《Avatar of Nature: The Enchantress》


 1. Unwelcome Changes

    I was working on this a while back, and found it recently. I was thinking about putting some more time into this story (though not to the exclusion of other works), but wanted to get an idea of interest.


    *****


    ''Damn him, damn my father, and the rest of my gods forsaken family'' Ashley muttered as he walked from the office of the Magistrate, through the packed streets of the city of Nal''lucan. Ashley had suffered many indignities as the fourth and youngest son of Lord Hearthshire, Duke of Alurn. As a child he had known his place at the bottom of the totem pole, an unwelcome addition to say the least. His brothers had their friends had tormented him, his father ignored him, and he had been forced on every major decision of his life because of family obligations. Ashley had had enough of his family, and was through with them. Rejecting his application for entry in the house of lords was the last straw.


    It was political, Ashley knew. His eldest brother Connally was first in line to inherit their father''s title. Jason, the second oldest, was ascending the ranks of the Alurn military, would likely find himself in the royal court in short order. Minos, the third oldest, was set to become a lead magistrate in fifteen or twenty years. Ashley a was left over, and he knew it.


    ¡°I need a drink.¡± Ashley said with cold resignation. He felt a sense of hopelessness at his future, and could only hope that something would turn up.


    ******


    The storm gathered over the city of Nal''lucan, winds pouring through the streets in gales. Stone buildings trembled as tremors in the ground caused the city to shake. At the distant heart of Nal''Lucan lights radiated outward from the sacred grove, the holy gardens of the Circle. Lightning arced through the sky, touching down along the outer edges of the gardens, and against a shield of light.  It was if something in the heavens was fighting to push through.


    ¡°Hold the shield!¡± a grey haired woman in white called out as a hundred enchantresses knelt in a circle around the blackened seal beneath the ancient towering tree. The women continued to chant as power built up around the grove. Beneath the tree, pool of glowing water was radiating light, magical energies bubbling up from the depths.


    ¡°Bring the chosen.¡± the grey haired woman said as she made a silent prayer. A beautiful young girl in her late teens walked forward. Golden hair was tied into braids with strands of gold thread, and an assortment of flowers. Her stunning features were covered in a soft white paint, stunning green eyes looking at the pool nervously. She shifted her hips, the thin cloth of her ceremonial gown hugging the curves of her body, the rain causing it to reveal the color of her flesh as it exposed her ample endowments. She had been ''prepared'' by the sisters for years, her body suffused with natural energies to ready her for bonding with the spirit of the goddess.


    The power of the seal was weakening, and as the magics were bled from the area to hold the darkness within, it needed to be renewed. It had been a century since the death of the last mantle bearer, and with the bonding of such a powerful spirit to the chosen, the seal could be renewed and the darkness locked away once more. Thus forces were aligned to stop the bonding, and as powerful magics clashed against the shields the enchantresses had created, the thing in the depths stirred from its slumber.


    ¡°You are our hope child...you are ready to take up the mantle.¡± the older woman said kindly, seeing the fear in the young girl''s eyes. ¡°We believe in you Kalie.¡± the woman said as the girl dropped the thin robe from her body and stepped into the pool. Kalie could feel a sense of panic and fear, and her mind wandered over the ritual''s preparations, then to her mother who watched both sternly and lovingly at her youngest daughter. Kalie saw the hope in her mother''s eyes, and thoughts of her distant sister Shia, whom she had not seen in several years, and finally to her twin brother Ashley whom she had not seen since she was a small child.


    Women of the noble lineages carried the magic of the land in their blood. The Circle was protective of them, and worked tirelessly to ensure  familial bonds. While the boys were left to their fathers, the girls were taken by their mothers and the Circle for the study of magic. Shia had scorned the Circle to travel the rest of the nation of Alurn. When the circle chose Kalie to be bonded instead of her sister, Shia''s engagement was thrown into disarray. Kalie wasn''t sure of the details, but she knew Shia had cared deeply for her betrothed, and when her engagement was annulled, she had cursed them and left.


    Kalie could have used Shia''s wild energy and nurturing support now, or even the wordless understanding that she had shared with her twin brother Ashley as small children, when they had spoken in each other''s minds. She had never connected with anyone like that, and had never spoken of it since...she wondered if Ashley even remembered her anymore. ¡°Goddess...please.¡± she whispered as the lightning cracked the shield above the grove. Kalie stood within the heart of the pool of light as the world went dark. She could feel her impending death...and reached out to feel at the connection to her brother one last time.


    *****


    Ashley stumbled into the house in a drunken stupor and soaking wet. Long blonde hair dripped a stream of water onto his black leather doublet. As the ornate wooden door opened, the rain poured in behind him, soaking the marble floors of the foyer before he was able to push the door shut. His heels slipped on the marble floors, while he stumbled forward. The house was dark and empty, but then again he was the only one who lived here. It was a ''gift'' from his Uncle Lorance upon finishing his four years of mandatory service. The passage into citizenship for all young nobles, though he was still far from his majority. Ashley was seventeen, and he couldn''t exercise a vote yet, or hold office for that matter, until he reached the age of twenty-one. Not that it really mattered. As the youngest son of the Duke of Alurn, was unlikely to ever hold any actual rank. He had three older brothers, whom he couldn''t stand, and two sisters that he had never met...well, one that he had never met, though he hadn''t seen her since he was three, or his mother for that matter.


    Abram, the Duke, was a stern and foul tempered man who had little time for useless people. Ashley remembered him doting on his eldest brother Connally, and even to a lesser extent Jason, though the middle brother was more or less tolerated. Ashley just remembered a slew of beatings in his youth, before finally being shoved off to service. Most men began their service at eighteen, while patrician houses and nobility tended to start their children as young as fourteen. Abram pulled strings to have Ashley digging ditches and polishing buckles at thirteen. Luckily Ashley had managed to perform his service with the corps of engineers. He had spent years studying and readying himself for entrance into the college of engineers; Unfortunately the Duke had other plans.


    Two weeks after submitting for admission, his father had Ashley dragged in front of him. ¡°Your brother Jason will be serving at her majesties behest as diplomatic envoy to the kingdom of Kaern. You will be serving as his personal secretary and liaison.¡± his father had told him. Never mind that Ashley had no desire to spend the next several years as a glorified scribe at the mercy of his brother, the kingdom of Kaern was a land rife with political intrigue. More likely than not he''d find himself poisoned, kidnapped, or killed. A fate Ashley had at this point assumed was the goal. Excess daughters tended to be smiled upon among the noble families, too many sons were more or less liabilities.


    Ashley of course refused, and had been...cut off. Under political pressure, the college no doubt rejected his admission, and with only the small saving he had accrued, he would need to search for work. Luckily Ashley had the house, and though spacious enough, was hardly in the best part of Nal''Lucan. Anything towards the outer walls of the city, away from the port, was effectively in the middle of nowhere. The three story house was barren, and its style antiquated. Ashley thought it had been attached to a farmstead or plantation at one point, but that would have been a century ago. Now the surrounding lots were filled with smaller homes, and a small market. The house, a brick and marble affair with vine covered pillars, beside an old abandoned garden gone to seed, was more or less an eyesore in Ashley''s mind. Still, the interior was nice, and the marble floor cool...


    At least Ashley thought so as the world spun around him, and he found himself curled up in the middle of the foyer. He kicked a few times at his boots, struggling to push them off so he could gain more traction, or at least get the water out. Finally managing to free himself, he took a deep breath, and pulled himself across the carpet, finally reaching the stairwell and pulling himself up on the bannister. Righted for a moment to his full six feet of height, he began the arduous climb up toward the nearest bedroom on the second floor. The marble stairs didn''t creak, but the wooden bannister did as he leaned on it for support.


    ¡°Damn my father. Damn my brothers. Damn my mother, and all the rest of them.¡± Ashley said as he felt something calling distantly to him. ¡°Goddess, I hate my life.¡± he muttered to himself as a sense of panic began to overtake him. For a moment he stood at the top of the stairwell on the second floor, his blue eyes gazing through a circular window toward the stormy skies. He saw her...felt...a forgotten connection, like a long severed limb suddenly feeling again. He looked into frightened and determined blue eyes, and felt his sister embrace him as a violent power pushed through her. There was a flash of pain and terror, and it felt like his heart broke.


    The pain didn''t subside, but the tenuous connection at the back of his mind opened like a floodgate. His vision went black as the world flew away, and then white hot as pain suffused his body. He could feel bones crack, as he fell, slamming into hard marble steps, as he tumbled in a world of pain. As he slammed back down into the foyer, the pain began in earnest. His mind was on fire, and his senses were screaming as he struggled for air. He felt like he was floating in a pool of light, of burning light. Bones cracked over and over again, muscle tore and shifted, and through it all he could only scream. Something seeped through the back of his mind, bleeding into him as it wove into his flesh and bones. Each fracture and tare was rewoven with the force invading him. Each time it healed, and rebroke anew. He thought he would pass out from the pain, but it followed him into the recesses of his mind, leaving no part of him unchanged. Moonlight pierced the night, passing through the circular window on the second floor, bathing Ashley in its silver glow, as he hovered, his body changing.


    *****


    Evelyn fell to her knees as she watched the shield breach, and lightning strike her daughter dead. The storm above didn''t give up, but the rains broke through, dousing the enchantresses around the seal as the first crack appeared in its surface. The glowing silver light of the sacred pool beneath the great tree surged through Kalie as the lightning fell, and exploded through her off into the distance as a silver light passed out of the grove and into the distance. Kalie fell lifeless into the pool, her body being dragged down into its depths. Her mother just looked horrified, not wanting to believe what she was seeing. The chanting of the circle continued, but to little avail.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Abigail, eldest matron of the circle called out, causing the girls to come to a stop, staring at the seal. ¡°Enough...It has failed.¡± Abigail said, as she walked over to the grief stricken Evelyn, placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°No!¡± Evelyn screamed as she rushed to her feet, and across the grove to the pool. The light of the pool was undimmed, but cloudy as she dived into it. Moments later surfacing with her daughter''s lifeless body. ¡°No! Kalie! Goddess!¡± she screamed as three of the circle''s enchantresses approached to pull them out of the pool.


