Fantasy 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘪𝘥𝘦 ! [𝘪𝘤]

[Uxie]

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the black witch

an innroom

alesta, cedric, priest

A delicate hand grabbed hers, the princess seemingly fancying herself a diplomat as she crooned pitiably. It was much too theatrical a display — she'd seen diplomacy by her princess centuries ago, practised with grace and elegance than anything similar to what Alesta was doing — yet, she did not find herself tugging her hand away.

In her mind, she concluded that she'd certainly picked up quite a character.

As if sensing her irritation, as quickly as Alesta had begun her performance did she forgo it. She continued, much less exaggeratedly, "What I mean to say is that there are far more pressing matters here at hand, like the curse!" Aisha's eyebrows shot up when the prince obediently sheathed his sword. Her own fingers relaxed marginally.

"Please allow me to join and help you in the search for a cure."

Tensed again, immediately.

Her eyebrows furrowed, scrunched in distaste. Meanwhile, Alesta's confusion was just as bared. "Pardon?" She laughed, turning an urgent gaze upon Aisha, "Thank you but there's no need for the trouble. We already know where to go, right?"

She ignored the princess' question, interjecting snappily,

"And how do you plan to help, exactly, sir?"

Her eyes narrowed at him.

"By chance, do you think you are any more privy to the saintess' whereabouts than the religious old coots?"

Regrettably, Aisha could not find it in herself to ever speak kindly to this fool of a man. He was as insufferable as any other noble she'd met, righteously foolish to their last breaths. He seemed to stun at her words, and he floundered out a quiet exclamation. "Such blasphem—"

"If you are so prodigious as to know of another way,"

Aisha continued, as if she hadn't heard him at all,

"Then it would be my pleasure to hear you out."

He gaped at her for a moment before he seemed to take pause, a hand lifting to his chin. "My apologies, it was presumptuous of me," he confessed, bowing his head slightly, "Nonetheless, my lady," His attention seemed to turn only towards Alesta for these words, and Aisha rolled her eyes. "I'd wish to offer my assistance in any way possible. Be it in money, or protection—"

A loud scoff slipped from Aisha's lips, and Cedric met her gaze with an affronted glare. She supposed she couldn't blame him for not quite catching a hint, halfwitted as he was and ridiculous as the princess' situation was.

"There are other methods we wish to seek out, for now,"

Her tone almost took on a smug quality as she added,

"Unfortunately, they are ones where your help will be less than necessary."

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

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alesta

an unfamiliar room

just a dress

Uxie

Ah, to be the close witness of one’s barbs that fall like perfectly sharpened icicles; so tapering and cold. Fingers pressed against her lips, one might mistake Alesta to be slightly aghast by the witch’s choice of words and tone. But in reality, the princess was doing her utmost best not to burst out a vindictive cackle, finding the way Aisha is handling Cedric as funny as amazing. Oh, if only cameras existed in this universe. Xiuying mourns not being able to take a picture of his utterly peeved face and frame it nicely so she can point and laugh at it whenever she wants. Serves him right of killing her in the original.

Inner enjoyments aside, Alesta maintains her soft and peaceful facade, addressing him with another placating smile.

“What my friend wishes to say is that while we kindly appreciate your offer to help, we currently do not have a need for it. Nonetheless, I feel grateful to know that such a man as yourself wished to aid a cursed lady as myself.”

sweetness clings to her voice like honey syrup— something that sounds too sticky and saccharine in her own ears but hopefully charming enough to the prince who is destined to fall in love with a saintess. It seems to work in some nauseating way, a tide of slow acceptance seeping into the eyes of him. Cedric nods.

“Very well, I will take my leave. But please do not hesitate to call upon my aid if you ever find yourself in trouble again.” his hand disappears into his pocket, before pulling out a golden ring with a blue stone in its center. He grabs her wrist and gently places it on her palm. “Use this ring when you need it, my lady: it is enchanted with a communication spell and I will come to hear what you wish me to hear forthwith.” a faint smile tugs at his lips, and Alesta blinks slightly, surprised by his gentle disposition towards her. It feels odd to catch the shadows of his protection when the story has written a completely opposite dynamic between the two of them. She can’t exactly complain about it, though still lets out a breath of relief when he finally leaves the room.

