The Sun and the Clover

by BG9

The Eastern Trickster

Tempest stood up on her feet. They felt better than new. They were perfect and all without a single scar. She shot a few kicked into the air.

"That song was beautiful." Tempest said

"I hope the healing was just as beautiful."

"Oh yeah. My legs have never felt better." she said "You ready to do the trial of wit?"

"Ready when you are. We can leave our stuff out here. We'll be exiting the way we came."

"Any idea of what we'll find down there?"

"It's individual to every person who experiences it. There's no way to know until we do it."

"Then I guess we'll just have to hope for the best."

They both walked into the mouth of the cave and down the path. The cool chill of the inside felt incredible after spending so much time in the desert heat. The deeper they went, the darker it became. Pear had no trouble in such an environment, navigating as though it were perfect daylight. Tempest, however, was not doing nearly so well. She kept bumping into walls, stubbing her toes against various rock formations and finally tripping and falling flat on her face. Pear helped her to her feet.

"Here." she said gently "Just hold my hand. I'll be your eyes."

Tempest shut her eyes and extender her hand

"Ok." she said "I trust you."

"Oh," Pear giggled

"What is it?"

"Your hand is so soft. Hardly the hands I'd expect of someone with your skills."

"laugh it up, chuckles." Tempest sneered

Pear let a large smile slip across her face as the line and began to guide tempest through the cavern. They walked on and on, deeper and deeper.

"Where does this trial start anyway?" Tempest asked

"It'll be at another pillar, just like the last one. This pillar is just at the heart of the cave. It's a bit of a hike but it won't take us too long. Thankfully this place is monster free."

"How did you manage to get me out of that monster's grasp anyway?"

"Easy. Using my guitar, I played a melody that put it in a dream-like trance."

"You can mind control with that?"

"Sort of it. The strength of the mind is an important factor. The stronger and more intelligent the target, the more energy it'll take to maintain that control and I have to play continuously without missing a single note."

"How did you pull me out from under the creature while you were strumming? Thing was so heavy it broke my ribs."

"I told it to move and it did. After that, I grabbed you and ran like the wind. Luckily for us the creature wasn't very fast. But between that and healing your ribs I was so exhausted I fell asleep."

"I'm sorry I put you through that."

"It's ok. I know what you were feeling in that moment. Can't say I haven't made equally stupid decisions while in a head space like that."

As they walked down to the cavern's lowest point, the sound of rushing water could be heard. They crossed over a very old and very creaky wooden bridge. Below them the water glowed a brilliant blue.

"What is the place?"

"It used to be a place of worship, kind of like a church."

"Your," Tempest bit her lip "Our tribe worships inside caves?"

"Not typically. This one, and the two others, are special. This one's significance of course being related to the fact that it's where the trial of wit comes into play."

They travelled a bit further until they came to a large circular room with a stone pillar at its center. The wall was covered in a strange green moss that glowed bright enough to illuminate the entire room around it.

"Are you ready?" Pear asked

"Ready."

They both put their hands on the pillar at the same time and the room began to fill with gas. The gas began to take a form of what looked like an angel, She wore a beautiful white dress and had two large ram horns on either side of her head. Not only that, her hair was pink. She looked angelic yet, at the same time, malicious. She sat in mid air with a smile.

"Good day," she said in a seductive voice "It's been so long since I've been summoned. What's the occasion? An initiation? Funeral?"

"An initiation." Pear answered "We're here for the trial of wit."

The being stared at them like a starving man would after not eating food for two weeks. Her feet touched the ground and spun around the pillar with a single hand. She spun without a single movement, like she was willing gravity to do it for her. As she stopped, she flipped upside down and stood atop one finger. Her dress remained exactly as if she was standing right side up, completely defying the laws of physics.

"Good, good." she said "I should warn you though. For this trial should you lose, well... you'll become my slaves for eternity. Are these terms acceptable to you both?"

Tempest and Pear looked at one another then back at her, nodding in unison. She chuckled.

"I always love the over confident."

"Who are you? What are you?" Tempest asked

"Me? Some would call me a demon. Many a succubus. Others a lower order goddess. My name, however, is Silverstream."

Silverstream snapped her fingers and a table appeared from nowhere. Tempest looked in surprise.

"No wand." she said in shock

"Does that really surprise you? Your friend can do it too. What's his name... Anon."

"How do you know that?"

"I know many, many things. But enough questions. We've got a rite of passage to conduct. Please, sit."

Pear and Tempest sat in the chairs provided and Silverstream pulled two cups and twelve dice from behind her back.

"For this first test we're going to play a mortal game. They're some of my favorites. This is a game called Liar's Dice. The rules are simple: we'll each scramble the dice in the cup and make bets on how many of dice of a certain number there are between all players. You can either accept the bet or call the bluff. For example, if I were to say there are three five's and I have two and you have one, the win goes to me."

