Anabel listened intently as she was given a telepathic report. Shining light alerted her to Eveline wanting to speak with her so she opened a channel to the ghost. That was an hour ago and Eveline was still describing the situation.
"This entity is very interesting Spirit Warlock. We are almost to a point where you can look at it and not be effected. Hortense and Femir believe you should meet it. They can not read it but they can tell it will be beneficial to you."
It surprised her that Hortense could not read the entity. As she thought of this a scene materialized before her eyes. It was a vast blue forest and in the center of it was a small clearing with trees surrounding it in a octagonal pattern and a small mound at its center. As Anabel focused her attention she realized the small mound was a purple and grey spirit animal.
She knew it was a spirit animal due to the slight haze surrounding it and it seemed to be in two dementions at once. Its fur was long and curly and it lay in a tight ball. It was breathing deeply as if it was in deep sleep.
As she watched it she wondered how seeing this creature could do her harm.
'Has anyone been hurt?'
There was a brief pause. 'A spirit being was slightly injured when she went in to have a better look. When she reported Hortense found out that it is a divine entity and we can only look at its back unless we have its permission.'
Anabel nodded in understanding and confusion. She innately understood that this little furry creature was hiding its abilities but also telling others how to avoid dangers due to accidently meeting it. It was like it was waiting or looking for someone.
'Do you think I can speak with it?'
'I'm not sure Spirit Warlock '
'What do you think, Clare, Hortense?'
Hortense snd Clare answered was one. 'Yes I think you can. If we move your perceptions closer.'
Anabel smiled. 'Clare move three points to the left of your current position. Hortense move two and make sure that Clare is okay.'
As soon as Clare was in position Anabel told her to close all of her senses and open up her telepathy fully.
Anabel instantly extended all of her senses outward from Clare. Her connection to all of her wards was strong. She allowed her senses to brush blades of grass, leaves, the bark of trees, and flowers in full bloom. Her senses stopped at a strange barrier mere inches away from the spirit being.
She did not touch it but allowed her senses to roam around it. As she moved around and came close to the front of the being she slowed and concentrated more fully. That was when she felt something that was like a whisper to her senses. It was soft and subtle and she had to focus to perceive it accurately.
First her senses screamed but she recognized it as a natural fear reaction and she calmed herself and focused harder.
Images flooded her mind. A sparkling crystal egg floated within a spirt world she had never seen. She had seen many and all those she had seen she had at least partially explored every level and although she recognized it as a spirit realm it was distinctly unfamiliar to her.
The egg floated through a haze just above a meadow of golden grass. The crystal egg shimmered and began to tremble. Even as the small Crack formed creating more cracks Anabel's attention remained focused behind the egg.
Behind the egg were two large purple eyes and they were focused on her. Suddenly she understood something.
'Are you in the egg?'
The eyes brightened and she felt an unseen smile wash over her. 'It is me. I have looked for you for too long mother. Why have you taken so long?'
It paused as if it waited for an answer but she had none. She couldn't answer even if she wanted to.
'How is my brother? I have not spoken to him since I fell asleep,'
Anabel was frozen. She had been alive two thousand long years and she thought there were no surprises left for her. When she found her words they quickly tumbled forth.
'How did you find your way back? How are you still a traveler? When did you learn to travel back and forth across veils? Can I approach you? Will you come with me? Your brother is fine when you stopped speaking to him we thought you gave up looking for a way back. Why didn't you…'
Anabel only stopped because the laugh she heard was so familiar and so very different. Her daughter was killed many years ago and it was one of Anabel's greatest regrets.
'I have been here waiting for you.'
Anabel nodded. She turned and walked to the purple and grey fox that not hovered where the crystal egg once was. 'Have you come back as my soul mate.'
The purple eyes smiled. 'Exactly. I have been waiting for you for more than three hundred years. I was not born too long ago but because I learned how to travel across veils I have been able to learn a lot. Isn't this exciting! I will be your ward again but not as your daughter as one you have saved.'
Anabel cringed at the thought of her daughter being her ward but she knew that the purple eyes were gone without looking at them.
She turned to the fox curled up before her. She gently touched it and smiled. Tears welled in her eyes and disappeared just as quickly when she took in a deep breath. As she exhaled she gently took the small fox and pulled it into her spirit form.
She felt it within her soul well as it poured spirit magic into her being.
When she opened her senses again the blue clearing was before her and the sleeping fox had disappeared. She moved to its previous position and allowed spirit magic to feed and nourish it. When she felt it was full she cut off the flow.
'Everyone return to me. This was not a crisis.'
A flood of 'Yes Spirit Warlock' entered her mind as she allowed her conscious to return to her body.
