The ones in the Duodenary stories?

Yeah.

That seems pretty big, Leaf. What could it mean?

I’m unsure.

Rhokhishi and Ana listened, looking back and forth between the two of them as if hearing it aloud. Leaf shook his head, trying to think, but his thoughts came all at once, making it hard to keep track of it.

One last thing, then I’m done with this place.

Carefully, he pulled a pearl from his component pouch and brought it to his eye. He was looking from one side of the cabin’s exterior to the other. Once sure of himself, he put the pearl away, leaving him with the residual resin-like feeling that his magic waved off him.

I don’t see anything else magical in there.

Wait, you could have done that the whole time? Ana asked.

It’s one of many options I have. While some were riskier, they gave us different information each time.

Leaf froze. He saw something moving in the corner of his eye just as the ending of his magic started to wave away. Slowly, he moved his head to the side, trying not to focus directly on it but enough to get a better view.

Floating, maybe four feet in the air, was a small, ethereal orb. It moved lazily, turning like an eye, searching Ramona’s cabin from the outside through the windows. Then, it turned towards them. He tried to turn his eyesight just enough away, but it stared at him for a moment before slowly moving over in their direction.

I don’t want to alarm anyone, so I need you all to act like nothing is happening.

What are you talking about? Rhokhishi looked over at him, confused.

Something or someone is using divination magic to conjure some kind of scrying orb. It was just in front of the cabin, but it’s moving around us right now.

Who could it be?

I don’t know.

Well. Lyla wondered. Who would be outside of Ramona’s cabin? One of the Hounds? Someone else?

Let’s talk about what we know. Rhokhishi replied.

We have eight hounds. Dubh Catha was who Ramona was trying to bring to Midgard. Leaf started.

Zidingris is near Aramore, from what we’ve gathered. Lyla jumped in. We also know little about The Justifiable, Rilix, and Kadra.

Plus, the Hag Countess. Leaf added.

Isn’t there something about hags knowing each other? I feel like you’ve mentioned that before, Leaf.

Yeah. They have some connection to each other and can know about each other’s whereabouts.

Do you think it’s her?

Baba Yaga? Ana added in.

Before Leaf could react, the orb turned sharply towards him, seeing him staring right at it. It moved quicker than expected, traversing the few feet in an instant, colliding with him. It felt cold, and his hands felt clammy. His eyes were open but felt closed, with how dark it was suddenly. He blinked once, twice, then felt himself stumble back and fall into a chair as he looked up at the smiling face before him.

Sitting in a chair that would probably have suited him better, he could see a figure in tattered black robes. It was covered in moss, fungus, and tears, but each opening looked more like a void of darkness than an opening. Its knees came up before it, but he noticed the arms first. It had not one elbow joint but two. Its fingers were long, roughly the length of his arm, with five knuckles along it and black and yellowed nails that were long and jagged. Its skin was a pale gray, with skin sagging in various places as if the bones were the only part of its body internally.

The head was covered partially by the robe but also by large black strands of hair that fell to the creature’s shoulder in its hunched-over position. Its eyes were completely white, with a crooked nose and large, blackened, fang-like teeth chipped and broken in various places. It smiled wide, the corners of its mouth almost reaching each of its earlobes.

In its seated position, it towered across the table, where a crystal ball sat, and Leaf estimated that in its hunched place, it had to be at least ten feet in height, and standing would make it giant-sized or larger. Various tattoos or scars had been placed on its skin centuries ago, but he could not make them out in the room’s dim light.

It cocked its head slowly to the side, and Leaf heard the creaking and cracking of its bones as it did so. The smile never left its face. Drool slowly pooled at the side of its mouth and fell in long strands that hit the table before disconnecting, leaving large droplets of colored liquid on the table. It spoke, the air escaping its lips like a shrill death rattle.

“Archmage…”

“Baba Yaga,” Leaf replied, gaining composure over his voice just barely.

“It seems… that you… and your friends… killed my daughters,” She accused, taking large breaths between her words, causing the rattle in her lungs to echo throughout the small space.

The panic rose through him as the realization came.

How did I not guess? Ramona was raising a Hound of War. The Hag Countess is a Hound of War. Of course, Ramona was her daughter!

“Don’t worry… Archmage. I harbor… no illness… upon you. She… wanted to take… my place.”

“Then, considering my predicament, I’ll see that as a blessing.”

“But first… Archmage. You know me… What may I call… you? Can… I have… your name?”

The panic turned to bile, which rose from his stomach. He fought it, stopping it from reaching the back of his throat, then spoke again. Fey creatures have done so much with names. He wasn’t sure if the Hag Countess followed similar rules.

“I believe Archmage is fine for now. You may not have my name.”

“Ah… It seems… that you have… knowledge… of my kind. Very well… Archmage.”

Leaf sat in silence. He wasn’t sure why he was there and was unsure of the options in front of him. Quickly, he watched as her head snapped from one side to the other, and her smile grew ever wider as drool fell in more significant strands. She looked sickly, but he didn’t underestimate the ability she could have. If she wanted to kill him, she would have. She wanted something more.

“Your friends… they are… looking for you. Let them… join us.”

Her hand moved, and he could feel the magic radiate from her. It was nauseating, filling his senses as her arcane abilities grew like an aura around her, leaving a stench in the air he couldn’t describe. Leaf knew that he wasn’t going to be able to stop her. He could only watch as his friends were coming into the same danger.