Wizard Chronicles 2: Aura of the Blue Moon
Chapter 11: Kaborn City Flashback
A steady snow shower pelts the city the following day after the chaos-filled tournament at school. Due to the four plus inches that fell overnight, travel was not advised thus cancelling school for that day as well as most public offices in the city. Chilling out on his closed-in front porch, Willie looks out at the snow deep in thought not noticing his mother Beverly walking up behind him.
"Deep in thought are we?" she snaps out of his train of thought. "You always get like this when it snows."
"Days like this remind me of what happened on the day that shouldn't be named," he responded not even looking at her. "I'm just trying to keep a positive perspective on things and above all else, I like watching it snow."
"You always seem calmer when the weather's like this. Food will be ready in a while and from the looks of things," she notices Melanie, Jesse, Kali and Olivia walking up the front walkway to the door of the porch, "looks like you've got company for the day." She goes inside as the team all gathers up out of the elements.
"I didn't expect to see anyone today with this weather. What brings you here?"
"We needed to catch up on the events from yesterday," Melanie speaks up sitting in one of the seven porch chairs. "Why did those two do what they did and what led to that blending thing? I'm still confused on how that happened."
"I don't care how it happened," Kali sits next to Willie answering her sister's question. "I'm glad it did. I've never felt that much power in my life and it felt good."
"I can agree on that," Olivia smiles confirming Kali's sentiments. "I do want to say that you're packing more power than any normal wizard should have – other than Willie of course."
"Thanks. That's because I'm a two soul vessel. I sort of have another side of me."
"That'll be interesting to know about when I'm ready to. I am curious though on how the two of us are able to aura blend at all."
"Same here," Jesse adds wanting to know the same. "I didn't think that wizards could combine their powers except in their cards."
"Once again you're half right," Willie turns to Jesse and then to everyone else. "The power of an aura blend is a sight to behold. Connected, two wizards have the ability to draw from one another's power to cast spells with twice as much force.
"How does something like that happen? How do two wizards become aura partners?"
"Easy there. To answer your first question, the aura blend is a defensive measure that is in everyone's aura structures. During that battle with Damian when I unleashed all of that energy, a sequence in the structure in every wizard in the city was infused with the white energy I have to enable blending. To answer your second question, figuring out who becomes aura blended partners is similar to finding a needle in a haystack; I don't have the slightest clue."
"That clears up the light show you put on over the weekend," Kali figures thinking about what they all saw over the weekend. "What I don't get is why did me and Olivia ended up blending?"
"You two had a common denominator that made it all possible – me." The girls look at each other puzzled at what he meant. "What I mean is, you two put defending me above your rivalry and both of you shared one common thought that completed the circuit needed for blending to happen. At least, it's the best way that I can explain it. I won't know more for sure until tomorrow when we get both of you to the facility to take a deeper look."
"Now I have a new question," Melanie gets up to head inside. "Have you ever seen anything like this before I mean?"
"Only once," Willie gets up turning to Olivia and Jesse observes them nodding their heads. "That was with Matthias and Gaston during the debacle that was the job we were doing for Silas in Kaborn City four years ago."
"I heard the both of you banter about Kaborn City during Saturday's battle with that Damian character," Kali ponders as everyone walks inside to warm up a bit. "What exactly happened back then?"
"You could say that mission was the beginning of our breakup," Olivia answers sitting at the table along with the rest of the group listening intently. "After what happened to us, the whole team we were on at the time fell completely apart."
"I'm up for a good story," Jesse smiles as Beverly puts a pitcher full of iced tea on the table for the teens. "I want to hear about this."
"I guess we better tell this story then," Willie looks at Olivia and both nod knowing they have to confess their past. "The team we had then was pretty tight; if we knew what Damian was planning that day, all of us would've been more careful about how we went about our business."
"The team consisted of me and him," Olivia takes over the story recalling the start of that day, "there was also Matthias, Lila, and Damian. We were just like any other crew except all five of us were the best of friends. We can recall the second we stepped off of that bus . . ."
Kaborn City – Four years earlier:
Screeching tires and squealing brakes mark the stopping of a bus into the Kaborn City bus station. The doors open and people file off and into the station to awaiting family and friends and out of the snowstorm. Last off the bus is a twelve-year-old Willie followed by fellow twelve-year-old Olivia; eleven-year-old Lila and thirteen-year-olds Matthias and Damian.
