The Illusion of the Black Witch

Artifacts of the Arcane by Jake Kerr, Book three, The Cup of Jamsheet, Chapter seven, The Illusion of the Black Witch. We had made great progress, and while the horse made the slow but steady trot down the road, I had managed to wipe off most of the broken egg using the thick leaves of some lettuce plants and a dirty towel that Naomi discovered in the corner. In the distance, the twinkling of lamps or lanterns indicated farmhouses or the edge of villages, but we continued straight east, the driver showing no indication that he had come any closer to his destination. Is he going to take us all the way to Reems? I asked Iggy. No one had spoken in a long time. We all seemed to be lost in our own thoughts, so my question felt like a rude intrusion into our quiet journey. Iggy, without turning around, replied, I didn't ask when Iggy didn't say anything else, well, could you ask him? I glanced at Naomi and rolled my eyes I can, to which Naomi interjected, it's. Like you've never spoken to Iggy. Before tapping him on the shoulder, she added. Iggy, please ask the driver how far he will be taking us, and if he'll leave us at an inn or just on the side of the road. As Iggy spoke to the driver in French, I nodded toward Naomi, you who are clearly better equipped at talking to an afrit than I am. She stared at me for a moment, but before she replied, Iggy spoke up. He needs to turn towards shut dot Tiri Sue. He will leave us at that intersection of the road that leads there. We should get to that point within the next hour. I guess we're going to do some more walking. How much beyond that to an inn? After another exchange in French, Iggy replied, he doesn't know, but we are approaching Reams, and he says there should be no difficulty in finding shelter or lodging. I nodded but didn't say anything. We were closer to the cup, and I focused on imagining how it would feel to wield all three artifacts. It didn't seem very long before the man who had never spoken to Naomi or me pulled the cart to a stop. I had been so used to the rhythmic clop clop thud of the horse's one unshot hoof hitting the ground. That the sudden stop didn't shock me as much as the sudden quiet. The man said a single sentence in French, and Iggy started to climb off the wagon. What did he say that our journey must continue without him? That makes it sound like we're on a quest. I love the image of us valiantly traveling through Nazi Germany, our journey continuing with no one to count on but each other. My comment didn't a list at any response. As we all gathered beside the waggon, the driver awaited as an automobile swerved around and rushed in the direction we were heading. I wondered if we could flag a similar vehicle down. At some point, the klop klop klop thud started again, and with a bit of melancholy, I watched as the faithful horse with one shoe missing, left our journey. I am getting quite tired of walking. Naomi and I started down the road. Well, you heard, Iggy, We're not far from Reams and we can take a break at an inn or a hotel and perhaps find transportation there. Naomi didn't reply, which I took as a sign of her grim determination to just get the walking over with. The road was well capped, and I lost myself in the surroundings. As I trudged forward, I could clearly see the dull glow of what must have been reams. In the distance. To the north, I could see what appeared to be a farm, its windows warmly lit from within. To the south where fields full of shadow, which moved in the light wind like the waves I had seen in the north sea. I turned my attention back to the glow of reams. I wondered how long we would have to walk before we would find an inn. We weren't sore, but after a little sleep the night before and ending the day with a long walk, I was sure it would be a welcome sight. The twinkling of a star on the horizon caught my attention. It was beautiful, but seemed odd so close to earth. What made it even stranger was that it appeared to be moving. Could it be a slow falling star? I watched it closely as we walked, and I finally couldn't deny what my eyes were telling me. The star was approaching. Iggy, Do you see that star in the distance? I pointed in the general direction of the star, hoping he would see it right away with his extraordinary vision. Without stopping, Iggy focused on the horizon. I looked at Iggy's unblinking eyes and thought I saw the glimmer of a flame, but only for a moment. He turned to me. It is a plane, Tommy, a plane. Do you think it's heading to Paris? That would make sense. I would guess that there are quite a few planes that fly between Reams and Paris, even at night. I nodded, but felt a little alarmed as Iggy was still staring into the distance. What's wrong It appears to be heading straight for us. I spun my head and peered into the distance. Well, we are on a road to Paris. No one said anything, but we stopped moving. I wasn't even sure who stopped or when we stopped, but we all seemed to be focused on one thing, the light in the distance getting larger and what it meant. Uh, Tommy, I don't think it's a good idea for us to be in the open right now. I turned to Naomi, shocked that she was expressing fear. I was expecting her to have two spells already prepared, and laughing about how if the plane was German, She'd shoot it out of the sky. Even if it's going to a We could handle it easily, don't you think. Naomi didn't reply, so I turned to look at her. She was staring at me, as she had done a few times over the past twenty four hours. What do you remember the bombing in Russia? Naomi shook her head as if disappointed in me. I can't stop bombs, Tommy. Heck, I don't think I could stop machine guns fired