    Abigail moved beside Kalie''s lifeless body, and began checking it, while Evelyn was held back by the others. The old woman frowned, a soft white light flowing from the end of her hands as she passed it over Kalie''s body. Looking up at Evelyn, Abigail shook her head, causing Evelyn to break free of the enchantress''s grasp, to wrap her arms around her daughter''s body. The circle stood watching for several minutes before the three once more came forward to pull Evelyn up, and away.


    Three of the enchantresses came over to help Evelyn back into the temple outside the heart of the grove. She climbed the marble steps in a haze, tears in her eyes as she grasped at her breast. The enchantresses likewise had tears in their eyes, but none could bring themselves to speak as they entered the antechamber past the entry hall. Evelyn offered no resistance as she was laid down on a long couch, nor when one of the girls hugged her briefly.


    Evelyn wasn''t sure when they left, as all she could do was stare into the darkness. She was bereft, tears pouring down her face as she cried. ¡°Oh Goddess...Why!¡± she moaned, shivering. She repeated it over and over again, screaming in heaving sobs as she clutched her hair, her heart broken.  First Shia had fled her, and now the dark entity buried in the depths had claimed her other daughter. When she closed her eyes she saw Kalie''s lifeless face and started weeping again. Evelyn cried until morning.


    ******


    Abigail looked down at the dead body coldly, sorrow in her heart, but needing to maintain some semblance of order. There could be nothing more done tonight, they had lost the race to ready Kalie as the new master enchantress. They could pick another girl to begin the arduous process with, but it would take time, and time is something they didn''t have. The blackened seal radiated a dark energy which Abigail knew would spread, the crack in its surface like an opening into the prison below. An opening that the dark entity that lay in wait could use to act in this world. The circle would place more wards around the seal, but they were stop gap measures. They would limit, but not eliminate the things influence, and as the crack in the seal grew, its increased power would burn away any resistance. Still...if the goddess were with them, and the progression slow, perhaps a girl could be ready to complete the bonding before the seal fractured completely.


    Abigail looked once more upon Kalie''s still form, and then approached the great tree to see what damage had been done. The pool''s glow was fading, the silver light gone, and the residual energy receding. Hesitating Abigail stepped toward the tree, extending her senses and finding...nothing. The growing life force of the spirit was gone.


    ¡°That''s impossible.¡± Abigail said as the implications dawned on her. ¡°But...It... The lightning couldn''t have killed it. It...it was insulated.¡± she said as she stared horrified at the nearby seal.


    ¡°Matron Abigail....¡± one of the younger enchantresses called as she approached. A handful of other women were chattering back and forth with concern, but the young enchantress seemed focused on the pool.


    ¡°Yes child?¡±


    ¡°I...I was watching when the lightning struck...¡± the young enchantress said, hesitating, ¡°I mean, I know I was supposed to be focused on the seal...but I was startled and I looked up...¡± she said nervously.


    ¡°It''s all right girl, your distraction at that point was understandable. You hold no responsibility for what happened. I''m sure you were not alone.¡± Abigail said with a sigh, seeing the nervousness in the crowd. It would do them no good to blame themselves for things outside of their control.


    ¡°I...I understand Matron, but...The light. It...When the lightning struck, I saw the light from the pool fly off that way.¡± the girl said pointing into the distance.


    Abigail''s gaze followed the enchantress''s motion, and she nodded. ¡°Yes...perhaps it fled somehow. Into the forests outside the city, or some other safe location.¡± she said with a note of hope in her voice. ¡°Good work, child. We will look into it.¡± she said, reaching over to place a hand on the girl''s shoulder. ¡°Now. Let''s get out of the rain.¡± she said as they gathered Kalie''s body and began the procession back into the temple. The power in the storm was receding, and with the morning their magic could more easily track the path of the spirit. Abigail consoled herself that at least hope was not lost.


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    *******


    Ashley woke in still damp clothes, his body aching down to his bones. The puddle of water on the floor had mostly dried up, but as he shifted uncomfortably he let out a high pitched groan. His mind felt raw, and as he opened his eyes there seemed to be subtle halos around everything. ¡°Shit.¡± he said in a soft whisper, his head throbbing. ''I hope I didn''t cause brain damage.'' he thought to himself as he tried to stand up, but found his balance was awkward. His pant legs were catching on his feet as he stepped up the stairs, the sides stretched tightly around his hips. His skin felt sensitive, and weight hung off his body strangely. Coming to a stop he looked down at the heavy weights hanging off of his chest, bound tightly within his shirt. ¡°What...¡± he said, his voice strange in his own ears. Pulling his too long golden hair out of his face, he stood still as he tried to take in what he was looking at.  His mind blanked as he tore his doublet off, freeing the mammoth globes of his breasts from their constraint.


    After a few moments of staring down in confusion, he reached down to pull his pants off, and as the weight of his chest pitched forward, his feet bound in the legs of his pants, he stumbled down onto the floor. Tearing the cloth from his body in a panic, he grasped at his sex and found something missing. As his mind tried to push through molasses to register the change, he grasped at his missing manhood, and screamed.


    Bolting up the stairs to one of the guest bedrooms he stopped as he found a full length mirror and stared. His already long golden hair hung down to his knees, past shapely thighs and full curvy hips. His breasts sat like a set of large melons high on his chest, the large round aureola topped with thick nipples. The lean muscle of his physique had melted away into soft fatty tissue, though as he moved he could see some of it beneath the surface. His once broad shoulders had narrowed, and as he got closer to the mirror he realized he had lost significant height...though he wasn''t sure how much. As his slender arms lifted to pull back the annoying weight of his hair, he saw a familiar yet different set of facial features. The youthful, but increasingly masculine face, had softened into something far more feminine, and exceedingly beautiful. Ashley had a soft heart shaped face, full lips with high cheekbones and forehead. His blue eyes had changed to a soft violet, and as he stared at himself the auras began to return.


    ¡°But...what...¡± he said, in a soft voice, his delicate hands coming up to grasp at the slender line of his neck. His eyes trailed down to the stretch of his pubic mound, and found his manhood gone, replaced by feminine folds. His mind blanked, as his legs buckled, and he fell to the floor. Panic set in as his breath quickened, and his mind spun. Grasping his head in his hands, he closed his eyes pressing his hands into his temples, waiting for the dream to go away.


    Twenty minutes past as Ashley''s mind raced, trying to put last night into some type of perspective. He remembered getting drunk, and wandering the streets for a while before the storm forced him home. Then the pain...he remembered a horrible feeling like being violated from within, and then pain...horrible horrible pain. Finally opening his eyes again he gazed at himself in the mirror and frowned. He tried to find an explanation...could it have been his father? One of his brothers? Some foul  demon come to torment him? Maybe his uncle...Ashley had thought it strange his uncle had left him this place. Perhaps it was something about the house. A curse...


    ¡°Shit.¡± Ashley muttered as he struggled to his feet. He needed help, but revealing this to anyone would destroy his reputation, what little of it he had. He...maybe he could ask one of the city''s enchantress about such a transformation...discretely...which was insane. All of the enchantresses were clannish, and he felt sure it would take no time at all for this to get out.


    Groaning, Ashley started searching for something to wear, but none of his normal clothes would fit. Still, there might be something in one of the bedrooms or attic which would fit. Ashley would settle for a bathrobe if he could get around, but he could go out in public like this. Still suffering from the effects of the previous night''s drinking, he moved to the nearest water closet to relieve himself. A task that he found both confusing, and irritating...which upon consideration was the entirety of his day so far.  ¡°Maybe if I wait a few days this will go away.¡± he muttered to himself, considering. After all, it could just be some angry enchantresses magical prank. He didn''t really know any, but they were volatile, angry women without respect for human decency. It would make sense...it going away...well, there''s always hope. Besides, if it went away on its own in a couple of days he could avoid anyone having to see him like this.


    An hour of hunting through guest bedrooms, finally turned up an armoire filled with old dresses. The thing looked expensive, and given the pristine condition of the wardrobe inside he assumed there was some type of preservation enchantment on it.  As he stared at the clothes, his vision shifted again, causing the assortment of auras to bleed from the objects. Most were soft, almost invisible, but the armoire had something complicated and vibrant around it. There were...patterns woven in the aura, and after a few moments he began to see them pop up in glowing blue light on the wood and metal surfaces of the armoire. Something in the back of his mind told him they outer ones served as a boundary, while those within enacted the effect of the enchantment.


    Ashley had never really studied magic, not being a woman, but his time with engineers had shown him similar patterns. Pressing a hand onto the surface of the of the armoire, he could feel the energy like water moving through carved channels. It...was hard to describe. Where he touched, the color shifted, growing brighter. As he pulled his hand back, the effect was immediate. The patterns of light on the surface grew more intense, shifting from a dark blue to a radiant light blue. He could feel the patterns etching themselves into the back of his mind as he brushed a hand across them.


    Shrugging off the experience, Ashley pulled one of the looser looking dresses from wardrobe, made of white silk and lace,  and spent a moment trying to figure out how it went on.  Finally just sliding it over his head,  he struggled to slide it into place, pulling his head through the high collar. Pulling the length of his golden hair from the back, an annoying task, he tried to reach back to tighten it, and felt the strings along the back pulling themselves into place. Ashley gasped as the garment shifted, wrapping tight to the curves of his body, a silk shawl floating from the armoire, and wrapping itself over his shoulders. Loose cloth hanging down the back of the dress wrapped itself  into a bow while something begin pulling at his hair.


    Ashley panicked for a moment, but deciding the not risk being choked or hurt by whatever magics were in effect, he waited nervously. Something was pulling his hair into what felt like a weave, and as he felt it pulling tighter at his scalp, he turned from the slight discomfort, in time to see one of the drawers in the armoire open open. A thin mist of powder washed over his face, somehow avoiding his open eyes, but causing him to blink, clenching his eyes shut. ¡°Gah! What in the world!¡± he growled in a high pitched voice, as he felt something pressing against his face and eyes. A jangling noise alerted him long enough, causing him to breath in left over ''powder'' in the air, causing a coughing fit. As something clamped around his brown and neck, he felt a sudden sharp pinch at his ears and let out a yelp. ¡°Damn it!¡± he yelled as whatever vile demonic magics finally released him, giving him leave to bolt from the room.


    Coughing and spitting a foul taste from his mouth, he moved through the hallway with the odd sensation of the silk dress swirled around him. He could feel the powder masque clinging to his skin, and a thin residue of magic mixed with it. It seemed to resist him as he tried to wipe it off with his hands. He''d had about as much as he could stand, and his nerves were on edge. Marching himself all the way up to the master suite on the third floor, determined to sleep the day away, he paused as he heard the sound of the door bell ringing loudly. He considered for a moment, the idea of simply ignoring whatever erstwhile visitor had come calling, before letting out a long sigh. For all he knew it could be whomever had done this to him, in which case pretending no one was home wouldn''t help.


