Part 104: The Vision Of The Lake

Main story folder & table of contents: "Return To Manitou Island" 
Previous chapter: "Part 103: Into The Silent Land" 

PART ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR:
The Vision Of The Lake

HER FOOT TOUCHED the ice, and Chakenapok's head shot up, his eyes going wide. Instantly an image appeared before him, wavering in the heat of the flames, and he could see it--the wide lake in the Fairy Realm, its edges hardened with ice, a small group huddled upon its far shore. He zoomed in immediately upon the lone figure standing out on the ice, and the sight of red hair shifting in the wind brought a grin to his face.

"Found you, Mainlander!" he exclaimed, and laughed with glee. "That was TOO easy! I'll have to remember--curiosity kills the cat!" He lifted his hand, his fingers out stiff and straight, and his eyes glinted. "Speaking of killing, how about we kill two birds with one stone--? Draw you out, and finish you off--? Done!"

He brought his hand down in a slicing gesture. As soon as he did, he saw her stiffen and then fall over onto the ice like a rock. And then he suddenly couldn't see her anymore. He blinked and gawked in confusion.

"What--?" The entire image of the lake shifted and wavered, then blurred, growing more indistinct; he saw the other little figures scurry forward, and readied himself to study their own movements to better see where she had ended up, yet just as he did this, that image faded out as well. Chakenapok was left staring at his own wall in utter disbelief. He shot to his feet and whirled around, glancing from side to side; but no matter how many times he waved his hands at the air, the image did not reappear.

"What is this?" he exclaimed, and then gnashed his teeth with rage. "WHERE DID SHE GO? SHE DOES NOT HAVE THIS POWER!" He shut his eyes tight to focus on the wabano, but he could guess that based on their reactions, no one in the group had had anything to do with what had just happened. Certainly enough, he sensed nothing like that from any of them. He sought out Geezhigo-Quae, but her presence hadn't affected the girl either. And that old manitou was in no shape to use such medicine as that! He sought out the Wendigoes, and sensed them easily, but knew already that they had nothing to do with it. Everywhere he looked there was a blank wall, and his vision still wasn't coming back.

He ground his teeth so hard that they creaked. "WHO'S DOING THIS? I WILL KILL YOU MYSELF ONCE I FIND YOU!"

As if out of nowhere, a voice somewhere far away in the back of his mind replied, You cannot kill what is already long dead, can you?

Chakenapok's eyes shot open and he blinked at the wall. "What--?" He put his hands to his head, utterly bewildered.

What...what was that! Where did it come from? How--how does it know me or know I'm here--?

I like you have my ways of finding things out. You want to take her? She is not yours just yet. If you are going to take her, you'll do it without cheating.

Chakenapok's eyes flashed yellow. "WHO IN THE HELL ARE YOU?" he roared, but the voice fell silent, and all he could do was turn in furious circles, staring helplessly at the walls. His fists clenched and unclenched and he even hurled a blast of fire at the wall but nothing else happened. Just as he was about to scream and start breaking the walls with his fists, something wavered in the air, drawing his attention; he whirled around and saw the image of the lake slowly fade back into view. His brow furrowed again when he clearly saw the others of the group pulling the mainlander off of the ice and back onto solid ground, kneeling down around her. He stepped closer to the image and put his face right up to it, unable to understand what he was seeing.

"How..." His frown grew. "How is it that I can see all this now...? How is it that I could not see it--?"

He fell silent, watching as they shook her a little, patting at her face and nudging on her shoulders to try to wake her up. His rage simmered into plain confusion, then into irritation, and he scowled. He cast a dark look at nothing in particular, since he had no idea where the voice had come from, and waved his hand at the rippling image.

"You think to hide her from me?" he snapped. "Like some second-rate wabano? Well, take a look at how miserably you failed! So you saved her from the ice--some victory move! Her death means nothing to me anyway!" He waved the image away, as if just to prove that he could. "I have someone much more important in mind!" he shouted at the ceiling, and then called up a closer image of Manabozho and his siblings, all gathered around the girl. He focused on Manabozho and his eyes glowed spitefully...then the glow died a little, and his snarl faded. He looked from side to side before his eyes settled upon something, and then his smile began to slowly return.

"Much more important," he echoed himself, and then shot a crooked smile up at the ceiling. "Let me see you try to protect everyone! Try to hide them all from me! I know your medicine is not THIS strong!" He waved his hand and the image dispersed once more, and he gave a bitter laugh. "You will be so busy watching over the entire little gang that you do not know WHO will be in danger anymore! I have more than one way of making this move!"

Nothing answered him, of course, but his own echo. He didn't care. Already inspired, he merely smiled at his wall, and awaited his chance.

