Of Ice, Death & Monsters-Chapter 96 : And We Head Eastwards

12 Days Ago.
Goodbyes were in order, especially to those who have been on this little quest with me. By that, I meant Poli, because man, did she carry us for the longest time. Without her, we wouldn’t have an army. Of course, there were the Rusulka, but I saw them by the pool, already humming and swimming around.
I waved them goodbye, and they waved me goodbye. Not much was needed to be said. There was also the Leshy, but I didn’t really see him that much, although it felt like his face was plastered upon the trees and in the background every now and then. Creeped me out heavily, but I guess that’s just par for the course at this point.
Poli, meanwhile, was busy staring at the other Fae, watching as they danced all around her, chirping like birds on her skin and, for some reason, antlers. She actually kinda looked good with them, like a doe, a deer, a female deer.
“Hey~ How you doing?” I walked up to her as she turned to face me.
“I’m doing well. My job as the spirit of the forest has been completed. The balance has returned, far more than it ever has before. The end of winter is nigh, the Eternal Storm must soon come to a close, and it shall be at your hand.”
She bowed in front of me, but I quickly returned the favor.
“If it weren’t for you helping us, I don’t think we would have gotten so far, so thank you. It’s been a pleasure working along your side Poli. If I do actually become Queen, I hope to see you in my court.”
Poli gave a small smile. “Then I hope that your court can accommodate me and my people.”
“Of course it will! I have space for everyone who can join to help out! Especially you, so like, don’t sweat it.”
“I do not sweat-”
I sighed and waved my hand, laughing a little. “It’s a figure of speech. But it just means you don’t have to worry. I’m making sure that everyone can join along… Well, everyone who’s not Ephitet, other than that, it’s all gonna be alright…”
I hugged her, patting her back. “Shame you can’t come along. But, well, we’ll think of you. Maybe we will see your other forest sister spirits!”
“I would hope then you treat them as you have treated me.”
“Would never think otherwise!”
I patted her again before leaning back. “Well, I’ll see you around, take care, and have fun!”
She waved goodbye, and so did all the animals who could. I laughed and waved goodbye at them before I joined the rest of my team, which was Koschei and Charlie, alongside a group of faeries, no bigger than the size of my finger. One of them, the shiniest of them all, with bright silver hair and fluorescent wings, flew to me.
The faerie landed on my shoulder and smiled as she waggled her legs. “Ah, there you are! Allow me to announce myself to the world. I am Silver, your on board Pleasure General at your service~ I have 7 Stars in what I do~ and I do it very well, so you better be thankful someone like me is here to help you out!”
She crossed her arms as I laughed, patting her tiny little head and humoring her. “Alright then, Silver, can I call you Sil? It’s my pleasure to welcome you and the others aboard.”
Sil laughed aloud, causing silver glitter to emanate from her wings as they cascaded towards me. Suddenly, I was filled with an uncontrollable urge to laugh, and so to fulfill it, I snickered and giggled like I was a schoolgirl.
“Sure thing~ I would love to have a NickName Jane~ I love them especially from mortals, and especially from such important mortals such as yourself.”
“Hehe, my team and I are pretty important, glad that could be established.”
I looked around, first to Charlie, before to Koschei and the rest. “Are you all ready to go? Nothing left behind? You said all your goodbyes?”
“We’re all ready to head off now. Got your boots right here.” Charlie raised the boots off the ground, wagging them in front of her.
“The time hath finally come. It seemed that the Firebird was not your first quest, but merely the one that marked your ascension into something far greater. I am proud to be your Flame Bearer and Prophet.” Koschei smiled, and even if it was literally crooked, considering that his face was falling apart, it felt quite genuine.
I couldn’t help but smile back at either of them before I looked at Sil and the other fae who went ahead and attached themselves to the others and me, granting that same heightened senses as before.
“Alright then…” I got down and put on the boots before reaching out to the others. Charlie took my right hand, and Koschei took my left.
I took a deep breath, walking first to an open clearing away from the forest before staring at where the sun was rising from. “Alright… Click heels three times… Maybe I should also say that there’s no place like home.”
I chuckled to myself as I saw Charlie roll her eyes at me.
Click
Click
Click
Suddenly, the boots began to glow as several mystical symbols appeared on their sides. It was working, which means now was the time for reckoning.
I gripped everyone tightly and took a step forward. Suddenly, everything around me rushed by as if I were in a car. All at once I moved past forests, hills and monsters, stopping on another flat plain.
I took a deep breath, shaking as Charlie’s eyes widened.
“Holy shit… We-“
Charlie turned around, using her free hand to clutch her head. “We came so far. It was like a fighter jet…”
Koschei smiled and stared back at where we had just come from. “Thrilling, isn’t it. It’s almost as if we teleported.”