    Clenching his eyes shut Ashley pressed his hands into his temples, as he heard the bell again. With regret he opened his bedroom door again, and began the march back down to the first floor entryway. There was a thin layer of dust on the floors and bannister which he noticed in the morning light. Ashley, not for the first time, wondered why his Uncle Laurence had left him such a large house. The thing seemed to be resistant to degradation, but it would require an entire staff to keep it clean, which he had no means of employing even if he cared to. When he had first seen it, he imagined it was just an attempt to keep an ugly piece of property, in a poor district of the city, in the family. A primary residence cost less in city taxes...which he would have to start paying as of next year.


    With this and a dozen other overly unpleasant thoughts running through his head, Ashley barely noticed the fluid grace of movement that carried him down the stairs, and to the front door. He just kept wishing for the day to end already.


    *******


    Laura groaned with irritation as Crystal hopped up and down on the balls of her feet. The two white robed girls had been wandering their assigned paths for the entire morning, and while Laura took her task seriously, Crystal had gotten bored. The two fourteen year olds had known each other since they were children, and Laura had gotten used to her friends...peculiarities. She was kind hearted, and sweet, but Laura sometimes thought she had been dropped on her head as a baby. She was easily distracted, and obsessed with cute, which is why she was jumping up and down trying to reach a kitten staring down at her from a low tree branch. The white haired kitten seemed bemused by Crystal''s display, but Crystal obviously hadn''t scared it off yet.


    ¡°Do you mind?¡± Laura asked the ditzy redhead, who stared back at her with blank saucer green eyes. ¡°What?¡± Crystal asked pouting, reaching up on her tip toes, with one hand extended. As the kitten leaned down to sniff at Crystals fingers, Laura grasped her temples. ¡°We''re supposed to be tracking the spirit''s trail. This is important crystal!¡± Laura said before she began chanting under her breath. Opening her Sight, she began tracing a tracking spell, trying to amplify the slowly weakening signature so that she could follow it.


    As the tendrils of silver light grew brighter, Laura was able to separate it from the background noise that made up the overlapping life forces and essences of the city. Enchantments were easy to spot, their forms intricate, and often ornate: Easily identifiable structures in a chaotic wash of dim colors. The stronger the enchantments, the more easily they could be perceived. Essence trails however were just more background noise, though the tracking spell would amplify it to make it more vibrant than the world around it. As Laura finally, after hunting all morning for ''something'' found a signature, she heard Crystal sequel with glee behind her.


    ¡°Aw! Who''s my pretty kitty?¡± Crystal asks the white kitten which had wandered down her arm and onto her shoulder. The kitten was licking Crystal''s nose, causing the girl to giggle. Crystal reached up to pet the kitten as she reached into her pocket to feed the kitten a piece of left over jerky that the girl had gotten for breakfast, before heading out.


    ¡°Damn it Crystal, you can''t keep a kitten...¡± Laura said, looking at her overly enthused friend, before pulling back her brown hair and tying it up into a ponytail. She walked over to Crystal in a huff, and then stopped as the kitten mewed at her...it was a pretty kitten. ¡°Well...maybe for a little while.¡± Laura said causing Crystal to giggle happily.


    ¡°Come on, I''ve picked up the trail. I think it''s moving toward the outer wall.¡± Laura said as Crystal followed along behind her. The city got dingier and dirtier as they pushed into the poorer quarters of town. The distance between markets grew greater, and the quality of goods in stalls and shops declined. Laura could smell the river water not far away, and the scent of a fishery near by, causing her to sigh. She really hoped she didn''t have to go back to the temple smelling like a fishmonger. The kitten, however, seemed quite happy to curl up on Crystal''s shoulder. Crystal had that effect on...well, cute things Laura supposed.


    As they pushed past the broken structure of the old aqueducts and the older buildings thrown up near it, Laura caught sight of a manor house packed in between older buildings. The poorer quarters tended to be ramshackle anyway, and the brick and earthworks that had served as old city structures had been converted to residences. The city walls had been ''moved'' from time to time, being placed in crescent pieces which were joined with larger buildings. By the look of it, the manor probably sat on the land at a time when it was still surrounded by farms, or maybe even forests. The place was old, and likely only held up so well because it had large portions of stone and marble making up its structure. Ancient pillars held up an entry way atop a set of elegant steps. The manor looked to be three stories, with several over grown terraces covered with vines. It looked to have separate wings, but Laura assumed there was more of the manor behind it. It looked...unsafe, but she was sure the trail lead here.


    Crystal hesitated at the steps, moving up them carefully, as if worried she''d slip on something. Laura just marched up to the front doors and finding a bell lever, pulled it. The sound of the bells was loud, which was surprising really. Laura didn''t imagine that they''d still work, but there was no sense in not trying it. She thought she saw something moving, while looking through the crescent shaped glass above the door. Waiting another couple minutes, she pulled the leaver again.


    Laura was waiting patiently while Crystal played with her kitten, seemingly involved with the white purring ball of fur on her shoulder. As footsteps became audible Laura perked up. Perhaps their morning would pay off. ¡°Is someone coming yet? I want to get lunch.¡± Crystal said while rubbing her nose into the kittens, and cooing at it. Laura groaned as the door began to open.


    Turning her attention to the open door, Laura gasped, and Crystal''s mouth dropped open. Standing in the ancient doorway, a figure of beauty and elegance draped in white silk and gold jewelry stared down at them with vibrant violet eyes. She was at once gorgeous and regal, her demeanor august. The beautiful white lace trimmed gown framed every curve of her body, showing off her grad endowments. Laura was both stunned, and envious at a sight. Crystal looked from the woman, down at herself, then back at the woman and pouted. Hey...they were only fourteen...they''d get bigger someday too...


    The gold and diamond tiara, earrings, and necklace glimmered in the morning light. Her long golden hair was tied into an ornate braid, and she looked to have a thin wash of makeup on, giving her a warm blush, and dazzling eyes. ¡°...Well?¡± the woman asked impatiently, causing Laura to pause as something bugged her about the woman, but she couldn''t quite place it.


    ¡°...Kalie?¡± Crystal asked as she stared at the woman with wide eyes. As Laura heard the name, it came into sharp clarity. The dress, makeup, and eyes had thrown her, but she saw it now. ¡°Kalie! I thought you died!¡± Laura exclaimed wide eyed. The woman in the doorway looked startled, and suddenly slammed the door in Crystal and Laura''s faces.  ¡°...Well...That was unexpected.¡± Crystal said as the kitten mewed again. ¡°Can we get lunch now?¡± she asked, causing Laura to glare.

 2. A Confrontation

    So, given the positive response, I went ahead and wrote another chapter. As always, I appreciate any input. If you see any problems, let me know so I can correct them. Thanks for reading.


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


    Ashley fell to the floor and started crying after she slammed the door. Ashley hadn''t thought about her sister Kalie in...a long time. It had been traumatic, when they were separated. The two were so close they could feel each other. They had been almost one person at times, until they were torn apart. Ashley''s bitch of a mother had abandoned him, and torn away half of his person. His father had been distant, and his brothers had wanted nothing to do with him. Ashley hadn''t really thought about Kalie in years, it was too painful for words. When they had been separated he hadn''t eaten for days. Even now she could remember the feeling of having half of his world cut off. It had been worse than having a limb amputated. It was as if a malicious entity had...had...she couldn''t conceive of a concept so horrible as to encompass what was stripped from them. She just knew afterward he had grown numb...and he had searched for something to fill that void.


    Ashley felt old wounds open as she sat in the foyer crying. Why did they have to say that name? What had he done for them to hurt her like that. What crime had she committed to deserve that wound being reopened? She knew she had been abandoned by mother years ago. Her and that horrible group of women that plied their magics to manipulate and dominate the men of the nobility. She bent forward on her knees as it felt like her stomach was being eaten up. Her heart felt like it wanted to tear itself apart, and the pain wouldn''t cease. ¡°Goddess!¡± she whimpered as she clenched at her stomach, crying. ¡°Why have you forsaken me?¡± she cried, knowing she didn''t just mean the goddess in that moment, but her mother, and her sister. She felt the wound in her soul, as if it would only take a word to break the tenuous grasp on her sanity...on her denial.


    The sudden shift in Ashley''s emotions broke her as she screamed on the cold marble floor. Mana wrapped around her in waves, and light burned like the sun in that darkened hall. Her mind wandered, lost, and confused in the pain. She hadn''t thought about Kalie in years...why did it hurt so much now?


    *******


    Crystal was still playing with the kitten as the two left the house. Laura just looked confused, while her compatriot started looking for food. They had been sent to track the nature spirit, and it had lead them to the door of a strange house at the edge of town. When the door opened, there stood Kalie, a circle mate who had died the night before. Laura had seen her body carried away. Though she wasn''t close with Kalie, they were sisters in the circle. It was a bond thicker than blood, a motto that was enforced since early childhood. When she slammed the door in her face, Laura was hurt, and then confused. Now she just needed to report this to the matrons...but first lunch.


    When the two had crossed a little more than a city block, there was a sudden disturbance and an eruption of power. The elemental energies that the enchantresses trained decades to tame, washed over them like they were sun bathing.


    ''Meow?¡± the kitten cried quizzically from Crystal''s shoulder. Crystal just giggled as the kitten rubbed its nose against her ear. Laura frowned at Crystal who seemed more absorbed in the cat that whatever had just happened.


    ¡°Ooh! Lets stop by the sweets shop!¡± Crystal said with a smile.


    ¡°Sweets? Can''t you think about anything besides your stomach?¡± Laura asked grumbling.


    ¡°But we never get to eat at the sweet shop! We always have to eat that tasteless stuff the matrons give us.¡± Crystal said pouting. ¡°And it''s just up ahead! It''s destiny! Why else would the spirit have gone this way?¡± she asked with a grin. ¡°Aren''t you hungry?¡± she asked. The kitten just looked at Laura and ''Meowed'' again.


    ¡°No I''m not hungry! We have to tell the matrons.¡± Laura said, returning pouts, moments before her stomach started grumbling. ¡°...ok, maybe a quick bite to eat.¡± she said quietly.


