The alchemist turned away from me and led me across the vast, dimly lit room, which was filled with many shelves and cabinets stocked with potions and other arcane devices, along with piles of books and artifacts. There was an odd smell of damp stone, dusty old leather, and a strange metallic odor. Galen reached a narrow door at the far end of the room and pushed it open.
Beyond lay a small chamber, barely large enough to contain a single bed. The walls were covered with a thick layer of dust, and the floor was littered with broken glass bottles and jars. A small fire burned in the corner, casting flickering shadows over the room.
Before embarking on the ritual, Galen turned to me, his eyes carrying a solemn weight. "Masha," he began his voice low and reverent, "before we proceed, it's crucial to understand the importance of spiritual cleansing. This ensures the safety and accuracy of the evocation. We must cleanse our spirits of doubt and fear." He paused for emphasis, looking at me directly, and I knew what he was doing, even though I had known before. My thoughts raced, but I held my tongue and said nothing. After several moments of silence, my husband continued. "Once we begin the evocation process, however, there will be no turning back, and we can only do whatever is needed. It has to be in your best interest to keep silent."
In a corner of the chamber, a basin of pure, crystalline water awaited us. Galen washed his hands, and I followed suit, letting the cool water cleanse away any lingering doubts. Afterward, he donned his robes, a rich shade of purple woven from silk.
Galen led me to the center of the chamber, where an ornate magic circle had been etched into the stone floor. Its intricate symbols and patterns seemed to pulse with latent energy, as though it were a portal to another realm. Galen settled just outside the circle, his eyes closing in deep meditation.
A faint breeze wafted up from the floor, brushing against my legs. The hairs on the nape of my neck prickled, and something about the room seemed... strange. Shadows danced in the corners, and I could have sworn I heard whispers on the wind, voices from another realm. Goosebumps rose on my arms, and I fought to suppress the rising unease in my chest
For a few moments, we remained in silence, the air thick with anticipation. The magic in the chamber was palpable—an invisible force that bound us together.
And then, emerging from the very earth itself, a figure materialized within the circle. My eyes widened in awe, expecting to see a small, bearded gnome with a pointy hat. To my surprise, a young man roughly my height appeared before us. He was clean-shaven and adorned in earth-toned robes that seemed to merge with the chamber's surroundings. His head bore a simple circlet of braided copper wire, which framed his face. His hair was long and black and neatly tied back, exposing his strong forehead and high cheekbones.
As he turned to face us, his eyes sparkled with a deep, ancient wisdom, and a gentle smile played upon his lips. He reminded me of a charismatic businessman making deals with other entrepreneurs. His presence seemed to fill the chamber, suffusing it with a sense of peace and tranquility.
"Greetings," he said, his voice resonating with a deep, comforting timbre. "I am Ordafil. You have summoned me, Galen Ironwood." His words carried an air of both power and humility, and his aura was dark and heavy but not anything demonic. He was like a mountain in human form.
Galen responded with a warm smile, as though he were reuniting with an old friend. "Ordafil, one of the kings of earth elementals," he said, his tone filled with reverence. "Thank you for gracing us with your presence."
Ordafil's eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief as he accepted a small white cloth from the alchemist. Galen explained that within it lay a mysterious red powder, a product of alchemy. Its nature and the danger it posed in human hands were also carefully explained.
The gnome accepted it with a mysterious smile, his gaze shifting toward me briefly. "It appears that your companion wishes to learn more about how she came to be here and what these rituals entail," Ordafil stated, addressing both of us with a slight tilt of his head.
"Indeed," answered Galen. "We have many things to teach and practice."
With a nod, Ordafil said, "Then go forth and enjoy yourselves." His gravelly voice rumbled out. "As much as possible, while it remains possible." He vanished as swiftly as he had appeared, leaving behind only the echo of his deep voice.
I watched the entire scene in awe, my heart pounding with excitement and anxiety. It was a glimpse into a world of magic and elemental beings I had only dreamed of before. A world that existed beyond the mundane world of everyday life. Magic existed in all its forms, from the natural world to the metaphysical realm. That was as close to the world as we could get. Magic manifested itself in all of creation.
After Ordafil's departure, Galen made a graceful gesture with his hand, symbolizing the end of the ritual. The magic circle's symbols faded, dissolving into the air like ethereal ink dissipating in water.
"That was magnificent!" I breathed, trying not to sound awestruck and failing miserably. The image of Ordafil, the gnome king of the earth elementals, materializing before us was etched in my mind. His presence had been both awe-inspiring and comforting, like standing in the presence of an ancient, wise being. The resonance of his voice still reverberated within me, leaving a lingering sense of wonder.
