Despite still trying to adjust to my new body, and how it moved, I managed to make quite a bit of distance before sunset. The longer legs certainly helped with that and I felt more energetic in general as well. Once I had stopped moving as I felt that I was supposed to be and just let myself move naturally, I found myself to be very quick, agile, and graceful. I was travelling northwest, which was a little unnerving since we had been traveling south to get to the sacred grove and it felt like I was heading back toward the danger. When night fell and I finally stopped to catch my breath, I worked up the nerve to ask, “Why are we going this way?”

-Between the rain and mud and you having to support me, we left a trail that a child could follow. The Demon, and others like it, will be able to track us to the sacred grove. When they find it, they will likely destroy it, as they have the others in the Dukedom of Caspia, and send one or more of their number to follow your tracks here. Now that it is dark, you will be able to fly with far less risk of being spotted and we will head southwest,- Sharai explained.

I considered that for a moment. While I was eager to learn to fly, it was also a daunting prospect and I was worried about being seen. From what little that I knew of the geography of Evalis, southwest would take us out of Duke Garen’s lands, but the capital city of Majair was also in that direction. “Should we risk going so close to the capital?” I asked uncertainly.

-We must see if this darkness infects the entire kingdom or if it is so far confined to Caspia,- the spirit insisted. -If it has spread as far as the capital and the King, then there could be a war on the horizon. It is not far out of our way since we must continue southward regardless. We will need to pass through the kingdom of Kalidar to get to Zhahimel and the gates beyond.-

My mother had told me stories about the legendary city-state of Zhahimel when I was a small child and those stories had fascinated me. It was the last major city on the southern end of the continent before the Southern Divide, a great mountain range. Zhahimel was a massive fortress city that sat between sheer cliffs in the only pass through those mountains and they had built great gates between their city and the remainder of the pass that led through those mountains and to the Fellwoods beyond.

The Fellwoods were the forested lands that covered the entire southern tip of the continent and people claimed that those woods were haunted and hosted such horrors that only the Fae dared to venture there. Many thought that the gates had been originally built and sealed to keep out what creatures laid beyond, though there was no record of those gates ever being breached. In addition, in case anything did manage to get through that mountain pass and the gates that sealed it off, there were the Daughters of Zhahime, an order of warrior priestesses that controlled and defended the city.

As a small child, I had often fantasized about joining that order. They accepted women of all races who were willing to swear their service to their order and Zhahime, the Goddess of War, Honor, and Justice and the twin sister of Hespira. They trained in all forms of combat and those with the potential to use magic were taught that as well.

My eyes went wide as Sharai dictated our course. “We’re going to Zhahimel? And through the gates? But that would take us into…”

-The Fellwoods?- Sharai finished with a laugh. -Do not believe everything that you have heard, young one. What others call the Fellwoods we call home. Its true name is Nightglade Forest; it has been called that since before the time of the Ancient Ones. Tarin’dol is on the southern coast, so we have quite a journey ahead of us.-

“But didn’t you say that your troupe inhabited this forest?” I asked.

-Yes, some troupes travel to ancient forests like this one in other lands to preserve them. Most humans know better than to enter a forest under Fae protection,- the spirit explained patiently. I could not argue that fact since if I had known Fae were living somewhere in the forest I would have stayed out. It was too bad that the church and its Demons had no such reservations. -In tense times, such as those that I fear are ahead of us, those troupes also act as ambassadors of the Fae to the local rulers, or as spies if needed.-

I placed my pack on the ground and sat beside it to begin braiding my long hair. I was afraid of it getting tangled up with my wings if left loose while I was flying, or attempting to anyway. I would likely have to put my cloak in my pack for the same reason. As I worked though, another question came to mind. “Sharai, if we have to go into the Fell… umm… Nightglade Forest, how am I going to get past the gates that bar the pass? Is the forest truly haunted?”

