The Witch and the Wolf

The Final Test

[Emi]

This week has gone faster than I expected. The days have been extremely long and the nights not long enough. It has been such a fulfilling experience.

Before coming here, my understanding of what witches are was from movies like Harry Potter, The Craft, and Hocus Pocus. This wasn't entirely accurate, unfortunately.

There are no wands and you can't fly on brooms. If you can control air, you can make yourself levitate by focusing on the air around your body and pushing it up.

You can brew potions but they aren't really potions. They are more like medications, poisons, and antidotes for the poisons. I have learned quite a few concoctions.

Ennis has supplied me with a notebook she called a book of shadows. I call it my cheat sheet. Inside is a vast amount of incantations, potions, antidotes, spells, herbs, and other things that I have learned over this week.

I have learned to work with my spirit elements and they with me. I'm so happy they are a part of my life now. I can't even imagine a life without them. They aren't with me 24/7, but when I need them, I just call and they are right here. Thankfully, I don't need them for every spell or I would start to feel bad about calling them every 10 seconds.

Learning spells has been quite enjoyable. Ennis says I have a knack for it. I have learned to start fires, freeze things, move items without touching them, and countless other spells.

Today, Ennis said that I would be taking a test. It's my final day of training. Everything else that needs to be learned is self-taught, I guess. The whole process is confusing and overwhelming at times.

"Ennis? Vesta? Esen? Meg? Celest?" I call. Last night, she said that I would be alone when I woke up, but I didn't expect to be completely alone.

I get up off of my makeshift bed and begin getting dressed for the day. The air was brisk and cold. I quickly finished dressing and grabbed the cloak that Ennis made for me.

It was a beautiful burgundy color. The cloak felt like it was made of wool, but it didn't make me itchy like normal wool would. As I put it on, it just touches the floor. I can tell that this was made just for me because it fits so well.

I put my shoes on, stood, and then put my hood up. The fur lining my hood was white. Ennis said it was made from a wolf king and had special properties imbued into it. I wasn't sure what all of that meant but I just thanked her and graciously accepted because it was beginning to get colder.

After placing my book into the holder Ennis fastened onto my belt, I walked out of the door and instantly shivered.

'Damn, it cold today.' I thought.

I looked around to see if Ennis left any clues to where I should be going to start this test. I walked over to the now extinguished fire and threw a few long on it. I look at the logs and I picture the fire lighting. I snap my fingers and with a whoosh, the fire is lit.

Squatting in front of the fire, I held my hands out trying to warm them.

Suddenly, Vesta appeared. "It's about time. Jeez! I thought I was going to fall asleep waiting for you."

"Oh? Good morning to you too?" I smirked. By this point, I was getting used to Vesta's sarcastic, sassy attitude. If I didn't know better, I would have thought I was talking to an angsty teenager.

"Okay, my part is done. Eat and go east." She snaps her fingers and my breakfast appears. It's a plate with scrambled eggs and something that looks like ham on the side. I don't question what the meat is anymore. Half the time it's something familiar but called something completely different.

I finished my food and cleaned up a bit before heading off. The cool wind blows against my face as I head east, not knowing what challenges lie ahead.

While walking down a path between two hills, I heard a rumbling noise come from above. I look and am about s**t myself because of the huge boulders coming towards me at an alarming rate. I knew I didn't have time to run. I had to brace myself or deflect time somehow.

Without even thinking, I held my arms out to the large masses barreling towards me and yelled, "STOP!"

A rush of wind comes and pushes the rocks until they come to a stop inches from my hands. I quickly ran out of the way while still maintaining my focus on the rocks so they didn't slip and squish me. Once in the clear, I release my focus and sigh loudly as the boulders come crashing into each other.

I hear clapping shortly after. It was Esen. She looked at me and smiled.

"So very proud of you, I am. I knew you would be able to do it." She said in a kind, soft tone. It was like a mother would use towards her child when they accomplished something for the first time.

I smiled. "Thank you, Esen. Is it really necessary to hurl boulders at my head though?"

Esen just smiled. "I didn't have a doubt in my mind. Now, continue east and when you reach the river your next task will present itself."

With that she bowed deeply and vanished. I don't know that I will ever get used to them just appearing and disappearing randomly.

