Whispering Death – Turnip Patch

Whispering Death (part 25)

A light clicked on in Drina’s mind, and her eyes shot wide. Was I her first lover? The rush of wind against her face registered in her mind. Filled with urgency, Drina ran down the halls. Drina needed to confront her. Her feet carried her against her will towards the main room. Looking towards the door, she felt a tug at her side.

Pivoting her heel, she flew down the rest of the hall towards the bed area. Stopping short at the entranceway, Drina scanned the room and spotted Hestar. She sat on the bed they slept in earlier, facing away from the door. A flood of relief hit her. Thank god she didn’t leave the building.

Taking two steps forward, Drina paused. What should she say now? Does she need to apologize or thank her? All of her emotions were jumbled and unorganized.

“I know it’s hard to believe. That after all this time, it was only you.”

Drina stood still in silence, allowing her to continue.

“It’s silly; this ruse of mine. I wanted to be confident. To invoke desire and be something people wish they could have. It felt good to have the ability to walk into a room knowing you could take anyone home.” Hestar huffed, shaking her head, “Maybe this is my punishment for-.”

“No,” Drina interrupted, taking a few steps forward. “Nothing you did deserves punishment.”

Finally, Hestar turned to face Drina, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I’m sorry for pressuring you. For dragging you into this. I’ll keep my distance from you to keep you safe. I won’t try to pursue you-”

Drina’s body moved on its own towards Hestar. Before she knew it, Drina had whipped around the bed to stand in front of her and grabbed her face. To stop the words spewing from Hestar’s mouth, Drina forcefully kissed her with everything she had. Pulling away from the kiss, Drina refused to let her face go. Looking dead in her eyes, she snarled in a weak whisper.

“Bullshit. I’m not going anywhere and I won’t let you leave me.”

Drina’s anger caught up with her. Her hands shook and her breath was ragged. Whoever was haunting Hestar was going to pay.

“We are going to find this sicko and save you. I’m not afraid; I’m not going to hide. Until the end, I will be here with you. Nothing will keep me from being with you.”

Kneeling in front of Hestar, Drina ran her thumb across her cheek, removing the tear stains. “You are my first, too. If I didn’t want any of this, I wouldn’t have joined you on the bottom bunk the first night I met you.”

Hestar was speechless. All she could do was stare deeply into her eyes, her lip quivering at her words. The shame and fear shrouded her face. With a hard sniffle, Hestar slowly broke into a smile. “Look at you being all valiant.”

In return, Drina smirked. “Only ‘cause you give me courage.”

It was the cheesiest thing Drina had ever said. Even Hestar blushed before bursting into laughter. Drina’s face burned brightly, fighting to keep her composure. It wouldn’t have been so bad if Hestar didn’t laugh this hard. In her embarrassment, Hestar grabbed Drina’s face and returned the kiss. It was sweet and passionate. Pulling away, Hestar kept her face close. They locked eyes, unwilling to let go.

“What do we do now?”

It was a good question with an answer Drina didn’t have. She reached up and clasped her hand over Hestar’s. Drina was ready this time to deal with the answer.

“I know you don’t want to talk about it, but we need to find the son of a bitch. Think of all the guys you have had a fling or a spark even, that would do this to you.”

The smile on Hestar’s face faltered. Although she disliked the idea, Hester understood. They weren’t going to get anywhere without talking about it. Removing her hand, Hestar helped Drina to sit on the bed beside her. Unsure where to start, Hestar fidgeted with Drina’s fingers.

“Over the last few years, guys would stray into town. Some were merchants and others amateur adventurers. Because I didn’t want to ruin Lulu’s reputation or the Hostels, I never pursued anyone who stayed here. Instead, I would spend my time at the pub on the outskirts of town. One merchant who frequented our town stayed there, so I got to know him. He would introduce me to his companions, and we’d see each other here and there.”

Drina bit at her tongue, trying to focus on the story she was sharing. Hestar felt the tension and raised her hand to kiss it. “It’s not like how I met you. They would try to court me, take me for dinners or out for a drink, but none took my breath away. When I saw you, I took a risk.”

It was thoughtful of her to try and cheer Drina up, even if it didn’t work well. Grumpily, Drina questioned her further. “After they courted you, what then? Did they stay in town?”

Hestar shrugged with a frown. “That’s it. They would visit week after week, then just stop without notice. The farthest I would generally get with them would be a make-out session or light petting. Nothing super risky or consequential.”

Drina blinked at the news. It explained why Hestar was extraordinarily talented with her tongue, but something was missing. “Wait, they just stopped visiting the town?”

“Yes. One adventurer I was smitten with, named J’oulin, was planning to move here. He was sure he’d marry me, and I believed him. He left town to return home to prepare. Months went by while I waited for him. He never came back.”

Hestar turned her head to stare at the ground. Drina believed her feelings were real. A strange feeling crawled up from her back to her neck. There’s no way a man who’d admit such intense intentions for a woman like Hestar would turn on his word. The pain in Hestar’s eyes confirmed that she thought the same. Knowing what they did now, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots.

“Hestar… I’m so sorry.”

With a shake of her head, Hestar smiled solemnly at her. “No, don’t be. I got to meet you; imagine if I’d married him instead. It would’ve been a messy breakup.”

The mischievous smile on her face made Drina’s eyes pop. Did she imply that she would still chase after her even if she married him? Drina felt the sweat drip down her neck. How did it get so hot in here? Stammering, she continued the conversation.

“Then, T-there must h-have been someone watching, someone who could see this happening over time for their jealousy to worsen.”

Hestar chuckled at Drina, enjoying how flustered she was. “Naw, no one I knew went there. It’s not a secret that I did, though. Because the pub was close to the edge of town, townsfolk avoided it. Why go there when you could go to the bars and pubs near the market? It’s probably the reason I’m to blame for various misleading things. Of course, the only person who believed me was Alps.”

Shaking her head, Hestar laughed at the memories. “Oh, the stories that man has heard. People would gossip to him often, and he would give me long-winded lectures. ‘I heard you were at that pub again!’ Yadda, yadda.”

Drina chuckled, leaning her weight on her arm while listening intently. She was caught up in her story that she’d forgotten why they were talking. Even Hestar invested herself into her tale.

“Every time I told Alps about a new guy in town and their attempts to court me, he would…” Hestar paused a moment when it dawned on her. Her smile faded while her eyes widened and unfocused. A shiver trickled down Drina’s spine; she knew that look.

Hestar turned from Drina, grabbing the edge of the bed with her hands to stare at the floor with disbelief. “What did Kent say about Marcus? The day we were talking to him at the market?”

Drina straightened her back, frowning. “Kent? The boy who was obviously in love wi-”

Widening her eyes, Drina gasped. Hestar glanced over, wearing the same look. “Drina, what if the person we are looking for isn’t an adult.”

It took a moment for Drina to recall the boy. Kent was too nervous, innocent, and insecure for a murderer. Although, the way he was infatuated with Hestar matched the criteria. Looking up at the room, Drina tried to focus on the whispers of the ghosts around her. It was hard to hear them anymore since she began to loosen the restraint on her power. Hardly did they pester her for attention.

The calm demeanor of their whispers gave no further reason to suspect him either. The careless bodies floated around them in white sheen glimmers. The puzzle irritated Drina.

“No. We would have spotted him right away. Every contract with gods, traveler or not, gives off a trace. Using power taken and not given; it taints the soul.”

Drina looked down at her hand, the blue veil covering her left eye to show the swirls of her power. Hestar watched, understanding now what she meant.

“Do all travelers have… This taint?”

The blue smoke vanished when Drina closed her hand. Scanning Hestar’s face, she was unsure of what to say. Instead, she changed the subject. “Are there a lot of boys around the same age in this town? They all must be friends with each other in one way or another, correct?”

Hestar glanced at the bunk in front of them. “Yes actually. There are a few.”

“Do boys tend to share the same interests?”

Hestar didn’t respond. Instead, they made eye contact.

“Who are they?”

Hestar’s eyes softened. The idea that any of the kids would be capable of murder stung. Drina sympathized; if Jeta was ever a suspect… Drina couldn’t finish the thought.

“Most of the boys who know Marcus and Kent are all kids of most of the shop owners on the market. Commonly they would spend a lot of time together when their parents throw parties or festivals.”

Drina’s gut dropped. “Does Alps have a kid?”Before Hestar could reply, the room went cold. Both of them felt the drastic temperature change, stiffening with alertness. Suddenly, a shadow swirled at Hestar’s side. Catching Drina’s attention was the void-less face of the specter began to take shape, its face wide with an evil grin. Well, Drina frightfully thought, that answers my question.

Whispering Death (part 24)

The room was silent while Drina kicked the last pouch from the set corner. All eyes set on her, waiting for her to speak, though Drina didn’t know what to say. The purpose of the summon was to find the spirit attacking her, but she’d discovered something far worse.

“Your hurt!”

Hestar broke the silence, rushing to touch her shoulder. Drina spun around and stepped back to avoid her touch. The wounded look in Hestar’s eyes didn’t help her already fading hope.

“What happened? What did you see?”

How did she even start? Searching for words, Drina could only stare at her blankly. Lulu spun around with a frustrated huff, stomping off to her office. It left Ocan confused, looking between Drina and Lulu with uncertainty. Slams and bangs came from the room before Lulu stomped in a rush back out. She was on a war path, holding gauze, ointment, and a hell-bound look.

Drina retreated, stubbornly holding her unwounded arm up. “No, it’s fine. It’s not that bad, honest-”

Lulu swished her hand, whispering a faint word. Without warning, the chair behind Drina slammed into the back of her legs, knocking her back. She fell with a hard thump, grunting at the pain in her legs. Golden ropes then leap out from the chair and swirled tightly against her. With a gasp, Drina tried to escape to no avail; she was tightly trapped.

With a final stomp of her foot in front of her, Lulu glared with pure rage. It was the first time anyone had seen her this upset.

“You stupid girl!” Lulu ripped a long strand of gauze off the bundle and shoved it painfully into Drina’s wound. Her voice was harsh as she lashed out at her, “Do you know how stupid you really are? Summoning the unknown, bringing it in here with stupid intentions!”

Drina cried out from the forceful jab at the puncture. “I didn’t think it was going to be-”

Another glow of gold sliced at her clothes, cutting them from her neck to the sleeve. With a careless tug at the cloth, Lulu ripped it down to expose the rest of the wound. Drina painfully grunted the rest of her sentence.

“-a dead god! Can you please use a little less force?!”

Lulu froze, allowing Drina to shuffle the chair just out of her reach. The burning sensation of the air and gauze caused a small tear to tremble down Drina’s cheek. Ocan and Hestar stood in shock, watching while she growled from the pain.

With a softer touch, Lulu stepped forward to open the ointment and apply it. The sizzle of her skin made Drina cry out in an unexpected yowl. Black smoke rose out from the wound, dissipating quickly after. Drina could only grit her teeth, unable to move.

