"Hehehe. That’s right, I am the best shaman you’ll ever co across!" the old woman said, taking a swig of the bottle. "Ahhh, the sap of life."
Wise stared at her in disbelief, too surprised to do anything else. ’I’m supposed to trust my situation to a drunkard?’
How was a woman of her age even able to drink so much alcohol? Alcohol was practically toxic to elderly people.
"Well, don’t just stand out there in the snow, co in, co in," she said, urging them into her ho with a goofy grin on her face.
He and Daphne both glanced at each other before stepping into the house, Charlotte leading the way.
•
Unlike Wise had expected, the house was actually cleaner and more maintained than he would have thought.
Everything was in order, there were no piles of bottles littering the floor or empty wrappers of food stacked up to the roof.
It was the way you would expect a shaman’s house to be.
There were talismans glued to the ceiling, and a few hanging on clips above the doorway.
By the side of the room was a neatly organized shelf with a variety of roots and dried leaves placed in baskets.
For furniture, there were just a few chairs and a short table with sitting pillows arranged around it.
"I’ll be back, I need to get my stuff," she muttered as she stumbled into the other room, almost losing her footing on the way.
Both Wise and Daphne turned to glare at Charlotte almost simultaneously, as they settled down on one of the couches.
She quickly raised her hands up in defence.
"Before you ask, I know what you’re already thinking. And yeah, she does look and act like a drunkard—"
"Looks like a drunkard?"
"Uhum, correction, she is a drunkard. But her prophecies are always on point!" Charlotte argued.
"Just follow her instructions, you’ll see what I an."
Daphne did not look convinced. She eyed every single part of the room, barely hiding her distrust for the old woman.
And then a few minutes later, the woman erged from the room.
She had packed her long hair back in a high ponytail, yet it was so long that it went down to her waist.
In her hands were a few odd items: a silver bowl, a new bottle of gin, a crystal ball, a pack of cards, and two candles.
She placed the items on her center table and walked over to her shelf to grab a handful of what looked like a purple root.
Then she plopped down on the pillow and sighed audibly.
"Co on boy, we don’t have all day..."
’How did she know I was the one that needed her services?’
Wise doubted that it was just a very good guess.
Pop!
She ripped the cork out of her drink and began gulping down copious amounts of the liquid.
Daphne’s eyes narrowed as she watched her take gulp after gulp, the sound of her swallowing irking her even further.
Then she leaned closer to him and whispered, "Are you sure about this one?"
"Of course not!" Wise whispered sharply. But he wasn’t going to co this far and not try at least. And if Charlotte said she was good, she was definitely good.
He took his seat on a pillow opposite the woman and began tapping his fingers on the table.
"My na is Beidou. I will need your na, after which you will tell what you need help with."
Strangely, although she stunk of alcohol, her words had beco well composed, without a trace of its influence in her actions.
She picked up the root and placed it in the green bowl, then set the candles around the table.
"I am Wise, I’m here because I’m having difficulties rembering—"
The root in the silver bowl as well as the candles suddenly erupted, a purple fla flickering as it cast a violet glow over the room.
The eyes of the shaman changed, transitioning from a dull grey to a vibrant magenta.
Daphne crossed her arms above her chest and carefully observed her.
As the fire burned, a pink smoke rose from the flas and drifted into Wise’s nose. Although Wise was sure he had never slled it before, it weirdly slled familiar.
It was a sweet, aromatic scent passable for perfu. But once Wise inhaled it, he noticed a slight change around him.
Everything around him seed far more vivid than a few seconds ago.
He could see every little scratch, every single imperfection, every slight motion as though he was just a few centiters away from them.
It was like being dosed with a super drug.
Beidou closed her eyes and began:
"mory loss can be caused by a variety of reasons," Shaman Beidou began, her voice that was once cracked becoming soft and smooth, like the voice of an enchantress.
"One is natural causes. Forgetfulness, stress or Al—Uhum," she fake coughed, interrupting her own rhythm. "Alcoholism... among others."
"Another reason is a curse. A curse specifically ant for you to forget, up until a particular condition is t."
"Curses are tricky but soone—" she paused and picked up her bottle, gulping down so gin.
Then she opened one eye. "Er, where did I stop?"
Wise knitted his eyebrows together in annoyance.’Is this woman being serious right now?’
On the couch behind him, Charlotte slapped her forehead in frustration, while Daphne slowly shook her head in disappointnt.
It seed even she had finally given the shaman so credit after her composed display, but now that tiny sliver of respect was gone.
"Oh yeah, I rember now. Curses are tricky, but with the right materials, most curses can be dispelled."
"And finally..." her voice beca low as she placed her hand on the glass ball.
"A seal, a spell that is leagues above a curse, and extrely difficult to break."
"White, blue and red. Each colour corresponds to all I have said."
Ring!
There was a clandestine sound, like a bell being rung over the surface of the sea, and then—
The crystal ball suddenly flared, a violent red light swirling within it.
Beidou smiled as the smoke around them turned crimson, swirling up to the sky and twisting upon itself until it ford a pattern.
Reviews
All reviews (0)