About thirty minutes passed and I could finally hear running water. I knew at that moment that I needed to prepare myself. I cautiously approached the river that Esen told me about.

The river was calm and beautiful. The sun reflected off of the top of the water, making it look even more brilliant. I approach the water and dip my hand in to collect some water. The height of the water began to lower. With a confused look on my face, I watched the water slowly disappear.

Fish were now flopping on the dry trench. I proceeded up stream to see what was preventing the flow. 'Damn... It's a dam' I chucked to myself with that thought. "I'm such a dork." I said under my breath, smiling and shaking my head.

I walked over to the dam and tried to move the sticks out of the way. The mud surrounding the sticks acting as glue prevented me from moving them even a bit. 'Maybe I can use the water to wash the damn away. I would have to manipulate the water so that it acted as a battering ram.' I thought to myself.

I looked at the water and held out my right hand. Arm extended, I moved it to the right. The water follows. Then I swing my arm quickly to the left, making the water follow my actions. It crashed into the dam. I can see a few sticks fall and some of the mud fly out.

Seeing that my plan will work, I repeat the process over and over again until the water pushes through the dam. Feeling some small aching in my shoulder, I knew that I should have stretched before I did that.

Suddenly, Meg shows up. "Emi! You work too fast! I need to make it harder next time!" She pouts. I smiled and shook my head. She was brooding. She really thought that a simple dam would stop me. Maybe I was feeling a bit full of myself, but I expected this test to be harder.

"Okay. So follow the river north and you'll find the final test!" Meg said in a cheerful, optimistic tone. She flew to my face, flicked my nose and disappeared.

"What a character..." I sigh.

I followed the river north just as Meg instructed. Suddenly, I stepped right into a pit of mud. I didn't even notice it. It was either disguised or I just wasn't paying attention as usual.

The mud began pulling me down as I struggled to reach the edge. "s**t!" I said frustrated. I was sinking lower and lower. The mud was now just below my chest. My mind was beginning to flood with panic.

I try using air to push myself up, and nothing. I used fire to try to dry some of the mud so I could use it to pull myself out, and still nothing. Next, I try to use water to thin out the thick slushy mud so I could maybe move easier. Again, to no avail, nothing happened.

My chest is slowly being covered by the mud. My chest was beginning to tighten with the pressure. Even with my chest feeling like it is about to burst. I close my eyes and try to get control of my breathing. I knew that if I didn't calm down, I wasn't going to make it.

After a few moments, I finally calmed down. I open my eyes when it comes to me. All I need to do is control the mud. I think about the water and the dirt that needs to come together to make the mud and then open my hand that is now buried under the slush.

I think about separating the water from the dirt to harden the mud. I stop sinking. I can feel my feet standing on a solid surface.

I let out a huge sigh, feeling relieved. I knew I wasn't clear yet, I had to figure out how to get myself out of the pit. I started to walk to the edge of the mud pit. When reaching the edge, I tried to pull myself out. It was no use. I was too exhausted from struggling to get to the edge before.

I think about ways to get myself out of this. I rest for a few moments to try to regain my strength so that I can try again.

While hanging onto the edge, I kicked against the edge seeing if I could make a small divot so that I could use it to get a foot up. It wasn't working. At that moment, I had a metaphorical light bulb pop on.

Maybe I could use my earth magic to push into the wall to make the divot I was trying to create with force.

It was worth a shot. I pushed my foot against where I wanted the hole for my step. I close my eyes and picture the dirt opening and forming a hole large enough for my foot to fit into, but not large enough that I would slip out of it. I pushed my foot firmly against the wall. I can feel the wall giving to my foot. It was working. I finally get my foot to the appropriate spot and push myself up one step.

I knew I still didn't have enough strength to pull myself up, so I was going to have to repeat this process until I got out. And that is exactly what I did. By the last step, I was so exhausted I pulled myself out and just flopped onto the ground panting and groaning.

I jump slightly when I feel something small touch the side of my face. I open my eyes and there was Celest stroking the side of my face.

"You did amazing, Emilia. I had no doubt you could do it." Celest smiles. "Rest for a few moments. Ennis will be here shortly."

She leaves a gentle kiss on my temple and disappears.