“Dead god or not. You are lucky. The poison didn’t get too far.” Lulu scoped more ointment onto her fingers, holding it up in front of Drina, “Ready?”

Drina dropped her jaw at the amount dripping from her fingers. Closing her eyes in despair, she knew what was coming. Lulu removed the cloth from the hole, letting it fall to the floor before shoving her finger inside. It took everything in Drina not to pass out from the blinding pain.

A few hours passed when Lulu finished bandaging her shoulder up. The golden ropes around Drina had already faded, allowing her to move freely. Instead, she could do nothing but stare off into the distance. Hestar sat on the couch holding Ocan, both eager to continue speaking to Drina.

Pushing back the chair, Lulu stood up to stretch her back out, walking to the counter to pull the boiling water from the kettle. She poured two cups and dropped tea leaves into them before returning to Drina’s side. Extending the cup out, Lulu waited for Drina to accept it.

Drina stared at the cup. The smell was from a herb she’d known from a very young age. Lifting her patched arm, she tested to see how well the healing salve worked. Accepting the cup, she held it for a moment to assess the pain. To her surprise, there was none. Lowering the cup, she took a deep sip of the tea.

Lulu sighed, taking the seat in front of her again, clasping the cup while she waited. There was a long silence again, allowing Drina to look up at the windows to see where the sun was. She was at a loss. How was she going to solve her problem now? The soft, tender voice of Lulu broke her thoughts.

“Was it sincerely a god? I knew the moment something broke through the barrier; it wasn’t just a haunting spirit, but a god?”

The image of the red piercing eyes burning within the enormous skull of a beast flashed in Drina’s mind. There was no doubt about it. “I think there is more at play than we are aware. This situation is no longer just a bound spirit; it’s a contract.”

It was a little worrisome how Drina’s voice sounded, even to her. It sounded distant, more assertive than she felt. After all the screaming and crying she’d done, it was a surprise she still had a voice. Lulu sharpened her gaze.

“A contract?! I’m sure we would have noticed signs of a contract made.”

Although Lulu was right, Drina was certain. The display of power the culprit exhibited had no other explanation. Drina rubbed at her chin, looking down at her cup of tea. For a contract to be made with such power, it would take at least a dozen people. It was typically common within gypsy tribes, needing fewer people to accomplish it due to their bloodline.

The god that her mother followed was passed down from her grandma, as it was from hers. Despite the many generations from the original contract, it still left a mark on each child born within the family. In her case, the ability to see and speak with the dead.

Drina looked up from her cup to the table, her deck of cards still splayed out untouched. Standing up, she took a look at the display once more. Each card had a specific meaning: Five men with wands, the skeleton queen holding a ring, and the burning tower. Tilting her head, Drina spoke without looking away. “Hestar, how many men have you dated in this town?”

Hestar blinked, pulling her arms away from her embrace around Ocan.

“Dated?! I… didn’t date anyone as much as I…” she paused to clear her throat, feeling awkward by the sudden question. “I didn’t date anyone.”

Drina felt her ears burn. She suddenly didn’t want to know the answer to the question that followed. Lulu stood up, moving to the other side of the table to look at the cards. Drina was thankful for her graceful tact.

“No need to fret, my dear. I’m sure Drina is just trying to ascertain the meaning of the cards. What are they implying? Can you share what they generally mean?

Drina heard the girls joining them around the table while taking her time to decipher the cards. It was different than reading her fan, even though the intent was the same. Because she was reading through a shared bond, how much of it was sheer distortion? Reaching her hand out over the card, it proved otherwise. Dark power flowed out and around each card, confirming that it was attached to the targeted being. She tapped the card while speaking aloud for the others.

“This card represents the person in question. The five men represent several opposing forces, the wands showing that they were in battle. Not a physical one, but a shared ideal. Assuming it’s a male, it could mean they are all fighting for the same goal: that goal being Hestar.”

Hestar slowly turned red, catching Drina’s attention. Seeing her embarrassment at the idea that men were fighting for her attention made Drina feel unease. Was she just another player part of the battle? Drina’s voice broke with a crackle, moving quickly to the next card.

“The qu-queen usually stands for a woman; someone mature, grounded, loyal. However,” Drina picked up the card to examine it closely, feeling its energy. “When upside-down, it’s the opposite. Shallow, possessive, chaotic… Jealousy.”

Ocan gasped, reaching for the card to touch the side. “It’s a double meaning. The woman wasn’t looking his way, and he got angry. So he decided to take things into his own hands.”

Drina nodded, handing the card to Ocan. She took it absently, studying the card intently. Drina watched cautiously, waiting to see what would happen. It wasn’t the first time Drina had let her feel the cards during an active reading. One day Ocan would eventually awaken and learn the craft. Better to get used to the feeling to understand it.

Ocan broke her concentration to look up at her sister, handing the card back. Drina offered a meek smile, placing it back down on the table. Moving her hand to the last card, she hardly touched it when a shock jolted her entire body. She stiffened, unable to move while the world distorted around her. With all her strength, she pulled her hand away to break free.

Sweat poured down Drina’s temples from the sudden surge, panting from the energy it admitted. Reaching her hand over to Ocan, she stopped her from wanting to touch it too.

“For this last card, I think we can safely assume the meaning. He’s become violent and based on the failed attempt at murder, he isn’t planning on stopping soon.”

Drina felt exhausted, plopping down into the chair behind her. Pinching at the bridge of her nose, she sighed exasperatedly. Ocan reached out to hug her, resting her head on her good shoulder. Hestar leaned over the table, staring at the cards dumbfoundedly. Laughing, she spoke with heavy sarcasm.

“Simple. We just have to find a man who is madly in love with me. Shouldn’t be too hard since half the town already has a crush on me.”

Lulu scoffed, placing her teacup down to rest her hands on her hip. “Honestly, girl! How much of the town have you seduced?”

Hestar crossed her arms defensively. “I haven’t seduced the town at all! It doesn’t hurt to go out and show a little kindness for business. How else do you think we keep busy during the summer? It’s not my fault they can’t tell the difference between being in love or being polite.”

Drina dropped her hand to Ocan’s arm, watching Hestar. The pain in Hestar’s eyes was palpable. It was equally painful to witness. Biting sharply at her lip, Drina forced herself not to think about it. Yet Drina couldn’t stop her sharp words from hurling like daggers. Just thinking of Hestar with another man was something she couldn’t handle.

“Seduction or not; there’s an obsessed lover who wants all of your attention.”

For the first time, Drina saw real anger in Hestar. Dropping her arms, she shot a disproving glare at her.

“I’m aware that I’m a notorious flirt. I’m also aware the entire town gossips about my past flings or possible lovers. I’d even been accused of adultery by others.” Hestar took a few steps back from the table, fighting the tears welling up in the corner of her eyes. “But the truth is: I’ve only ever had one lover in this town.”

A hard punch suckered Drina in the gut. Confusion rolled across her face. What? Who? Hestar’s stare lingered a moment longer. Her expression looked as if waiting for Drina to figure the answer out herself. The tears won, rolling down Hestar’s cheek. With a loud tsk, she turned to leave the room.

Drina pushed out of the chair, breaking through Ocan’s arms. She wanted to reach out to her, say something, or hug her. Instead, she stood there and watched Hestar take off down the hall. Drina frowned. What? Again, she replayed the words in her head. Who was her lover? As far as she knew, the only person Hestar wanted to be with was her.

Lulu growled in frustration. “She means you! Go!”

Whispering Death (part 23)

Ocan and Hestar rushed to Lulu’s side, huffing to catch their breath. Unsure of what was happening, Hestar held Ocan close.

“On a scale of one to dangerous, how bad is the thing Drina’s about to do?” Hestar whispered in a hush towards Lulu.

Lulu held her hands up in front of her and sighed. “10.”

Drina stared hard at her cards on the table, then down towards the mutt. Reaching out, she patted him on the head. Although his fur was soft and lush, Drina shuttered at the memory of his form with instant regret. Why on earth did she do that? Was it for comfort? Quickly she turned her attention to the cards and proceeded to flip them.

The card showed five men facing each other, each holding long sticks. All of them weren’t fighting, but each had an aggressive stance.

“Spirit that’s bound to me. I call you forward.”
With a quick release of her soul-well, Drina’s vision slowly filled with the blue glow from the afterlife. Around her, several ghosts stood outside of the squared-off grid. Each face wore the same horrified expression. They knew what was coming.

Flipping the second card quickly, she heard the shrieking call of the beast she had summoned. The second card held a skeleton with long withered hair. On top of its head was a tarnished crown; held high in her hand was a solid ring. Drina felt a shiver of dread.

A thunderous slam against the ground, shaking the table and chair she sat on. The wall in front of her began to bubble. Black tar slopped unto the floor and crept across the surface, flooding the room around her. The spirits around her transformed into dark shades with wicked smiles that seared with a burning hatred.

The beast was close. Drina picked up the fan and flicked it open. Leaving her hand on top of the last card, she didn’t need to guess hard what awaited her. From the center of the tar sprouted a long jagged claw. The light from the sun was bright enough to show its form, if only for a short amount of time. The tar crept quickly to block out the rest.

The long, boney arm reached out of the tar and placed its claw against the wall. Long slender horns began to peek through as the second claw emerged. The horns glinted off the light from its smooth polished surface until the sticky reddish fur covered the base. Slowly the head of the beast pushed out, exposing a giant head. Its black fur was matted with sticky goo, covering any details of the skull, making it difficult to distinguish what thing she was facing.

A sudden putrid smell slammed Drina hard, making her gag. Whatever this creature was, it was sickening. Without any more hesitation, she flipped the card over to reveal a long tower on a hill. Several limbs, weapons, and flames reached out of many windows. Along the side of the tower ran a deep jagged crack that lined from the base to the top. It was all she needed to know the monstrosity’s true face. Whoever the beholder was, they were beyond saving.

With fierce eyes, Drina stood to face the beast. Her power was not enough to cut ties alone. He was simply the decoy.

“Where is your master?”

With a swift flick of her fan, Drina poured as much energy into the attack as she could. It flung hard towards the beast and slammed its head backward. Its head snapped with several grotesque pops and crackles. Slivers of bone flew like shrapnel in every direction. Its sticky fur began to tear, the sound echoing in the room as it slid down in tatters. Several pieces hit the floor with a stomach-turning thud.

Without the coverage of the fur was an exposed horse skull. Its teeth gnarled in every direction, each tooth crowding with different lengths within its mouth. The jaw barely hung on, attached by a few fresh tendons dripping with blood. A wound Drina was convinced had not been caused by her attack.

Wiping its head with an unnatural speed, it fixed onto Drina with the void-less eye sockets. Deep within its wells ignited a small red bead. The red lights beamed brightly, almost blinding compared to the shadow and darkness filling the room.

Drina froze with fear. She had made a grave mistake. She came looking for the form of the spirit who attacked last night only to discover something far worse. Suddenly, something flew out from behind the skulled spirit’s portal. Unexpected pain erupted in Drina’s shoulder, nearly dropping her to her knees. Behind the beast extended a long needle-thin vine. It twisted and slowly slithered out of her shoulder, sending a burning sear throughout her body. Drina cried out as it pulled sharply out with a quick flick the rest of the way.

