by D. C. Akers
“Clean thy air and all that be. Leave nothing behind for man to see.”
Golden sparks shot from the tip of his wand and moved through the air, as if they were riding a gentle breeze around the room. Sam stood captivated as the shimmering sparks moved faster and faster until they were swirling like a giant dust storm in the center of the living room. The velocity of currents rattled the walls as pieces of broken furniture and debris rose from the floor, consumed by the swirling winds. Piece by piece, the wreckage was swept into the vortex and disappeared into the golden blur.
Sam could feel his hair whipping around his face. He was scared that something was going to fly out of the vortex and crush them.
“Is this supposed to be happening?” he yelled over the whistling winds to Mahan. But before Mahan could reply everything suddenly stopped and floated in midair—all except for the golden sparkles, which fell ever so lightly, like dust to the ground and vanished.
Coppertop looked over at Sam, and smiled, revealing his stained, yellow teeth again. Then he waved his wand in a circle like a mad conductor.
Sam watched as the smallest splinters and the largest pieces of wood flew together to form furniture again. Loose wires were sucked back into the walls, stagnant water from burst pipes disappeared, leaving the ground dry. The once demolished kitchen looked spotless with gleaming countertops and sparkling faucets. He watched in astonishment as the staircase and the top landing repaired itself and the banister flew back, landing slowly on top of its spindles.
Sam couldn’t believe his eyes; within a matter of minutes the entire house was back to normal. This is magic I could get into, he thought. Cleaning his room and the garage would be a piece of cake if he knew how to do all that.
“Wow, that was amazing!” he said, still looking around the room in disbelief. Coppertop looked over at Sam, quite proud of himself.
“There aren’t none better, boy!” he said grinning. Sam walked around the room, captivated at what he saw. There was not a single thing damaged, scratched, or out of place now. The house was just as it had been before the chaos, before the Vipers. But his walk slowed when he reached the coffee table and saw his mother’s mug of green tea and her copy of Stretching A Dollar by Reginald Blum. He felt a tightness in his throat and then looked away and stared down at his feet.
He wished he could go back and change what happened but he knew that was impossible, and letting his head fill with self-loathing thoughts was not helping anyone. He needed to be stronger, he told himself. He needed to keep his emotions locked down and focus on what lay ahead.
Sam turned to adjust his backpack on his shoulder when a burst of green light erupted in the center of the room. The next thing he saw was Demetrius grabbing Travis before he hit the ground.
“It’s okay, I have you!” Demetrius said.
Sam walked to the center of the room. Travis looked pale and his skin was a little blotchy.
“You okay, Trav?” Sam asked.
“Well, I’m not sure,” he groaned, “but if the power is back on and your house has magically put itself back together, then yeah.”
Sam smiled, “Then you’re okay.”
Travis’s eyes scanned room. “So, how did this happen?”
Sam tilted his head in Coppertop’s direction. “He did it. It was pretty awesome.”
“Man, this place looks better than before,” Travis said, looking around.
“Yeah, I know,” Sam agreed.
Demetrius helped Travis to stand up straight, which wasn’t easy considering the large camping backpack he had strapped to his shoulders.
“Wow, did you pack your whole closet, Trav?” Sam asked.
“Yeah, I got a little carried away,” Travis said. Sam noticed he had changed clothes too. He was wearing a ridiculous Star Wars t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers.
“Seriously, Trav, where did you get that shirt?”
Travis looked down at his t-shirt, which had a picture of Darth Vader’s head on it and a caption that read, Sith Happens. “What?” he said. “I love this shirt! My uncle Keven gave it to me and I never get to wear it.”
Sam shook his head, “I can’t believe you chose that shirt to go to another world in.”
“Whatever, it’s not like they’ll even get it. Right, Demetrius?” Demetrius was staring down at his t-shirt.
“What’s a Sith?” he asked.
“You see?” Travis said, happy to prove his point. Sam just shook his head again. It was funny, though, just to hear Demetrius say the word Sith.
“All done here, Lore!” a voice called out behind them. It was Coppertop. He was leaning against the kitchen counter petting Poppy, who was sprawled out on the bar above the sink.
“The only thing left is the sweep up. But I need you to leave for that,” he grunted.
Sam and Travis looked over to Demetrius.
“Sweep up?” Sam asked.
Demetrius nodded. “He will clear the house of all your belongings, which will be sent to the Majesty for storage until you are ready for them. Then he can cast an autosensory charm on the house.”
“What does that do?” Travis asked.
“It will give the illusion to anyone who is looking at the house that someone still lives here. From time to time they will even think they see you and your family coming and going.”
“Wow,” Travis said, looking over at Coppertop. Coppertop sneered.
“I’m good, boy.”
“Yes, quite impressive, Coppertop,” Demetrius added glumly.
“The best!” Coppertop continued. “There aren’t none better. You won’t find a trace of dark magic in the human bunghole!”
“Yes, and always pleasant,” Demetrius whispered. “I am sure we won’t,” he said louder with a pained smile. “We’ll let you get back to it. I know you still have perimeter work to do.” Coppertop squinted, loathing Demetrius’s very existence.
