Ikshan's Library

23. Once a Sorcerer

Ikshan

When we enter the studio with Zoé, the cigarette smoke makes me believe that Sonia is here, but then, I turn my head and see a tall and thin man with dark tattoos on his neck standing in front of the open window on the other side of the room. He wears a rock band tour t-shirt and a black pair of jeans. Carlos.

We took the train back to Paris yesterday night with Zoé and Elise invited us to her mansion on L'Ile-Saint-Louis where we are supposed to meet him and perform the ritual. The dance studio where she trains and... well, dances, is a convenient and safe place for what we're going to do.

Elise introduces us. "Carlos, this is Ikshan and Zoé."

"Hi, thank you so much for agreeing to help us." I smile at the ex-sorcerer.

"Glad to meet you. We heard so much about you," Zoé says, and none of us can't help but laugh, including Carlos himself.

"I can imagine," he says, with a slight Spanish accent, while running his hand in his salt and pepper hair.

"Love the t-shirt, by the way."

He smiles at her. "So I heard it's a rescue mission?"

"Yes, we need your help to save Leno," I say. "We found the other amulet in the South of France. So now we have everything we need to recreate the original ritual and free him from this piece of metal."

"Alright. It's been a while since I haven't done this kind of shit, but, you know, it's like riding a bike, right? You don't really forget it."

I can't help to look at his tattoos, the reminders of his old status.

Zoé has apparently the same instinct and, with her usual tact, points at the ink on his skin while asking: "Have you thought about removing them? I mean magically, or stuff?"

A hint of sadness crosses Carlos' eyes and his body stiffens. "No. It's a part of who I am."

"Sorry, I didn't want to..." Zoé backpedals.

"It's fine," Carlos interrupts. "Okay then, let's do this."

He has already arranged the studio to perform the ritual with everything we need, except for the second amulet I now can give him and the first, carefully protected in a wooden box that I keep with me.

I call for Leno before the ritual for he doesn't wake up inside a magical maelstrom without warning. I introduce him to Carlos and explain to him what's going to happen. He is nervous but I hold his hand briefly to reassure him before leaving him with the sorcerer in the middle of the room.

Carlos asks us to stay back and takes the two amulets in his hands. Elise side hugs me and smiles. She mouthes: "He is going to be fine." I nod and smile back.

Magic by magicians materializes like threads of light, but sorcerers' is different. There is nothing you can see. It's just words and sensations: you can feel a change in the temperature of the room or the density of the air as if the world was reconfiguring itself but in a way you cannot access.

Carlos is very focused. He steadies his body, grounding his feet as solidly as he can on the floor. His chanting is raw and, I must say, scary. Taken in the scene, I almost see his tattoos move, knowing that it's just an illusion. Leno's eyes are locked on his and, as Carlos's voice rises, the air around us seems heavier.

A storm forms briefly around them before immediately disappearing. The second it vanishes a blaring sound resonates in my head. It just lasts a few seconds but everyone put their hands on their ears and I understand I'm not the only one hearing it.

Then the room feels normal again and Carlos' figure becomes limp. He falls on the floor. In a second, Elise is at his side.

"Are you alright?" She asks.

"Yes. I'm just drained. It worked. It is done," he says panting.

And then I realize Leno is still here, looking at us. I take a step toward him, reaching for him with my hand but not daring to touch him.

"I...I'm free?" He asks, in disbelief.

"You are," I answer with a smile while tears gather in his eyes. "You are free, Leno."