Stumbling backward, Drina grabbed at the wound. The blood trickled down over her fingers, triggering a distorted scream. Looking up towards the sound, Drina had nearly forgotten that Hestar and Ocan were watching. Through a thin veil, the black fog around her clouded their shapes. Lulu stood close to the barrier she had created; her face wrote with concern and fear.

A soft, golden-yellow glow shimmered around her hands that Drina didn’t notice before. Lulu’s small shimmering power extended out towards the white spiraling sphere around her. Drina widened her eyes at the realization; the fog was trapping her in the realm.

Drina shot a glance at Wiggles. He sat there in his burnt form, unmoving as he casually looked at her. Confused, Drina yelled at him.

“Why aren’t you stopping it?”

Wiggles didn’t reply. Instead, he simply walked out of the sphere and sat beside Lulu. The crossover changed his form into a regular mutt, his appearance disappearing along with the others. Drina was dumbfounded. How could he just leave her right at a crucial point?

Slowly it came to her. There isn’t anything they can do. Looking towards the being, it jarred its head to the side, bone cracking as it did. With wide eyes, Drina dropped her hand to her side. If a demon dog didn’t dare to mess with this sentient, this fared far worse than she realized.

Closing her eyes, she understood what Wiggles was trying to tell her. Walking towards Lulu, Drina reached her hand out to touch the protective barrier. Her hand passed through unencumbered, allowing her to return to the living realm. Cutting off her soul-well allowed her to break the connection and shatter the spell.

With a bit of defeat, Drina walked to the corner pouches and kicked each of them away. Everything used in the summoning needed to be severed. Anything to keep the summoned god from entering the living realm.

Whispering Death (part 22)

There was a slight bounce in Drina’s step when she entered the common room. The colorful folds of her wraps swayed with each strut she made towards the counter. Behind her cheerful smirk was a low hum of an upbeat song once sung back home. Ocan could tell she was in good spirits just from the abundant glow on her face.

Leaping to her feet, Ocan rushed to her side. Speaking in their mother tongue, she eagerly wanted to know what transpired that morning.
“Did something good happen?”

The playful tone gave away her subtly, one Drina caught right away. Raising her eyebrow, she reached casually for the pot of hot water sitting over a small flame.

“Yes. In fact, something absolutely wonderful happened.”

Ocan gasped with wonder, hooked on Drina’s every word as she poured the water into a cup. After putting in a tea bag and grabbing the handle, she turned to narrow her eyes. “I didn’t die. You still have your sister to take care of you. How lucky.”

The look on Ocan’s face made Drina cackle. Her face flatted with absolute disappointment.

“Come on, Lana! We saw you this morning! What happened!?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Nothing happened. We fought demonic spirits that tried to murder us and barely escaped with our lives.”

Drina leaned against the counter and stirred her cup with her pinky. It took everything in her to force the smile away from her cheeks. It was a serious topic that should be met with a serious tone, yet she was unable to. Especially after Hestar walked into the room fresh from a shower.

Ocan crossed her arms, tired of her sister’s game. “Lie all you want, I know something happened. Besides, I already knew you were in a fight. We helped drag you into the room last night after all the noise.”

The smirk on Drina’s face dropped from the news. “Wait, you saw me last night?”

Ocan softened her face, looking at her sister’s scars on her arms. It was quickly brushed away with a mischievous grin, one she knew very well. “Of course! Lulu helped Hestar clean your wounds. Lulu also took your clothes to repair them. You used too much of your power and were frozen. So it was my idea that Hestar stayed to keep you warm.”

Drina stopped stirring her tea and pierced her lips. Turning her head, she glanced in Lulu’s direction. She caught the sly woman innocently smirking and pretending not to listen while mending her garments. Drina clicked her tongue with irritation. If Ocan and Lulu already knew she was in that condition, why did it feel like she was set up? Lulu may have given them trouble but she was just as evil as Hestar.

“Is that so? Good thing you already knew that I would have been fine either way.”

Ocan giggled at her success. She managed to get under Drina’s skin so flawlessly. Drina could only retort with a scoff, turning back to the counter to place her cup down for a moment. Picking up a small cube of sugar, Drina turned it about in her fingers. Despite what she said, Drina was grateful for the warmth. This was the first time she had ever drained her soul well that much. If she was usually cold, to begin with, how cold was she after nearly depleting her power? The thought that death was closer than anyone realized sobered her. Still looking at the cube, Drina whispered enough that only Ocan could hear.

“Jeta, thank you. I haven’t been a good sister to you, but you’ve been a good one to me.”
Ocan tsked at her, sneaking under Drina’s arm to hug her.

“To be honest, I was scared when I saw you.”

Drina bit at her lip in shame. Pulling her sister in close, she kissed her on the top of her head. Drina wanted more than anything to ask for forgiveness and to say she was sorry. She opened her mouth but the words got stuck in her throat. How could she promise not to do it again when she knew that she would break it? After all the mess was cleared away, she would come clean and apologize properly.

Pushing Ocan away from her side, Drina took the opportunity to flick her on the forehead. It was hard enough to shock Ocan and cause her enough pain to respond with an “ouch”.

“That’s for teasing me.” Drina chuckled softly, picking her cup of tea up to walk away. Ocan dropped her jaw in shock before following behind with a pout.

Hestar shook her head while watching from the table as it rested on her propped fist. “How is it that no matter what is happening, your language sounds so enthralling.”

Drina tilted her head as she approached the table while Ocan walked around Lulu to sit next to her.

“Have you heard it before?”

“No. Like I’ve said before, it’s not easy to approach travelers. It also didn’t help that Lulu discouraged it.”

The sisters flung their heads toward Lulu with surprise. Drina decided to test her theory. “That’s like calling the kettle black, is it not?”

Lulu dropped her hands with a sigh, placing the stitching aside. Unable to ignore the conversation any longer, she folded her hands neatly in her lap with a motherly stern look.

“Can you blame me? You of all people, know what our kind is capable of. With your power, is it that surprising?”

Her accent was thick and light, indicating that she had been from the eastern side of the continent. It was a pleasant reminder to Drina of the old country. The melody was smooth like warm honeyed milk. Drina felt homesick from her dialect while at the same time, she completely understood what she meant. It was a harsh truth about her people and their customs. Drina looked down at the table for a moment to reflect on her words. If Hestar was this entranced by Drina, imagine if it was with the wrong type of traveler. Not all of them were gentle, kind souls.

Hestar flipped between Lulu and Drina with curiosity before looking to Ocan. “What did they say?”

Drina shot a warning towards Ocan, hoping she would catch it. Instead, the child leaned in and whispered loudly in her ear.
“Drina asked Lulu permission to date you. Lulu said, ‘what do you have to offer our family’. It’s a custom thing.”

With a scowl, Lulu gruffed at Ocan, sending her into a howl. Drina pinched the bridge of her nose with a shake of her head. Out of the corner of her eye, Drina caught Hestar staring at her with a sigh. Their eyes connected while Lulu continued to reprimand Ocan.

The kindling fire within Drina sparked once more as the corner of Hestars lips curled into a devilish smile. She bit the front part of her bottom lip, sending the memories of only moments ago to flood her mind. Memories she would never forget.

A cold wet nose tapped her on the elbow, breaking her from the trance Hestar locked her into. It spooked Drina for a moment until she realized who it came from. Glancing down at the hellhound sitting at her heel, it struck a frightening cord.

The mutt gave a stern glance, one that served as a warning. It didn’t take much for her to understand what kind. Whipping her head towards the window, Drina inspected the position of the sun. It was nearly past noon and they were running out of time.

It steeled her emotions like a rock. This needed to come to an end and last night’s events gave Drina a clue where to look. Hestar pushed from her chair and stood close to her side, following her gaze.

“What’s the plan now?”

Drina took a long sip of her tea, placing it down half-finished. It was bitter despite the sugar. Raising her hand in front of her, she stared at her hand. Concentrating on her power, she managed to summon a small swirl of power in her hands. The light blue tendrils licked at her skin with a smokey flicker. Testing her soul well, Drina had recovered fully.

Ocan gasped, breaking Drina’s concentration. The smoke dissipated from her hand as she dropped her hand. She hardly noticed when Lulu had stopped punishing her for them to observe her. Could they see it too?

“When did you learn that?” Ocan spoke with wonder.

“Last night, while she was protecting me. I saw it too.” Hester replied, staring hard at her hand.

Drina’s eyes widened. How were they able to see the power she could summon? Shaking her head, she dropped the question. Now was not the time to get into it. “As curious as we all are about it, now is not the time to get distracted.”

Reaching into the small satchel at her side, Drina pulled out a few items and walked around Hestar to sit in her chair. On the table, she placed a small candle, her deck of cards, and her fan. Opening a pocket deeper within, she pulled out the small bottle of red paint she used during her performance.

“Lulu, how safe would you say the protection around the hostel is?”

The color on Lulu’s face drained with only a small hint of fear in her eyes. Her mouth dropped open while she contemplated Drina’s words. Not waiting for her response, Drina opened the bottle and dipped her finger into it. She began to draw sigils on the back of her hands and wrists.

“What are you planning to summon?” Lulu’s usually calm voice cracked, unsure of Drina’s intentions.

“Is it strong enough?”

Drina locked eyes with her, brushing the line from her mid-forehead down to the tip of her nose. Lulu’s breath had quickened, understanding what she was asking. Looking between the two girls at her side, Lulu pushed from her chair and dropped her stitching.

“Come girls. Help me remove gems from each corner of the house. Ocan, you know the spell, correct?”

Ocan nodded her head, panic spread across her face from the urgency in Lulu’s voice. She looked to Drina for reassurance before rushing to the common room’s corner. Lulu pulled at Hestar’s arm roughly and began to explain the words she needed to repeat. “You need to say these words exactly as I say them. Say them with me, ‘I’shieal Th’iramal kovi’stur’ …”

Lulu’s words were cut off as they left the room. This gave Drina enough time to finish preparing her own spell. Lighting the candle in front, Drina paused to take a deep breath. Releasing her breath, she spoke to Wiggles sitting beside her. “Hope you’re still hungry.”

Starting her chant, Drina had to do her best to ignore Ocan, who was chanting at the same time. Strengthening her focus, the candle’s flame began to swirl.

Ocan finished her chant and grabbed a small little satchel tied together with a small twine. Running past Drina towards the door, she slowed down to a stop to watch the candle’s flame spiral and change color. The moment the flame touched the base and snuffed out, she continued down the hall with loud footsteps.

Drina blinked her eyes several times while the smoke enveloped her face before glancing at the door. It was the first time Ocan had witnessed the spell. There was a reason she held it hidden from her, but at some point she would need to teach her. Without a doubt, Ocan would remember the chant. Drina sighed heavily with a sinking heart. Once a gypsy held the knowledge of a spell, they would never forget it.

