The Wizards of Central Park West_Ultimate Urban Fantasy

by Arjay Lewis

He motioned to an empty chair, where Eddie tentatively sat. At the same time the others returned to their seats. Eddie had the feeling he was in the witness seat while a jury watched.

  “We were just speaking of you,” Drusilicus returned to his own chair.

  “Why am I not surprised?” Eddie responded. “By coincidence, my partner and I were just talking about you.”

  “Ah yes, your partner,” Drusilicus uttered, and emphasized the word with distaste. “You’ve chosen the good Sergeant Vasquez as an apprentice, I understand.”

  “Yes, and he came in very handy when I spoke to your apprentice today.”

  Drusilicus stared. “You met with Caleb, again? Without me there?”

  “I was not aware I needed your permission or presence,” Eddie muttered. “He was most cooperative.”

  “That’s all veddy lovely,” Eugenia seemed very subdued, after the previous evening’s encounters. “Edward, we must discuss the situation.”

  “The situation?” Eddie repeated.

  “Yes,” Ahbay said apologetically. “We are all concerned.”

  “About what?”

  Ahbay looked at Eugenia and Trefoil for support, then returned his gaze to Eddie. “The incidents that occurred last evening—”

  “We were not prepared for the Great Evil,” Eugenia blurted out. “I mean, as he is now.”

  “The way he faced us in the park,” Ahbay added. “He was completely unafraid.”

  “Thass not the way it used to be,” Trefoil pointed out.

  “And our combined powers were not strong enough to secure him.” Eugenia partly rose from her chair. She was more excited than Eddie had seen her. “He should not have been able to transform or escape with four of the Five using a binding spell.”

  “He shoulda been helpless,” Trefoil grumbled.

  “This is most true!” Ahbay agreed.

  “Okay,” Eddie raised his hands as if to quiet the commotion, “so Big Red is pumped up. That means we have to be ready for him.”

  “Our abilities are weakened.” Eugenia returned to her seat, and obviously forced herself to remain calm. “Whatever happened in Trefoil’s room stole a portion of our powers.”

  “Add to that,” Ahbay advised, “your lack of experience—”

  “Right,” Eddie jeered, his tone sardonic. “I bet Drusilicus has been very worried about that.”

  “Lieutenant,” Drusilicus admitted, “believe me when I say that I hold you in the highest esteem—”

  “Sure you do,” Eddie snapped.

  “Come on, Eddie,” Trefoil said. “You got lucky, but you’re in way over your head!”

  "I maybe saved all of us last night, Trefoil. Something went wrong in your room, and I got us out.”

  “And then you walked into a trap. You were only rescued by the actions of others,” Drusilicus pointed out.

  “Look, man, don’t take it the wrong way,” Trefoil acknowledged. “You think fast on your feet, I’ll give you that. But, Abraxas played you for a chump.”

  “So far, he’s played all of you for chumps. He knows what you are going to do before you do it.” Eddie looked at each of them. They would not meet his eyes.

  “Look, I’ll admit the odds ain’t good,” Trefoil lamented. “I think if we had someone more practiced in the arts, we’d have a better chance.”

  “And Drusilicus has been after my staff since the night I got it!” Eddie accused.

  “Which was only a few nights hence,” Drusilicus’s face took on a cruel countenance. “Honestly, lieutenant, I don’t see why you resist. The mortal world rests upon the ability of the Five to defeat this creature. Shouldn’t we fight him with one who has spent his life mastering the necessary skills?”

  “I’ll tell you why you shouldn’t,” Eddie rose from his chair. “Because somebody wants me out of the way. Since I was summoned, I have been confronted by people who didn’t want me to carry a staff. Then, there are people who don’t want me to do anything until I’ve been trained, and finally there are people who should be on my side and are not!”

  On the last statement, Eddie glared at Eugenia and Ahbay, who were much too fascinated with the floor to look at him.

  “And speaking of people who say one thing and mean another, Drusilicus. I came here to talk to you alone. But since we are airing our laundry, I wanted to question you about your boy, Caleb.”

  “Ah!” Drusilicus boasted. “Then, he verified my reason for being in the park last night?”

