I hit my knees and hold my face for a moment. My eyes seem to be bothering as purple tints try to take over my vision. Why can't I feel anything? I go to ask aloud but it echoes without my lips moving. I hear a roar.
'I'm almost there.' The voice echoes. What's happening? I wonder. I walk a few steps. I hear a low toned growl approach me from behind.
'Turn around.' I hear the voice command.
I turn around and am in utter shock. You're a dragon?! I think into the space. The two-legged wyvern sits before me. Dark red and has a glossy look on their scales.
Who are you? I ask through thought. This seems to be my only way to speak. No matter how I fight it.
'I am Rashdka. The wyvern fire spirit.' It speaks. My jaw drops.
So what's this mean? I wonder.
'It means I'm sending you a wyvern as we speak.' It says and then backs away. The world returning to normal colours.
"What the hell was that?!" I exclaim.
"What? Oh, you mean the ethereal realm." Asphodel says. "Yeah, it's a trip the first time, ain't it?" Asphodel adds with a laugh.
"That's what that was?" I ask as I climb from my knees
"Yes. What did you see?" Garth asks.
"I met a red wyvern. It was rash.. rash.. " I struggle to try to pronounce its name.
"Rashdka?" Asphodel sighs in disbelief
"Yeah, the fire spirit." I say.
Garth laughs lightly. I look over at him. My sister does the same thing. Then we look up to see why he's laughing. A small foot tall red wyvern comes out of a speck in the sky and lands on my shoulder. I can't help but stare, amazed.
"You can pickup your jaw, Asphodel." I hear Garth say. I think nothing of it.
"So what's your name?'I ask the wyvern as I pat onto its head.
'Sven.' I hear it call in my head.
"Sven?" I repeat. "Alright. I don't know how this part works." I admit to it.
'I am going to help. First, I will not be leaving beyond 5 miles of you.' It explains.
"Okay." I say.
"Why is she talking to herself?" Asphodel asks.
"Dragons can't talk in English, so they use telepathy with us," Garth explains.
'He's right,' Sven states.
"That's wicked!" I exclaim.
'Anyway, to put this straight, I will die if you do. That's the first thing you'll need to know. The second is that I will give my life to protect yours. Third, we can share abilities. But realize all of this comes at a cost.' It explains.
"Right. So what's the cost?" I ask.
'The contract between us. It shall be on mutual terms as we agree on them. Also, if there are boundaries we need in place, we will find and agree upon them. Anything we consent together on will define the details of the contract,' Sven says.
"Alright, so I'd say I'm happy to accept these terms so far. But what is the cost of our contract?" I ask.
'A signature of the soul. Give me your shadow. This way, if I die before you, your magic is always safe. No one can steal your shadow on you,' Sven explains.
"Do what you must." I say to it.
'Aye.' It replies.
The wyvern glides from my shoulders to the ground. It looks at me and unleashes a flamethrower upon me of golden coloured flames. I feel no burning. I simply embrace the warm glow going over my body. I feel burning under my skin begin to swirl throughout my body. It stings, but in a smooth and easy to tolerate way.
It soothes my body and mind as I find the feeling to fade as the wyvern lands before me. I breathe deeply, hoping I can stay level-headed.
"That's what it feels like to give you my shadow to guard?" I ask them.
'I am not only to guard it, but to protect you as well. I will always be able to hear you from this day forth,' Sven explains.
"So you really got a wyvern. That's pretty cool, Lil sis." Asphodel smirks at me, almost as if she knows something I'm unaware of.
"So what's this mean?" I ask.
"It means you've got the first wyvern in over a century, Annie.," Garth admits.
"Which, by the way, means dramatic changes are happening in the realm of magic." Asphodel adds to his statement.
"So what's it mean for me?" I feel so lost.
"It means you're the Centre-point of the magical realm's direction, a witch that changes the way things work." She explains.
"Oh, also you're the first in your bloodline." Garth says as he pulls out a scroll from the other room.
He points to a list of names, witches on the one side of the list and only what I can assume are wyverns or dragons names. I squint and try to read the fancy old styles of writing, but it's too messy for me to make out.
"So then, what?" I shoot the question.
"It means you are making history." Asphodel places a hand on my shoulder.
Sven flares their wings abroad of their body. I can only hope it's not to attack her. She is my sister. The wyvern's wing slowly goes back down. I guess realizing there is no threat. I turn and hug Asphodel.
"It also means there's likely going to be people looking for you and your wyvern." She adds.
'She may be right. There always is someone after wyverns magic, let alone centuries wait paired with a bloodline witch.' Sven's voice echoes in my mind.
"Hey, I just thought of something.." I speak without thinking about it.
"What?" Garth replies. Asphodel stares at me intently.
