Episode 5 - The Awakening

I wonder if, perhaps, I summoned the Furless? Surely I couldn’t have accidentally brought the fantasy creature here... after all, how could that ever happen? Or maybe it is a copy of myself? Silly thoughts continue to run through my head, questions unanswered. I stand up, considering a course of action. Sorceress Reflexes available, I tighten my grip on the White Staff and nudge the creature’s arm gently. The staff remains pure; stunningly white and unstained. No evil runs through its veins. No cruel magic to be detected by my staff. So, a healing spell isn’t necessary. Magic follows my will, seeping neatly out of the staff and into my palms. The Staff transforms, with a flash of lightning, back into a scroll, which is carefully tucked away. I have never been able to open the scroll, but I believe that when the time is right, it will open for me and give me the pleasure of its contents.

“Trolling! You funny little thing, get back here and help!” I shout, jumping when the Furless creature’s arm begins to shine with a blue symbol, like lightning... that has quickly disappeared. And yet, I had felt no magic with the staff... Trolling is back. 

“Come on, help me lift her.”

I grab her hands, feeling weak in my inner soul even as Trolling helps. Surprisingly, Trolling is strong as he pulls her by long white threads of hair. Together, we drag her body carefully through the barrier, my fur rustling as I regain a more youthful strength. Carefully setting the furless down, I note that she has become very young. Little, like the kitten of my kind. I’m grateful that Trolling helped me make the shield... how disastrous might this situation have really been if he hadn’t?

I stand still, taking careful breaths, as I wait for the burning in my muscles to dissipate. Outside the barrier, she was heavier and I was weaker. As I catch my breath, my eyes scan the horizon forlornly, finding no other sign of life. 

I spin on the spot, searching past the barrier in other places… 

I found nothing. 

I raise my head to the sky; spin again… 

Still nothing. 

My eyes flicker higher. Only for a black speck to catch my eyes, very far in the distance; at the limit of my vision. I stare at it intently, squinting, seeing it take shape with wings, appearing to be a Yellow Bird. A huge, huge bird... unless it is the bird from the tree. Curiosity tingles as I turn and find that the Blue Bird is still perched on its branch. Perhaps, there is life still out there, past the burnt forest. Elated, I walk past the Milk-Fungus growing outside the tree. 

“Trolling, grab some milk, I’ll carry her in.” 

Hands under her arms, I kick the door open and pull her with all my might along the floor to my bed. 

“What on Obbisia is happening? Mythical creatures seem to be popping out of nowhere everywhere I look!”

Pulling up a chair, I sit and observe the Furless girl, taking little notice when Trolling returns with the milk. Even as Trolling rests on a book, using my tiny tail as his blanket, she does not stir. Trolling jumps up as I request that he puts a blanket over her supine form. My tail brushes a potion, which falls upon a dead Skvader specimen before I can catch it. I leave Trolling to laugh at the now green creature as I place the blanket over her naked body, checking that she is breathing. She is, which appears to be as good a sign as any. Taking glances across my shelves, I try to think of an elixir that might help. Frustrated by the mess, I look over to the Trollfairy, to my little helper.

“Any ideas, Trolling? Do you know if I have an elixir that will help?” 

Before I even finish my question, he is hopping about the house, bottles tinkling where he brushes past them and flutters to the next shelf. Eventually, though, he returns, brandishing a stripy elixir: yellow and white with little green flecks like blades of grass. Before I can react, he begins to fly over to the girl. 

“Trolling! Trolling, stop!” 

I shout grumpily, thankfully stopping him before he could pour it over her. 

“That could turn her into a flower, you silly little thing!” 

I continue to search, spotting a bright yellow potion with shimmering green stars within it. I point Trolling over to it energetically, shocking him with my enthusiasm. He trips backwards, knocking an exploding elixir from the shelf, which I shoot my body to catch. 

“Hold on, let me check my book of elixirs first. I have to be sure it’s the one that increases luck.”

I take the book from the floor, knocking the dead Skvader aside before moving to the table. I sweep my arm along it, dried flowers and bowls in my way. I begin to flip through, finding first a page on a blue elixir that exudes darkness. I had only found the recipe in a cave, but I made it based on intrigue - it is supposed to ‘level you up’, although I am unsure what that means. I glance up.

“Oh no you don’t!” I say firmly to Trolling, frowning when I find that I was too late. Trolling’s face morphs at the flavour of the starry potion, taking on many expressions. Bouncing up and down excitedly, the shelves rattle under his weight. And one elixir, too close to the edge, falls, almost splashing black liquid right over his head. I grit my teeth as I catch it, considering its use. My book describes it as a strongly smelling elixir - perhaps such a smell would wake the Furless? 

“Trolling you need to stop messing about!” 

I find him standing in front of one of the mirror’s shards, making funny faces. 

“At least you found an elixir we can use… that was indeed lucky” 

I uncork it carefully, shrieking and stretching out my arm as the smell permeates the air. Trolling laughs again. 

“Oh shush!” I shout jokingly, trying to find him. I think he’s trying to hide from the smell. I pinch my nose to say… 

“Smells worse than dead hairballs.”

I carry the elixir over to the Furless, wondering who she is. I carefully check the smell of the elixir, making my own odd expressions as the strength of it’s smell washes over me. I hear Trolling’s laughter intensify at the sight of my face. My fur rustles even as I register the scent of strong cheese, mouldy pigeon and sour lemon. It’s disgusting but it’ll work. I gently open the Furless’ mouth, whispering under my breath, as my note in the book says. 

“Let her journey begin.”

I warn Trolling as the drop falls, taking a step back to watch as she wakes. My countdown causes his laughter to cease, tense silence falling across the room... until the girl wakes up screaming. 

"Arrrrrr!"

She flings the blanket right across the room, flying up from the mattress and overtaking the room with an immense amount of mess. The wind that blows through the room, with the force of her panicked running, causes thousands of dead bugs to fly through the air, dust upheaving. Momentarily, it occurs to me to create an elixir that brings dead things to life - or perhaps I could delve into the world of spellcraft? I ignore the idea to glare at Trolling as he laughs. Taking a blue dead butterfly from a bowl, mash it to dust over the milk that turns blue. Silently handing the Furless the bowl of blue milk. The glimmer in her eyes as she sits and drinks almost appears to be recognized... I push the idea aside. 

It is immensely thrilling to think that sitting here, right in front of me, is a creature from the fantasy. So much has happened today, but perhaps this girl in front of me is the link to it all. Perhaps, she has fallen from a star. Or, maybe, the blue light that destroyed everything also deposited her here. It must be so.

Suddenly, someone knocks on the dusty window…