Modern Mage – Chapter 6

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After Sindee left for her meeting I had to get started on my day. First thing I did was call Marcus and arrange to pick him up after I finished at the Architect’s office. We went over the plans and finalized most of the design aspects. There were still a few details that had to be worked out and some additions that I might be adding before we started the process of finding the builders. I left the architect’s office feeling good about how the design was coming along and headed for the campus.

I pulled up to Marcus’s dorm to find him on the steps waiting, flirting with the freshmen girls shamelessly. I smiled and laughed as I spotted a couple of them following him with their eyes, only Marcus could get the attention of College women when he looked like a high school freshman. He jumped in the car smiling as he waved back at the women he was talking to as pulled out of the parking lot. “So you going to tell me what happened to you, or do you want me to guess?” I asked filling my tone with humor.

“The short answer is I screwed up Andrew.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that statement, “what’s the long answer? Details please.”

Marcus took a deep breath before starting. “I guess it all began right after we parted ways. I’m sure you remember Jackson and what he said about knowing what I am. When I stunned him with the spell, I took the time to heal the damage and make him forget he found me. I couldn’t remove the knowledge he had of me being a Mage as he had related to the rest of his family as he said. The information would have come flooding back the first time one of them explained it to him unless I wiped all of his memory. I wasn’t willing to do that kind of damage to the child of my oldest friends, so placed the suggestion that he had found a clue to my whereabouts down in Florida. I let him think I was after the Fountain of Youth; figured when he didn’t find me he might waste time looking for it. I kept on the move for 6 month following that. At the end of the 6 months I found myself up outside of Seattle hanging with a Cabal, learning from them and teaching them how to work without Foci. Two of them were exceptionally talented with Time and taught me a few new tricks.” He paused here, took a breath like he was gathering his thoughts or bracing for something coming, “You remember when I told you to never try a complex spell unless you were sure you knew what you were altering?”

I nodded and kept my expression neutral, “yeah, so what did do that caused this?”

“I told you once before that every Mage finds a way on their own for extending their life span. Mine worked well enough, except there were a few things that weren’t as effectively repaired as I had hoped. Life Magick can repair the damage that is done and keep you healthy, slow the aging process but you still do age. I combined a few other Spheres into my method; however I had never learned or understood Time Magick as well as I would have preferred to incorporate it. I thought I had learned and understood enough so I altered the spell I use for myself. The spell didn’t backfire so much as I didn’t have complete control over it due to a lack of understanding the nature of Time Magicks. I ended up at 13 years old, so I called in a favor, got an ID and even school transcripts. Jackson and his family won’t be looking for a kid so I figured I’d be safe for a while. I found a state home up there to get me into the foster system and went back to school. I decided I would graduate early as it was easier to be a genius then it was to hide my intellect. I was looking for a school up there when you called the cut out. The number you left was 702, so I knew it was NV, and took a chance it was somewhere in Vegas. Once I got here I traced you through Correspondence. Sindee’s house showed up as the place you spent most of your time. So I decided to wait there. That’s the whole long story.”

“Well Marcus, the only thing I can so to the Magick disaster is you need to learn to follow your own advice. However, you’re probably right that Jackson and his family won’t be looking for a kid. Any other side effects to you powers or anything else?” I asked.

“None thankfully. Now you called me, so I’m guessing you needed help with something. After meeting Sindee and seeing the two of you together, I can guess what you need but I want the whole story as well. Details please.” Marcus’s expression show he was considering what I was about to say carefully.

I took the deep breath this time, settling my thoughts. “We’ve already told you how Sindee and I met originally, and how we came back together. I initially assumed it was just a crush or physical attraction on my part. I’ve never been both happier and scared to have been wrong about something. I’m happy as spending time with her feels right, scared because right now we live in two different realities, and mine puts her life in danger. I called you originally to ask for your advice and possibly aid in attempting to awaken her safely. If you aid me, we can focus the spell through me. I’ll add an additional effect using prime to draw any backlash to me.” I stopped by a drive in and grabbed us lunch. A suggestion for having conversations that you want no one else to hear is to take a drive. “What I need to talk to you about right now however happened last night. First this is that right after we dropped you off, I had a feeling like the one that woke me up the night my family was attacked. It wasn’t identical but very close and it stayed with me to the point where I dreamed of the attack in full vivid detail. The second happened early this morning. I gave Sindee one of my Foci that I don’t use, the Infinity Loop I used for Correspondence when I was doing something complicated. After I put it on her and while we kissed I felt something from my Avatar.” I spoke many times before now of the connection to Magick a Mage has but never gave any detail. The Avatar is the source of that connection. Get any idea of cartoons or online Identities or large blue skinned aliens out of your head. A Mage’s Avatar is a Spirit connecting that exists on another plane. I’ll explain more about the Avatar later. “I’d like your advice and assistance with a Seeking.”

Marcus’s looked me surprised than I had ever seen anyone, then raised his voice as he practically yelled at me, “I’d ask you if you were fucking insane, but I already know the answer is yes.” He calmed down a little after yelling. I drove in silence for a few minutes before he started to speak again. “I’ll assist with the awakening, I like Sindee and think she’s strong willed enough to handle it. The Seeking is another story. You realize that most Mages never attempt one because of the inherent dangers involved. Of the Mages that make the attempt few succeed, some have even completely lost the ability to touch Magick. I know I can’t stop you from trying it so I’ll answer your questions. Convince me of the necessity of doing this Seeking and I’ll assist.”

That was more than I expected and less than I was hoping for but a good start. Marcus started to explain more about the nature of Seekings and Avatars in more detail than before. “What makes a Seeking so Dangerous is that a Mage is trying to communicate directly with their Avatar. As I said the Avatar is a Spirit, not to be confused with ghosts and other restless dead.