FROM BAD TO WORSE

The Nakki

Weave #12, Thread #III

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New to the story? Scroll down to find summaries for the previous parts.

Much as Claudia wanted to talk to Toad, she knew she couldn’t. The little Nakki wouldn’t help — not when everybody was looking.

In the meantime, she put half her attention on Grandpa Nakki, who was currently droning on about the importance of the Delphi Oracles in the cosmic order of the universe.

“So… what you’re saying,” Olive suddenly broke in, “Is that without these wish-granting Oracles, we’d all be doomed?”

“What I was about to say,” Grandpa Nakki said, “Is that unless we induct new Delphi Oracles, you humans will not be able to get new wishes from us.”

“Oh, the purple stuff? Yeah, but we buy it. With gold. And the last time we tried, didn’t it end badly?”

Claudia nodded. “You were quite sure we’d suffer the consequences. Lucky for us, eight-year-olds are pure enough that we passed your sick test.”

“In short, without these Delphi-dolphins, you don’t get to trick us,” Olivia added.

Grandpa Nakki was red in the face by now. He drew himself up, “Indeed, we do not trick you humans. Without the Elixir of the Oracles’ essence, we would not be able to assist you.”

“Essence? You mean, like sweat?”

Toad snorted quietly.

“Essence as in elixir,” Grandpa Nakki said firmly. “But ahem, yes, so I was saying…”

“But are these Delphi Oracles essential for Nakkidom?”

“Yes. They are the source of our economic welfare.”

“Mmhmm,” Claudia replied. She stared at her old gold earrings, now looped through one of Grandpa Nakki’s warts.

“Ok, so what do you want us to do?” Olive added.

“The Delphi Oracle, at his or her core, is human,” Grandpa Nakki said. “A human who wishes for the wellbeing of humanity. You, worthy… children… will lead us into a new era with the power of wish-granting.”

“So we stay here as milking cows while you take our essence,” Claudia said.

In the dim glow of the elixir, she exchanged a glance with Olive. Olive shrugged.

Grandpa Nakki spoke up again. “Think about it. Your friend Jared belongs here. You will be together, ruling over all Nakkis. The power will be yours.”

“And if we refuse?”

“You cannot refuse, I’m afraid. When you stepped in this circle with the pure intention of helping, you initiated the rite. You can’t leave until you drink the elixir and it tests you.” Here, he actually rubbed his hands.

“So, like last time, we have to drink the purple liquid and prove a ‘sincere intention’ to go back home?”

“No, because what I was hoping for… is happening,” Grandpa Nakki replied.

“What?” Olivia asked.

The single light source — the bottle of elixir —floated out of Claudia’s hand. It twinkled once, illuminating Jared’s face, and then disappeared. And for the first time that night, Jared spoke up.

“No,” he said. “You don’t have to prove anything.” His voice, which hadn’t deepened fully yet, boomed through the cabin. “That decision shall be mine. I choose to stay here, and as the new Delphi Oracle, I decree that you shall return home.”

“No,” Claudia whispered. “NO!”

But the decree had been made, and there was nothing to be done about it. The room brightened as the circle of light rekindled around them. The girls had a single glimpse of Toad, his eyes shining with tears and disappointment, and then the sky brightened to the regular blue and the riverbank materialized in front of them. Their bodies grew back into their eighteen-year-old selves.

And this time, there was no Jared to stand by their side.

What we have so far:

**Thread I by Robbi Walls: **Ten years after returning from the world of the Nakki, Claudia, who is having strange dreams, is drawn back to the Wishing River. She persuades Olive and Jared to meet her there. The young Nakki from before is also at the river. He brings them back to his world to assist the Nakki. They agree, not knowing what will be required of them.

**Thread II by Zeest Zulfiqar: **Things aren’t as simple as they seem, because Grandpa Nakki is hiding something. An uncomfortable Toad may be an unexpected ally for the humans, but the biggest threat lies within: Will Jared be able to resist the Elixir’s allure, or will he become the next victim? Only time (and the next writer) will tell.

Thread III by Clarity: The girls speak to Grandpa Nakki, trying to understand the nature of the elixir and their role in the Nakki world. It turns out, they want the children to become the next Delphi Oracles, to be milked for wish-granting abilities in order to trick more humans. As the girls try to buy more time, Jared drinks the elixir, becomes an Oracle, and sends them back to the human world.

I had so many ideas I wanted to explore here! But I didn’t want to make this too long… I mean, the girls could’ve started fake-crying, because as far as the Nakkis are concerned, they’re 8 years old. They could’ve tricked the Nakki somehow, they could’ve made a deal with Toad… ahh!

Anyhow, if this story sparked some ideas, take it further with Thread IV. Comment here with the magic words, “I’m claiming the next thread,” and you’re up!

Tagging Vaidehi, Canute Limarider, T.F.H, Vipul Maurya, Tom Farr, Kaili Bisson, Daley W., Connlyn Sinclair, Jasmin James, Reni Stankova - Fiction Author, Fatmaha Lindawati, Drew Faraday, Cole Hardman, and Karen Schwartz. Hope to see you claiming the next Thread!

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