Chapter II - A Witch’s Familiar

Raising her hands above her head the woman in scarlet and yellow garments lifted her palms upwards, kneeling in a circle carved into the hard dirt she muttered an incantation. Wearing heavy hide for how thin her body seemed, at first glance one would think she was unable to wear such heavy material; thin rope wrapped over her torso that was decorated with brass coins, they jangled on the rope as her body swayed. A woman of modest beauty she had her sun orange hair tied up in a bun, her dark green eyes rolled into her head as she allowed the spirits of nature to grip her soul. In a clearing below two parallel cliffs the woman attempted to break through the fog that divided Crel from the Otherworld.

Attempting to do so could destroy her body and even more dangerously her soul; spirits were drawn to her manipulations of nature, it can be quite easy for a shade to possess her if she was careless. The circle she knelt upon had the moon cycles etched into each direction, the image of the grand spider drawn in the centre allowed her to summon in safety. Such magic was a closely kept secret in Crel, only those of great sects or covens can use those powers, the Crimson Witches were the most powerful of all covens and only trust such incantations to the highest of their sisterhood. Aoife the warrior witch was not among them, stealing the knowledge to perform the ceremony she was attempting was a grave offense but she was determined to accept the consequences.

What she needed desperately was a powerful familiar, one that can free her coven and utterly vanquish the monster that has control of her sisters. Urgency was in her tone as she chanted louder, her voice sounding out amidst the silence of her surroundings, her conjuring had spooked the animals and insects making them flee or quietly hide. Skies of blue with patches of dark gray clouds hung overhead, however the disturbance of the balance of nature caused the skies to start darkening, the midday sun was hidden by a black mass of clouds. Gentle wind that carried the scent of summer flowers was blown away by winds that howled wretchedly as the hand of Morrigu formed in the circle.

A glow of purple and black colors it was the manifestation of Aoife's inner self that she was not aware of fully, a hand larger than any hand in the world grew upwards. Lifting up from the ground the hand rose above the ground below, towering over the cliffs and mountains. Only those with the eyes to see such power could bare witness to the hand reaching into the sky, then turning toward the northern horizon to find the fog that was there and pulling forth the one Aoife would claim. Lightning of gold and silver streaked the skies, thunder roared louder deafening anything for miles around.

Upon the peak of the frenzy of the natural powers of Crel a great streak of light that was both darker than the night but brighter than the day came down and struck the ground below. Impact of which cracked the crel where it landed, a small fissure opened open and spread miles around in the east and west. Where the circle that Aoife prayed upon once was had become part of a crater, doing the spell to completion the hand of Morrigu dispersed back into the depths of Aoife's body. Black clouds faded away, the winds calmed and became nearly still, and as the sun shined upon the land again the rain started to downpour.

Covering everything below it in calming coat of moisture, the water brought Furbaide to consciousness, having fallen unconscious during his apprupt travel through the fog. Bones felt sore in his body as he lifted himself into a sitting position, the damp rain water cooled his body which still burned from the heat in his former prison cell. Breathing was pleasant for him again, the suffocating heat was eased out of his lungs, shaking his wet dreadlocks he felt the rainwater fly off his hair. Pleased by his freedom he found the aches in his body faded fast as he felt an urge to run across the land to enjoy his freedom.

Climbing out of the crater Furbaide looked around and saw it was the summer seasons, his favourite time of the year, the fresh air and warmth of the sun made him eager to look up his old roaming grounds. Sprinting a few steps from the crater the living god fell forward, it was so sudden he couldn't brace himself and fell face first on the moist ground below. Losing his footing seemed unnatural as if a force decided to pull his feet off the ground as he took his next step. Climbing to his feet he tried to walk again but even with a careful step he was knocked off his feet, bracing himself he landed on his forearms protecting his face.

Rising to his knees Furbaide flexed his muscles with rage, becoming rock hard as his body swelled, frustration quickly boiled as he punched the ground with such force his arm dug into the ground up to his elbow. Pulling it free Furbaide stood up and started to breathe angrily, for many centuries he was imprisoned in the Otherworld, banished by the gods on Suncrest Mountain. Upon returning after suffering in the scorching inferno and being mocked by Arawn he believed he was released from his bounds, that somehow the gods have seen his innocence and recognized their faults. A moan of pain caught his attention turning around he walked to the crater and saw inside, a mortal woman who was in pain.

