Tamsin Swiftwing's Arc

Chapter 8 of 10

Tamsin pushed open the door to the training hall and stepped inside. Morning light filtered through high windows, casting shadows across the wooden floor. The crystal dummy stood in the center of the room, waiting. She had rested enough. She had studied her maps and thought about the dead pixie at the altar. Now it was time to prove she could do better. She walked to the dummy and pressed her palm against the first crystal. It glowed green, then blue, then green again. Her magic was stronger than before. She moved to the next crystal and focused harder. The light stayed green this time, bright and steady. A smile crossed her face as she tested the third crystal, then the fourth. Each one responded to her touch, confirming what she already felt inside. The training had worked. The rest had worked. She was ready to go back to the ruins and find the mirth spell her grandpixie had written about. She stepped away from the dummy and looked at her reflection in one of the crystals. The pixie staring back looked different now—confident, prepared, and strong enough to face whatever waited in those forgotten places. She left the training hall and flew toward the edge of Mirthwood Meadows where the ruins began. The forest grew darker here, and the air felt heavy. After an hour of searching through thick brush, she found what she needed. A barrier of dark stone blocks rose from the earth, stacked tight and sealed with an iron gate. Forest vines had grown through the gaps between stones. A bluish-green glow pulsed from somewhere deep inside. This was perfect—exactly like the sealed entrance her grandpixie had described in the letter. She placed both hands on the cold iron and pushed. Nothing moved. She tried again, channeling her magic into her arms. The gate groaned but held firm. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she pushed harder. The vines began to glow brighter, responding to her magic. The gate shifted an inch, then another. With one final push, it swung open. Tamsin stepped back, breathing hard but grinning. She had done it. When she reached the real entrance to the ruins, she would know exactly how to get inside. The mirth spell was closer now than it had ever been. Back home, she pulled a weatherproof chest from her storage shelf and set it on her table. The brass hinges gleamed as she opened the lid. Inside lay her map of the ruins, a length of rope, and three empty vials for collecting samples. She added a small knife and wrapped bandages from her healing kit. Everything fit perfectly under the waxed canvas cover. She closed the chest and carried it to her door, ready for the next trip. Tomorrow she would enter the real ruins, not just practice barriers. She had trained her magic. She had learned to open sealed gates. Now she had all her gear protected and organized. The dead pixie at the altar had rushed in unprepared, but Tamsin would not make that mistake. She touched the chest's smooth surface and felt certainty settle in her bones. The mirth spell was waiting, and she was finally ready to claim it. Outside her birdhouse, she stopped at the stone basin she had placed among the ferns. Clear water flowed from carved stones into the moss-covered bowl. She dipped her hands into the cold spring and felt the magic residue from training wash away. Her fingers tingled as fresh energy replaced the drained feeling in her muscles. She splashed water on her face and neck, letting it drip down onto the grass. The basin had been a smart addition to her preparation routine. After each training session, she could restore her focus here before planning the next step. She dried her hands on her dress and looked toward the dark forest where the ruins waited. Everything was in place now. Her magic was strong. Her equipment was ready. Her mind was clear and focused. Tomorrow she would walk through those sealed doors and search every chamber until she found what her grandpixie had hidden. The mirth spell would be hers, and all the training and fear and careful planning would finally mean something real.