Fern descended the stone walkway from Broken Pine Bluff, troubled in thought. “I can’t put my finger on it, but there is something off with the wood,” remarked the Marsh Wizard.
Fern was the serious sister of the magical twins. She focused on the “Wood’s” health and its many inhabitants. Fern’s duty was dealing with dark and evil forces threatening the woods’ Hälsa or harmony.
Fern spent much time at the Academy with her mentor, Thosis. The wise old owl guided her in the ways of alchemy.
Thosis told Fern, “Any Marsh Wizard worth her salt should understand alchemy. The lack of a spell or an ingredient for that spell can leave you in a pickle.”
Fern’s study of alchemy allowed her to see solutions that magic would not.
“Franny, I know what I’m saying is an overreaction,” Fern told her twin. “But I can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong with the wood.”
“You had that sense of foreboding that we cats get. It would explain your unease,” remarked Franny’s familiar Izba.
“I haven’t felt any disharmony, but it’s been a while since I’ve been in the woods. Have you talked to Ursula about this?” queried her sister.
“I wanted to clear my head. So, I went to Broken Pine this morning. That’s when I felt the difference. On the bluff, there was balance, but as I descended toward the wood, my unease spiked,” the Marsh Wizard remarked.
The sisters finished tea and hugged each other goodbye. Fern took the long way to the wise woman’s home, allowing her to feel the wood before meeting Ursula.
“Izba suggested foreshadowing, and you felt it near the singing brook?” asked Ursula.
“As I walked here. The brook sounded off as if it were out of tune,” replied Fern.
“There is darkness connected to this. The last time the brook sounded off was when we fought the necromancer,” said the wise woman.
“No, I would know if it were that. This is something in the wood, land, and trees,” remarked the Marsh Wizard.
“I don’t know what to tell you, love. Go check Maldor’s Codex to find something helpful,” the wise woman replied.
Fern lit up at the mention of her old alchemy textbook from the Academy. “Brilliant, I’ll pop off home and see what it says,” Fern said. She bid her friend farewell and walked home.
Fern poured through Maldor’s tome until she spotted what she had been looking for. Fern read the entry out loud, “Webous Necrosis: a dark parasitic fungus that feeds on the forest’s life energy. Known to drain a forest of energy, Webous Necrosis rarely kills its host.”
The codex recommended several doses of mandrake dust. “I have the perfect fairy to help me out,” remarked Fern as she prepared the mixture.
Jojo was glad to offer help and even got several pixies to lend a hand. The wizard instructed, “Make sure you also cover the outer edges. We don’t want this coming back in the future. “
A week later, Fern decided to walk up to Broken Pine Bluff to feel the brisk morning air. Afterward, Fern stopped at Ursula’s to tell her of the forest’s recovery.
“Thank you, old feather duster, for making me learn Alchemy. Without it, I couldn’t have solved this mystery even with a mountain of spell books,” remarked Fern.
Fern made a mental note to send Thosis a bottle of mint cordial as thanks. Thosis had taught her the proper way to be a Marsh Wizard.
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