I told you that I'm working on what has my interests. And that was this this time. Anyway here's the the third chapter of "Seven Times." (If you are confused, READ THE VERSION UNDER SON OF ZEUS 0001! As I have adopted this story from him, he has the first chapter. Eventually we'll figure out how to get the first chapter over to my side of things. Any way enjoy.
I do not own anything.
Old wizards don't wast time. At six the morning after Ebenezer and Danny had arrived at the old wizards farm Danny was roused out of his bed, had breakfast and was outside with Ebenezer to start his first lesson on magic. The old wizard stood before Danny, who was sitting on the house's deck. Being the teenager that he was, Danny tried his hardest to keep awake and aware for his lesson, to mixed results.
"Come on boy, now's not the time for sleeping." The old man said trying to force Danny's brain into working order.
"I'm awake." Danny replied, his mind slowly booting up, it was a long drive and a early morning. He's had worse of course, that doesn't mean he's completely functional.
"Alright, then try to remember what I'm going to teach you. At this rate I'm bound to give you a quiz later." Danny started to try harder to be alert and channel his inner morning person. Ebenezer started his lecture "Now that I have your attention, lets go into the basics. A quick review, as I'm sure you're well aware of, there are seven laws of magic. The First Law: Thou shalt not kill. Care to tell me what that means?"
Thanks to the subject matter Danny was far more awake now "It mean don't kill people. Right?"
"Yes. Although to be more precise it's 'don't kill with magic'" Ebenezer explained. "Magic is the power of Life, derived from Creation its self. To kill with it is next to blasphemous, and stains the soul. You already know the punishment for breaking one of the laws." Danny nodded unintentionally rubbing his neck. "Next is the Second Law: Thou shalt not transform another. This means?"
"Uh, you can't turn people into toads?" Danny answered, starting to see a pattern with how this particular lesson was going.
"Exactly. To transform some one else against there will is beyond dangerous. You are forcing them into a form that they have no business being in. Not only that, once they're changed, their mind would degrade into whatever you changed them into. Essentially killing them." Ebenezer paused a moment for what he said to be absorbed by the teen. "Next is the Third Law: Thou shalt not invade the mind of another."
Not needing to be prompted Danny answered the unasked question "No mind reading right?"
"Thats right." Ebenezer answered staring hard at Danny as this was one of the laws the boy had broken. "It's possibly one of the worst things you could do to some one, invading the sanctity of their mind. Not only that, but invading ones mind, no matter how gentle you try to be, is always violent. Because of this it causes damage, to them and you." Danny couldn't come up with any type of reply, he was basically told that every time he overshadowed someone he was going a little bit more insane, and so were the person being overshadowed. "Next is the Forth Law: Thou shalt not enthrall another."
"Taking control over them." Danny knew that this was on him too.
"Usually tied very closely to the Third Law, it is absolutely villainous-" Danny winced "-to steal some one's free will. It can be taken to the point that the thrall, the person being controlled, could be utterly destroyed through the enthrallment." Danny could only nod. Idly, he figured this was probably why Vlad was so much of a fruit-loop. He's overshadowed so many people that the older halfa - or wizard as it stood - was bent to about ninety degrees. "Next, the Fifth Law: Thou shalt not reach beyond death."
"Um, they said something about necromancy? That's the Fifth Law, right?" Danny said, drawing upon his inner nerd to figure out what necromancy meant.
"Yes." Before Ebenezer could continue he was interrupted by Danny's raised hand. Snorting out a laugh Ebenezer said "You're the only one here. Really no need for raised hands."
"Right, sorry." Danny said, blushing. "It's just that, necromancy is like making zombies and stuff right?" Seeing Ebenezer nod in affirmation Danny continued, bringing to light a question that's been bugging him for a while now. "Well the thing is... I was charged with using necromancy, but I've never made a zombie."
"Controlling ghost also counts. Necromancy is magic in dealing with death, using it to grant more power. This includes human sacrifices. It is ink black, and universally wrong."
"Well yeah." Danny agreed. "It just that, I've never done anything you just said." At that Ebenezer stopped moving and stood still as a statue. His eyes stayed on Danny, evaluating him.
"You're serious aren't you." Ebenezer finally said. His eyes briefly unfocused in thought before he snapped back "Alright, we'll deal with that later. For now the Sixth Law: Thou shalt not swim against the currents of time. Care to tell me what that would mean."
Danny had to force to keep himself from swallowing in nervousness "N-no time travel right?" He almost kicked himself for stuttering.
