The Enchantress sat across from Tikor at a small iron table in his flourishing garden. Tikor's prized flowers bloomed around them, dazzling colors dancing in the breeze. A porcelain teapot patterned with tiny blue leaves and two dainty teacups on matching saucers sat on the table. The garden was surrounded by a wall crafted naturally from vines that sprouted up from the ground.

"Oh, Tikor," she said silkily, "You do have a way with words."

"I do try." He said.

"Now, darling, I have a proposition for you." Her eyes gleamed slyly. "Join me and help me take over the written word." She lifted her cup and enjoyed a gentle sip of the refreshing tea.

"My queen, I cannot join your cause." He bowed.

She eyed him suspiciously. "And why is that, ogre?"

Tikor thought quickly, "I serve my own... interests."

She smirked at him, "So, you seek power for yourself?"

"Power is its own reward." He took a sip from his tea.

She leaned forward, intrigued by what he was saying. "Then we are not so different, are we?" She held her cup up towards him.

Tikor had sparked her curiosity. "No, we are not." He held up his cup to hers, and the tiny cups clinked when they tapped them together.

"Yet you remain in this... garden." A look of distaste crossed her mouth as she glanced around Tikor's stunning garden.

"For now. But my thirst for dominance grows with each plant. I feed off their power." He said.

"Well, Tikor, the tea was lovely. We should do this again sometime, but I must be on my way now. Many books to enter and whatnot." She rose from her chair and turned around. "Oh, and I am glad I could help with those pesky villagers. They shouldn't be bothering you again. Of course, now retrieving a snack should be much easier. Ta Ta dear!" She grinned over her shoulder at him, then waved her arm through the air and entered the purple smoke.

After the smoke cleared, He leaned back in his chair and sighed.

————————

As the brightness around Lyra and Azure's surroundings dims, they begin to look around. Lyra feels a mix of darkness, despair, loneliness, and frustration creeping into her. Azure notices her distress and comforts her by resting her head on Lyra's.

"Thank you, friend. I will be okay; let's find the hero we seek, and this will pass." Lyra stands up from the ground, brushing the dirt from her cloak. "This will not do; way too hot for this."

She removes her gloves and cloak and places them in her satchel. Lyra soon spots a small village, "That's where we need to go. Come on, Azure."

They arrive at a peaceful village filled with charming wooden and thatched-roof houses. They approach the first one they see and knock on the door; but receive no response.

Lyra looks closer and realizes the door is slightly ajar, so she gently pushes it. The door creaks as it swings open.

"Hello? I mean no harm; I have a question."

A lady walks out from behind a wall and over to them.

Lyra offers a smile, "Greetings, I come in search of..."

As she speaks, the villager suddenly moves closer to her and starts making clucking noises while flapping her arms like a chicken.

Lyra and Azure are taken aback and step away from the woman. They slowly walk backwards, keeping their eyes on her as she scratches the ground with her feet.

Lyra notices movement as they continue cautiously through the village. They observe the residents in dismay, all imitating chickens by clucking, pecking, and scratching the ground. Although their physical appearance remains human, their mental state appears to have transformed into that of fowl.

Azure is confused by the strange behavior and glances at Lyra for an answer.

"No, I am afraid this is not normal for this book. I have not seen this before." Lyra says.

"Grrrr.."

"You are right, Azure. She's been here. We must find the garden."

They weave through the villagers, making their way to the edge of the village where the garden is said to be located.

They come to a wall that stands around 6 feet tall. While searching for an opening, they hear humming from the other side.

Finally, they discover a stunning archway made of roses. As they walk around, admiring the various flowers and plants, they spot Tikor.

He strides through his garden, singing and tending to the plants by giving them fresh water.

Lyra is taken aback by his towering height - he stands at an impressive eight feet. She notices that his hair is tied back into a bun on top of his head, and his outfit is not typical attire for an ogre; he is very well dressed.

"Tikor?" Azure follows closely as Lyra walks into his line of sight.

"Oh my, that is a big puppy!" Tikor steps back.

"My name is Lyra; this is Azure. Don't worry; she is friendly."

"Grrr..."

"And you? Are you friendly?" Tikor asks.

"I believe I am."