* * * * *

Charmian felt her shoulder hit something hard, and instantly her eyes popped open and she gasped. She shot to her feet almost immediately and looked around. The lake had gone dark--in fact it was a different lake--but she found that that hardly even bothered her.

"All right!" she snapped. "I know this place! You think I don't know? That was a neat trick but it's hardly a surprise by now! So come on out before I get really pissed off!"

You are well to go along with Manabozho and his siblings. It seem you both have the same temper.

Charmian's fists clenched. It was the same voice as before--the same lake, everything. She found herself staring up into the air but as usual she couldn't see anything there.

"I'm in good company," she said. "It's better than being in vague company!" She paused to take a breath, then let it out and forced herself to unclench her fists. "It's obvious you brought me here...?" she said; when the voice didn't respond she went on. "Look--I'm still trying to figure this out. But I'm doing exactly what I promised I'd do. As soon as we get the spirit stones--"

You are failing to take note of what I showed you the last time, the voice said.

Charmian bit her lip. "Stop interrupting! I don't even know what that was you were trying to show me! Ocryana never did a THING to help the Island." She looked down at the lake, and made herself calm down again. "Look. It's obvious you want my attention else you wouldn't keep bringing me here. Why did you contact me through the lake? And what is it that you want me to do? I already told you what I planned."

I want to know that you have the best interests of the Island at heart.

"You know I do."

I know you do, but you are foolish. Sometimes you must do things you had never thought you would do in order to get the job done.

Charmian furrowed her brow. "I don't even think I want to know what you mean by that." She looked skyward again. "How is it that you keep telling me what to do but you can never even show me yourself? You wonder why I don't trust you? It's kind of hard to do so not knowing who I'm even talking to, or what their role in everything is!"

You have already seen me, the voice said, but a faint glow appeared over the lake just the same. Charmian focused on it and her frown grew as the image of the blue-eyed wolf appeared. She peered into the water but the yellow-eyed wolf--Malsum--didn't emerge.

"You're a Shadow Wolf...?" she murmured, uncertainly. She blinked, then sucked in a breath. "You're a manitou! That's how you know so much about me and the Island!" At this realization she felt a great deal of relief, and let out her breath. "Why didn't you just SAY so?" she snapped after pausing to recover herself. "All this time I've been thinking you're one of them and you're one of us! This would've gone a whole lot easier if you'd just told me!"

There is no "them" or "us." The Wolf's eyes flared. Learn this, and you'll learn the lesson I was trying to teach you.

Charmian rolled her eyes. "Look, you're a manitou and all, but that doesn't mean I have to like it when you're vague. Why do you keep bringing me here?"

Because it is the one place where I can speak to you, without him hearing, the manitou said.

Charmian opened her mouth, then shut it. She lowered her head to stare at the shore and her brow furrowed.

"Dreams..." She scoured her thoughts, what she'd been told so far, and then her head slowly rose. She looked up at the giant Wolf with wide eyes.

"That's what's been going on...HE'S been taking them! Not for power, for--"

Knowledge? The Wolf's ear tilted. You are just now seeing it?

"You can't blame me! Ocryana always used them for their energy!" Charmian waved her hands. "You're the one sending them--to me--to Yellow Turtle, Francois, Morning Star--and he's the one who's been taking them! To find out what you've been telling us--?" She frowned and trailed off. "You mean he doesn't know what you've been telling us? Even if he knew how would it help him? It's not like I understand it!"

He has the mind of a child, and merely not knowing something is cause for frustration. The Wolf tilted its head to the side. I called you here for another reason.

"Oh...?" Charmian finally noticed the vaguely different tone of the manitou's voice, and paused. The Wolf wasn't being as sarcastic as it had been the last time; in fact, it was being pretty patient, at least with how snide she herself was being. "You mean you didn't call me here to tell me how stupid I am or anything?" she ventured cautiously.

The Wolf's eyes flared a little, perhaps in amusement; Charmian scowled. Should've known it wouldn't last.

As much as I enjoy your company, I have my reasons this time, it said. You are going to be put to a very harsh test in this land, and you may have to rely upon all the knowledge you have been given so far. You'd best try to remember it quickly.

"Well, that's kind of easier said than done, since I must've talked with like a hundred people since I got here!"

The one I point you out to you have not talked with at all, the Wolf stated.

Charmian sighed. "Great, another new person? We hardly have time to go running around finding another person to talk to..."

You already know this one, the Wolf interrupted. Very well.

Charmian's brow furrowed again. "And I haven't talked to them...?" She rubbed her head. "You're sure you've got the right Charmian...?"