-The Daughters of Zhahime are our allies and have spread those rumors for well over a thousand years. The order was founded in part by Fae, and the fortress and the rumors about the forest were built to defend our home. Zhahimel is now an independent city-state but they still guard the pass and keep anyone except Fae, or those accompanied by us, from entering those gates. Since you are a Faerie, you simply need to ask to enter, or fly right over,- Sharai offered in a teasing tone.

I returned to my task as I blushed in embarrassment. As I braided my hair and kept my senses alert for any approaching danger, Sharai took the opportunity to explain what abilities that I should have as a Faerie. The first was flight, of course. While I was slightly worried that my wings would not be strong enough to support my weight, the spirit assured me that I would be fine.

Not only were Faerie a lot lighter than they looked, as I had discovered when I first carried Sharai, but their wings were usually very durable and would draw mana from the air around them to magically reinforce themselves when in constant motion. A side effect of this was that the air around them would heat up, giving the added benefit of keeping a Faerie warm while in flight. Sharai said that the heated bubble of air around her had always made her feel lighter somehow as well.

Faerie could also cast faerie fires. This ability was common to several types of Fae. It was used to create a ghostly fire or several if the caster was so inclined, like those that had been lighting the interior of the great oak in the sacred grove and the cavern beneath it. The spell was just light and heat but it did not burn what it came in contact with and could be moved in response to the caster’s desires. Sharai said that I could learn that later since I would be flying soon and would not need the light with my acute night vision.

The Faerie’s final inherent magical ability was to cast glamours upon themselves. Sharai described it as forming an image of what she wanted to look like in her mind and then either drawing in mana or using some from her reserves to place that appearance over top of her own. I decided to wait to attempt that ability until it was needed or I had a better idea of how magic worked in general. With my gift, all that I had ever had to do was to feel the metal with my mind’s eye and then move it how I desired.

All Fae have the potential to use magic; it was one of the benefits of being a magical creature. Some needed to draw that ability out though, which was why that horrible concoction that I had swallowed had been created in the first place. As Sharai had told me earlier though, if I wished to learn magecraft I would need to do so through study and practice, and I would need someone to teach me more than the basic cantrips that Sharai had learned in life.

Next, Sharai gave me a quick overview of what magical abilities had been bound to my new sword, along with the spirits of its former wielders. My spirit guide was hoping that we could avoid combat for the moment but she figured that it would be best if I knew what both Neva’kul and I were capable of. -The glyph closest to the guard of the blade is an ability that belonged to the first wielder of Neva’kul, Joarra. It allowed her to concentrate the mana around her into the blade of her sword and release it in a blast of destructive magical energy along the path of the swing or thrust of her blade. It was a terrifying ability, and why she was chosen to wield Neva’kul. A thrust could destroy whatever was in its path and even blow holes through the walls of a stone keep, while a slash could send all but the most stalwart of opponents in its path flying.-

I was still in awe of the thought of having such a power in my hands as Sharai went on to describe the second glyph and the ability that it represented. Gaivin, the second wielder of Neva’kul, had been an Elf and while he was a fair swordsman, he had a reputation as a bit of a jerk and a shameless flirt who would bed anyone, whether they were Fae, human, or otherwise. His ability was a simple charm that would affect humans and people of other non-magical races unless they had some form of magical protection. It would render anyone looking at him at the time love-struck, lusting, and very eager to please until the next sunrise. I immediately decided that I would never use that unless my situation was dire indeed.

The third glyph had come from Tamisun, the Faerie who had passed Neva’kul on to Sharai. She could greatly increase her speed and reflexes for short bursts. Even if it could only be used once per day it was something that Sharai told me could be very useful should I find myself facing a more powerful or experienced opponent.

Sharai’s ability would prove useful in the same way. She had been able to create a pair of illusory copies of herself that could act independently after being summoned. It had allowed her to win or escape a lot of fights that she never would have otherwise as her opponents tried to attack or counter one of the copies instead of the real Sharai. The illusions would not leave tracks and disappeared after roughly ten minutes but they were a good distraction. She admitted to having to find cover or use a flash cantrip so that her opponents would not know which of her was the real one though.