from a plane. Well maybe I could survive if I start a shield now and focus all my attention on it. But all it would take is a second bomb and I'd be dead. Naomi, you should start casting your shield now. We both turned and looked at Iggy, who was looking toward the fields in the south. That is a German bomber. We should find shelter. I frantically looked around. There is no shelter. Naomi grabbed my arm even as I noticed her, began a series of intricate movements with her hands and body. I'll cast a shield, but we will need you to do something. The bomber was clear now, and Iggy was right. There was no doubt of its intentions. It was coming straight for us. It reminded me as Naomi had said of the bombers that attacked us in Princess Anastasia and Russia. The difference was that I had the code of invincibility and could not be harmed. Smiling at the thought, I stood up straight. Do you really think you can hurt me? I thought. I was looking forward to digging out of the crater and continuing my walk down the road toward Berlin. The bomber would return to its space, and its failed mission would indicate how lost the German cause was. I saw the slight glow of Naomi's shield extend around her and iggy. She looked at me, sadness in her eyes. I'm so sorry, Tommy. I only have enough power to protect this small area. You have the coat. Naomi's voice trailed off and she looked unsteady as she finished talking. No need to apologize, Naomi, I'm actually looking forward to finding out what it feels like to have a bom bomb explode above me. It not harmed me at all. I gave her a smile, but her eyes looked unfocused. The noise of the bomber's engines were clear and the brisk night. I was certain I could hear the scrape of metal as the bomb was let loose from the plane. I waited interestingly. The flash of the light from the bomb was the most uncomfortable part of the explosion. It didn't hurt, but the shadows from the lake filled my eyes and took time to dissipate. By the time they did, I was lying on my side at the bottom of a large crater, rushing dirt off the coat. As I stood, I looked around for Naomi and Higgy. They were nowhere to be found, so I caught out for them. As I crawled up the side. Tommy, it was Naomi, but her voice sounded weak. Scrambling over the edge, I noticed a pile of black cloth a few feet away. Standing next to it was Iggy. I ran over. Naomi, are you okay? She slowly pulled herself up, and the pile of black became Naomi the Black Witch. Once again, You're amazing you survived a bomb with just your shields. Naomi stared at me. See you didn't think you had the power. Lowering her head, Naomi whispered. Tommy, you need to stop time. Look. She pointed in the distance, and I could see the bomber turning for another run at us. I can't survive another bombing. You need to stop time to give us a way to escape. I glanced around, and she was right. The plane was approaching. I had to admit that the prospect thrilled me. The only thing that would be more intimidating than me surviving one bombing run would be me surviving two of them. Stopping time would do the opposite. Still, Naomi was right. She was in jeopardy in a way that I wasn't. Gripping the staff tightly. I prepared to stop time, but at the moment I was going to make it happen, Zahak made his presence felt. It was thrilled and frightening, awesome and overwhelming and humbling and empowering. I realized for the first time in my life that this was the pinnacle of my legacy, freeing the mightiest of the ancient dragons. I glanced at Naomi and something spoke inside me. It said, she doesn't need you, and it was true. She was powerful, more powerful than she even knew. Why would I waste the energy of the artifact stopping time when she could just cast another shield. I turned to Naomi. You don't need me. Tall me, I do need you. She lowered her head. Please. She looked up toward the sky. I turned and the bomber was closing in. For a moment, I wondered what would happen if I pulled myself from the rubble and found Naomi's broken body. But the voice cleared such thoughts from my head. Tell her it isn't too late. The wisdom of Zahak filled me. I would provide Naomi with the confidence that she didn't have. She wanted to rely on me, but she didn't need me. This was my chance to help her overcome her own fear. Naomi start casting It's not too late. Without looking at me, she began to cast her spell. Her movement was not the fluid, beautiful motion I was used to. It reminded me of Cain and how his illusions originated with what appeared to be spasms and odd, hurky jerky movements of his body. Seeing it, Naomi made me wonder if something was wrong. I looked up and the bomber flew right over us. I couldn't believe it missed us. To my shock, it trucked the bomb about a mile down the road in the middle of an empty field. It swerved to the south and then flew off to the horizon. Naomi groaned and I ran to her side. She had slumped to the ground. Her eyes were practically rolled up in her head, and her arms and legs were jerking back and forth. I knelt next to her, avoiding the swing of her arms and the small kicks from her legs as the spasms increased in frequency and strength. You did it, I said it, not knowing exactly what she did. How her eyes fluttered and focused on mine for a second an illusion. Her eyes closed, her arms and legs stopped moving, and she slumped over into my arms. The messa was her hair spread across the ground in my lap. With my fingertips, I slid the strands of hair that covered her face behind her ears. Even unconscious, she looked ominous, her power making her as invincible in her black dress as I was in my coat. I grinned. She was the Black Witch. A podcast Alchemy production