  “Not quite. According to him, you suggested he go. It seems odd to me that you would tell him to do something, and then follow him as he does it. A very convenient excuse.”

  “Lieutenant, I don’t know if I like your tone,” Drusilicus responded haughtily.

  “Let him speak,” Ahbay raised his head.

  “He also told me you give him opportunities to use your staff,” Eddie announced.

  The entire energy changed in the room. Eugenia, Ahbay, and Trefoil all shifted their gazes from Eddie to Drusilicus. Drusilicus’ face went red for a moment, and he rose a bit from his chair, thought better of it, and returned to his seat.

  “It is not uncommon to give an apprentice a chance to have ‘hands-on’ training,” Drusilicus spoke in a flustered tone.

  “I have never heard of such a thing,” Ahbay’s voice was very controlled. “In my day, we taught through reading and exercises to balance the Yin and the Yang. To allow an apprentice such power—”

  “I supervised him the entire time!” Drusilicus was now on the defensive.

  “Even so,” Eugenia gawked, “one is only allowed to wield a staff after one has been initiated. You cannot allow a mere apprentice to—”

  “Caleb is gifted!” Drusilicus interrupted. “And he has far more training than this—” he gestured to Eddie “—excuse for a Newling. Why do we allow him to carry a staff at all, let alone be one of the Five?”

  “And so we come to the crux of the matter!” Eddie said. “You just don’t like me having a staff, period.”

  Drusilicus did rise this time, as he was rapidly losing his support. “Do not take me wrong, lieutenant. From what little we have seen you are an excellent police officer, but you hardly have a background in the metaphysical.”

  “I didn’t ask for the pleasure of sitting in your drawing room—”

  “It’s an Athenaeum,” Drusilicus’ voice grew louder.

  “Whatever the hell it is, I don’t need this. I didn’t ask for this honor, and I have to tell you, after dealing with this bunch of two-faced losers, I would be happy to give up my membership to your little group.”

  “We are offering you that opportunity, Eddie,” Trefoil nodded solemnly.

  “What I want is a straight answer.” Eddie turned to face Drusilicus. “Why were you in the park last night, really?”

  Drusilicus hesitated. “I was there because someone called my mirror and told me to be there.”

  “Who was it?”

  Drusilicus exhaled deeply. “Frisha.”

  “Frisha?” Eddie was taken aback. “When?”

  “I’m not sure, I left right after she called. She said not to tell anyone, but she told me she’d had a vision of terrible tidings. There was a chance you could be killed. I walked down to Washington Park and teleported immediately.”

  Trefoil sat up in his chair. “The old girl is a prophetess.”

  Eugenia piped up, “Whatever inspired her to contact you, Drusilicus?”

  “I—I don’t know,” Drusilicus stammered.

  “Why do I get a feeling,” Eddie folded his arms, “that there is more to this than you are telling me?”

  “What difference does any of this make?” Trefoil argued.

  Eddie faced the older man. “It might make all the difference.” He returned his glare to Drusilicus.

  “Well,” Drusilicus looked like a wild animal caught in a trap. “She said that you might be…well, killed…and that I should be there.”

  “Did she explain any f
urther?” Eddie demanded.

  “No, but I assumed I should be there to take up your staff.”

  “See, that proves the old girl is losing it,” Trefoil dismissed. “She was totally wrong. Eddie, you came out of it without a scratch.”

  “Thanks to Daniel Kraft,” Eddie fumed. “And no thanks to you, Drusilicus.”

  “I arrived as quickly as I could,” his face flushed again. “I would have added my arm to the battle, but by the time I arrived it was over.”

  “Well, for once I think you’ve told me the truth.” Eddie made his way toward the door. “I’ll leave you all in this Athena…whatever you call it. But, I’ll add one thing. You can have my staff when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers. So you better decide if you want to kill me or not.”

  Without another word, Eddie left the room and slammed the door behind him.

  There are other ways, thought one of the people who remained.

  Forty-Three

  Late afternoon, Eddie and Luis rode the subway uptown so Eddie could go to Marlowe’s, while Luis asked a friend to pull Caleb’s rap sheet and get the photos of the stolen Mayan artifacts. They promised to meet at six to make sure Eddie kept his promise to get home for dinner.