Finally, I had my hair in a tight braid and my cloak in my pack as Sharai finished her explanations. Now it was time to fly or, at the very least, attempt to. I still was not used to having wings or the extra muscles in my back to control them yet and the sensations back there felt strange and difficult to control. As a result, both Sharai and I soon became frustrated with my lack of progress. -You should be able to do this. All Faerie are born with natural instincts for using their wings and flying. Flying is easier than walking for most of us.-

“I was not born a Faerie though,” I pointed out dejectedly as I slumped back down on the ground.

-Kaelyn, you are a Faerie, no matter the circumstances of your birth, you would not look as you now do otherwise. Will you allow me to take over?-

“What do you mean, take over?” I asked in confusion.

-We are both bound to Neva’kul. I can use that connection to control your body for short periods, though it is something that you need to allow to happen. It will be tiring for me even with your cooperation and I cannot do it if you fight against me, If you can feel what it is like to use your wings when I am in control then perhaps it will help your repressed instincts to take hold.- Sharai gently explained.

I worried at my lower lip as I considered it. The prospect of someone else controlling my body was unsettling but I also knew that Sharai and I were going to be together for a very long time and that I would need to trust her if I was going to live long enough to get to Tarin’dol. After a long moment, I let out a sigh and asked, “What do I need to do?”

-You will feel a sense of pressure in your mind. Do not push back against it but rather relax and allow it to push you backward.- Almost immediately after the words were spoken in my mind, I sensed something pushing inside of my head. I took a deep breath and relaxed as I tried to just let it push me as instructed. It was a strange sensation, I could see from my eyes and all of my other senses seemed to be working as well but I was suddenly aware that I was no longer the one in control.

My head moved from side to side and my body moved in a series of unfamiliar stretches as my voice said, “It is very strange being on this side of a takeover. Ah well, no time to dwell on that. We are going to need to start training your body for combat and teach you to use a sword properly soon but for now, let us work these lovely wings of yours.”

“Well, we had better hurry because I can sense the dark magic of one of the church’s Demons approaching,” I thought back to her. It was on the edges of the range of my magic sense but it was approaching, probably following the trail that I had left from the sacred grove.

“Yes, you are right,” Sharai agreed in our body’s voice, “your magic sense is very acute; your range is farther than mine was.” I attempted a mental nod in response. My range seemed much further now than it had been before. I had not been able to sense Sharai and her pursuer until they were almost upon me before our meeting but now I could sense almost to the sacred grove and we had covered a fair distance before darkness had fallen.

My hands reached out under Sharai’s control to grab my pack and then she started slowly moving my wings so that both she and I could get a sense of them, and how it felt when they moved. “I am afraid that we have little time for you to practice flying, Kaelyn. I thought it would take them longer to gather a search party, find our trail, and follow it to the grove. I will fly us for as long as I can keep control. Focus on your wings as they move, try to become familiar with them and how I move them and the rest of your body when I turn, hover, or move up or down. Once I release control, you and your instincts will have to take over.”

With that, my wings began to buzz behind me and my body took to the sky. Even though I was not in control of our flight, it was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. After a few minutes, I lost my terror and began to enjoy myself as I allowed myself to relax and just feel what it was like to fly and how Sharai moved our currently shared body. I felt so free. It was so quiet and peaceful up in the sky with only the insects, birds, or occasional bats to be seen.

The enjoyment lasted only until I saw the malevolent orange glow to the east. Those monsters were burning the sacred grove. Had I been in control of the body I might have gone to do something about it but I was not. “I understand how you feel, Kaelyn, but your life is more important. We must find out how far this evil has spread and report to Tarin’dol,” Sharai insisted in our shared thoughts.

Sharai pushed herself to keep control for as long as she could, flying as quickly as my new Faerie body was capable of, but not long after the ominous glow of the burning grove had faded into the distance her time ran out. When her presence faded to a dull sense of her exhaustion, emanating from Neva’kul, I was suddenly in control once again. On the other hand, perhaps not, since in my panic at the sudden shift, I began falling.