“How did you stop Esmeralda?” Victoria said. “Is she still in that cave?”
“Forever,” Alex said and slowly explained what had transpired after he entered the cave chamber and faced Esmeralda in her attempt to use the Sword of Silas to shatter the rune-seal holding the Shadow Wraith in its prison. When he was finished, the others were silent. Victoria reached out and took his hand.
“Seeing hard things does not need to make us hard people,” his father said, placing a hand on Alex’s shoulder and looking him in the eyes.
“Especially considering the alternative,” his mother added, kissing his forehead.
“There was some small good in her after all,” Victoria said, squeezing his hand.
“Very small,” Nina said firmly.
“That may be so, but things are rarely ever so simple as that,” Victoria’s father said. “Her husband is devastated his wife betrayed him, but I’m sure he will be even more devastated when he learns of her death.” They all turned to look at Mr. Apollo, still sobbing as several of the carnies tried to free him from the sticky web holding him fast.
“What are we going to do with this?” his mother said, staring at the sword in her husband’s hands with a mixture of horror and fascination.
“Make sure it never touches anything again, I imagine,” Victoria’s father said.
“You’re quite right, Daddy,” Victoria said.
“Yes,” Alex added. “And we have a way to do exactly that.”
“What are you talking about?” Alex’s father asked.
“Are you sure you want to know?” his mother said.
“We’ll have to tell you about some pretty stupid things Alex did before it makes sense,” Nina said. “But you should be used to that.”
Chapter 25: Carnival Conclusion
A cool night breeze, the first in days, blew gently through the open door and windows of the Guild House. This was good, as the Guild House was crowded, packed with more people than it could comfortably fit, especially as two of them were centaurs.
Alex stood next to Victoria as Nina and the rest of the Guild gathered around the rusted cauldron sitting atop the old woodstove, a fire blazing within, adding to the warmth of the room. Alex’s parents and Victoria’s father were also present. Victoria’s father was very excited by the prospect of examining the magical cauldron close up and observing as it performed a transformation.
Alex’s parents had been visibly displeased with his and Nina’s recitation of their adventures in the Dead Forest and the manner by which the Guild came to possess the cauldron. However, as the cauldron had seemed abandoned, and as it would be helpful, and as Alex had risked his life to save the town, his parents had postponed any decision about possible groundings.
Eleada, Kendra, and Nathan had guided the other carnies back to the carnival where Alex’s father and Deputy Dervis had conducted interviews with all those who had been under the influence of Esmeralda’s Dark Spirit Magic. They had all told a similar story of being able to remember exactly what they had done, but unable to explain why they had thought so strongly they should try to help Esmeralda free the Shadow Wraith. They all reported still feeling dark and violent thoughts, but not knowing where they came from. Alex suspected it would be a long time before their soul-essences were free from the effects of Esmeralda’s magic.
Clark, Ben, and Daphne had been briefly reunited with their parents and Rafael with his aunt, but they had all insisted to their guardians it was important for them to be present at the final act that would end the hopes of freeing the Shadow Wraith. This was how, even though it was nearly midnight, they were all assembled in the Guild House.
“Ready,” Ben said. “I think the fire is hot enough.” Ben, as usual, was responsible for the fire in the woodstove.
“What happens now?” Victoria’s father asked, peering curiously into the cauldron’s deep interior.
“Hmm, we put the sword in,” Clark said, gently holding the sheathed Sword of Silas in his hand as though holding some living animal.
“And then we concentrate,” Daphne said, looking brightly at the others. “On what we want to turn it into.”
“Any ideas?” Nina asked, scratching her head in thought.
“Something harmless,” Rafael suggested, frowning as he stared at the sword.
“How about a soup ladle?” Victoria suggested, looking around the room.
“Brilliant,” Alex said with a smile.
“A fitting choice,” Alex’s father said, his arm slipping around Alex’s mother’s waist.
“The Soup Ladle of Silas,” Alex’s mother said with a laugh. “It has a nice ring. And I could use another soup ladle.”