"Can a witch use wyvern's eyes?" I ask.
"Like, you mean with magic?" Asphodel asks.
"Yeah!"
"I have no idea. Garth?" Asphodel passes my question along.
"We will have to travel first, to Europe." He explains.
"Why Europe?" I ask.
"It's where all the records of magic are. All lineages of witch start from Europe or Scandinavian areas, so the records of such information would be there." Garth explains further.
"So then that again makes me ask why Europe? We are all north American?" I question.
"Five generations in now, yes." Asphodel pipes up.
"So, we may find other family to learn from?" I ask. Seems like that's all I can do is ask more and more.
"Well, we hope this, yes." Garth smiles softly. "My family roots are there too. So perhaps I can also do some digging while we go." He explains.
"Okay, fair, but how am I gonna get there? We are broke and I don't have a passport even." I say.
"The car." Garth says. Asphodel giggles a bit.
"Reminds me of when I was first learning. It's enchanted." Asphodel chimes in.
"Okay. I was going to say we can't drive on water. Wait, is that what the enchantment does?" I ask excitedly.
"Not exactly. We still get around like usual, but magic makes it easier to pass the eaters without being noticed," asphodel explains.
"Can't we just call them normies or something else?" I shoot her a dirty look. That name is just disgusting.
"I'll tell you about the story later... maybe then you'll understand." She sighs.
"Anyway ladies. I'd let your mother know where you're headed. Who knows, maybe she will come too." Garth laughs.
"I doubt that." She speaks coldly.
I just walk towards Garth's door, hoping that I can just escape the tension. Asphodel starts to follow me. I feel like daggers are aiming at the back of my head. The wyvern flies up onto my shoulder and seems to stay fairly quiet. It's odd having a beast only I can talk to.
"So, now we've got you a wand. We can get other supplies when in Europe. I don't know exactly where Garth has in mind. However, he's known to always have a plan." She breaks the odd silence as we make our way through the door back outside.
"Yep. Okay. Well, I'm still packing books to read for the trip." I say.
"If mom will let you."
"Oh?"
"She's kind of possessive of everything." Asphodel answers more clearly.
We continue walking along the path. I never would have guessed mom was possessive. I think to myself.
"You know, she has a hard time letting others raise us until Sixteen, right?" Asphodel asks me out of the blue.
"It doesn't matter. We are going to figure this out." I say.
"Figure out what?"
"The Bloodline Curse. We lift that and wouldn't it fix everything for all of us?" I ask.
"If anyone can, it looks like it's going to be you."
"I don't know why." I admit.
'It's because of your spirit. It is a rare sort.' Sven whispers in my head. I look to the wyvern and just nod.
"Oh c'mon he can talk in a way I can't with my familiar." Asphodel sounds rather jealous in my mind.
"Wait that's not all familiars?" I ask.
"No."
We stop at the front door to mom's place. It honestly feels like no time has passed, even though we must've been gone for a good two hours. I sigh to myself and a
Asphodel pats my back.
"Let's go then." I sigh once more.
"Moms going to be ecstatic." She says.
She opens the front door for me and I suddenly feel very calm. Familiar walls make me feel better. I walk in and we head towards the study. Asphodel seems to have a good idea of where mom usually would be.
We enter the tall room full of books and scrolls. I understand easily why we refer to it as the study. I can't imagine anything else to do in here. The room reeks with inks and parchment of all sorts.
"So, how'd it go?" Mom asks before she has a full chance to face us both.
"Take a look." Asphodel grins.
When mom swings around, her face goes from annoyed to rather amazed. Her posture goes from a slouch to a proper standing posture. I think of this as something of a good sign.
"A wyvern. In our family." She says and lets the room be hollow without response for a moment. "You got a wyvern. That.. it's incredible." She begins to stutter and freeze.
"So, this is good?" I ask.
"It's history for our family." She replies.
"So, nows a good time to say I gotta head to Europe?" I ask curiously.
"No," she says. "Not a good time, but if you have to, you have to." She adds.
"Can I bring books?"
"Five. TOPS." Her voice pumps a double volume on the word tops.
"Yes, mom." I smirk. I can't help but feel excited. I get to discover even more ability out there. More history.
"Enjoy your trip. I want to hear about it when you are back." She nods. "Don't lose any of them books either."
"Yes, mom." I giggle a bit. I can't help but find t funny she is still so protective of specific things.
"What did you want to take with you?" She asks me.
"I want a book for alchemy, one for incantations, and I want to learn the bestiary." I look at her. She seems rather surprised.
"Alright."
"Just a bit of light reading for the trip." I say.
She does not seem impressed. Asphodel shakes her head. Me, however, I am beaming with excitement.