“Well, of course I do. There is always perimeter work to be done.” He spun around and walked to the kitchen door. “Poppy, come!” he yelled.
The black cat sprung from the kitchen counter onto the floor and dashed out the door behind Coppertop.
“You know,” Travis said, shaking his head and frowning as he stared at the back door, “there are kids that ride the short bus and then there are kids that lick the windows on the short bus. Guess which one he was?”
Sam laughed. “Hey, how did it go with your grandparents?” he asked.
“Well, just like Demetrius said, a couple of drops of the Silver stuff and they were wondering who I was. But thank God we did that after I packed. My whole room disappeared!”
“What?” Sam asked.
“Yeah, Demetrius performed the incantation and everything that remotely had anything to do with me just up and vanished. Demetrius said it would wipe everything, including my crappy grades at school! Anything and everything related to me. Like I never existed.”
“So,” Sam hesitated, “you’re okay? I’m mean, with leaving them and all?”
“I love them and I’ll miss them, but they’ll be in good hands with my Uncle Keven. I called him before we got started and told him there was a problem with our refrigerator so he’s on his way. I think once he gets there and gets his mind erased, he’ll be all about watching over them,” Travis said.
Sam looked at Travis and smiled. “I’m glad you’re coming Trav. Means a lot.”
Travis smiled and shook it off. “Well, every Han needs a Chewy.”
Sam grinned, “I guess.”
“You know which one you are, right?” Travis said laughing.
“Well, boys, it’s time,” Demetrius said. Their smiles faded and they turned to Demetrius, who had both hands on Hollister again. “It’s time to go.”
Chapter 22
Sam stepped out the back door into the warm, humid night. The smell of large oak trees filled the air as they swayed back and forth in the night breeze. Barron was crouched down by the garage, pawing at a water bug without a care i
n the world, never knowing what had happened in the house that night. In fact no one on Earth would know the tragic loss Sam had suffered at the hands of the mystical creature they called the Viper. Humans didn’t know about things like that, and it was better that way.
The world, this world, was not ready for that kind of knowledge. Humans lived in a world of expectance and comprehension. They needed to be able to understand a thing like magic for it to become a normality in their lives.
But Sam didn’t think they would ever understand the supernatural. He wasn’t even sure if he did, and he had an advantage most humans didn’t. His parents were supernatural, and he probably was too.
As he stood in the summer breeze he felt different than he had before. He felt as if he could touch and feel everything miles away from him. Like he was part of something much bigger than the here and now. He could smell the Earth around him as he never could before. It was richer, stronger, but calming at the same time. Then there was the water—he couldn’t see it, but he could feel it somehow. He was aware of its presence beneath the surface. It felt like it was pulling him, wanting to connect. He didn’t know exactly what that meant. But something was different; something had changed within him and he was scared to think what that might be.
Sam took one last look at his home and for the first time he saw the house for what it was—memories. Memories he would cherish for the rest of his life, memories of a time that was simple, yet precious. A time that he had taken for granted because he’d thought it would last forever.
But he had been a fool, he told himself, because nothing lasted forever. The twisting knots in Sam’s stomach were more than sorrow or regret—he was nervous too. He was about to leave the place he had lived his entire life. He wasn’t simply moving to another state or something trivial like that. He was about to leave his planet and that was worth getting a little nervous about.
The silver moonlight cast half-shadows on Travis with his large black backpack strapped to his shoulders. He stood silently facing the wind as it blew softly though his light brown hair, his eyes gazing up at the stars, as if it was the last time he would ever see them.
Demetrius was the last to walk through the back door with his long black staff in hand and the hood of his cloak pulled tightly over his head. As he approached, his eyes cut to Coppertop in the corner of the yard, waving his wand and muttering his spells. For an instant, Sam thought he did look like Dirty Ernie pillaging around through the trash.
“Demetrius,” Sam said, still watching Coppertop perform his magic. There was a slight hesitation in his voice but he continued, “is your magic the same as Coppertop’s?”
Demetrius looked down at Sam, his pursed lips forming a smile. “No, Keepers do not have that ability to conjure magic. We use Callings.”
“What are callings?” Travis asked, looking at Demetrius now.
“Well … Callings look similar to magic to the untrained eye,” Demetrius said, “but they are very different. You see, magic comes from within and it is rare for humans to possess it. A Calling, however, is nature’s magic in its purest form. To perform a Calling is to summon the very essence of nature. The ability to Call a specific element like Earth, Air, or Water and wield it can be difficult. It is very powerful and that’s where a good staff comes in handy,” he said, lifting Hollister in his hand.
“What’s so important about the staff? I mean, how does it help?” Sam asked, wrinkling his brow. He wanted to know as much as he could about magic and Callings so he could try and understand what he was up against.
“The staff is used as a conductor,” Demetrius continued. “It helps to regulate and control the Calling so it can be channeled properly. Each staff is unique to its user and is made with any number of properties and combinations that contribute to the overall delivery and effectiveness for the Calling.”
Sam and Travis stood in silence, their minds trying to grasp what Demetrius had just said. The thought of magic and Callings was all so absurd a few days ago. But now it was as real as the air they breathed.
