The Many Uses of Fairy Dust

The Many Uses of Fairy Dust

         I walked through my village, my quiet Bernese. I loved it here: my mom, my neighbors, and my friends. Nothing could interrupt my peace.
         "Kirsten," yelled a voice. "Hey Kirsten! I have to show you something!" I whirled around. I saw Alexander, my best friend, running toward me, a look of utter confusion on his face.
He looked worried.
"What?" I asked. "What is it?"
"Come with me, Sylvie is. . . She's. . ." he couldn't seem to find words, he stared at me. he grabbed me by the wrist. "Just come with me." Alexander lives with Sylvie, she's his grandmother.
We took off, he was dragging me across Bernese. He obviously didn't care that I was bouncing all over the place. We arrived at Sylvie's hut, at the other side of the town, in five minutes. I leaned against the wall of the hut and gasped for air.
"Okay," I said once I caught my breath. "What's going on?"
"Come with me," he said.
I followed him through the lop sided door of the hut and pointed.
"Look at her," he said. "She's been walking like that for a few hours, at least."
It was a weird sight. Sylvie was walking in circles, her eyes wide, but cold. She noticed nothing.
"I'll get my mom," I said. He nodded. I took off.
My mother is the shaman. She's used to odd ailments, as they're constantly settling in our town.
Seven minutes later, I skidded to a stop at the front door of our house. We had a nice, three room house with one big window and awful smells leaking out of it. Chicken feathers, lizard tails, mermaid poison. My mom had it all. She would cook it all for the good of our village.
"Mom!" I screamed. I heard her cauldron fall to the ground, and she screamed and cursed as boiling water spilled on her foot.
"Kirsten!" she screamed at me. "What is it?" She ran up to the window and looked out. She didn't like coming out of the house, in fact, she hadn't been out of the house in almost a year. She would have to come out for this though.
"Mom, Sylvie is acting really strange. She's just walking in circles, totally oblivious to what's going on around her."
"Oh no," said my mom, seriously. "Let's go."
I grabbed her by the hand and led her back to Sylvie's leaning hut. As we ran, my mom looked sick. She couldn't stand the outside air. It wasn't heavy with spices, and it wasn't over heated. She needed to stay in her "place". The place where she felt secure.
We arrived there after seven minutes of running. I leaned against the wall to catch my breath, but my mom went in without me.
"How is she?" Mom asked.
"No better," said Alexander. My mom walked and stopped in Sylvie's path. Sylvie hit her and her legs kept moving, though they didn't propell her anywhere. Mom stared into her empty eyes.
"Alex," she said. "Pack up your things, lock the doors, and cover the windows. I don't feel safe, leaving you here with her."
"See you there," he said, and me and my mom walked out.
Walking, it took us about ten minutes to get back home.
"Light a fire," said my mom. "I'll make tea."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Minutes later, the lifting scent of boiling herbs filled the room and, as the tea was boiling in the cauldron, Alexander walked through the door.
"Anything?" we asked hopefully.
"Nothing," he said, and he sat down. Mom ladled tea into stained, silver goblets and handed one to each of us.
"Are you going to training, then?" I asked. We're both training to become warriors for Bernisian Army. Alexander is halfway through his psychics, which I had finished two weeks before, while I was working on archery and sword work. Psychics are vital to a warriors performance. Palmestry, magic, they're all part of psychics. If you master the art, you can even read minds and, possibly, look into the future.
I held my fingers to my temples and shut my eyes. I thought about Sylvie, but nothing came up. I just saw a clouded backround and a figure, walking in circles.
"I think my inner eye will only see Sylvie," said Alexander. "I don't know if there's any use." We sat in silence for a while, thinking about Sylvie, until my mom spoke.
"Black Magic," she said. "It's plagued this town before. It can come back."
"What stopped it last time?" asked Alexander.
"I don't know. Some warriors set out for almost two months and one day, the curse just… left. It was before you two were born."
I drained my tea.
"I'm going to turn in early," I said. "It's been a long day."
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Nice shot, Kirsten!" yelled Alicia. My arrow sank into the bark of the tree, in the dead center of the rabbits' blood target. Alicia was the archery master of the training campus, and my all time favorite trainer. Wisteria, the psychic master, came pretty close. In touch with her inner eye, she was… interesting.
"Thanks," I said, and I smiled.
Alicia walked over to me.
"You're well on your way to becoming an archer, a true archer." I smiled. There was no better thing to say to an aspiring warrior.
I continued firing arrows, and they continued to hit the target. Then, out of nowhere I heard a voice coming toward me.
"Kirsten!" yelled the voice. I whirled 'round and, once again, I saw Alexander running toward me. I swiftly moved toward him.
"What is it?" I asked calmly.
"More people," he said, breathlessly. "Curses, walking around like zombies… Your mom." I lost all calm.