Hair of golden orange, eyes of deep green, a lean body of feminine gentleness but he noticed she had lean muscular definition, a strong woman by the looks of her, seeing her stirred Furbaide's loins. Aoife started to awaken as her eyes caught sight Furbaide standing above the crater naked and with a godly erection. From what she read about Furbaide Aoife knew it was him from his imposing height, godly muscles, deep blue eyes, and dark olive skin, seeing him in person however was diminished by his nudity. Showing a lack of modesty and with a suggestive smile on his face made her certain he was expecting to enthrall her in his lustful desires.

Pain made her weakened body shake as she stood up, Furbaide took that to mean she was aroused by his presence which she was not, glaring at Furbaide she intended to make the situation clear.

"Furbaide the wulver, living god of the forests," she said, making the declaration more than stating a fact but to fully bind him to her for names are powerful when spoken with authority, "from here on you are my familiar, you will serve, protect, and guide me from here on till my dying day."

Amused the living god laughed under his breath finding it ridiculous that he is under anyones control, such firm tone of voice only made him more aroused by her presumed authority. Approaching her with a certainty Furbaide was caught off guard when the warrior witch raised her hand.

"Furbaide the wulver stop where you stand," she said.

Spoken with strength laced with the binding magic she summoned him with Furbaide stopped, both his feed were planted to the ground, anger flushed his face when he couldn't move another step. Only after a few moments of futile attempts to move his feet off the ground did the living god understand he was still imprisoned, he just had a different jailer.

"You filthy scut let me go of your feeble enchantments," Furbaide said.

Anger rumbled through his throat and shot out like a miniature hurricane that blew Aoife off her feet, still weakened from the spell she couldn't stand firm as Furbaide started to berate her with powerful words.

"Silence," she said, a command that reached over and silenced the living god making him mute and his mouth closed.

Blood red anger flushed his face as he tried to pry his mouth open by force of will, that was futile, a wound to his pride as Furbaide accepted he was bound by chains of a different kind. Crestfallen Furbaide slumbed, depression gripped him as he was compelled to have his feet planed in the ground so he couldn't crouch or sit down. A calm look was on his face which drew out the witch's pity, rising to her feet again she walked over to the living god. Standing outside of his reach she shivered as Furbaide lifted his head and gave her a look of undescribed malice, the focused hatred was clear but she tried not to show fear.

"Furbaide I am Aoife warrior witch of the Crimson Witches coven, I have summoned you from the Otherworld and bound you to my service, you are now my familiar," she said, explaining it clearly and precisely. "As long as I live you can reside in Crel but you shall assist me in my task, be aware that I have not summoned you for frivolous desires."

Depression, anger, and interest shared a mixed expression on Furbaide's face, Aoife saw he wanted to say something but the command she gave compelled him to be silent.

"You may speak," she said, a gentle command that allowed Furbaide to open his mouth.

"For what purpose do you summon me here?" Furbaide said, asking out of curiosity with a tone of deep resentment in his voice.

"My coven," Aoife said, "has been enslaved to a monstrous creature, a mannible that came from the deep fog."

Flaring up in angry huffs the living god's nostrils expanded as he remembered his days hunting down mannibles, monstrous cannibalistic humans who lose their souls and became distorted monsters. Few stories about Furbaide that were actually to his credit were about him forcing the last of the beasts into the deep fog. Since then the gods of Suncrest Mountain has guarded Crel from their return, outlawing worship of their dead gods, not long after they punished him with banishment to the Otherworld. Yuile himself sentenced him to his fate, the memories of it caused his teeth to grind against one another sounding like two stones rubbing against one another.

"Why don't you pray to those pious mountain gods, I am sure they will offer some assistance if you give up your heathen ways," said Furbaide, a bitterness was clear in his tone of voice.

Aoife wasn't sure what he meant, realizing soon after that he might not have heard, she didn't wish to break the news to him unsure how'd he react.

"They're no longer there," said the witch "they haven't been there for a long time."

Standing straight up the living god stared down at the mortal, a cold look of apathy on his face.

"Gone?" Furbaide said, a questioning voice that didn't betray his inner thoughts and feelings.

"Yes," she said "the gods left Crel after the mountain was destroyed, the golden city was too, since then the mannibles have began prowling the land in hordes. Kingdoms have fallen, lands rendered barren, the Black Time has come."

Black Time, a cycle that has the begining has began and ended only to start anew. from Grey to Golden and finally Black the cycle of Crel had continued cycling in and out every fer centuries. Grey Time is always a quiet peaceful time, where the magic and spirits of the world is the weakest. Golden Time is where the mountain gods are strongest as they reign over the world, guiding the righteous to a glorious way of life. Black Time is where the mountain gods start to lose their hold on Crel, this time is where the evils of the world crawl out of the darkness and spread across the land, infecting it with their curses and vileness.