Standing up, Drina dipped her finger into the paint once more and drew a sigil on her stomach. This time, it was different. During the seance, she used one for calming. Today, she invoked an old god her mother used to call upon. It was one Drina avoided, knowing there was always a cost. It was also a shame it was the strongest sigil she knew.

With one last look at the sigils on her hands and wrists, Drina sat back down. Taking the tarot deck on the table, she shuffled it quickly three times and cut it twice in front of her. The sounds of rushing footsteps down the hall signaled that the barrier was removed completely.

Glancing towards the door, Drina pulled a card from the left pile and placed it down. Lulu was the first one to walk into the common room out of breath. The other two followed, carrying two satchels each. Lulu stood a few feet from Drina, pointing at the floor around the table as Drina pulled the second card.

“Quick, place the pouches in the same corners they were moved from. Try to keep it even.”

Drina held her hand over the pile and waited while the girls placed the bags in each corner. Watching Lulu, she saw her lips move subtly to chant the spell around her. A small waiver of energy floated past Drina with a disorienting shock. The two spells had mixed with a disturbing collision of powers. Drina grabbed the edge of the table for support at the sudden lurch in her stomach.

“Serves you right. Should have waited.” Lulu’s tone was harsh and her eyes stern with motherly disapproval.

Drina frowned, grabbing the last card sharply to place it down with a heavy thud.

“How much time do I have?”

Lulu’s eyes were cold. “Not enough for this.”

“I’ll never have enough, it seems.”

Whispering Death (part 21)

(Hey Ragarootlings! Apologies for the late post, I’ve been dealing with a lot of personal issues which are getting sorted now. I should resume my regular Wednesday postings again. Without further delay, please enjoy!

-Turan)

Stirring back into the world of consciousness, Drina groaned. Her body was stiff and sore, not to mention overheated. It prickled uncomfortably with pain. Why was she boiling up? The sounds of birds chirping outside the window reminded her of the hostel she was staying at. Quickly Drina established that the source of the heat was coming from someone beside her. With a groggy roll to the side, she grumbled.

“Jeta, you are too close again. Move over and give me space.”

Her body ached at the movement which caused her to take a sharp breath in. With a light touch against her arm, Drina felt several bandages wrapped around her shoulder. A vague memory of the night before began to swarm her at once. The attack from the ghosts, her newly awakened power, Wiggles gulping the spirits down with ease. There was so much she needed to process from all the events that transpired. Deep within her thoughts, a sudden hand slid across her chest to pull her close.

“I am starting to pity your sister for having to deal with you as a bedmate. You are a total bed hog, not to mention you yell at her all night.” Hestar’s body connected to her and embraced her tightly. “Is Jeta her real name?”

Drina frowned, furrowing her brow with her eyes still closed. “I am not a bed ho-”

It took a moment before it dawned on her, the person sharing her bed was not Ocan. It was Hestar. Stiffening, she shot her eyes open and turned to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Sure enough, Hestar was staring back at her with a smirk. The sun had brightened the room and bounced off the strands of blonde flowing hair that splayed across the pillow they had been sharing. Her soft violet eyes locked with hers threatening to lure her into their depths. Drina felt the heat radiating from her face. Too close!

In a panic to push herself up, pain erupted all over her body. Drina winced and grabbed at her shoulder with a growl. The soft linen sheets and blanket covering Drina slipped off her chest, exposing her unclothed body. Hestar sat up with a concern, brushing hair out of Drina’s face.

“Are you ok? Don’t move so fast. You took a lot of damage fighting yesterday. Some of the burns haven’t healed fully.”

Drina grabbed handfuls of the sheet in front and covered herself. Her voice cracked while she spoke in a harsh whisper, “W-why am I naked?”

Drina turned to Hestar for answers and got an eye full of her body. Hestar was also unclothed and unhindered by the covers. It was clear her concern was more important than modesty. Drina felt her jaw drop in a stupor. It was the first time seeing a woman she felt attracted to this close and naked.

“I had to remove your clothes to look at your wounds. You don’t expect me to put you to sleep with dirty cuts and burns so they can get infected, do you?

Before Drina could break from the spell she was under and reply, a giggle came from the entrance of the room. Standing there was Ocen and Lulu. The timing they both couldn’t have been any worse. Lulu had several clean towels in her arms and dropped them on the bed nearby. Having just entered the room to check on Drina’s wellbeing, she gave a shake of her head. Ocen couldn’t hide her excitement, giggling uncontrollably. Lulu rushed back to the door and shoved her around the corner quickly. Looking back once more, she narrowed her brows. “Honestly girls!”

Drina felt all the blood drain from her face. Stammering a bit, she finally yelled out after them. “It’s not what it looks like! We didn’t do anything!”

Hestar broke out into a hearty laugh, unable to help herself. There was nothing Drina could do now to convince her sister that she was not intimate with Hestar, especially after seeing her like this. Hopeless, Drina flopped back against the bed and covered her face with embarrassment. Hestar fought to speak through the last remains of her laughter.

“Drina, relax. You are right, nothing happened. Last night you were so cold after I removed your clothes and cleaned your wonders. I was worried you were going to die, so I joined you to help warm you up.”

Hestar crawled partially over top of her and grabbed at her hands. With a light pull, she peeled them away from Drina’s face to uncover her lips. Kissing them tenderly before pulling away with a more serious tone. Her voice was barely a whisper.

“In all seriousness, I thought I was going to lose you.” Hestar reached up to Drina’s hair and brushed it away from her face once more. The memory of the night’s events was fresh in her mind. Drina removed the rest of her hands, looking up at Hestar. Because of her power, it was normal for Drina to be as cold as the dead. How easily she had forgotten that no one else would be used to it. It was one of the reasons Ocen slept so close to her while they were out on the road traveling. She too would often worry that Drina would drift off in her sleep and never wake up in the morning. Reaching up to touch Hestar’s face, Drina offered a tender smile.

“Don’t worry, I am here now. We are lucky to still be alive.”

Drina caught the scarring on her arm. With curiosity, she let go of Hestar’s face to inspect it. “What did you do to heal it so quickly?”

“Healing salve. Lulu usually keeps it for things like this. Not that it happens often, but anytime someone shows up at her doors with injuries or wounds, she would tend to them. No questions asked. Now knowing that she is a traveler, it’s really no surprise.”

Drina reached around Hestar to rub her arm, nodding. Everything had made more sense since she learned the truth about Lulu’s past. Ever since the first day they arrived, Drina suspected that Lulu knew more than she let on. Yet at the same time, it wasn’t much of a concern. With a heavy sigh, Drina remembered the fight she had with Ocan in Lulu’s office. She must have known what she was saying in their dialect too. Dropping one hand on Hestar’s back, she used the other one to pinch the bridge of her nose. Drina was ashamed of her behaviour. How could she have been so childish? There was much she needed to correct. The blood-bind contract, saving Hestar, breaking the bind with a vengeful spirit, and apologizing to Ocen. All the wave of embarrassment slammed into her gut, twisting it into a knot. How was she going to apologize to Ocan now after she had seen her naked in bed with Hestar? Too many emotions flooded Drina at once that she couldn’t focus on just one. Instead, she peeked through her fingers towards Hestar.

There on her side was Hestar shamelessly laying beside her exposed. It took everything in Drina to keep her eyes from drifting from her soft violet eyes peering back. Not that it was any better. The look of adoration shifted quickly into a look of lust. The blood that had drained her face earlier had raced back into her cheeks from the sight. This had become a very dangerous position.

“Well, since you are feeling much better and no one will be disturbing us for some time,” Hestar raise an eyebrow as she adjusted her position closer to Drina’s face. In a small voice that sent a shiver throughout Drina’s spine, she continued.

“How about we finish what we started in the alley?”

Whispering Death (part 20)

Hey Raga-rootlings. I just wanted to say thank you so much for reading and supporting me this far. Originally this story was supposed to be short, maybe even like 10 chapters. But here we are! Part 20! It has been a journey for sure! I hope you are all enjoying it as much as I am because we’ve made it past the halfway point and now are nearing the downfall of the series. Hold your buckles and tighten your shoelaces, because it’s going to get dark from here out. Well, sort of. See you all for the next update!

-Turan

_______

Drina was lost. It was not easy to trek across an unknown town, especially at night. Not only was it much bigger than Drina had realized, but filled with several surprises. There were roads to dead-ends and alleyways that back-tracked in the wrong direction. Whoever had built this city needed to get their head checked. Although Drina thought the worst, she could tell by the change in designs of houses that there had been several large expansions from the quick growth. Good for the population of the town, not good for her to navigate back to the hostel. Drina not only had to stop and turn around multiple times, she would need to duck and hide from the spirit as well. Quickly it floated about the streets, passing through walls and buildings with ease. This added an extra challenge of keeping hidden, knowing that at any time, it could pop out and attack her. It had been a while since she had last seen it, giving her a little more confidence. The pendulum spun faster, indicating she was getting close. Tired and weary, Drina took a deep calming breath. Soon she would put an end to the night and make sure Hestar was safe. Then she could rest.

Drina pressed her back against a wall, preparing to walk out from the shadows. Just when she thought she was in the clear, she spotted the spectre floating into view. Biting her lip, she tsked. How was it following her so closely? Once it passed by, she ran across to the adjacent alleyway. Skidding to a stop, she caught her breath as another one on the other side floated into view. Glancing behind her, she knew there was no way it couldn’t have jumped from the other road to get here. Had it broken off into several ghosts or may be called in more? Now she had more to worry about. She could hardly defend herself against one spirit, who knows how she would fair against several.

Kneeling behind a trash bin, Drina closed her eyes and held her fan still until she felt the presence pass. How long could she keep this up? Sooner or later, they would catch wind of her trace and follow it straight to her. And now with several more of them floating about, she was running out of time. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to run. With a quick check to her fan for directions, Drina peeked over the bin to make sure the passing spectral was out of sight before bursting into a full run. No sense in trying to be stealthy anymore.

Running close to the sides, Drina didn’t pause to check around the corners before running down the street. The air in her lungs burned hot, pain erupted all over her chest and legs. Finally, she recognized a building and smiled. At least she was close to somewhere she’d recently been. Hope fueled her, pushing harder through the pain. Her legs were weak and sore already from walking all day in the market. Drina knew if she stopped now, she wouldn’t be able to push on.

Ahead of her Drina spotted Alp’s restaurant, causing her to yell out with relief. She knew where she was now! Running past the building she continued on into the market. Freedom was so close yet still a few blocks away. A fresh wave of renewed energy hit her with a jolt. Homestretch, she thought victoriously. With a sharp turn, she burst into the middle of the street and spotted two spectral ahead. How careless, Drina thought while sliding to a stop. The two beings turned, locking their hollow eyes on her. There was no way to avoid them now. Turning to run the opposite way, she spotted a third coming out from behind a building. They all were aware of her presence now. Drina was going to be surrounded if she wasn’t careful. Stepping backwards she pivoted back down the street she came from, making a sharp right on the first street she could. She didn’t need to look back to feel the beings hot on her trail. They had the upper hand since she was already exhausted. That and they were dead.