"So this is Kaborn City huh?" Matthias observes the landscape from the city's outskirts. The city is the country's second huge metropolis only to Kirtren. The city is mostly for the rich with out of range prices for apartments and mansions. "I can't wait to tear this town apart."
"I'm with you on that statement," Damian emphatically responds cracking his fists at the opportunity before them. "This town won't know what hit them when we're done here."
"Slow your role you two," Willie settles them down stepping between them. "Remember, we're only here to get that control device that Silas needs to finish whatever it is he's working on. Other activities will have to wait."
"As long as we don't run into that group that's been causing us trouble lately," Lila recalls their leader's orders before they left. "We barely survived our last encounter."
"I don't think we have to worry about them," Olivia calms her understudy as they all head from the station and into the city's financial district. "Just as long as we do what Willie said, all will be fine."
"Yeah, so where are we going to find this thing?"
"Honestly," Willie puts his hands on his waist in frustration, "I haven't the slightest clue. I mean, Silas didn't even tell us what the hell this thing looks like much less where to look."
"I can help with that," a voice calls out getting everyone's attention. Looking ahead, a hand motions the group into a narrow alleyway in the heart of the downtown district. Matthias cracks a smile running to embrace the figure to the surprise in everyone. "Good to see you again ole buddy."
"Haven't seen your ugly mug in quite a while," Matthias responds embracing the light skinned individual before turning to the group. "Gang, this is my best friend Gaston. He lives around here and he's agreed to show us around." The group acknowledges him waving their hellos. "We need to get to the supply shops."
"I'll get you there. It's this way." He leads the group out of the alley and through the downtown area. The gang admires the scenery before them leaving the financial sector and head towards the warehouse district where the shops are located. Rounding the corner onto the street where the shops were, they are confronted by five individuals in their late teens with decks at the ready.
"Oh great," Willie throws his hands in the air in frustration, "the players from this city have already found us."
"How did they know we were even here in the first place?" Lila asked getting her deck out along with the rest of the group. "I was under the suspicion that this was a stealth mission."
"It was but now it looks like we're going to have to get our hands dirty," Matthias confirms as the group's auras all went up to defend themselves. "Let's take them down."
"Actually you'll do nothing of the sort," Damian suddenly speaks to the shock of the group as he walks over to the opposing wizards. "You see, I'm the one that told the magic group here in Kaborn City that we were coming. Once I get rid of you all, I'm getting that device and once I'm back, get rid of master Silas."
"Where is this coming from Damian?" Willie angrily snaps at their friend for betraying the group. "We've all friends here. You have no reason to betray any of us."
"That's where you're wrong you little sidekick. That crystal of yours is the whole reason I'm even here. Once I take it away from you, you won't be able to threaten a housefly."
"You're smoking something awful if you think that you're getting your slimy hands on my crystal you stupid fool!"
"We'll make sure of it," Matthias confirmed as he and Gaston stepped forward in front of Willie and the group. Their auras begin blending to the shock of Willie watching it all happen. "This is what friends are all about! We cast . . ." a blast from behind knocks out Matthias mid-sentence to the shock of Olivia.
"Lila," she yells out seeing her partner and best friend use a spell to knock out their teammate. "What are you doing?"
"Damian promised me a piece of the pie if I stopped you all and that's what I'm doing," she responded stepping out from the group to join Damian. She took three steps before Damian raises a hand stopping her.
"You did good Lila but now your services are no longer needed," Damian holds up a card as it glows a purplish black. "I cast Shade's Form on you and bind you to the ether for all eternity!" Lila yells in agony as her Caucasian skin falls apart and her spirit, now released from her body is forced into the mana grid. Olivia and Willie pulled their cards to combat the group when sirens ring in the distance slowly getting louder by the second.
"Screw it," Willie admitted pulling Olivia into the alley they came out of, "we need to back off for right now. We'll get that device later." They run off as the Kaborn City police, among the most ruthless in the country, approach the scene only to find that whatever happened was long over and everyone had fled the scene.
The sun finally makes its appearance at its afternoon angle that makes it hard on the eyes to see with the light reflecting all of the snow. The city gains a weird glow due to its white distributor near the city's center. Walking out of Controls 'R' Us, Willie and Olivia hold the control device they were sent to get for Silas.
"What do you think this thing does?" she asks him as they made their way towards the bus station to head back to the hideout.
"This thing looks rather complicated," Willie looks over the control device with a suspicious look in his eyes. "From what I figure, this thing does pretty much next to nothing so why send us after it?" An explosion gets their attention as Damian stands before them with cards at the ready.