“Ah, I was afraid he wouldn’t leave…”

she murmurs once the door is closed and his footsteps gone. Her gaze travels back to Aisha, and her lips curve into a bright smile appears, the admirer in her lurching forward now that the pretense could be dropped.

“You were so cool! The way you humbled him was amazing! It sounded so elegant yet so sharp, truly chilling! ”

she gushes starry-eyed, words a cascade of enthusiasm. However, a subtle thought creeps in as well, born from the echo of a memory. Didn't Aisha say something about other methods? Was that supposed to be a tongued lie or did it hold some truth to it? Curiosity tugs at her like a persistent child seeking attention; Alesta nurtures it.

“Say, do you know other methods we could try?”

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

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the black witch

an innroom

alesta, cedric, priest

Her gaze remained on the door after it had shut behind him, as if her glare might somehow reach him through its wood. "You were so cool!" Aisha turned, finally, to face Alesta — the sugary facade she'd worn earlier now replaced by emboldened excitement. "The way you humbled him was amazing! It sounded so elegant yet so sharp, truly chilling!"

Despite herself, the smallest smirk crept onto her lips. It was always pleasant to be complimented, even if her words seemed a bit exaggerated. She crossed her arms, turning her nose up at the princess with a roll of her eyes.

"People like him are trivial. I've dealt with far worst."

Indeed, the previous king had been a much more formidable enemy. She couldn't even think of killing him back then, too, lest she risk them becoming more determined in their witch hunt. Annoying, to no end.

"Say, do you know other methods we could try?"

She'd said it offhandedly, mostly to get that presumptuous rat away, but there had been something that crossed her mind while she was telling him off. A brow twitched, the very image of her mentor sending a wave of irritation down her body.

"There is,"

she began, a wave of her hand showing her exasperation,

"I do not know it personally, however."

She whirled suddenly, hastily adding,

"Not. Because I am lacking in knowledge, or anything of the sort."

She sniffed, as if Alesta had been the one to offend her.

"Curses and dark magic just isn't my forte."

"My mentor has lived several centuries longer than me, and he's seen his fair share of it,"

she said, hesitating a moment before continuing,

"I think of consulting him, but that is a feat of its own."

A trace of glumness had slipped into her voice by then, her expression spelling dread as her finger drew a map out of gossamer-like magic in the air. Aisha regarded it with a rapidly darkening mien.

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

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alesta

an unfamiliar room

just a dress

WHO IS HE

Uxie

One of the few perks being the one transported into a fictional novel is that you already knew the characters of the story and what they were like. However, when Aisha mentions her mentor, there were no ringing bells; her mind stays an awfully blank canvas, even as she tries to reach for its answers beyond the fog. Granted, it has been some time since she read the novel — and part of those reading sessions were under ink skies at ungodly hours — but it was rare for her memories to fail her. Did this mean the mentor wasn't in the book?

A bit of anxiety winds its way through her thoughts at this, like a heartbeat racing ahead of time. Naturally, questions regarding the mentor's identity begin to take flight, each carrying a feather of importance in the grand scheme of things. What was the history between him and the royal family? Would he recognise her? Was he powerful? Was he nice? Was he hot? It truly was a bit of a problem that she couldn't get an immediate grasp of his character nor his looks.

Now it meant that going to see this powerful wizard with centuries of experience involves a risk, one Alesta isn't sure about taking. He could cure them, maybe, but he could also perhaps detect that her soul doesn't belong here. And what then? He could summon thunderstorms of arcane wrath, or perhaps conjure a swarm of magical fireflies to illuminate her impostor status! Would pleading on her knees and sobbing work again? It did cause Aisha to spare her, but like the witch said, he was centuries old; Xiuying doubted that even her grand acting skills could save her should the wizard decide her wrong-placed soul is a threat of its own.