“What about Fire? You didn’t mention Fire,” Travis said. Demetrius turned, his eyebrows furrowed with concern.
“Fire is the deadliest of all the elements to control. Even the most experienced Elementalist, such as myself, does not dare use it. There have been many in the past who have tried and few have lived to tell the tale. In the beginning, an Elementalist is pulled toward the element they have the strongest affinity for. You can tell which element this is by the color of their gemstone on their staff.”
Sam and Travis looked at Hollister’s emerald gemstone, “Earth,” Sam said pointing to the stone.
“Yes, and your mother’s was Water. That is why—”
“Sapphire,” Sam blurted. “That’s why Nara’s gemstone is a blue sapphire.”
“That is correct,” Demetrius said.
Sam stood for a moment, taking in what Demetrius had said. He knew going forward that both Travis and he were more of a liability than an asset. They didn’t know magic or how to Call an element. The floating baseball could have been an accident, something to do more with the spell than with himself. Demetrius would have to protect them, like he had earlier, until they could learn to defend themselves.
Sam looked at Demetrius again, who was now gazing up at the stars. Demetrius closed his eyes and breathed in slowly. He exhaled and smiled, almost as if he were acknowledging something no one else could hear.
“Right then,” he said, looking down at the boys, “time to go. Are you ready?”
Sam looked over at Travis, who gave a halfhearted smile and nodded his head in agreement.
“We’re ready,” Sam said, trying to sound as confident as possible.
“Very well then,” Demetrius replied. “Now, we must travel back to the portal just beyond your village. From there we will pass through the gateway and into Haven. Any questions?” he asked, as if surely they had none.
Sam and Travis looked at one another hesitantly. Sam raised his eyebrow and Travis shrugged his shoulders. Then together they turned to Demetrius and replied, “No.”
“Very well,” Demetrius said as he positioned his staff between the two of them. Sam and Travis placed their hands on the shaft and Demetrius tapped the ground once. Everything went dark and Sam felt his stomach drop and then, in what felt like an instant, he heard a loud splash.
“Hollister, light,” Demetrius said and his staff became brighter, illuminating the cave around them. Travis was lying face down in the shallow water scrambling to get to his feet.
“Travis!” Sam yelled stepping in front of Demetrius to reach him. “Geez!”
The water was ice cold as Travis sloshed around frantically, trying to regain his footing.
“I’m okay,” he grunted.
“Are you sure?” Demetrius asked. His eyes illuminated like glass in the green glow.
“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.” Travis said, clearly frustrated with himself.
When Sam and Travis were finally able to look at their surroundings they noticed the familiar glittering cavern walls and massive stalactites hanging from the ceilings.
“You have got to be kidding me!” Travis said as he looked cautiously around the cave. “There are spiders here you know, big ones!”
“Demetrius,” Sam said, “we’ve been here before. This is where we first saw the spiders—or the Vipers, as it turned out!”
“Are there spiders here now?” Travis asked, shivering.
“No,” Demetrius replied, “just this.” He pointed Hollister to the large, gold and silver floating mirror.
“The mirror,” Sam gasped.
“That’s where the spiders came from last time!” Travis explained.
“Yes, it’s the portal,” Demetrius said.
Suddenly, shrieking sounds echoed from above them as several bats flew by in the darkness.
“Oh, and there’s bats too, lots of them!” Travis added.
Demetrius turned toward the mirror. �
�Come, this way.” He moved forward with his staff held high and wadded through the water with Sam and Travis close behind.
The golden mirror glimmered in the dark as Demetrius’s staff flickered in its reflection. Gold and silver inlays shined as his staff moved toward one of the surrounding Zodiac symbols. Demetrius lifted his staff and gently tapped several symbols with its end, illuminating each one with a white-blue glow. The mirror came to life with a resonating hum. Demetrius removed one black triangular crystal from within his cloak and slid it into the bottom of the mirror next to another already in the frame. The crystals resembled the ones Sam had seen in his mother’s Quarrem.
Just like before, the large mirror hummed louder and squeals from above rang out as hundreds of bats took flight. Each of the Zodiac signs shined bright gold except for the ones that Demetrius had touched. Demetrius removed the onyx crystals from their sheath in the mirror just beneath the Water symbol and stowed them in his cloak before taking a step back.
“Oh, here we go again!” Travis said, just loud enough to be heard over the mirror’s hum.
Their reflections began to quiver as if they were looking into a small pond. The large, gold frame descended slowly and the humming became louder, producing small vibrations in the shallow water that exposed the cavern floor beneath it. The mirror continued to drop until it was resting on the bottom of the shallow pool.
“I shall enter first to make sure the way is safe,” Demetrius said loudly. “Then you must follow one at a time. Do you understand?” He had to yell over the loud humming.
The two boys looked at one another and Travis nodded.
“Yes, we understand!” Sam yelled back.
He watched intently as Demetrius lowered his head and moved forward into the massive, golden mirror. His body entered slowly, as if he were walking through water, and the silver mirror rippled as it engulfed his body. Then Sam saw the same image he had seen before—moonlight and the tall trees of the forest.
