There were a tense few minutes where Cira could only stare at the young greater spirit girl who somehow possessed the elements of earth and water. I… can’t just leave her hanging.

  “Don’t worry, little one.” a smile crept onto her face as she gave the girl a pat on the head, “I want you to live as well. Now come on.”

  Cira didn’t know what to do about this. In fact, she was struggling to process it. Starting to panic. But her feet on dry ground and possibly sitting down might help.

  I did not give birth, no… However…

  Did I not create life? Does that make me a mother, or… Dad never created life, but he was still my dad. Just what are the criteria?

  Whatever do I do?

  Cira led her by the hand toward the lake’s shore and the girl skipped along behind her on the surface of the water.

  “Mama, what do I do?” She asked innocently.

  “Uh…” She expects me to know?! Cira was venturing further out of her depth by the second. “I’m not sure…”

  “Watch this!” Lazulei turned into mud and melded into the island beneath her feet, only to pop out behind Cira a few seconds later, “Aha!”

  And she splattered Cira’s robe with a sneak attack.

  “Lazulei…” Cira washed it away easily enough, “Could you please calm down for a moment. I’m trying to think…”

  Okay… What do I do?

  Would I be any better than Bin Bon’s parents if I simply abandoned this spirit? She’s hardly three minutes old. My dad would know what to do, but… I need advice. Io will just yell at me though. Maybe… Hey that Quartz Witch is old, right? She might know what to do.

  “Alright, Lazulei. We’re going to go see my friends.” There’s no need to complicate things by telling her that we’re not really friends, so it will work for now.

  “Kay, Mama!” She flashed a literally radiant smile that melted Cira’s heart.

  Guh, what have I done?!

  Cira thought she would freak out if they flew over or turned into lightning, so she took the liberty of expanding one of the newly revitalized rivers toward the Witches, then took a seat on the waves, burying her face in her hands.

  Dad, what have I done? I can’t take care of an infant greater spirit! I didn’t even know those existed!

  It didn’t feel like a copy for some reason. That’s what Undina made it seem like when Ella came to be, but Cira didn’t feel like the main body at all. That said, it was clear this girl was derived of her aethereal form. If she wanted to absorb it, it would still be like devouring a spirit rather than reabsorbing a piece of her soul.

  The main body was not Cira, but the island. Cira merely used a piece of herself to give it life.

  It was a short hike, and Cira did her best to entertain the girl’s obtuse comments and repeated questioning of where they were headed or how far away it was. Fortunately, she didn’t pay any mind to the current picking up, so Cira was able to deliver herself to the witches in short order.

  “Witches.” She spoke, splashing up onto land and startling everyone present. “Congratulations. The island is saved, but there has been a certain development for which I require advice.”

  ___

  She said she needed advice, but a fledgling witch like me couldn’t offer it. Despite their butting heads earlier, The Hidden Witch was looking directly at Madam Quartz, whose eyes were glued on the mysteriously glowing creature in the shape of a human child by the Hidden Witch’s side.

  “Advice…?” She finally got a word out, “On what…?”

  Her apprentice stood behind her with equal fear and curiosity.

  “You see…” Despite all she has accomplished, the Hidden Witch looked genuinely troubled, and there was this mysterious translucent young girl to consider. “This island cough cough may or may not… be my daughter? Go on, um… Introduce yourself.”

  “Hello!” The girl’s bright amber eyes narrowed in joy as she waved both her hands at us. “Are you Mama’s friends?”

  She scanned over the three of us witches and her eyes landed on me. The Hidden Witch insinuated much with a few nervous nods.

  “Uhh, yes of course!” I didn’t think my smile was very convincing, but the girl didn’t seem to pick up on my nerves. “You can call me… Mudrock. And what’s your name.”

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  “Mama said my name is Lazulei.” Her cheeks bunched up, “Mudrock is a funny name.”

  “Er, Madam Witch…” I was surprised to see Madam Quartz address the Hidden Witch in that way, “What is it you need help with?”

  “Well, I wasn’t really expecting to become a mother today.” A chair of hard stone conjured beneath her as she sat down, seeming to slump into the arm in defeat. “I admit, I am at a loss of what to do.”

  “I see…” I could tell by Madam Quartz’ tone that she did not see. “In my long life… I have never bore children, nor am I well-versed in… spirits? I wish I could be of more help…”

  I could tell this revelation was crushing to the Hidden Witch for some reason. She looked as anxious as I was when the sky was falling.

  “Madam Witch.” I called out, “Can’t you call on your uncle? He should have some wisdom… right?”

  Quartz’ ears perked up when I mentioned her uncle, but the Hidden Witch just cradled her head in her hands.

  “He won’t have anything good to say!” Despite her obviously ancient origin, this witch seemed no older than me in this moment. I wondered if anyone she helped on Fount Salt ever got to see such a candid side of her. I admit, she did not seem pregnant this morning, nor were there two skeletons when she burned away. If I were in her shoes, I would also be in a tizzy.

  “Well, isn’t there anyone else?” I was actually curious. Would she call on the Saint, “Do you also… have an aunt?”

  “No…” She looked at me, gears turning in her head, “But Lazulei might!”

