Part 3:
Looking at the page again I sighed, knowing that there was no way out of doing this. "Ok, lets start, what do I do, just read this thing?" Without waiting for Selene's response, I read. It was not difficult, which should not have surprised me, after all I HAD read those other spells before. Compared to those, this was pretty easy. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised; after all, this WAS a......ugh, children's book......damn fairy.
After finishing I looked around waiting for something to happen, and soon it did. Something......appeared, I guess this Aether shit the fairy had mentioned. It kind of looked like tendrils of mist of various densities. Some were thicker, some thinner, and they were all around the area. Honestly, it was kind of odd to realize that this stuff was all around you without you even knowing it.
"Well," I said in confirmation, "I see it, kind of wispy mist-like things. So this is what powers that magic crap?"
"Yep," Selene confirmed, "it's what does it. As you can see it varies in how much of it is around. Some places have much more than others. This forest, being nature based, actually has a decent amount. Your cities, not so much."
"Why is that," I asked, kind of surprised I had even asked the question. God help me that I was actually becoming INTERESTED in this crap. If so, please shoot me now.
"Well, you hyur chop down all the trees and pave over the earth, pretty much cutting off the area's connection to the world. In doing so, you also cut off the Aether, making there less to use."
"But I STILL was able to use it," I pointed out. "So I guess it is not that bad or I am just THAT good," I smirked.
"Dream on you ditz," the fairy shot back. "Believe me Annabel honey, it was nothing YOU did. "I am willing to bet it was that bauble you have. It seems to have the ability to suck in Aether from the surrounding area if needed. It gave you extra power to cast those spells you did before. By yourself, you are absolute shit at it, I guarantee it."
I shrugged, not letting Selene get a rise from me. "Just add it to the list of all the other things I am shit at, it's a long one."
"Oh that I have NO doubt Blondie," Selene said in a snide laugh.
"Fuck you Fairy, Well I did this, now what, another spell.....er, cantrip?"
"Yes, yes," The fairy waved a little hand, Ok, next one." She looked at the book. "Hmmmm, here, this one, 'ball of light'. It's easy and useful for those late nights where you are out Tramping yourself at those gatherings you are so fond of."
"EXCUSE me?" I said, fists on my hips and as bitchy of a glare as I could muster at the little bug. "I don't 'Tramp' anything, I am the BEST looking one there! And if I want to go out to clubs or parties at night, that's MY business you nosey gnat!"
"Uh huh", said Selene unperturbed. "NOT buying it Blondie, I have seen how catty you get when you see someone else really pretty. The claws come out and you feel threatened, so you, as I say, 'tramp it up', to look.....um, what's that stupid word you always use? Ah....'hotter', which makes NO sense. How can raising the heat make you more appealing?"
"I do NOT," I said with an appalled expression on my face. I so did NOT do that.....well not much......Ok, MAYBE sometimes if I saw certain women around certain hot guys I was remotely interested in. But not THAT trampy....unless I was drunk.......shit........
"Um," I said quickly, "let's get back the subject at hand, Bells are ticking away, remember?"
"Hummph" Selene sniffed in a high tone. "We ain't done with that subject Honey, but you're right; I'm getting my Bells worth outta you."
She looked at the book again and pointed, 'Ball of light', easy spell and useful for dark areas. Cast it and the thing will follow around you for as long as you need it or you run out of Aether, though that tends to only happen with beginning students." She looked at me and smirked; "Yeah, going to happen with you."
"Cute," I replied, "like I'm going to actually use that thing. Can you imagine the looks I would get from having a freaking light ball bobbing around me? They would probably think i was being haunted by a ghost or something. Oh by the way, speaking of ghosts, I never did thank you for screwing up my plans for the sorority Halloween party. Thanks to you and your magic shit, I had to bail on Candi and the others planning it. I think she's still pissed at me."
"Oh please," Selene shot back. "I probably saved them from seeing you as some especially tramped up witch trying to steal their male companions. "
"SELENE!" Fury burned in my azure blue eyes as I took the trash book and tried to swat her with it. Of course I missed as the little bitch easily avoided my angry swing, laughing merrily as she did so. She stuck her tongue out at me with a raspberry.
I glared up angrily. "You keep insulting me and I'll leave RIGHT now, promise or no promise! You wanted me to do this magic shit and I'm here, wasting my Saturday. Don't push me Bug," I warned.
I try not to lose my temper, I really do. But sometimes I just can't help it when people push me too far, and Selene had pushed me too far.
The fairy paused in flight looking at me. I was sure she could tell I was not joking and the change in her demeanor confirmed it. "Ok fine," she said as she flew back down. "Sorry I said that Annabel, I'm sure you would have probably made an ugly witch instead."
"Ugh, what?" I said both surprised and confused, but not mad. The fairy's comment had totally caught me off guard and had taken most of my anger with it. "Whatever," I finally said as I set the book back down, turning it back to the page with the light spell. "Let's just get this done."
Concentrating like before, I read the words. Like the first spell this one was also pretty easy to cast and soon a glowing ball of light was hovering in front of me. It wasn't that big or bright, but it WAS daylight currently, so not terribly useful at the moment.
"There you go," I said, pointing to it, "happy?"
Selene flew up to it. "Eh, it's ok, at least you did it. A little under powered, but it's not like we're actually using the thing. Tell me, do you feel anything, like it's draining you?"
"Draining me?" Oh, she must mean that Aether stuff. I thought for a moment, feeling inward. At first nothing was felt, then....yes a faint something. It felt like SOMETHING, but I was not sure what.
"Yes," I said nodding. "Something is happening, but what I could not tell you, never felt it before. Is it.....Aether?"
"Yes," the Fairy nodded. "The ball is slowly draining what Aether you have to maintain it's existence. The fact that it's even happening tells me that yes Anna dear, you do indeed have Aether in you. Gotta say, I am kinda of surprised."
"Oh, why?" I asked, curious. Ugh, was I curious? God help me, I actually WAS!
"Hells, I don't know," The fairy said shrugging, "I'm just a familiar silly. I mean sure I pick up stuff here and there from those who bind and summon me, but just snippets. It's not MY job to know this crap, it's yours. I'm just the hired help, so to speak."
"'Hired help'? So you actually get paid?"
"Yeah, in misery dealing with hyur's like you." Selene gave a foul look. "I don't get 'paid' squat, just a chance to see the world and not be totally bored back home where there is pretty much nothing to do. So yeah, this is my 'life', yay me."
"So quit," I suggested. "It's easy enough isn't it once you are free again? Just ignore the next spell that summons you, tell them to fuck off."
"You don't know HOW much I wish I could have done that with you Blondie, seeing what I ended up with. But it is what it is, and I'm here now trying to teach a ditzy blonde how to cast beginning spells from a crappy piece of trash. Selene gave a groan. "Twelve, fuck my life."
"You and me both Selene honey," I said sighing. "You and me both."
For the next few hours Selene kept the training up, with me casting children's spell after spell. To my surprise it was not hard. Maybe it was because I was a 21 year old adult and not a kid, who knows. Maybe I actually had a knack for this magic stuff....nah, that was bullshit and I knew it. Whatever it was, it wasn't because I was good at it.
Taking a breather from casting, I noticed it had gotten a bit darker from the sun shifting, What time was it anyway? Glancing at my wrist I was dismayed to see most of the afternoon had flew by without me realizing it.
Continued: part 4
