Chapter 5 - Abilities
Wade was about to prepare the Schooner with Sam for tomorrow. He planned to leave early toward Ford William, so it was better to prepare everything today. The more so as for the thing he planned for the night. Tomorrow he would not be able to work.
"Sam, I need your help. You will assist Grey Feather to watch over me tonight," Wade announced, pushing the last bag onto the nearly empty schooner's load area. They needed the free space for the construction wood he wanted to buy from the carpenter.
Sam was checking the tacks but stopped abruptly by Wade's words. "Are you gonna meet Mike and Bastian?"
"Mhm. I feel better if someone is watching over my body when I'm not really inside. That our friends showed up today is even better. Grey Feather knows about spirit traveling. You can learn from him a lot about it."
The Guardian was sure Samuel could master this but would feel safer with another hunter around. Grey Feather had assisted him before and it was the perfect opportunity to involve Sam. The Guardian also didn't want to explain this little trick to Cole or Daniel, not yet. Sam only knew about it because Wade had to gain the trust of the scared boy when he had arrived at their home in Connecticut five years ago. He realized again that he had closed his eyes for too long. Sam had grown into a young man too. The green eyes of the calm blond were mirroring wisdom as far his young age allowed. The frightened look had vanished. As long as Sam was in his comfort zone at home, he was strong and supportive. He never complained about any kind of work.
"I will call my Brothers home - to the ranch. It is the quickest way. With a little luck, they are in Liberty and it won't take them too long to reach us. A letter to Connecticut would take months and they wouldn't be here before next spring. I don't even know if they are on the farm. I can't wait that long." And Sam wouldn't have to wait that long for his release to the world. Wade and Bastian had researched a lot about the Clairvoyance ability of their next Scholar. Bastian had told him that George had found something that would help the boy to leave the property without being afraid of unbidden ghost appearances.
"Sure Wade, I will help watch over you," Sam answered.
"Good. Come to my room at midnight. Daniel will care for the animals tomorrow morning. Then you can sleep in. I have a shitload of things to tell them." Wade checked the load area. "Ok, we are done here. Let's see if Cole has the meal ready. I'm starving." Wade patted his stomach and headed inside, smiling.
*** The Wild West Triad - Prequel ***
With the petroleum lamp in his hand, Wade checked for his boys. All were already in their beds and slept soundly except for Sam. He usually read before sleeping and Wade only nodded at him. He had told Daniel that he would have to care for the animals tomorrow morning. His son had not been in joy about the additional work and had tried to find out why Sam wouldn't be able to do his work. But Wade had only told him it was The Guardian's decision and if he wanted to be a hunter too, he had to show his dad that he was ready to follow his orders. Sighing, his boy had accepted his additional duty.
Back into his room he placed the light on the desk and took out the wooden box from the bottom of the shelf. Mike had carved the symbol of the Triad into the lid before he had gifted it to Wade for one of his birthdays. Remembering the times they were together nearly every day, he stroked carefully over the lid. "I hope we meet soon, brothers."
Opening the clip, he revealed some very personal things. Memories, secrets, and letters. He chose the two items he would need for his visit tonight; a raven quill that belonged to Bastian and an old silver coin, stamped with the emblem of the Campbell Clan, set in silver to be used as a pendant. Mike had brought it over the ocean as a talisman and gave it to Wade as he moved with the boys to Wyoming. Wade prayed to find them both together. Or the trip would take even longer if he had to visit them one after the other.
A slight knock at his door ripped him out of his brooding. "Come in."
The blond teenager entered with his own light, followed by Grey feather who closed the door carefully after him. "Are you ready, Wade?" the Absarokee asked.
"Yes, let's start." Wade slipped the pendant over his head holding the quill in his fist. He lay down on the mattress and closed his eyes.
The two others drew a protection circle around the bed with a mix of red sand and salt including their seats.
Grey Feather spoke a few words on the Absarokee tongue, Sam didn't understand. The circle started to glow with a reddish shine. They took their seats next to Wade.
Wade evened his breathing and tried to focus on his Brothers. To find his Triad was easier than other targets. They were connected through their rings anyway though the personal items made it even easier to locate them. Soon a twitch rushed through Wade's body and he felt his astral body loosen from his physical body until he saw himself lying on the bed where his friends were watching over him.
The Guardian felt a pull on his being to another place. Wade tried no longer to fight against the separation from his body and relaxed to let himself be sucked into the maelstrom of the force to his destination.
*** The Wild West Triad - Prequel ***
Liberty, Clay County, Missouri - Brotherhood Headquarters of the middle west
Mike kept throwing his knives into the wooden wall of his room. He couldn't find sleep. The Knight of The Brotherhood often tried to calm his nerves with weapon training. The neatly white painted planks already showed a lot of marks from his training units. Bastian had given him an annoyed gaze when he'd seen the damage in the new wall, telling him to let it be or he had to pay for a new wainscoting. Hell, it was a wall, nothing that would win a beauty contest. But today he felt even more unsettled. something he couldn't catch was hanging in the air.
Mike walked to the white wall and took out the three throwing blades, headed back to his chair, and repeated the action. The third blade was in the air as The Guardian's shape manifested itself in front of the already marked wall. With a shocked expression, Mike witnessed how the knife cut through Wade's astral body.
Campbell nearly fell off his bed. "Holy fuck! Wade!"
