HA: Ch. 8 Aaraghost
Chapter summary: Heather begins her training with Aaravos, gaining new arcana quickly. To aid her training, Aaravos offers her a lens with which to see him.
Prologue, Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3 , Pt. 4, Pt. 5, Pt. 6 , Pt. 7
“So, how does a Sunfire elf get the name ‘Heather’?” Aaravos asked.
Heather held one eye closed, sitting by a stream under the moonlight. “My father’s name is a pun, and so’s mine. I was found in a heather bush. My full name is Heather Bush Scorchmarkadopteddaughter.”
She expected him to laugh, but he didn’t.
“I see, so how does your father get his name?”
Heather smiled. “When he’d have temper-tantrums as a baby, he’d leave scorch-marks on the wall.” She really wanted to open her eye; it cramped her muscles to keep holding this permanent wink.
“That sounds amusing.” The caterpillar looked up at the moon. “It is ready.”
She lay down on the ground and the caterpillar peeled off the silvery gum from between her eyelids. It crawled back on to her ear and she opened her eye, sitting against a tree trunk.
In front of Heather sat a pale, glowing, midnight-blue male Startouch elf with long hair and the prettiest horns she had ever seen. Her eyes focused on his ensemble of robes and split in his top. Set in the centre of his chest was a darkened star; the symbol of the Fallen Star.
“That’s what you look like?” Heather asked, furrowing her brow.
He smiled. “Surprised?”
She shrugged. “How do I know you actually look like this?”
Aaravos laughed. “I would not lie to you, Heather, nor would I change my beauty.”
She sighed. “I guess I walked right into that.” She looked aside. “I feel even more insane now that I can see you. Not like talking to a caterpillar was enough.”
He chuckled. “I thought you wanted my guidance?”
Heather frowned. “I know. It’s just strange, I guess, talking to a bug.”
“I can imagine.” He smirked. “If it helps, consider it a familiar, something that will aid you for the time being, until I can physically be at your side.”
She nodded and leaned her head back. They were just a few days from Katolis and she was eager to meet Aaravos in the flesh. There was something about him she pitied. Perhaps it was the isolation he was in, or knowing that he went through the same transformation she was going through—but with a teacher who made him regret his love of magic.
Heather looked at the stars between the cluster of leaves above. She wondered what it was like to understand the star arcanum yet still be grounded.
“What are you thinking about?”
“The stars.” She eyed three stars in perfect alignment. “What’s the star arcanum?” she asked, looking back at the translucent figure in front of her.
“To understand something so vast is hard, and so every being who earns their stars has a different perception of the arcanum,” Aaravos said. “And even so, it takes years to figure it out.”
Heather sighed. “Okay.” She looked down at the ground, where Phil glowed among the dark grass and shadowy undergrowth. He pecked the ground, trying to find a bug to eat, but to no avail.
“What is your understanding of the Earth arcanum?”
She thought for a second. “I think... Earth magic comes from the land itself and takes form through minerals and plants and animals—even those that are connected to different primal sources. Earth is strong and balanced and can endure almost anything the sky, ocean and other primal sources can throw at it.”
Something sparked inside her as she said the words, like what she felt when Khonsu struck her with Moon magic.
Aaravos smiled. “You felt something, didn’t you?”
Heather nodded. “I feel... different again.”
“You know the Earth arcanum. You’re a fast learner, Heather.”
She looked down at her hands. “Will I look different?” she asked Aaravos
“There is only one way to find out,” he said, looking at the moonstone necklace around Heather’s neck.
Heather held the stone and stood up, walking over to the stream. She looked at her reflection as Aaravos walked into view in the corner of her eye.
“Are you scared?”
“I think so,” she said. “I don’t like change. Especially when I have no control over it.” She looked to him. “What if Papa changes his mind again? I don’t want to be all alone again.”
“Heather, he’s your father. He has a duty to care for you. He made his choice a long time ago, and he has accepted that so far, so let him deal with the consequences of it.”
“I’m a consequence, huh? Thanks,” Heather replied grimly.
“What I meant is that if your father won’t take care of you, he is evil and isn’t worth worrying over.”
Heather scowled at him and ground her teeth. How dare he say such things without even knowing Papa.
“And I’ll deal with him if he abandons his little Heather Bush again,” he continued, ignoring her glare.
She looked down. “Will he do that again?”
Aaravos paused. “Not from what I can see. He is truly remorseful for what he said and he has missed you greatly.”
Heather inclined her head, looking at her rippling reflection. “Thank you,” she breathed. She wasn’t sure why she was thanking him, but she felt she had to.
She carefully removed her necklace and held it in her hand. Strands of blue magic snaked from her skin into the stone, revealing her violet skin and patchy white and brunette hair. She looked down at her hands; they were peach, and her arms darkened to pink, purple and then violet at her shoulders.
Aaravos looked her over. “It suits you. And I’m sure it’ll look even better when your hair and horns changes. and not to mention your stars,” he complimented
Heather shrugged. “I guess.” she slid on her necklace again and looked over her shoulder, to the small glowing campfire beyond the trees. “We should get back,” she mused, looking at his apparition.
Raising her hand to her eye, she removed the frosted, circular lens from it and placed it in a circular coin-sized container filled with water. She closed the lid and turned around, retreating towards the campfire. She scooped up Phil. “What do you call that form?” she asked the caterpillar, placing Phil on her shoulder.
“Why? Are you going to give it a name like the caterpillar?” ”But Wormavos suits it,” she insisted. “I was thinking Aaraghost.”
Aaravos sighed. “Very well. If you think so.”
*-*-*-*
Heather looked up at the high walls outside of Katolis’ castle. Its walls were as tall as Spireville’s and it was well defended with human guards dotted every few metres on top.
“How are you feeling, Sparkles?” she murmured.
“Fine,” replied Aaravos.
“The days haven’t been too long for you?”
“They’ve felt longer than usual, and I’m sure they’ll feel even longer when you arrive at the castle and won’t know how to free me.” He sighed, and the caterpillar shifted its legs on Heather’s ear.
“I’m sure the Master Mages will figure the spell out,” Heather assured, raising her hand to stroke the caterpillar. She reached for her belt, pulling out the round metal container that held her lens.
“Not that I can see,” he said grimly, and Heather placed the lens on her eye.
She blinked twice and looked to her side, where a gloomy Aaravos sat upon his primal stead. “I’m sure it’s because Kalani hasn’t arrived and so they don’t know yet how to release you,” Heather said, trying to be comforting.
Aaravos looked from her to the ground. “At least I’ll be able to train you better while we wait. Especially with the Ocean arcanum you learned yesterday.”
Heather wished she were as good with people as she was with archery. She wished she knew how to comfort people.
“Besides a few whatever’s is nothing compared the last three centuries. And now that I have you to focus on, I’ll have company.”
She looked down. “I’ll try to be entertaining.”
Phil chirped for Heather’s attention. She looked down at him and he blinked up at her with big red eyes.
Heather picked up Phil and placed him on her shoulder-guard. “Phil says he’ll try and keep you company as well.” the phoenix hatchling settled down on her shoulder, tucking his wings in close to himself. “But until then,”—she looked up as they walked through the portcullis—”we have a castle to explore and a mirror to find.”
