I still do not own Young Wizards. . . .
The Oath
Kit's eyes slowly opened. He was in one of the comfortable chairs in the beach house's den. Mr. Callahan was in another chair, his head leaning back, staring at the ceiling. Dairine had her feet up in another chair, her knees drawn up against her body, and her head down. She was still crying. Mrs. Callahan was sipping from a mug. Hot cocoa, tea, coffee, it could even be alcohol; considering the news he had brought.
Nita Callahan, his best friend, daughter of the two people that he considered second parents, older sister to Dairine, was dead. She freely chose death to save lives, postponing the end of days by that much, that she saved billions of human lives, not to mention the lives of everything else that would exist within that extra time. Trees are alive, bugs are alive, bacteria; rocks, mountains, water and air itself; even machines, electronics, portable CD players. All alive. All saved by Nita's death.
He didn't know what to say. Looking at the clock, he saw that it was noon. He had crawled up onto the shore less than six hours earlier, after days of the song. He decided on a small grunt, just to let the others know that he was awake. He knew that they would ask questions, that he could deal with. It was starting a conversation, this conversation, that he wanted to avoid.
"Are you awake?" Mr. Callahan asked.
"Yes."
"You said that Nita died."
"She did."
"How?"
"It was her part of the song. She sacrificed herself so that it would work. She saved billions apon billions of lives. Doesn't make it hurt any less though . . ." He trailed off.
"I . . . I should probably call the police . . . tell them that my daughter is missing. I'm going to have to tell them the truth. Not about the wizardry, but about the fact that the two of you went swimming in the early morning, and that you came back but she didn't."
"I know, I'll . . . deal."
"Is she in Timeheart?" Dairine asked, suddenly.
"Yes, she is . . . how do you know about Timeheart? That was something that we didn't tell you about."
"I read it in Nita's manual."
What happened was just beginning to unravel in Kit's mind. The part where it told about Timeheart . . . was not written in English. She must have taken the oath to be able to understand the speech. But could her parents forgive her for putting her life in danger now. At the very least she must complete her ordeal. And after that. . .
"Dairine, this is important. Did you read the oath?"
"I, I don't know."
"In Life's name, and for Life's sake . . ." he reminded her.
"I, I think so."
"Did you read it out loud?"
"Why?"
"Because the section about Timeheart is in speech."
"I, I . . ."
"You are now a wizard now too."
"NO!" Shouted Mr. Callahan as his wife dropped her mug.
"I will not allow another member of my family to die. . ."
"Dairine, listen to me, you may quit at any time."
"Then I choose . . ."
"Any time after you complete your ordeal."
The Oath
Kit's eyes slowly opened. He was in one of the comfortable chairs in the beach house's den. Mr. Callahan was in another chair, his head leaning back, staring at the ceiling. Dairine had her feet up in another chair, her knees drawn up against her body, and her head down. She was still crying. Mrs. Callahan was sipping from a mug. Hot cocoa, tea, coffee, it could even be alcohol; considering the news he had brought.
Nita Callahan, his best friend, daughter of the two people that he considered second parents, older sister to Dairine, was dead. She freely chose death to save lives, postponing the end of days by that much, that she saved billions of human lives, not to mention the lives of everything else that would exist within that extra time. Trees are alive, bugs are alive, bacteria; rocks, mountains, water and air itself; even machines, electronics, portable CD players. All alive. All saved by Nita's death.
He didn't know what to say. Looking at the clock, he saw that it was noon. He had crawled up onto the shore less than six hours earlier, after days of the song. He decided on a small grunt, just to let the others know that he was awake. He knew that they would ask questions, that he could deal with. It was starting a conversation, this conversation, that he wanted to avoid.
"Are you awake?" Mr. Callahan asked.
"Yes."
"You said that Nita died."
"She did."
"How?"
"It was her part of the song. She sacrificed herself so that it would work. She saved billions apon billions of lives. Doesn't make it hurt any less though . . ." He trailed off.
"I . . . I should probably call the police . . . tell them that my daughter is missing. I'm going to have to tell them the truth. Not about the wizardry, but about the fact that the two of you went swimming in the early morning, and that you came back but she didn't."
"I know, I'll . . . deal."
"Is she in Timeheart?" Dairine asked, suddenly.
"Yes, she is . . . how do you know about Timeheart? That was something that we didn't tell you about."
"I read it in Nita's manual."
What happened was just beginning to unravel in Kit's mind. The part where it told about Timeheart . . . was not written in English. She must have taken the oath to be able to understand the speech. But could her parents forgive her for putting her life in danger now. At the very least she must complete her ordeal. And after that. . .
"Dairine, this is important. Did you read the oath?"
"I, I don't know."
"In Life's name, and for Life's sake . . ." he reminded her.
"I, I think so."
"Did you read it out loud?"
"Why?"
"Because the section about Timeheart is in speech."
"I, I . . ."
"You are now a wizard now too."
"NO!" Shouted Mr. Callahan as his wife dropped her mug.
"I will not allow another member of my family to die. . ."
"Dairine, listen to me, you may quit at any time."
"Then I choose . . ."
"Any time after you complete your ordeal."