    ¡°Yea! To the sweet shop!¡± Crystal said, thrusting one arm victoriously into the air. The kitten on her shoulder also put one paw into the air, and ''Meowed''.


    *******


    Two hours later Crystal and Laura stood before matron Abigail and Evelyn. The kitten had taken up residence in a piece of cloth strung across Crystal''s front, and tied in back. The kitten was currently sleeping soundly. The two young girls looked at the circle elders nervously as they explained about the run in with the Kalie look-alike in the building at the edge of town.


    ¡°You''re sure?¡± Abigail asked, while Evelyn just looked confused. Either there was a double of her daughter running around, or the spirit had perhaps stolen the girl''s form. The lookalike''s response to was obviously confusing, but they didn''t have long to resolve this problem. The wards wouldn''t last forever.


    ¡°Yes matron. I saw the trail of spirit essence leading right to the building, and she was wearing makeup, but it looked exactly like Kalie.¡± Laura said. Crystal kept quiet, though she shuffled a bit as the kitten poked its head out for a second, and then went back inside the folds of cloth.


    ¡°I''ll go investigate this.¡± Evelyn said, her voice strained.


    Matron Abigail looked at Evelyn for a moment, then waved her hands at Crystal and Laura. ¡°You''re dismissed.¡± she said to the young enchantresses. The girls nodded and bowed as they walked quickly from the room, closing the door behind them.


    Matron Abigail looked at Evelyn for a moment and sighed. ¡°Evelyn...you''ve suffered a great loss...let another handle this. Watching someone wearing the form of your dead daughter, less than a day after her passing...You need time to grieve, and arrangements need to be made.¡± Abigail said calmly.


    Evelyn glared at Abigail. ¡°If something is walking around wearing the face of my daughter, I have every right to be angry.¡± Evelyn said, her tone cold. ¡°But what''s important now is that the spirit is retrieved.¡± she said, turning around to leave.


    ¡°Evelyn...¡± Abigail said hesitantly.


    ¡°Enough! I will handle this.¡± Evelyn said, her tone rising.


    Abigail gave a pitying look at Evelyn and then sighed. ¡°Very well. At least take some of the lower circle enchantresses with you, in case something happens.¡± she said.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Evelyn responded as she walked out.


    Abigail stepped onto her balcony and looked across the mezzanine to the area Kalie''s body was being held. The elderly matron could feel the weight of her years as she thought about the great darkness in the depths. They were in dire straights, and danger loomed over their heads like a sword ready to fall. In the midst of all of this danger, the circle still had to deal with tragedy. Abigail couldn''t imagine what Evelyn was going through right now, but she would support her. The circle was family above family, and blood beyond blood.


    *******


    Ashley after hours was finally able to move again. The grief had been overwhelming, like an open wound bleeding her dry. The pain hadn''t left, but after screaming and crying for hours she could at least think again. There was a soft light still enfolding her, and strands of light were spread out into the building, like the roots of a tree. Her senses had shifted at one point, and she knew that these were just essence channels in the environment, which had been flooded by her. She didn''t know how she knew, but she had a sense of the world around her at the moment. As she slowly climbed to her feet, the light abated and the strands of light bled into the air, leaving the room brighter than it should have been, but the strands were gone.


    The air was more alive, but Ashley was more aware that she was surrounded by cold marble, as her senses seemed to pick up a sense of the vegetation outside. She could sense the gardens outside the main house, and felt a need for ''fresh air''. Besides she was out of alcohol, and until she procured work she couldn''t really afford to support a drinking habit...unless she used it as a replacement for food. As she thought about her sister, and the state of her life, that didn''t seem like a horrible idea.


    Her footsteps carried her through the house toward a side entrance near the kitchens. The door emptied out in front of an old wall with an arched entrance. There was once a gate blocking it, but it had rusted over, and been pulled off. What was left was just the brackets, and weeds. As her feet touched dirt, a deep rooted pain was alleviated. It was like she had been dying of thirst, starved to delirium. Raw nerves were soothed, and she could feel the life of the garden around her.


    The grass, which had mostly died out, began to come back to life or grow anew. Dry rotted trellis were covered in dead vines, and stood near warped and weed ridden hedges, or against the stone walls. Essence seemed to well up from the earth, using the dead plants as receptacles. Some vines began to shift color from dead browns to vibrant greens, while others just crumbled into dust. Weeds similarly vanished under Ashley''s gaze, the dead garden remolding itself to fit her desires. Flowers and trees bloomed around her, as she walked the dirt path.


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    When Ashley came to rest against an a line of cherry blossom trees, she sunk to the ground. She still hurt, but she felt comforted here somehow. As she breathed in, feeling the heavy weights on her chest rise and fall, she regained enough mental composure to look around at the vibrant garden. An aura of life saturated the air, as a soft mist rose from a nearby pond to wash over everything. ¡°...What in the world...¡± she said, the powerful sense of magic settling inside of her.


    *******


    Evelyn arrived on horseback with a dozen young enchantresses. There were vibrant streams of essence permeating the atmosphere the closer they got to the estate. As they got closer, little doubt was left that the spirit had in some way manifested there, though that raised a number of questions. But she would have her answers, and in short order. The idea of some wretched harlot wearing her daughters form galled her, but the guardian spirit of the great tree and patron goddess of Nal''Lucan could take any form she liked. Evelyn deeply hoped that the spirit had simply manifested itself in some way. Had it taken over some uninitiated maiden, the Circle would have to arrange for her transfer to their care. If some foreign enchantress had absconded with the spirit somehow...


    Grumbling to herself, Evelyn shook her head. There was little point in conjecture right now. She would have her answers shortly. The Circle had come out with some numbers in case force had to be brought to bare, though Evelyn thought that unlikely. Until the darkness was forced back, and the great seal restored, they were all at risk. Not just the city of Nal''lucan, or the kingdom of Bristol, but the entire world. What exactly was sealed in those depths was unknown, but it had been sealed shortly after the heavens split...at least that''s what their records said. Regardless, the evil in the depths was malevolent and bore powers not seen since the dawn of creation. Under no circumstances must it be allowed to escape.


    When Evelyn and the other enchantresses arrived outside the estate, they felt as if they were next to the sacred gardens. Everyone dismounted, and Evelyn approached the front door. She glanced behind her at the dozen others, and then brought her fist down on the door a little too hard. The old wooden door was sturdy, and she could feel a sense of magic contained within. After a few slamming her fists into the door a few more times, she extended her senses, shifting her sight. A wellspring of power looked to be emanating from behind some walls near the main house.


    Leaving the front porch, Evelyn moved down the steps and around the building. Dust kicked up in her path as she moved purposefully toward the well of power. The outer facade of the estate was faded and in disrepair, but it was large and had likely been grandiose in its day. Judging by the architecture that day was long past. It was unusual to see these types of houses in such poor neighborhoods. At a guess the house had been built early enough in Nal''lucan''s history that the city limits had yet reached it. The house itself probably served as a country estate for some noble family in the past, until the outer lands were absorbed into the city proper over time.


    Half of the other enchantresses followed behind Evelyn, essence being readied to cast spells in case something happened. Not that gathering essence here was difficult; the air was saturated with it. The old stone walls encircled a gardens, and as she past the arched entrance, it was like stepping into another world. The sense of power here was almost overwhelming, but then again the enchantresses of Nal''lucan were very attuned to the energies of nature. One might call it a specialty of sorts. The Circles in the kingdoms of Abrain and Canterly crafted sorcerous implements and tools, while the mystics of Sholen were potent illusionists. Magic overlapped, but the none wielded a connection to, or control over, nature and the elements like the Circle of Nal''Lucan.


    Evelyn came to a sudden stop, her breath squeezed from her chest as she saw the spitting image of her daughter Kalie curled up next to a cherry blossom tree. Flowers bloomed around her, and daylight played through the mists like rainbows in the air. Her eyes were closed, and there were tears in her closed eyes. As Evelyn forced herself to breath again, her fists clenched and she steeled herself.


    *******


    Ashley had curled up in the garden. It was easier to breath there, but as the numbness receded the grief returned. She hurt, and she didn''t know why. She just knew that it felt as if she had lost her sister all over again. She hadn''t thought about Kalie in years, it had hurt too much. Walls had been built around that part of her psyche, and something had ripped those walls apart like tissue paper. She had settled into the garden, letting the energies wash over her, tending psychic wounds. She became lost in the sea of life, her awareness of anything beyond dulled.


    As Ashley grappled with a sense of loss, she could sense movement nearby. There was a disturbance as energy was drawn from the sea, pooling in nearby bodies. Her eyes opened to see regal middle aged woman dressed in loose blue robes. It was one of those damned circle bitches...no, there were more of them. They lorded their power and magic over the rest of society. Curses and blessings could cripple or elevate whole families. In battle, their spells far outstripped even the strongest ki users. They were a clannish and insular lot, and their sisterhood came before even their own flesh and blood. There were many jokes about their marriages being little more than ''social arrangements''. Most noblemen had stronger connections with their mistresses than their wives. The Circle supposedly liked it that way. Not that Ashley really gave a damn one way or another. Her only connection to them was a mother she only vaguely remembered existing, and a sister she hadn''t seen since she was a small child. There was supposed to be another sister, but she''d never met her.


    The middle aged woman in front of her had a magical ''weight'' to her, and was glaring angrily. Ashley was in no mood for visitors, or in this case trespassers. Ashley bit back anger...anger was easier to deal with than grief, though she was having a hard time controlling her emotions right now.


    ¡°Why are you trespassing?¡± Ashley asked distantly. Her eyes looked a puffy and bloodshot from all of the crying.


    The middle aged woman in front of her became angry at that. ¡°The circle may go where is sees fit.¡± she said, her gaze like daggers. Her tone was irritating Ashley, who was already angry at having to deal with these bitches to begin with. ¡°You are to come with us, girl. Alert whomever has guardianship over you. We''ll send for your things, if you''re deemed to need them.¡± she said, her tone elevated and offensive.


    Ashley noted the gaggle of ''circle bitches'' behind their leader were readying themselves for conflict, but seemed a bit startled at the woman''s behavior. ¡°I''ll do no such thing. No one has guardianship over me. Leave, before I make you.¡± she said. Ashley didn''t know if she actually could force them out, but right now she didn''t care. She hurt, was angry, and didn''t feel she had anything to lose. Besides, something about their leader rankled her. The ''circle bitches'' might killer her, but at least the pain would stop, and she might be able to put her fist through that woman''s face.