"How long ago was this?" Furbaide said, asking as he felt no great illness in Crel, during Black Time usually the world is foul to the gods and the living gods and he felt refreshed, then again he did spend many years in the Other World.

Aoife didn't seem to wish to answer, Furbaide could tell she didn't speak more for her sense of despair than for Furbaide's own sake.

"Thousands of generations ago," said Aoife, Furbaide was taken aback never before has any time lasted so long. "Black Time has lasted hundreds of times longer than it had before, or any other time, we fear that the mountain gods have left us, you Furbaide are the last of divine blood attached to this world."

Disbelief was cast over his mind, Furbaide looked into the witches deep green eyes but he couldn't see deceit, either she was the best liar in Crel or she spoke the truth.

"Why is the air so clean?" said Furbaide, as he had been through many Black Times, they all had long nights and darkened skies, the air was hard to breathe, but in the air was no foul odors.

"That has perplexed even the wisest of my coven, there is thoughts that this is a new time altogether, something that hasn't happened yet or has happened before recorded history," she said.

That seemed to make sense to the living god as he looked around and saw the pristine glory of nature around him with lush green plant life, and the fresh summer breeze felt good on his naked skin. Blushing the warrior witch became aware of her familiar's nudity, removing the red robe she had over her heavy hide outfit she handed it to Furbaide with a belt.

"Please put this around yourself, the sight of you makes me uncomfortable," she said.

A gentle command but still a command Furbaide was compelled to put the robe over his naked body, fashioning a toga over his body he tied it tightly to his waist with the belt.

"First time I met a modest witch," Furbade said, a slyness to his voice made Aoife blushed brightly but she still gave the living god a cold stare.

"Make no mistake Furbaide you are my familiar, you shall do as I say no matter what, and you will protect me, if I happen to die you shall return to the Otherworld the instant my spirit leaves my body," Aoife said.

Looking him in his eyes she made sure her threat registered with Furbaide, who didn't respond but stared back with a stone stiff expressionless face. Satisfied with the authority she laid down she started to walk out of the crater, her legs still weak she gestured with her hand for her new familiar to follow. Frustration with his new predicament Furbaide followed with gloomy thoughts forming in his mind, he had thought he'd have some fun with his new mortal mistress. Walking behind her Furbaide lifted the smaller woman up and held her like a baby in his large arms a smile on his face.

Caught off guard Aoife let out a yelp of surprise, followed by her words running over one another. Then before she could order him to let her down on the ground the living god kissed her on her pale pink lips. A gentle short kiss that made her face turn a deep red, she was both embarrassed and infuriated by Furbaide making fun of her, a proud warrior she lept out of his arms and struck his thick legs with a swift kick. Feeling a sting on his leg Furbaide bent down to rub the soreness on his left thigh, surprised that a mortal could hit him hard enough to hurt even a little, the pain was equivalent to a bee sting for a mortal.

Even as he rubbed his leg the large deity smiled, he knew he caught her off guard and was shown a vulnerable side of her, after all his time away witches are still quite interesting mortal women.

"You will not pick me up or kiss me unless you are saving my life," she said, her face still a deep red and her voice a showing her anger.

"As you command my mistress, I will only kiss you to save your life" Furbaide said, laughing to himself, he was starting to take his role as subordinate to a mortal less harshly than he had before, he still didn't like it but he didn't hate it either.

Deep in his memories the living god remembered a feeling he had once, something that made his early days very happy, but he wasn't sure what it was, but looking at Aoife reminded him of those feelings. Certain that if she wasn't in control over him he'd have taken her as a lover due to her looks alone, even if he couldn't do to her as he pleased he decided he might be worth his time to do as she says. Without a choice in the matter anyway Furbaide decided to take some amusement in his slavery.

"Mistress Aoife may I ask where are we going?" Furbaide said, trying to sound suave and appeasing, to Aoife he sounded annoying and patronizing.

"We are going to see the Spider Mother, she dwells further west from here" said Aoife, trying to sound calm she didn't want Furbaide to know he was annoying her, she was unaware that he thought the face she made when she was annoyed was cute.

"Do you wish for me to carry you mistress?" Furbaide said.

"No and do not talk to me again unless it is sincere," she said, showing she was being flustered by his words.

Some moments passed as they walked further away from the crater, Aoife was determined to aid her coven as quickly as possible, for every day passing was another day her sisters suffered.

"Mistress can we make love?" Furbaide said.

"Shut up, don't speak anymore till I say so" she said, Furbaide was made silent as they continued on, Furbaide with a broad smile on his face as he was eagerly awaiting for the next chance he could speak again.