Missing Vatic

I N T E G R A

I'm starting to get worried. Vatic hasn't regained his consciousness since I found him almost lifeless in the dungeon beneath the Cathedral. And all this time, the weather is grieving with me. Heavy rain hasn't stopped even for a moment. At some point, I realize my Harvest will be compromised as the natural materials needed for my concoctions are best picked up dry. I'd rather be with my son anyway in his time of need. Masid is still unconscious like he is. Hopefully, they both come back to us.

          "Mistress, do you think he already knows?" Calista asks, slithering around my neck.

          "He's smart. It's not impossible that he already learned something about what he's truly capable of." I know he is. What I'm concerned about is how he will deal with whatever information he learned. "With the wound we saw which was inflicted by him himself, he probably knows that he is cursed."

          "The Nymph's Curse." Calista points out as if I've forgotten what the people of Hiraya call it. I may not be akin to the Gods myself but I've learned a few things about some of their customs especially if it's closely tied to the realm of witchery.

          The day the forest nymph cursed my beloved, I knew in my heart that she would target my boy next. However, I wasn't fast enough to shield him from her. I wasn't strong enough to repel the curse. I wasn't vigilant enough to keep him away from any sort of danger. The nymph may or may not have intentionally triggered the curse in my child but that doesn't matter as its effects have manifested. People were dried up as every ounce of their blood was violently sucked out of them. No one was safe. The town, the island even, was being filled with dead bodies.

          "It's been two months. He should wake up any time soon." It's more of a wishful thinking.

          "Do you need help in making some potions to hasten his recovery, Mistress?" Calista asks.

          "No need. You should check on Masid. Let me know how he's doing." I gesture to where the slumped panther is on a cushion in my workshop. 

          I don't want to admit but for some reason, my gut tells me that when my boy comes back he's not going to be the same as he was before. There's no telling what causes this concern of mine but I'm leaning toward the idea about the discovery of his curse and the growing affinity of his to witchery. If what I think is the case, I worry for Masid. Because I might not be able to make him come back like what I did when he was scorched to death when he was a cub. Vatic has lost his father for good. I don't want him to lose his closest friend as well.

          "Mother?" Vatic calls out to me faintly but I heard it clear as day despite the rain pouring heavier than before.

          I stop pacing in circles next to his bed and rush towards him. "My boy, you're finally back!" I scan him from the head down, frisking his face, torso, and legs to see if there are any injuries. I know there's none because I healed them already but I couldn't help my instincts.

          "I'm fine, Mother." He whispers to me. "I just feel a little parched."

          I cup my hands in front of him, envisioning water, and my hands are filled with it without any verbal incantations. "Here. Drink." I refill the drink as he requires.

          "Thank you, Mother." He smiles at me. I've missed it. I wonder what horrors he faced out there.

          I hear Calista slither back to Vatic's room and say, "Masid is still unconscious, Mistre–" She buckles as she notices him awake and sitting back up on his bed. "Vatic! You're back. Are finally feeling fine?"

          "Oh, it's Calista." He says, waving his hand. "It's nice to see you again."

          "Tell us," She starts. "Whatever happened to you out there?"

          "Mother?" He hands hold my arm gently. "Where's Masid?"

          "He's resting in my room. Since you're awake, he'll probably regain his consciousness as well any time now."

          "Thank the Gods." He sighs in relief.

          "Thank the Gods, indeed." I mirror his sentiments.

          "So, Vatic." Calista chimes in. "What happened to you two out there? Do you really have something to do with the deaths of Dalakethnon and that slave girl?"

          "Calista!" I howl. "It's too early for those. Let's let him rest for a little while more." I whisper to her.

          "Mother?" My son calls out to me again. "Is Calista fine? She doesn't seem happy knowing that I've finally come back from a night in the forest."

          Calista and I exchange glances. It's quite strange. She is in fact elated to see him back with us and she's even speaking to him but it appears that he's not responding to her. And what does he mean by a night in the forest? He's been out there for months now. On top of that, he was not just in the forest. He was in town and the Gods know where else. Portia was with him as well. Why isn't he asking for her? Did he forget somehow? What can he remember? I have to know. There are more problems to face aside from the one I'm most afraid of it seems.

          "What are you talking about?" Calista asks him. "Can't you hear me or something?"

          "Maybe she's just speechless due to extreme joy." He banters, laughing not so loud to avoid tensing his body. "Right, Mother?"

          "He's sick alright. He's not hearing me." Calista comments, hissing loudly. It's obvious that she's offended. "What do you suppose is happening right now, Mistress?"

          "I have some kind of idea but I have to be certain before I come up with a conclusion." I say. "No worries. I'll get to the bottom of this."

          "Mother, you're worrying me. Are you ill?" He asks.

          "I'm totally fine, my child. Focus on recovering. Don't worry about us." I respond, patting his head. "And Calista is indeed so happy that she couldn't speak. She'll get over it. But know that she's beyond elated to see you back."

          "I'm happy he's back but I'm not too happy that makes me lose my tongue." She hisses around my neck.

          "I knew it." He says then looks at Calista. "I know you really have a warm spirit."