Tingles on her spine warned her as she weaved to the left, taking an alleyway to avoid the several blasts that whizzed by her. Drina yelped, coming face to face with another one. The spectral was already prepared, firing a bolt right at her. She ducked in time to avoid it, the heat blasting her from above. Rolling beneath the entity, she sprang back to her feet and bolted. All Drina could do was run. Several more blasts flung past her from behind, hitting the buildings around her in a puff of black smoke and fire. Holding her breath, Drina jumped through it, landing out into the open street market. Pushing herself up, she dodged to the side to avoid another attack. Each bolt was hotter than the other. One mistake or one direct hit and she was done for. Hope filled her while she ran. Not far ahead was the opening of the market intersection. The side of the hostel was in view, meaning she was not too far away. Drina was almost there. The sudden lightness around her made her grin. The spectrals disappeared, leaving her be as she ran. Almost crying out in a chear, it felt like she had won this round. At least until she heard a cry from behind her.

“DRINA!”

Coming to a halt, she turned around in horror to see Hestar running behind her. The spectral didn’t stop their attack on her because she was close to the hostel. They stopped because they found a new target.

“Hestar! Stop!”

Drina cursed, pivoting to rush to her side. The spectres gathered, building their attacks to fire on the unsuspecting girl. Drina wasn’t going to make it. In a fit of fear, she unflipped her fan and threw all her power into it. With a prayer, she closed her eyes. Please, let me save her.

Opening her eyes, she swished it hard in front of her. Blue light sparked, conjure in a flash of swirling light and released as she flicked her wrist. To her surprise, the fan created a powerful current, dispersing the blasts with a blue smoky blade. All the ghosts flew back, clearing from above Hestar. The wind was strong enough to stop Hestar in mid-run. She covered her face to protect against the kicked-up sand from the current.

Drina watched in shock, renewed by the ability she never knew she had. Holding her fan in front of her she laughed.

“I take back calling you a curse!”

Quickly she rushed to Hestar’s side. Concentrating this time, she poured her energy into the fan with a quick burst. Aiming the attack, she swished it directly at two spectators side by side nearest to her. The blast hit them with surprise and flung them into the walls behind them. With a hard impact, it turned them into puffs of black smoke. It dissipated quickly, leaving no trace behind. Drina didn’t know if it was enough to destroy them for good, but it was enough for her. The tingle against her skin warned her once more of an incoming attack. She turned to bat off a bolt coming from the side. Flowing her energy became second nature to her as she connected to her fan. With a backhand swipe, she knocked it to the ground. Even though she had a way to fight the entities, there was no telling for how long.

Grabbing Hestar’s hand, she yanked hard toward the hostal. It was difficult to dodge all the while trying to defend them from bolts at the same time. At least Hestar didn’t fight her from being pulled, pushed and guided through the streets. It must have been a strange sight to behold. Drina powered her fan preemptively, waiting for the next attack when Hestar whispered harshly.

“W-when did you learn to do that?”

It was a bit of a surprise at first Hestar. Could she see the flashes of blue currents releasing from her fan? Drina pulled them out of the way from a blast before releasing her attack on the spirit. It cut the being in half with an otherworldly wail before bursting into a puff of smoke. Drina shot a grin toward Hestar before replying to her. She couldn’t help slather her words with a bit of cockyness in her tone.

“Just now. Seems there are a lot of things I can do on a whim.”

Her heroic moment was cut short when a bolt flew at them. Using less energy, her light blade only deflected a small portion of the attack, allowing the rest through. The small chunk hit her right in the shoulder, causing her to drop her fan with a shriek. Drina dropped to her knee, reaching up to put out the fire around her clothes. A large chunk of her skin was blistering and charred. Unable to move her arm, they were defenceless. Hestar dropped down to see the wound, tears streaming down her face. Looking about she couldn’t see where any of the attacks were coming from. She was terrified.

“Drina! What do we do now?”

Before Drina could respond, several of the entities gathered in front of them slowly. They built a small circle around them, preparing to attack. Thankfully the trusty bark of Wiggles shattered a few of them as he leaped in to save the day. The charred black demon dog leaped out in front of them, his slimy tongue slithering about. He crouched low to the ground and waited for them to attack. There were four beings remaining and gathering energy to attack at once. Hestar held Drina tightly, cheering at Wiggles.

“Good boy, Wiggles!”

Drina watched dumbfoundedly. What was the mutt planning to do? Taking all the attacks at once? Apprehensive, Drina watched the several bolts launch towards them. She thought for sure they were done for, bracing against Hestar. With a crackle, a small ethereal swirl opened in front of Wiggles. His jaw unhinged, opening with a powerful vacuum. It sucked everything in the air in front of him, pulling the flaming balls of fire into the void. Happily, the mutt ate all the attacks, snapping his jaw shut. With a loud gulp, he licked delightfully at his chops.

Drina watched with wide eyes. This beast was horrifying in so many ways. She didn’t know what to think of him anymore after all she had witnessed. With a turn of his head, the mutt nodded at Drina. Without any words, she understood what he meant. It was time to leave.

“Let’s go. Wiggles can take care of this.”

Drina pushed herself up with the help of Hestar, grabbing her fan with her other injured arm.

Hestar smiled, wrapping her arm around Drina for support while they hobbled towards the hostel. “Wiggles, huh? I thought you didn’t like the name.”

“Right now isn’t the time to talk about this. Besides, if you knew what I did, you’d be afraid to upset that dog too.”

Several more spectators began to form around them with dark swirls. This pushed Drina to urge them fast.

“Right now, we need to run.”

Letting go of Drina, Hestar followed her pace. They dodged a few blasts, the doors of the hostel insight. Almost there, Drina chanted in her mind. The distance to the hostal door was within her grasp when the prickles on her skin intensified. Hestar screamed, startling Drina to whip her head back at her.

One of the blasts struck her leg directly, tripping her to the ground. Before Drina could step forward, another blast hit the ground between them. She stumbled backwards to avoid it, wedging distance between. Drina looked over her shoulder towards the door. It was so close, yet she knew they weren’t going to make it at this rate. With several spectators in the sky, Drina looked up with rage. With a cry of agony, she released the last of her soul well at once. Leaping to Hestars side, she picked her up with unearthly strength. Several blasts came at them in a hurry. Drina knew they were panicking. Using her power, she gathered it all in her legs and ran. The sheer force in her push-off crushed the earth beneath her, leaving a small crater behind.

Drina bolted towards the doors. Several attacks launched at them in a flurry, missing Drina as her body glowed with power. With all of her weight, Drina launched her body into the door. The doors busted open with a shower of splinters from the impact. It did nothing to soften the blow from the speed. Hitting the floor with a slide, Drina let out a loud grunt. The wind was knocked out of her making it hard to breathe, but she needed to know they were safe. She turned to the entranceway, holding her breath at the horde of spirits flung themselves after them. The beings’ attacks bounce off an invisible barrier, stunning and deflecting them off. A few even shot at it to no avail. The darkened entranceway lit up, revealing the full moon in the sky beyond. Each of the spectres had flown off into the night.

They made it, they were safe. With that knowledge, Drina collapsed. Her head smacked the floor hard and her world went black.

Whispering Death (part 19)

It was here. Finally, Drina could identify the culprit. She saw the dark void engulf the other side of the alleyway. The outline of a man stood behind the entity, masking their true identity. This made it hard to even spot distinctive features. Crossing her arms in front of her, Drina focused all her power to branch out into them in an attempt to create a shield. A blast launched towards her faster than she anticipated. The small shield she created shattered on impact. A second blast lanched seconds after, leaving no time for her to recover. Unable to avoid the bolt, the impact flung her back a few inches. It took everything in her to keep her balance, her feet sliding several inches out closer to the main street. Hestar screamed out to her, frozen against the wall in fear while she watched. The force of the bolt knocked the wind out of Drinay leaving her unable to warn Hestar a second time to run.

There was no way Hestar could see the spirit, never mind the man standing at the other end due to the lighting. With how hard the spirit could attack a living being, Hestar was in danger. The spirit slowly made its way down the small corridor towards them. Its hands raised gathering more energy, this time Drina could see it spiralling into form. Gasping hard for air, Drina crossed her arms once more to prepare for another blast. With a small burst of her soul-well, she created an ethereal shield to protect her. It wasn’t large enough to surround her but at least a direct hit would deflect any damage the entity threw at her. Sure enough, the spirit swiped its arm out in front and hurled another blast towards her. Drina was ready this time.

Pushing to her knees, she braced her fragile shield with all her might. The slam was stronger than the last, negative emotion wove deep into the bolt. Drina’s shield dissolved around from the residual fierce emotion. Holes burned through her protection as it ate outwards. Small cinders flaked from the shield floating off like ash. Anger, Drina realized. The master of this spirit was furious and the entity fed off it. Flakes of the burning rage hit her skin, burning her skin like a hot iron poker fresh from the fire. Drina cried out at the sudden pain, dropping her arms to the ground. The small burns flared into small blisters within seconds. It was enough to make Drina shake in fear.

Hestar saw the burns and leap from the wall towards her. Unsure how to help or what to do, she grabbed at Drina’s shoulder to pull her up from the ground.

“Get up. Please, Drina get up!”

Drina grimaced, grabbing at Hestar to accept the help. The spectral ghost closed in towards them as she wobbled to her feet. There was no way Drina would be able to conjure a shield in time to protect them both. Especially since the blasts were lethal with passionate anger embedded. Whoever controlled this being was pissed and had a death wish for Drina’s interference. Frantically looking about, she looked for Wiggles. Where was the mutt? Did he leave while they were making out? Cursing out loud, she called out to the beast.

“Leg’halim! Mutt, where the hell are you?!”

Turning around, Drina pulled Hestar out into the street and ran. Not letting go of her hand, Drina knew they would be safe at the hostel. If they could get past the door’s threshold, there was nothing the mystery man could do to them. Hestar struggled to keep up while Drina kept pulling her in tow. Unable to keep the pace, Hestar tripped. Stumbling to the ground, she almost took Drina down with her. Drina let go of her hand to avoid falling. Quickly kneeling beside her, Drina checked her legs and feet for injuries. They needed to keep moving.

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m alright.”

Drina grabbed her arm, pulling her up as she stood. “Come, let’s go. We are almost at the…”

Drina froze. The air suddenly stilled around them, sending chills up her spine. Dread prickled across her skin and deep into her core. It was already nearby. The sharp tingle to her left side warned her of an attack, but it was too late. Spotting the spectator’s blast, it was already on its way and burning brighter than before. Time slowed down while Drina watched it head directly for her. Without thinking she flung Hestar with all her might towards the hostel’s direction. In the momentum, she jumped backwards to avoid the attack, dodging most of the blast. The bolt swirled with fire and smoke, radiating intense heat as it passed by. Unable to pull her arm away in time, it made contact with her skin. The bolt charred it instantly as the pain erupted through Drina. A blue light shot out around Drina as she let out a silent scream. Hestar watched in horror as she hit the ground once more.

