Spellcaster series #5: The Sage

The Request

HEIDI

Heavy footsteps thudded through the house from the first storey and up the stairs. I jumped out of bed and grabbed my wand. I stepped out of the bedroom to see Tristan race up the stairs, taking two steps at a time—too panicky and anxious to teleport instead.

"Tristan?" I called as he rushed past me. His black coat swung behind him as he made his way to Ada's bedroom, not hearing me. He seemed more hasty than usual.

He burst into the room and headed straight to Ada. He placed a hand on her forehead, startling her, and asked without looking up.

"Is she here yet?"

"Who?" I asked, walking towards him.

He looked up at me, his voice filled with impatience. "Manuk! Is she here yet?"

"What? No! Tristan, what's going on?"

Mrs. Embers also awoke as soon he barged in. Tristan turned to her, "Has she been having a fever?"

"Fever? No, not that I know of—"

Tristan yanked out a drawer from the dresser and fumbled through it. Mrs. Embers and I shared a quizzical glance before turning back to him. He pulled out a thermometer and stuck it in Ada's mouth.

"Tristan, can you tell me what is—"

A beep. He read the temperature and seemed confused.

"Thirty-six degrees celcius. Only? Is this broken?" He asked without lifting his head up from the thermometer, as if talking to himself.

"The thermometer is fine, Tristan. Talk to me, what's going on?"

He turned to me, eyes wild. "Michael said Ada is ill! I don't get it! He said Manuk will be taking her soon, I—"

He trailed mid-sentence, eyes still on me. Then his face paled like he had hit an epiphany and threw his hand to his mouth.

"No, no, no, no—"

He teleported. I assumed he was going back to the orphanage and teleported myself there as well. I felt for his aura, which had been pulsating the entire time, and followed after it. Soon, I found myself on the first storey of the Lucky Orphans. Tristan was on the top of the stairs, knelt on the floor. There was a body in a blue coat in front of him and he was searching for a pulse.

"Get over here!" Tristan demanded desperately. "Get his aura, Heidi!"

I raced up the stairs and saw that the body with the blue coat was none other than an unconscious Jessie. His aura was barely there.

I knelt beside him while Tristan held onto the last bit of aura. I hovered my hands over his chest and searched for his white aura. When I found it, there was a heavy, murky energy that entombed, similar to what happened with Lord Voltaire several years ago. There was no way I could get past it.

"His aura is being blocked."

Tristan cussed under his breath and removed his coat. He positioned himself and proceeded to resuscitate Jessie. I felt for a pulse on his neck. It was very low and his skin felt cold.

"Tristan," I felt a lump in my throat.

He spoke in a low voice between his breaths, "Not like this, Jessie. Stay with me!"

Footsteps ran up the stairs. I turned to see Brian hovering above us, red eyes on Jessie. Then he stretched out his ivory arms to push Tristan away.

"Stand back," Brian ordered and I did.

Tristan would not move. "We can't just give up on him!"

"Sir, I need you to stand back!"