"My mom?" I screamed at him. He nodded.
"I woke up, went to the main room to see if there was anything to eat, and she was just… just walking in circles. I didn't know what to do. So I came to get you. "
My arrow dropped to the ground, and it was followed by my bow, and I took off. I kicked up dirt as I sprinted home to my mother.
I entered the village and noticed that quiet Bernese was unnatuarally quiet. I only heard footsteps moving across the dirt roads.
I pushed through the door and went toward my mom.
"Mom?" I said frantically, as I shook her shoulders "What's wrong? Mom?"
I burst out the door and ran through the town, yelling for help. No one answered my calls. I looked in windows and banged on doors. Almost everyone I saw seemed… posessed. Posessed in the same way as Sylvie and my mom.
I ran back to the training grounds to see that almost everyone was walking in circles. Alexander was trying to help them. Calling their names, calling his name, and shaking them…
I heard a horse, it startled me to hear a noise. It came, seemingly, out of nowhere. The horse wore purple and white ribbons in its brown mane. The colors of Bernese. As the horse came near, I could distinguish the figure riding it.
It was Nina Carey, the head warrior of the Bernisian army. Floating along side her was a zu. A small, furry animal, it knew everything. It was, basically, an encyclopedia with wings.
The thing flew over to me.
" Miss. Whittaker, announcing the one, the only, Nina Carey. Five foot seven, red hair, green eyes…"
"Okay," I said, interrupting him. "I get it."
Nina dismounted and walked toward me in a professional manner.
"Kirsten Whittaker?" she asked. I nodded.
"Yes?"
"You've been summoned. Black magic has been cast over your town and you're the most skilled warrior that hasn't been, posessed…" I looked at her with interest, and she continued. "The elders of Roanne have picked you to fight the dark magic. Here's the summon order." She handed me a piece of paper.
It read:
Order of Summon From The Elders Of Roanne
From the hand of Elder Darwin, Kirsten Whittaker has been summoned on a quest in the name of her town, Bernese. As a new warrior, you will be aided by an animal of some sort. We look forward to meeting you when you travel through Roanne.
Signed,
Edmond Darwin, Elder of Bernese Icharus Bitburg, Head Elder

I stared at the paper.
"Me?" I asked. "They've asked me to fight dark magic?" Nina nodded. She took the piece of paper from me.
"Blink will accompany you." She waved her hand carelessly at the zu, as if she didn't care about him at all.
"Thanks," I said uncertainly as Blink flew to my side.
"You ought to get a move on," she advised. "Waiting around here won't do you much good." She smiled sweetly.
"Yeah… I have to grab a few things," I said. I walked back toward my house. "Is she jealous?" I asked Blink, who was floating at my side.
"Oh yes," he said. "Furious, in fact. She hates being beaten. She became quite tired of me after a few weeks. You probably will, too."
"Probably." We walked in and Blink watched my mom for me while I grabbed a few things and put them into a canvas bag. Dried fruits, two blouses, and potions from my mother's store. I grabbed my bag and walked out the door, Blink by my side.
"Alexander!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. The scream shook the rooftops and scared the birds from their perches. I screamed so loud that Alex could hear me from his rundown shack. He came running down the path. "I need some pants," I said as he arrived at my side.
"What?"
"I need pants. I can't do this with a skirt on."
"Do what?"
"I've been summoned by Edmond Darwin and Icharus Bitburg to fight black magic," I reported.
"You're a warrior?" he asked.
"Yes," said Blink.
"Nice," said Alex.
"So, go get me some pants."
* * * * * * * * * * *
He arrived back fifteen minutes later with two pairs of cotton pants.
"Thank you so much," I said.
"I hope that'll make it easier." I nodded.
"It will," I said. "I really appriciate this." I looked around, avoiding his eyes.
"You have to go," he said.
"Yeah, now actually," I confessed.
"So go," he said. "We need you." I picked my bag up off the ground and started toward the village exit. Blink followed close behind.
"Bye," I heard him mutter. "Goodbye… Kirsten."
It seemed like so much to just leave him here and give him that huge responsibility of watching over all the posessed.
"So… Miss Whittaker?" asked Blink.
"It's just Kirsten, Blink."
"Kirsten?"
"Yes, Blink?"
"How long have you been training? You know, training for this?" he asked.
"About… a year and a half, I think," I responded.
"Oh. A novice. Haven't worked with one in a while. This will be a good experience for you. Given that you don't… perish."
"Thanks for the support," I muttered.
"But of course, having a zu accompany you… I know the way. Well it's in my genes, knowing everything. But getting to our destination. That will be a challenge. Do you even know where our destination is?"
"Erm…" I said. I held my fingers to my head. I saw two hooded figures, a cauldron, a pool, and an amazing view.
"Kirsten? Miss Whittaker? We're in Roanne."