"Easy enough." Pear said

"Good. Then who's first?"

"We're not all playing at the same time?"

"No. It's a trial of wit. As such, both of you must be tested individually. You can, however communicate with the other during the game."

Pear whispered in Tempest's ear

"Leave this one to me. It's a sure victory. Using my guitar I'll be able to see the dice."

Tempest nodded

"You first then?" Silverstream asked "Then we shall start. Best two out of three."

They both put their dice inside the cups and began to shake, slamming them down at the same time. Silverstream checked under her cup.

"I say there is at least two three's."

"I say there's four."

"You're bluffing."

They both removed their cups and, sure enough, there were four three's between the two of them. Tempest smiled. She was right. With her ability of sonar this was a cinch for her. They each scooped their dice back into the cup and rolled again.

"I wager there are three five's." Pear said

"I wager four sixes."

Pear concentrated to get a better view with her sonar. There wasn't a single six. A complete bluff.

"Bluff."

Silverstream smiled and they both lifted their cups. She couldn't believe it. Silverstream did indeed have four sixes. But that was impossible. She knew what she'd seen. Her sonar was never wrong, it couldn't be wrong. She had to have cheated

"You cheated!" Pear said

"Oh did I?" she asked in a coy tone "And how would you know that? You can't even see. Unless... you cheated to somehow by using magic that allows you to see inside the cups. In which case it's alls fair in love and war."

Pear began to sweat. She must've known of her guitars ability from the beginning. She didn't even mention she was blind. Whatever this demon was, it clearly had insane amounts of observation or, worse, clairvoyance. Tempest stared daggers at the demon, looking for any sign of cheating but she saw nothing. No hand gestures, no facial changes, nothing. Whatever she was doing was completely undetectable.

"Time for the tie breaker." Silverstream said with a chuckle

Pear began to audibly pant and her hands trembled as she placed the dice back inside the cup. Silverstream smiled devilishly.

"What's the matter? Succumbing to the pressure?"

"I'm fine!" she hissed

They both shook their cups and slammed them on the table. Pear was shaking like a tree in a strong breeze now. Tempest watched even closer now, her sharp eyes studying everything from Silverstream's breathing to the movements of her eyes. She looked for something, anything that gave away what she was doing.

"I wager that there are two four's."

"I wager t-three two's." she stammered

There. Right as she made her bet Silverstream's eyes briefly flickered to the right. Not only that, the knuckle of her third finger on her left hands twitched very slightly. But why? What did it mean?

"I call bluff."

They removed their cups and the three two's Pear had before had had mysteriously all changed. Pear's face changed to one of pure anguish as a light green mist rose from her body. In a single instant, her soul was torn from her as her body went completely limp. She was dead.

"That should complete preparations," Rutherford said, tossing the last log onto the neat pyramid "Sonata do you have the hemlock?"

"Right here!" Sonata said with childish glee

Skystar walked through the tall grass with a tall beaker full of yellow smoke, Aria by her side.

"You got the firefly essence?" he asked

"Yes." Skystar replied curtly

"Good. Then we can summon the Amarok and make our offering."

Rutherford took out his staff and Skystar took his free hand. Adagio and her sisters simply sat at the sidelines to watch.

"Are you all ready?"

"Ready." the sisters said in tandem

"Good." he said "Gairm a-mach!"

Skystar's skin suddenly turned a brilliant blue and her eyes filled with light. The sky began to darken and the tower of wood instantly set itself ablaze. From the thick cloud of black smoke the Amarok appeared. It looked at the group with its deep black eyes. It was far more calm this time.

"It is time for each of us to make our offering." Rutherford explained "Sonata, you first."

"Right." she said

Sonata stepped forward and held out the hemlock. The Amarok stepped in front of her and sniffed it curiously before licking it up into its jaws.

"Aria, you're next."

Aria walked up to the wolf and held out a white flower with a slight glow too it. The wolf, again, sniffed it and gobbled it up.

"Adagio."

Adagio came forth with a branch of white wood. She, however, was nervous. As she walked to meet the wolf, she tripped, her hands slamming straight on its snout and breaking the branch in half.

"Get back!" Rutherford yelled

Thunder began to boom in the sky and a heavy rain fell to the earth. The Amarok shook with rage and bore its massive sharp teeth. It howled in a way that sent chills down one spine, the kind of howl that sounded doom. Before Adagio could scream the wolf vanished like a ghost. The rain pelted harder and the winds picked up.

"Get inside the keep!" Rutherford said

The girls looked at one another, a bit stunned from what they'd just witnessed

"Now!" he yelled

They all began to run back, with only Rutherford and Skystar remaining. As they retreated behind the walls of the crumbling keep, the three sisters looked back. The trees were full of small specks of light. They were eyes glowing in the darkness, staring out with a murderous rage. The tall Druid let out a sigh and lifted his hand to his nose. He stood firm, pointed his staff forward and shouted

"Dealanaich!"

