The need was intense once you gave in… at least, this is what Meghan had been told. And what she'd seen as truth in her vision about the life of Juliska Blackwell, too. And for Meghan, it also meant her human life would be extended. It was a sacrifice she might have to make, and her only reason not to was Sebastien. Because even though he was a magical being, he'd only live a normal, human lifespan. She supposed that if it was her job to save the world, some things might have to be sacrificed. Time would reveal all, she imagined, half-heartedly.
Meghan had followed the riverbank and stopped when she came to an old fallen log and took a seat, leaning her back up against another tree trunk. Not long after, the pleasant silence was broken by footsteps. She sucked in and leaned forward, wondering who'd found her, or who'd followed. Most likely Sebastien or Ivan.
However, it was Jasper. He silently took a seat on the same log a few feet away. He was the one visitor she could handle. He would not pester like the others. And might even have some solid advice to offer.
"Such beautiful waterways, aren't they?" he started gently.
"Good for clearing the mind," she returned.
"I overheard Nashua speaking this morning, and they're going to start closing most of the arches."
"Really? I guess that shouldn't be a shocker."
"Not at this point. We can't be too careful. These lands are heavily protected, but there are too many open doorways and it's not worth the risk."
"Makes sense." She decided small talk time was over. "How's Colin this morning?"
Jasper breathed in deep, considering that question for a good long while before saying, "The world didn't end."
"Is that supposed to sound promising?"
"I do not know." The unusual doubt in his tone had Meghan on edge. Jasper rubbed his chin in hesitation. "I do have a theory."
"Oh, joy. Another one."
He chuckled. "This one, I put on no wagers on anyone's lives, including my own. But it's an idea I've been mulling over since we returned from the island last night." She sat up a little more, waiting. "Colin's magic, like both yours and Colby's, is tied to the Stone. Not all your magic," he clarified. "But the magic that is a part of that Stone, and each of you, is what I'm speaking of."
"Okay. What about it? Are you worried if I destroy the Stone something's going to go wrong? Will we not lose our connection to the Stone, like you thought?"
"I've not changed my theories about all we've already discussed. However—Colin was subjected to a lot more of the magic than you or Colby."
"Which is why he's a Projector."
"I believe. Yes. But more than that, I think it's why his powers are so much more unstable than they should be."
"I thought that was part of being a Projector."
"It is. But not like him. He has access to more power and is far more unstable than any other Projector I've ever met. And I've known a fair few."
Meghan exhaled wearily. "Are you worried about what will happen to Colin once I destroy the Stone?"
"There's always reason to worry. But in this case, I actually find myself cautiously optimistic."
That perked her attention. "You think he might get better?"
"My hope is that when the Stone is destroyed, and the magic inside the Stone, destroyed, that Colin's own magic might… stabilize. Over time, mind you. I don't think it will just be an instant recovery—although, anything's possible. And therein lies the problem really. So many possibilities and not nearly enough time to test a single theory. But I believe as the magic inside of him is used up, he will stabilize over time. And maybe, and this is a big maybe, he might even get rid of the Projectorism altogether—big guess," he reiterated.
"You think it's possible though?" She wanted to hope but didn't dare give into that hope. It was wishful thinking.
"It makes sense, at some basic level of understanding magic, and the Stone. But it's not something I have time to test. So, it's my best guess. Or maybe it's just hoping. There's always a possibility that what he is has nothing at all to do with how he was conceived or brought into this world." He shrugged. "If I had to wager, though, I'd put my money on that not being the case. Simplest answer is typically correct."
Meghan started to ask something, but stopped herself. She must have worn the worry outwardly though.
"I cannot promise with any certainty what's going to happen to Colin, either way this goes. You and Colby were born with the Stone's magic in your blood. When the Stone no longer exists, your connection to it and the magic will be broken. Colin was subjected to months of the magic as his mother—Juliska's—immortality took hold. His conception was slowed down, frozen almost, for months. I do believe that when you destroy the Stone, you and Colby will be fine—that, I'd still wager my life on. But after the last few days… I cannot say with any certainty what's going to happen to Colin." And he sounded truly miserable about it. "Logic dictates that even though he was subjected to the magic in a different manner, when that magic is destroyed, it should lessen the instability. Unfortunately, logic isn't the only determining factor. I don't know all the possibilities, or the questions I don't yet know to ask."
Meghan nodded in grim understanding. She plunked back, wincing as the tree bark bit in more harshly than she'd planned. "I think this is the thought I was trying to come to myself when I went out walking this morning. What all of this was going to do to Colin. If there was anything I could do to help him. And how to keep Colby out of it all. He's been through enough."
"Some would say the same of you."
Meghan waved him off. "What it all comes down to, is that none if it really matters. Whatever Colin is, or might become—whatever Colby has gone through—none of it changes the needed outcome, and that I am the one who must see this through. People can say what they will. It doesn't change what I have to do."
"You are right, Meghan." Jasper's mouth lifted into an understanding smile. "Tell me what happened last night. With Colby."
"Colin didn’t tell you."
"Only a little, and I didn't want to push. And from what I witnessed myself, I think I can sort of piece it together. But I'd like to hear everything, in case it's important."
