by John O'Riley
“It didn’t seem like the spell was going to work.”
“Category six wizards are difficult to work on but the enchantment finally took. When we wake up, we’re probably going to have one hell of a headache.”
“So what do we do?” Josephine asked.
“I need you to focus on Mark. I’ll do the rest,” Alice said.
“All right.”
As Josephine concentrated on Mark, a memory of their time together at an Italian restaurant materialized around her. Josephine stood off to the side observing herself and Mark dining together. She remembered this night very well. It was their first date and she’d felt guilty the entire time because she’d enjoyed herself while at the same time convinced a relationship couldn’t work out due to their age disparity. Her heart warmed as more memories flooded through and her surroundings changed to reflect the myriad of scenes. Josephine frowned with confusion and she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned to find Alice standing about a dozen feet to her left but her form was transparent like a ghost.
“Alice, is something wrong?” Josephine asked.
Alice opened her mouth to respond but vanished before she could say anything. A jumble of memories continued to play out around Josephine as she turned to see if Alice had shifted to another location. Unfortunately, she was nowhere to be seen.
“Alice? Where did you go?” Josephine began to feel a sense of dread at her friend’s lack of response. “Is everything all right?”
Guilt slammed into her for asking Alice to perform the claro mentis. She knew it was difficult magic to utilize but she’d been so concerned about Mark’s safety she’d failed to consider Alice’s. Multiple random memories played out in a jumble around Josephine, competing for her attention. She could no longer focus as her mind wrenched in many different directions among the chaos. Josephine lost track of time until a complete and utter darkness blanketed her once again. She felt as though she was floating and couldn’t feel anything solid whatsoever. Panic threatened to engulf her but she remembered that Alice had told her it was important to stay calm no matter what happened. After several moments, her heart warmed as she became aware of Mark’s presence. Josephine awoke with a start on her living room couch. She pushed herself up into a sitting position while Helen watched her with anticipation and Alice smiled with triumph.
“You shoved me out of your mind but I managed to find the link you have with Mark and activate it,” Alice said.
“Yes, I can feel it.” Josephine reveled at the intimate and loving energy that stirred within her. “I’d better go to Seattle.”
“Stay right where you are, young lady,” Alice ordered. “You need to focus on that connection and become acquainted with it before you take off. I lit up the connection like a beacon but its going to fade fast.”
“All right.” Josephine closed her eyes and complied with her friend’s order.
She could sense the magical link so well that it was hard to believe she would lose it again. Josephine kept her psychic receptors fully awake and centered on the link she shared with Mark and discovered Alice was right. It was very bright but after awhile she saw it begin to fade back to normal and blend in with everything else about her energy body. Luckily, she managed to keep it in sight when it shifted back to its regular state. Still, she kept her receptors fully active and tuned to it for a long time before she dared to open her eyes again and fix her attention back to her friends.
“I’m certain I can access the link at will now,” Josephine said.
“That’s great!” Helen exclaimed and leapt to her feet. “Let’s go find Mark and Perry.”
Alice peered at her with suspicion. “Why are you so happy about finding those two?”
“Mark and Perry are very dear to me.”
“We’ve only known Perry for about a week,” Alice said.
“That’s true but I was mostly talking about Mark.” Helen’s cheeks flushed and she averted her gaze for a couple of seconds before adopting a no-nonsense expression. “We don’t have any time to waste. We need to go to Seattle.”
“Helen’s right.” Josephine crossed the room to stand in front of the large teleportation mirror which boasted large blue opals ensconced within the intricate silver frame.
Helen and Alice took up positions beside her as she activated the enchantment. The opals lit up for several seconds then a gold shimmering luminescence lit up the reflective glass. The three women stepped through the portal and found themselves in the library of Cyril Freeman’s business manor. Josephine guided her friends through the library and through the manor to the front door where a couple of guards were posted. They greeted her by name and opened the door for her.
“Thanks,” Josephine said as she passed them.
Josephine, Helen, and Alice stepped outside in the darkness of the early morning. Strategic outdoor lamp posts provided ample lighting as they strolled toward the exit gate.
“So Cyril works in this mansion but doesn’t actually live here?” Alice asked.
“That’s right,” Josephine confirmed. “He lives in a different mansion in Seattle that doesn’t have a teleportation mirror.”
“I guess that makes sense. He wouldn’t want people popping into his house all the time.”
“All right. Let’s stop for a minute,” Josephine said.
She centered herself and felt for the link she shared with Mark. A pleased smile curved her lips as she found it and channeled energy through it. After several moments, she could detect Mark’s general direction.
“I suppose we should have called for a rental car,” Helen said.
“Perry was on foot. They’ll definitely be in walking distance.” Josephine leveled a reassuring look at her friend.
She led the way through block after block of neighborhoods until they reached a forest. Josephine felt the energy currents stir between her and Mark, indicating he was close. Soon, the three women reached a small clearing where Mark was lying unconscious with a white dove huddled next to his neck. Alarm flared within Josephine when she saw the energy degradation of both Mark and Perry. She rushed over and knelt beside Mark. She tried waking him but he was comatose.