"So we meet again my former comrades," he snarls with intent looking at the two lovers. "Just so you know I'm here to do one thing: make sure you two never leave this city. I'll take that control device back to master Silas and your crystal will make a good prize as well."
"I already told you that you're not getting my sapphire crystal and that's that," he stands defiant with cards at the ready. "We'll make you pay for what you did to Lila and the rest of us."
"Don't be so sure of yourself. I had another of the magic crews in this town take down Matthias and that friend of his. Right now, I'm more than sure they're on their way to a jail cell somewhere outside of town. Don't worry, you'll join them soon enough – I summon My Vampire Dragon!" the creature towers over that section of the city prompting calls from the local authorities.
"Are you crazy," Olivia yells to him still upset at all that's happened during the day. "That thing is going to drive the cops right to us."
"Don't give a damn. Now that crystal if you don't mind?"
"Not happening," Willie retorts revealing the cards in his hand, "I summon my Grotesque Hybrid and Boneshard Slasher!" The creatures appear in a swirl of mana in front of him protecting both him and Olivia. "You are not laying a finger on either of us."
"You're not stopping me," Damian cackles revealing another card from his deck, "I cast Decree of Annihilation!" A whole wave of flames flew from the card destroying everything in sight – even the nearby buildings in the warehouse district. The lovers dodge the falling debris from the buildings but had no chance when it came to escaping the carnage. "Not today you two – I cast Tribal Flames!" Flames hit the pair knocking them out cold. Walking up to the unconscious pair, Damian takes the control device from Willie's hand. "I'll take this," he smirks ripping the sapphire crystal right off his neck. "Have a nice life, losers." He disappears into the early evening as the cops arrive and arrest Willie and Olivia for causing the carnage to the district.
Three Days Later:
The Kaborn City Jail is the most advanced in the entire country only to Kirtren. Everything inside is automated and has been since the game's beginning. Sitting near the window in one of the holding cells, Willie ponders Silas's whereabouts awaiting any kind of news about getting out.
"I know one thing for sure," he sighs looking out into the landscape of the city. "If I ever run into Damian again I'm going to pound his face into the dirt for what he's done to us. No doubt the group has fallen apart. At least I still have Olivia to look after." The clanging of the cell door gets his attention as two individuals wearing all white uniforms armed with two decks of cards each.
"Your bail's been paid," the first male officer speaks to the brown-skinned individual seeing him gather his deck and jacket. "You're free to go but by order of the sheriff, you've been banned from this city for three years.
"Who paid for my bail?" he asked hoping it wasn't his parents. He'd been warned about getting into trouble and didn't want to face them yet.
"That would be your girl's mother paid for both of you," the second male officer, who has a scar through his left eye from a past encounter. "She's waiting to get going." Walking out of the building, he sees Olivia and her mother near Irene's car.
"So you finally emerge huh?" a sarcastic tone flows out of her voice as they all get in for the trip back to Kirtren. "Don't worry, I won't tell your parents about this but both of you will have to explain to me how you ended up in jail."
"Our team is done for," looking out the window, Olivia admits to her mother watching the landscape flow by. "Damian betrayed us and stole Willie's crystal. We have no idea what happened to Matthias and Lila's . . ."
"Somewhere we can't get to," Willie finishes seeing Kirtren come into view. "Once we get back, I'm going to find Silas and ask why he didn't come for us when we got locked up."
"I don't see the point. He obviously doesn't care what happens to us as long as he gets what he needs."
"He's our leader and he needs to know what happened back there. I just hope Damian didn't get to him first."
"A leader does not let the team completely fall apart on a mission. It's useless to go to him when it's obvious he doesn't really care."
"What are you saying? He's the one who brought us together so he does deserve to hear from us."
"Go if you want. I want nothing more to do with that fool. He doesn't care." The car stops at a bright blue house on the outskirts of the city of Kirtren. Everyone gets out with Willie running in a different direction.
"She's right you know," Irene stops the young man from running off. "This guy doesn't deserve the time of day."
"You're both wrong and I'm going to prove it," Willie shakes himself loose from Irene and runs off towards the downtown area. "He's our leader and I need to see him." Running away, he disappears around the corner much to the dismay of Olivia and Irene.
"I don't want to be in the same place as those two when he's proven wrong," Olivia speaks of Willie walking inside with her mother. "One thing I know about Willie, he's got a very short temper."