Alesta regards the map with a nervous glance, leans slightly closer to Aisha as she ponders.

“Aha.... What do you mean a.... feat? What is your mentor like?

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

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the black witch

an innroom

alesta, cedric, priest

"Aha.... What do you mean a.... feat? What is your mentor like?"

Aisha's expression soured further. A finger traced a path from the county up into the mountains, a winding, jagged line carving the land.

"A wily, old coot. He thinks himself blithe, but really, he's just annoying."

She thought of the man who had found her as a young child in the mountains. He'd raised her with as kindly as she could ask for, albeit on tasteless beet soup mixed with magic herbs and with a less-than-ideal training regime. Nonetheless, he always boasted that she'd grown into a fine witch, and indeed she had under his tutelage. A masterful mage who had served kingdoms she had never heard of, as powerful as he was—

"Senile,"

Aisha hissed, her eyes shutting in irritation,

"He's gone crazy after his 'retirement'. Always doing something weird, these days. I wish he would do something more... befitting of his stature!"

She threw her hands up.

"Enchanting random frogs, cleaning the floors by hand,"

The witch turned her vexed expression upon Alesta, letting out a noise of exasperation.

"Can you believe that?"

The princess seemed to mutter a quiet acknowledgment, but Aisha tagged on without pause.

"And I can imagine how much he's going to nag when he sees I've gotten myself cursed."

Her cool gaze flicked to Alesta, as if finally reminded of her presence. She regarded her briefly, and then returned her attention to the magicked map.

"Either way, the feat is getting there, unfortunately. He's... thorough with his security, to say the least."

A quiet scoff slipped from her lips. She was sure the numerous monsters and traps he'd lain across the mountainside were more at her expense than to ward off any real intruders — as if an archmage like him would have any trouble fending off threats.

"Another one of his ridiculous antics."

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

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alesta

the forest

just a dress

HORROR!

Uxie

Alesta blinks at Aisha's words; her ranting about her mentor might be the most animated the villainess has seen her. It would be humorous if her words weren't so dismaying; the hopeful picture of a handsome reinhardt-esque wizard quickly crumbles, getting replaced by a wizard who probably smells like mothballs and rambles on about the good old days when dragons were still a menace. And then comes the foreboding telling of potential danger. Alesta can practically see herself not even reaching the wizard's tower before being smited by the mentor's security; the only remains of her beautiful character being a smouldering heap of regret on the side of the road.

Yeah, this trip was starting to become less and less appealing the more details were spilled.

A light giggle leaves her lips, a feeble attempt to mask the rising dread gathering inside. How many near death experiences did she already have right now? Surely, this was not supposed to be something you should be able to count? Alesta tries to reach towards something positive about it all. Perhaps this won't be as bad as she thinks it is. Maybe they will get there easy and peasy because Aisha is there too! And, well—

“It sounds challenging, but you're his prodigy! His security can't be that hostile towards us right?"

There is a silence that stretches further than her smile.

“.......Right?"

The forest looms around them like a cage of wooden bones. Eerie tendrils of mist slither between gnarled trees that bear down upon them like judgmental eyes. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig sends shivers down Alesta's spine, her heart pounding in her chest like a frantic drumbeat. Eyes dart left and right with each step, scanning the darkness for any sign of movement, any hint of a lurking threat from the shadows. She walks closely behind Aisha, her hand hovering near the witch's sleeve for emotional support.

A sudden rustle of leaves jolts Alesta, her senses now on even higher alert as she watches the bush tremble with movement. Her breath catches in her throat as her eyes fixate on the foliage, her mind racing through a catalog of terrifying possibilities. What kind of monsters could a wizard possibly have as security? A three-headed hound? A giant, flesh-eating larvae? Alesta instinctively clings to Aisha's side, her heart hammering in her chest. Her grip tightens when the shadow within the bush moves.

“Quick! Blast it before it devours us!"

she urges, pointing a finger towards the rattling foliage. The shadow then leaps into motion, revealing itself to be none other than.....

