I stand in a slight shock. Are we still at war, then? Are we hiding? I wonder. I look at Asphodel in disbelief. They are the ones who raised me and I didn't die.
"The eaters have a history. We will talk about this with mom later on, Annie." Asphodel says.
"Ugh, alright then." I sigh. What are you hiding? I wonder.
She takes the lead and enters into a wide open flat farmland. A little red home stands on the property, which I find odd. The home seems to be only one floor, yet it can't be that small fora creature keeper. They must have some way to have the creatures hidden.
"What are you waiting for?" Asphodel asks.
"Sorry." I come after her through the wooden gate. The rest of the fence is falling apart, almost as if they never keep up with the property.
"What's with you? Are you always this spacey?" She asks.
"No, not normally... sorry." I apologize.
"So anyway, when we get there, just tell him you're a first year." She tells me.
"A first year?" I question the term.
"Yeah, meaning you are just starting magic school." She explains.
"Oh." That's all I can come to say.
Asphodel sighs and walks forward to lead the way. A gust takes her cloak, revealing her black slacks. I suppose the cloak is simply to keep her warm. I follow her up the lengthy driveway. It takes us a bit to finally reach the horribly old looking grayed on our wood porch.
"Alright. If anyone has a familiar that will fit you, it's gonna be here with Garth." Asphodel softly speaks. The sound of wind rushes my ear. She steps onto the porch and grabs a door knocker that is brass and shaped like a gargoyle.
"Interesting taste in decor." I say as I start to follow her onto the porch.
"You're telling me." She laughs as she slams the knocker three rapid times. The sound echoes through the land's open fields.
"Give me a second!" I can hear a high-pitched male elderly voice.
"Right." Asphodel nods.
I twiddle my thumbs for a moment when a short old man with a staff that's almost six feet high opens his home door. He looks at each of us.
"So, the Siren Sisters." Garth says.
"She's starting her path." Asphodel says.
"Yeah, first year." I admit.
"Very well. Let's go to the basement." Garth says.
"Let's go with Garth then, Annie." Asphodel says.
We all walk into this quaint cabin. It isn't very big. The walls hardly have anything. There is a wood stove in the corner. Garth closes the door and the building starts to change inside.
The walls become open spaces. The ceiling replaced with clear blue skies. The brilliant sun lighting up fields and mountains over what appears to be a very open landscape.
"Woah, what happened?" I ask.
"First time with a teleportation enchantment?" Garth asks, somewhat surprised.
"Well, yes." I admit.
"Garth, she was raised by eaters." Asphodel pipes up.
"I see." Garth says quietly. He reaches into his pocket and grabs a whistle. "So you don't know about the Pink moon war." He adds.
"I asked earlier. Asphodel suggested I talk to mom about it." I reply.
"Very well." Garth nods. "So then, let's talk about creatures." He smiles softly.
I didn't see it before, but his white hair was actually quite thick. He was still fit and only used a staff to walk. Where a lot his age would be using walkers. He is simply an anomaly to me.
"I don't know what to do here." I say honestly.
"We will figure it out. Don't you worry." He glides out a red-coloured wand.
"Oh?" I say as he rolls his sleeves up.
"Ut a celia sto." He waves his wand and a large wooden table puffs and materializes from thin air. He opens the drawers and starts pulling out plants, rocks, foods, and liquids of many sorts.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"Shut up and watch." Asphodel says as she smacks the back of my head.
"I am going to brew you a familiar call." He says.
"What's that?" I ask.
"It's a potion you drink to attract your familiar. Then you may designate the contract." He explains.
"There's a contract involved?" I ask.
"Only since the war of the Pink moon." Asphodel chimes in.
"It's so if you die, they can find another witch to assist." Garth says.
"If I die? Isn't that inevitable?" I ask.
"Not for all." Garth laughs a little.
"He's right, to some extent, their lives with rather morally questionable methods. Like the Svernatine family." Asphodel adds.
"The scen.. svern.. svernatine family?" I struggle to reproduce the name.
"Our rival family." Asphodel answers.
"Oh." That's all I can muster to say.
While the talking was occurring, I guess I must have missed the brewing of the potion. Garth shoves a baby blue potion which has golden flakes throughout it. I get a bit nervous.
"Don't worry, it tastes like blue raspberry." Asphodel laughs lightly.
"What do I expect?" I ask.
"It's different for each witch." He replies.
"So I drink it and wait?" I ask.
"Yeah, then we find out who will be yours." He replies to me again. The amount of questions seems to be bothering him.
I take a deep breath and swirl the potion as I take it towards me. The scent is sweet and tangy. Almost similar to that of oranges. I look at Asphodel.
She nods at me as if she knows I'm wondering if this is safe to do. What are even possible familiars that can come to me? I shake slightly as my nerves get to me.
"Annie, don't sweat this, every witch is nervous when they meet their familiar for the first time." Asphodel says.
"Okay." I simply nod and stare at it.
"I was for my first meeting too," Garth admits.
"I see..." I half emptily reply.
I look at either of them. I close my eyes tightly. My heart is racing. The smell is wafting into my nose. The room feels hot to me. Everything is at this moment. I raise the potion.
My hands tremble.as I open my eyes. I can see them both. Asphodel is trying to not giggle at me. Garth wears a weather worn, serious expression. He definitely is anticipating me to drink.
"Annie, if you don't drink it soon, ima splash it right into your open mouth." Asphodel chirps at me.
"Alright, alright!" I say. I quickly plug my nose.
I close my eyes again. Okay, you can do this. I hype myself in my mind. I raise the hand, knock the bottle to my lips and hope. I feel funny. I put the bottle down. The world seems a bit hazy.
'I'm on my way.' I hear.
"Who are you?" I ask.