Keep this one in mind when you must seek us, for you will need to find us, the Wolf said. This one will lead the way. This one knows the old paths. I do not much care for you and your kind, Mainlander, but if you are sincere in what you say, you will have to prove it soon. And you will likely need our assistance. This one will bring you to us.

"Hold on--US?" Charmian waved her arms again. "Excuse me, but last I knew, YOU guys were the ones causing all the trouble! Now you want me to go walking right into the middle of all that--? How do I know you guys won't tear me apart--?"

Look at my eyes, the Wolf said, and Charmian did. You already know that our eyes shine blue. Not all of us have been overtaken, but most of us have. I have not--yet. If you fail, I will likely be one of those of whom you speak. If you succeed, you will still need to come to us. The Flint is not going to fight fair.

Charmian's jaw dropped. "But--he--!" She stammered. "But he--he insists on no cheating! What do you mean, he won't fight fair--?!"

He will not break his rules, the Wolf said. But he is not above fighting dirty. You should have done well to learn his rules first off. The Wolf faded a little, then turned its head to the side, as if looking at something, before turning back. Your friends are calling you, it said. So I will let you go. Remember who to seek out when you must find us. You will need us sooner than you think.

"Who are you exactly?" Charmian called out, feeling the dream starting to evaporate around her; still, she clung to it stubbornly, refusing to let go until she had her answers.

I am Ogimah-Quae of the Shadow Wolves, the Wolf said, and started to fade away almost like the Cheshire Cat, leaving its eyes behind.

"And who is it I have to talk to--?" Charmian cried out.

The one you have not talked with yet, the Wolf answered, and the dream faded into gray, and then lead, and then Charmian saw clouds forming overhead, and winced.

"Ow!" she grumbled, rubbing at her shoulder. She blinked and the sky was now filled with concerned faces, all peering down at her. "What--?" She frowned. "What are you looking at...?"

"CHARMIAN!" Marten threw his arms around her neck. "I thought you were DEAD!"

"You just fell over like a sack of stones!" Peepaukawiss cried, hopping from foot to foot. "It was AWFUL! AaaaaiiiiiIIIEEEEEEE!" Mudjikawiss struck him in the head and he fell over with a thud.

"I'm okay." Charmian held her arms out to her sides and Moon Wolf and Niskigwun helped her up. Manabozho hovered at her elbow anxiously while she dusted snow from herself; a glance up showed her that she was no longer upon the lake, but some ways back from the bank. She could see a trail where she must have been dragged away from the ice. "Just hit my shoulder."

Moon Wolf gripped her arm tighter. What did you see? Charmian looked at him. When you fell, you were in a trance. You must have seen something when you looked at your reflection--this is how it works, isn't it?

Charmian's brow furrowed. "How..."

Something communicated with you through the lake, didn't it? Niskigwun asked now, and she glanced at him next. It happened as soon as you looked down into the ice! Did you have some kind of vision--?

"Okay! Enough!" Charmian yanked her arms free and glared at both of them. "Talk out loud if you want to say anything, but this is starting to freak me out!" She dusted her clothing off once more. "Cripes, it's like being stuck on a mental party line!"

"You said there were supposed to be manitous in this lake?" Manabozho said to Niskigwun, and Charmian realized with surprise that neither the Michinimakinong nor Moon Wolf had communicated with him. He turned to look at Charmian. "Is that what you saw?"

"I don't know," Charmian said, truthfully. She tugged at her sleeves. "I saw the same thing I keep seeing in that dream of mine that Chakenapok keeps stealing."

They all stared at her blankly. "That's what it was," she added. "All the dreams that keep going missing--mine, Yellow Turtle's, Ocryx's--Chakenapok was the one stealing them."

Niskigwun frowned. "So, he is the one bringing them, then...?"

Charmian shook her head. "No...that's not him. He just steals them. A Shadow Wolf brings them." She looked around at the seven largest pairs of eyes that she'd ever seen. "It's not what it sounds like. It's a good Wolf--one of the Old Ones." She turned to Niskigwun now. "Remember what Geezhigo-Quae told me, about how they once protected the Island? Some of them weren't taken over by Chakenapok and Malsum, but there's just a few of them. This is the one that's been trying to talk to me. But every time it did, Chakenapok stole the dream to find out what I was being told, and so I kept forgetting it!"

Marten hopped up and down. "I remember! I remember! You told Thomas about it!" He waved his arms at the others. "She had this dream, and there was this big lake, and a Wolf, and another wolf, and a voice, and this wind, and her reflection, but she didn't remember that last part! And then Chakenapok tried taking her spirit stone, but didn't, and her dreamcatcher burned up, and she hit her head, and--"

"The Wolf thinks it's my fault that everything's messed up," Charmian interrupted. "So I told it I'd make it right. I don't quite get everything it said though. It told me I'll need its help soon, and to come find it, but only after talking with..." She made a face. "...Somebody I've never talked with before, but apparently know pretty well." She shrugged in annoyance. "I don't get it either!"

