If you don’t have the time to read, Resin Jewelry is available on my Ko-Fi shop now!!! But, I’d really appreciate if you read this tale ❤
Cut from a longer tale that I did not want to have to spend forever re-editing to share (Might revisit and release at another date). Enjoy most of Act 2&3
Setting of the tale up until this point:
When you make agreements with powerful forces, you’d best honor those arrangements and not try to kick the can on compromise.
Flames still burning, barely holding onto my consciousness as she assaulted my mind, I quickly drew a circle with my foot and began to channel a grounding spell. I was terrified, more terrified than I’d been in a long time. I knew what she wanted, I knew why, and I knew just like before, I had to stand in her way. Finishing my initial incantation, the circle ignited in waves of amethyst flames, immediately the pressure in my mind intensified.
“Oh no. Not this time. You will not cage me again, you will not restrict me. You will not fight me off, run away and pretend it never happened. Not again. You will fulfil your oath.”
Her ruby flames still engulfing my body began to violently react to the purple haze rising from the ground, lashing out dispersing any trace seeking to prevent it from making any contact with me, from providing any assistance. The pain was growing unbearable, I was not sure I’d finish casting in time without help.
“Lets talk!” I pleaded “Let me find an alternative!”
The pain reached its apex and the silence made clear we were done talking. Summoning the last of the energy within me I muttered the end of my spell:
“Anger be tempered
fear be at bay,
Light keep me grounded
Face the new day”
Forming both hands in fists I released the spell with a swift punch to my left forearm, wreathing both arms in a rich purple crystalline light and freezing her assault on my body and spirit. I directed the energy I sensed returning through my palms to the circle at my feet, feeding the amethyst waves and turning the tide of the energetic battle raging at my heels.
She was stunned, no longer able to project her voice, her words now angrily pleaded in my mind
“Why do you hate me? Why do you fight me? Fight them! They are the ones hurting us. I shouldn’t have to suffer. WE shouldn’t have to suffer! THEY should suffer!”
My aura was now awash in a brilliant mix of crystalline light and amethyst flames. I knew she was powerless again, so I pleaded with her once more.
“I don’t hate you, I don’t want to fight anyone, least of all you, but I’m one witch. What can I do alone in this land, even with your gifts?” feeling no strong protest I took a moment to catch my breath before continuing “The original plan is gone, and I’m sorry I don’t have an alternative, but we can find one together, I just need your patience.”
“Patience. Patience. Patience she says… How has my patience paid off so far? How can I expect you to do anything but run away to write your spells?”
Without a word I lifted my hands, opened my fists and channeled her fury through my palms once more, producing vivid violent ruby flames, this time remaining under my control. Knowing her distrust, knowing her anger, I spoke my truth:
“I thought I removed your fangs, I realize now I only got you to agree to retract them. I vow, I’ll find a new plan and soon, lest these flames consume me evermore.”
“Not good enough. Not good enough. Soon is not good enough, we are sick of soon. We want something now.”
“Greetings ladies.” A strange new voice cut through the darkness, “I don’t mean to intrude, but you appear to be at an impasse, perhaps I could be of assistance?”
I turned and saw a curious old man seated at an extravagant desk that had somehow manifested beside us in the middle of the forest. His neatly trimmed and sharply tinted moustache belied his age, but the crow’s feet framing his mischievous eyes revealed his years. He continued
“I couldn’t help but notice the surge of chaotic magic causing such disharmony between you both, it would seem the energy is seeking a new home. I happen to specialize in a special school of magic that is perfect for capturing that wild untamed magic and shaping it into new exciting forms. Would you like an introduction?”
“What’s the catch?” Ever the skeptic, I could not trust this stranger suddenly appearing offering a solution to our problem, so I pressed him “If what you say is true, there has to be a cost. I refuse to believe a stranger would arrive and offer a panaceum expecting nothing in return.”
He let out a brief but boisterous laugh before replying “Even after all this time you haven’t learned to trust when the divine has a plan for you eh Priestess? Perhaps your friend would like to answer for you.” His hands began to glow red and her voice filled the air once more
“Want the flames to consume you evermore? Here’s the new plan you just vowed to find, if he’s up to anything he’ll be the one to suffer my wrath, if you run again…”
“Okay!” I exclaimed, at this point it was two versus one, so what choice did I really have.
“Good!” He exclaimed as the red aura faded from his hands “First things first, let her rage flow through your hands once more, once it is flowing violently enough I will show you what comes next.”
