Of Ice, Death & Monsters

Chapter 95 : For A World’s Foundation

12 Days Ago.

“... Like that nerdy guy? Like that scrawny kid who was all whiny? Not to throw shade, but him?” Charlie’s face looked unamused at the idea of Peter being someone worthy of all the titles that Koschei granted him

“He’s right, actually… I know it’s weird, but Peter is kind of powerful here. He was the glue that held a trillion souls together. He was actually at the helm of it for the most part.”

“Okay…” Charlie sat back and crossed her arms. “Why? Does he serve a god like the Keeper or Harbinger?”

I turned to Koschei cause I definitely know the answer. 

“That, I do not know. Perhaps he allied himself with someone else, with a being on their level… There was a story, a recent one, younger than the gods here, but somehow it is said to be more powerful. The Unifire: Svarog. That is what I think Peter has connected to.”

“Huh… Scrawny young adult gets ultimate powers. This sounds like a YA power fantasy. What next? Is he the chosen one?”

I rolled my eyes at that and scoffed. “Huh? No, I’m the chosen one obviously~” I teased while poking her cheek.

“This is a YA revolutionary story, and I’m the plucky young woman lead ready to star in the role of the main character.” I laughed and leaned back on the bed 

“But we’re going to need him, and find out how to get him on our side… I mean, that should be easy enough; he seemed to have become less whiny when I last saw him in the Nawia.”

“Alright, but where do we find him then? Where could he be?”

Koschei walked in, tailing his daggers as he sat by the side of the bed. His face was cracked even more now, but he still grinned from ear to ear.

“Baba Yaga. He was with dear old Ivan, which means that he was going to Baba Yaga. After we go to the Firebird, we would need to find her then, unless you desire to head north and burn away the Mist that pervades the land.”

“Looks like we have plenty of options, that's good. How are the others? Poli? Kira? Are they all okay?”

“They are yeah.” Charlie answered as she walked to one of the windows. “Everyone is safe. Visiliy went back to normal now that the Skiper is gone… Did you kill him?”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t think that’s exactly what happened. It’s more like I managed to banish him back to where he belonged. I guess I got lucky, too. Everything lined up well.”

Koschei hummed with a smile on his face. “Coincidences upon coincidences, all of them perfectly aligning with each other. Wonderful, isn’t it? I love it when it all fits together.”

“Yeah… I guess it is nice that everything can work out all hunky dory… Are the boots ready?”

Charlie turned to the doorway. “Yeah, they are. Although she said the enchantment would only be able to last for a day, that should be more than enough to finally get to Stavrobash.”

“A day huh, well that does make sense, it is an intensely powerful enchantment. It’s better than nothing, I guess. Alright then, shall we go and meet her and the others?”

I got up, stretching my arms and legs before walking towards Charlie, taking her hand as I dragged her away. Thankfully, she didn’t resist. I had absolutely no idea where to go, though, but luckily, Koschei led the way so I could continue to look cool.

We walked through a wooden hallway filled with large portraits that had notes within that had symbols scrawled upon them; for some reason, they melded and modeled to form coherent sentences. Although I still couldn’t really understand them at all.

Then, there were jars and vases of various monster parts dotted along the hallway alongside cases of pin-ups that had little insects upon them.

All of a sudden, it hit me.

“Oh, this was her house, right? It looks like it… Or what I can gather from the debris.”

Koschei laughed and waved his hand, pushing aside the front door to the outside. It was amazing, like it got a completely new makeover. The land went from being all barren and empty like a savanna to now being filled with life. The grass was green and the plants were plentiful, and trees were dotted around the landscape, with many bearing fruit.

The other thing of note was the Fae. They were everywhere, flying around, lying by the trees, all of them just existing in such a place that it looked like a literal fairytale land.

A few of them were talking to monsters, and some were riding humans. I saw a few take down a naked guy and a naked girl to a lake, where I immediately averted my view. It was like I was looking at a zoo just for Fae, or rather, a Fae in their natural habitat.

Well, it was their natural habitat.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

Veresha’s voice emanated from behind me, causing me to nearly fall forward before I turned around, finding the elf walking through the kitchen wearing… My clothes? It seemed to stretch across her body, with tatters and rips that actually suited her figure. Can’t say I wasn’t jealous. I gawked at her for a few good moments as she stretched her arms into the air, as if trying to accentuate herself even further.

“Well, the place looks so lively now. I can’t say I’ve seen something like this in Galfania so far. It’s a first for sure.”

The Fae Watcher sighed and walked outside. “It used to be like this back then, before the Eternal Winter, and hopefully once it lifts, it shall be like this forevermore.” She stared at me, giving a small smile. 

