Alie's Enchanted Halloween Recipes - Nora's Part

Nora returned with four liqueur glasses, carefully pouring a small amount of Alie’s wish liqueur into each. Then, she added a few drops from the special blend she had gifted us earlier, finally sprinkling a powder resembling black pepper over each glass.

As she moved the tray around, she explained, “These glasses aren’t meant for drinking. So please, handle them carefully, and hold them steady without spilling. If you follow my instructions precisely, the result may surprise you. Now, we’ll each stand in front of Alie’s veranda, facing the glass panels that overlook the garden. Once I ignite your glasses, you’ll have only a few seconds, so please listen closely. First, I ask you to make a wish. Perhaps think of someone you've lost, someone dear to you. Recall the most beautiful memory you shared with them—the one that fills your heart with love... Once you are certain of your focus, let us line up before the glass.”

With the gentle music playing in the background, Nora gave us a moment with our thoughts. I wasn’t drunk, yet a slight haze from the drinks and the night’s events had settled over me. My mind drifted to my father, the only one I thought of in that moment. It had been ten years since I lost him, but certain memories remained vivid. I recalled his hearty laughter at one of my drawings. My father wasn’t one for fake smiles; when he laughed, he laughed heartily, his joy filling the room.

Just as I found myself absorbed in this memory, the music ceased, and we all turned to Nora, who signaled us to line up before the glass. In the dim garden light, the glass turned into a mirror, reflecting the candlelight behind us, the hazy image of the veranda, and our shadowed silhouettes. Nora took a long match, lit it from a candle, and approached me. “Keep your eyes on the window,” she whispered. One by one, our glasses ignited, and when she finally turned back to light her own, we waited, enchanted.

The windows facing the garden came alive, casting reflections and shifting shades of blue under the glow of our enchanted flames. “Remember your wishes!” she called out, her voice calm yet commanding. With unwavering focus, I thought of my father’s face. “Now, take a deep breath and extinguish the flame,” she instructed, and we all blew out the flames in unison.

Our strong breaths caused the flames to flare momentarily, and in that fleeting instant, I saw him—my father. Smiling, looking at me with warmth and longing, just as he used to. His figure emerged through the mist, unchanged, a vision of strength and familiarity, moving toward me from beyond the window glass. It lasted only a second before the darkness returned. The glass before the shadowed garden now held only the candlelight. I nearly lost my balance, astounded. How had she made this happen?

As we returned to our seats, Alie offered us a calming herbal tea from her blends. Joy, amazement, longing, and love were etched across each of our faces. To ease the emotional air, Nora began to share her story.

She had lived alone, having lost the only man she loved many years ago to the sea. He was a fisherman, but one who fished in the vast ocean. She had used her wish to see him once more. She explained that what we saw wasn’t real, of course, only a creation born from the emotions held in our memories. But it had felt so incredibly real to me... She urged us to believe in the power of emotions and how, through them, we could create.

Now, we would channel these beautiful feelings into crafting a body lotion. At Alie’s cue, we returned to the table, where the ingredients were already prepared. Smiling, Nora continued, “Pythia rested in the cave for a time, feeling that the next day would bring her closer to her destination—or perhaps, she simply knew. She finally fell asleep with these thoughts, only to be awakened by a distant sound. Her eyes scanned the cave’s interior as she waited. The fire was nearly out. When she heard the sound again, she rose, crafting a small torch, and ventured deeper into the cave.

Her instincts urged her to continue, though her mind resisted. But her faith in her abilities outweighed her doubts, and so, she pressed on.

Light blurred into reality, and reality transformed into a chasm. Peering down, she saw tropical trees and flowers blossoming below. This miraculous place reminded Pythia of the water nymphs. Beautiful things always developed their own form of protection. She checked the amulet around her neck, trusting in its safeguard.

To descend, she utilized the thick, vine-like tendrils that hung from the tunnel’s edge, their sturdy forms swaying gently. But before her foot could grace the ground, a serpent coiled around her wrist. The serpent whispered to Pythia of the magical powers dwelling within the tree at the bottom of the pit, revealing that if she could harvest one of its fruits, she would gain at least a hundred more years of life. Yet, stepping down was fraught with peril, a leap from which there would be no return.

