“I want to show you a very special place to me.”
“Okay… I look forward to it.”
Grandma Flaire led me to the woods at the far end of the park, where the town’s largest tree stood.
“This is it.”
“So this is your special spot.”
“That’s right. This tree is a god that protects our town.”
Grandma Flaire looked up at the tall tree with a smile on her face. I had come to this tree a few times before. Every year when it began to get warmer outside, countless flowers bloomed around this tree. This was because of the magic that flowed from its roots into the ground; the tree shared its magic with the surrounding plants. Thanks to this, the park had some of the prettiest flower gardens in all of Lapis during that time of year.
To call the tree a god that protects the town wasn’t entirely inaccurate.
“I’ve visited this place often ever since I was a little girl. I played with my friends here, spent afternoons with my family under it, and now, I’ve been able to bring you here, too. This tree has continuously watched over me.”
Grandma Flaire walked up to the tree and placed her hand on its trunk; she spoke about the tree as if it was an old friend.
“So you’ve always been together.”
“That’s right, ever since I was young.”
I stood next to Grandma Flaire and placed my hand on the tree trunk.
“Oh…”
“Is there something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
The tree’s flow of magic was a bit messy. It was also absorbing much more magic from the earth than normal. At this rate, it wouldn’t take long for the tree to be negatively impacted. It would either overflow with magic and begin to wither or would be cut down before it brought down the rest of the ecosystem with it. Perhaps thanks to how often I came into contact with plants, I could already tell that there was no saving this tree.
It was almost like I could tell the tree’s fate.
“Fate exists, and Death merely follows the rules of fate……… That isn’t what I mean! I’m simply telling you that you mustn’t misinterpret the reality of things!”
Oh, I get it now.
Everything my teacher said made sense to me, all at once.
What was happening to the tree was also happening to Grandma Flaire—there was no saving them. There were fates that could and could not be changed, and Grandma Flaire…was the latter.
It was the way the world worked—God’s way. All life came to an end.
This was what it meant to be shrouded in the black mist—to be visited by Death.
It was now clear to me why I’d come here. I knew what I, someone with less than a year left to live, needed to do after learning about Grandma Flaire’s death.
“Grandma Flaire.”
“Yes?”
“What if, say, the world was to end tomorrow? What would you want to do before you die?”
“That’s a big question. But yes, I suppose I’d like to spend my final day with my family.”
“You don’t say…”
I looked up into the sky. Faced with someone whose death was nearing them, it was our job to see to it that their final moments with us were spent in a way they wouldn’t regret.
It was our duty.
The next morning came.
I woke up before the sun came out and carefully got out of bed so as to not wake up Grandma Flaire. Waking up this early was part of my daily routine anyway. I got dressed and went outside, where I was embraced by the frigid early morning air. White puffs of breath escaped my mouth, and with every breath I took, I could feel the chilly air enter my lungs.
“Hoot.”
“Good morning to you, too.”
Perched on the mailbox outside was White-Owl. He’d been waiting for me with his big round eyes. I gave him a nod. We would leave Carbuncle behind this time, as he was sleeping in bed with Grandma Flaire.
“Let’s go.”
“Hoot.”
I extended my arm for White-Owl, who flew over and took perch, and then gently rubbed his head, causing him to shut his eyes with delight.
I then began my twelve-part incantation.
“My loyal kin—heed my call—dance far and wide, in the vast sky’s hall—release your inner power—my wish stretches beyond what eyes can pin—grant me a way to a distant land—as a messenger that flies with wings so grand—slice through the heavens—the clouds around you will bend—carry the wind—along with my life—”
I swung my arm wide, and White-Owl took flight. I followed behind, running forward and planting one foot on the wall in front of the house. Without losing any momentum, I then leaped up into the sky.
“—and ascend!”
I was mid-jump when something big caught me and whisked me up and away. The earth below grew distant, and wind blew my hair in every direction. The air was cold against my cheeks and fingers at this height, but I soon found feathery warmth on the back of the giant owl who carefully carried me as we flew up higher and higher.
Witches had a special relationship with their familiars. It was possible for the creatures to become the catalysts for their master’s magic. The spell I’d cast on White-Owl made him grow almost ten times his original size.
“Okay! Off to the capital!”
“Hoot!”
I knew exactly where we needed to go. I’d looked it up the night before. Grandma Flaire had a letter with the address on it. I was sure the person I needed to find would be there. White-Owl soared through the sky, cutting through the clouds, headed straight for London.