Journey Through the Darkwoods Chapter 8/9

8: Finding Herself


Upon awaking the next morning, it turned out to be a slightly over cast and a saddening day. I knew by the end of it all I would have to leave this nice little town. And Fang. I shook the thoughts from my head; as we headed back off to the bank to exchange the gold and silver that Fang had brought with him in to American money. Luckily they did have a money changer for this sort of thing and stared in awe at the purity of the metals. We finally left with a large amount of money in Fang‘s pockets.

After looking through various apartments all walking distance from restaurants and stores, we gave up for a bit and found a place to eat. It was a nice Chinese Restaurant called Lucky Fortune, Fang was delighted to try new things.
“How will you get back to England? Magick?” Fang asked over his spicy soup, which made his cheeks red. Putting down an egg roll I had been nibbling on I attempted to explain planes to him.
“So big flying things of metal…interesting, how will you get to an air pot?” he questioned, I corrected him and told him I would hop a bus most likely, he nodded, and we continued to eat our meal. Leaving the restaurant, I found a small bus stop by a store, and started to read the times of departure.
“This should take me to the Airport…good thing I got out money.” I whispered, seeing that a bus was coming in about a half an hour. Fang nodded solemnly, sitting down on the bench we discussed over and over again what he would do when he got an apartment.
“I think I got it, make sure I make up a story about how I am hitch hiking and don’t have an ID…and tell them I’ll pay ‘em in cash…sounds easy enough. And for money I’ll figure out something.” he said trying to reassure me, a coldness was still gnawing at my gut.
“That sounds about right, and I showed you how to use the pay phones, just use them to call me.” I handed him a piece of paper with my telephone number on it with the extensions to Europe.
“It should work out fine luv I’ll call you tomorrow when I know you’ll be home. And hopefully by then I will have a place. And if not I can always sleep in the woods or something. I am really used to that.” he told me, smiling, giving him a weak smile we waited in silence for a bit longer. Then the bus lumbered up, and opened its door to me. As I got up, Fang reached for me, and caught me in a large hug.
“Don’t be worried. I’ll be fine, keep an eye out.” he whispered, as I felt tears slide down my face, trying to make this as easy as possible, I hopped on to the bus and sat down. I stared at the window, Fang watched me leave, and at first I thought I saw tears in his eyes as well.

The plane ride had been hard, I was tempted to just run back to him, and stay in America. But I knew I had to face my training. Upon returning home, I found another mysterious note, saying how my trainer would be over by the end of the week. Chewing on my lip I reached for the phone and dialed my grandmother’s number. Her gravely voice came over the receiver
“’Ello?” she asked, a cough followed. Clearing my throat I responded.
“Grandmother…it’s me Keara.” I said formally, she chuckled.
“Oh dear, I thought you had dropped off the face of the planet.”
“You wont believe how close you are on that one Gran…can I come over tonight?”
She agreed and had to hang up because of a coughing fit. I tried to keep my mind occupied with other things until that evening came. After a boring wait I went over to the nursing home she was staying at.

The nursing home smelled of flowers and disinfectant, heading up to her room, I knocked lightly on the door, I heard her beckon me in.
“So nice to see you dearie, how are things?” she asked, her face was wrinkled and her bright brown eyes shown through to me, her hair was silvered and fell down on her shoulders. She lay in a bed with a chair near it. Sitting upon the chair, I put my hands in my lap and looked down.
“Gran…I need to ask you some questions.” I told her. Grandma looked away, and stared out the window that over looked a garden.
“Juniper took you didn’t she?” her voice was quiet, I couldn’t help it I jumped up, and stared at her in disbelief so many questions ran through my mind.
“Please sit down luv, I have a long story to tell you.” I sat down and watched her, wanting her to explain more.
“It happened not to long ago, about eighty years ago. I was once an Earth Guardian, I had passed through the Darkwoods just as you have just done. I was even helped by a nice werewolf chap.”- A blush crept over my cheeks, but she didn’t seem to notice and continued- “After being trained, and about eighteen years ago, I was up in Scotland, when a vampire group attacked a families home. I went and stopped them, but I was almost to late. The parents had been killed, slaughtered like animals. But then there was a small baby, she was so innocent, just a couple of weeks old. She was almost dead as well; I could feel her soul slipping away.” Pausing she sniffed lightly and suppressed a cough. “And in that moment I realized what I had to do. I gave her half my soul, she lived, but I started to age. I caught up with my actual age, and that’s why I am old now. Giving that child half my soul, which I found out, also had most of my magick in it, made me not be immortal anymore. So I raised that child….you see, that’s why you have no parents, they were killed by Vampires so long ago.” her voice grew still as she coughed in to a tissue. I stared at her, my mind racing. I would have died if this woman hadn’t saved me. She wasn’t really my grandma? But she had raised me that had to count for something. I looked away, tears welling up in my eyes.
“I had nightmares there…in the Darkwoods, are they because of my past?” I asked my voice shaking and my eyes still wet. Setting her hands in her lap she tried too smile at me, but it faltered.
“Maybe, I am not even sure on how I saved you…those nightmares could be from memories I passed to you with my soul …” the coughing started up again, she brought the tissue up tooher mouth, but I could see the trace of blood on her lips. My throat and chest knotted with tension.
“I am going to die Keara…most likely tonight. All I can say to you is trust your teacher, and follow your heart.” more tears sprang from my eyes as I looked at the women who had sacrificed so much so that I could live.
“But why me?” I asked, she smiled, a glimmer of tears on her old eyes.
“I knew you would do great things…and you will. Go home Keara. Go and be happy, learn well and live well.” I said my final farewells to my grandma, when I got home; I heard the phone ring and picked it up. It was a woman from the nursing home; Ehlorra had passed away about half an hour after I left. I sank down and cried, I cried for the women who had saved me and raised me. The one who had given me this life.