“Y-Yeah…” I said with a shaky smile. That was scary; this was scary. Imagine having this in Phorash, you could be anywhere, at any moment… Wow, that is scary, even for just one day, that’s insane.”
I took a deep breath and held everyone’s hands again, taking another step forward, and another, and so on and so forth. Everything went by like a blur, going in for another step, and then another step, and then a third, a fourth, and everything started to look like those epilepsy images.
It went by so quickly, and while the enhanced senses were a gift to help me understand and comprehend, they did not exactly help with maintaining all of it in a way that did not make me throw up.
Everything became a mix of colors and lights that I nearly fell over on one of the steps, only caught by Charlie, who lifted me up.
“W-Wait, c-can you angle me away? I’m gonna hurl…”
Charlie turned me around as I threw up by a tree, gagging as I groaned in pain. Sil patted me on the back using her Magick so that I couldn’t taste my breakfast.
“Ugh… Okay let me just… rest…”
I clicked the boots by the heels three times, turning the enchantment off as I lay in Charlie’s arms. She and the others cleaned me up as I heaved slowly.
“S-Sorry guys, that was uh… Crazy…” I laughed a bit, rubbing my head before I nearly threw up again.
“It’s okay as well…” Charlie said, yet she looked like she was nearly gonna throw up, too.
“Haha, you look like me… Guess this is what it feels like to be in a jet?”
She nodded, trying to smile. “The jet is honestly easier than this. Never wanted to throw up there, in here though…” She rubbed her stomach.
“That was dizzying. It’s a miracle we’re even alive…” Charlie turned to Koschei, who literally looked exactly the same.
“How the fuck are you holding up?” I pointed my finger at him as he laughed.
“I have gone on many expeditions using the boots. You can say a tolerance has been made.”
“You’re quite lucky that we’re here then~ otherwise you’d all be frothing at the mouth like a couple of rabid dogs~” Sil landed on my head as I gave her a groggy thumbs up.
“T-Thanks?”
Sil laughed a bit before looking around. “You get your senses back, then we’re off again, rinse and repeat. It’s okay, are we on some kind of due?”
I shook my head. “Nope… Well, I guess the due is whenever Marian comes back, I know that bitch is still out there… Wonder what she is up to now, huh.”
I turned to Koschei, who shook her head. “I am no seer. I do not have the capabilities to peer into the beyond, but I do know that the Caretaker’s powers have immensely benefited from what has happened. We do indeed need to act with as much haste as possible, but nevertheless, your rest is required, and that is needed as long as you remain mortal.”
“Hah, maybe after this I’ll become a goddess after a queen… Hmm, can you become a god?”
“That… Remains unknown.” Koschei wistfully began. “But, you shall become something more when the Unifire becomes one with all.”
“I’ll take that~” I said, trying to keep up a grin before the urge to vomit followed me again.
It was then that we rested, taking a few hours off before we could try again. I lay by a tree, right beside Charlie, as we held hands and watched the flowers grow.
“Do you really want to go back?” She asked out of nowhere.
“Back to where?” I turned to her quizzically. “Back to Phorash? Of course I do. I can’t abandon that place, even if it is a shithole; I can make it not a shithole anymore.”
“I know, but… Do you ever think it’s more trouble than it’s worth? That's what you’re planning to do… It might lead to more-”
“I-I know that!” My hair started to go red as the tips blazed ever so slightly before I sighed in frustration, rubbing my head.
“I-I know that… It’s all complicated, and messy, and… I don’t really know what to do next, but I know what I have to do, Char… I need to save those people, help those people. No matter what, I cannot bear to see them suffer… Or just know that they are suffering. I can’t imagine what Ephitet is doing right now. They’re probably just marking this as some kind of tax write-off. It makes me sick… Every day, they get worse and… There’s going to be nobody to stop them, there can’t be any way to stop them unless you want to and you’re powerful enough… But…”
I looked up at the sky and remembered all the alliances that accursed company built. “Nobody in the world wants to stop them… So it’s gonna be up to someone like me. Somebody has to, if no one else will.”
Charlie hugged my side. “I…I know, but all this, burning them to the ground… Making this weird fusion of all the people to keep them in line? Doesn’t that seem a bit too… Much to you?”
“Hah… Too much, you know what they’re like, Char… Those bastards are crazy, powerful. I need everything I could get to even touch then… But once I do…” My palm exploded into flames that caused Chrlie to nearly fall over.
“I’ll make sure they know what him them… I’ll make sure to see them all burn and scream… Every single one of them.” I took a deep breath and stared at the flames.
That’s what mattered now. That’s what I need to do. I need to cast them into the fire… Rebuild it all…
And ensure that all those in pain can be saved.