  Eddie and Marlowe descended the stairs to the underground lair. “Last night, most of what I threw at Abraxas didn’t even hurt him. It wasn’t until I really got my emotions involved.”

  Marlowe sighed. “Wizardry is more than mere mental activity. You must set your intention, and you need to feel it from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head.”

  “So why do you all say the ancient words?”

  Marlowe shrugged. “Words are power, Eddie.”

  “Okay, which is stronger, words or feelings?”

  “Feelings. After all, words are merely a way to express thoughts and emotions. I must admit, we do not have time to teach you many of the words.”

  Eddie felt the heavy hand of time as it ticked by; another moment, another hour, and a day closer to the confrontation.

  “Let us begin,” Marlowe faced Eddie. “I want you to, as they say, do what feels right.”

  “Don’t hold back, Marlowe,” Eddie stipulated. “If I’m going to have any kind of a chance, I need to be really ready.”

  Eddie touched his staff to his suit and the fabric melted, rolled, and changed into his loose-fitting scarlet robe with tall boots.

  “Nicely done,” Marlowe praised as his garments changed to a hooded cloak. The two men stood, their staffs poised.

  With the smallest of gestures by Marlowe, the room changed, becoming dark and smoky, the old man disappeared in the fog.

  Eddie coughed from the mist, but did not lower his guard.

  It was quiet around him.

  Too quiet.

  His own heartbeat sounded like a drum in his ears as he looked from left to right through the haze, no longer able to discern the walls or ceiling.

  A slight noise to his left. Eddie moved swiftly and as hushed as a whisper.

  A huge leopard, the size of a large horse, leapt out of the smoke and shadow. It paused only for a moment, then turned and hurtled directly at Eddie.

  Eddie fell back, and avoided the creature. He rolled into a crouch, lobster-walked sideways, then raised his staff and yelled, “Out! Out! Damn spot!”

  The creature sprang for Eddie, just as a red beam shot forth from his staff. It struck the feline in midair, and the big cat became nothing more than a thin wisp of vapor.

  Not pausing to congratulate himself, Eddie hunched down, and shifted his position.

  A movement in the corner of his eyes made him spin about.

  A shadow rose up and flew toward him, fast.

  Eddie looked up to see a large bird, the size of a condor, dive through the air right at him.

  He dodged and weaved, as the avian creature burst into flame.

  He held up his staff, as the monster spat a blast of fire from its mouth, right at him.

  He waved the wooden pole and the flame was deflected to an unnatural, impossible angle.

  “You goin down!” Eddie yelled, and hoped he sounded more dangerous than he felt.

  The flaming bird tried to rise up, but the light from Eddie’s staff surrounded it, and it came crashing to the floor, only to vanish into vapor as it struck.

  Marlowe stepped out of the mist next to Eddie, a white beam shot forth from his staff, Eddie raised his own in a quick defense, only to be bowled off his feet by Marlowe’s illuminance.

  Eddie landed with an “Oof!” as the air was pushed from his lungs. He tried to rise, but decided to lie on the floor and catch his breath.

  “What happened to your shielding spell?” the old man stood over Eddie. “You must be able to deflect the most aggressive attack.”

  Eddie looked up at Marlowe. “I didn’t see you move.”

  “Keep your guard up at all times! Remember, you must surround yourself with your light—”

  “I know the drill,” Eddie pulled himself to his feet. “Let’s go.”

  Marlowe faded back into the shadows.

  They began again. Eddie threw himself into the work with a vengeance. Marlowe created illusions of great and terrible creatures from mythology and nightmares.

  Eddie faced each one and dispatched them quickly and completely, as if he’d become a martial arts master, and the monsters were nothing more than thin pieces of wood he could split with a well-placed blow.

  As they worked, Eddie told Marlowe of the confrontation at Drusilicus’ home.

  “Time!” Marlowe called out, after Eddie fought a particularly nasty gryphon, using his staff to strike the monster repeatedly in its eagle-shaped head before he vanquished it.