With resolve, Pythia plucked a branch of the vine and cast it to the ground. When nothing transpired, she tore off a piece of bread from her pack and let it fall. Instantly, the very rocks began to shift and tumble, transforming the pit into a dark chasm reaching deep into the earth. Only the enchanted tree at its center and a flower-laden islet at its base hung suspended in the air.

In that moment of clarity, Pythia fashioned a shoe from the leaves of the vine and stepped confidently onto a floating stone. This vine was a native of the pit, welcoming her as a familiar guest. Safely navigating the stones, she reached the islet and filled her bag with the tree's fruits before departing from the abyss.

Before her departure, she inquired of the serpent about her destination and the mountain she sought. The serpent promised to guide her, but only if she would take it along. Thus, they set forth together on their quest.

When the barren lands finally yielded, a lush, vibrant valley of cascading mountains unfurled before them. “Here it is,” said the serpent, “the slopes you seek lie beyond those peaks.” However, Pythia paused to create a lotion from one of the fruits she had gathered from the tree, applying it to her skin before embarking on the journey. When the serpent questioned why she would waste such a precious gift instead of prolonging her life, she replied that such power could be wielded for many purposes.

With the aid of her potion, charm, and lip balm blend, Pythia traversed the valley and ultimately scaled the steep cliffs to a dwelling atop them. Upon her arrival, the breathtaking sea and a magnificent sunset unfolded before her gaze.

At that moment, the serpent coiled around her arm and descended to the ground, transforming into a radiant goddess. “Beloved Pythia, you have answered my call and triumphed over this arduous journey, arriving at this sacred place. This shall now be your home. Here, you will forge a city that will echo through the annals of history, reuniting separated communities.” As she spoke, she removed a silver bracelet that had adorned her arm and extended it to Pythia. “Take this; it is a talisman that will amplify your prophetic powers and guide your path.”

Thus, Pythia founded a city in the valley and etched her name among the world’s most renowned oracles.”

As Nora concluded her enchanting story, she turned her attention to the materials before us. Each of us was presented with a 50 ml bottle, dark blue and sealed with a cork, holding the promise of magic. Then, she began to enumerate the ingredients: 2 tablespoons of sweet almond oil, a nurturing essence; 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, filled with warmth; 5 drops of lemongrass essential oil, refreshing and uplifting; 5 drops of rosemary essential oil, steeped in ancient wisdom; 5 drops of peppermint essential oil, invigorating like a cool breeze; 5 drops of lavender essential oil, soothing like a gentle lullaby; and finally, 5 drops of orange peel essential oil, bright and joyful.

In that sacred moment, we instinctively reached out our hands to one another, uniting our energies. After a few seconds of silence, Nora began to chant, aiming to channel our intentions into the array of ingredients laid out before us. “O plants of the north, south, east, and west, awaken in our hands! Hear our call, spirits of fire, water, earth, air, and soul. Unite within this blend and find your harmonious balance! Whosoever anoints themselves with it shall be bestowed with the strength to overcome mountains.”

As we chanted in unison, the words took root within us, reverberating with a mystical cadence. We continued until we had combined the ingredients in the bottle, sealing it with intention. At the moment of closure, our eyes locked, and an enchanting silence enveloped us.

I examined the bottle in my hand, its contents shimmering under the flickering candlelight, feeling a delightful weariness wash over me. Alie served us a cup of freshly brewed tea, a comforting potion designed to cradle us into restful slumber. We lingered in the cozy space, exchanging stories, and when it was my turn to share, they listened with joy, occasionally exchanging knowing glances, like shared secrets woven into the air.

Before parting, they gave me their addresses, inviting me to visit whenever the stars aligned.

Upon returning home, the clock chimed 3 a.m., and I carried the magic of an unforgettable Halloween. Naturally, the charm, balm, and lotion we created would not last forever, unlike Pythia's timeless creations. Thus, I resolved to cherish them, ensuring they were consumed within three moons. With the recipes now in my possession, all that remained was to find kindred spirits to join me at my table beneath the full moon's glow, ready to weave the enchantment anew!