142 Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Two– This isn’t a Temple... (1/2)

Hazé stepped off the Energized Pattern, turned around and waited.

Scut and Verd looked at her for a moment, then their eyes crossed, they stumbled and fell down, and began to heave out their guts.

First time teleports were a thing. Subtle changes in air pressure, magnetic fields, light, elevation, visual and auditory displacement... yes, the nausea was something impressive when you slid across dimensions to a new point in space-time.

It took both of them a few minutes to get their bearings, and Hazé just waved her hand and cleaned up the mess they left behind.

”Lesson one, it takes time to get used to moving through dimensions,” Hazé smiled, as both of them glared at her despite themselves. ”Lesson two, appearances are deceptive!”

She lifted her hands, and her morphed appearance shattered into motes of light and ectoplasm.

She smiled at their stunned faces, in her 'Mama  Hazé' poofy white shirt, and bouncy skirt that did not look at all like a Sylunar Priestess. ”Come along, Mama will have something cooking for us.” She reached out and took their hands, leading them down the path, the ball of light above her still shining down to illuminate their way.

Too stunned to resist, they let themselves be drawn in.

”I am a Priestess of Sylune, and a very strong one, but I don't work out of a temple,” she informed them calmly, and her aura swelled for just a moment before fading away. The mounting resistance to her fell meekly back. ”So, this will be much more personal then some big temple, which is good for both of you.”

---

Hazé brought them inside through the back door, where the smell of chicken stew was flowing through the air, and immediately made Scut's very empty stomach rumble.

”Mama, I'm back!” she called out, leading them to the dining table. Scut was awkward as he fit himself into a chair, looking around in disbelief at the warm, comfortable settings.

”Dinner's coming right up!” Mama called back cheerfully, and in a moment, she shuffled in, not looking like anything more then comfortable, her glasses up on her head, and unfocused eyes apparent to both of the new comers.

”This is Mama Greta,” Hazé introduced her. ”You will call her Mama. This is her house. I am Hazé, you may call me Hazé or Big Sister, as you like.” Hazé took the bowls as Mama set down the crocker of stew, and began to fill the bowls and pass them out, giving them to Mama first. ”Mama is my first apprentice, if you must know.” Both children blinked at her, then back at Hazé, and Mama only smiled widely. ”Now, eat up, and we can get to your questions tomorrow. Scut, you will be taking a very long bath tonight, as I'm sure you understand.” His face fell, but he said nothing, since he was in the middle of shoveling more stew into his mouth. ”Verd, there will be things to talk about tomorrow, and the other reason I took you on.”

Verd just nodded slowly, savoring the stew. It was definitely the best she had ever eaten in her life. She hadn't thought her mother was a bad cook, but this was just incredible. She really, really wanted to be able to cook like this.

They were both amazed to get their own rooms, small as they were. Scut was sent off with Mama for his bath, and his caterwauling soon rose as the scrubbing commenced. Hazé waved away the miasma he'd left behind, helped Verd get settled with a cheerful smile, and with a little bit of magic, sent them both off to sleep, Scut's face scoured red and looking sorely put upon before he was buried in blankets and snoring away.

----

”My teeth!” Scut stared at the face in the mirror, looking almost alien, with it being free of grit and grime. He peeled his lips back, finding that all his teeth were straight, his gums healthy... and the three that had been knocked off had been put back sometime in the night. He looked at Verd's wide eyes in the mirror, gleaming with appreciation, and knew he'd made a really, really good decision to come here.

Breakfast was ham, eggs, toast, and cheese, and some fruity drink the two newcomers could not get enough of. When it was done, Hazé brought the two of them into the sitting room, set them down, and looked at the both of them for a long moment.

They fidgeted. Those green eyes were far too deep to be comfortable.

”There are two reasons I brought you here, Verd. One is that you have a great talent for witchcraft, and Sylune would be an ideal sponsor for you. I certainly do not wish you to be turned over to the Crone.” Verd blinked and shivered despite herself. ”The other is that tonight is the first night of the full moon. It is the second reason I brought you along, Scut. Verd is going to need you.”

”Me?” he blinked, startled. ”What would Verd need me for?”

”She needs you to hold her hand as she undergoes the Ritual of the Silver Queen.”

They both looked at one another. This sounded very important. ”What is this Ritual for?” Verd asked, unable to hide her nervousness, and excitement. Would she get to talk to the goddess?

”It destroys the Curse of the Hag on a hagchild, freeing her from being damned to turn into a Hag.”

It took a moment for that to sink in, and then both their eyes got very, very wide. ”Wh-what are you saying?” Verd's voice got very shrill. She started to jump up, and an invisible pressure forced her right back down.

”Do you know what a Void Brother is?” Hazé asked calmly. She snapped her fingers, and Verd felt her nose get tweaked hard. Distracted, her whirling thoughts focused again. ”Void Brother.” Hazé glanced at Scut, who had a look of awe on his face. ”I am going to introduce Scut to one of them. He will know a place where your gifts can best be tempered.”

Scut swallowed despite himself. He was going to be introduced to one of the most renowned killers in the lands of men...