          "No, I don't."

          "So Vatic, are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?" I ask.

          His excitement brandishes on his face. "You really did it, didn't you?"

          I feel the color of my skin drains. "What is it, my child? What did I do?" I force a chuckle.

          "You did make my favorite meal, Mother." He confirms. "What else? You said earlier you'll make my favorite before I venture into the woods, didn't you?"

          "I wasn't sure before but I am now. He's truly gone mad." Calista comments then slithers out of the room.

          I don't know if it's a good or a bad thing. Vatic lost his memory of the last few months. He can't remember everything that has happened to him, the person he met, and the information he learned out there. This changes a lot. I don't know how or why this happens but I must continue to become the mother I should be to him. But before I tackle this predicament head-on, I have to rush to the kitchen to make his favorite. It's been a while since I made it for him so it's exciting to finally make it again. 

          "How was it? Is it good?" I ask as we huddle in the living area, eating the meal he always craves.

          "Are you kidding, Mother? It's exceptional!" He responds excitedly. "It feels like it's the first time I've eaten it for so long. It's beyond perfect."

          It is the first time you had it for so long. "Stop flattering me and just enjoy the meal." Blushing, I smile at him.

          While we continue to enjoy the meal, I hear Vatic scream all of a sudden. Worried, I rush to his seat and check whatever it is that happened to him. I see him clutching his right hand and on his hand is a red dot. "I was stung by a bee." He says. I wander my gazes to his plate and I see a single bee wiggling until it dies. "Don't worry about it, Mother. I think I can heal myself." He looks back at the stung wound, intently and chants, "Leah sith dnouw."

          The storm has finally lifted so the animal kingdom is starting to get active again. My son is just unlucky to be stung with a bee. However, his attempt to heal himself from the bee attack seems to fail. I can't sense the hum surrounding him fueling his warmth and igniting his magic. It's not happening. I knew right away that my fear was slowly but surely coming to fruition but I just couldn't let myself believe it. His affinity to witchcraft is gradually dissipating if not already has. That explains why he can't hear Calista and why Masid hasn't woken up yet. If that is truly the case, his familiar won't wake up at all.

          "Maybe I'm just still a little bit off my game." He comments, scratching the back of his neck. "Mother, can you heal it for me?"

          "Of course," I say almost instantaneously. "Let me see it." I didn't realize I was trembling when I reached for his hand.

          "You're shaking." I can sense him looking at me but I can't seem to muster my courage to break my sights away from his sting. "Are you alright? Am I alright?" The worry in his tone is becoming evident.

          "You're perfect, my child." He is not. "You're absolutely fine. You just need to rest up a bit more."

          "Where's Masid? I want to see him."

          "Your bee sting is healed. I'll just clean the table up and then we can check on Masid."

          We can see Masid breathing as he lies steadily where I last placed him but it's alarmingly faint. As soon as Vatic sees his slumbering familiar, he can't keep his emotions in a dam. He sobs but he's not uttering a single word. If he doesn't really remember what happened to them while they're out on the island, what causes him to grieve? I must know what he actually remembers. Depending on what his mental situation is, I may be forced to utilize my witchcraft to make him remember everything.

          "Mother, I don't know why but my heart is breaking." He continues to cry, looking at me with those sorrowful eyes. "What is this I'm feeling?"

          "I truly don't know, my child. However, I'll always be here for you. I'll help you overcome this." I crouch down next to him so I can console him, patting and rubbing his back.

          "If it's not too much, my child, can you tell me what you last remember before waking up?" I ask, worrying about all the possible problematic scenarios his mind may make him think.

          Briefly, he told me that he remembers setting off for Hiraya before our hearty argument, my promise to him that I'll make his favorite when he comes back tonight, his heart-racing climb down the mountain, his magical experience through the vast forest, and the attack that same night. After that incident, he woke up back in his bed. He was genuinely thankful that I saved both of them. However, that's not what happened. The subsequent adventures they had all those months, Portia, and the death of his father are all forgotten. I've decided that he has to remember everything. I know it's what he deserves. No more lies, no more secrets.

          "Vatic, I'll be heading out." I say, planning to forage some herbs I'll need for a ritual I'll conduct for him so he will remember all that's happened. "I need you to rest. Come on. I'll accompany you back to your room."

          "Are you going out for Harvest? Didn't you just come back from this month's Harvest?"

          "Uh, yes. I just realized I forgot to gather some materials for this urgent ritual I'm doing."

          "I see. Take care, Mother. If it's alright, can I stay here with Masid while you're away?"

          "That's absolutely fine. I'll be right back. Remember to not go out of this house."

          "What? Why?"

          "Just promise me."

          "Fine. I promise."

          I'm afraid that Noicnusa will do something while I'm away but knowing that I just fortified the barrier surrounding the cave, I'm slightly relieved. After all, the barrier keeps out and locks in every entity that has magical and spiritual affinities deep within them. As long as Vatic is safely tucked in our home, I'm confident that Noicnusa will not be able to reach him. I just have to do my work with absolute haste while coming up with a plan on how I'll explain everything to him. Everything.