I snapped back to attention. "Oh my, we are? How long have we been walking?"
"Near an hour now."
"Oh, look at those buildings!"
The buildings were close to three stories high, with glass windows and stone walls. There was a real shaman hut and vendors walking up and down the streets, yelling the names of their merchandise.
"We must go to the House of the Elders," said Blink.
"Sure," I said, gaping at the enormous city around me.
Blink led me to the House. He was buzzing away in front of me. We arrived, and the first thing we saw was a goblin, sitting at a desk.
"Welcome to the House of the Elders. What buisiness do you have here?" asked the goblin.
"Kirsten," said Blink. "Kirsten Whittaker. She's here to represent Bernese in a fight against black magic."
"You have permission to see Edmond Darwin and Icharus Bitburg. You will be zapped there in a second."
I waited. Zapping. We hadn't covered that in my training at all it was just… BOOM!
I found myself sitting in a chair, Blink was hovering beside me. Darwin and Bitburg were sitting across from us.
"Miss Whittaker," said Darwin. "You've been summoned, and you're just here so we…" he gestured at Bitburg.
"Can give you something," said Bitburg.
"What?" I asked. They slid a sword over to me.
"We're aware that you don't have any weapons and in order to beat whoever is behind this," said Darwin.
"So take this and get going," said Bitburg.
"Good luck!" they cried after me as we walked out.
"That was easy," I said. Blink and I found our way down the stairs. We went out the doors and into the street.
We traveled for days on end, seeing nothing. No monsters, creatures, or people. We finally hit the base of the Alberi Mountains. It was a long range of endless elevation.
"So, where do we start?" asked Blink.
"Here," I said. I started up the path.
About halfway up the mountain. We met a sphinx. It was lying across the dirt path, lazily.
"A sphinx," said Blink in his informative voice. "Half woman, half lion. One who tells riddles and makes up secret codes. If you don't answer her correctly, she will eat you."
"Thanks for that Blink," I muttered, as we loomed closer to her.
"Who dares to answer my riddle?" she boomed a boom so loud that it shook the trees.
"I do," I squeaked.
"Fool!" she cried. "But I will humor you." She spat out a riddle about an ogre, an auctioneer, and a shaman. After much thought, I turned to Blink.
"What's the answer?" I asked.
"The mere poison," he muttered.
"Are you sure?"
"Almost positive," he said bravely. I turned to the sphinx, who was smirking at me.
"Shaman?" I asked.
"Ah! How did you find out? How? How? You must have cheated somehow… A warrior! Psychics! Curse you!" She moved out of my way, cursing.
"Nice," I said to Blink. "But I'm sure that won't be the only sphinx."
"Of course not," said Blink. "We're in the Alberi, home of almost all the sphinxes in the land." We continued up, Blink rattling on about all the sphinxes he had met (a total of two) and the riddles they had told his companion. "They often add onto the riddle of the sphinx before," he said.
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."
We didn't meet another sphinx until we were near ground level. She told a riddle and, as Blink had said, it was about the riddle before. Something about a shaman giving you mere poison, and what would happen if you had an allergic reaction to it. This seemed like more of a pop quiz, but since I had an allergy to mere poison I knew the answer.
"Your ear shrivels up, you lose your hair, and you can't practice psychics."
This sphinx was way more accepting of my answer.
"You're correct," she said in a bored, sad voice. She stood up and moved out of my way.
When we reached the bottom, we saw no life. In the distance, you could see the outline of many trees. It was a forest, and we had no idea what was in store for us.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The cool shade of the trees felt good after all that walking. I held my sword at my side, ready for any attack except…
Wham! Something hard hit my head. I whirled around and saw an ogre, must have been seven feet four inches, holding a wood club. The club was covered in blood from my head. My head throbbed harder at the sight of the blood, but suddenly I had an insane idea. I held the sword in my right hand and thrust it into the ogre's stomach. It swung at me with its club as it fell to the ground… dead.
At the sound of the falling ogre, many more came out from behind the trees, carrying various weapons. A club hit me in the side while a young ogre waved a stick at me. I turned around and jabbed my sword at an ogre's head. It jumped back. I cut its leg. It fell the ground in pain, and I stabbed it in the chest.
I looked up. The ogres had backed off now, knowing that I could take them out with one blow. They were gazing at their dead comrades with sorrow. Suddenly, one came toward me in a burst of rage. It hit me over the head and I fell to the ground. Then I blacked out.
* * * * * * * * * * *
I woke up with Blink buzzing in my ear. I looked around.
"Where am I?" I asked.
"Forest," said Blink.
"Okay," I said. "What am I tied to?" I tried to move my arms.
"A tree," he answered.
"Well, get me out!" I demanded.
Blink fiddled with the knots at the back of the tree until I was free.
