Post by mistrali on Aug 12, 2013 12:03:12 GMT 10
Title: Many Paths
Prompt: #27 (Journey)
Rating: G
Characters: Niko, his best friend mentioned in Shatterglass
Warnings: None
Summary: Journeys into the unknown.
Many Paths
The visions fed on her excitement, her desire to travel. "See, Niko? I can do it," she said to him during one of their suppers at the inn on Claymakers' Lane.
"I know you have tried: there are flecks of magic all over you," he remarked, unfolding his napkin to wipe his mouth.
"Does it show in flecks?" she asked, curious. "Coloured ones? Because I've been wanting to read Quicksilver, you know, and see what he says about auras in vision magics."
"Greta, this isn't a game," Niko said slowly. "Insanity isn't unlikely." He helped himself to some stroganoff, fixing her all the while with a grave look which made her feel about twelve. If only he wouldn't jump to conclusions and assume the worst, she thought; but that was Niko all over. As well ask Sythuthan to stop changing the weather.
"You don't have to worry, silly," she said, tweaking his nose. "I'll be all right."
----
They flicked past in all sorts of little paths. Rainbows of colour, patterns of light. Here was a glimpse of something else, a strip of pure white that made her breath catch - was that snow on the mountains? Yes, it was, and a great white beast with magnificent black spots prowled along a... "I wanted to see that," she protested, as the image faded and twenty new ones swam and flashed in its place. Each shade or pattern threw out a tendril that tugged at Greta's magic and enticed her along another wind. There must have been hundreds, all calling her to slip into them.
-------
There was a light tap on her shoulder. Her colours jittered.
"What?!" she shouted, turning and looking into Niko's face, which swam blue-gold-green in her sight. For some reason, his calm infuriated her even more.
"Can't you see I was trying to scry? Could you curst well leave a person alone for five minutes, you long-nosed turnip?" she snapped.
"I am not a root vegetable. You thought you had been at this for five minutes?" he asked, kneeling to grip her shoulders and peer into her eyes.
"Well, I said I'd meet you at illusions class. Anyone would- Niko? What's the matter?"
"It's six o'clock in the morning," he said, looking truly frightened for the first time she had known him. She began to shake. Surely not. It had been just coming up to sunset when she had sat down to... "What happened?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes to clear them of sparks.
"The more appropriate question is what would have happened," he said, his eyes suddenly too intense to look away from, "if I hadn't found you in time."
Maybe once we'd have seen it during Smackdown!