    Rising to her feet, Ashley felt the environment responding to her anger. She couldn''t cast spells, and was no enchantress, but the garden would fight for her, for what little it mattered. As vines began to slither along the ground like snakes, the ambiance in the garden shifted. What was comforting and nurturing, if sad, was now turning angry and ominous. The light of day was being blocked by the mists, instead of just diffracting into rainbow light. Shadows were getting thicker, and the mists turning to fog as Ashley suddenly wished she''d not left her sword in the house.


    In response to Ashley''s desires vines sprouted from the earth, wrapping around each other, and forming a hilt at her finger tips. Black roses sprouted near the vine guard, while thorns merged together and grew along the outside, creating a wicked edge. Her hand grasped the hilt and pulled the sword, carving the air in front of her. A trail of viscous green and black light spread in vine sword''s wake, and Ashley could feel the power in it: It would serve.


    ¡°You dare defy the Circle, you stupid girl?¡± the middle aged woman spat angrily, energy coalescing around her hand as she readied a spell. ¡°When we get you back to the temple, I''ll have you flogged to teach you obedience.¡± their leader said. The ''circle bitches'' behind her were passing confused and nervous looks between each other. ¡°And after you''re broken, I''ll cut my daughter''s likeness from your face.¡± she said angrily, rage in her eyes.


    Stepping forward, her white gown fluttered around her as if it was passing through water. Anger and a sense of violation was building in Ashley''s brain like fire. The vague sense of familiarity twisted as realization dawned upon her. She knew who those vile woman was. The woman who had broken and abandoned her had come back to violate her again. Ashley suddenly snapped ¡°GET OUT!¡± she screamed like a banshee. Her sword pulsed with power as magic essence poured through the thin channels of her body that had only ever handled a trickle of ki. Her insides were scoured with power, as she brought her sword to bare.

 3. Sisters

    If you see any problems, let me know. Thanks for reading everyone, and I hope you enjoy the chapter.


    ***********


    The younger circle enchantresses were nervous as the mana in the air turned violent, and they were confused at matron Evelyn''s confrontational attitude toward the woman in white. They had come in case there was danger, but they knew they were ultimately here to retrieve the spirit. That the white gowned Ashley was wearing the face of their dead circle sister was unexpected, but given the matron''s cold response at the outset, they assumed it wasn''t unexpected. As matron Evelyn started spewing threats of beating and maiming the spirit''s host...they were lost. What should have been a simple matter of performing an escort was turning potentially deadly, and Ashley was...frankly terrifying.


    The mana in the air turned toxic as the group was forced backward from the garden. Their initial attack and defense spells remained primed, but they weren''t here to try and kill the host...though it appeared matron Evelyn was.


    Ashley''s sword burned with green flames as she leapt forward. The ground dented and cracked as nature essence bolstered her, her movements blurring from the speed. ¡°GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!¡± Ashley screamed like a mad woman, sword slamming down upon Evelyn with wrathful brutality.


    A shield enveloped Evelyn in dim light, sparks cascading to the ground with every strike. Evelyn just looked through the translucent shield with scorn, and rage of her own, as the form of her dead daughter was attacking her. ¡°Vile wretch! You DARE?¡± Evelyn screamed, energy pooling violently around her as she summoned a greater sorcerous working. She would destroy this evil thing, and free the spirit for another host.


    Ashley''s blade grew heavier as power built inside of it. The blackening thorn edge fell explosively, and faster with every strike. As Evelyn''s spell readied to release the edge cracked through her shield, fracturing it into motes of light. ¡°IT''S ALL YOUR FAULT!¡± Ashley screamed, as Evelyn''s spell released. Power erupted in an explosion, knocking back the dozen circle enchantresses violently, and drowning the area in a hail of dust.


    The mother and daughter tempest tossed across the gardens. Evelyn felt like she had been stabbed through the heart at those words, and screamed as she leapt from the ground.


    Ashley crashed teary eyed into an ash tree which cracked with the force. She didn''t have the same protective spells her mother did, but her body was healing rapidly even as the magic in her ki channels was forcing torn flesh to obey. As Ashley realized that her mother had tried to kill her, she snapped. The two slammed into each other, their bodies tumbling forcefully across the ground as barbarism took over. Ashley tried to tear out her mother''s eyes with her fingers, while Evelyn tried to rip her daughter''s offending face off.


    ¡°I HATE YOU!¡± Ashley screamed over and over again, while Evelyn just became more enraged at the provocations from the mouth of her ''dead daughter''.


    ¡°DEMON WRETCH! WHY WON''T YOU JUST DIE?¡± Evelyn screamed as she tried to tear the ''imposter'' apart with her bare hands.


    The two rolled through dirt and debris, their mana flowing off of them in waves. ¡°MONSTROUS HAG!¡± Ashley screamed, her fingernails drawing blood as she clawed across her mother''s face. ¡°YOU STOLE MY SISTER AND ABAONDONED ME! I HATE YOU!¡± Ashley screamed, even as Evelyn tried to tare of face off.


    The two separated as Evelyn slapped her fist across Ashley''s temple with a burst of light. The two women had ragged breath, and trembling bodies as the stood opposite each other. Evelyn just looked at Ashley in confusion as she tried to processes what she was hearing.


    Ashley glared at the woman that had utterly destroyed her life and maimed her psyche. Tears poured down Ashley''s face, her body trembling with rage. ¡°You''re not my mother.¡± she said, aching from the depths of her heart.


    ¡°And you''re not my daughter.¡± Evelyn spat out angrily.


    ¡°No...and I was never your son either.¡± Ashley said, glaring at her. ¡°Perhaps you should have just killed me after giving birth to me, you sadistic bitch.¡± she spat out.


    Evelyn was trying to processes the nonsense spewing from this girl''s mouth...when something clicked. ¡°...Ashley?¡± she asked horrified.


    Ashley screamed, angry at her. ¡°GET AWAY FROM ME!¡± she yelled, as power erupted from her, blasting her mother from the gardens, knocking her into the circle enchantresses. She then stumbled from the wreckage of that brief sanctuary which her ex-mother destroyed, much like everything else that horrible woman touched, and passed through the door to her kitchen. She paused for a moment to stare at the circle enchantresses who were climbing to their feet. ¡°Get off my property, and never come back.¡± Ashley said.


    Evelyn was on the ground groaning while one of the enchantresses came to her feet. ¡°But...You have to help us. The great seal is breaking. If we don''t fix it, the world will burn!¡± the young enchantress, a waif of a girl called Nella, said desperately.


    Ashley just stared at the girl with dead eyes. ¡°Then let it.¡± she said, slamming the door behind her.


    Nella just stared desperate and confused between matron Evelyn and the retreating Kalie twin. Meanwhile Ashley stumbled into the darkest hole she could find, curling up into a ball and crying, without even he garden to comfort her.


    *******


    Matron Abigail listened to the report given by a young enchantress from the circle that accompanied Matron Evelyn, named Nella. Abigail practically fell into her chair when Nella related Ashley''s final words. Evelyn had wrecked everything, and Abigail should have known better than to allow her circle sister to go out on this; Evelyn was emotional compromised. Even now Evelyn was holed up in the altar room with the body of her daughter, grieving. Everything could have been explained, and smoothed over, if a lighter touch had been used...but that stupid woman had to go personally. ¡°Goddess...¡± Abigail muttered, a headache coming on.


    ¡°She...she won''t really let everything burn, will she?¡± Nella asked fearfully. The young enchantresses of the circle were taught from the start of their initiation that they served to protect the world from destruction: the duty for which they sacrificed everything. The magic in their lineages was both a gift, and a curse in that way.


    ¡°...Calm yourself. What you heard were the angry words of a hurt child.¡± Matron Abigail said with a sigh. ¡°Have faith.¡± she said weakly, before motioning to dismiss Nella.


    Several hours later Jena, the sister who acted more or less as spymaster and information gatherer for the circle, stood in front of Matron Abigail. Abigail gazed into the evening sky, and felt exhausted.


    ¡°I have looked into Ashley.¡± Jena said, a frown on her face.


    ¡°And?¡± Abigail asked wearily.


    Jena cleared her throat. ¡°At seventeen he is the fourth, and youngest, son of Matron Evelyn and her husband Abram, the Duke of Alurn. He was also twin brother to sister Kalie. According to their childhood nanny, the two siblings apparently shared a very strong bond. He was entered into his term service at the age of thirteen, serving for four years under the corp of engineers.¡± Jena said, noting Matron Abigail''s frown.


    ¡°I take it he was to join the college of engineers then?¡± Matron Abigail asked.


    ¡°It seems he applied, and was refused.¡± Jena said.


    ¡°Strange. The colleges rarely refuse entry by nobility, regardless of whether they stand to inherit titles.¡± Matron Abigail said, glancing at Jena from the dark horizon.


    ¡°I thought so too. Apparently it was at the request of the Duke, who wanted him to serve as a personal clerk and liaison under one of his older brothers... Jason, who''s currently a captain on diplomatic appointment from the queen to the kingdom of Kaern.¡± Jena said, reading off of a piece of paper.


    ¡°A strange appointment as Kaern is a treacherous assignment. I assume he was prepping young Ashley for an eventual diplomatic position.¡± Abigail said thoughtfully.


    ¡°Apparently Ashley turned the appointment down, causing him and his father to have a falling out. My information also shows he has an openly hostile relationship with his brothers...violent at times. That was likely the reason for Ashley''s refusal.¡± Jena said, glancing up from her paper.


    ¡°Openly hostile, and Violent?¡± Matron Abigail asked curiously.


    ¡°Yes...as best I can tell at least one of the incidence could be considered attempted murder. I have no information on the initial causes of the hostility, but at ten he was hospitalized for several months.¡± Jena said.


    ¡°...Several months? Wasn''t the circle called? I''m sure some form of healing could have been provided. His mother at least...¡± Abigail said aghast.


    ¡°Was never informed. The entire thing was swept under the rug by their father... and honestly as best I can tell, Ashley''s father has a sadistic streak a mile wide. I take it Matron Evelyn has little to do with him outside of official obligations.¡± Jena said with a shrug.