Ebenezer eyed the boy for a moment before he continued his lecture "Yes. Time travel is explicitly dangerous. Those foolish enough to try, risk crating a paradox, or outright breaking the time stream. I will admit that I don't really know how it all works, but even the clairvoyant risk insanity if they try to change things too much. No wizard is all knowing, so they can't predict what may happen." Danny nodded, wisely keeping his mouth shut on his own experience with time travel. "Oh, and sooner or later you will tell me what you know about time travel. You're not the first idiot apprentice to try to keep secrets from me."
Damn it.
"Now the final Law. The Seventh Law: Thou shalt not seek knowledge of the Outer Gates. I don't expect you to know what this actually means, so I'll explain. There is where we stand now, the human world or real world. Then there is the world beyond, the spirit world, or the Nevernever. The Nevernever is the home of myths, monsters, ghost, demons, etceteras and etceteras. Despite the craziness of the Nevernever, it is still a part of our reality. Yet it is from beyond the Outer Gates that things not of our reality reside. Things that drive men mad, and who's very presence in our world would cause what is to warp and bend."
"So... Like Cthulhu?" Danny asked suddenly feeling particularly small.
"Yes. Lovecraft was trying to spread knowledge about the Outsiders. It is against the Laws to even seek knowledge about them. As such, we'll be stoping here about that." Ebenezer let the information settle before moving on "Now, lets see what you can actually do, follow me lad."
The next hour was equal parts fascinating and horrifying for the White Council's Blackstaff. The idea was to figure out where Danny was in regards to his magical skills, so Ebenezer could have a better idea on where to start his training. He figured that he could probably skip the true basics considering the boy had managed to adapt enough to fight off whatever supernatural nasty that came out of his parents portal to the Nevernever. Not to mention the boy had talent enough to dabble, albeit accidentally, in some of the more complex black magics. What Ebenezer got was a reminder that he didn't know everything about magic.
First the boy demonstrated his transformation, or at least that is what he called it. Ebenezer wasn't sure. The boy summoned circles of light, that split in two and passed over his body. Where they passed he changed, now wearing a solid black jumpsuit of some kind with white boots, gloves, belt and collar. He even had a symbol on his chest, a white stylized "D" with a "P" in side it. Of course it wasn't just his cloths that had changed, his hair was now pure wight as opposed to his usual midnight black, and his eyes had adopted an unearthly green color.
It wasn't just his physical appearance that had changed. Upon the boys transformation his aura seemed to explode, as if he had drawn in a lot of power for the transformation. A wizards, or any practitioners aura usually could only be sensed upon physical contact, or if they were drawing up power to use magic.
Ebenezer pushed passed his shock, and took his chance to examine Danny's aura, his magic. What was worrisome was that his magic was thoroughly engrained with the dark, cold power of death that usually accompanied necromancy. Although, his aura didn't have the disgusting feeling that most dark magic, and dark magic users, usually have. A sign of their madness and corruption. Whilst Danny's aura was filled with that cold power, it was pure. Not harsh and filled with a dark taint. A more mellow, embracing cold. It would require a bit more looking into, Ebenezer decided.
The next shocking thing the boy almost casually did was fly. Humans aren't necessarily aerodynamic, and whilst there are stories of witches and the such being able to fly, Ebenezer didn't know anyone in the community that could fly without growing wings. His grandson had tried to make a flight spell, but had liberally quit after a couple nasty crashes. He had demonstrated why there wasn't anyone who tried to look into the art of flying, most of them didn't survive the fall. Another thing that will require more looking into.
The boy wasn't done yet, and the Blackstaff sill didn't understand how he did it. Intangibility. Ebenezer would admit that he didn't completely believe everything the boy said about what he could do. Danny had thought he was a ghost! The old wizard wouldn't make that mistake again. And yet another thing to look into.
The boy's ability to disappear was finally something Ebenezer could get his head around. Veils were something the he could understand, and it seemed that Danny could only hide his visible form, not mask other things.
Before Ebenezer could end the session to organize his thoughts and make something of a study plane, he had to know if the boy had offensive and defensive abilities. What Danny demonstrated was yet another thing that confused and worried Ebenezer. The boy could fire some kind of green energy form his hands, and depending how much power Danny put behind it they could be as simple as a particularly strong push to total destruction of his target. He also used the same energy to construct his shields. What was worrisome was that Ebenezer recognized the technique, and it was certainly reminiscent of magic he hadn't seen since 1961. The implications were worrisome for sure, but the Blackstaff was also certain that Danny hadn't been lying when he said that he didn't learn from anyone else or a book. Still, it was unnerving.
