The Witch's Apprentice: Chapter 36

An Unexpected Encounter

Hello and welcome back to The Witch’s Apprentice. if you’re new here, I recommend starting from chapter 1. Otherwise, welcome back!

In the last chapter, Sarah and Lix made their way into the murky Blastfire Bog, hoping to find a path to the Wild Lodge. As we pick up the story again, they’re drifting through clouds of gas, bursting into colorful flashes all around them. It’s a beautiful sight and hopefully it’s not too dangerous.

---

Chapter 36: An Unexpected Encounter

Sarah guided the coracle carefully through the colorful bursts, her grip tightening on the paddle each time a new explosion flared a little too close. The air smelled faintly of sulfur, and every flash of fire cast eerie shadows against the looming trees.

Gradually, the bursts faded behind them. The mist thickened again, swallowing the last flickers of light as the bog grew quiet once more. Sarah exhaled, relieved, though the moment didn’t last long.

Something large loomed ahead, half-hidden in the mist.

As they drifted closer, the outline became clear. A massive skeleton, its bones stretching out from the muck like the remains of a forgotten giant. Moss and vines draped over its ribcage, and a pair of large buzzards had made a nest in one of its hollow eye sockets. The skull, elongated and jagged with age, rested partially buried in the mud, its open jaw frozen in a sigh.

“That was a dragon once,” Lix said, his voice dropping to a whisper.

Sarah stopped paddling for a moment, staring at the massive shape. The sheer size of it was overwhelming. But more than that, the skull felt ancient, like it had settled into the bog long ago and simply become part of it.

As they drifted closer, she reached out, placing a hand gently on the skull. A soft breeze rustled through the trees, and Sarah shivered as an odd warmth filled her chest. The air seemed to hum with an unspoken presence, an invitation. Then a whisper stirred in her mind.

Images flickered, of deep green groves, of flowers that pulsed with an inner glow, of a great creature moving through the underbrush with careful, deliberate steps. The dragon had not been a beast of destruction, but a guardian. Ysmira, they had called her. She had tended to a secret garden, hidden deep within the Glimmerwood, nurturing plants of all kinds that thrived only under her care, soaking up her warmth like the sun.

But she was gone now. And so was her garden. Slowly, the vision faded, leaving only the damp cold of the bog. Sarah let out a slow breath, pulling her hand away from the bone. Ysmira and her garden had been a thing of beauty. But in the end, all good things come to an end.

Lix’s tail twitched. “What… was that?”

“I don’t know,” Sarah whispered, “but I think she was some kind of guardian.”

Lix frowned, tilting his head. “But why did she die?”

“I don’t know,” Sarah mumbled, looking into the murky water, not even sure why she had seen what she had. Somehow, though, it reminded her of her grandmother and her garden. Obviously, she hadn’t been a dragon. But she had her own inner strength, and she had always been there to defend Sarah from whatever life threw at her. A caring soul who was gone far too soon.

Sarah was pulled from her thoughts by the crunch of slow footsteps behind them. Instinctively, she turned, her hand moving towards her satchel. What if it was bog goblins, or those creepy spiders again? The mist had thickened, and all she could see were faint shadows shifting in the fog. Then, a figure appeared, tall and slender, wrapped in a dark cloak. She couldn’t tell if they were male or female, but their pale skin and silver hair gleamed in the faint light, and their eyes were cool and sharp.

"It's the elves," Lix chirped before vanishing into her pocket.

An elf? Of the Wild Hunt?

“Well,” the figure murmured, their voice smooth as running water, “what an unexpected delight.”

More figures appeared through the mist, their eyes gleaming in the dim light. Sarah’s pulse thundered in her ears. This wasn’t how she had planned to find the Wild Lodge.

The lead elf lifted a hand, fingers curling with effortless grace. A cold pressure gripped Sarah’s chest, tightening and pulling. The world tilted as her limbs went numb and her vision narrowed to pinpricks of light. Lix’s voice barely reached her, distant and muffled.

Then the mist darkened, and everything went black.

---

Sarah woke up slowly, her senses stirring as she blinked at the dim light. Something wasn’t right. The soft rustling under her wasn’t the familiar feel of her sheets. She reached out, expecting the cool surface of her phone, but her fingers hit something rough. Straw.

What the heck? Where was she?

