A Mystery Deep Below Part 9

Lar switched her chanting, and now we followed it after the killing had happened. Everything went from being shown in reverse to going forward. Hurrying in pursuit of the creature’s silhouette, we zipped through our small town. No one questioned what we were doing. Everyone could see what we saw. They gasped at the form dodging from cover to cover. There didn’t seem to be any one direction that the creature picked. For a short while, he went forward, and then he went back. I didn’t dare interrupt Lar’s chanting, however, to ask. We just kept following wherever it led. 

 

A long time passed before we were staying on one path. It ducked into a storage room and stayed there. Lar wasn’t sure if we should enter but I went in anyway so she had no choice but to come with me. By the time we went in, the abomination was exiting yet again.

 

Lar stopped chanting, and all his forward motion stopped. We circled him yet again. Lar scratched her chin. “Do you notice something different?”

 

I stepped closer even though his mist form was repulsive. I gasped when it finally hit me. “His stick is gone!”

 

“Yes. The stick is gone. But where in that storage area did he place it? If we can find it, we can restore the youngling.”

 

“Do you think that is where her soul is kept? In that stick?”

 

“Yes, I do.” Lar didn’t continue her spell. Instead, she entered the storage building. We went over to where he had been to look around. She hovered her hand above the area he had occupied with her eyes closed. “Why didn’t I feel it before?” Lar reached into a large square container holding a recent crop of moss. When her hand came out, she held the stick. It glowed ever so gently in a pale blue.

 

Lar thrust it into my hands. “Here, child. Quickly. Go back to the youngling. This must stay by her body until I arrive. I must gather more ingredients.”

 

I ran as hard as I ever had until I came to my home. Not even stopping to see if anyone was behind the entrance curtain, I pushed through just as quickly. The only time I stopped was when I stood before the small, delicate body. Tears ran down my face. “I have you, dear one. I have you.”

 

I stood there crying, waiting for Lar-Naneth to come. How long could the soul be out of the body without harm? Now that we had her, I was impatient to bring her back. I began to pace but never far from her body.

 

Lar burst through into the room. Her arms were full of containers and other items. She threw them to the ground. Sitting down with them, she started pouring things into a larger bowl. It didn’t seem to have any rhyme or reason. Lar would just grab something, not even look at it and then dump it in.

 

I began to bring out my notes, but Lars shook her head where she sat. “No time. Just stand as close as you can to her.”

 

When she was finished adding ingredients, Lar splashed her hands into the bowl as well, mixing everything together. It quickly became a paste like substance. As soon as the contents became a bright glowing purple, she stood again.

 

“Take the sheet off of her and remove as much clothing as you can while keeping her modest.”

 

I did as she instructed while Lar spread the paste all over any exposed skin. When it made contact, it glowed even brighter. The stick in my hand began to pulse as well. Lar reached out a goop covered hand towards me. “Here here. Give me the stick.” I eagerly handed it over.

 

Words flew out of Lar’s mouth. These were not in our language at all. I couldn’t even understand any of what she was saying, but both the paste and the stick brightened. A loud, sharp whining sound pierced my ears. It grew and grew, causing pain in my head. Just when I thought I couldn’t take anymore, the stick ruptured.

 

The blue light spread. As it did, it moved towards the youngling. The paste changed to the same blue when the light was hovering just above her chest. It was almost as if the light and paste started to reach out to each other. When they made contact, all of it, paste and light, sank into her body.

 

The youngling gasped for air. In an instant, Madam was there in the room with us crying and holding her. I ran to the young one and held her as well. The precious child was alive again. I dared a glance over to Lar. She held her head high, but there was no relief in her eyes.

 

I let go and walked over to Lar. “What is it? What is wrong? Are you not happy she is back? You did it.”

 

Lar nodded. “Yes, dear. I am happy she is back. But this is not over. This was a test from the creature. He will be back to kill again.”

 

Shock was clear on my face. “Do you really think he will?”

 

“Oh yes. He will, but we will be ready.”