Once Ebenezer ended the session he took notice of something that confirmed something he had suspicions about. Upon changing back to his usual form, Danny was breathing heavier than normal. This indicated that whilst the boy was powerful and unnervingly talented, he was still unrefined. Danny wasted a lot of energy with his magic.
Danny had a lot to learn, but first some rest. It wouldn't be prudent to start teaching the boy if he wasn't fresh after all. Plus Ebenezer needed time to organize his thoughts on what Danny had displayed, and what it could mean.
Danny couldn't sleep. As far as he knew he was perfectly safe, so there might be some irony in his sudden bout of insomnia. Maybe he was just too used to not ever getting sleep, which is now manifesting its self as just not being able to sleep when he wanted to. Yeah, that makes sense. Now Danny could blame the Box Ghost on something other than being an annoyance. Or maybe he just had a lot on his mind, which was completely true. Either way, apparently it was now a requirement to be close to exhaustion to get a nights rest. Which kinda sucked.
Giving up his attempts at forcing himself to sleep he got up from his bed, got dressed and left the guest room, which he hadn't had a chance to really move into yet. Even when he's not being taught magic he was reading about it and mythology. Frankly, it was like hanging out with Sam.
Making his way outside, Danny sat down on the porch. The same spot he had received his in detail run down of the Laws of Magic. Despite his situation, the night sky still brought a smile to his face. Amity Park wasn't the biggest city, but it was big enough to have a fair bit of light pollution. Out there, in the middle of nowhere, on a wizards farm the sky was as clear as can be. The vast sea of stars somehow allowed his mind wonder from any depressing or stressful thoughts. Danny's dream of being an astronaut was still alive, even if it'll only ever be a dream. Yet depressing thoughts like that were put to the back of his mind as he gazed into the cosmos.
"You should be asleep." Danny almost vacated his skin when Ebenezer revealed his presence. "We have a lot to cover tomorrow."
His heartbeat returning to a more natural rate, Danny apologized "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I'll just go back to my room."
"You didn't wake me. Want to tell me whats on your mind?" Ebenezer said halting Danny's retreat.
Danny didn't answer for a moment, taking time to organize his thoughts for once. Finally he spoke "Just the same things as before, I guess." Returning to his seat he returned his gaze back to the night sky. "It's a lot to take in; ya know? How am I supposed to deal with all of it?"
"Thats ultimately for you to figure out." Ebenezer replied. He had a pretty decent idea of what the boy was going through, not every practitioner enjoys being thrown into the wider world. "Just take it one step at a time."
Danny sighed. "You do know that that doesn't help any, right?" He shook his head in resignation "But that's the best advice I'm going to get... Right. One step at a time, I can do that."
"Thats the spirit. You have anything else?"
"Why you ask?" Danny said with a raised eye brow.
"I am your mentor. It part of the job." Was Ebenezer's reply.
Shrugging Danny said. "Nothing else really. Outside the fact that I'm pretty sure I have some form of insomnia, and that I still can't really believe all of this."
"...Really?"
"Yeah. I mean... Ghost took a bit to get used to, but at least one seemed to pop up every day so I got used to them. Now I have to get used to magic, and the fact that I can apparently use it. To me, all that I can do isn't magic, they're just ghost powers."
"Hm. I think I understand. But believe me, what you can do is magic. Some of it is hard to figure out, but that doesn't change what it is."
Danny sighed again. "If you say so."
Ebenezer was quick to reply "I know so. Like those green blast of energy of yours." This earned him Danny's attention as Ebenezer explained further "It's one part ingenious, one part overly complicated to everyone but you. You take ectoplasm and change it into a plasma, then using a bit of magnetism you direct it where you want it. You do something similar with you're shields." Ebenezer felt that he earned his smug look.
Danny sat there speechless for a moment before he figured out what was the most prominent question to ask "You got all that from just watching?"
"Hell no. I got most of that from the diagnostic spells I set up before hand. I've been studying them."
This earned him a snort from Danny "Alright... Magnetism?"
"A form of earth magic. You used it to help direct where the plasma goes. You also use earth magic to fly, as odd as that sounds." seeing the boy's confusion Ebenezer explained further "You seem to use magnetism or gravity manipulation to get into the air, then you use kinetomancy, the manipulation of energy for movement, to move around in the air. Say, can you fly as you are now? Without the transformation that is."
"Um... Yeah. Just not very well, and I'm usually pretty sore afterwards."
"Hm, well I could explain that as well. At least I think I can."
