Chapter Four: In Which the Foreboding Continues

The next day dawned with a smiling sun, but Apkallus's letter still weighed heavily on our minds. After Sundara left for school, Arwen began a workout in the kitchen, hoping to become prepared to fight at any moment. This correspondence would probably be the last from any of our kind for a long time and that meant our challenge was of even more importance. There would be none else to guide us.

 After her morning exercise, Arwen traveled to the alchemy shop in town to build her own skill and later that of her supernatural offspring. There she found a new sator, and in no time he was under her spell. She brought him back home where they had a bit of fun, hopefully bringing us farther along on our journey. Sundara brought a friend home from school and they had a snack before starting their homework. Neither Sundara nor Cordelia have yet shown signs of jinn abilities, though Arwen must only pass down the gene for her children to count towards the ultimate one hundred. Even her non-magical must be able to defend themselves against the dark forces of the Scorpions.

 While Arwen waited to confirm whether or not she was with child, she decided to put him to good use. All he would do was to lie around in bed and think about leaving. I think not! Soon he was digging through trash for valuables, tending to the garden, and feeding our new additions -- a turtle and a snake.

Don't think you're getting away that
easily, Bub. We have work for you!

On the left is our Spotted Turtle named Mike, and on the right is our
Yellow Chondro Python named Samandriel.

I've done worse for a lesser cause.

Yes, well, moving on. With all the funds from all of the books Arwen  has published we were able to add a whole story to the house. Now there is a space for the teaching of the children, for their skills and their entertainment. As soon as Arwen discovered she was pregant she itched to see this man go; he'd been hanging around too long. Betty refused to eat him. Every time he was almost done for she'd spit him back up in disgust. After hours of repeated ensorcellment, the man finally succumbed to the power of the magic beans. All that remained was a pile of ashes on the bathroom floor. Pity.

At least he didn't burn down anything.

 Except himself, I suppose. Too bad Grimmy doesn't do a cleanup job.

As her baby bump grew, Arwen taught Cordelia her toddler skills, painted, continued her work on another novel, and tended to the flourishing garden. Suddenly it was Sundara's birthday. Arwen's firstborn was growing up. He became a great kisser and finally began his martial arts training in accordance to our task.

Only a few days before she is due, a specter visits the household. It is the ghost of Nawwaf Zayat, Sundara's father. At first he seems content to see his son, who has just been painting on the front porch, but when he sees Arwen his eyes flash an ominous shade of red. Her arms wrapped around herself protectively, Arwen walks up to Nawwaf and asks why he has returned.

"What in Hassan's name are you doing here?" she whispers fiercely. Sundara knows nothing of our task or that this man is his sator. She had planned on telling him tonight, since he had only now become a teenager so that he may begin his training.

"As angry as I may feel towards you for what you have done, I will do nothing to harm my son. I have come to offer you a warning. Dark creatures of the Netherworld are gathering forces. They mean to wipe out all tribes of the Order of Light -- meaning any being with a will of goodness. Every species has their evil, even the fairies, and an attack has already been made on Lord Fereydoun and his advisers; this I have guessed you are already aware of."

"Yes," she replied, "but I don't understand. Are these creatures all Scorpions? And there is no way I can help. I must complete my task and it has only just begun. Should I stop and return to what people of mine are left?"

 "No! The Scorpions are only a leading evil for one even greater.Your journey is of the utmost importance. We must strengthen our numbers in any way possible, the more magical the better, though training can mean more than blood. I am here not just to give you this warning of danger, but also to show you the path to assistance. You are a fortune teller, no? You must be able to see beyond the veil even farther than your own kind. The spiritual guide is the key."

"Please, Nawwaf, what do you mean? Do you speak of... Galadriel? None were to even know of her existence."

"Then the matter is even more dire than I feared," he responded. "You must leave this place; there are most likely spies in this town as we speak. If they knew where you lived you would already be dead so great is their power.Do not tell me where you go. Only protect the little ones and trust no one."

And with that he vanished. All of these warnings and we have hardly begun. My time to return is approaching faster than I'd thought. 

"Arwen." I say.

Yes.

"There is hardly any time left, but we cannot leave this place just yet. Little Cordelia has only just learned to walk and you are due any day. We must wait, and while we wait we will prepare. Once the babe has left to go on its own, we will be ready to flee, but remember, our challenge will not end. We will just have to continue while we run. I have a plan, or at least the formings of one."

Galadriel, I have lived over nine centuries but I am scared. I have something to live for now, many somethings. Tell me what to do and I will do it. We must prepare, but not just to hide, but also to fight. 

"Precisely, and you will need me to do it. I may be close to useless now, but I know a way. A way for me to truly return after all these millennium, for us to work as sisters. First things first, you need to master the ways of alchemy, then, we're going to Egypt."

Egypt!!! (She shrieks)

Yes, well, you've been there plenty of times before. No need to freak out.

No... Galadriel... the baby is coming!

 Oh! Well you might have said something. I'll be right here. I hope it's a girl. You know the male gender is just simply repulsive. Did you know that...

SHUT UP! shutupshutupshutup Leave me be, or at least be quiet.

Fine. 

 And thus was born tiny Kartik.

And as soon as he is grown we will continue our challenge in a new place, far from the eyes of the Netherworld's evil. Arwen must develop her skills; grow in alchemy, fitness, logic, and mastery of her jinn magic for us to survive.

Kartik is born and Cordelia has become a child. Arwen has begun her mastery over the old arts and soon everything will change.

She will be a beautiful lady, I am sure of it.

I hope this ends well, Galadriel, for all of our sakes.

As do I.