Niskigwun stared off into space. "Some of them...escaped?" he murmured, as if to himself. "He did not get them all...?" His eyes grew wide. "This means he is not invincible! If some of them could escape him, it means there are places where he cannot reach them. You having this vision right now--he could not reach you, somehow! This is why he has not killed you yet--he cannot! He cannot see you here!"

Charmian's brow furrowed. "But if that's the case, then how come he could see me, back on the..." She trailed off, then her stare lowered to the ground. "He lost the connection to me in Tal Natha's cave," she murmured. "That's when it happened. He hasn't been able to get to me since then." Her brow furrowed even more as she thought over everything she'd seen in that dream, then she lifted her head and met Moon Wolf's eyes. She blinked, and then understood.

"Cave of the Woods," she said, simply.

Moon Wolf didn't say anything. Charmian turned to Niskigwun. "If he can't see us here, he could still send those Wendigoes after us, right? That's how he works when he can't get the job done himself--through others. All this spirit stone crap started right after he lost the connection to me."

"This is true," Niskigwun said, sounding worried, and he stepped back from the lake. "They seem to have headed for the woods. We should try to find them before they go too far. It will grow dark here soon."

Marten hopped atop Puka's shoulder and shivered. "I hate the dark!"

"Charmian," Niskigwun said as they all started to turn for the woods; she glanced at him. He rubbed his hands together. "This Shadow Wolf--did it tell you anything else? Anything else of use, or importance...?"

Charmian shook her head. "No, not really...oh, wait a minute. It told me its name. It said it was called Ogimah-Quae." Niskigwun's expression changed so that she wasn't quite sure what he was thinking; he looked almost as if he didn't quite believe her, and she frowned. "What is it? That was the name it gave me...did I say it wrong or something?"

"Ogimah-Quae...?" His own brow furrowed. "You are sure this is what it said...?"

"Yeah..." Charmian nodded again, puzzled. "Why?"

He shook his head slightly. "This is not a name...this is a title. The Wolf did not tell you its name, it told you what it was. 'Ogimah-Quae' means 'chief'...a woman chief. Ogimah, Quae." He tapped two fingers as he spoke.

Charmian stared at him blankly, then let her stare drift. Come to think of it...X'aaru and White Deer and Stick-In-The-Dirt had all referred to Black Elk Horn and Yellow Turtle as ogimah...and hadn't she learned that Geezhigo-Quae was the Sky Mother...a woman? And now that she thought of it, the voice had sounded female...

"Ogimah-Quae...?" She rubbed her mitts together. "That Wolf is their leader...?" Her head popped up when she saw Manabozho going ahead of them, jogging into the woods. She blinked and then hurried after him. "Hey, hold up! We don't even know where they are or what they're up to!"

"The woods!" he snapped. "That's where they are! As for what they're doing, it's pretty obvious!" He glared back at the others. "If we take care of them, that's out of the way, then Chakenapok, then you can all go back to doing whatever you want!"

Mudjikawiss scowled and stormed right after him. Puka got a miserable look but followed, taking Marten with him; Moon Wolf and Niskigwun were next. Charmian took a step, then noticed someone missing; she glanced back at Wabasso, who stood staring into the woods with an uneasy look on his face. She paused.

"Wabasso...?" When he looked at her she frowned slightly. "What is it?"

He blinked, then flushed a little. "It will sound silly...yet I get a bad feeling from this place."

"Oh." She rubbed her hands together again. "That's nothing different. We all get bad feelings sometimes."

"Yes, but..." He paused, looking uncertain now. "I have had such feelings before, and..."

He trailed off. Charmian waited for him to continue. The silence drew out so long that she started to fidget; she opened her mouth to prod him along, when he lifted his head to meet her eyes. She didn't like the look that she saw there.

"The last time I had this feeling," he said, "was right before Mother died."

Charmian stared at him, feeling her face grow cold, and not from the wind. She peered over her shoulder toward the darkening woods but couldn't see Manabozho or the others anymore. She bit her lip and turned around, starting off through the snow, then picking up her pace, until she too was jogging, hoping to catch up soon. Wabasso paused before following suit, and they vanished into the looming forest.

Continue:

Part 105: Fallen Brother  (13+) One tragedy leads to another in the frozen Fairy Realm... #945602 by Tehuti, Lord Of The Eight

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