His curiosity throughly captured Danny couldn't help but to ask "Ok, so why?"
Ebenezer smirked at the young man's sudden eagerness "There are a lot of forces involved with flying. So many in fact that you are the only one I know of that can actually pull it off. Well, mostly pull it off. You only focus on lifting off the ground and moving through the air. What you end up ignoring are the other forces, wind pressure and the like."
"Really?" Danny said. "Then why can I fly normally when I transform?"
"That one is a bit harder to figure out. As far as I can tell, when you transform you are actually making a construct out of ectoplasm that you transfer your mind into. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're a lot tougher in that form, correct?"
Nodding Danny replied "Well yeah. I don't think I could've won any of my fights with any of the ghost back home with out it."
"As I thought. Although, again, correct me if I'm wrong. You can't maintain the transformation for very long, can you?"
"Well... Yeah." Danny answered, slightly embarrassed at the glaring flaw of his transformation. "I think the longest I can hold it is like ten minutes. Although it's a lot easier to hold onto in the Ghost Zone."
"The Nevernever." Ebenezer corrected prompting Danny to shrug indifferently. "And that makes sense. Magic in general is easier to do in the Nevernever. Although that also brings up another question about where your body goes."
"What'd you mean?"
"Well, I'm pretty sure that your body goes into the Nevernever when you transform, although technically you're just replacing it with a construct that you control. Perhaps you somehow make your own demesnes with in the Nevernever, that you have a direct connection to."
"Is that weird?"
"Yes. Normally it's only ghosts and beings of the Nevernever that can really do that. Although I suppose it's not impossible."
"Ok..." Danny was unable to keep the grin from his face. "What else?"
Ebenezer snorted before answering "Well, your intangibility is something strange. It's kind of like how spirits manifest in our world, only backwards." Ebenezer didn't need to see Danny's confusion to know that he probably would have to explain what he meant "A lot of things from the Nevernever can't truly manifest here in the real world, so they only send their essence to this side. There bodies are made from ectoplasm that they gather from the surroundings. Ghost are an example of things that do this, as you can't destroy them unless you follow them into their little corner of the Nevernever, where they are at their strongest and most vulnerable."
"Ok, good to know... But how does my intangibility work?" Danny asked, most of what Ebenezer said going over his head.
"You do the same thing as spirits of the Nevernever, only backwards. And maybe a bit sideways as well. Truth be told, I'm not quite clear on how it actually works my self. Definitely not enough to try to duplicate it."
"So it's something only I can do?"
"In the way that you do it. Technically I could whip up a potion that could do something similar."
"Really? And you - we - can make potions? Like 'eye of newt' and stuff, thats real?"
Ebenezer gave Danny a weird look. "Thats the part that you're having a hard time grasping?"
Danny blushed slightly "It's just that so far, everything seems so practical. You know? Potions just seem, for fantastical to me I guess."
Ebenezer nodded in understanding after thinking on it for a moment. "Makes sense." Ebenezer noticed Danny trying to stifle a yawn out of the corner of his eye "Alright thats enough for now, off to bed with you." Danny didn't need to be told twice, finally feeling tired enough to sleep. But now, he was finally getting an interest in this magic business. He had finally learned more about what he could do, and how he does the things that he already knew how to do. For the better part at least, it was better than "because it was a ghost thing."
Things were finally starting to look up.
Things quickly settled into a routine at the farm. Danny would wake up, sit through some type of lecture on the nature of magic, how to use it, its do and do nots. Then he would be put to work around the farm, Ebenezer said that it was to build character. Then it would change into the practicals of magic, which would range anywhere from trying to light a fire with his mind to defending himself from surprisingly fast thrown softballs. It was also during these times that he learned that his ghost form wasn't the most efficient way to fight. It just took too much energy to maintain, and Ebenezer kicked his butt nine times out of ten. Finally at the last part of the day danny was assigned self study, which after the first time Ebenezer exchanged words with Danny about actually studying during these times Danny could be found buried into one of a surprisingly large number of books the old wizard owned. Danny's main thought was that Sam would love the place. So would Jazz for that matter. Tucker would have an allergic reaction to this many books. He would also be sure to try to send a text to his friends, if only to tell them he was ok.
Of course those left behind in Amity Park were having a harder time finding a new routine to fall into.
"Wow. Never thought I would actually miss the ghost attacks." Tucker said from his seat, a park bench near his, Danny and Sam's usual haunt within Amity's central park.
