Lilith's Fall: Eden's Rise Ch. 02

"I... I think I do," I honestly replied, the realization to me coming to me even as the words left my mouth.

"Good. Then..." Taking my hands she gently guided me back right up to the edge of the river, the tiny fish still scooting around beneath the surface. "Trust me. I want you to gather up all the energy you can, as slowly as you can."

"But, Helal said I should visualize the end result and focus on the process before gathering the aether. Maybe we should go and consult her about-"

"No." The word was firm with conviction. "Trust. Everything will work out just fine. You can do this, Lilith."

She spoke with such belief, with such faith, that I couldn't help but to get swept along. Keeping my eyes open, I slowly stretched out my fingers and arms, opening my senses to the aether while I prepared to

There was a whisper, a barest scratch against my eardrums that was almost but not quite heard.

"Close your eyes."

I released my focus. "But, that's not how-"

"Please." The soft pleading caught me off guard and I frowned for a moment before acquiescing to her request.

After I started again, the aether felt more vibrant, more colorful, as it swirled about the world where it brushed up against my senses. Casting out my proverbial net, I began to gather the aether, my attention splintering just slightly, sparing a moment for the tiny creature that still swam unconcernedly through the water. For how brilliant it was visually, aetherically it was quite dull. Taking advantage of my inattention, something used the slip to slide in behind me. It wasn't until she was quite close that I noticed her presence. My eyes shot open and I spun around in a defensive circle. My eyes darted wide but there was nothing there. I gulped, my heart hammering in my chest, as I looked around for any sign.

There was nothing.

Just Chi standing there, quite confused by my embarrassing display. "Is everything normal?"

Is she fucking with me? Threatening me? Playing a prank?

"... Yeah. Just thought I sensed something."

This time she was waiting there for me when I opened myself up to the aether. The enormous presence that had assisted me during my summoning of the forest, now squeezed down into a less intimidating size. Firming my resolve I closed my eyes, sharpening my senses to the swirl of magic particles and to her. She was tall with a full figure and thick thighs. It was hard to get much more of a sense about her, other than having a firm jaw and a long, hawkish nose. As I beheld her, she allowed her energy to bleed more solidly into the plane, becoming visible.

Her shape was indistinct, like a smoke shrouded silhouette, the aether thick as it poured from her in tightly controlled waves. An aura of calm joy enshrouded her, the energy slipping into me as she approached. I might have felt manipulated, if it wasn't so effective.

"Who are you?" I asked quietly, admiring the swirl of colors as they played across the back of my eyelids in the space in front of me.

She laughed in a low melodic rumble of gravel pouring down a hillside. When she spoke it was in the whisper of the wind across a barren plane, with the deep crack of a lightning strike. "I am Tartarus. And it is wonderful to see you again, Lilith." Taking my hand, she yanked me into an unexpected hug, curling a body whose existence didn't quite make sense around me.

It was hard to want to separate from her with her pumping me full of emotion from such a short distance. So it was only when Tartarus grew weary of the hug that she put some small distance between us.

"Right. Helal talked about that whole... time distortion thing." At the name, her face twitched for an instant before settling into a warm expression. "So a genius loci?"

"So I've been told. Now, are you ready to do some magic? I hear you're trying to force a little evolution onto one of my few remaining animals."

The use of the term magic surprised me, Helal always called it spellwork and I'd gotten pretty used to it. "Oh. Is that a problem?" I inquired, more than willing for any excuse to call this thing off.

"Not at all. In fact, I was the one to ask Chi to approach you about this."

"What? You talked to Chi? Why didn't you just ask me directly?"

"Besides the fact that your heart is racing in fear from my appearance...? You instinctively close yourself off. It's hard to contact you when you're not actively working magic."

There she goes with that term again... I wonder where she learned it from? In fact, how are we even communicating?

Before I had a chance to bring up any of these questions she surprised me by taking my hand. Cupping it gently in hers, she held it out to the side and set her hand on my lower back.

This stance, it's almost like she wants to...