A mighty bolt of lightning struck the tree line and set it ablaze. Skystar dug her fingers into the dirt and with no effort at all, pulled a chunk of earth twice her size from the ground and tossed it into the inferno. They both ran back to the keep where Rutherford stopped, slammed his staff too the ground and cast another spell.

"Uàrd dealanach!"

Another bolt of lightning struck the earth at the center of the keep and suddenly silvery white runes appeared around its perimeter. From the burning tree line, strange green beings emerged. Their faces were mangled and contorted and their bodies in unnatural shapes. They ran straight for the keep. As soon as they came to the line of runes their bodies fried, as if struck by lightning. Adagio and her sisters were all hugging each other in fear. Skystar approached them and kneeled.

"Are you girls alright?"

Sonata began to cry and hugged the homunculus, like a child hugging their mother. Skystar returned the hug, slowly running her fingers through the crying girl's hair.

"There, there." she said "It's alright. Fear not. We're safe here."

Rutherford joined up with the rest of them and put his staff back on his back. Adagio shot up.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to trip I just got nervous and-"

"Silence." he said "Your apology is not needed."

"What do we do now?"

"We have a few options, all of which will rely on you. Come with me back to the keep. We can discuss it there." he said "Let's just say our job has become much more difficult."

Sonata continued to cry in the woman's arms and Aria looked on with annoyance.

"Would you stop crying you little shit!?" Aria snapped

"Hush now, Aria." Skystar whispered "Sonata. Sonata?"

"Y-yes?" she whimpered

"I need you to do something for me."

"W-what?""

"I need you to be really brave, ok? I want you to look at me and tell me your favorite color."

"My favorite color?"

"Yes. Can you do that?"

Skystar spoke with such a gentleness that neither Sonata or Aria could help but feel calm. Even though her face didn't display a trace of emotion, she exuded a maternal warmth that could be felt for miles.

"It's... it's pink."

Skystar ran her fingers through the hair at the top of Sonata's head.

"Good girl," she cooed "Now, what's your favorite animal?"

"A horse I think."

"And what sound does a horse make?"

"Neighhhh!" Sonata said with a giggle

"Good job. You were so brave. Come. Let's get you inside for a bath. We don't want you to catch a cold. Hold my hand please."

Sonata did so and Skystar turned back to Aria

"Come. You as well."

"Fine." Aria huffed

The trio went inside the keep to find Rutherford pacing at a table in front of a very anxious looking Adagio

"There's no other way?" she asked "Surely there has to be something. Can't we just kill the thing?"

"No, we cannot just kill the thing" he said frustrated "This is a wrath you've brought upon us and it's one that only you can amend. We set out tomorrow. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir." she said

"Adagio." Skystar whispered

"Yes?"

"Come. It's bath time."

"Bath time?" Adagio asked "Do I look like a child to you?"

"Come now. All your sister's are coming so you might as well. Especially after being in that cold rain."

"That makes it ever worse!"

"Fear not," she reassured her "Our tubs come with privacy panels. No one will be able to see your exposed form."

Adagio sighed

"Fine. But you better not be lying."

"I'd not lie to you."

Skystar ushered the sisters down a long flight of stairs, through a corridor and into a room containing eight wooden tubs. Sure enough each one had a privacy panel that looked as new as the day it was made, unlike the rest of the keep's crumbing form. She pulled three hoses from the wall and began to fill up the tubs with water, already steaming hot. Sonata was by her side the entire time, looking quite pleased with herself.

"How does it come out already hot?" Sonata asked

"The hoses are equipped with special runes that pre-heat the water as it flows through it."

"That's so cool!"

Aria gave a look of disgust

"She's so stupid."

Adagio smiled gently

"I'm glad. She deserves a bit of joy once and a while."

"Now undress and I will-"

Skystar suddenly fell over, completely limp. Sonata watched in horror as her body slammed against the floor with a resounding slap.

"Skystar!" she shouted

"I'll go get Rutherford." Adagio said running back upstairs

In a few seconds Rutherford came down. His expression wasn't shock, but that of disinterest.

"What's wrong with her?" Sonata said in a weepy voice

"Nothing serious."

He pulled his staff back out and gently rested it against Skystar's back. Her body filled with blue light and just like that she was back on her feet as though nothing had happened. Sonata hugged her leg.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes." she said "I merely over exerted myself is all. It's nothing to be concerned with."

Rutherford abruptly turned around and marched back upstairs and Adagio followed close behind without alerting him to her presence. She followed him up a spiral staircase and into a tower where he closed the door behind him. Adagio pressed her ear against the door and listened closely. All she heard was weeping.

Comments

[redandready45]

Poor Pear, why did you lose your soul.