"No kidding. I don't think we've ever had a week this quiet, even during summer." Sam replied from her patch of grass that she had claimed as her own. Eyes locked on the sky watching the clouds lazily drift buy.
"Wonder what's going to happen to the ghost drills." Tucker wondered absent mindedly.
"They'll probably stop them a couple of months in. Once they realize that all the ghosts won't be making trouble any more. You hear from Danny lately?" Sam said still laying in her spot.
"I got a text yesterday. He said that he's fine and he was asking how Amity Park was. I sent him back one that said that we're fine, but that Vlad became mayer."
"Why'd you do that?"
"It'll mess with him, and I'll find some enjoyment from his mini freak out."
"Sounds about right. Tell me how he reacts, would you?"
"Sure... You think he's going to come back?"
Sam sat up and almost mustered up a glare as if to chastise the techno-geek for even thinking of the thought. She didn't want to admit that it was a possibility, and her acute boredom was making her lethargic. "Why even ask that? Of course he's going to come back."
"Maybe not." Tucker replied off handedly. He was getting pretty lethargic too. "Probably not because he wants too, but life can go anywhere."
Sam sighed. "Yeah, ok."
"Besides." Tucker said, continuing with his train of thought. "We're juniors this year, in another year we graduate. And I'm pretty sure no one really want to stay here. Plus there's collage and life in general. Things are changing, and for once Danny's not in the middle of it."
"Yeah." Sam almost whispered, suddenly feeling like she was carrying a heavy load upon her shoulders.
Glancing at his friend, Tucker added "That doesn't mean we'll lose contact. These days that only happens when someone actually tries to cut ties with everyone. Besides, you're a freaking heiress, you can come get us with your private jet."
This time Sam managed to scowl "You know how I feel about flaunting wealth. Besides I don't have a private jet."
"Then tell me. What's you net worth again?" Tucker smirked at her refusal to answer. "Face it Sam, you're so rich you tip the pizza guy with fifties."
Sam gave up on her glaring and scowling as she sighed in defeat. Suddenly she got to her feet, brushed off what ever might have come up with her and said "Alright, lets go. Before I end up taking a nap in the grass."
Tucker joined her saying "Sure. We wouldn't want a repeat of what happened last time." He smirked at Sam's involuntary shiver. "So where we going?"
"The Skulk and Lurk." Sam answered.
Now it was Tucker's turn to frown "Oh come on. That place smells like old people and older ink!" Tucker shivered much to Sam's enjoyment "I'm getting hives just thinking about it!"
"Fine, you don't have to go. I'm probably just going to brows anyway." Sam said, shrugging.
Tucker sighed in relief "Thanks." He still followed Sam out of the park when a sudden thought struck him "Hum. Isn't it a bit ironic that Danny's the one with the supernatural powers, but you're the one who's all into that stuff?"
"Ha! Yeah, it is a bit ironic. Although with him getting training from a wizard, it might not be like that for long... I wonder if we could exchange notes?" Tucker couldn't help but chuckle at that, and Sam quickly joined in. The two friends continued on there way in a light mood. Even the topic of school starting again in a few weeks didn't damper there merriment.
However they soon parted ways once they neared Sam's favorite book store. It wasn't long before Sam walked through The Sulk and Lurks doors, feeling like she had come home. The store was always lit with candles and painted dark colors. Around the door way was a odd array of symbols, similar arrays could be found all around the store. Sam always had to commend the decorators. She also had the suspicion that the weird symbols some how kept the ghost away, considering the store has never been attacked.
Taking a deep breath, sampling the smells of old pages and ink, and savoring how the air inside actually seemed lighter, she descended into the aisles. Perhaps an hour passed before Sam found something that interested her. The book was old and worn, it was probably re-covered as one point considering it lacked a title. It was odd considering the owner, an older guy that never blinked, was almost obsessed about organizing the shelves. She got only more intrigued once she started into the book briefly. She was only intending to brows, but it would seem that she found something worth buying.
A book on magic.
Ok, no one complain yet. In regards to Danny's powers, keep in mind. I'm shifting them over to Dresden Files magic. As such, I'm also tweaking a few things for the sake of balance. I'm mainly talking about his transformation and the fact that I said that he can't hold if for long. Think about it, out side of a few fights, how long are they on average. Not very long. Fights of any sort aren't very long, theres a lot happening so they seem really long or drawn out, but they would only last a couple of minutes.
Also, this is taking place before "Reality Trip." So Danny hasn't done the feat of stamina that was the Fenton Jet being kept invisible for a couple hours yet. And again, for the sake of balance. Any way hope you guys enjoyed. Review please.
