"Paul are we going to visit a witch??.... A crazy ones that live in swamps???...." I asked
"Yeah.... kinda....." he replied.
"Are you crazy... they are evil." I replied.
"She knows things far beyond my understanding, whatever is wrong with you..... She will defiantly know...." he explained.
"You're gonna keep me safe right???" I asked needing a little reassurance.
"Trust me..... I'll give up my own life for you." he replied.
"Okay.... " I replied still feeling extremely hesitant.
Before we even reached the door, it began to open on its own letting out a long creek as it opened. "Come in dearie." the voice of an old frail lady spoke out to us as we entered.
The interior was completely opposite to the outside, it was extremely unnerving, untidy shelves littered with what seemed to be organs, insects, weird liquids, some insects and small animals even living running around in their glass jars. Shrunken heads and innumerable dried things hanging off the ceiling. In the centre something that looked like it came from a horror film.... a rectangular table with restraints and obvious signs if dried Blood and crude operating equipment. The combined stench of everything made it revolting to breathe through my nose..... But the air felt stale and heavy when trying to breathe through my mouth.
"Paul I don't think this is a good idea..." I whispered to him.....
The door instantly slammed shut trapping us inside. "What did you say dearie? My ears aren't as good as they used to be." the old frail void said to us.
"Please Emilia.... watch want you say here...." Paul pleaded.
"Granny Maltilda I've comes to seek your help." Paul shouted out to her.
"The Black Dragon Slayer needing help from little old me???... What could it possibly be???...." the old voice boomed with a maniac crackle of laughter.
"Are you willing to help???" he asked her.
"Of course Granny Matilda is always happy to strike a deal." She shouted.
Paul placed his hand on the table and with a small blue glow all the stains on the table were erased and magically renewed with life making it look fresh and new and gently placed me on it.
"Remember don't offend her." he said to me, as a door opened from one of the rooms and out stepped a grotesque hideously tall thin old woman. Her face covered with boils, warts and moles. What little hair she had left was extremely thin almost to the point of falling off, knotted and messy like it hasn't been cared for in years. Her long bony fingers and hands also riddled with boils and peeling skin with extremely long pointy fingernails, wearing a long simple black robe, worn and tattered with age.
"Granny Matilda is always happy to help someone in need" she walked out slowly limping as her name and age might suggest, looking at me with a creepy smile.
Paul stood in front of me block her from my view. "Granny my friend has lost motion in her legs I want you to see what's wrong and possibly heal her." Paul asked, speaking quickly and to the point unlike Granny Matilda who seemed to be revelling in our company.
"Why so hasty???.... sit and drink.... it's been a long time since me and my daughter has had visitors." She said to Paul, 'she has a daughter???!!!.....'
"I would love to but it's getting late in Arcadia so we can't stay for long Paul insisted.
"Okay okay.... So Black Dragon Slayer..... You say your friend has no motion in her legs???..... Is it from a battle?..." She asked.
Stepping aside to let her see me, "Yes I've tried to heal her and even used a healing circle with no effect." He answered her.
"Hmmmm that extremely peculiar ....." She said taking a step closer to me look and feeling my legs with her long bony fingers, if I wasn't paralyzed I would defiantly be freaking out more.
"Hmmm have you tried restoration??...." She asked.
"Yup tried that as well..." Paul replied.
"Hmmmm you're defiantly a special case she said looking at me with a smile. Heading Paul's warning I awkwardly smiled back.
"Maybe I should keep her to study, take a better look at what ails her." She suggested.
"Hmmm I don't think the school would allow that...." Paul replied, "You don't know what's wrong with her??..." Paul asked.
"Of course I know what's wrong with her...." She said acting arrogant walking to a shelf of old worn books.
"So we you've tried most healing spells.... and nothing has worked....." She pulled out a book blowing off the dust and wiping away the cobwebs.
"Hmmmmmm there is only one answer" she said snapping the book closed placing it back on the shelf. "So before I tell you what ails her we should talk about terms....: she said with a giant smile.
"What do you want in return???... a wish...?..." Paul asked.
"Although very tempting I think you're too smart to give me a wish without doing something to work around it" She said still smiling. "What I need is something only you and a few others can offer." She said walking to another door in the house.