“Drina!”

Only the sound of Hestar’s cry echoed the walls while Drina stumbled backwards in the silent bubble. Drina held her arm to her chest in anguish. The spirit had made its way to the middle of the street between them. Hestar was unable to see it, and as Drina yelled to warn her, her voice was unheard. Hestar could only see the mouthed words. Run.

Shaking her head, Hestar refused. Not without Drina! Pushing into a stand, she took a step forward. Wiggles to leap out in front of her, cutting her off from pursing forward. He barked viciously, growling in a deep unearthly tone. Hestar had heard this sound before.

Hope sparked into Drina’s eyes at the sight of the mutt. He finally decided to show up and could now protect Hestar. Holding out her unharmed arm, Drina focused all her power into the palm of her hand. A small blue ball formed and released into a small blast of her own. It wasn’t enough to do any damage, but it shot right through the malicious ghost’s torso. Angry sparks of flame sprung from its body as it turned to face Drina with hollow eyes. With one last look at Hestar, Drina pierced her eyes with determination. Filling her hand with as much power as she could, she shot at the spirit once more before turning to run. The small bubble around her dissipated once she took a step out into a puff of smoke. With all her might, Drina ran.

Drina could hear Hestar’s cry even after she turned down the first road. All Drina wanted was to drive the spirit further away from Hestar. She continued to make a series of twists and turns down roads and alleyways. Once she could shake it off her trail, Drina could make her way back to the hostel. Or at least that was her plan. The farther she ran, the more lost she became. The area was unfamiliar and new. Now she remembered why being with Hestar was a good idea; to keep her from getting lost. Unable to distinguish her location anymore, Drina slowed down to catch her breath. Her breaths were hard and labored, not to mention her energy was running low. Pressing hard against the closest building, she peered around the corners.

Her ethereal vision helped her see in the dark, turning the world into a lighter shade of blue. It was eerie, although helpful in this case. It dawned on her as she looked about that not a single regular ghost was in sight. Drina held her breath, scanning up into the sky around her and even around the ground. How odd that there was no one in sight at all. Drina released a slow even breath, taking a moment longer to calm down as she rubbed her hand along her burning arm. The pain was excruciating. Examining the damage, she was grateful it only grazed along the top from her elbow to her wrist. The amount of damage the spirit managed to cause was worrisome. The ties of the spirit to the living person were much more than a regular spiritual summon.

Reaching into her pockets, she pulled out everything she had. The dragon’s bloodstone Lulu gave her, the moon crescent necklace she bought Ocen, and her fan. None of these items were useful to her. Even if she had her dagger, she doubted it would damage a spirit. Drina slammed her head against the wall in frustration and slid to the ground to sit. She had no idea what she was doing. Looking down at the necklace, Drina traced her finger along the moon-shaped trinket. All she wanted was to live a peaceful life with her sister. Ever since coming to this town, it had been everything but peaceful. With a heavy sigh, Drina glanced at her fan. With a disappointed frown, she glared at the fan.

“You have been nothing but a curse to my family. I should have buried you in the dirt alongside mother…”

Drina squeezed the fan within her hand tightly. Her fist shook with anger at the item before she released the tension. There was no point getting mad at an inanimate object. Drina pocketed the stone and necklace then traced the roses embedded into the wood of her fan. She traced down the spine to the hilt and spotted the chain attached. Grabbing the dangling chain, she inspected the intricately carved roses. Drina began to roll them in her fingers out of habit. The row of gems and beads always brought comfort to her. Memories of the chain jogged an idea. Holding the fan up in front of her, Drina remembered the use of it.

“I can pendulum directions back to the hostel,” Drina whispered to herself before scoffing in disbelief.

How could she forget the one common trick up her sleeve? Many times when she had gotten lost with Ocen and this method had saved them. Pushing herself up, she dusted her pants off and began to enclose her power. The less she leaked around her, the harder it would be to find her trail and follow her. Her soul-well still had much left, ample enough to help her until dawn. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to wait until then. Sunlight would weaken the attacks of the spirits and she would be safe. Sharing a small bit of her power into the fan, the pendulum began to move. Starting with a small circle, then growing into a larger one, she waited for it to spin at a constant equal pace.

“Take me to Ocen.”

The pendulum spun a few more times before it change its course to swing northeast to southwest. Drina smirked as it pointed her in the right direction. If she had strayed off course, it would adjust itself naturally. Same if she had turned in the wrong direction it would spin into a circle until she faced the right path. It was a simple technique, one she rarely needed to use. Facing the northeast, she waited for confirmation before slowly making her way back.

“I’ll see you soon, Hestar..”

Whispering Death (part 18)

Daylight was burning away quickly and Drina was losing hope. They spent what little time they had visiting different vendors asking about Marcus, the boy who was saved. Very little information could be said that both Drina and Hestar didn’t already know. Marcus went missing not very long ago before the festival started. Everyone had different theories as to how it could have happened. Some said it was the king’s spies who crept in on their territory while others blamed the gypsies. Few were even bold enough to say Drina was part of the conspiracy. It took a bit of time to calm Hestar down from such comments, her ruffled feathers making Drina smile. Her passion to defend her was admirable, yet they didn’t have time to deal with this. Any arguments caused were only delaying them further.

The market had slowed down by the time they made their way to the last vendor. It was a younger teen whom Hestar knew. “Hey Kent, where is your dad today?”

The young lad stiffened at the sight of Hestar walking towards the stand. Kent nearly dropped the food he was serving as the customer reached for it before it could fall. They scoffed at his aloofness, complaining as they walked away. Kent had forgotten all about them at this point.

“H-hestar! It’s good to see you!” Kent checked his outfit in a rush, wiping his hands on his apron. Clearing his throat to lower his tone, he tried to appear more manly. Drina frowned. His obvious attraction for Hestar was clear as day. The thought of this boy pinning for Hestars attention posed a minor threat to Drina. Her mind knew he was too young and that he held little to no chance, yet she felt the cold nip of jealousy. Glancing towards Hestar, she already seemed aware of his crush. She smiled warmly, waiting for him to finish talking while they reached the counter.

“Oh, uh… Hey there. He’s busy today and left me in charge today. I manned the entire shop alone. Looks like I gained his confidence to be a manager.”

Hestar nodded enthusiastically while she tilted her head. “Oh, that’s impressive. Maybe one day you will take over the business too! Seems like you grew up into a reliable man!”

Kent puffed out his chest at Hester’s compliment, almost making Drina scoff aloud. Was he that gullible? Hestar gave him a wink, then promptly introduced Drina.

“You may have heard of my friend here already, right? She was the one who did the seance at the festival and saved Marcus.”

The boy’s face faltered a bit while Hestar continued, “Drina and I were wondering if you knew anything about him at all.”

“Uh.. sure. I know Marcus. He’s my friend. I wouldn’t say he was a close friend, but we talked often.”

Any previous feelings Drina had against this kid dispersed. Right away she was on the attack, eager to learn more about their relationship. “What did you two often talk about?”

Kent suddenly crossed his arms bashful. “Nothing important, just like… you know … girl stuff. He mostly was bragging about a girl we like, saying he was going to date her first because he was older than me.” His face burned brightly as he avoided looking at Hestar.

Drina frowned even deeper. “Do you know anything about his disappearance?”

Kent widened his eyes at the question. “N-No, I don’t. He just sorta went missing one day. At first, I thought he might have asked H-.. the girl we like out first, but when I saw her walking alone, I thought he stopped coming by because he got rejected or something.”

Drina leaned in over the counter, peering at him with intensity. “Why would you think that?”

Kent took a step back into the wall of his stall, intimidated by Drina’s aggressive questions. Hestar reached her hand out and touched Drina’s arm, frowning at her. “Don’t mind my friend here Kent. She’s a little overly concerned; we all are.”

Lightening her smile towards Kent, she asked him the question. Gentler than Drina had. “Why would you think the reason was the girl?”

Drina took a step back from the counter, allowing Hestar to take over. Kent relaxed and took a moment before he sighed.

“Marcus came here to brag again the day before he went missing. Told me he was going to ask her out and that he was going to prove how big of a man he was. He wasn’t quiet about it either. I told him he was just full of it and he got angry with me. He left and then a few days went by where he didn’t come around. I… I didn’t think much of it. The reason dad isn’t here today is that he’s with Marcus’ family. They are really good friends and so he went to help them out as much as he could.”

Hestar lightened up, this time eager for his answer. “What did they find out? Did your dad tell you?”

Kent shook his head. “All he told me was that Marcus doesn’t remember anything. He doesn’t remember anyone at all. Claims he has amnesia.”

Drina’s heart sank. Turning her attention to Hestar, she could tell she felt the same.

“Thank you, for letting us know kent.” Hestar reached into her pocket and pulled out a pouch of coins, “Here, in case you didn’t make much in tips. Treat yourself to something tasty, ok? And don’t forget to close up proper or your dad won’t let you run the shop again.”

Kent took the coins with a little shock, nodding his head feverishly at her request. Hestar blew him a kiss before turning to walk away. Drina couldn’t help but shake her head at her with astonishment. With one last look towards Kent, his hand still hung in the air unmoving, Drina turned to follow Hestar.

Falling in close to her side, Drina nudged her. “How can you be so shameless? Poor kid.”

Hestar stuck her tongue out a little. “What? I can’t have a little fun once in a while?”

“With a lovesick boy? I would say you are being mean.” Drina sighed with disappointment. “What I don’t understand is how any of that relates to Marcus going missing. Bragging about being in love with you and asking you out? Should I worry about the competition?”

Hestar burst out into a laugh, peeking to make sure they were out of view from Kent before linking her arm with Drina’s. “Competition? Naw, no one stands a chance with me in this town while you’re around.”

Drina fought a smile that won the corners of her mouth as Hestar continued to tease her. “Also, I couldn’t help notice how much you grilled Kent. Was someone a little jealous?”

“Jealous?” Drina feigned ignorance, “I have no idea what you are talking about. How could I be jealous of a kid who’s in love with you? Who even said I was in love with you. I’m a poor traveler in the hands of a gentlewoman who’s showing me around town.”

Hestar giggled. “Oh, so I guess it was my imagination. Pity. I adored you too.”

With a hearty laugh, the girls walked down the street towards the hostel. With nothing else to do, Drina hoped that after a good night’s rest, they could get an early start in the morning. Although something bothered her deeply about the news Kent shared with them. Why would someone kidnap a young kid like that? There was no way it could have been a coincidence. Drina rolled the thought around her tongue before clicking her tongue.

“Hestar, do you know anything about anyone disappearing in the past?”

With a frown, she shook her head. “To be fair, we have a lot of traffic and transient people. Anyone who stayed at the hostel didn’t usually stay for long. I also never got close to anyone in town aside from those at the market. Even then, I’m a regular customer to them, nothing more. I don’t go out to the pubs much either.”

