The City Warped by Tungsten Smoke

The city outside was covered in a thick coating of tungsten ash. From the moment Edelweiss was born, she could remember the burning sensation in her lungs as she breathed. Even a minute in the thick smog caused her to cough uncontrollably. Everyone did, but tungsten was a critical component of Spellcaster's Dust. So, mines dug further as the air turned greyer. She hustled through the meandering alleyways, deftly avoiding the black pits of stagnant water. "Let's see, last week, Lowlands Pier was north of Dyer Marsh, but I'd better check again." She shuffled past a pile of soiled handkerchiefs and across the uneven cobblestones to a tall rusted soot filter. A yellowing map lay plastered on its side. "Updated two days ago, perfect." It was only common sense to make sure the city hadn't moved. A phenomenon that regularly occurred due to the magical corruption of a spell reaching its half-life. Sure enough, the pier was now to the west of Dyer Marsh instead of north. She took off running.

Lowland's pier, like the rest of the warped city, was filthy. Mounds of wet soot weighed on rotten wooden boards. Cancer bugs crawled in and out of the piles, feeding on traces of tungsten. She coughed and called out to a stout man in tall rubber boots, "Scuse me sir, I'd like a pair of geta." "That'll be three foils." The man coughed and spat to the side. "Damned smog." She rummaged through the pockets of her thin apron dress and produced a crumpled wad of money. He hobbled away and returned with a pair of twelve-inch ippon geta. "Best get those on ya quickly. A man the other day lost his foot to the bugs." She shuddered. Bites from the cancer bugs weren't especially dangerous, but 3 out of every 10 did cause some kind of cancer. Something about heavy metal and improper DNA replication, but she wasn't exactly sure. Precariously, she stilted across the compromised boards and checked her locket. "Grotesquely misshapen." Words her first rudimentary teacher, Cupressus Leylandii, stood at the front of the class and proclaimed. "In all twenty-five years of my observations of student's magic shaping their source lockets, have I ever seen such a grotesquely misshapen one." The once perfect sphere was warped beyond recognition, as was the watch inside. Nonetheless, Edelweiss could still make out the time. "Ten minutes past dusk." she groaned. "That means he's been waiting for over 20 minutes."

"I believe Veritas Lavendulam told you the proper time, did she not my lady?" Called a cloaked figure beside a copper stand. Did he just call me a lady? "I'm terribly sorry sir." She bowed. I hope this sounds polite enough. I don't know how to address one of the sovereign six. "Please, call me Azel." she gasped. "Sir, I could never-" "I implore you." He cut her off. "Your house is of high rank as well, is it not? Leontopodium Nivale is one of the high ten, only a hairbreadth away from ours. Now, as I'm sure you've been briefed already, we really must on our way." "I'm sorry sir-Azel, where are we going again?" "To the ashen forest." A shiver ran down her spine. "That forest is cursed." "Yes, by the witch, we have been dispatched to decommission."

"How" she sputtered. Azel reached under his velvet cloak and pulled out a dangerously curved blade. "It has been enchanted with Moroides." She took a step back. House Moroides were famed assassins. For any blade they worked, stood no hope of reprieve. "Though I was assured Veritas briefed you, it appears not as thoroughly as I expected." She hung her head. In truth, most of what Veritas explained went over her head. The only thing she truly understood was her orders to meet a man in Lowlands Pier. "I will go into more detail to ensure we are of the same mind" He stepped over a fallen log. "Come, we must make haste. I will explain on the way." She struggled out of her geta and jogged to catch up. His form was already disappearing in the tungsten haze.

"The twisted forest surrounds the remnants of the original royal castle, Rosen Castle. As the castle fell to disrepair, so too did the surrounding forest." He paused to make sure Edelweiss could hear. "That was when the witch appeared. Her magic was unlike any other. She is Evil. I don't know how else to describe it. And like all evil, she has unfathomable power. She taunts, and toys, and takes." Great, so I've been sent to die. As if perceiving her thought, he smiled. "Worry not, I'm a Medicus and have combat training." She blushed. He's so pretty and kind! Though his heavily embroidered cloak shrouded his face, she knew he had golden hair and vivid green eyes. Suddenly, she was aware of her appearance. An old hogweed cloak and worn wooden shoes. What right do I have to even blush? She looked down, praying he couldn't see the blood rushing to her face under all the layers of tungsten soot. "Our charge," He continued, snapping her back to reality. "Is to right the course of history. If we are successful, we shall both be raised to rank Rose." She stared at him, mouth agape. "We'll be made royalty?" All those years of scrubbing floors and enduring beatings would end. No more late nights in the cook room and early mornings sweeping soot. "Verily." He nodded, then stopped. "We have arrived." Twisted black trees loomed ominously overhead. What little light made it through the tungsten smog was all but blocked out. "Come, let us face our destiny."