A squirrel carrying two large nuts in its cheeks....?!

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

episode 3

in which they seek out an elusive wizard

 

[Uxie]

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the black witch

the forest

alesta, BIG GOLEm!!

Maybe it is the way the princess jumps at every sound, or maybe it is vice grip she has on Aisha's sleeve — even a fool could figure out that she was terrified. The rustling of the bush fails to even pull the witch's gaze in its direction, but the princess' urging does. She was starting to regret bringing her along.

"Quick! Blast it before it devours us!"

The squirrel seems almost affronted at the wagging of Alesta's finger, its beady-eyed stare almost admonishing her for her cowardice. Aisha stares at it, and they seem to share a knowing look of understanding before it slips back into the bushes from whence it came.

"There will be no devouring, princess,"

she began, disapproving gaze cast downward towards the blonde,

"My teacher was never very good with magical creatures. Crushing, slamming, or pummelling would be more accurate terms."

Her words set the girl off into a coughing fit, and Aisha feels her fingers dig deeper into the fabric of her coat. She considers prying her off, but imagining her walking behind her, snail's pace and shrunken in fear, feels too pitiful of an image to allow. Even by her standards.

"Nevertheless, I assure you. You will know when it comes,"

Her features curled into a scowl.

"He has an unfortunate flair for the dramatic."

Not unlike you, though most of Alesta's stunts did not place one in a life-or-death situation.

They'd hiked up half the mountain by now, and though his barrier continued to hide his abode in plain sight, she could sense they were drawing near. There were a little less things, this time, and she wondered if he'd finally heeded her scolding from the last time she'd come to visit. Nevermind the multitude of sentient, aggressive, flying brooms she'd had to fight off, nor the entire quest he'd sent her on to retrieve a stupid flower; it had been the random avalanche when she'd just made it to the top, mana nearly spent, that had been the straw to break the camel's back.

Install a recognition system.

Now, now, Anastasia! What if someone were to steal your body? Or worse, your soul! You never know with magic.

Then— Do less. One good trap that would send away all others that try, but me.

He had laughed her off with a wave, and she had nearly strangled him then and there.

Past a covering of trees, the two step into a circular flower patch — an odd little haven of tranquillity in the middle of an otherwise dense, dark forest. It makes sense the flowers would grow here, since it was the only place that seemed to see sunlight in abundance, but Aisha could not recall passing this by the last time she'd travelled through. It is perfectly round, perfectly silent, perfectly innocuous, which could only mean something was amiss.

"Oh, how pretty!"

"We should tread careful—"

Before she could finish her sentence, the hand on her arm loosens, and the princess steps into the flower patch with all the curiosity and delight of a child.

To be frank, Aisha had been half-expecting the ground to split in half and swallow Alesta whole. For a few, tense moments, she freezes, waiting for any sort of trigger. And then the moments pass, and Alesta is still there, as are the flowers.

Had she been overthinking it—

The earth begins to shake as runes carved into the dirt light up beneath the flowers, flashing a familiar, ominous shade of purple. The lack of a tree canopy dawns upon her, and Aisha lunges forward, pulling Alesta away from the flowers just as the ground begins to shift beneath her feet. It builds upon itself, forming lump after giant lump, and she feels dread settle in her chest as it grows taller and taller.

After a few moments, he is complete; head towering over the trees and eyes flashing purple in the same shade of her master's magic.

"Crushing, smashing, and pummelling, indeed. That tiresome, old coot."

she mutters, glare fixed on the newly-formed golem. One good trap, she had told him.

It had better just be the one.

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

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alesta

the forest

just a dress

HORROR X2 !!!!

Uxie

In the heart of a forest so thick with shadows that even the moonlight tiptoes cautiously, Alesta’s heart continues to pound frantically as she closely trudges behind Aisha. Her unease is palpable enough to make even the shadows skitter away. The encounter with the rodent didn't do much to alleviate her suspicion. If anything, it made her question this forest more. How any creature, let alone a squirrel, could find peace in this chaos is beyond her comprehension. That squirrel must have nerves of steel or a serious nut addiction.