“Perry, what happened here?” Josephine asked.
The dove panted and squeaked as it struggled to lift its head. “The power center I created here is too weak. I’m dying.”
Josephine and Helen gasped with horror.
“What about Mark?” Josephine asked.
“I don’t know why but he hasn’t burned out. There’s extra light energy flowing to him somehow. It’s just enough to stabilize him but he’ll be out for days.”
“What if I take you both back to my garden?” Josephine suggested.
“Frederic didn’t destroy it?”
“No. The garden neutralized his enchantments somehow.”
“It’s too late for me but Mark can avoid burnout.”
“You’ll be fine.” Josephine gently scooped up Perry in her hand then took out a telekinetic wand and used it to carry Mark back to Cyril Freeman’s business manor. Perry lay on his side with his head lolling lifelessly against her hand. If it wasn’t for Josephine’s honed ability to sense psychometric energy, she would have thought he’d already died. She agreed with his assessment on his own condition though – he didn’t have much time. Josephine, Helen, and Alice took Mark and Perry in the center of Josephine’s enchanted garden.
Josephine’s eyes misted with unshed tears as she held Mark’s hand while Perry continue to lie unmoving in her other hand. She could sense the transformation in Mark’s energy body to allow for the utilization of source energy. The reason burnout was so painful and left victims comatose during recovery was that the physical body relied on the energy produced by magic. As Josephine continued to scan Mark, she could discern a deep alteration at the cellular level as well as his energy body because of his work with white magic. She could see that he had progressed farther along than anyone else she’d ever heard of and f
eared that his life may be in danger if burnout did progress.
“Your link to Mark also gives you a link to source energy. You can use it to help heal them,” Helen said.
Josephine gazed at her friend with disbelief. “I don’t know anything about white magic.”
“You control a small stream of light energy. You can direct it,” Helen advised. “My family tends to have an affinity with white magic, remember? I would suggest focusing on Perry. He’s on his last leg.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing. I might make things worse.”
“It’s Perry’s only chance. We need him.”
“What about you?” Josephine’s eyes lit up with a sudden idea. “You have a talent for white magic that you never used. You could tap into it now.”
Helen hesitated with indecision. “Because I have the ability, it’s possible it could be jumpstarted with a bit of white magic from you. We’re taking a big chance though. If my talent doesn’t kick in, this will all be for nothing.”
“You’ve been thinking about become a practitioner anyway. You’ve talked about it for months now.”
“I’m afraid of the burnout. I don’t want to suffer through it.” Helen’s grievous expression bore into Josephine’s. “I’ve seen it in my family firsthand. It’s awful. The pain drags on for days before you become comatose and then you suffer for weeks after you wake up again.” She hesitated as her vibrant green eyes fixed on the limp white dove. “All right. I’ll do it.” Helen sat down in the lotus position beside Josephine and Mark. “Direct the energy into the chakra in my right hand. It’s the best chance of waking up my dormant ability.”
Josephine gently placed Mark’s hand to his side so she could hold Helen’s. With Mark situated so close, Josephine could feel their link and the connection she had to light energy. It wasn’t very much but she directed that trickle of power into Helen’s right hand. For several long moments, hope surged within Josephine that because they were doing this in a white magic power center, Helen would come upon her talent with ease and heal both Mark and Perry. Unfortunately, reality began to set in when Josephine could sense no change in Helen other than the energy that flowed through her right hand chakra. It was such a miniscule amount of power and most of it passed through Helen and out into the garden. Josephine took a deep breath as bitter disappointment made her realize she’d wasted her precious ability on Helen and allowed Perry to die. Alice folded her arms across her chest and an anxious frown marred her face as she continued watching her friends. Josephine was about to pull away from Helen when the stream of light energy flowing from her increased somehow. She stiffened with surprise then forced herself to relax and focus on the chakra in Helen’s hand.
After a moment, Helen’s body radiated with sparkling white luminescence as her ability awakened. She reached out with her other hand and held Mark’s. The stream of light energy in Josephine flared even stronger and she could see it was flowing from Helen to Mark and back to her again. The plants in the garden glowed with vibrant white light as the source energy gushed into them. Helen, Mark, and Perry glowed with such intensity that their bodies were no longer visible and they twinkled like bright stars. Josephine marveled at the scene unfolding as she squeezed her eyes shut but continued to watch with her third eye chakra. Mark awakened and sat up as the powerful light energy ebbed and faded back to normal. Josephine opened her eyes and saw the white dove standing on her hand looking spry and healthy. Perry jumped off her hand and flew into the air. He exploded in a glowing white mist as he transformed into his human form about a dozen feet away. Josephine embraced Mark and held him tight for a moment before pulling back. Mark leaned in for a kiss then helped Josephine to stand. Helen rose to her feet with an ecstatic grin on her face.
“Helen! I can’t believe you did that!” Perry exclaimed with amazement.