    ¡°I did find it strange that Kalie had entered into the circle so young, but then again she was gifted enough...I suppose Evelyn wanted to get her away.¡± Abigail said as she considered. ¡°So what you''re saying is that Ashley has no obligations, no family to speak of, and nothing to lose...You don''t paint a lovely picture.¡± she said, once more regretting sending Evelyn.


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    ¡°No Matron Abigail.¡± Jena said simply, ¡°though...¡± she said, her voice trailing off.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Abigail asked


    ¡°There''s always sister Shia...¡± Jena said meaningfully.


    ¡°Have the two even met?¡± Abigail asked thinking on Kalie''s older sister, and by proxy, Ashley''s as well.


    ¡°I can''t find any information on that, but I doubt it. However, Shia doted on her sister Kalie. The two had a close relationship.¡± Jena said.


    Abigail considered for a moment, ¡°Why would Ashley want to be involved with her then?¡± she asked, feeling Jena was going somewhere with this.


    ¡°Well...while it''s true Ashley currently holds title over her estate, that was left to her while she was male. In Bristol, men gain the right to freehold property at sixteen...¡± Jena said with a smile.


    ¡°And women twenty-one...¡± Abigail said with a grin.


    ¡°She isn''t an initiate of the circle, so we have no claim on her currently, but she doesn''t have legal standing until twenty-one. Shia could act as ''guardian'', and hopefully repair enough of the damage ...¡± Jena said.


    ¡°I see...Dispatch a messenger to Shia. I''m sure she''ll want to come to observe Kalie''s funeral at least.¡± Abigail said, a note of sadness in her voice.


    ¡°Yes, Matron Abigail.¡± Jena says, turning to walk out.


    *******


    Ashley spent the next two days curled up in a ball in one of the bedrooms waiting to die. She didn''t have the energy or motivation to crawl out of bed. Most of the time she just had to keep telling herself to breath through the heartache. She cried longer and harder than she had ever in her entire life. Even as a little boy, she had never cried so much...she had never been hurt so badly either. She barely noticed someone entering the room, and at that point she didn''t care anymore. If someone had intended to kill her, she didn''t feel like putting up a fight. So when someone pulled her into an embrace she didn''t fight it.


    A golden haired woman in her early twenties found a sobbing Ashley hidden away in a dust covered bedroom. The sense of essence in the house was thick, and after passing through an unlocked door at the address she was given, she had little doubt where Ashley was. Shia had arrived that morning in Nal''Lucan, to find her baby sister dead and the circle in disarray. Her mother didn''t say a word to her, but Shia hadn''t returned to speak with her mother anyway. When Matron Abigail had explained the situation, she had agreed to check on Ashley, but when she found Ashley, her heart broke for her.


    Taking her crying sister in her arms, Shia hugged Ashley tightly and rocked her back and forth. A few hours passed before the sobbing finally subsided, and kissing Ashley''s forehead, Shia pulled away. Ashley didn''t fight as the stranger pulled her slowly from the bed, leading her to a warm open bath on the first floor that hadn''t been used in years. It hadn''t taken much magic to ready it, and there seemed to be spells worked into the tiling. She quietly undressed her sister, before removing her own robes, and scrubbing the dust and dried sweat from her sister''s body.


    When they entered the warm waters, stress bled from Ashley''s weary body. The woman beside her leaned close, pushing strands of wet hair out of Ashley''s eyes, and pulled her into another embrace. ¡°It''s all right Ashley. You''re not alone anymore.¡± Shia whispered to her sister, causing tears to stream down Ashley''s face again, but this time she cried because she hurt less, not more.


    Ashley didn''t fight as Shia dressed the two for bed, or when she curled up against her beneath the covers, she was just so very tired. She past into sleep with the first real sense of comfort she''d had in days, and the only sense of being loved she''d felt in years.


    Ashley stirred the next morning, her senses touching on the essence lines that now suffused the house. When she''d woken to find the stranger missing, she felt sad, until Shia arrived in the room with a smile on her face. ¡°Wake up sleepy head. I made us breakfast.¡± she said, looking resplendent in a set of blue robes. Ashley mumbled, but got dressed in a white and yellow dress that Shia laid out for her. She wanted to go find her own clothes, but knew they wouldn''t fit, and she didn''t have the energy to bother. She felt it was enough that she put anything on at all.


    When Ashley reached the kitchens, Shia had set a plate with eggs, toast, and juice out. Ashley was mildly surprised, since she knew that there shouldn''t have really been any food in the cupboards. Ashley hadn''t stocked provisions in days, which meant this woman either arrived with her own food, or had gone out to buy some early in the morning.


    Taking a seat, Ashley looked down at her plate and frowned. ¡°Sorry...I''ll pay you back for the food.¡± Ashley said, feeling the statement was awkward but not really knowing what else to say.


    Shia looked at her concerned, and then smiled as Ashley began eating. ¡°Oh?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°Did you have an income?¡± Shia asked, already knowing the answer.


    Ashley stopped eating, putting down her fork. ¡°Sorry.¡± she said, moving to get up from the table.


    Groaning in exasperation, Shia got from the table and gently ''guided'' Ashley back into her seat. ¡°You are just about the most pitiful creature I''ve ever met.¡± Shia said, a note of levity in her tone. ¡°Now eat. You don''t owe me anything but your company.¡± she said as her sister quietly started to eat again. ¡°Just let me take care of you.¡± she said, retaking her seat.


    ¡°I can take care of myself.¡± Ashley responded between bites.


    ¡°Not for four more years you can''t.¡± Shia said with a smile, causing Ashley to freeze, the implications clear.


    Ashley looked up at the woman across from her confused, ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked a bit defensively.


    ¡°Well, I''m your sister Shia, and as of yesterday morning, your legal guardian.¡± Shia said, pulling some papers out and handing them to her. Ashley took the papers nervously, seeing a court order. It was obvious that the Circle had arranged this, and Ashley would have been angry if she had the energy.


    ¡°Goddess damn them.¡± Ashley whispered, her grip on the papers clenching for a second before she dropped them on the kitchen table. ¡°Couldn''t they just leave me alone?¡± she asked. She had been gifted this estate on, and being over the age of sixteen, was considered an adult...as a man. Women were a different story, likely due to the influence of the Circle, and didn''t reach adulthood until twenty-one. It kept them under the authority of the Circle longer, and also meant they could be married off before they reached a majority and could legally refuse.


    Shia looked across the table at her sister and took a bite of egg. ¡°I''m sorry, would you have preferred to be remanded to our father?¡± she asked curiously. The papers had never actually gone in front of the duke, as it was deemed to not be any of his concern. They could have remanded Ashley to Evelyn''s custody, and thus the Circle''s authority, but after what happened at their last meeting that was seen as counter productive.


    Ashley''s eyes twitched as she imagined being under the control of that sadistic bastard again. ¡°I should pack my things.¡± she said. It would be easier if she fled Nal''Lucan... and probably Bristol entirely. Anything to get away from those horrible women.


    Shia just stopped and looked Ashley in the eyes, hurt. ¡°You''d rather abandon your only sister, than spend a few years living together?¡± she asked, looking at Ashley closely. ¡°What did I ever do to you, that you would deny me knowing the only sister I have left?¡± she asked.


    ¡°... but Kalie...¡± Ashley said confused, but ''feeling'' the truth on an instinctual level.


    ¡°Oh Ashley.¡± Shia said, frowning deeply. ¡°I''m so sorry...She died three days ago.¡± she said, watching quietly as the news sank in.


    ¡°But...what...¡± Ashley asked, trying to wrestle with words, like they were foreign somehow.


    ¡°There was a ritual, to try and protect the world, but it went wrong. Kalie was supposed to be host to the spirit of a goddess. The ritual came under attack, and at a guess the spirit jumped between Kalie and you...you two must have been very close, spiritually.¡± Shia said, feeling bad for her sister, and foolish at the same time. The ''honor'' she had been past over for, had wrecked Ashley''s life.


    ¡°Those circle bitches.¡± Ashley spat out painfully.


    Shia just sighed, since she knew that Ashley didn''t understand, and that wasn''t going to change now. Ashley blamed the circle for letting Kalie die, and Shia understood that. She blamed herself for not being there. ¡°You won''t leave me...will you?¡± she asked, looking at Ashley, who fidgeted under the gaze.


    Ashley took a deep breath, and swallowed. ¡°No.¡± she said.

 4. Sisters continued

    I''ve gotten some positive feedback, and some negative feedback, and all I can say is I''m happy for any honest feedback. I''m especially happy that I''ve apparently gotten a number of my readers emotionally invested with the characters. That can actually be very difficult.


    Ok, so this chapter is a bit shorter than normal, so heads up. Also, I noticed some...problems in my first chapter. I think I mentioned this before, but I had compiled that first chapter from different files. There were final adjustments that didn''t make it over, and while I don''t have a finished outline for this story, I do have some notes. Just a heads up, I''ve made some small changes, and will likely be making other corrections in the near future, especially before the next chapter comes out. This will mostly be for consistency purposes. Also...am I the only one who sucks at picking names?


    And once again, thanks for reading, and let me know if you spot problems so I can address/fix them.


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


    After breakfast the two moved to the lounge, and Shia made them some tea. ¡°Well, you probably have some questions.¡± Shia said, setting the tea on a table beside them. Ashley took a seat on an old sofa, and Shia immediately sat down next to her. Shia seemed intent to keep physical contact with Ashley, while Ashley was just too tired to argue.


    ¡°...Yea.¡± Ashley said as she considered her sister. ¡°Why are you here?¡± she asked.


    ¡°To take care of you...¡±Shia said tilting her head to the side.


    ¡°No...You may be my sister, but we''ve never met before. Then this happens to me, and you''re here as my new ''guardian''. Not that I don''t appreciate a family visit, but what do you want? I''m not helping the circle bitches...Especially after they pull something like this.¡± Ashley says, her tone exhausted, but resolute.


    Shia sighed, brushing a few strands of hair out of Ashley''s face. ¡°Sorry Ashley, I know this must be difficult for you. I''m not here to get anything out of you, I promise. I didn''t exactly want to come back to Nal''Lucan myself. I only returned because I received news of Kalie.¡± she said, before reaching down to hand Ashley a cup of tea.


    Ashley looked down at the tea, but didn''t move to take it. ¡°Then the circle sent you to manipulate me.¡± she said, getting up from the sofa suddenly.


    Shia reached out and grabbed Ashley''s hand. ¡°Ashley, wait.¡± she said hastily.


