Duelist's Point
Chapter 36: The Ritual
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"Hello, Pegasus," Shadowcat announced as he burst into Pegasus's office, silver briefcase in hand.
Pegasus looked up from his notes and quickly shut the thick tome that lay open on his desk. "Ah, Shadowcat," he said happily. "I assume you have good news for me?"
Wordlessly, Shadowcat laid open the briefcase on Pegasus's desk, displaying an array of strange little bags. "Everything you requested."
"Unbelievable!" Pegasus squealed gleefully. "Wonderful, Shadowcat, wonderful. Now I must ask one more thing of you."
"What is it?"
Pegasus stood up, grabbing the Millennium Spellbook and his notes. "Follow me."
He led them to a room three doors down, in the middle of which sat a modest, black cauldron over a fire. Within the oversized pot, a silver liquid bubbled, releasing steam into the air. Beside it sat Pann, his black wings folded back and his aqua-topped head bent over several leaves of paper.
"How is it coming along, Pann?" Pegasus asked, peering into the cauldron.
"Very well, Master. I have withdrawn the spirit of the child and added it to the solution, along with the silver hairs, but I need your assistance in the removal of the other one's soul."
"Lovely, lovely," Pegasus said. "Where is the girl?" He looked around the room before spotting Renn lying on the ground in the far corner. Nudging her body with his shoe, his Millennium Eye glinted as he withdrew her soul from her body and trapped it within the liquid of the cauldron. He dusted off his pants, smiling. "There we go," he said, as if he'd just fixed a clog in the drain. He turned back to the Winged Knights. "Pann, Shadowcat has collected several more ingredients."
Shadowcat lay his briefcase open on the ground beside Pann and looked at him expectantly. Pann fumbled with his papers and muttered to himself, examining each of the neatly labeled bags. Pegasus watched, mind wandering to Cyndia and all the things they would be able to do together once she was back. He couldn't wait to hold her in his arms again.
As Pegasus stared into space, Pann added the strange packages Shadowcat had collected to the cauldron, chanting words before each new addition to the solution. The solution glowed ominously and changed colors with each new piece of the recipe.
"Master Pegasus, we're still lacking a few ingredients," Pann said, stirring the thick liquid carefully.
"Yes, yes, I was getting to that. Shadowcat, I'm going to have to request that you lend a hand to this project."
"Yes? How may I be of assistance?"
"No, no, my dear boy," Pegasus chuckled, not seeing Shadowcat's look of annoyance at being called a child by a man centuries younger than him, "I mean it quite literally. I would like you to cut your hand off and put it into the potion."
Shadowcat blinked hard in surprise before nodding in acquiescence. "It is done. The soul of my host has been irking me and I desire to punish him in some way."
"Good, good. Pann, you may do the honors," Pegasus said, eyes glinting.
"Hold still," Pann ordered, taking his Shadowcat's hand, holding it over the cauldron and spreading the digits. Withdrawing a small blade from the pocket of his slacks, he muttered a spell that charged the knife with magical energy, making it glow and vibrate with energy. Then, without warning, he sliced Shadowcat's hand off cleanly. It landed into the silver soup with a soft splash.
Startled by the lack of pain of the procedure, Shadowcat examined the stump that was now his left arm. "Not bad, Advisor," he commented.
In response, Pann merely smirked and perused his notes again.
"I still need 'essence of darkness'," he commented, glancing at Pegasus questioningly.
"Ah, yes, Akai should be returning with that soon," Pegasus said, turning to exit the room. "Shadowcat, you are free to do what you wish for a few hours. I will call you when you are needed." He swept out of the room, returning to his office to study the Millennium Spellbook.
He had to be ready for the battle tonight.
He had to help Cyndia and bring her back.
Nobody was going to stop him.