A gentle orchestra that was a mix of birdsong and running water sprang up around us, the deep thrum of stamping hoof keeping beat as she led me into the beginning steps of an unfamiliar dance. Stiff, I resisted for a handful of passes, before I relaxed and lifted my hand onto her shoulder. I found the rhythm. Or rather... the rhythm found me. I began to be able to anticipate the next move.

A turn here.

A dip here.

Next there is a quick two-step.

It was organic in a way I'd never experienced in a dance before. We didn't say a word, the universe seemingly guiding us as the aether accompanied us within our performance, shadowing our steps and lending our graceful twirls a lingering timelessness that dared the universe to catch them.

"Where did you learn to do this?"

A wistful expression crossed her mostly featureless face. "A dear friend and teacher taught me this a long, long, time ago." The expression faded into a smile. "And now I get to return the favor."

I frowned, not catching her meaning. "I don't understand."

Her brows lifted along with her cheeks, rising like they held a secret that couldn't wait to be shared. "Look around, Lilith. What do you think we're doing right now?"

"I..." I'd been so caught up in the swirling artistry of the aether that I hadn't realized that it was actually doing something.

Floating in the middle of our braided path our dance had taken floated a perfect orb of crystalline water. Within that orb was a glowing sliver, just about the size and the shape of the fish I'd seen in the river. The aether that supported the water pulsed periodically with each beat of the dance.

We're... We're doing this. Together we are guiding the magic... Somehow.

The realization almost caused me to falter. But, much like she'd done when I summoned the forest, she bolstered me. Before I could disrupt what we were doing, she caught me, leading me firmly for a series of steps before I found my footing once more.

"There we go." She tilted her head in a manner that suggested a wink, despite not having the requisite parts for it. "We're almost to the big finish, can't be slipping up now."

It appeared she was telling the truth when the intensity of the aether surrounding the fish began to change. Instead of pulsing, the aether began to fall upon the glowing creature in consecutive hammer blows. Step by step, the aether infused itself into the fish, growing the bubble larger and larger as the two of us forged the creature into something new.

It was completely different from the kind of magic I'd worked with Helal. Here was something organic. Something that flowed naturally along the pathways of the world around me rather than imposing my will upon the universe until it gave up, conceding to my wishes. We were creating a work of art rather than a series of routine steps to be followed. The ending, when it came, arrived without fanfare. Tartarus deftly spun me between one step and the next into a graceful twirl that ended in a dip. At the same time, the spell we'd built had the stray threads of aether tucked neatly away. My heart beat firmly with excitement as I blinked the afterimage of the once glowing ball of fish out of my eyes.

In its place stood a woman. Pale blue skin that ran from her feet down to her toes was the first thing I noticed. The second was a silver-scaled tale that poked from her butt, the bottom sweeping against the grassy ground as it idly drifted from side to side. And speaking of eyes, she possessed none. The forehead beneath her damp wavy brown hair running straight into her cheeks in a single flat plane.

"Oh no," I whispered with despair. "I... I didn't mean..."

"Lilith, what's wrong?" my dance partner asked, concerned with my reaction.

"Look." I gestured to her face. "I messed something up and now she doesn't have eyes." Hope bloomed and I turned toward Tartarus. "We can fix it, right? We can do it again and then she won't have to live in darkness."

"Lilith..." Grasping my wrists, she redoubled her soothing aura and forced me to face her. "You didn't do anything wrong. She's never been able to see, she's perfectly formed."

"Wha... But then... How?"

"Those fish use ripples in the aether to catch their prey. They are sensitive to even the smallest bits of magic. It's like... What was the word again...? Right. Echolocation. Used by those flying mammals... What are they called?"

"Bats?"

"That's what it was. Bats. They use the movement of the aether to map and navigate the world around them."

While I was contemplating just how a foreign planet knew about bats, a cool humanoid shape embraced me from behind.

"There's no need to panic, Mother. I am whole and as I am meant to be. The last thing I wish to cause you is any sort of distress." The pale blue arms curling underneath my breasts told me who it was that held. "Hello, Mother Lilith. And I am ever so glad you decided to give me this gift." Her voice was clear and light, much like the water in which she'd once resided. Tartarus backed away to give me some space so I could make my acquaintance with my new... daughter?