"Then come, join me for tea." He motions his large hand toward the iron table.

Lyra follows him to it and takes a seat across from him. He barely fits the chair, but he sits gently. Tikor pours them a cup of tea; Lyra can smell the sweet scent of chamomile.

"Now, Lyra, what brings you to my garden." He takes a sip from his tiny cup, and his little finger extends into the air.

"I come seeking help with a quest," Lyra says. Azure sits down on the grass near them.

"Would the pup like some tea?" He reaches over and grabs a wooden bowl from below the table. He takes the pot and pours some tea in it for Azure.

She sniffs it for a moment and then takes a lap of the warm liquid.

"Drink." He motions towards Lyra's cup; she picks it up, breathes in the steam, and then takes a sip.

"Oh, it's delicious..." Lyra's eyes begin to close; she squints over to Azure, who lies on the ground, sleeping deeply. "What's in this te...." Her head hits the table, and she descends into a deep slumber.

———————————

As Lyra wakes up, her body feels heavy and restricted. Slowly opening her eyes, she realizes that she's trapped under the weight of the garden's roots.

She gazes around at her surroundings; she spots Azure in a similar situation.

Meanwhile, Tikor goes about his business of watering the plants and humming until he catches sight of Lyra. "Oh good, you are awake." He smiled down at her.

"Why?"

"If you would be so kind, I would like to ask the questions." He approaches her and crouches down to be at eye level with her. "Who are you?"

"I told you; my name is Lyra." She responds, frustration building inside her, a feeling she has never been very familiar with.

"Lyra, from where?"

"I am from a realm called Windrun." The tension in her body continues to grow.

"And what are you doing in my garden." He asks.

"I told you, stupid ogre, I come asking for help!" Lyra angrily barks at him, her eyes filled with fury.

Azure lets out a soft whine, and Lyra realizes the change in her behavior. "Oh my, Tikor, I am so sorry. I am not myself." She feels terrible for verbally lashing out at him, but a sense of gloaming still lingers within her.

"Hm... Tell me about your quest, little one."

Lyra let out a deep sigh, attempting to regain her composure. "I am on a quest to gather heroes to help me defeat the enchantress, Lavinia." Tikor's eyebrow lifts: he listens. "She is trying to destroy my home, and she is destroying the stories of fiction."

He appears to be deep in thought, but after a moment, he touches the ground with his hand. The roots ensnaring them retreat back into the earth.

Lyra manages to sit up and regain her balance while Azure approaches her and nudges the dagger. She smiles and touches the dagger, feeling its power grow and relieve some of the darkness weighing her down; he observes them closely.

"My apologies for the confusion." He places his hand on his chest and bows his head. "I was under the assumption that you were assisting her. You know, you have darkness growing in your heart, little one."

"When I travel into a book, it grows; I have to recruit heroes from them, and I cannot negatively alter them." She sighs.

"Then perhaps I can help you by you helping me. I'm unsure if you have noticed the problem in the village; my friends are not quite themselves." His face fills with sadness.

"We saw them when we came in; what happened?"

"Lavinia thought I was the villain of my story, something about my story not being finished." He ponders on that thought for a moment, then brushes it off. "Which, according to what you have told me, is why she did not take me. I played her game of mischief and pretended that I was a baby-eating ogre. She cursed the villagers so I could have an easy meal. As if I would eat such a thing, tasteless and bland creatures humans are. But they keep me company in my garden; they bring me sweets in exchange for my flowers for the ones they love. Come, let us sit down. No slumber tea this time." He walks to his chair.

"I believe I have had my fill of tea." She says.

Azure eyes grow wide; she looks at Tikor and nods her head up and down, agreeing with Lyra.

He bursts into a hearty laugh, his crooked teeth gleaming, and his eyes creased with delight.

"Well, I must say, that was the first time I have had to use that tea. It's quite exciting to see that it works and that it did not damage your brain."

Lyra appears to be shocked while he continues to laugh.

"Now, I would like to return my humble villagers to their original state of mind. To do so, I will need a magical herb from the forest. The Cluckadoodle herb." His eyes grow serious, but it is Lyra's time to laugh this time.

"You cannot be serious. A cluckadoodle herb?" She sits back in her chair, holding her sides.