“Yeah, I’ll make sure it will be like this. You can have my word.”

“I know it shall be like this, because my people shall join upon your endeavor.”

I blinked for a moment, registering what she meant by that. “L-Like… Actually, the Fae are gonna be helping me out?” I smile grew upon my face as I cackled silently under my breath.

The army before was impressive, yeah, but that was just formed out of necessity. This, on the other hand, was way cooler. It felt like I just got a reward after a quest line. 

“Correct. If we wish to change this world, we shall follow those who can blaze a trail. And that has been you.”

“Thanks! Wow… my own private army hehe- Oh, wait, how about you? Where would you be then? Aren’t you the like, Queen of them?”

Veresha laughed, rolling her eyes as she sat down on a porch, crossing her legs while she suddenly had a… Mimosa? In hand. “Queen? Me? Well. No, I’m simply one of the Watchers, guardians of Jawia. I am for the Western Front. I oversee the seas and, more importantly, anything involving the Skiper. Usually, I would shut it down before it got out of hand. Sadly, I couldn’t predict what had transpired on the Nawia. I doubt anyone could, but it’s a sign of change, and we need to follow along with it.”

“Yeah, you’re damn right it is! The time for change is here! And her Name is Jane Marcellus. Hehe, thanks for casting your hat on me, I’ll make sure you reap the rewards soon enough! Up next is the Firebird and then… Uh, I guess Peter or just anything that could help me pretty much.”

“I salute you on your endeavor and mission, may it bring you plenty of fruit to bear until the end of your travels here… But I have to ask, do you intend on burning the Jawia? Of dismantling the World Tree?”

“N-No! Of course not.” I shook my head and formed an X with my arms. “This place ain’t mine to judge. I’m just a stranger to it all things considered. It’s my home that needs burning, not yours.”

Veresha grinned, and Shark-like teeth grew in her mouth as she chuckled. “That was the answer I was hoping for. In any case, as long as it does not interfere with the balance of our world, you are free to interfere and play with fire as you wish. Who gets burned is only a concern to those who cannot control their flames. I would assume that you could control them well?”

She gave me a playful wink before setting down her drink.

“Hehe, you could count on me for that. I’ll make sure that whatever needs burning shall be burnt!”

Suddenly, Baba Kira’s voice spoke out from behind me.

“I hope for your own sake that you do not burn anything that I give you unless I specifically told you to do it!”

It spooked me again as I wanted to make a mental note to have a bell around people’s necks all the time if they were just gonna keep on doing this all the damn time!

I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself as I felt like I saw Charlie trying not to laugh at the corner of my eye. To that end, I pinched her side, causing her to yelp to my pleasure and joy.

She growled at me like a little tiger, and ignored it while giving me a small and sly grin. “I-I promise you that I’m not gonna accidentally burn them up ahah.” I turned around and found Baba Kira holding a silver tray that held up a pair of old leather boots that had… A ruler strapped to their sides.

I stared at them for a bit as Kira grew closer. “These shall be your Seven League Boots. Be careful, when you wear them upon your feet, you have to activate their function by clicking your heels three times in succession. That’s when the Magick truly begins. With each step, you shall travel seven leagues at once, but be wary of where you go, for it functions similarly to teleportation; one step and you and everything you carry flash seven leagues ahead, no ifs, ands, or buts. However, it cannot allow you to enter through barriers; you can only climb over what you could reasonably get through, such as a fence, but anything else requires strength and power to get through to such a level.” 

Wow, that was a lot of talk. I just nodded along with the way it worked. It essentially would just fast-forward me ahead with each step. Although now I wonder what would happen if I did walk into a barrier.

“You would stop right in front of it. That’s what would happen.”

My eyes widened. “You can read minds?!”

She gave out a yelp of a laugh. “No, that’s my sister. I simply know what most people think when I tell them about the boots.”

“Oh… Okay, that’s fair. So a day’s worth, huh? I’ll make sure to use it well. What do we do after that, then?” I turned to Koschei for that, but Kira had already spoken.

“You would need to speak to Baba Zorya to help with travel, then. She’s the Witch of the East and has her own way of traveling. If I recall correctly, it has more to do with flight compared to my own.”

“So there’s like, a Witch for every corner of Galfania?”

“I, of the West, Roga of the South, Zorya for the East, and Yaga of the North… However, ever since the North had become unstable, she travels around now.”

“Yeah… Heard it was a shitshow over there.”

“One that perhaps you will clean.” Kira took a deep breath for what I think was dramatic effect.

“Now then, Jane Marcellus. Fullfill your Destiny, take your place at the Ashes of Stavrobash and spread forth!”