No sooner had they entered the forest did a voice sound out. "Turn back. There is nothing for you here but death and heartbreak." The voice was distorted, low and husky, and full of menace. A twisted-looking woman stepped from behind a dead oak. Her grey hair fell in dirty strips around her wrinkled face. Her bloodshot eyes stared into the depths of Edelweiss's, pinning her in place. "I'll let you live," She pointed a gnarled finger at Edelweiss. "If you leave now." "Die witch!" Azel flung his cloak aside and rushed the witch, but she was faster. A fist crashed into his cheekbone. She raised her fist again and Azel twisted to evade the blow. But it was too late. His jaw crashed together with a solid sound that spoke of structural damage. She grabbed a handful of golden curls and slammed his back against a dead oak, his mouth falling open as air punched out of his lungs. Edelweiss screamed. "Killing him would mean nothing to me. Last chance, leave." "I can't." She pleaded. "I'll be freed if I defeat you."

"Tsk." Suddenly, Edelweiss struggled to pull in oxygen as her windpipe was slowly crushed against the ground. She's choking me. She kicked out, connecting her foot with the witch's side. The witch fell backward, and Edelweiss scrambled up only to be punched back into the dirt. The backlash of pain almost led to a blackout. "This is for your own good." Blow after blow rained down on the girl's slender frame. Is this how I die? She thought to herself. Depends, a voice called from somewhere in her mind. Do you want to live? I don't wanna die. Then cast a spell. I don't know any. White spots burned in her vision; she was losing consciousness. The witch began crushing her windpipe. Hogwash, your locket's a heart, that's the stuff legends, the heart of a nation, lifeline magic. Sing, anything at all, SING!

Edelweiss opened her mouth and tried to draw in a breath. "You won't be freed, you know," The witch croaked. Edelweiss hissed out a breath. "This is the merciful option for you." She forced enough air through her crushed windpipe to form a single note. "eeeeee," I knew it. The voice echoed in her head. It seemed louder, more potent. You're a lifeline, a master of melodies. I'll do the rest from here. Her body vibrated with unknown power as her mouth moved in a language she didn't understand.

The witch fell back, her form beginning to shrivel. She locked eyes with Edelweiss. "So it repeats," she croaked. Then, she disappeared. Edelweiss scanned the forest. "Honeysuckles and horseradish Azel is still on the ground!" She rushed to his side and sighed in relief. "He's still breathing-" She cried out. The hilt of the enchanted blade lay buried in her stomach. "Why?" "Why?" Azel sneered. "Did you really think you would be allowed to return alive with your filthy mongrel magic?" She blinked. "But you said-" She fell. The enchantment was strong; thousands of needles were radiating up her back. "You think I don't know that you're a bastard child?" "Please," she whispered. "House Edelweiss is known for its tight silver spirals and teakwood skin, yet your hair is as dark and lifeless as the fetid waters of Rosen castle." "Stop," she whispered. "By Imperial order of her Royal Rose highness majesty Rosa Damascena Amnis I shall end you here. But fear not, your magic shall become a source for all the empire." He yanked the blade from her stomach, sending ripples of pain through her weakened body. "Farewell, you cur." no, no, no, NO!

Somewhere in her consciousness, Edelweiss was aware that her body was screaming. She scrambled in her mind for a way out. And then she heard it, his heartbeat. It sounded almost like a song. I'm a master of melodies; does that mean I can change them at will? She touched the second and third notes. "Begone." Azel staggered to the side and fell. He was dead. Edelweiss had only a moment to marvel at the scope of her powers before she felt her back involuntarily arch.

"What's happening?" she cried aloud. You killed someone, didn't you? the voice echoed. "Yes, but why would arghhhhhh!" Killing corrupts magic. No one may hold power over life and death. The rebound of such a spell is too great. She fell to the ground and trembled. Her limbs felt twisted and hard like dried leather. Her stab wound closed and began to cave in on itself. Her hair fell out in chunks. Then, as abruptly as it started, it ended. The pain was gone. Edelweiss sat up and hobbled to the bank of a blackened river. Cautiously, she peeked over the side and fell back with a startled cry. "I look like a witch!" Yessss the voice mused; you are the witch. "No! I'm not evil." Your magic no longer has boundaries. Such things always skew astray. "No!" she cried out but knew the voice spoke the truth. She could feel the energy darken and surge at her fingertips.

"I'll go back, stop myself from ever becoming this." How will you do that? She closed her eyes and searched for a melody. There! She found the song of her own heartbeat, the tune of pure, uncorrupted magic, and reached out. Suddenly she was falling. She landed hard and hissed out a breath. "Did I do it?" A sound echoed in the distance, and she hid behind a tree. There I am! I have to stop myself, or I'll become a witch! She paused. Azel will kill me. Maybe I'd be better off if I just died after all. A bitter laugh. How could I be stupid enough to fall for something that ridiculous, a bastard like me becoming royalty? And my magic is a lifeline? She grasped the heart locket and felt her eyes redden with tears. If she doesn't leave, I'll kill her. My magic is corrupted now anyway. Better now than at the hands of the empire. Yes. She resolved herself and stepped from behind the tree. "Turn back," she croaked, the damage from being choked apparent. "There is nothing for you here but death and heartbreak."