Then it dawned on her. How she wasn’t at home. How she’d woken up in a strange world and how she was the witch of High Rannoc now. The elves had cast some kind of spell and now she was here. Wherever here was.

Her body ached as she pushed herself upright, muscles stiff from whatever spell they’d used to knock her out. A rustling sound came from her pocket. Then a small, hesitant voice.

“Sarah?”

It was lix! She reached for him, and a tiny snout peeked out from her coat. His ears twitched, his bright eyes darting around, body tense. “Are you ok?”

“I think so,” he said, crawling out of the pocket. “Where are we?”

Sarah exhaled, steadying herself, and took in their surroundings. The cell was small, its walls made of pale, polished stone. There was a strong smell of damp earth and aged wood. No windows. But one of those old timey wooden doors with a small hole with bars.

“It looks like a prison cell of some kind,” she said.

It was only then, she realized they were not alone. A young man lay sprawled in the straw beside her, his face half-buried in the hay. His robes, deep blue, embroidered with silver thread, looked familiar. Wizard robes, like the ones Walmund Gallagher had worn.

She leaned forward and gave his shoulder a firm shake. “Hey. Wake up.”

After a moment, he stirred, blinking up at her with dazed confusion. His hair, a wild tangle of dark curls, half-covered his face as he pushed himself upright, rubbing his temples.

“Where?” His voice was hoarse, unfocused. His gaze flicked around the cell, then landed on her. “Who?”

“I’m Sarah,” she said quickly. “And you?”

He frowned, dragging a hand through his hair. “Radley,” he mumbled. “I think.”

"Radley of Heatherholm?"

The young man straightened up with a surprised expression. "Yes. How do you know?" He studied her for a moment then shook his head. "We haven't met before. Have we?"

"It was just a guess," she said with a shrug. "Master Gallagher in Heatherholm has asked my friends and me to find a cure for your condition and in this world I have quickly learned to expect the unexpected."

His expression flickered with uncertainty, but after a second, he gave a slow nod. “I guess that makes sense. But which world is it exactly?”

Sarah stared at him. This was the Radley they’d been trying to cure. The one she had traveled to find. And now, instead of healing him, she was sitting beside him in a locked cell. “I think it’s the Wild Lodge, but I’m not sure. We were taken prisoner by the elves.”

“So you’re out to find a cure for me, and I just happened to shift to the same world in the same prison cell as you?”

"Seems like it," Sarah said, frowning. "Even here, that’s a pretty big coincidence. But where did you come from?"

"From the library. There was a friendly merchant who wanted me to find a book for him, and then a ghost that tried to kill me, and then I ended up here, I guess." He paused, looking around with a sigh. "It’s a long story, really."

Lix, who had been quietly observing from her shoulder, flicked his tail. “That’s all very interesting, but maybe we should focus on getting out of here?”

Radley let out a short breath, glancing around the room. “How? We’re locked up.”

“Why don’t you use the door?” Lix asked.

“Because it’s locked,” Sarah said with a sigh.

“No, it’s not. Someone left it ajar. Can’t you see?”

Sarah glared at him. "Very funny Lix, but now is not the time for jokes."

"I'm serious!" he said, flapping his wings. "Go look for yourself."

Sarah stood up, muttering to herself. She was glad he was okay, but she wasn’t in the mood for his nonsense. But as she reached the door, she noticed a thin line of light cutting through the dim room, just a sliver, barely there.

Frowning, she grabbed the handle, expecting resistance. But the door shifted under her touch. It really was open. She glanced back at Radley, her voice quieter now. "It’s open."

“That makes no sense,” Radley said as he got on his feet. “Why would they leave us in a cell without locking the door?”

“I don’t know, “ she said with a frown. “Either it’s a trap, or they’re so arrogant they don’t think we can escape.”

Lix snorted. “I’m not sure which one I prefer.”

Sarah swallowed hard, then slowly reached for the door. “Me neither.”

Thank you so much for joining me for another chapter of The Witch’s Apprentice. It really means a lot to me. If you haven’t already done so, be sure to hit the subscribe button so you won’t miss the next chapter. And please leave a like and a comment—I’d love to hear what you think about the story so far.

My writing here on Substack will always be available for free, but if you enjoy what I write and would be willing to, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription. If that’s too much commitment, you can also just buy me a coffee.