"Thanks," I said, and I looked around. I could see the base of a large mountain about one hundred yards away. "Do we have to walk over there?" I asked Blink.
He floated in silent thought for a while.
"There's a river, we have to go around it, and into a lake. Yes, a lake," he muttered. "And then… a mountain, a cauldron, and many wizards…"
"A lake?" I asked cautiously. Blink nodded. "But my allergy…"
"We aren't going to get there by standing over here," said Blink. "So let's get going!"
We walked for a long time and when we reached the lake, I stood on the shore, waiting.
"Are there…mere people in here?" I asked.
"Naturally," said Blink and then his face fell. "Allergies…"
"It's okay," I said brightly. "I can do this." I reached into my bag and grabbed a small bottle. Inside it there was a bright blue liquid. I took the top off and drank half the bottle. I gave Blink the other half. When he finished it, we plunged into the dark blue water.
I was thankful that I had thought to bring all of the Element Potions (in addition to fairy dust). The one I had chosen was the Potion of Air and it would allow us to breath underwater for sixty minutes.
Looming clouds of purple mere poison were everywhere. I quickly darted around them, and I was watchful of my surroundings.
Then, out of nowhere, I felt something rush though the water past me. I whirled around. Blink was wrestling against two mere children who were holding onto him and pulling on his antennas.
I swam over to them and tried to persuade them to let him go. When they wouldn't listen to me, I took out a bottle from my bag. The Potion of Earth, the weakness of all water creatures. I poured the whole bottle into the water, and I watched the kids watch me.
The water began to rush around us and pieces of Earth were falling in from above. I grabbed Blink as the mere children swam down into the ocean depths. We swam quickly through the dark water to the other side of the lake.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
As we slowly moved toward the last mountain range, we saw another sphinx blocking the path up the mountain.
"Oh great…" I muttered. We kept walking until we reached the base of the mountains.
"Who goes there?" asked the sphinx in a loud voice.
"Kirsten Whittaker and… Blink," I answered bravely. The sphinx whipped off a riddle about a baker and a warrior.
"The warrior," I answered. The riddle had been the easiest yet. The sphinx nodded slowly and moved out of our way.
We continued up the mountain until dark. We reached the top when everything around us had disappeared into darkness. There was a small cave in the side of the rock, and an eerie glow was coming from inside.
Suddenly, a blast of fire came bursting out of the cave. Blink and I jumped back. We hid behind a rock as we watched…
Heading out of the cave in a straight line were what looked like transparent people.
"Blink? What are those?"
"Brainowi," he responded darkly. "Stolen souls."
The brainowi formed a circle just outside the cave. There must have been seventy of them, floating there with empty eyes. Then two hooded figures came out of the cave, carrying a cauldron.
"Wizards," I muttered.
We watched them put goblets into the cauldron and watched them drink whatever was inside. One raised his wand and a soul flew through the air toward him and into his chest, knocking him over. But, as he stood up, and I noticed a golden glow coming from him. He was growing stronger.
It was the other wizard's turn. He looked around the circle, searching for the right soul. His eyes landed on one that looked familiar… it was…
"No!" I shouted, and I ran toward them. I took out my sword and attempted to stab the second wizard. He had been aiming for my mother. He pointed his wand at me, and I flew backwards. I hit the stone. As I tried to stand up, my psychic eye kicked in. I saw a hand, shimmering dust, and wizards crumpling to the ground.
"Blink!" I yelled. "Get over here!"
He flew over to me.
"What?"
"Get the bottle of fairy dust out of my bag," I commanded him. He reached into my bag and grabbed it. I took it from him and threw it at the wizards. The miniscule fairies zoomed toward the wizards, throwing fairy dust at them. The wizards crumpled and fell to the ground.
Everything after that was a blur. The soul came zooming out of the dead wizard and returned to the circle. We searched the cave and found an enchanted bag. Blink searched his encyclopedia of a brain and figured out what that bag was. Turns out, we could put the brainowi in there, and bring them home. We returned the sword and arrived back in Bernese.
With everything back to normal, warrior training started bright and early in the morning.
I walked up to the archery training ground, bow in hand, and Alicia looked at me like I was crazy.
"Why did you come back?" she asked. I shrugged. "You finished. You beat black magic. Why did you come back?" I shrugged again. But at that moment, I saw Nina Carey coming toward us on her brown horse.
"Congratulations," she said as she dismounted. "You've accomplished what many warriors before you never could have accomplished." I smiled, a deep pride flowed through my veins. "But I've come to retrieve Blink," she said in a business like tone.
"Oh," I said. "Well, goodbye Blink. Thanks for your help." Blink waved a small hand at me.
"Goodbye," he said. "Goodbye, Kirsten."
And so, Nina rode off with Blink at her side.
I waved at him. Just before they entered the forest, Blink looked at me. He waved back.