Is that what I am to her? Is that how she sees me? I guess I am sort of responsible for bringing her into this world. Does that make me responsible for her?

A warm smile pulled across her even paler lips like she could read the thoughts going across my mind and found herself amused by my worries. My attention was caught on the place where her eyes should've been.

"Could I trouble you for a strip of cloth, Mother?"

Grateful for something to do that wasn't considering the situation I found myself in, I started the process of summoning the mana necessary to do such a thing. I paused when I realized how abnormal she was for the first time. Helal, Chi, and even Tartarus, interacted with the aether in roughly the same way. Firmly defined edges that delineated themselves from the atmosphere around them. This girl, this woman, was a mess of thin tendrils that shot out around her, touching and tasting the environment like a shadowy sea-urchin crossed with an octopus. More than a few of her wobbly feelers were wrapped around me; especially my face, presumably to 'see' my expression.

"It's beautiful," I told her honestly. Focusing, I held up my hand so I could feel the tough, rubbery texture of her magically imbued sense. She encircled my fingers, gripping it tightly in a shake as she blushed from my compliment. Recalling her request, I focused on the growth of a simple hemp, weaving the stalks together into a cloth that was surprisingly soft. I offered it to the fish-tailed woman and she gratefully took it from my hands. Deftly tearing it with deceptively sharp claws, she wrapped it over the top of her head, hiding her lack of eyes, giving her a jaunty pirate-wench appearance. It did a good job of normalizing her look.

I guiltily realized why she'd done it and protested. "You don't have to-"

"Nonsense, Mother. It does not bother me and it puts you at ease."

"I could get used to-"

"Now, you don't have to. You have no need to feel guilty. Although, if you don't mind, could we continue this conversation a little closer to the river. I'm feeling somewhat dry."

"Sure."

She walked with the calm assurance of a woman of many years, a sense that was reinforced by her gentle smile and placid demeanor. We reached the bank of the clear running water and, while I stopped, she continued straight on in, lowering herself into the water. Her legs shimmered as they were absorbed by her tail, which in turn grew larger and more prominent, twisting about beneath the river. Ducking her head under the surface, she stayed submerged for a long minute before gracefully slipping up against the edge. Propping herself on her forearms across the bank, she wiggled her fingers at me in a greeting.

"That's much better," she said brightly as twin slits in the sides of her neck folded closed.

"You're a mermaid."

"So it would seem. I have another request, if you don't mind."

"Sure," I responded softly, enthralled by the shimmering reflection cast by her silver scales beneath the water. Kicking off my boots, I let my feet slip into the water as I sat next to her.

"I would like you to name me, Mother."

"Oh. Are you sure? I don't know..."

Moving much quicker than she did on land, she popped up next to me to press a kiss against my cheek. "I do." Gravity did it's thing and took her back beneath that water, covering everything but her head. "You don't have to. And I wouldn't want to pressure you to. But it would mean a lot-"

"Alora," I blurted. Her thoughtfulness and gentle pleas motivating me to save her from my uncertainty. It had been the first thing to come to mind but, for some reason, it felt right.

"Alora. Alora. Alora," the newly named mermaid said, tasting the word in her mouth. "I love it. Thanks so much, Mother." She performed an acrobatic rising twirl in the water.

"Hi." Chi, who had faded into the background for all this time, decided now was the moment to make her presence known. Her stinger was held shyly up against her side while her wings fluttered in tiny shaking motions. The way her eyes locked onto Alora reminded me of just why I'd set out on this endeavor in the first place. Looking over at Tartarus, I jerked my head away from the river. Alora responded to Chi with a gentle, "Hello."

Taking Tartarus' hand, I gave the two some privacy.

"What's up?" she asked, curling her arm across my shoulders with easy familiarity, her face tilted up the treetops swaying over us.

I shrugged her arm off my shoulder. "How did you... How did we do that back there? It was nothing like how Helal taught me to do magic- spellwork- or whatever."

"Her's is but one way of working with the primal force that is aether. There are more ways to work aether than there are stars in the sky. Although some have varying qualities of success. Generally they exist in two camps. Forcing the aether to do what you desire through strength of will." She accentuated her point by slamming a fist into a palm. "Or coercing the aether, convincing it that what you want is what it should have been doing all along." Miming a few dance steps, she finished with a half-bow. "There are benefits to keeping an open mind and seeing what can be learned from those with different perspectives."