She immediately left her home and materialized near the clearing where Allistar had been.
"You knew it was her." Of course he did. A part of their daughter would always be intertwined with him. He could not be in his current form without that aspect of her.
"I need your help."
Rage flared within her. He was always like this. If she were honest he was like this for as long as she had known him.
'Spirit Warlock do not be upset with him. Hear what he has to say.'
Hearing her daughter's ethereal voice calling her spirit warlock almost broke her.
Her form dissolved from the spot. She had never even entered the clearing to look at him.
It took her hours to calm down. 'Do I still call you Amethyst?'
'Of course. It is even more appropriate now, don't you think?'
Anabel smiled. 'Go to him. Tell him I can talk to him, but for now only through you.'
'You know that I am always with him. I will go see my brother. He is working upstairs'
She felt emptiness the moment she left and suddenly it was like a piece of something vital had broken to be lost forever.
Then she heard Amethyst's voice again. 'He is listening speak when you are ready.'
This part of Amethiyst was so emotionless. Anabel wondered if this was an aspect of a divine spirit being.
'What do you need Allistar? '
'I found the Ebon Falls. I will help you obtain the component for the medicine and then we will talk about the future.'
Her heart trembled. She wanted to tell him that she could get a vile of ebon water herself, but she knew it was a lie.
She only had two children; her daughter Amethyst and her son Jolan. She lost Amethyst centuries ago because she trusted the only man she had ever loved. Now she needed to trust him again to save their son.
Jolan became corrupted while experimenting. He was only alive and still human because of Anabel and Marela.
She still didn't know what he had been trying to do and he still refused to tell her what he had been up to.
She sighed deeply. 'Where is it located? I will go do a survey and if I feel it is okay we can go and obtain the water.'
There was a pause. When he spoke again she detected a hint of pain, or sadness. She blinked several times in confusion. 'It is on the same island chain Amethyst was sleeping. '
Anabel's eyes opened wide. And immediately ignored his existence. 'Eveline where are you?'
There was a long moment and then Eveline hesitantly spoke 'We are exploring the islands spirit warlock. We thought…'
'Good. Allistar says the ebon falls are there. Let me get some specifics. I want you to verify the location and maintain a surveillance perimeter if it is truly the falls. I will send two more groups to you. If you need more tell me and I willbw there as quicklyas possible.'
Eveline's voice was full of excitement when she replied. 'Yes spirit warlock. Hortense and Femir have sensed something on a small island in the center of a vast whirlpool. We were just thinking of a way to approach it. The spirit roads to it are chaotic and there is spirit blight in the water and periodically being spewed randomly into the air.'
Anabel thought for a moment and responded slowly. 'Okay. For now surveil the island as best you can. If the falls are not on it I want to know what is.'
'Are the falls on that island Allistar? '
'No but I would like to know what is there. No such island existed a two weeks ago. How many islands are currently in the chain? There were twelve when I was last there.'
'No. There are fourteen islands in that chain now. We will need to see about the cause of this. And the falls?'
'The falls are at the center of the southern most island… well the southern most island two weeks ago.'
'What does the island look like are there any distinguishing characteristics?' Anabel was getting frustrated. She took two deep breaths to calm herself and tried to be patient.
'It has rocky terrain from the beach until about ten miles inland then it is suddenly lush grass which stops at a forest of dense, tall, dark grey trees.'
'Did you hear that Eveline? '
'Yes Spirt Warlock. We're on our way now. We were saving that island for last to be honest. Can you please send Shining Light and Bev? I think apparitions will fair better here. The spirit magic here is a bit indescribable.'
Anabel turned her mind back to Allistar. 'When I hear from them I will send Amethyst to you.'
There was no reply and none was actually needed. She first spoke to Bev, Shining Star, Marose (all apparitions) and Crispen (a spirit). All four were apart of Anabel's personal guard. They organized teams and quickly left to meet the others.
Then she spoke with Marela about the ebon water. They had already created canisters that would be able to hold the water without eroding and that would allow the water to keep its potency.
"Please Anabel. Just four more. You have crafted so many canisters you can give me four more to enhance so that they can hold the ebon water as well."
Anabel rubbed the bridge of her nose. Why was her friend so greedy? "Marela why do you need so much? We only need six drops for the antidote for Jolan six is already an abundance."
"Just four more."
Anabel sighed in exasperation and four oddly shaped canisters materialized before Marela as Anabel turned on her heels to leave. "If they are not ready when I leave…"
"They will be. And I will be ready to make the antidote for Jolan when you return."
Marela spoke to a closed door but Anabel heard every word.