“Let’s hope its magical properties are transformed, as well,” Victoria’s father said, watching intently as Clark lowered the sheathed sword into the bowl of the cauldron. The sword was too long to fit completely, resting against the lip of the iron pot at an angle.
“Everyone concentrate on a nice, shiny soup ladle,” Daphne said, staring at the cauldron.
“Concentrate,” Ben said with a shuffle of his feet. “Don’t get distracted. Getting distracted is bad.”
“Shush,” Nina said as they all gazed intently at the sword in the cauldron.
Alex focused his mind on imagining a soup ladle and was surprised when the sword began to slide down into the cauldron as though it were melting. A moment later, the Sword of Silas disappeared into the depths of the cauldron, never to be seen again. There was no smell or light or any other indication of the transformation that took place within the black bowl of the cauldron, but Clark, by virtue of his height and proximity, could see when the conversion was complete.
“Mmm, done,” Clark said as he reached into the cauldron with a gloved hand and withdrew a gleaming silver soup ladle.
“You should test it,” Victoria said. “To be safe.” Clark tapped the soup ladle on the side of the woodstove with a metallic ring.
“Amazing,” Victoria’s father said, stepping closer to examine the soup ladle.
“Harmless,” Daphne said, a prideful tone in her voice.
“Hmm, makes me hungry,” Clark said, still holding the ladle.
“Food,” Ben said, quickly snuffing out the fire with a wave of his hand and muttered rune-word. “Always food.”
“We’re lucky it didn’t transform with soup in the ladle, knowing Clark,” Rafael said, patting Clark on the shoulder.
“It’s still a little warm outside for soup,” Alex’s mother said, a sugar-craving glint in her eyes, “but there’s enough root beer and ice cream for floats.”
“Excellent idea, Mom,” Nina said, bouncing on her toes. “We may have to let you in the Guild House more often.”
“We may take you up on that offer if you keep bringing home magical artifacts,” Alex’s father said, raising an eyebrow at Nina and Alex.
“What makes you think that would ever happen again?” Alex said with an innocent smile. His father frowned for a moment and then burst out in a hearty laugh.
Looking again at the soup ladle, Alex thought about the magical necklace and whether his decision to keep it rather than destroy it in the cauldron was wise. His parents and the Guild had agreed with him that it might be useful in a future confrontation with followers of the Shadow Wraith, but as they pointed out, it was still a dangerous magical artifact. However, he had convinced them he knew exactly how to keep it safe.
Later that night, after they had all devoured their root beer floats while sitting around the table in Alex’s kitchen, Victoria, her father, and the rest of the Guild headed to their respective homes. Alex and his family retired to their rooms shortly thereafter.
At the door to her bedroom, Nina paused.
“You haven’t forgotten about tomorrow, have you?” Nina asked. It sounded more like a threat than a question.
“No, I haven’t,” Alex said and rustled his sister’s hair.
“Good,” she said with a smile and headed to her bed.
There was an almost chilly breeze wafting through the window of Alex’s room and it was a profound relief from the oven-like heat of the last few days. Sinking his head deep into the feather pillow, Alex closed his eyes, but resisted the temptation to fall directly asleep. Instead, he willed himself into his astral body and then to Batami’s hut.
Alex floated outside Batami’s hut and thought her name clearly in his mind. She opened the door of the hut a minute later, and leaned against the wall. She looked exhausted beyond anything Alex had imagined, but she seemed physically well.
“It is good to see you, Alex,” Batami said. “I’m afraid our lessons will need to be in person for a time. I am too weak for astral travel.”
“Are you okay?”
Alex asked, feeling his concern for Batami tug at his heart.
“I will recover,” Batami said, “but it will take some time. Nearly half the forest was destroyed in the fire. It will be years before it, or I, return to our full strength.”
“I’m sorry I woke you,”
Alex thought.
“No apologies, Alex,” Batami said.
“I’ll visit tomorrow,”
Alex said.
“I have something I need you to keep safe for me.”
“Ah. The necklace.” Batami sighed and nodded. “You outshined even yourself today. Thank you. You should get some sleep, as well.” Batami gave a small wave and then stepped inside and closed the door.