    ¡°Neither you, nor mother ever gave a shit about me. Now what the fuck do you want?¡± Ashley spoke roughly.


    Shia looked at Ashley quietly for several seconds. ¡°I''m sorry.¡± she said, putting the cup of tea down. ¡°I...I look at you and I see Kalie, but you don''t know me, and I don''t really know you.¡± she said weakly. ¡°Please...sit down, and lets talk for a bit...if you don''t want me here afterward, I''ll leave.¡± she said.


    Ashley frowned, and sat down in a chair opposite Shia. ¡°...So you''re part of the circle.¡± she said, her tone accusatory.


    ¡°No...not anymore. I was up until a few years ago, but...¡± Shia said, and then paused rubbing her temple. ¡°I left.¡± she said, and sighed. ¡°This is hard to explain to someone who isn''t familiar with the inner workings of the Circle, but to put it simply...I was past over for a major position, and because of that the circle canceled my engagement.¡± she said.


    ¡°...What?¡± Ashley asked confused.


    Shia took a deep breath, and released it slowly. ¡°Ashley, the Circle has a very tight grip over its members, and over how they interact with the rest of society. There''s a reason that they seclude us from early childhood...We''re not supposed to have any connection stronger than the Circle.¡± she said, before taking a sip of tea. She paused for another several seconds, and then looked up at Ashley. ¡°You''ve not had to arrange for marriage yet, but as you might know, any time a sister of the Circle marries, that marriage is arranged by the Circle matrons. They pick girls some time before their twenty-first birthday, and the best marriages go to those girls who are being groomed for higher positions.¡± she said frowning.


    ¡°Don''t you get positions by seniority or something? Skill?¡± Ashley asked with a raised eyebrow.


    Shia looked at Ashley incredulously. ¡°Goddess, no. That''s not how...¡± she said, looking at Ashley with a pained expression. ¡°The Circle invests a lot into assisting with the magic cultivation, and spirit bonding of its ''prime'' members from a young age. The Circle then arranges marriages to provide social standing and influence in the kingdom and courts. About thirty years ago the first signs of the seal weakening appeared.¡± she said.


    ¡°The seal?¡± Ashley asked confused.


    ¡°Sorry...The Circle of Bristol is dedicated to guarding a seal placed by the goddess Gaea at the end of the war of the gods. It was meant to keep a force buried that could swallow the world in eternal night. Every several generations a ritual was to be held to strengthen the seal, where the mantle of the goddess would settle upon a chosen bearer. With the goddess''s power, the Circle could reseal the prison. The bearer would also pass down a part of that power to her descendents, and so a magical lineage would be created...or sustained¡± Shia said hesitating for a moment. ¡°I had originally been slated to receive the mantle, and so was arranged to marry Aton, the first Prince of Bristol.¡°she said.


    ¡°...Why were you...Why did the select Kalie then?¡± Ashley asked, tilting her head slightly.


    ¡°Aton and I were deeply in love...or at least I thought so. I don''t know for sure, but I think it was because I was seen as being ''too close''. My loyalty was questioned, and so another was chosen. As Kalie was mother''s only other daughter, she was the logical choice.¡± Shia said with a shrug.


    ¡°Why would being mother''s daughter matter?¡± Ashley asked, watching Shia closely, ¡°And what did you mean ''you thought so''?¡±


    Shia looked confused at Ashley and then nodded, ¡°Sorry. I guess you were never told. Mother is a matron on the council, and after matron Abigail passes, will more or less be its head. As for...me and Anton. I thought he loved, but after our engagement was nullified by the Circle, I went to see him...hoping that we might elope after I fled the Circle. He wanted nothing to do with me. I felt betrayed by Aton, and by the Circle...I left.¡± she said glancing up at Ashley.


    ¡°So...then why are you here?¡± Ashley asked, again.


    ¡°To help my sister...and perhaps see if you will help repair the seal.¡± Shia said, looking Ashley in the eyes.


    ¡°But not your brother...I don''t want this mantle, and I have no intention of staying ''like this''¡± Ashley said, motioning down to her body. ¡°Can''t you turn me back to normal, and move the mantle onto someone else?¡± she asked.


    Shia looks at Ashley confused. ¡°Didn''t they tell you...¡± she said and then paused.


    ¡°Tell me what?¡± Ashley asked, her tone gaining an edge.


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    ¡°Goddess...Ashley, the mantle wasn''t just laid on you. The spirit of the goddess fled into you. The great tree that housed her spirit is empty...¡± Shia said shaking her head.


    ¡°Then move her into someone else!¡± Ashley spat out.


    ¡°Ashley...I don''t know if such a thing is possible. The mantle was permanent, as it imparted a spark of the divine upon the chosen. You didn''t just receive a spark Ashley...the spirit bonded herself to you...can''t you feel it?¡± Shia asked, holding up a hand. ¡°Her power radiates from you as powerfully as it ever did from the great tree.¡± she said and shook her head. ¡°...But I''m not one of the matrons.¡± she said as Ashley''s face fell.


    ¡°No...if...It was in a tree before. I left the tree, it can leave me.¡± Ashley said.


    ¡°The tree is dead.¡± Shia said.


    *******


    The leaves had fallen from the great tree quickly, as its roots had died days ago. Many of the Circle''s enchantresses stared up at the tree hopelessly. Word had spread through the ranks about what had happened with matron Evelyn and Ashley, and people were scared. It had only been two days, but the seal was failing faster than they could have imagined. Even the wards the head matrons tried to place did little more than flicker and dissipate as the darkness in the depths stirred.


    Evelyn had spent the last two days in mourning, only leaving her personal quarters to visit Kalie''s body, which was set onto a cold stone altar. A few others had come to visit, but the chambers were off limits to any but the council.


    A thin white veil draped over the body stirred as matron Abigail walked quietly into the room with an elderly enchantress. Walking to the altar, Abigail slowly passed her hand over the veiled form before speaking. ¡°I don''t sense any signs of magic, Rea.¡± Abigail said softly.


    ¡°But...the body hasn''t begun to decompose at all.¡± the elderly enchantress said.


    ¡°Weren''t spells placed to prevent that?¡± Abigail asked curiously.


    ¡°No! We tried, but the wouldn''t stay. I''m telling you, something is wrong.¡± Rea said irritated.


    ¡°...Are you sure there are no signs of life, because...¡± Abigail said after a moment''s pause.


    ¡°Definitely not...and don''t you think I would have told you if there were? Don''t you think I would have spoken to matron Evelyn?¡± Rea asked, waving her hand dismissively.


    ¡°Still...¡± Abigail said, pulling back the veil to gaze down on Kalie''s lifeless face. ¡°I''ll have a team of enchantresses look over the sacred pool...though this might just be an effect of the ritual, or the energies we''ve been suffusing her with for the last few years¡± she said, placing the veil back into place. ¡°Until we know what''s happening, we''ll postpone the burial.¡± she said.


    ¡°Yes matron...and the twin?¡± Rea asked hesitantly after a second.


    Abigail turned and gazed down at the older enchantress, ¡°What of her?¡± she asked.


    ¡°...The seal is weakening. Why hasn''t she be brought to the circle to restore it?¡± Rea asked, glancing from the body to Abigail. ¡°The entire circle is nervous.¡± she said.


    ¡°...I''m aware Rea, and something is being done.¡± Abigail said coldly, moving to leave. ¡°Have faith in the goddess, she would not abandon her children.¡± she said. Rea sighed, glancing back at the body on the altar, and shaking her head.


    As the two left the antechamber the shadows grew thicker, strands of darkness flickering along the floor toward the lifeless body.


    *******


    ¡°...Are you saying that this ''thing'' is stuck in me?¡± Ashley asked, ¡°...But, can''t you change me back a least? Can''t someone?¡± she asked her tone becoming desperate.


    Shia glared at Ashley, her fish clenching slightly, ¡°The spirit of the goddess is not a thing.¡± she said, glaring for a moment, before she closed her eyes and breathed deeply. ¡°And...I don''t know. The only people who might be able to help you would be the matrons of the circle.¡± she said.


    ¡°You mean before, or after they try to kill me?¡± Ashley asked, as she felt the irritation building again. It was easier to embrace anger than the myriad of other emotions inside of her.


    Shia looked at Ashley and sighed. ¡°Our mother is suffering, and she made a mistake.¡± she said.


    ¡°That woman isn''t my mother.¡± Ashley said coldly.


    Shia reached out her hand, causing Ashley to jerk away. ¡°No...she wasn''t much of a mother to you, and I''ve never been a sister to you...but please give me a chance.¡± she said, standing up. ¡°I can''t change what''s happened to you, but I promise to be here for you now.¡± she said.


    ¡°Why? Because I''m your ''sister'' now? I don''t see you visiting Connaly, or Jason, or Minos.¡± Ashley said accusingly.


    ¡°No, and I don''t see them visiting you either.¡± Shia snapped. ¡°And how often did you come looking for me? Or Kalie even?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I wasn''t allowed to...¡± Ashley said defensively.


    ¡°When you were four, sure. What about when you were fourteen? Or sixteen?¡± Shia asked, angrily, before taking another breath.


    Ashley flinched like she''d been slapped. ¡°...Sorry. No one was there for you either...when your engagement fell through.¡± she said.


    ¡°No...and I didn''t go looking either.¡± Shia said after a moment, ¡°And you''re right...maybe I should.¡± she said, taking a seat again.


    Ashley was quiet for a moment, but then she just shook her head, ¡°Don''t bother, they''re assholes.¡± she said, causing Shia to giggle.


    ¡°Well, I''m not perfect either.¡°Shia said with a smile on her face. ¡°Ashley, I know you''re angry at the Circle, and at mother, and you have every right to be...but would you consider helping them just once?¡± she asked, holding up as Ashley opened her mouth to respond. ¡°This is serious Ashley. I wouldn''t have ever spoken to the matrons again if it wasn''t. Afterward, we can do whatever you want. We can leave Bristol, and go adventuring, or settle out in the middle of nowhere. I''ll even leave if you want me to...¡± she said.


    Ashley closed her eyes and sighed, ¡°I...I can''t think about this right now.¡± she said softly. ¡°I just want this all to go away.¡± she said.


    Shia nodded, and got back up before pulling her sister into a hug. After squeezing her tightly for a few moments, she pulled back and gazed at Ashley thoughtfully. ¡°So...would you like me to teach you some magic?¡± she asked.