Azure wags her tail in joy, watching Lyra express happiness.

"I want to assure you that this is a serious issue. The herb can only be found deep in the woods, growing in the trunk of a tree when the moonlight hits the leaves." He gestures towards the misty forest with his thick fingers. Realizing he is serious; Lyra turns her gaze in that direction.

"Okay, and this will save the villagers?" She asks.

"Yes."

"Can't you just grow the plant?"

"I cannot grow magical plants, only plants that are natural to nature." He takes a sip from his tea, watching her from his teacup.

"We will leave at nightfall." She says.

-------------

Azure's fur transforms into a dazzling blue hue as the moon ascends. Her luminous coat brightens the night, easily guiding them through the woods. The forest is thickly covered by trees and underbrush. Fireflies flicker amongst the bushes, and an owl can be heard from above.

"I'm not sure exactly what we are looking for," Lyra glances around the forest.

"Tikor said the flower blooms inside a tree trunk; perhaps we need to look for a hole in the trunk." Azure projects the words into Lyra's mind.

"Yeah, you may be right... Wait, you haven't spoken to me all day." Lyra stops and looks at Azure.

"I can only speak when the moon hangs in the sky when its magic engulfs me."

"I don't remember that in your story," Lyra says.

"I never got to use it till I met you."

"That makes sense." Lyra checks a couple of trees, seeing them complete with no holes.

"Perhaps we should follow the moon's glow," Azure suggests.

They raise their eyes toward the sky, tracing the path of a luminous beam that filters through the trees.

Lyra and Azure make it to the end of the glowing path, where they discover a tree with a hole in its trunk. Without hesitation, Lyra reaches into the trunk to retrieve the glowing flower hidden inside. As she carefully pulls the stem to remove the flower, the ground beneath them suddenly begins to shake.

Lyra and Azure are both taken by surprise as the tree branches suddenly reach down and grab them, holding them up in front of the top of the tree. They are stunned as the hole in the tree closes, only to open again and speak to them.

"Ouch!" Lyra looks up at the top of the trunk and sees two wooden eyes staring at her. "Why would you do such a thing, tiny creature?" The tree's voice rumbles with an ancient hum.

"I am so sorry, uh, tree. I was merely trying to take the flower to..." It interrupts her.

"My tongue, why would you want my tongue." It barks.

"Oh... My... I did not realize that it was your tongue." Lyra shifts her gaze to Azure, nestled in the tree's wooden grasp, emitting a gentle glow. Despite the ongoing conversation, Azure's expression remains unchanged, as if she was listening to someone else.

"Sir, I just need the flower to save the villagers from an evil curse." Lyra tries to explain, but the tree doesn't want to hear it.

"You want my flower for your tea! The ogre sent you, didn't he?" The tree growls loudly and stomps its roots into the earth.

"Is that flower the Cluckadoodle herb?" She asks sheepishly.

The tree stares at her momentarily before bursting into a rumbling laugh. It sits her and Azure down on the ground; Azure stands still like a statue. "What did you do to her?"

"I have done nothing to the furry critter. She is simply communicating with our friend." He points his branch-like fingers to the sky.

She looks at Azure, then up to the bright glowing moon.

The tree reaches into his mouth, pulls a small petal from the flower, and then gently lays it into Lyra's tiny hand.

"Here, tell the ogre I said thank you; I have not laughed like that in so long." It pauses momentarily, then looks over to Azure, who is shaking her head. "The moon speaks to you, small critter. Listen to her words; she has much to say...."

And with that, the tree returns to its sleeping form.

She puts the petal in her satchel, then turns to Azure. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, forgive me. The moon is the same for every story. She had much to tell me. Lavinia is working fast; she is book hoping faster than we can complete a small leap. Lyra, she says that things in Windrun are not looking so good. The great willow is dying." She pauses. "We must stop, Lavinia, before the last page falls."

"Did she mention the Seeker? Or the other Keepers?" Lyra asks frantically.

"She did not, but she does know that there has been a movement around the outside of the tree." Lyra feels the darkness coming back. She grabs the dagger, and it doesn't help.

