Kyleid had never met one before, but he knew about this water horse. Anyone who climbed on its back would be dragged under the surface and drown.
“Thanks for the offer. I’ll figure something out on my own,” Elda said.
The Kelpie wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“You think the river faeries will give it up that easily? They love pretty things.”
“Pretty things? Well then, this might be worth a try,” Elda said softly. She addressed the Kelpie, speaking clearly. “No matter how many times you offer, I won’t accept your deal. I cannot give you what you desire.”
The Kelpie stamped its forelimbs in frustration. It said nothing more but neither did it look ready to leave.
“It knows we’re mages,” Elda whispered. “Given that it spoke to us, I don’t think it intends to attack. But stay on your guard, and don’t take your eyes off it.”
With that, she moved back to the riverbank. She held her arms out before her, placed her palms together, and began chanting a spell.
Each finger moved in turn, as if reeling something in. One thread after another appeared: Red like roses, orange like the setting sun; yellow like the rapeseed flowers that bloom in the spring, and purple like the lavender that flourishes in summer; blue like the sky on a sunny day, indigo like the deep sea; green like young shoots budding. All types of colors twined around Elda’s body.
The threads moved like they were alive, twirling in the air. They began gathering together, winding around each other, finally forming a giant cloth that covered Elda’s entire body.
The resulting cloak was of a brilliant pearlescent hue, the colors shifting wherever the light hit it. At first it looked silver, and then as the yellow flourished, it turned gold, then pale pink. It shifted from one soft color to the next.
With her glittering rainbow robe, Elda appeared to be bathed in divine light.
How beautiful…
Kyleid couldn’t take his eyes off her.
But the moment couldn’t last forever.
When Elda began her magic, the crystals’ vibrations intensified to the point where he had to keep a tight grip to avoid dropping them. Kyleid put the strap back on, hanging the device from his neck. He then used both hands to steady the box, but the vibrations running through it were like nothing he’d ever felt before. His arms shook violently. The crystals had been flashing rapidly, but now all five shone with a steady light, spinning constantly. The strings seemed poised to break.
Kyleid tried subduing the crystals’ reactions by distancing them from Elda. The moment he started moving, the Kelpie looked away from Elda and glared at him. Once again, he froze. He’d just have to put up with it until her spell was done.
Elda reached her right hand out toward the river’s surface. The pearlescent gown left her body, drifting through the air and falling into the water. Glittering in the light, the current caught it, and the gown vanished, melting into the river.
Ah…
Kyleid sighed despite himself. Those colors had been so beautiful. Now that they were gone, he felt a profound loss.
Then, the water changed where the robe had vanished. A whirlpool spun itself up, growing to nearly a meter across, increasing in speed. Walls of water formed around it, with the center plunging into the depths like it was trying to drill a hole in the riverbed.
Elda knelt on the riverbank, put her hands side by side, and pushed toward the whirlpool. A ring popped out of the center, drops of water trailing in its wake as it drew nearer, and landed right in her open palms.
A moment later, the whirlpool disappeared. The river went back to normal.
Elda took out a handkerchief, and carefully dried the ring off. She checked it over, studying it from every angle before wrapping it up and stuffing it in her pocket.
“Looks like they chose your side, Colors,” the Kelpie said, having watched all this in silence. It spoke in even tones. Kyleid found it impossible to guess its thoughts.
“Yes. I need not disturb you any longer,” Elda said, choosing her words carefully.
With her magic gone, the crystals’ movements weakened slightly, and the lights began pulsing again. They still spun on their hooks though.
Doesn’t look like they’ll stop until the Kelpie’s gone.
As he thought this, Kyleid looked up, and their eyes met. The Kelpie’s attention had been on Elda during the spell, but at some point its focus had shifted.
The gray horse had stayed perfectly still this whole time. Now, with a clatter of hooves, it charged right for Kyleid.
It all happened so fast he had no time to run. He just stood rooted to the spot.
“Kyleid!” Elda shouted. She took a few steps toward him, appearing to move in slow motion. The Kelpie was enormously fast.
Just as Kyleid thought he was done for…
The Kelpie kicked the ground right in front of him and jumped, easily clearing Kyleid’s head. It turned and said, “It went well this time, but don’t give yourself airs. We aren’t always that nice. This is a warning. We can attack you at any time.”
“I would never dream of underestimating you,” Elda said. “But if you would harm us, remember that we have means of protecting ourselves.”
The Kelpie snorted derisively and vanished into the water.
“Whew…”
The tension had drained out of Kyleid. The moment the Kelpie vanished, the crystals fell silent. They had definitely reacted to its presence.
But Kyleid’s relief only lasted a moment.
With a shrill whine, the smallest vibration crystal shattered, its pieces falling to the ground.
“Agh!”
Kyleid let out a little shriek, but it sounded like someone else’s voice.
As if his scream were the signal, the crystals each broke in turn and in order of size, until the largest hung covered in countless fractures. For a moment, Kyleid hoped against hope that this one would at least survive, but it turned to dust and covered the grass at his feet.
All his energy left him. He slumped to his knees.
“This…this can’t be happening.”
He felt Elda’s hand on his shoulder but couldn’t speak. He stared hopelessly at the broken shards.
Elda watched in silence, but at last she undid the strap around his neck and took the box from him. Opening the lid, she found the crystals’ pouch and gathered up the shards, pouring them inside.
Kyleid watched, unable to think, unable to do anything.
The pieces were so tiny Elda could only gather so many of them herself, so she chanted a spell softly. Several white threads appeared, weaving a piece of cloth so tiny it was almost a string. It vanished, and, as it did, the translucent fragments rose as if snared by the wind, formed a line, and poured themselves into the pouch.
Elda placed the pouch in the box and hung it from her own neck. Then she took Kyleid’s arm and pulled him gently to his feet.
“We’d better get home.”
She pulled Kyleid’s hand, and he stumbled after her.