The Blue Pearl

Tristan meanwhile wondered what exactly she was. He knew what was happening to Ava, that she was being possessed by Nora. He had heard of spirits possessing people and doing horrible things through them. But this didn"t seem like one of those incidents. But there were also tales of wizards and sorcerers who could do that, he wondered if Nora was one too. Possessing Ava to save her...

Could he too let someone possess his body?

He found himself being curious at the random thought if anything.

"~I am waiting, Olean. Ask away.~" Nora said without turning her head. "~Is it about your grandfather?~"

"Yes... I ah, I haven"t seen him and Lady Ava says he works for you."

"~He does indeed. But he keeps his ...business a secret. Even from me.~" Nora, sounding slightly amused turned to Olean who didn"t look like she liked the answer.

"But you-you"re his leader and he hasn"t come back since..." Olean suddenly looked dejected and her shoulders slumped "-since I left home." There was something unsaid here that Tristan didn"t know. A private matter.. Nora after a short pause leaned in to put her hand on the girl. Olean looked up surprised but didn"t object.

"~Have faith. Your grandfather is a great man. He is safe and should he be in a dangerous situation, he can always call upon me.~"

"Like lady Ava did?" Olean asked her tone that of a child confirming her suspicion.

"~Yes, just like her.~" Nora answered curtly. And even though her voice was the same song, Tristan couldn"t help but feel that there waited a twisted mouth underneath the mask. "~But unlike this stubborn woman, your grandfather was wise enough to take three vials.~"

"Ah, Lady Ava doesn"t like to drink... potions..." Olean answered and looked down guiltily.

"~Is that so? And do you still need to go look for her every night?~"

"No." Olean answered readily and Tristan heard a slight hint of offense in her tone.

She froze shut her mouth as soon as the word left her.

"ah...only some nights." She mumbled.

"~Well, that is better than before.~" Nora sighed. "~Keep sharper eye on her okay Olean? She is not the same she was ten years ago.~"

"Lady Ava is still strong." This time Olean replied firmly but careful to show enough respect toward Nora.

"~She is, but she can still get hurt. She is not like you ...or me. She lost an arm today and things like this she shouldn"t go through at this age.~" She was rebust in her word. Like a mother ordering her child. Olean nodded readily to Nora with wide eyes. News of Ava"s injury had been a shock to her.

And then Nora turned to Tristan. Who for now had been comfortably left alone from their conversations. "~You have been waiting to talk to me too.~"

Tristan froze, mulling over what to say and then decided to finally just say it.

"...What did you do to Ava?" He tried not to sound accusatory.

"~She is recovering, inside of me.~"

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"Are you possessing her?" He asked softly, again trying to keep his tone respectful.

Nora paused as if surprised and slightly tilted her head.

"~...In a manner of speaking, I am.~" She answered finally and Tristan could almost feel her smiling underneath her mask much to his relief.

"Are you a witch?" He asked and glanced at Olean to see what her reaction was. Olean"s large eyes were planted on him, wide and fearful as if he would explode any moment. It made him fear for himself too, to hold his tongue better in front of someone who could cut through an army of beasts in a matter of moments.

But Tristan was also having such strange time lately. Wizards, sorceresses, witches; first it was Nowsen, who took his curse and put a charm around a temple, then came Ava who split a forest, and now Nora was possessing Ava. It was obvious Nora was stronger than all of them, much more so even when he felt not even an ounce of magic in her.

"~No.~" Nora answered simply and without a pause this time. "~I am... complicated.~" She added with a slow shrug of her shoulders as to show the helplessness of her own explanation. It seemed deliberate and unnatural like she was doing it without really feeling it. Her hand absentmindedly traced the length of her jagged blade. Tristan"s eyes fell on it, then on her face again, with a small frown.

"What did you do? To the mountain and fog?"

"~I returned to where it belongs.~"

Nora c.o.c.ked her large head like waiting for him to ask something more. But-

What did he want to know?

"Ask her for her blood..."

"Can I ...have your blood?" He asked without realizing and blinked.

Why had he-

It seemed Nora too was equally taken aback as she straighten and froze, staring at him. Olean too looked struck and narrowed her eyes at Tristan. And suddenly he felt scrutinized by both of them.

"~No.~" Nora replied quite sternly. She didn"t sound angry and her initial confusion was gone just like it had never been there in the first place. The fact that someone had asked her for her blood didn"t seem to faze her much. But instead, it was his question that had fazed Tristan more.

Why had he asked that?

"...~but~" She said suddenly and grabbed hold of his hand again.

"~...I noticed Ava had done some work on you...~" She mumbled and tilted her head in surprise. "~...Let me give you a different gift instead...~"

And then magic flooded into him. He also felt his well pushed, deeper and wider. Twice, three times... pushed to ten times as big as before and br.i.m.m.i.n.g full with energy. And then suddenly it stopped and Nora"s hand left him.

Again he was lost in himself. Reveling in his new power, ...so much power. He wnated to run, test it, burn it and see what could come of it.

"~It is time for me.~"

He heard Nora"s distant whisper and shook himself off from his day-dream. Nora leaned toward Olean keeping her head on the younger girl"s shoulder. It was thrice as big as Olean"s.

"~Olean, be ready to hold me. Ava may be disoriented when she appears. I was only able to heal her body, she will still most likely be exhausted.~"

Olean did as she was told and held the ma.s.sive woman by her shoulders.

"~This is goodbye then.~" Nora said and then collapsed. She shrunk the next moment and her dark clothes and red hair started fading into the background. Her mask began disappearing into her skin, slowly revealing Ava"s tanned, wrinkled and scarred face. And a moment later Ava appeared, pale, sickly and with both her arms. Her shirt remained torn and showed that bony and scared arm without the sleeve where it was torn away from.

"Welcome back." Olean said with a smile to lazily the blinking old woman. Majteer was also there suddenly as her smooth had cradled under Ava"s neck. Ava blinked more and looked around dazedly, her eyes were dark and wrinkles looked more prominent. She looked as if she had aged ten more years since he had last seen her about an hour ago. She pushed Olean back and tried to stand but only managed a sigh before fainting and tumbling over in Olean"s arm.