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That was the most fateful day of my life, thought Edna as she gazed into her
fireplace. Leaving that town, she was forced to find, yet again, a new life
for herself. And the key to that new life came in the form of a tall, dark tower
in the heart of the Haunted Woods…
***
Edna skated as quickly as she could into the dark forest;
she heard it was known as the Haunted Woods, but she dismissed that as a silly
rumor. However, with the silvery moonlight as the only source of illumination,
everything looked positively ghostly, and Edna didn’t have a hard time believing
that the woods were in fact haunted after all. Every twig that broke under her
roller blade wheels made her jump; the wind screamed in her ears. By the time
she saw a lantern glowing in the distance, she was immensely relieved to see
its warmth.
“Hello? Is anybody there?” she called out. When
no one answered, she tried again.
“Hello?” Yet the only response she got was the
echoing of her own voice from the branches of her overhanging trees.
She skated closer and closer to the light, until
she tripped on something lying in the road, and fell flat on her face. She shook
her head vigorously to get the dirt out of her fur, and looked up. Standing
over her was a stooped down green Zafara in a black robe and witch’s hat. Edna
could only stare.
“Don’t stare, dearie, it makes you look like
a Quadrapus, Now then, why are you here, at the tower of Zilda the witch?”
“W-w-w-w-well…” stammered Edna.
“Don’t stammer, it makes you sound like a Triffin.
Or me, when I was a little girl. Well, come up now,” the witch offered a gnarled
hand, and Edna took it and got up.
“Th-thank you!” she said.
“What did I say about stammering? Now, will
you help me find some ingredients for my spell?” said the witch.
“Okay… what do you need?” Edna asked warily.
What was a witch doing in the middle of the woods outside of the town? She didn’t
even know if witches really existed.
“Yes, witches really do exist, Edna,” said Zilda.
“How did you know my…”
“Name? I’m a witch! Jeesh! These youngsters!
Anyway, get me some Red Rollerblades. You have 1 hour…”
“Here!” said Edna, taking the rollerblades off
her feet and handing them to Zilda.
“That was the fastest anyone’s ever completed
one of my quests!” Zilda said, clapping her hands and taking the rollerblades.
“You must have… oh, they were on your feet, you’re all barefoot, dearie… come
inside, let me make you some tea and some pie.”
“Th-thank…” Edna started.
“STAMMERING!” Zilda said, disappearing into
the tower, Edna quickly following behind.
***
Edna took a seat in front of the fire while the old witch busied herself with
the tea and the pie. She gazed at the flames, and felt very warm inside; this
tower was so cozy. She would do anything just to live here.
The witch interrupted her train of though by
loudly setting a plate and cup in front of her.
“On the plate,” Zilda said, “is my special Pumpkin
Pot Pie. That’s a hobby of witches, making what we call Spooky Foods… in the
cup is Snowberry tea, which is just my favourite. The chills balance out the
steam of the pie quite nicely.”
Edna grinned widely.
“I… I make pumpkin pot pie as well…” she said
in a quiet voice.
“Eh? Really?” said Zilda. Edna started to tell
her everything; about the orphanage, about the “orange cake,” about the restaurant…
Zilda laughed with her, cried with her, and by the end of the story they were
fast friends.
“Dearie… as you can see…I’m getting old. My
hands aren’t as nimble as they used to be, I drop vital ingredients for my spells,
and I’m forced to ask other people to get them for me… I need some help. I was
waiting for someone to help me… and you seem to be just the person. Please stay
here with me!” Zilda said.
“Oh, thank you, ma’am!” Edna exclaimed.
“Please dearie… call me Granny.”
With that, they gave each other big hugs.
***
In Zilda, Edna found the mother that she never really had. At first, she helped
with the cleaning and the Spooky Food making, learning new recipes everyday
that she didn’t feel a need to improve upon. Time passed, and Zilda became more
and more stooped, and Edna grew into her prime. Zilda knew it was time.
“Edna, you’ve been a more wonderful help than
I could ever imagine. You can make the Spooky Foods better than me, you always
keep the Tower sparkling clean… it’s time for me to tell you something. I need
to retire; and I need someone to succeed me. Neopia needs its witch; and you
will be one when I’m gone.”
“B-but...” Edna started.
“Stammering!” interrupted Zilda with a smile.
“I know you don’t know how to be a witch yet; but you’re halfway there. You’re
excellent at cooking, you’re hardworking, loyal and smart. All that you need
now is the magic; and I’m hear to teach it to you. Please say yes, dearie…”
“Oh, of course, Zilda!” said Edna.
“Glad to hear that, dearie, glad to hear…”
Edna wasn’t quite as good at her spells as she
was at cooking; mistakes were plentiful. But Zilda was usually patient, and
walked her through every spell, through spells of Techo Transforming, through
Amulets of Meerca Sizzling (which Edna though of using on her old Head Chef),
and all the rest. Soon, she took the Neopian Potions Exam, and passed. Not with
flying colours, but she passed.
The next lesson was in flying; this was nearly
a hopeless cause.
“Nevermind that,” Zilda said, sighing. “You
don’t… really… need the broom. You’re still young, you can get your own ingredients…
and when you’re old, believe me, you will be someday, you can ask others to
get it for you; and reward them with the spooky food.”
“That’s a relief,” said Edna. “That broom scares
me.” However, she didn’t think she would ever become old; it seemed like such
a long time in the future. And she would think of a spell to cure aging by then.
Zilda finally realized she had told Edna all
she knew; Edna’s lessons were finished.
“Edna… your education is done. I must now retire.”
“Zilda… where will you go?” asked Edna tearfully.
“Oh, I’ll know when I’m there…” the old witch
said. Edna gave her one last hug.
“I have something for you, Edna.” Zilda took
off her witches’ hat and put it on Edna’s head.
“You are now the official Witch of Neopia, the
controller of this tower, and the official Neopian chef of Spooky Food. Goodbye,
little Edna the Witch. Goodbye.” Zilda took her favourite broom, wrapped a shawl
around her shoulders, and flew off into the night. Edna kept waving to her until
she became nothing more than a speck against the gigantic full moon.
“Don’t forget me, Zilda! I’ll never forget you!”
she shouted, and hoped her voice would be carried on the winds.
***
Edna didn’t know where Zilda went, but she hoped that she was always happy
until the end of her days. She still wasn’t too good at the broom, but her magic
was finally on the same level as her cooking.
She heard a thud outside, and got up from her
chair, putting the cup of Snowberry Tea on the table. She looked out the window,
down at the ground. Fallen flat on her face, there was a little Green Zafara.
She had tripped on her blue roller blades.
Edna smiled.
The End
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