Meghan explained it all. The entire brutal existence that was Colby's life, and what had happened between them all the night before when their minds connected and they'd relived Colby's memories right along with him.
"If what you're wanting to know, is where Colby stands, Jasper, I can't answer that other than he's not standing. He is… broken. Jae is the only thing keeping him together. But Colby will not try to stop me from destroying the Stone. When it comes to our father, I'm not going to ask, or expect, his help. I can't do that to him."
"Understandable. And you are certain he will not try to stop you?"
"No. He might not be able to do it himself, but he doesn't want his father to win."
Jasper nodded. That was a big win, in itself. Pegging sister against brother was not a situation he wanted to contend with.
Meghan shifted nervously. "I, um, have a favor to ask."
"Anything," Jasper responded.
"When Colby finds out you're still alive, I want him to believe he didn't kill anyone that day. He still has to deal with what he did to Amelia Cobb, and so many other things that he did for his father, but at least Amelia was an evil woman with insane ideas. You, though—he sees you as an innocent man who loved his grandmother. And he killed you—he thinks."
Jasper nodded thoughtfully.
"I'm not trying to lessen what he did. Or strip away what Robert Motley sacrificed—"
Jasper stopped her. "Say no more. I can assure you, Robert would agree with you. If he were here, he'd probably even suggest it himself. Give Colby a clean slate. A second chance."
"I won't let Robert's sacrifice go unknown. I just—I want Colby to have a chance to start over. Have the life he deserves. Not the one he got stuck with." Not the one I stuck him with…
Jasper released a somber breath. "Robert ch
ose his death. And you're right, it won't ever be forgotten. But we can honor his sacrifice, and give your brother a clean slate, too. You won't hear any argument from me."
"Or from me." They both jolted when out of nowhere, a ghost popped in sitting next to them like he'd been there all along. "Hiya, Red. Old friend," he greeted them.
Meghan closed her gaping mouth and shook her head. "When is this world going to stop surprising me?" The subject of the moment, Robert Motley, in ghost form, had joined them from beyond the grave.
Jasper got a tear in his eye. "It's good to see you."
"Don’t get used to it. This is my last jaunt on this merry journey called life—well, unfinished business after life."
Meghan laughed. She couldn't help it.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm just adding another piece to the puzzle."
Jasper's eyes narrowed to half-amused slits. "A big one I hope. Just what else did you plan behind my back, other than faking my death?"
"A solution to an important problem." He twisted his ghostly frame to see Meghan better and tapped his head. "It's all in here. Everything I saw from your mind, including that horrific vision in which you had to kill Colin. And while I have no absolute guarantees, I spent many hours pondering the subject. Good thing about having all those years between when you came back in time, and today."
Meghan's mouth gaped again and Robert pretended to use his ghostly hand to close it. She shivered as his cold essence went right through her skin—but shut her mouth again.
"And what have you come up with?" Jasper asked anxiously.
"You need to use the Bone Dagger. And I'm going to ask you to do something that will seem utterly insane."
"Really? From you?" Jasper retorted.
"This is insane even for me, old friend."
That had Jasper on edge, but he trusted Robert. The ghost pushed up from his pretend sitting and hovered in front of them both.
"Fazendiin has amassed an unfathomable amount of stored magic. And now he also has the Projector's bones protecting him, and his army. Yes, he fixed that mistake just a short while ago. And he's not using my bones, of course. I have no clue what poor fool was the unlucky harbinger of Fazendiin's bones."
"Nor I," added Jasper. "I only ever knew about the dagger because you told me, Robert. Leaving out the part where it was supposed to kill me."
"You're welcome," snickered Robert. "Anyway… it doesn't matter whose bones they were. What matters is this. You're going to have to use that dagger on Colin."
"But…" Meghan tossed her hands out in front of her. "That's just my vision coming true!"
"No." He shrugged. "Not exactly."
"How not exactly, is it?" she returned in exasperation.
"I discovered something not long before my death. It is true that a dead Projector's bones can be used to block a living Projector's magic, however, there is one exception to this."
"Which is?" Jasper's intrigue was peaked.
"It's like in life. Projector's powers are not inhibited by their own bones."
"As in, a Projector, like myself, my own bones wouldn't block my own magic."
"Right. But it extends beyond this. For example, when Colby was infected with the Projector's powers, he could have used that magic against his father, who used those same bones to protect himself from Colin."
"How?" asked Meghan.
Jasper let his mouth fall open.
"Catch on, old friend?" Robert grinned.
"Once the power is injected into a body, it sees that as being alive again. And therefore, its bones do not cause immunity. It negates that problem."
"And it would nullify the protection Fazendiin believes he and his army, have."
"I can totally see the benefit of such knowledge," started Meghan. "But why Colin?"
"I'm with her on this, Robert. I mean, why not me, or anyone else, instead?"
"It has to be another Projector. You saw what it did to someone like Colby. He had some measure of control, but being given something like this without proper training and time to prepare… it's an unpredictable nightmare waiting to happen."
