Interlude III

Priestess Octavia

For the better part of a year Priestess Octavia practiced the three new spells that she had been taught as part of a final farewell gift from Lykan. The first spell she practiced was the heart tether spell. Simply put, the heart tether spell showed not only if your heart was bound to someone, but if their heart was also bound to you.

To Octavia the happiest moment of her life was the day she felt her feelings being reciprocated through the ancient spell. Not since the old times before the fall of her civilization was there a need for such a spell. There was never a need to know or to practice such a spell as no one had ever been accepted into the great forest spirit’s domain and then left. Such a feat was unheard of, until Lykan.

After Lykan left, soon Ghane and even Kirgil left the great forest spirit’s domain. The great forest spirit for his part didn’t seem to care, instead she bestowed blessings upon those who left. Blessings that forever tied them to the great forest spirit, blessings that would bestow everlasting youth just as happened to the first elves.

So many great and wonderful things were found thanks to Lykan. Thus why Octavia practiced the two other spells she had learned. The return home spell was a spell that could only be cast at dusk on the morning after a full moon and it would bring the priestess home. She had practiced that ten times in a row over three months before she was even able to practice the third and final spell. The heart’s traversal spell, a spell that would allow her to travel to her heart’s counterpart, wherever they might be.

These were spells for lovers who were separated by war, or the will of the great forest spirit. For while the priestess and warriors would need to be separated, the great forest spirit was not without compassion. She knew the importance of allowing loved ones to spend time together, thus she devised the spells that could link lovers separated by a greater cause.

Octavia had practiced the return spell over the past few months, going out with hunting parties at night only to return at dusk through the spell. The spell was short range, but still showed that she could and would return at dusk. So the final step was ready, all she had to do was get the third and final spell to work and she could spend a night with Lykan.

There was only one problem.

The moment Octavia formed the spell, and she had formed the spell. The spell work was intricate and complex, requiring the priestess to traverse the heart tether line to the person their heart loved most. Then open that connection up with the power of the rays of moon beams and the power of dreams. Then once the connection was solidified could she go across to see her beloved. Or at least the person whom her heart had grown fondest for over the five years they had been forced to be together.

Thinking about how she first met Lykan, how she resented him for being a human who seemed to be so blessed. Worse it felt like the great forest spirit had chosen to side with the human over her, stripping her of her powers for five years while she bonded with Lykan. Fortunately Lykan was more than amenable to the situation, as he got to do the two things he loved most in the world, read books and practice his spear forms.

She immediately thought Ghane had done something despicable when he strutted around with Lykan’s mythril spear. Only after an oath before the great forest spirit that he had traded the spear for a defective spirit blade seed did Octavia relent. The great forest spirit thought the trade was fair and made in accordance with fair trade.

Truth be told if Lykan could get the spirit blade to bloom the trade would easily be in Lykan’s favor. The only problem was no one had been able to bond with a spirit blade since they had been allowed back in the great forest spirit’s domain.

At first she thought terrible things had happened to Lykan on his journey as he had no weapon, but even now close to a year later she could still feel him and his bond to her. That’s why tonight, the first night of the full moon she had prepared. She meant to try to sleep, but couldn’t. First sleeping during the day felt unnatural. Secondly, she didn’t want to miss her time when she would actually be able to go see Lykan.

She was confident in her abilities to use her heart bond link to Lykan to create a connection to him. Then in the dusk she would be able to come back and repeat tomorrow night.

This was why she focused first on the heart bond spell, and as always felt a soothing wave of relief fill her as she felt his love for her bleed through their connection. Steadied by the revelation of his feelings for her, Octavia focused on forming the bridge that would finally allow them to be united.

The only problem was she wasn’t allowed to.

“Mother…High Priestess!” Octavia called out, frantic at what had happened.

“Octavia, did your spell not work?” The High Priestess came running in, she and all the other priestesses were well aware of Octavia’s plans for tonight. She had been so excited that she could hardly stop talking about tonight being the night.

“No….Well it worked. But there is a problem.”

“What is it?” The High Priestess paused, thoughts of rage flooding her mind as she thought about that boy two-timing her beloved daughter.

“It says that magical travel is impossible during the time of a calamity?” Octavia said.

“A what?” The words struck the High Priestess like a punch to the gut. She heard the words. The words themselves made sense, but there was something off.

“A Calamity. Do you know what a calamity is?” Octavia asked, her eyes growing wide as she kept reading the messages from the great forest spirit that were apparently only visible to her.

“Yes. Well, no not really. I know what a calamity is, in theory. But I don’t know what this calamity is.”

“Well what is it?”

“It is a trial of the gods.”

“What does that even mean?”

“I don’t know dear.” The High Priestess said, going over to comfort and hold Octavia.

“Will Lykan be okay?” Octavia asked, her heart suddenly filled with fear as she spoke.

The High Priestess just snorted. “If anyone will be fine it is that boy. A good head on his shoulders and determination for days.”

“How long will this calamity last?”

“Until it is over dear, I suppose.”

“Well should we do something?” Octavia asked while pulling herself away from the High Priestess’ embrace.

“I believe in the coming months we will do more than enough by staying put and doing as the great forest spirit wills.” The High Priestess answered.

With that Octavia sunk back down. She felt exhausted from everything. She had been on such an emotional ride that she was left feeling completely devoid of all energy. She went from the extreme high of finally being able to reunite with Lykan, only to find that he was lost out in the world to face a trial of the gods, while she had to wait in relative safety. It wasn’t fair, though then again Octavia remembered the words of her mother, back before she became the High Priestess. “It is not a matter of fairness, that is only a base concept in the mind. Rather that words like fair, or unfair, it is better to think of the true meaning of your thoughts. So in reality the action is either wanted, or unwanted. Fairness is for the great forest spirit to sort out on his own time.”

With that memory, Octavia relaxed and realized she was being selfish. That she was blaming external factors for what she wanted. Her mother had been right in the past, and her lesson still held true now. There was no reason to blame actions as being fair or unfair, just wanted or unwanted.

The reason such thoughts were better, fair or unfair felt like they were outside of one’s control. Wanted or unwanted at least had the feeling that they could be changed if one worked hard enough. That is why she took a moment to pause, then she recast her spell that would link her to Lykan.

This time just like before the connection was blocked. But this time she internalized the message and committed the words to memory.

Warning: You are performing a denied action. Magical travel is not possible during the time of a Calamity.