17 In A Little Village In The West Pt.2 (2/2)

”~...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 s.h.i.+rt 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.

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