Continued from "The Curse"

“Eleanora hesitated and then spoke: “I have come to you hoping that you can help me. You see, I seek a very powerful spell, maybe you know of one, a spell that will transform me into the most beautiful woman ever known to human-kind.” Leeona eyed the young woman standing before her. An air of silence fell over the two figures, undisturbed. Eleanora lost track of the time that past while she was waiting for Leeona to reply. It could have been several hours, she did not know. But when Leeona finally broke the silence her words disappointed Eleanora.

“I can not help you, child,” she said. She spoke in a creaky voice, as if she had a sore throat.

“But, surely you can…… There must be some spell-- please! It means the world to me! Please, I beg you! There must be. There has to be something! Search your mind!” Eleanora begged.

Leeona stared at Eleanora, looking her up and down, as if she where taking her in.

“Well, there is one spell. But…. I warn you, child, it is not advised. It is very dangerous. And the consequences would be…… severe. It is against the Ancient Laws Of Magic. Not only that, the transformation would be very, very painful. The payment, well, you would be in so much dept that your descendants well be paying it off for the next nine hundred years, at least. Unless of course, The Swear is broken,” Leeona told her, slowly.

Eleanora didn’t stop to think at all. “Yes, of course whatever it takes! Please,” Eleanora agreed eagerly.

“Are you sure, child?” Leeona asked.

“Yes. Positive.”

“Fine. But remember, I did warn you,” Leeona agreed regretfully.

“Let’s get started then?” Eleanora replied eagerly.

Leeona sighed and shook her head. “As you wish,” she said and gestured towards the entrance of the shack.

Once Eleanora was inside the shack Leeona locked the many bolts on the shack door and lit tall candles all over the small entrance room. Eleanora looked around and saw nine black cats, each with different features. Some as fat as pumpkins, others as scrawny skeletons. A large wooden shelf towered over the room. It held a ton of dusty leather bound books and a globe golden with age. It was an odd looking globe with tiny stars sketched in certain places. A telescope with all sorts of peculiar looking knobs and handles on it.

But the strangest thing on the shelf, was by far, a skull. This wouldn’t have been so unusual if it hadn’t been for the marking painted on to the skull. With paint (at least Eleanora hoped it was paint) as red as blood itself, etched on to the skull were hands. One on each cheek bone, the hands seemed to reach out for Eleanora, they had long finger nails and together, they held up no more than nine fingers.

On the walls of the shack Leeona had framed a few wrinkled and aged star charts. Other than that the room was bare expect for a elderly grandfather clock, a burning fireplace and a frayed gray lounger chair in which the all but one of the cats were sleeping in. The one cat who wasn’t sleeping was instead crouched in front of the fireplace as if ready to pounce any moment. Leeona beckoned to him. “Come Gracelord, it’s time,” she whispered. The skinny but fierce tomcat jumped to his feet and rushed to Leeona’s side.