“But you’re adored by so many people here. Every vendor and shopkeeper brighten up when they see you.”

Hestar psshed, “All because they know I bring coin and business to their doors. Nothing more than that. The only person I have close to me is Lulu. She is like a mother to me. Gave me purpose in this town. I just do what I can to help the hostel and put all my time into that.”

They walked a moment in silence when finally Hestar stared back deeply into Drina’s eyes. “Do you think once we solve this mystery, that you may stay here at the hostel? With me?”

Drina’s heart skipped a beat. Could she possibly see a future with her here in this town? Drina broke into a grand smile, unable to hide her excitement at the possibility.

“You’ll have to convince Ocen. She’s keen on leaving as soon as we can to catch a ship at the eastern sea out of Castromnia.” Drina bit at her lip, unable to finish her sentence without being giddy. “You know she’s damn near impossible to reason with.”

Drina felt a sudden pull on her arm, stopping her in her tracks to face Hestar full-on. They stopped in the middle of the empty street as Hestar wrapped her arms around her hips, pulling her in close.

“Do you think she’ll say yes?” Brushing her nose against Drina’s made it hard to think. Sliding her hand up along Hestar’s neck, Drina chuckled.

“It’s a high probability. The odds even look good in your favor.”

Drina closed her eyes to lean in for a kiss when a dangerous tingle trickled up her spine. Shooting her eyes wide, Drina paused. Where was that feeling coming from? It felt the same as before as if someone was watching them and they weren’t happy about it either. This triggered an idea. Drina broke from Hestar’s embrace and grabbed her hand tightly. Pulling her down the street Drina scanned the sides of the road looking to find the alley they shared a kiss in before.

“ Drina… What are you…”

Drina remembered that feeling from before. She stopped short in front of the alleyway entrance, recognizing the surroundings. With a quick glance around, the coast was clear from any followers. Drina pulled Hestar into the darkness. Hestar raised an eyebrow with a knowing smile. “Wow, can’t wait to get your lips all over me, huh?”

Drina pushed Hestar against the wall, her confidence based only on her suspicion. This might be the best way to draw out the spectator watching. “More than you know.”

Pressing against her body, Drina dove in for a steamy kiss unhindered. Releasing the grip on her energy, she tried to keep her attention on any malicious presence. All the while trying to keep up with Hestar’s tension. It was much harder in practice than she thought. Hestar’s tongue explored her mouth thoroughly, her hands taking part in the excursion. The feeling of her hand against Drina’s exposed skin sent shivers throughout her core.

On second thought, this was a bad idea. Drina groaned into Hestar’s mouth, unsure how to slow the spiraling train of pleasure she started. All she needed was to replicate the same response they got last time and she could follow it. Wherever the spirit lingered, the owner wasn’t going to be far behind. The only issue other than the one at hand was that Drina didn’t know any spells to attack, only to protect herself. The best thing she could do was activate her powers, and quick at this rate. Hestar’s hands weren’t going to wait, and Drina’s will was breaking. Taking a steady breath, Drina began to channel her power towards her eyes while she moved her hands along Hestar’s body.

It was a challenge to focus, especially since Drina had never had to control her power alongside a second task. She thought she had it balanced when Hestar proved her wrong. Breaking from their kiss Hestar nibbled along her neck. Growling, Drina braced herself by planting both her hands against the wall behind her. Opening her eyes, Drina could see her breath in the air. The way her energy chilled the air was drastic. Hestar paused at the base of her neck, feeling the sudden change in the air.

“Are you ok?”

She pulled Drina’s face to hers, spotting the change in her eyes. It must have been working. Drina clasped her hand over the top of hers, whispering weakly.

“Don’t stop.”

As much as Drina was struggling, they needed to keep going. It was taking much longer than she expected for a reaction and it almost made her doubt there was even a stalker. Hestar smiled wickedly, unaware of her hidden agenda: use them both as bait.

“Need me to take the lead then?” Her voice was laced with allure, although Drina didn’t quite understand what she meant. Drina spoke with an absent nod.

“Yes.”

Hestar grinned, pushing Drina off her and flipping them around. The sudden change surprised her, and even more so when Hestar grabbed her leg. With a firm grip, she held Drina’s leg against her hip. It took Drina a moment to realize what she had agreed to. Oh! She meant ‘take the lead’ as in… sexual lead…

Drina swallowed hard while Hestar traced her hand along her side. From the side, she then brushed her fingertips along the inside of her beltline. Chanting internally, Drina kept eye contact with Hestar while focusing her power. The world shifted to the hazy film, giving shape back to the ghosts that floated about them. Hestar pressed in close to give her a tender kiss, all the while her hand snuck down into her clothes. For the first time in Drina’s life, she was praying for the ghost to show up. What was taking so long? This wasn’t how she wanted to spend her first night with Hestar!

Prepared for Hestars sweet slender fingers to invade, Drina finally felt the small prickle against her skin. In an instant, it flared from a small trickle to a bursting loud blast as the stalker had finally spotted them.

With a heavy sigh of relief and fear, Drina shoved Hestar hard into the other side of the alleyway wall. Within the confusion, Drina turned towards the dark alley and whispered darkly.

“Run.”

Whispering Death (part 17)

Holding the fan out towards the restaurant owner Alps, Drina watched as he sank into the seat across from her. The spirits puffed out from under him like dandelion seeds scattering from wind, then began to dance around in the sky around them. The air grew a little colder as She began to concentrate her energy into her heirloom. Alps crossed his arms and tapped his chin unsure.

“If you don’t mind, I need a moment to think.”

“Of course,” Drina smiled, “We are in no rush.”

It was a lie, considering Drina was running out of time, but payment was due and she would not take a free meal without offering something in return. Hestar respected her choice, also eager to watch her work with curious eyes. It was not common for Drina to have people watch her, making her a little nervous. However, this was her craft and she knew there would be no mistakes. As they waited, the young women who served them earlier stepped up to the table.

“While he is thinking, do you mind if I ask a question?”

Drina smiled brightly. “Of course, you helped in making this a divine experience so I will offer this as a tip. What is your name?”

“Fiona.”

“Alright, Fiona. What is your question?”

“Will I find true love? I recently broke up with a man I thought I was going to marry.”

It wasn’t an unusual question and Drina was thankful it was an easy one to answer. “I’m sorry to hear that. Here, please run your finger across and stop when you feel it is right.”

Fiona reached over, following her orders. With a flick of her wrist, Drina popped open the flap she stopped at. It was a good omen, one Drina had seen many times. With a smile she watched the stars of her fan reveal Fiona’s fate.

“On the eve of the next full moon, wear your blue dress and sit at the park you favor. There you will meet your future husband. It will be a long road ahead but remember to be patient. Love will wilt if not cherished.”

Drina closed the fan at the end of her sentence, looking at Fiona. “I hope this will help you.”

A small crowd from the staff had formed around them to hear her fortune. With smiles they all cheered for Fiona, wishing her luck. It was warming to watch the support they all shared for their friend. Even the customer joined them to listen as he congratulated her. A few others asked if they could also get a reading which Drina was more than willing. It took more time she couldn’t afford, yet it felt right to equally treat them to a question. Finishing the last employee’s question, Drina once again turned back to Alps with her fan at the ready. He sat with his arms crossed for a moment, impressed by her skill.

“Are you ready for your choice?”

“Yes. If you could, please read my present and future.”

Drina nodded, holding the fan for him to follow suit as the others, running his fingers along the folds. He ran them hesitantly, unsure where to stop. Alps did three more passes before picking two. Drina popped them out with a reassuring smile. It was not uncommon for folk to be nervous or scared when getting their fortune read. Some don’t like to hear the news if it was anything but good. Taking a look at the fan, Drina felt a sudden lurch. Pulling it away for a moment, she felt her gut drop. Something didn’t feel right. Clearing her throat, she readjusted in her seat and rolled her shoulders to prepare herself. Closing her eyes for a moment she took a deep breath before looking at the fan once more.

The moment her eyes met the fan, the lurch was overwhelming. It pulled her into the fan with a swirling tumble. Drina fell into the fan as stars and constellations spiraled around her. The free fall made her sick, nearly causing her to puke. Fighting with all of her might, she stabilized her free fall. Sticking her arms and legs out as far as she could, Drina was able to glide in the air. Beneath her was nothing but void, yet as she continued to fall a cloud began to form. The cloud became a moving picture of blurry figures, disoriented voices and words echoed off into the space around her. There were two people, a man and a woman grieving with heavy sorrow. Drina squinted, trying to focus the vision. Yet, the harder she pushed into the image, the darker the image became. From a dull white light, the background shaded into a heavy gray.

It was tainted. Something was blocking her ability to see. Drina closed her arms and legs, driving faster towards the cloud. She needed to see what else it beheld. The vision of the two people swirled into a different image. This time showing only one man who stood at a grave. The face began to sharpen into the shop owner’s face. Alp stood empty in front of the grave, holding flowers. Drina reached out her hand towards the grave. What was the person’s name? The image sharpened yet the name had been crossed out, making it unreadable. She was so close to finding out who had died, yet the vision darkened drastically. All she could see was the grave, the first name blurry as the lines began to break.

Just a little further, she thought.

Her hand was close to touching the stone. Inches away as the darkness began to surround her. A deep chill sunk into her body, one that she had never experienced before. It clung to her arms and legs, pulling her away from the stone.

“No!” Drina cried out, fighting to reach the stone for the name. Each inch she fought to gain, the more intense the crushing cold pressed against her. She was unable to breath, tears filling the corners of her eyes. Before she was able to touch the stone, a loud yip deafened her. With a blink, Drina was sitting before her fan. With a gasp for air, she looked around quickly to the people waiting on bated breath. A small wet touch spooked her as she jumped. Looking at the source, the mutt sat patiently at her feet. A small shimmer of his ethereal self shimmered around his physical body, the long tongue slithering around her elbow.

“What did you see?”

Alps’ voice pulled her back to reality. Taking a breath in, she turned back to him with wide eyes. His concern was plastered across his face. Drina looked towards Hestar to see it mimicking the same expression. Glancing back towards her fan, her hand shook with adrenaline.

“Uh.. Oh. I-I see…” How was she going to explain the vision she just had? Even she had no idea what it all meant and the news was still very grave. With a heavy sigh. She closed her eyes. She would need to break it to him as best she could. Solemnly, she addressed him.

“I am sorry. You will face a painful loss of someone you love. It will take you some time to recover and your business will suffer.”

Drina quickly checked the future reading, spotting some good news.

“But, your suffering will be rewarded. Your business will expand and grow and your family will flourish. You will be blessed with love and a large family.”

Drina felt as if it wasn’t enough to comfort him. Touching her fan, she touched the image. Infusing a little of her power, the flap next to it opened on its own. A small motion no one else would have noticed. Running her finger down the newly exposed portion of the fan, she gave a warm smile before meeting his eyes. “You will live a full life. Seeing many generations before you pass peacefully in the end.”