Present Day:
The eyes of the group are glued on Willie and Olivia finishing their story on what happened to their previous group. Beverly joins them at the table and listens in also.
"And the rest is history as they say," Willie gets up and walks to the kitchen and opens the refrigerator and gets out a number of canned drinks for the group. "I eventually tracked down Silas to the Senjuan Swamp south of Salvenburg and exchanged a few words that will stay between me and him and you know what happens after that."
"You pushed him into the swamps," Jesse finishes taking one of the canned drinks Willie hands him.
"Needless to say I wasn't the least bit happy to hear that my son had been locked up," Beverly chuckles getting up to head to the kitchen to turn off the food that has been cooking. "Fortunately the charges against him were dropped shortly afterwards. Something about lack of evidence."
"Man I would've loved to have been a fly on that wall for that conversation," Melanie gets in before a flash of green mana overtakes her and Lila emerges.
"Now you understand why Matthias was after me," she admitted to everyone at the table recalling the wolf attack on campus. "I knocked him out but I had no idea that I was being played like a fool."
"It's all in the past now but we need a plan of action," Olivia reminds the group as another voice gets their attention.
"If you all want something to eat then you're welcome to it," Beverly confirms as Max runs past them and into the kitchen grabbing the first plate. The group laughs before getting up and doing the same.
The Aceleon Correctional Facility goes about its daily business with new prisoners coming and going on a consistent basis. Guards patrol the hallways making sure no major fights break out. Shortly after a lockdown period due to cards being found during a random search, Misty is out meditating in her usual shaded spot as a familiar voice gets her attention.
"So this is what my sister is doing these days?" Misty opens her eyes and sees her sister in her black jacket.
"Good to see you little sister," the girls embrace before sitting on a nearby bench. "Does mom know you're here?"
"She says hello but I'm here because Silas sent me." Hearing that name, Misty sits back with a grin on her face.
"Why are you associating yourself with that asshole? The second you get into trouble he'll turn your back on you in the same second."
"I joined him to get revenge on the ones who put you here on the family's behalf. That girl that defeated you is at the top of my list, or at least she was."
"Tell me you didn't go against that white sorcerer? She's crazy strong and can beat you with one hand behind her back."
"She's not all that tough. When she aura-blended with that model, that proved to be more a bigger problem."
"Aura what? That's new if you ask me."
"It's a sight to behold that's for sure. Not sure how we're going to handle it though."
"Amanda, I'm warning you, not just from a former player to a current player, but as your sister: stay away from Silas; he's nothing but trouble. He'll drop you like a lead weight the second he deems you or that Natalia chick, or the rest of the group you're with a liability to his plans; whatever they may be. Stay away from that Kali girl and her crew. They're way too strong. I've been following the news so I know what's been going on."
"Save the lectures for someone who cares. I'm doing this and there's nothing anyone can do about it. I'll see you next week." She gets up and walks away with arms folded in frustration.
"I've got to try and get her away from that maniac," she ponders watching her sister exit the compound. "I'll never live with myself if I don't do something and she gets herself into serious trouble or ends up killed." She enters the main building and returns to her cell.
The passing of the storm allows the younger kids to play about in the snow. Willie's backyard becomes the hotspot as Max and several of his friends are out engaging in a snowball fight. Willie watches from the front porch with a smile seeing the younger ones play in the snow.
"Watching the young ones play like this always brightens my mood," he observes the kids not noticing Kali and the others joining him. "What's up guys?"
"Some story you two told huh," Kali mentions the story from earlier. "I had no idea Silas was that type of guy to leave a team hanging."
"Is that what you meant by saying Silas's new team is just a decoy?" Melanie remembers from yesterday's events.
"Yeah," Willie admits leaning on the balcony looking at the vastness of the backyard, "my guess is that Silas is working on something involving gaining control over the white energy of the ether but I can't be completely sure."
"What do you have in mind as far as a plan goes?" Jesse asks watching the kids throw snowballs at one another.
"I honestly don't know until we get some eyes and ears into wherever that power hungry fool has set up shop; that is, assuming we can even find his new hideout."
"We'll figure something out," Kali reassures the group as they continue to look on at the ongoing snowball fight. "In the meantime, is it me or those kids look like they're having a little too much fun out there?"
"Let's join them," Melanie jumps into the snow throwing a snowball at one of the kids. "We need to de-stress and have a little fun before the call of school ruins our fun." The other four sorcerers all jump into the fray and engage in a snowball fight that goes deep into the afternoon.