  Eddie’s breath came hard, a cold sweat over his body. He stepped back and lowered his staff as the fog dissipated.

  “So, what’s up with the others?” Eddie asked.

  “I am shocked, Eddie,” Marlowe’s form became clear as the room reappeared around them. “You are sure that Eugenia, Ahbay, and Trefoil were actually discussing taking your staff from you?”

  “That’s what it seemed like. Can they do that?”

  “I enabled your staff to be given to any you say. There are other ways to part a wizard from his staff, but they are not often used,” Marlowe considered. He walked to the raised platform and sat down. “Long ago, there were those who took the power of their staff and twisted it for their own ends.”

  “Warlocks?” Eddie said.

  “Yes, they deviated from the path. They used falsehood to seek dark powers. Over the years, though, the evil among us were defeated.”

  “And other wizards took their staffs?”

  “Usually. But, we found that there were some staves that had been corrupted. Those were concealed and remain unused to this day. We are now much more careful to only find members who seek the enlightenment of themselves and the world, as well as keep the secret of our existence.”

  “Until I came around.”

  “It has been many a year since anyone has been summoned,” Marlowe sighed.

  “So why do you think I was?”

  Marlowe smiled and looked at his charge with kindness. “It happens when a wizard dies unexpectedly, which is rare. Each of us chooses when, where, and how to leave this life.”

  “Chooses? Why would anyone choose to die?”

  Marlowe stared at the floor a long moment before answering. “It is the way of things, Eddie.”

  “That’s just an excuse, Marlowe.”

  “Mayhaps,” Marlowe still looked at the floor. “There comes a point when, after centuries, perhaps millennia of existence, even a wizard wishes to leave. He has seen all, done all, and lost far too much. At that point, he will choose an apprentice, teach him the arts, then bequeath his staff to him and move on.”

  “Riftstone didn’t.”

  “He was murdered, yet his staff possessed enough power to summon you.”

  “For better or worse.”

  “I
believe it was for better, Eddie,” Marlowe’s eyes grew misty. “You possess courage and a great heart, which shines forth in all you do. You lack knowledge, but not talent.”

  Eddie nodded solemnly and accepted the compliment. “Yeah, but is it enough to stop the Great Evil?”

  Marlowe shook his head. “I pray so. Let’s go upstairs, and you can prepare for our voyage to your home.”

  “Our voyage?” Eddie mounted the stairs. “Who invited you?”

  “Eddie, I cannot let you go unguarded,” Marlowe declared as his clothing melted into a bright red smoking jacket and dark pants, and his staff shrank into the walking stick. “The attack last night was aimed at you. Doesn’t that prove that you are in danger?”

  Eddie sighed. “I hope my wife doesn’t have plans.”

  They reached the top of the stairs and came out to the entrance hall, where Luis had just entered and stood speaking with Frisha.

  “Hey,” Luis held a folder aloft. “I got Caleb’s rap sheet and those photos you wanted.”

  Marlowe reached out for the folder. With a glance to Eddie, who nodded assent, Luis handed them to the old man.

  “I’ll need a magnifying glass to examine the pictures,” Marlowe made his way to the breakfast room.

  “Anything important in the rap sheet?” Eddie said.

  Luis shrugged. “A lot of juvie stuff, petty theft, underage drinking. Kid’s been a problem until about two years ago. Been a straight arrow ever since.”

  “Probably when he met Drusilicus. He’s got talismans, I guess he doesn’t need to steal.”

  “Or doesn’t get caught. I’m goin’ for more coffee,” Luis said and followed Marlowe toward the breakfast room.

  Frisha headed for the front door.

  “Frisha,” Eddie fell quickly into his professional demeanor.

  “Fred!” Frisha turned to smile her mostly toothless grin. “How goest the training?”

  “Well and good,” Eddie said, surprised that he adapted Oldspeak to his daily conversation, and a bit annoyed by it as well. “I wanted to ask you about last night.”

  “Last night?” she became tense.

  “Yes, you contacted another wizard?”

  “Oh! Yes, I didst speak to several,” Frisha shyly met Eddie’s eyes. “It be a pleasant way to pass the time. I be a lonely old woman…”