“Neither can I.” Helen smiled at him with elation. “What a rush! I couldn’t have done that without the power from the enchanted garden though.”
“You have a lot of natural ability. Just like my dad.” Perry patted Mark on the shoulder with affection. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I have to say that even I’m amazed by what white magic can do,” Alice said. “However, I’m also a realist and I can’t help but notice how quickly white magic fails when it’s confronted with black magic.”
“White magic is always stronger than dark,” Mark said.
“How can you say that after what just happened?” Alice asked.
“It’s the properties of light energy and dark energy that aren’t fully understood,” Perry lectured. “They both repel each other and even though light energy is stronger, it bends away from the dark.”
“Then what good does being stronger do?” Alice pressed. “It will still fail in the end during any confrontation.”
“There’s something different about me,” Josephine announced as she tried to identify the difference in her energy body.
Perry fixed an intense look on her then grinned with excitement. “You and Dad are linked with Helen now.”
“We are?” Josephine expanded her scan to take in Helen and Mark. She quickly confirmed Perry’s observation. “You’re right. So what does this mean?”
“Your powers should be even stronger. All of you.” Perry made a gesture at the three of them.
“Am I in danger of becoming a white magic practitioner?” Josephine asked.
“No, the stream of light energy is stronger because of your link with Helen but your mainstream magic is intact and stable. If we had the ability to measure power beyond a six, I would guess that you would be a category twelve at this point.”
“Are you serious?” Josephine peered at him with astonishment. “How is that even possible?”
“That’s why wizards like to link magically with one or two others. You should be careful not expand your connection any further though. Groups larger than three risk growing volatility and vulnerability,” Perry cautioned.
“What do you mean by that exactly?”
“Your powers would be so strong that you could cause explosions of uncontrollable energy. Furthermore, if something happened to any member of your group, your powers would be crippled for awhile.”
“Are we in any danger of that happening the way we are now?” Helen asked.
“No, you’re perfectly safe but if your group keeps getting larger, those are the risks that you would be facing.”
“So if we had four or more people linked with us, if one of us got hurt, it would temporarily disable our power?” Josephine asked for clarification.
“That’s right. Any serious physical injury would cause that reaction.”
“What about death?” Alice interjected. “If you had a large group and one of them died, what would happen?”
“You’d lose your powers for days,” Perry said. “But you don’t have to worry because with a group of three, none of those risks apply to you. Although it would be very bad if one of you were captured by the Valituras.”
“Other than the obvious, why would that be bad?” Josephine asked.
“They could access your link through any one of you which means they would be able to track all of you and even bind your powers. They couldn’t completely disable your abilities but you’d be very weak,” Perry explained.
“I’m too old for all of these problems,” Helen fretted. “Why can’t everything go back to the way it was?”
“I could help you to safely remove the link from each other,” Perry offered.
Helen’s face brightened with renewed hope. “You can?”
“Sure.”
“Before we do anything rash, I just want to point out that the Valituras are a threat that won’t just go away. We might as well take advantage of this new link between us and your awakened abilities,” Josephine said.
“White magic has proven to be a liability,” Alice argued.
“This feels right. I think it’s important that both Helen and Mark explore and dev
elop their work with light energy,” Josephine said.
Chapter 15
Mark’s heart raced with panic as he sat up in the tent, torn from a deep sleep. It was still dark outside and his eyes struggled to adjust so he could see.
“Mark, help me!” his sister’s voice shouted in his mind and he could have sworn she was sitting right next to him.
Mark reached out for his flashlight and turned it on. He took a deep cleansing breath as he oriented himself and stepped outside into the enchanted garden. Helen’s tent wiggled as she obviously had awakened as well. He saw movement coming from the front as she worked at finding the zipper so she could step outside. Mark wondered what his dream was all about. The details were hazy as though he was remembering something from years ago. The feeling of terror still clung to the back of his mind and unsettled him. He shoved those disturbing thoughts aside as he waited for Helen to emerge. They hadn’t gotten any sleep after their encounter with Frederic and had spent the next day preparing niveus imperium enchantments. The company Josephine had hired to set up wards over her property had finished their work so their safety in the enchanted garden was no longer completely reliant on white magic. However, the protection wasn’t nearly as powerful as the house.
“Good morning.” Helen poked her head outside and offered an airy smile.
“Good morning. How are you feeling?” Mark asked.
“Pretty good except for the fact that I’ve never liked camping.”
Mark noticed Perry watching them in the form of a white dove perched on the branch of a weeping willow tree a short distance away.
“Hey, Perry,” Mark said.
“Hi there.” Helen leveled a friendly smile at the bird.
“Greetings. You’re both looking well. No sign of burnout,” Perry observed. His voice sounded strange as a bird with a slightly higher pitch.
“That’s great news.”
“What time is it?” Mark asked.
“I’m not sure. Josephine’s been awake for a long time though.”
Mark and Helen went inside the house, poured themselves coffee, and met with Josephine and Alice in the dining room.