I really didn’t trust him now, but I trusted her fully and so the die had been cast. I summoned up her anger, her pain, her fear, I blended it with my own and opened my hands to let the tempest begin raging once more. The chaotic ruby flames began to crackle between my hands.
“Keep letting it build, let it reach a breaking point” he whispered “picture the tranquility you can carve out of chaos, then reach through the chaos to grasp it!”
The flames were soon raging, nearly engulfing the entirety of my arms once more. Pain was beginning to build in my mind, but instead of a pressure constricting inward, it was a pressure seeking release. An eruption was needed. An eruption was imminent.
“Now!” He cried out “Take the fires of chaos, forge your truth in the embers of creative tranquility!”
Instinctively my head dropped, my hands slammed together and it felt as if time itself was held still while I held my breath. Within my clasped hands, where before there was a raging tempest of ethereal flames, I now felt a very real object.
Opening my hands I saw a remarkable pentacle pendant and teardrop earnings made of the same shimmering pink opaque glass like material. It was unlike anything I had ever seen, a physical embodiment of chaos, a new manifestation of magic, simple, plain yet beautiful all the same.
“It’s… So shiny!”
Her soft voice echoing in my ears told me I had her approval, though I still had questions about cost, so I turned to the stranger once more but he raised a hand to stop me and spoke first.
“Wear them. They are your creations from chaos and you must wear them to appreciate their power.”
Still skeptical, I quickly threw on the earrings, sensing there was nothing magical about them, feeling no connection or pull. They were pretty without a doubt but were they really th-
“Stop your monologuing and try on the pendant already” he cried, interrupting my thoughts and causing a noticeable shift in the energy around me. Suddenly I needed to wear the pendant.
“Do you happen to have” before I could finish my thought a mirror appeared on top of his desk, I approached and gazed upon myself within. I took a deep breath, and prepared to wear the pendant.
It was a motion I’d made countless times before.
Right hand grasp, left hand pinch, tilt back my head, brush the sides of my neck, secure the clasp and release.
But this time, as the skin of my neck was brushed by my fingertips, my fingers ignited with new magic.
My hands were quickly washed in a magnificent rainbow of color, radiating from my palms, traveling up my arms. Dancing across my body and energizing my spirit. I sensed an abundant pool of light had just been unlocked, and yet within that light, chaos, tranquility. A new path had been found and it was time for another adventure.
“Chaotic Creation” he chuckled lightly, “I trust you can handle things from here.”
I closed my hands, effortlessly stopping the flow of magic yet the abundant pool remained ready to be tapped again at will. I turned to thank the man, but just as curiously as they appeared, he and his desk were gone once more.
I offered my thoughts to her instead “Does this suit you? Will this path work?”
“Keep making these treasures that sparkle and you can write all the spells you want dear one. I’ll behave… They’re so… Shinny…”
I made my way back to the village, with an exciting new adventure before me and an expansive new field of magic to explore.
I appreciate you reading through this tale, in fact, instead of the 10% code I’m putting elsewhere, for reading this tale, you deserve a bonus.
Grab 20% off on my ready made watercolors or any of my newly listed resin crafts with promocode: TheBookWasBetter Valid through December 14th! This code will be good on any newly stocked items through December 14th as well.
The truth to this story is I got turned onto resin crafts by a guy at a local craft fair in the blink of an eye and holy smokes, playing with resin, mylar flakes and glitter has been a blast.
You may (or prob not, might just be me) have a couple of questions.
- Why is this an exploration of magic if it’s just crafts
- Why do you have pictures of all sorts of finished pieces but only a few are for sale?
The answer to both, is craft fairs. I will be exploring my magic in attending craft fairs semi “in character” in an effort to expand my reach and spread light at the local level. As a mostly solitary practitioner, at a time like this, this is very much a grand new (exciting/anxious) adventure for me, but it’s one I am very much called to follow through.
I also hope to make connections with other passionate crafters to tell their tales in my own way to draw attention to their skills and wares!
If YOU are a passionate crafter (or know one) that would like to have me tell a tale like this for you, please reach out! I really love bringing stories to life for folks! (Tips/gratitude and properly attributing work is all I ask, no set price, commission listings are available on Ko-Fi if you prefer that route.)
If you are interested in a specific piece, if you’d like me to make you something (Like a tarot card earring or pendant) reach out! For now I aim to price these mostly just at cost of materials and a little for time with the option for paying more, if you want a quote for something reach out!
#KofiShopChallenge
(I mean I didn’t do the tale solely because of this challenge, but it was nice extra motivation to get it and my shop running in November, so gonna leave that hashtag here forever)
Z's Grimoire 