I frowned a pinched at the bridge of my nose, a headache threatening. "But why was it so..." I waved my hand, searching for the right terms.

"Easy. Natural. Effortless," Tartarus provided helpfully.

"Familiar."

She paused, fiddling with her hands behind her back, saying nothing.

"Every time you help me, I get the sense that it's something we've done before."

"I don't know what to tell you, Lilith."

"That's another thing, how did you know my name?"

She laughed. "That I can tell you. I've been watching you ever since you set foot on my surface."

Oh right. She's the planet.

It was my turn to freeze. I blushed a bright scarlet as I considered some of the things she may have seen.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of. It takes great courage to give up control and trust someone with yourself like that. It was a beautiful thing to see."

I hid my face with my hands. "Please don't talk about that. I'm mortified."

"Tell you what? Make me a promise and I will promise not to... observe any further moments of lovemaking you decide to have."

"Please don't call it that," I groaned. "What do you want?"

"Helal's going to ask you to raise some wards. I want you to include me within the list of allowances."

"Why?"

"Because," She brushed some hair back over my ear, setting her hand on my shoulder. "You are important, Lilith. You brought sapient life back to me, after going eon's without. I can better help protect you and your home if you don't lock me out."

I thought about it a moment, before nodding. "Fine. I'll discuss it with Helal, but I don't think it'll be a problem." I jabbed a finger in her direction. "But no more voyeurism."

"I promise. You'll have your privacy." Her condensed-aether form began to dissolve from her feet.

"Bye. It was nice to meet you, Tartarus. And thanks for the save earlier."

"Goodbye Lilith. As always, it was a pleasure to work magic with you again."

Over by where we'd left Alora and Chi here was a giggle and a splash. Followed by a yelp and a flutter of wings. The giggles continued followed by a series of splashes. I gave one last look, where I saw Chi floating over the river, chased by a silver tail that poked from the water and periodically shot gushes up at her. Shaking my head, I headed for home.

Upon returning home, I paced around my room, mixed thoughts and feelings running through my brain.

On the one hand, Alora seemed happy with the change. And she was sweet and caring. On the other, I don't really know Tartarus and what she might intend for me creating all these... animal-women out of the creatures of this world. Maybe Helal can provide some clarity? I hope she doesn't get mad...

A short while later Helal arrived and I promptly confessed to everything that happened. Chi's request. Tartarus revealing her name and her strange appearance. The manner in which Tartarus and I worked magic together.

That particular bit triggered more of a reaction than anything else. Obviously it meant something to her, but she didn't seem keen on talking about it so I continued my recap of my day. I told her about Alora and the mermaid's lack of eyes. Then I moved on to her strange aetheric feelers and her striking, gemstone beauty. I finished by recounting the odd conversation about different practices about spellwork and the promise Tartarus had wrung out of me.

Helal sat there, contemplative for longer than made me comfortable. I fidgeted next to her on the couch, tapping my heels together on the ground while I watched her with my peripherals, unsure what her response might be.

"I was going to ask you to help me raise some wards to prevent any sort of subversive efforts to breach the perimeters around our home. How she knew that... It is strange. As is the manner of magic she worked with you. It almost sounds as if the two of you are soultwined... But that should be impossible as it takes years and years of working together to form that kind of bond."

"Soultwined? As in solemate?! That exists?!"

Helal shook her head. "Nothing so infantile as that. It is a term for bonded pairs of spellworkers. It works like one of your industrial facilities. No... That's not quite right. What is it when each person focuses on a singular task allowing for greater efficiency?"

"...An assembly line?"

"That sounds right." She produced a visible orb of swirling air in her hand, the aether coalescing with tight blue streamers that continually circled under her will. "So what happens is one partner gathers the aether, while the second guides it." Using her other hand, she pulled threads of the air off, weaving it into the framework of a bird that flapped its wings and lifted off from her hand. "The specialization allows for an easier formation of large scale works."