The Confrontation

Eecho Rotaru looks out from the decaying castle over the forest. "Mother Goddess of the earth we walk on, what has happened? My body is exhausted from a night of wrestling, facing the witch and her Baba Yaga goddess." Eecho releases an exhausted sigh, looks on his dirty clothing and descends the stairs to the scribery table to journal what has just happened lest he fall asleep and lose some of these memories.

Eecho begins to write:
Upon receiving the witch's curse, I felt my body age, shrink, and be filled with the pains of the elderly. My mind turned against me, memories lost. My tongue rambled on about nothing. I knew I must find a way free of this curse, before it took the rest of me and I lie in the earth's deep embrace.

I immediately dispatched certain loyal fae to find where the woman was staying. Thankfully after a day spent searching, they located an old rotting shack where she was residing. Upon hearing the news, I gathered some herbs and stones, creating a small charm bag to protect me from any spells against my mind. I asked one of our healers for a treatment, that I may regain at least a small portion of vigor, as I suspected this encounter may end badly-for her or me I did not know. The elf Lexie, herself not wholly unfamiliar with dark arts spoke to me of various things she may try, and ways she might keep my youth bound, so I knew what to look for. With a prayer and a bit of sorrow, I departed to her shack, not knowing if I would return.

I arrived as she was stoking an outdoor fire of some meat. She laughed at my state and made a mockery of my appearance, but this time I would not allow her in my mind, though I felt her try to push in. "I have come to honor my part of our deal." I spoke to her with enough venom to kill a lesser race. She smiled as if she were expecting this and invited me in. As soon as I entered her residence, a coldness filled the room hiding the smell of rot and decay, probably the product of one of her nefarious spells. "So", she cackled, "You have come to give me a place in your court?" I replied, "If it is your wish, I will have a place for you in our clan, provided you release me from this spell." She went to gather her ingredients and that was when I saw it in her cabinet. The hourglass, Lexie had spoken of. She had told me that many witches use it to hold a persons youth, or to twist their age.

I ran at the witch and grabbed the hourglass hitting her on the head with it. She reared up and called upon her dark goddess Baba Yaga. The shadows in the room began to swirl around me. I heard the sound of laughter, screams, and cries all at once. She tugged at the hourglass, but I held fast, though I could feel my strength fading. She changed her tactic and instead of pulling, she pushed me backwards. I fell feeling my hip break upon the fall.

She immediately cast a circle round about my old shriveled body. My heart was pounding and I thought that perhaps she would have me die within its bounds. I dug my hands into the soil of Aryador taking in its rich smell not knowing if this would be my body's last sensation. Then I saw it. The small hourglass we both had dropped, had fallen within the circle. I grabbed it and busted it with the butt of my dagger, the sands whipping around wildly. Then I felt it...my body restoring to my young upright body, healing all the pains and breaks that racked it. Flooded with energy, I invoked the elements. I chanted the words to draw the winds and the rain and it howled and beat upon the house. I called up vines to bind her, quickly they gagged her mouth and held her firm. I fled home and quickly asked my advisor to dispatch those who are trained in such things, to "take care" of the situation. So I must sleep now. The worst is over I hope. I have my youthful body back, and full control of my mind and body.