"Obviously," agreed Meghan. "But why not Jasper. He's far more controlled and has had a ridiculous amount of time to train."
Jasper let out a short chuckle. But she wasn't wrong.
Robert sighed. "It would also make my sacrifice worthless—not worthless," he corrected. "But it would only put off your own death, old friend. Ask yourself how the dagger works…"
Meghan plunked back. "Oh. Right. That."
"Yeah. That." Jasper was going to have to seriously think about this. Because Robert was right. He was too aged to live in this world without his Projector's powers. He would die if they were taken from him, and he'd not be able to keep them or he'd end up just like Colin.
"We're playing with fire," Jasper mumbled.
"And not the kind I can control," retorted Meghan.
"Colin is young and powerful," Robert began. "He can withstand getting all that power jacked into him because compared to what he has already, it's a blip. It's not going to make him anymore uncontrolled than he already is." Jasper cast him a dramatic eye roll. "But it would give him an edge. A big one. Possibly the only way you might defeat Fazendiin once and for all."
"And let's say it's the miracle we all need," Meghan gave in. "I destroy the Stone. My father is dead. And we win. What about Colin? I mean, don't get me wrong, I do not want Jasper to die. But what happens to my brother?"
"We don't want Jasper dead, for many reasons," Robert agreed. "He's needed in this world. Because of his age, and knowledge. But here's the best part of it all…"
"There's more," Meghan whined.
"There's always more, Red." He winked. "The dagger only takes, or gives, never both at the same time. Which means once you give Colin the power, you can take out what's inside of him."
"Wait, wait, wait! It would take out both?" Meghan needed this clarified. "Both Colin's power, and the unlucky soul Fazendiin's been using? Are you telling me we could get rid of Colin's Projectorism?"
"Yes. And he'd survive it just like Colby. Because he's young and strong."
"I don't know how to feel about this," Meghan admitted. "It's one thing to hope that when I destroy the Stone, Colin's magic might stabilize. And if it does, he might have a chance at a normal-ish kind of life. Is it fair to take what he was born with, away from him?"
Robert and Jasper got quiet. He gazed at his dead friend—the Projector capable of such amazing control in life. But even then, life had not gone the way either of them had planned.
"Perhaps it would be better if I were to take in the power?" Jasper suggested.
"You're needed here," Robert almost pleaded. "If this plan fails and we do not win, if something happens and Colin derails… if a new Projector is born… it will happen at some point if the world of magic isn't wiped out. You are needed here. And—" he stalled for a minute. "You and I both know if we were Colin Jacoby, we'd take the out if it was offered. This life is not one we'd wish on anyone. It is a long, often solitary, life… even if it begins surrounded by loved ones. Eventually, they don't want to go on. And the reality is, we can't keep everyone alive, forever. We have to let them go if that's what they want. We've both done this more times than we can count, Jasper. We'd be giving Colin his life back, not taking it away."
"He could just be a teenager falling in love, and looking forward to the future. Not secluded to some hidden away perversion of the world." Jasper gazed at Meghan. "Colin didn't ask for this power. It was forced on him. I think I can speak for him and say he'd take the out, if offered. But he has the right to choose. It is his life." Jasper drew inward for a moment. "He's too young to understand the long-term effects. I'm in the open until this war is won or lost, but when it's done, I can't stay. It's already becoming—difficult for me. If Colin survives all of this and still remains a Projector, he'll have to go into at least partial seclusion, like me. Maybe even with me.
We still have a lot of training we never got around to finishing."
"But if Colin decides to keep his powers, and we can't find a way to take out my father, and you take the power into yourself, Jasper—you won't be around to help him."
"Sorry," said Robert. "I never said it was a pretty solution."
"But it is one." Jasper offered kindly. "Perhaps we'll luck out and find some other way to take out Fazendiin without using this harebrained idea. But it's going to be damn hard."
Robert didn't look hopeful. Neither did Jasper. Or Meghan.
"Now, as for this other thing you guys were talking about when I so joyously interrupted," started Robert. "I wholeheartedly agree. Give Colby a break. Let the kid have a clean start. You can name a school after me or some such nonsense."
Meghan shook her head with a laugh, and gave him a genuine smile of thanks.
"I hope it’s not too late for him," Jasper whispered.
"It's not. I won't let it be. It's going to take time. A lot of time. He's like a sixteen-year-old going on sixty, but also taking his first steps in the world—the real world. He's raw and vulnerable and needs to be rebuilt. But he's also not alone. And I'm not going to let him fail. I owe him that, and not just as his sister, or his twin." Her voice reeked of guilt.
"The problem with prophecies," Jasper attempted to make light. "Someone always has to lose. And even when gifted with great sight, none of us can see all. We simply do the very best we can with the knowledge we have at the time."
"Ugh, you are so right about that. But I'm going to make certain it's not Colby who loses this time."
"If he's got you in his corner, Red, he'll be just fine."
"Thank you, Robert. For everything." Heck, that sounded pathetic. How did you thank someone for sacrificing themselves, and so much more?
Ascend (The Last Oracle, The First Seer's Gift, and a Prophecy Fulfilled) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Adventure Book 11) Page 2