"Stupid Lavinia! Ruining what is not hers, stealing from people who do not deserve it!" Her eyes grow shady. "I will destroy her! I will put her in the ground and send her to everlasting confinement!" She screams into the night.

"Lyra..."

"WHAT!?" Lyra freezes, her face drifting from stern to shock. "I am sorry, Azure, I didn't mean..."

"It is okay, little one; we must move though. We haven't much time." Azure lies on the ground, allowing Lyra to climb on her back. They rush through the trees and back to the ogre's garden; a small tear falls from her eye and lands on the grass below.

---------------------

Lyra and Azure hurry back to Tikor's garden, eager to deliver the precious petal they have found. They rush through the gate, their hearts beating in anticipation.

"Oh my gosh! You did it!" He takes the petal and looks at it with much joy. He walks over to his teapot and drops the petal into it; then, picking the pot up to pour him a cup, he takes a sip. "Oh my, that tastes divine." He says.

"Why are you drinking that? That is for the villagers!" Lyra tries to control the rage that builds inside her, but the darkness in her heart grows like a wet stain on the cloth.

Tikor looks at Lyra, "My dear, do you know how long I have been trying to acquire this? This petal makes the most refined tea ever. As far as the villagers go, I assume you already have an answer on how to restore them." He takes another sip.

After a moment, Azure nudges her satchel. As the sun starts to rise, Azure's coat gradually fades to its natural sable hue, and her voice is already lost.

Lyra gazes down at the bag over her shoulder, reaching into it to extract the quill and the book. He observes her from the side of his cup, nodding in approval. She opens the book and turns the pages, halting at the section detailing the chicken curse.

The book has changed; Lavinia has rewritten the story to apply the curse. It wasn't a magical spell; it was simply an altered page. Lyra walks over and sits at the table; she thinks for a moment, then begins to write. She is slow at writing the words, still learning to carve out each letter.

Once finished, she looks up at him; "Shall we go for a stroll, my dear?" He stands up and extends his arm to her; she rises from the chair and loops her arm into his massive form. They walk out of the garden and down the path to the village; Azure strides beside them.

The three enter the village, noticing the villagers walking around confused. Most of them have scuffed hair, some are spitting out worms, and others are rubbing their noses from pecking.

"Hello, my friends." Tikor waves his free arm at them. "My dear Lyra has released you from your curse." He smiles brightly down at her.

Lyra feels uncomfortable; she is unfamiliar with receiving attention unless it is from Madam. The villagers walk closer to her and begin cheering; they dance excitedly. Some give Lyra flowers, while others shake her hand in thanks.

The darkness begins to fade for a moment, her heart beaming with light. She had helped them, and it felt good.

——————

Tikor walks around his garden, looking over his flowers while he speaks. "So, you wish for me to accompany you? What will be of my garden?" he asks.

"I am not sure, but I suppose it will be unchanged. Time moves differently outside of your story."

"Hm... Then I will accompany you, my friend." As soon as he agrees to join her, the darkness in her heart disappears. She sighed with relief, and the pressure in her chest lifted. "Oh, one more thing," Tikor walks back to his table, pours some of the tea into a small vile, and hands it to Lyra. "This tea is more than delicious; it is wisdom in a sip. When you feel stuck and unsure of what to do, take a sip, and the ideas will flow."

"Thank you, Tikor." She says.

Tikor symbolizes wisdom during times of uncertainty. Bringing the knowledge to learn from the unknown. She thinks.

Lyra, Azure, and Tikor touch each other's shoulders; Lyra reaches into her bag. "Okay, where to next?"

——————

"Kyda!"

"Kyda! Where are you!?" Lavinia's voice echoes through the dark throne room .

Kyda sprints into the room, her hooves tapping on the stone floor. "Yes, enchantress." She kneels down in front of Lavinia and gazes at the ground.

"Stand up, Kyda; there is no need for formalities from you. Now, I am feeling something strange in the words; something is changing." She looks unamused. "Someone is messing with my plans; I can feel it! How is the willow tree doing?"

"It's starting to fade, ma'am; the leaves are beginning to fall faster," Kyda speaks softly.

"Good, good; then it won't be long till I get what I deserve." She stands from her throne and looks over the dark world she has created. "My happy ending." She whispers.