 5. Mana Reactor

    Sorry for the shorter than usual chapter. I''ve been busy with a move and other things. If anyone spots problems, let me know. And once again, thanks for reading.


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


    Chapter 5


    Magic poured through Ashley¡¯s body, causing every nerve to come alive. According to Shia, magic would normally pool at the center of the body, but it wasn¡¯t connected directly to the body itself. Shia called it a mana field, since though it started at the center of an enchantress¡¯s being, it would quickly expand. Mana would usually pour in from the environment when a spell was being prepared, becoming denser as over time, the connection between the enchantress and the magics of the world around her growing. It was why magic users could normally feel the strength of one another.


    With Ashley it was different. The mana was filtering through her ki channels, passing through her acupuncture points, and being refined with each churning pass. The mana was growing denser by the minute. The cultivation methods that the Circle used was bent on heightening sensitivity and fine manipulation of the external environment; In this way they were able to form the structure of their spells. Ki manipulation, what was taught to the men of the military, was different. Ki cultivating was based on a long, arduous process of internal manipulation, refinement, and body restructuring. Ki channels were strengthened over time, expanded, rewoven, and expanded again. This continued until a core was formed though Ashley knew little about that. The process of forming a core was done by few, and was supposed to take decades, since altering ones own ki pathways was ultimately a violent and strenuous process.


    The mana didn¡¯t seem to care for what ¡®should¡¯ be. Since the first moment mana had flooded her body, it began pouring through her ki channels continuously. Something about the changes the goddess had done to her when she was remade, caused mana to have a healing effect on her. The ki channels were rewoven almost as soon as they were expanded. The same was true for the acupuncture points. As soon as the mana flooding them burst them, they were rewoven, and began filtering and refining them again. Ashley could feel the difference, from the slow trickle of ki her body naturally generated, which was simply a portion of her life force being refined, and the magic that permeated the natural world.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure why this isn¡¯t working...¡± Shia said with a frown, concerned. She had been watching the effect of Ashley pulling mana from the environment, but it never seemed to fill her mana field. It was almost like her body was a giant mana sink. ¡°The mana pressure should only get so high before the field expands...¡± she said for the third time in the last hour.


    Ashley just trembled and concentrated as the purified mana threatened to break her apart from the inside. She had stopped responding twenty minutes ago, as at this point she didn¡¯t believe she could stop what was happening if she wanted to...and she really didn¡¯t want to. It felt too good. The mana around her had been pleasant stimulation to begin with...now it was like a refined drug. Moans escaped from her as the ecstasy built, her body shivering with mind-shattering pleasure. She needed this, and she needed it bad. She was so lost in the pure ecstasy she barely noticed as a core began to form within her.


    Ashley¡¯s body twisted on the ground, her consciousness reeling as power exploded from her center. It traveled outward in waves of orgasmic pleasure, her body jerking uncontrollably. The drug became more powerful as the core formed, and dense enough to achieve a ¡®critical mass¡¯. The core began to burn, pushing out power like a burning sun.


    Shia simply watched confused at Ashley¡¯s reaction, and then dropped to the ground as the swirling waves of mana pouring out of Ashley overran her senses.


    *******


    Abigail jerked her head up immediately as she could feeling power building on the horizon, almost like a great working was being done. The sense of distant pressure was strange, and...tinged with something. ¡°Evelyn!¡± the elderly matron called, causing Evelyn to run into the room. ¡°Did you..¡± Abigail began.


    ¡°Yes...I can feel it. Is the circle under attack? I¡¯ll begin throwing up wards...¡± Evelyn said with a note of panic displacing the sense of depression she¡¯d been living with for the last several days.


    ¡°I...The distance, and direction...Ashley.¡± Abigail said confused, ¡°What in the world I she doing...even from one with the mantle, I¡¯ve never felt...¡± she said, falling into her chair, her knees weak.


    ¡°She...she did receive the whole spirit of Gaea...not just her mantle...¡± Evelyn said, moving to look out from Matron Abigail¡¯s terrace, onto the horizon.


    ¡°But...even then...the mantle was supposed to carry the bulk of the goddesses power.¡± Abigail said with a frown. ¡°That¡¯s what the mantle bearers were told by when they received it.¡± she said.


    ¡°The goddess did maintain the seal on the darkness...a portion of her power no longer held in reserve.¡± Evelyn said, moving to stand beside Abigail.


    ¡°Even so...¡± Abigail said, pausing to gaze toward the center of the mana storm.


    ¡°Gaea is a wellspring of life energy. She feeds the world with it, and heavenly mana gathers in her wake...¡± Evelyn said, more confused by the moment.


    ¡°Yes...Shia...she...she must have been teaching the girl. But...what spell could require this much mana? Has her wrath grown such, that should would burn away the city?¡± Abigail said, trembling as the power grew. ¡°We...We must investigate, now...Can you?¡± Abigail asked looking up at Evelyn¡¯s pained expression.


    ¡°I...I can not.¡± Evelyn said, tears building in her eyes. ¡°Goddess, I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t...It...¡± she said, swallowing.


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    Abigail glared at Evelyn, and then sighed, ¡°You need to face these demons, child. Very well...I shall go. I don¡¯t know for what purpose your daughter has gathered these forces, but should she unleash them...¡± the elderly matron said, feeling ever day of her many years of life. ¡°I shall gather my protective charms...I will return soon.¡± she said, grasping at a purple cloak she had left on a table. Whipping it around her, she bolted from the room.


    ******


    The mana reactor was still growing, and Ashley was fighting through the overwhelming pleasure to clear her senses. Life energy was charging the world around her, and mana was bubbling up from the ground, from the plants, and trees. It was like a cycle feeding upon itself. The gardens they had chosen to practice in were expanding, pushing through the old stone walls, and taking root into the streets. The roots were in turn carrying more power with them. In twenty minutes the trees in the garden had grown from twenty feet or so, to several hundred. The strongest were pushing out, or absorbing the weakest, and a forest the likes of which had been unseen in human history, was spreading. People screamed as their homes were carried off upon the branches of new trees. Streets cracked, and flowers bloomed out of season. The trees were...changing, adapting to the mana flow, and mimicking their patron as the roots filtered and purified.


    Ashley¡¯s was dizzy, but when she focused on something it snapped into perfect clarity with a suddenness that startled her. She tried to stem the flow of mana inward slowly, but that didn¡¯t stop the mana core within her from blowing out an endless stream of power. When she tried to contain the power, the mana around her poured in, starting the cycle again. ¡°Help...me...¡± she cried, looking over to see her sister unconscious, passed out in a field of glowing flowers.


    Space twisted as Ashley gazed up, her mind slipping into ecstasy once more. As she watched, an elderly woman with silver hair walked through the crack hole in space. The woman looked around her in confusion and fear, but then set her gaze upon Ashley. Ashley had only a few moments to notice the woman¡¯s approach, before pleasure rocked her body once more, and her mind collapsed under the weight. Fire burned at her center, hungering madly. The world went black.


    *******


    Abigail struggled under the waves of mana, but she quickly suppressed the invasive power. Gathering the abundance of unfettered power into her mana field, she began to weave a seal around Ashley¡¯s unconscious form. She had never seen anything like this. The power here seemed to warp reality around it. ¡°Damn...¡± she said, leaning down over Ashley¡¯s body, watching the girl writhe on the ground. Abigail struggled to place the seal, eventually resorting to a set of crystals to act as mana sinks. She had brought more than a dozen with her to hold the wild mana growing here, and they were capable of holding quite a lot. She magically strung them together with gold thread, forming a necklace with golden clasp. Abigail laid runes into the gold, creating mana pathways, and then laid them around Ashley¡¯s neck.


    The second the seal was place, mana poured into the crystals, lighting them up in various hues of pink and purple. With the tide of mana escaping her stemmed, she began lay a seal on her preventing mana from pouring into her mana field. Such methods were normal for holding an Enchantress powerless, since they could gather mana. For Ashley, it would stop a chain reaction...and endless loop that might destroy her. At least until she gained control over her own power. With whatever was generating power inside of her, she could still wield magic.


    Sweat beaded on Abigail¡¯s forehead as she slumped to the ground. The endless torrent of mana stopped before they filled up, and now seemed to be filling more slowly. It was still substantial, and could be safely bled off. Meanwhile Ashley continued to writhe unconscious on the ground. Shia, the girl¡¯s sister, was slowly regaining consciousness nearby.


    As Shia glanced up at Abigail, the young woman gasped. ¡°Matron Abigail!¡± she said hastily. ¡°I...What happened?¡± she asked.


    ¡°...Your sister has...did something unusual. She started a chain reaction. Her body is creating mana, and it was feeding into the world. Gaea¡¯s domain is nature, and from her life force, more mana was being made around her. It was pooling in, and fueling a growing cycle. One that is momentarily under control.¡± Abigail said, passing her senses over Ashley¡¯s form.


    ¡°How is that possible? Shouldn¡¯t...¡± Shia said as she climbed to her feet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But she¡¯s not staying here. The damage from this will likely spread across half the city, if it hasn¡¯t already. What were you doing out here?¡± Abigail asked.


    ¡°I...I was just trying to teach Ashley magic...just how to gather...¡± Shia said, her voice strained. ¡°It didn¡¯t seem like anything was happening...I mean she just kept gathering. It went on like that for over an hour. I thought since she was joined with the goddess, she might just...I don¡¯t know. Have large field...¡± she said.


    ¡°...A large field...contained within her body. Larger than her body?¡± Abigail asked incredulously.


    ¡°I...I mean, How could I have known...¡± Shia said, still overwhelmed from being awash in Ashley¡¯s mana.


    Abigail waved a hand and Ashley¡¯s body began to rise into the air, as another portal opened.


    ¡°Matron Abigail! You can¡¯t! Ashley...she wouldn¡¯t want...¡± Shia began.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what she wants!¡± Abigail snapped. ¡°The girl endangered the entire city. This might have cost lives. I should have retrieved her myself to begin with. ¡°she said with a sigh, her voice weary.


    ¡°...At...at least let me stay by her side. She won¡¯t trust anyone else...she might not even trust me.¡± Shia said the last painfully. She looked around at the garden, and to where their house had been torn apart by the growth of massive trees.


    ¡°Very well. Come. You can wait by her side, until she regains...control.¡± Abigail said, looking over at where Ashley continued to shiver and writhe.