Breaching Light (5)

"Woah." I feel the word escape my lips before I even notice it forming. The power of the spell is awe-inspiring.

[Well, I was spot on with that strong sentiment. I'll have to be careful around her.]

What's most shocking is her demeanor. Her firm aura is a stark contrast to her followers' airheadedness. It's as if she is the mother of hundreds of children. In an instant, the salad is diced into fairy-sized pieces. I'm worried it's still missing something, so I ask her.

"Excuse me, do you have any sweet sauce that could go on this salad? It would be best if it were fruity and a little sour too." A dressing would be perfect for covering up any inconsistencies with the flavor of the ingredients. I'm worried that it may be too salty.

"No, but we can make some." Several more intricate circles of light form on top of each other and the air whips about even more viciously than before. I see several fruits float her way. She controls the produce orchestra deftly. I watch in awe as she breaks the fruit open and mixes the liquids. The syrupy fluid flows down into a clay cup she'd prepared earlier. Once she's finished, she gestures to the cup of syrup.

"How's this?" I pick up the cup and have a taste.

"It's pretty good." Something like a thick vinaigrette enters my mouth. I pour the concoction over the salad and realize there are no eating utensils.

[I didn't really think this through all the way.]

I look around for something to use as a fork, but the fairy leader interjects.

"Where did you learn how to make this?"

"I just kind of made it up as I went." I scratch my head as I respond.

"But you've had something like it before."

"Yeah."

"Where did you have it?"

[She's digging for information.]

Once I come to that realization, I raise my guard.

"That's a secret." I smile coyly in order not to give anything away. She eyes me disapprovingly but drops the topic. While we're talking, I notice some fairies finishing off the salad. They have most of their bodies in the bowl and are shoveling the food into their mouths by the handful. I click my tongue in disappointment. The red-haired fairy smirks when she notices my expression.

"I'm sorry you didn't get any of the salad."

"It's fine, I'm not that hungry."

"Liar." I chuckle as she calls me out.

"Fine, I'm mildly disappointed. Feel better?"

"Yes." A bowl of stew floats toward me.

"Oh, thanks." There aren't any utensils so I drink the soup and chew through any chucks that end up in my mouth. The stew is good. I can taste the verdant beans that appear to be some type of legume similar to soy. The soup ends up tasting like a thin pea soup with some vegetables.

While eating my meal, I look up and notice that the bottoms of the leaves are growing dim, which indicates the approaching night.

"Hey, I need to get back to my party."

"Oh? Leaving so soon?"

"Well, you did kidnap me. It's not like I'm here by choice."

"Most people would kill to see this place."

"Good for them," I reply sarcastically.

"Fufufu, I'll have some fairies guide you to your friends."

"Thanks. Could they also guide us out of the forest? It gets more dangerous at night."

"Asking a lot, aren't you?"

"I'm being completely reasonable; you're the one that kidnapped me!" I raise my voice in an exaggerated tone.

"Right this way," she says with a smirk. As I'm about to leave, I remember to ask, "by the way, what's your name?"

"That's a secret," she says, laughing at me.

[It was worth a shot.]

They guide me back to the den, and I make my way down to the basement. A veritable mountain of rope lies across the floor, and most of the equipment that I described to Josh has been constructed. Woohee is peaking at them over my shoulder. She asked that I introduce her while we were headed this way.

"It looks great!" I say loudly enough to get their attention. Josh and Sakura turn from the stand they are working on and greet me.

"Hey, Nick!"

"I built it as you wanted."

"You sure did. By the way, I'd like to introduce you to Woohee." The young fairy raises her upper body over my shoulder and waves before dropping back down to hide again.

"Nice to meet you."

"Hi, Woohee. I like your shirt." Sakura notices the fairy's outfit with an eagle eye and compliments her. Woohee shoots out from behind my back and rushes over to Sakura.

"You do?!"

"Yeah, it goes great with your eyes."

"Thanks, Nick made it for me."

"Well, I like it." Woohee hugs herself and flies around happily. I feel my cheeks getting hot, so I change the subject.

"Alright, it's a little late, so the fairies will guide us back to town. Us meeting them is a secret, don't tell anyone. If you do, it could endanger the fairies and other people you care about."

""Okay."" Both of the children respond with serious expressions.

We make our way out of the den into the pitch-black forest. Our path is illuminated only by the fungus and the now glowing fairies. Each of the fairies gives off a distinct colored light. They twist and turn through the forest, creating a surreal light show.

"Wow!" Sakura marvels.

"It's beautiful," Josh says in a gentle voice.

[I'm gonna throw up.]

All the lights swirling about are making me nauseous. I pick a point in the distance and focus on that, so I don't lose my lunch. When I went deep sea fishing with my father, I would use this trick to avoid getting seasick.

"Let's go." I urge everyone forward, and we make it back to town without incident. "Okay, for tomorrow, let's meet here and head to the den first thing."

The kids agree with me, and we go our separate ways. I listen to them chattering excitedly until their voices fade into the distance.

[I'll have to take some steps to make sure the fairies don't get attacked.]

I take a circuitous route home. The cool night air calms my frazzled nerves. I watch as people put out the lights in their homes, leaving only the sporadic street lamp to light my way. My pace quickens until I work up to a jog. The houses pass by at a steady pace. With the streets empty, I can look at the buildings around me. The years of wear are made apparent by the poor maintenance of the stone walls. A majesty long forgotten, worn away by the winds of time.

This city seems fairly advanced for the small population that inhabits it. I can see some memories of the history of the world, but I don't know why this town has fallen into such a decrepit state. What were the dead dreams of the kings and lords that led to this? How has the world so shifted from what they expected? Is there any hope left for the inhabitants? I allow these thoughts and feelings to wash over me as I arrive at my front door. Even the cracks rolling up and down this venerable frame tell a story of a more hopeful era. I walk in to find Carroll in the kitchen, cleaning up for the day. The world's emptiness overwhelms me, and I embrace her in a passionate hug. Just the warmth of her body soothes my collapsing ego.

"Oh, Niccolo. Are you okay?"

I don't respond and just tighten my grip. She seems to understand my feelings as she mirrors my embrace and lays her head upon mine. We stand there in silence as my emotions surge and subside. I allow myself to feel all the emotions I'd been holding back throughout the day as I lean into her embrace.

"Thanks, mom," I say quietly through some sniffles.

"Of course, sweety; you know I'm always here for you." I squeeze her tightly before wiping away any tears that have formed in my eyes. We smile at each other and head our separate ways. I grab the big plate of dinner she left for me and take it to my room. A hearty meal grows cold upon its surface. I clear the plate and fall asleep with a full stomach.