"Fine what is it????" he accepted.
"Well you know my child is the right age to officially join a school now...." She said politely changing her demeanour opening the door. "Come out Morganna I want you to meet a friend of mine." She said caring like a mother talking to her child.
"Wouldn't she be better off in Zessia.... their unrestricted practice of any form of magic would benefit your daughter more...." Paul said.
"That is true.... she may benefit more from Zessia or even Eshia.... but Atlantis will do." She said smiling. "Morganna come out listen to mother!" She shouted into the room.
"I don't understand why I need to join a school.... I can learn much more here with you!" A woman's voice shouted back.
"Stop misbehaving! And come out right now!" Granny Matilda shouted.
A few seconds of silence ensued as Paul and I looked at each other feeling extremely awkward. Much to our surprise out stepped an ordinary look beautiful pale white girl with jet black hair..... Wearing black trousers, black boots, and very loose dark magenta vest, came out and stood next to Granny Matilda quietly.
"Ummm... and how old are you?... Morgana?.." Paul asked sounding confused and very surprised.
A few more seconds of silence ensued, "Well answer him." Granny Matilda ordered her.
"Umm..... 20 years of age..." Morgana answered Paul Quietly shyly fiddling with her hands behind her back.
"So do we have a deal?..." Granny Matilda asked.
"...... What's the catch?....." He asked Granny Matilda.
"No catch.... I want a place in Atlantis for Morgana." She smiled.
"But.. You can probably teach her way more than Atlantis could..." He questioned still sounding confused.
"That is true..... But I want my Daughter to see the world.... instead of spending all her life with little old me.... in the middle of a swamp..." Granny Matilda replied.
"But Mother... I want to Stay here!... This is home.." She objected.
"Silence girl! Listen to your mother!" Granny Matilda quickly said telling her off causing her to fall silent again.
"..... I guess I can pull a few strings and have her enrolled.... but it looks like she's adamant to stay... what's going to stop her just escaping at first chance and coming back here?..." Paul asked.
"Morgana..... Do as Mother asks stay there learn as much as you can and experience life abit... I want you to have a life I didn't." She said to Morgana.
"Fine..... Mother..." She reluctantly agreed.
"Okay..... One more questions.... what can she exactly do?..." Paul asked her.
"I've taught her everything I know...." She said with a giant smile proud of her daughter.
"Okay.... I won't question anymore...." He said still sounding confused.
"So we have a deal then?... You take my Daughter with you and enrol her into Atlantis and in return I'll tell you what's wrong with your friend here." She stated to Paul.
"You have a deal Granny Matilda." Paul accepted her terms.
"Okay..... Morganna please go with the Black Dragon Slayer.... and please try to behave." She ordered her.
"He's the Black Dragon Slayer?.... He doesn't seem special at all....." She said looking at Paul.
"Well don't judge a book by its cover." Paul joked, "Anyways Granny can you fix my friend?.." He asked.
"I can't no.... You friend has a problem with something that go far deeper than a normal physical wound.... It has something to do with her mind and heart." She said.
"Really that's it?.." Paul asked again.
"Yup....." She replied with a giant grin.
"Well.. Thank you Granny.... A deals a deal... I'll take care of your Morgana for you, Thank you for your assistance." Paul accepted, "We'll be waiting for you outside while you say goodbye to each other." He said picking me up and making our way outside.
"So Emilia..... What's wrong…." Paul asked me sounding sincerer when we left the cottage closing the door.
"I don't know Paul.." I said confused also not knowing what's wrong with me.
"Hmmm..... well once we get back...we'll suss out whatever is wrong okay?" He said to me.
"Sure..." I said squeezing him tightly.
"Hey.... I think your legs squeezed me a little tighter just now.." He said.
"Really?.." I asked in disbelief.
"Hmmm... I think so." He replied.
The door opened behind us and out stepped Morgana looking emotionless, "So we heading to Atlantis? How long is the trip?.." She asked.
"Well we need to walkout of your mothers defensive perimeter or if I was to portal us we'll be turned to frogs, so roughly an hour walk." He answered her.
"Okay.... then let's get going." She said walking in front of us.