  With a gasp, light returned to her eyes. I was glad to be of help, but I was far from up to speed.

  “Undina!” I tried to cover my ears as she shouted, but it did nothing. Her voice seemed to rattle the storm, “I know you can hear me! Come on, I need your help! Get over here!”

  There were a few moments of silence as the Hidden Witch’s expression faltered, and I watched the young girl Lazulei tug on her sleeve.

  “Hey Mama, Who’s that?” I was glad there was someone just as oblivious as me but comparing myself to a newborn child didn’t feel great.

  As if responding to the Hidden Witch’s call, the black sea beneath us started to ripple.

  “What is it?” The sky-shattering voice did not seem enthused, “I thought you left.”

  “Gah, you can hear it in my voice can’t you?!” Her frantic cries reverberated deep in my heart, “I wouldn’t call you if I could avoid it!”

  “Wow… Normally people don’t say that part aloud.” The ominous woman’s voice sounded almost hurt, but not surprised, “Fine then, but only because I can tell it’s important. It wouldn’t hurt you to check up every now and again, you know.”

  “What’s it been, two weeks—” The Hidden Witch was cut off as thunder groaned. Wisps of dark mist started raising from the sea below and began to form a roiling storm above our heads after we just worked so hard to quell the last one. The pressure in the sky only worsened as the thunder got more frequent and gusts of wind threatened to rip my cheap robes off.

  Clouds burst beneath as the sky was blanketed in a deep cerulean light, far beyond what even the Hidden Witch conjured. A heavy rain fell on the island as the clouds above broke, and mana sunk into the earth with every drop before I felt a heavy presence coalescing unlike any I had ever stood before aside from maybe her Uncle Io.

  The black clouds were painted blue as something manifested on the wind. Longer than an island was wide, this snaking creature floated through sky in a shimmering grandeur that took my breath away.

  Is that… a dragon? I’ve always wanted to see one—

  My wonder turned to horror as it turned directly toward us and sped up. Madam Quartz and us rookies each stumbled back, shielding ourselves in futility as it came crashing into the island. Our knees were weak from the pressure, and suddenly all I could see through my eyelids was rich cerulean.

  “You’ve really done it this time, haven’t you?” A charming giggle of the same tone but far less imposing than before rung out. “Come here, dear. Let me get a good look at you—”

  “Mama, she’s scary!” I looked back as my eyes adjusted and the little girl was hiding behind Cira for protection. Facing them both was a woman a little more opaque but scarily reminiscent of Lazulei. Her hair-like tentacles flowed down past her chest and her skin was a pleasant tone of pale blue. “That’s not Undina is it?”

  “My, how sharp you are.” The new woman didn’t seem to be upset at the reaction, “Undina is my main body, but she could tell your Mama here needed more help than she had the time or energy to offer.”

  An unfaltering smile landed on the Hidden Witch, gaze narrowed in suspicion, “So… do I need to give you a name too—”

  “No!” The blue woman cried, “Absolutely not!” Returning her sight to Lazulei, her tone softened, “You can call me Aunty Zuzarel.”

  “Zuzu, huh?” At the Hidden Witch’s words, I felt a strange tremor in the aether, but it was gone almost like I had imagined it.

  “Wha?! No! Why?!” The woman was distraught, and I was lost. “How do you keep doing that?! It’s Zuzarel, dammit! I worked hard on that name!”

  Looking up at her mom and seeing a cheeky grin, Lazulei threw herself into a hug with the mysterious woman, “Zuzuzu!”

  There was a conflicted pain in her deep blue eyes, “No… Just Zuzu is fine, I guess…”

  The girl leapt from her arms and threw her own up running gleeful in a circle around the the Hidden Witch, shouting along to a tune in her head, “?Zuzuzu zuza zuzu! ?”

  She let out a childish giggle and settled back in around to the Hidden Witches back, to the comfort of her wall of robes.

  She shared a smile with her daughter before her expression turned heavy again. “Anyway, Zuzarel… Any insight?”

  ___

  The undine let out a long sigh, “Well… neither immature nor greater spirits are supposed to contain two elements. It sort of goes against their nature. I would think her some sort of elemental, but… I admit I feel a connection through the gift I left you with.”

  It had of course been assimilated completely into Cira’s soul during the reforging process, but that did not mean her connection with Undina was severed. In the same way, that undine heritage would always lead back to the same place whether Cira or Lazulei herself made another split.

  Hang on, is Undina my mom now? I refuse to believe it, but she can’t be my aunt… I suppose we are sisters, or perhaps cousins. No, why am I dwelling on this? Why am I a mother?! It isn’t fair!

  Lazulei laughed at the pitiable sorcerer, “It is amusing to see you so flustered. Even when we first met you were brimming with confidence, yet something so trite is what troubles you so? While I enjoy being amused by your antics, you may rest easy.”

  Cira was conflicted for a moment but eventually settled on an uncertain smile, “What do you mean?”

  “Do you not realize why I’m here?” The undine rested her fists against her hips in a triumphant pose, giving Lazulei her proudest smile, “I’m here to help, and I’m not going anywhere. You can just call me big sister.” She leaned in and ruffled the girl’s tentacles.