Alp sat in silence. His thoughts masked while Drina closed the fan entirely. It was all she could offer him for the bad reading. At least he would only suffer terribly once. The staff all waited for Alp to respond, unsure of how to react to such a reading as well. Drina nodded, standing to her feet. She would leave him to contemplate the meaning himself. With a slight bow, she turned from the table and took her leave. Hestar stood, awkward by the silent departure. With a small wave, she turned to follow. They walked a while back to the market, mutt at their side for a while. It was Drina who finally spoke first.

“What stalls shall we visit next?”

Hestar perked up quickly, linking her arm within hers. “How about we look at a supplier’s stall. They are bound to know some town gossip there.”

Drina smirked. She knew Hestar wanted to ask so many questions. It was best they waited until it was less crowded before she would tell her about the vision and what it meant. Glancing down at Wiggles, Drina had a feeling he was protecting her from the same spirit that was trying to kill her. What it had to do with Alp was still a mystery.

Whispering Death (part 16)

Hey Raga-rootlings! I know it’s been a while since the last story update! My computer died and I was struggling to get back up again. Don’t worry though! I was able to get a new computer so I can keep writing and teaching! I can’t promise a constant weekly post just yet, but I will be posting different kinds of stories alongside this one.

To be the first to know about any new changes or updates, come join my discord! The link is posted on my website for more information. I look forward to continuing to post again! See you all around and enjoy the story. 🙂

-Turan

Even though it was Drina’s second time coming to the market, there had been a night and day difference. From silently walking amongst the people to suddenly becoming a celebrity, Drina could hardly get to each stall without being bombarded with fans from the crowd. Some praised her for her work finding the boy, others asked if she could do a reading or reach out to someone from the other side. Hestar did her best to defer many of the requests as politely as possible, her frustration becoming clear as lines began to form behind them as they walked.

Reaching into her bag, Drina pulled out a hood to wrap around her head. Not that it did her much good since the market had already spotted her. How on earth were they going to search for the killer if they had a mass mob following them. Once word got out there would be no chance of them continuing to investigate if they happened to be part of the crowd and learned of their intentions. Drina needed to come up with something quick, they did not have time to waste so flippantly. Spotting a stack of barrels nearby, an idea came to her. Drina was a performer and the crowd sought a performance. Breaking from Hestars side, she climbed ungracefully on top, nearly losing her balance while raising her arms to address the crowd.

“May I have your attention. Your attention, please!”

It was strange to see the street filled with hustle and bustle calm to a dead stop, the people of the town eager for her every word. Whispers even floated around like a wave, the same phrase echoing across the sea of people.

“Is she going to predict another missing person?”

It was strangely uncomfortable how the slow creep of words swarmed to and fro amongst the crowd. Drina swallowed hard, unsure how to deter the mass to leave them be. Taking a deep breath, she offered a warm smile, at least as calming as she could muster. With the crowd’s hyperactive attentiveness, it made her feel on edge.

“I know you all are hoping for news of those from the other side. Many had been left unanswered and disheartened by the performance last night. I would love nothing more to help and answer your call.”

There was a brief pause in Drina’s speech, allowing the townsfolk to brighten up. “But alas, I am unable to meet your demands, for the ghosts rest during the daylight. It would drain my energy much faster to try and drag them from their slumber to communicate.”

With a collective cry of disappointment, Drina offered a look of equal emotion of sympathy. One man from the crowd angrily yelled back at her, unaccepting her excuse. “If you can still do it, why not bring a few for now?”

The irritation Drina felt broke across her face as she turned to face the man. The sympathetic melodic voice was now hardened to match her outward frustration.

“How would you like it if I woke you in the dead of night to answer a question? Would you be pleased to answer ‘How are you doing?’ while groggy with sleep?”

The man felt abashed, hiding his face with shame as the crowd turned to scoff at him. It was funny how the once wanting gang of consumers had turned on the man, siding with her as if they had done so the entire time. Without any further comments, they began to disperse. The flow of the market had returned to its natural state as buying and selling commenced. Meanwhile, Hestar stood silently waiting with her arms crossed and a grin from ear to ear. Drina felt the heat on her ears while climbing down from atop of the barrels. Returning to her side, Drina averted her gaze. “What?”

“Nothing.” Hestar dropped her arms behind her back, turning to walk at an even pace with Drina.

“Nothing my foot. You have that look.” Drina knew there was meaning behind that smirk. Was Hestar making fun of her? Had Drina embarrassed herself while addressing the crowd? Hestar slipped her fingers in along Drina’s hand, clasping them gently together. It made Drina’s heart pound while she glanced over.

“Which? The ‘I think you are incredibly clever’ look?”

The combination of her compliment and holding hands created a roadblock in her mind. Her thoughts and mouth had stopped working as Drina argued with herself. Hestar giggled.

“At least your plan worked and we can move around freely. We might need to be a little more careful going forward. You seem to be pretty popular now, it makes a girl like me feel a little threatened.”

Just knowing that Hestar could feel a little jealous made Drina smile. There was no reason for her to feel that way since Drina had no interest in anyone else. If she had felt otherwise, there would have been no reason for her to continue to fight for her life.

“Good thing there are no other girls like you.”

A sudden idea distracted Drina from seeing Hestars reaction, one that gave her confidence. She was the only one who was currently a target, so that would mean if any spirits were after her, then Drina would be able to spot them right away. A small yip beside her made her jump. Completely forgetting about Wiggles, Drina remembered that he would be able to add extra protection. With Hestar close by and a hellhound as her sidekick, they stood a winning chance. For the first time ever, Drina took a deep breath in and released all her guards. With a small breeze, Drina felt the full rush of all the ghosts floating past her unhindered. The entire market was flooded not only with living beings, but ethereal ones too.

Hestar shivered for a moment, breaking Drina’s thoughts with a question. “So… was it true about the ghosts sleeping during the day?”

It was possible that Hestar felt the presence of the spirits through Drina. She had not realized that by holding her hand, it would have seeped into her as well. It was something she would now have to make sure to avoid doing in the future while making contact with someone. Who knows what dangers would befall someone who was not trained to protect themselves with this kind of power, even if it was borrowed.

Offering a mischievous smile, Drina chuckled. “Who needs sleep when they’re dead?”

With a small whisper, Drina spoke in her native tongue. “Keep a lookout for any spirits that linger around a specific person.”

The air around the market cooled considerably as they walked among the crowd. Drina glanced over at Hestar a few times to check if she was cold. It seemed something so trivial couldn’t dampen Hestar’s mood as she scanned around for a food cart.

“Ah, this way. I know a good place to ask.”

Taking a sharp turn, Hestar led them off the beaten path and down a small street. “Some of the shops park on the outskirts of town. This one is a truly hidden gem even for long-term residence folk.”

The crowd thinned quickly as they made their way, exposing a small building with a few seats and tables set up. Drina frowned, how could a small business survive so far away from the main strip? Letting go of their hands, Hestar stepped in front of Drina to wave at the owner.

“Hey Alps, got room to spare for two?”

Drina glanced at the two free tables and open chairs that sat at the bar. Only one person was occupying a seat at the bar. Looks like they have plenty of space, she thought to herself. Alps laughed with a great grin upon seeing Hestar. Lifting his arms, he welcomed her while walking around the counter.

“Ah! My favorite customer! And who have you brought along this time?” His eyes widened at the sight of Drina. Face dropping he paused as Hestar patted his shoulder.

“I brought a guest staying at the hostel. Thought I would show her around and introduce the finest food you can taste in the country.”

Nervously Alps chuckled at the compliment. It seemed he was very well aware of who Drina was. No surprise there since word spread like a wild grass fire in this town. Drina crossed her arms, standing a bit behind Hestar with a small smile. “Good to meet you, sir. I am very excited to try your menu.”

Alps nodded, looking between the two of them. “Yes, yes… Come come! It would be my pleasure! Having you eat here will boost our clientele once word gets out!”

He quickly brought them to a table close to the bar, eagerly holding out a chair for Drina to sit. Hestar waited for Drina to be seated before taking the seat beside her. It was a strange experience being treated like such a celebrity. Several spirits began to crowd the other side of the table as Alps stood beside them unknowingly. It was hard to pay attention with all of them blobing around in faint see-through lines and balls of light. Some began to swirl around Alps body and head playfully as he began to list off the dishes available. The choices all sounded delicious, although Drina was only half paying attention. She turned to Hestar who was watching her intently with a smile. “I have no problem eating whatever Hestar decides to choose for us.”

With a spark of joy twinkling in her eyes, Hestar ordered promptly. “We’ll take two orders of the usual then with tea.”

Alps nodded, turning to rush behind the bar where his staff stood eavesdropping as close as they could. He whispered harshly at them to get back to work, bringing the small kitchen within the shop to life. With quick work, the food was prepared in no time and served by a younger woman. With a gentle smile, she placed the food in front of them. It was a rice dish topped with a large quantity of sauce with thinly sliced chicken swimming in it. Along with the dish was a plate of large lettuce leaves. Drina was a little confused by the leaves when Hestar grabbed one with a wink. She held the leaf in her hand and used a spoon to scoop a small portion into the leaf. Wrapping it gently, she used it as a shell to eat it. Drina looked at her own plate, following her example. Mixing the rice and sauce, she scooped a small portion and placed it into her lettuce. It seemed everyone was waiting on bated breath as she took her first bite into it.

Flavors of spices hit her at once and she moaned with delight at the taste. It had been ages since she had eaten something so incredible aside from Lulu’s meals. The workers at the shop were overjoyed as she munched away happily, even Hestar watched her in content, picking at her plate slowly.

“You still eat as if you have never had a meal in your life.” She teased Drina with a smirk.

Licking at her lips, Drina raised a brow towards her. “You live off of dried lizards for months and see how it feels to eat a dish sent from the heavens. This meal is the best I have ever tasted.”

A happy cheer came from the staff as they congratulated each other on such a compliment, allowing them to finish the meal in peace. Only after when Drina leaned back with a sigh did Alps return to the table to speak with them.

“Is there anything else we can help you with today?”

Hestar shook her head. “No, this was amazing as always, Alps. How much do I owe you?”

“Oh, no! Don’t worry about it. On the house.”

Drina frowned at the idea of a free meal. What did she do to earn it? It didn’t sit well with her. “No, please. Let us pay for this meal.”

Alps smiled politely. “It’s alright, I insist!”

Hestar tried to hush Drina as she persisted. “I mean no offence, but I can’t accept a free meal. I have done nothing to earn it. If you won’t accept a coin, may I pay it with reading instead?”
Dropping his jaw at the offer, Drina reached into her satchel for her fan. Hestar grabbed at her arm, briefly stopping her as she whispered. “Are you sure? Won’t this attract attention?”

Drina grinned. “It’s just a reading, not a seance,” facing Alps, she held the fan in front of her, “Which would you like? A reading of your present and future or an answer to a specific question?”

….to be continued.

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