Aisha’s specific warning echoes in the mind, the words “crushing, slamming and pomeling” ringing in her ears. She swallows the lump in her throat, now imagining giant traps springing from the underbush like hungry wolves, or massive boulders suddenly appearing in the air, ready to flatten her beautiful self into a royal pancake.

But then, like a burst of sunlight breaking through storm clouds, they stumble upon a circular clearing adorned with flowers of every hue, their petals dancing. What a pretty sight! Trepidation crumbles upon finding this little sanctuary, the looming threat briefly forgotten.

“Oh, how pretty!”

she gushes, before moving forward like a bee buzzed about a flower.

Alesta crouches down to inspect the flower more closely, only to feel something starting to quake and tremble beneath her feet. Her figure gets pulled back by a hand, quick enough to escape the earth that starts to convulse and contort, forming a monstrous creature of mud, dirt and tangled foliage. Her jaw drops faster than a coin in a well, and if she was an actual squirrel, she would have surely dropped her nuts right now.

Widened eyes regard the behemoth looming over them, its eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light that does not give off a very welcoming vibe.

“Is that—”

words get swallowed by a high-pitched scream, her figure ducking sideways as the monster chucks a large lump of dirt at them. Alesta quickly takes her position back behind Aisha; fingers clasping her shoulder, eyes darting around the field, hoping that they were not about to get ambushed by even more twisted nature DYI projects of this wizard. A trembling finger points once more, this time up to the monstrous dirt head.

“Quick! Blast it before it pummels us!"

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

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the black witch

the forest

alesta, BIG GOLEm!!

Alesta's shrill scream threatens to ruin Aisha's hearing prematurely, and her face twists into a wince as the princess' fingers latch onto her shoulder like a vice. "Quick! Blast it before it pummels us!"

"I don't bl—"

she begins, quickly deciding against it as the golem began to lurch forward. Technicalities could wait till later — she would do the closest thing she had to a blast.

Tendrils snake from the shadows, one forming an edge to slice critically at the monster's limbs and sending him stumbling. Another turns spike-like, tensing and snapping forward like a precise javelin, right towards the glowing rock suspended within the golem's chest cavity. A perfect plan and a perfect shot, as is so very characteristic of Anastasia Dianne, the greatest witch to roam the land—

The magic strikes just shy of the core, faltering before it strikes the stone.

Her jaw drops open.

Once more, the shadows zip forward; once more, they falter. Aisha can see the faintest of purple-white flashes where her magic stops.

"Curses."

Had he misunderstood her? One good trap to stop only her? It's at least level five light magic barrier, albeit a small one, the only type of magic that counters her entire arsenal. He'd always warned her against being a one-trick pony, she supposes, but this is very much rigged against her. She's confident she would have pierced anything of a lower level, because she'd erased plenty of light mages in the past.

"Well,"

Aisha says, watching the earth build itself up to form a new leg,

"It seems we have only one option."

A hand grabs Alesta's collar, pulling her back toward the forest as the witch breaks into a mad sprint. If she couldn't use her magic for this, she'd have to resort to more old-fashioned methods. Assassination, however, had never been her forte. She needs to set it up. She needs time.

Her gaze shifts to her companion, scrambling for her life with a flurry of limbs and ill-planned fashion. She thinks back to their past encounters — their very first, actually, and that perfect way in which she'd captivated the Cerox with her screams, and how she'd somehow managed to outrun the bull-like beast for as long as she'd heard those screeching cries. The ground trembles with each hulking step of the golem behind them.

Time was all she needed.

"Princess,"

she begins, her tone measured,

"You trust me, yes?"

With a flick of her wrist, she sends a sliver of darkness beneath Alesta's feet, pushing her feet faster, before the witch melts into the shadows. Her voice comes disembodied, the only remnant of her presence.

"Just run as fast as you can."

♡coded by uxie♡