After another hour or so, another call came through my phone; there were still tears in my eyes. I picked up the phone.
“Hey, I got this thing to work, how was your flight?” it was Fang’s beaming voice; I felt more tears slide down my face.
“It was good…” I said in a hoarse choking voice. I found myself telling him that my Grandma had passed, but I didn’t tell him what she had told me. I didn’t feel it mattered. She was my Grandma in all respects, almost a mother. And she had allowed me to live.
“I am so sorry luv, I wish I was there…” he whispered, I knew he was sad for me, but I didn’t want him to be sad. I started to change the topic, and found out that he had found an apartment where he could stay. He was happy about this and figured he could do odd chores for people too get money, I liked the idea.

After more then an hour of talking, we soon said our good byes. I sat down on the edge of my love seat, and stared off in too the growing darkness. My life was about to get more interesting, I just knew it.

























9: The End of Thoughts



“You’re not concentrating.” a harsh voice said behind me, I was sitting cross legged in the middle of my living room.
“I am trying to Master Raven… I really am.” I said, my new teacher, was a middle aged man, who had the strong feel of power about him. He had dark brown hair that hung down too his shoulders. And vivid deep blue eyes, he walked around to look at me.
“You are thinking of other things. If you don’t perform this spell correctly it take most of your energy and most likely kill you.” he warned me, I knew he was just being dramatic but I still tried harder, I felt the energy pulse around me, as I pulled through it with my own power.
“Answer my heed! Follow my prayers…bring forth your light!” I screamed, as a bright form grew before me, it twinkled and died out. I slumped back, all of my own energy drained out of me.
“Good, you did well bringing the Light elemental, tomorrow we will practice on keeping one here for more then a second. But you are doing well.” he said, sitting down in front of me, he handed me a glass of water. I drank deeply and set it down in front of me.
“Thank you…I am sorry my mind was wandering.” I whispered, I reached behind my back and grabbed an apple from a tray and bit in too it. With using magick I had to eat at random times to keep up my bodies energies.
“It’s alright child, you did well. And I know you were thinking of the Aukoc.” Raven’s eyes were bright with an unknown knowledge, I almost chocked on the apple.
“How did you…?” I asked he put his hand up, silencing me.
“I read your file, yes you have a file child. Everyone whom works with the council does. And I heard about the Aukoc Silver Fang whom helped you out of the Darkwoods…he means a lot to you doesn’t he?” he asked, a blush crept over my face, I had only known Master Raven for about half a month now. And after this month I would be on my own for learning magicks.
“I suppose he does…he is one of my only friends.” I whispered he nodded.
“All I can tell you is do what is best, follow your feelings child, you cant go wrong with it.” he told me, a hidden sadness showed in his eyes, tilting my head, I asked about the emotions being conveyed.
“Did you ever have a friend who the council didn’t like?” I asked I knew that Juniper hated Fang with a passion. But I always wondered why the council had to hate him as well.
“Yes I did…I loved a vampire once. She was a good woman, and didn’t prey upon humans. But the council wouldn’t listen to Me.” he said his eyes lost in memories.
“What happened to her?” I asked quietly bringing him back to the present.
“The Council killed her, that was nearly twenty years ago, and I continued to train the young Earth Guardians. I am under their service until they don’t need me. I have no choice in it.” he stood up, and showed me a rare smile. “Practice your magick, I will be back tomorrow. You better meditate tonight. And remember, follow your heart and feelings.” he said as he disappeared.

My training followed like that, once a day Master Raven would arrive in my home for five hours of magick work. He gave me many books; I had to buy another book shelf because of it. But even with all of the magick I was learning, my mind would always return to Fang. He had settled in to his apartment, and was having fun doing chores for strangers for money. He would call me about once a day on the pay phones. I wanted to visit him soon, but my publisher finally had called me and wanted a story from me. So with my training and my writing I was quite busy and would be so for a couple of months.
I would assure Fang that soon I would fly out there and see him. Or if my magick was good enough by then I would teleport myself there. That would be cheaper, I had thought to myself as I had a simple breakfast and waited for Master Raven to arrive. He seemed to like too stop by in the mornings. I was happy with my life, I had a great friend, and I was doing something with my existence. And soon I would be going too the council like a real Earth Guardian, once Raven was done training me that is. I smiled as the sun light filled my flat. Everything was getting better for me.