Witch - Chapter 3

Posted by AlOmega on November 07, 2001 at 15:04:53:

“No, daughter. Don’t Name him yet. I think I know this being, this
‘assistance’ the Ladies spoke of.

“Ancient he is and if he’s the One that I suspect, then I know of the Other as
well.”

Cheryl shifted in her chair so she could see Mystique better. “You never said
why you started this?”

Aware of her stare, Mystique was finding it difficult to speak. “Its hard to
explain, Cheryl. I feel magically that this Smell is an aberration. And
against my will or better judgement, I was drawn to do something about it –
though what I should do, I had no idea.”

Cheryl chuckled. She’d already surmised Mystique’s response.

“It’s because your ‘Smell’ is associated with magic. In other words, it
‘bothers’ all who use magic. Even the hedge wizards would have sensed this foul
scent. It’s not something that normal people would perceive either. It’s a
magic that’s been twisted into ways some might call ‘evil’. In this instance I
believe you’ve stumbled onto a curse - and not a simple curse either. The
‘person’ you were to summon was called Azuroth probably. Another name for him
is Azure. But the Ladies would have known him as D’Larcarte.”

Mystique nodded as Cheryl continued, “His story is old. He was cursed by
Neptune himself before that old lecherous fart left this world. It stems for a
time when Gods and Goddesses roamed the earth. Oh I remember that well though I
don’t talk about it much.”

“You never mentioned you were that old.”

“Can it, Sonya. Forget I ever mentioned it.

“Anyway before I was so rudely interrupted,” she glanced quickly at Sonya
who smiled back mischievously, “Magic was fresher then - less incantations; more
straight forward. But you always had to be on the watch for the Gods. And not
all were Greek back then either. Though it isn’t written in the old books,
there were Gods for nearly every group of humans that existed. The Greek Gods
were the most predictable as were the Norse and Chinese. The Gods of the
Americas and some of those whackos in Africa could scare you shittless. Not
that the Greeks couldn’t of done it as well but at least those
were Gods you could understand.

“Anyway, Azure was in love with another water sprite. I don’t remember the name
right now but its something like “Bubbles on Water”. I’ll think of it
eventually.

“So old Neptune has the hots for Bubbles and she turns him down flat. Not too
bright in my opinion but then those sprites weren’t always very sharp. As
Neptune was cursing her, Azure shows up. The two of them had been screwing
around for several decades; and, Azure resented some God taking liberties with
what he thought was his,” she smiled remembering something from her own past.

“In any case, the Greeks and Romans were always the proprietary yahoos – even
down to the minor deities. Perhaps that’s why they thought they could own women.
Anyway, to make a long story short, Neptune cursed both Azure and Bubbles for as
long as they lived and promptly forgot about them. So did I - and all the rest
of mage-kind, I suppose. After all, they were only a couple of sprites. Not
much magic in ‘em anyway.

“But when the Old Gods took off – well the older gods, things changed. Curses
that were supposed to have worn off didn’t. Most of the minor creatures like
the sprites, unicorns, and satyrs simply vanished into the Void. Apparently
these two didn’t – or haven’t or whatever since we’ve probably got ‘em on our
doorstep. Anyhow last I heard, Azure was searching for Bubbles. Beyond that I
don’t know. I only wish I could remember what her real name was.”

Sonya rested her chin on her hands before asking, “So who was he? Anyone we
know?”

“Hardly. Oh you mighta heard of him but there is a lot that went on in my life
before I started teaching you the magic.”

“Would summoning him be a problem?” asked Mystique.

“Naw. He hasn’t the Power to resist. Oh he probably has some Water Magic but
that wouldn’t harm us….”

“But the White Ladies assured me that he might be a threat.”

“Unlikely. He could put a knife in you or shoot you perhaps if you were taken
unaware. We aren’t that immortal. But there’s not else that has been
devised that could.”

Cheryl chuckled remembering, “Those witch hunters in Salem sure didn’t have it
right. Neither did those in Europe. Fire doesn’t harm us nor does hanging.
Most blades wouldn’t either. But there are weapons that the elves and dwarves
fashioned – Eldritch they’re called. And they were made to sunder magic. Those
could harm any magic user.”

“But what if he has one of those … ‘Eldritch’(?) … weapons?”

Cheryl chucked, “Don’t worry, Youngest. The elves destroyed all the Eldritch
weapons after Cristabel Columbo started the mass migration to the Americas. Had
to do with the Leprechauns’ encounters with Coyote. There’s a bit of history for
you. Coyote was a local North American God – Southwestern U.S. if I recall.
Wouldn’t do to have left those weapons for Coyote to discover. If you want a
real American god – minor though he is – check that one out. He’s about all
that’s left of the local gods and a bit difficult to reach nowadays. But most
of the Old Ones that are left are like that. It’s why we seldom encounter them.
Mostly we find beings like the White Ladies and ghosts. Because they’re magical
and have no conscience, they’re a danger to anyone.

“Well, we might as well take in some of the sights. And when we return, we’ll
get it all together and make that Summoning right. Besides I haven’t been down
Bourbon since the Devil Incarnate came calling.”

“Who?”

“Oh, just another one of those minor deities, Sonya. But I’ll warn ya. He’s a
Hot One.”

********************************************************************

He recalled a little village called Neuhoff not far from the Elbe River in the
district of Wolmirstedt. She had been a barmaid search for new lovers to take to
the nearby lake – her lake. However that had ceased when Burkhard, the local
archbishop of Magdeburg, drove what he though of as ‘evil spirits’ away. Little
had he know because it wasn’t the archbishop’s presence or piety that caused her
to leave.

There was also the incident of the Merrow (the Moruadh in the Irish). Both of
them had dwelt there for a time. The fisherfolk had thought they caused gales
but he had only come to warn them. She hadn’t. She had again sought youths for
her pleasures. But soon she was forced to leave the Emerald Isle wearing a
scarlet dress and a matching cap of crimson called a cohullen druith. She left
only because of Others – specifically the Leprechauns – had demanded that she
leave. They were the protectors now that the Sidhi were gone.

In Scotland she had decided to live a more meaningful life. But because she was
what she was, she had to live near water. So it happened that one day in a deep
pool while she rested all clean and pure, a servant from a nearby castle decided
to cast a treasure for safekeeping in the same pool. Why he did this didn’t
matter. Perhaps it was to save it for or from his master or from robbers. When
later some diver went to the bottom to fetch it up, she had ordered him to the
surface at once and warned him not to come back for if he did, he would forfeit
his life. The diver obeyed. But under threats and promises of reward, he chose
to dive again. In a moment or two afterwards his heart and lungs rose and
floated on the surface of the waters. She had torn them out. These things he
recalled with sadness. Perhaps now would bring a change. Perhaps not.