Wade watched along his body to the spot where the knife had flown through him. "What the heck, Mike you just killed me! - I mean if this would be my real body," Wade complained, turning on the spot to inspect the blade which was now pinned into the wall.
Mike still held his chest, breathing heavily. "Do you want to give me a heart attack? Because I planned to die in a blaze of glory on the battlefield."
Wade smiled. "Is that so? You'll never know."
"I'm sorry man. I didn't mean to throw this at you. Why are you appearing in my room anyway? What if I had company right now? Would you mind changing the area where you appear?" Mike complained.
Wade grinned mischievously. "Your family coin seems to be a better tracker than Bastian's quill."
"Of course it is. My father gave it to me. It is a very personal item. I hope you won't lose it. I only borrowed it to you. Why are you here anyway? Are the boys alright?" Mike suddenly got up from his bed pretty concerned. He had been against Wade's decision to live with the boys alone in the wide land of the Great Plains and The Knight felt his heart rate speed up even more.
"They are fine, Mike. Nothing happened. So you are in Liberty? Are Bastian and George here as well?"
"Bastian, yes, I will go and get him. Let's move to the living room, I don't want to hear him scolding me about that wall again." Mike left his room and headed to Bastian's on the end of the floor, followed by Wade's astral projection.
The Triad gathered for the meeting in the living room, where a likewise oval walnut table with the Triad symbol, built the center of the room.
"I'm glad to meet you both here. It is time to call you two to the ranch. I need you to train the boys."
"Finally! Can't wait to see them again. It has been far too long. We prepared the other hunters here as well as in Connecticut. Our network is working just fine," Bastian explained to Wade.
"Good to hear that. At least one thing I don't have to worry about. Did you get the crystals for Samuel? He will need them."
Bastian answered right away and took the Guardian's attention from Mike who still tried to read between the little his friend had told so far.
"Yes, George brought them last month. He is helping his mother and her coven to build their community south of Fort William. We will take a break there and tell him the news."
"Alright."
"Has something else happened? You look concerned?" Mike asked his friend. There was something Wade hadn't told yet.
"No, nothing we can't discuss at home. A lot of work is waiting for us. Tomorrow I'm going to ride with Cole to Fort William to get new construction wood for extending the house. I think it best if everyone will have an own room. The boys are no longer boys and need their space and privacy. I had to learn this the hard way, lately," Wade explained.
"Ok, we'll see you at the ranch within three weeks if everything goes smooth," Mike announced.
"I can't wait to have you close by. When you come through Fort William, visit the carpenter, by that time he should have a load ready for you to take with you to the ranch."
They talked about all things that needed to be brought to the new home of the Triad. It was a lot to discuss. But when Mike saw Wade's shape getting more translucent he started to worry. Wade had never before stayed so long out of his body. "Wade, are you alright?"
The Guardian watched his hand getting translucent in surprise.
"You should go back into your body. A too-long disconnection is dangerous. Is someone watching over your body?" Bastian asked, already concerned.
"Grey Feather and Sam are with me. He has done this before. But you are right, I can feel the call of my vessel. Don't worry, good old Scholar. We will meet soon in person. Stay out of trouble, Mike," Wade twinkled at Campbell. Looking up at the ceiling, he disappeared in the next moment.
Mike sighed. "I can't wait to see them and to make sure nothing happens to them. It feels damn wrong to sit here while he is alone with the boys."
"Wade had made it clear before. He wanted it like that, and we had to prepare the whole network, a job I wouldn't have mastered without you. Don't worry they are fine. They have already made it for years now, Wade can handle a bunch of adolescents in his house, trust me." Bastian laughed and headed back into his room, letting The Knight brooding at the oval table.
*** The Wild West Triad - Prequel ***
Back at Wilmington Ranch
Sam felt the jerk of Wade's body. He had already started to worry. A weak groan from Wade was the only hint that he was alive, then he took in a deep breath and opened his eyes.
He stared unhinged at him, his dilated pupils were so big, Sam hardly was able to make out the usual grey of Wade's iris. Samuel took his hand in concern, feeling the coldness of his mentor's body.
"Wade, can you hear me?" Grey Feather asked three times until Wade finally reacted.
"C - o - l -d," Wade stuttered through chattering teeth.
They hurried to tug the thick sheep blanket around him, they had placed on the end of the bed earlier. Rubbing his arms under the blanket, Grey Feather tried to get Wade's blood circulation back to normal.
"It is ok, Wade. It will get better soon. Here, drink this, it will help. The Absarokee offered Wade a steaming cup of hot tea. A few sips later Wade stopped trembling and Sam addressed him. "Did you find them? Are they coming?"
"Yeah. They are. Three weeks," Wade answered, still being all at sea.
They stayed with The Guardian for another hour until they were sure Wade was ok. Sam hated to sit beside not knowing what to do to make his mentor feel better. He felt completely without control of the situation and it scared him. "Is he really ok? He seems not in a good state."
Grey Feather calmed him. "The only thing important is that nothing got possession of the empty vessel as long as the inhabitant is traveling. We can only make sure the body is safe. The soul finds its way back to the body itself as soon as the traveler is focusing on it. Don't worry, young Samuel. Tomorrow he will be alright. A little bit tired, but this should lessen during the day."
TBC
A/N: Let me know your thoughts about this story. Even when you thought it so horrible that you would not read on. Let me know. Every review is so very important to a writer.