Alex returned to his body a moment later, feeling the tension in his stomach finally relax. Batami was not well, but she would get better. And her words had filled him with a warm sense of pride. It felt good to accomplish things that needed doing. Especially things few others could undertake.
Alex was about to drift off into sleep when the sound of a rock striking his window roused him. He went to the window, expecting to see Victoria or one of the other Guild members in the yard. Instead, he found the mysterious figure in black, hooded cloak still concealing its identity, staring up at him. The figure raised one arm to point and then walked toward the back of the house.
Alex slid on his sneakers and quietly snuck downstairs and slipped out the back door, crossing the backyard in a run, stopping only when he stood beside the figure in black, outside the Guild House door. Alex was surprised when the figure raised its hands and slowly lowered the cowl of the cloak to reveal the bald head of a very old man. The man’s wrinkles hung from large cheekbones and his deep-set, gray eyes looked past Alex even as he spoke.
“I have come for what is mine,” the old man said.
“Who are you?” Alex asked. “And what do you think is yours? And why have you been helping me?” Alex did not fear this man, although the way he refused to look directly at Alex was disconcerting.
“So many questions,” the man said with a gentle smile. “I have come for my cauldron.”
Alex blinked in surprise. “We thought it was abandoned. It was rusted. It looked like no one had been in the hut for years.”
“It was abandoned. And I had not seen it in years. But it is still mine. Get it for me. Please.”
Alex didn’t know what to say. He had been certain the cauldron’s owner was long dead. Was it possible the man was some kind of ghost? He didn’t look like any ghost Alex had ever seen. Alex whispered the secret password to the Guild House door.
“Voluptuous vermin vomit.” Maybe once Nina was officially a member, she would start coming up with more respectable passwords. Alex struggled under the weight of the cauldron, but managed to carry it outside to the strange man in black.
The old man grasped the handle and lifted the cauldron with apparent ease. He was obviously stronger than he looked. He turned to go and Alex stepped in front of him.
“Who are you?”
The man looked past Alex again and licked his lips before speaking.
“I helped you because I could. Because I might have been you rather than who I am.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Andrew.”
“But why do you live in the Dead Forest? You’re a Spirit Mage. Does Batami know you?”
“She does. She is part of the reason I live in the Dead Forest. I did not heed her lessons and now it is only place I can bear to be because it is the only place where I know I will not see other people.”
“Are you afraid of people?”
“Afraid of what I see. I see too much. Even now, I can hardly abide being near you. Especially you. You shine so brightly. So bright it burns. Dew-tipped leaves at sunrise. A still mountain lake reflecting the cloudless sky above. Tree blossoms blooming in the light of a clear spring sunrise. So…beautiful.”
The old man turned away, wiping tears from his eyes. Alex knew what the man spoke of. And while he did not know who Andrew was, he knew his affliction. The old man had looked into the souls of others too many times and now could only see the souls, touch and share the soul-essence, of everyone he encountered. Alex wondered how Andrew had avoided going mad. Maybe he hadn’t. The old man began to walk away.
“Thank you,” Alex said. “Without your help, I don’t know…”
“You are welcome,” Andrew said as he paused and turned back. “And tell my mother I said hello.”
Andrew disappeared into the shadows before Alex had time to think through the old man’s last words. His mother? Then it struck him. He hadn’t thought of the possibility, because of Andrew’s age. But it did make sense. Who better to learn Spirit Magic from than Batami? Who better to learn from than one’s mother?
Alex stood in the dark a moment longer, letting the thoughts tumbling through his mind settle. Then he snuck back inside the house, snuggled into bed, and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day was Monday, a day of three important events. The first of these was the departure of the carnival. As the noon day sun reached its apex, Alex and the Guild gathered at the edge of the field behind the Town Hall, watching the carnies pack the last of their trucks and wagons while saying their farewells to four, in particular, whom they had come to think of as friends — or more than friends, in some cases.
Eleada, Kendra, Nathan, and Leanna joined Alex and the Guild beneath the shade of the sycamore tree. While the weather had returned to normal, the sun no longer quite so hot, the shade of the tree made a natural spot to gather for goodbyes.