Pool of Dark Magic ~ Part II
For the
past two, nearly three moon dances, Blackfeather had been visiting the Place of
Webs and the Pool of Dark Magic, trying to understand both places. She had even
managed to learn a few things about the stagnant pool of water.
If you put foliage either dead, like a broken branch, or alive into the pool, it turned the sickly yellow-orange of the grass and lichen that surrounded the pool. And that had spread another two finger’s width since the first time Blackfeather had encountered the pool.
She saw a hopper go into the pool. How it had ended up there so far from any other water was beyond Blackfeather’s understanding. What had emerged scared her badly. It had walked , instead of hopping, out of the pool, and it had easily reached her knee in height. It had sent to her and knew her soul name as well, and that is what had actually frightened her.
*Come, come, my dear Iue. Come join me. I am all that your High Ones were once before being stranded on this world. I am all their magic, all their knowledge, all their abilities. Join me and you could be Chief of that pathetic little tribe of yours. Them, and all the rest of your scattered kind. I could teach you all you wanted to know about the Humans of this world. I could even make it where you replaced their pitiful god Gotara . Join with me sweet Iue. Together we will rule this world. Make it ours.*
Revolted, disgusted, and frightened, she quickly killed the hopper mutation. But before it expelled its last breath, it sent one last time. *You will be mine, Iue! MINE!*
Not sure if tossing the dead carcass into the pool would bring it back to life, she quickly speared it with her spear tip, and buried it a short distance away. Then she went and promptly sicked up. When she turned back, the spot had already turned a blackish-orange and there was a faint ring of yellow-orange vegetation circling the buried carcass.
Her eyes narrowed as she turned her gaze to the pool. It knew my soul name. In truth, it wasn’t that surprising, horrifying, yes, surprising, no. After all it had had a hold on her the first time she came in contact with it.
It didn’t take much for her agile mind to figure out that the pool knew everything about her, her thoughts and curiosities, her tribe. It had errored though when it tried to offer her the Chief’s-Lock. That was about the one thing she definitely didn't want. To constraining in her opinion, not to mention a bother and headache. No, Windy could keep the Chief’s-Lock, he’d never have to worry about her challenging him for it.
Now she knew it was sentient in some way, and more then ever she needed to figure out how to destroy it. Eventually it may tire of her resistance to it, and turn to someone else easier manipulated. Like say Firebloom? Already disgruntled and chaffing at Windy’s ways of being Chief, offering her Cheiftainship might sway her to do as the pool wanted. Blackfeather hoped to destroy it before ever finding out.
Blackfeather seemed to come awake and gazed at the pool. Did she fall asleep? She shook her head, it seems so real though. She thought about it some more. No, she couldn’t have fallen asleep, that would mean she was getting lax from too long a time of nothing happening.
She was still no closer to figuring out how to destroy it. She had toyed with the idea of fire, but the thought of bringing Two-Sides here didn’t sit well. Not only was there the effect the pool might have on Two-Sides, but also was the fact that the elfess hadn’t taken well to the creature that had attacked the Holt. Blackfeather could just imagine how Two-Sides would react to the thing that created that monster. Furthermore, she wasn’t certain using magic was a wise thing to do. To was obvious that elfin magic had created it in the first place. Nor was she certain that regular fire would be strong enough. If it came down to it, Blackfeather supposed she could try, and pray to the High Ones that she didn’t burn the whole of Shadow Woods down in the process, or worse.
Maybe Hollythorne would have some ideas when she returned. Unfortunately, there was no telling when that would be. Until that day, Blackfeather would just have to keep coming and studying the Dark Pool. Try to learn all its secrets.
If you put foliage either dead, like a broken branch, or alive into the pool, it turned the sickly yellow-orange of the grass and lichen that surrounded the pool. And that had spread another two finger’s width since the first time Blackfeather had encountered the pool.
She saw a hopper go into the pool. How it had ended up there so far from any other water was beyond Blackfeather’s understanding. What had emerged scared her badly. It had walked , instead of hopping, out of the pool, and it had easily reached her knee in height. It had sent to her and knew her soul name as well, and that is what had actually frightened her.
*Come, come, my dear Iue. Come join me. I am all that your High Ones were once before being stranded on this world. I am all their magic, all their knowledge, all their abilities. Join me and you could be Chief of that pathetic little tribe of yours. Them, and all the rest of your scattered kind. I could teach you all you wanted to know about the Humans of this world. I could even make it where you replaced their pitiful god Gotara . Join with me sweet Iue. Together we will rule this world. Make it ours.*
Revolted, disgusted, and frightened, she quickly killed the hopper mutation. But before it expelled its last breath, it sent one last time. *You will be mine, Iue! MINE!*
Not sure if tossing the dead carcass into the pool would bring it back to life, she quickly speared it with her spear tip, and buried it a short distance away. Then she went and promptly sicked up. When she turned back, the spot had already turned a blackish-orange and there was a faint ring of yellow-orange vegetation circling the buried carcass.
Her eyes narrowed as she turned her gaze to the pool. It knew my soul name. In truth, it wasn’t that surprising, horrifying, yes, surprising, no. After all it had had a hold on her the first time she came in contact with it.
It didn’t take much for her agile mind to figure out that the pool knew everything about her, her thoughts and curiosities, her tribe. It had errored though when it tried to offer her the Chief’s-Lock. That was about the one thing she definitely didn't want. To constraining in her opinion, not to mention a bother and headache. No, Windy could keep the Chief’s-Lock, he’d never have to worry about her challenging him for it.
Now she knew it was sentient in some way, and more then ever she needed to figure out how to destroy it. Eventually it may tire of her resistance to it, and turn to someone else easier manipulated. Like say Firebloom? Already disgruntled and chaffing at Windy’s ways of being Chief, offering her Cheiftainship might sway her to do as the pool wanted. Blackfeather hoped to destroy it before ever finding out.
Blackfeather seemed to come awake and gazed at the pool. Did she fall asleep? She shook her head, it seems so real though. She thought about it some more. No, she couldn’t have fallen asleep, that would mean she was getting lax from too long a time of nothing happening.
She was still no closer to figuring out how to destroy it. She had toyed with the idea of fire, but the thought of bringing Two-Sides here didn’t sit well. Not only was there the effect the pool might have on Two-Sides, but also was the fact that the elfess hadn’t taken well to the creature that had attacked the Holt. Blackfeather could just imagine how Two-Sides would react to the thing that created that monster. Furthermore, she wasn’t certain using magic was a wise thing to do. To was obvious that elfin magic had created it in the first place. Nor was she certain that regular fire would be strong enough. If it came down to it, Blackfeather supposed she could try, and pray to the High Ones that she didn’t burn the whole of Shadow Woods down in the process, or worse.
Maybe Hollythorne would have some ideas when she returned. Unfortunately, there was no telling when that would be. Until that day, Blackfeather would just have to keep coming and studying the Dark Pool. Try to learn all its secrets.