Galen smiled at my excitement, his eyes twinkling with his own shared enthusiasm. "Indeed, it was," he said, his voice filled with a sense of accomplishment. "But evocations like this are not a regular occurrence. They require careful preparation and deep meditation."
I nodded, taking in his words as the energy in the chamber settled, leaving behind a palpable sense of magic in the air. It was a reminder of the power that flowed through the world, both visible and hidden. I couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement, knowing that I was about to embark on a journey of discovery.
"Most often," Galen continued, "we perform evocations a few times a month. However, this particular one requires more time and preparation. We'll need to meditate before we can proceed further."
As the energy in the chamber settled, I couldn't help but feel the excitement. Once, Victor told me that one of the basic skills of a magician was evocation. However, one should be extremely careful, as some spirits can be difficult to deal with.
*****
As the clock in the lodge's corridor struck 7 PM, I decided it was time to leave Galen's lab. The alchemical mysteries I had witnessed had left me both exhilarated and slightly unnerved. I stepped into the dimly lit passageway, my footsteps echoing softly as I made my way back to the main chambers of the lodge.
But as I walked, my heightened psychic senses caught something amiss—a faint murmur of voices emanating from a nearby room. An inexplicable curiosity gripped me, and despite the nagging feeling that eavesdropping was ethically questionable, I couldn't resist the urge to listen in.
Drawing closer to the room's closed door, I strained my ears to catch the conversation within. Then I heard a male voice and recognized it as Victor's. A quick intake of breath alerted me to his presence, and I quickly turned around to make my retreat. But even as I did so, he began speaking again.
"Not at all what I expected," Victor said. "And yet... I've never been so convinced of a negative outcome before."
"What do you mean? I don't think this is a result of a failed evocation," replied a smoother voice, belonging to Magnus. My heart quickened as I recognized him. He sounded much different than when I first met him. It made me wonder why Magnus had become so cold.
"The results have been consistent since we entered the project, so how could they have possibly changed?"
Victor let out an exasperated sigh. His next words confirmed this was no casual conversation between friends. "Magnus, you must admit this is unusual." The tone of his voice implied that he was annoyed with him. "This entire situation is unusual."
There was another pause, followed by Magnus's quiet response. "You're right," Magnus finally admitted. "It does seem strange. I don't know why this demon would appear."
"What if it's a psychic attack from a sorcerer or a vampire you've encountered?" Victor pressed on. "Perhaps a vampiric curse of some sort."
"I haven't seen anything like that," Magnus insisted. "Of course, no vampire, regardless of rank, could ever harm me."
A silence followed, during which I tried to understand their conversation. My curiosity was insatiable, and the weight of my decision to eavesdrop bore heavily on my conscience.
"I also need blood," Magnus said after a moment.
"Ah yes, your thirst is returning," Victor said, sounding amused. "That is a good sign. You should continue to feed it, though. It may help strengthen you."
"God, no. This is for a magical ritual, nothing more. What else are you thinking, Victor?" Magnus replied defensively.
"I'm only suggesting that you continue using the ritual as a catalyst to keep up your strength."
"No," Magnus answered firmly. "Whatever its purpose, it will only serve to weaken me further. And I don't want any part of whatever spellcasting you're doing now. It isn't helping anyone."
Victor became silent for a moment. "I could offer you my blood if you would accept it."
"I refuse. I need it from another person, not you or me. Besides, blood potion is potentially dangerous."
"So is drinking blood. I believe we can agree on that much."
Silence followed. I wondered why they were arguing. I could not believe what I was hearing. Did Magnus drink blood for magical rituals? Blood magic is an uncommon practice, but it is powerful. Only high initiates performed such magic. But why would Magnus drink blood? As far as I know, only dark sorcerers would do such a thing. Perhaps this was something that vampire hunters do to understand vampire magic.
"Don't worry too much about blood; I can handle that." A feminine voice joined in, and I realized that it was Evonne. "By the way, Masha's wounds are now fully healed."
"That's good to know," Magnus replied. "How was she?"
"She's such a naive girl, I would say," Evonne chuckled. "Yes. She's impulsive, curious, and inquisitive sometimes."
My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I listened to her description of me, but it was Magnus's laughter that stirred my curiosity further. What did he find so amusing?
"You underestimate her," Magnus asserted. "She has the potential to surpass even you, my dear Evonne."
Evonne scoffed dismissively. "What could a girl like her know about our plans, Magnus? She's just a novice. She needs to work harder. Those little magic tricks she knows don't really help her."
"True enough," Victor agreed. "Masha has talent, but she lacks discipline. If she worked hard, she'd be more capable of accomplishing great things."
"Well, I'll let Masha decide that herself. For now, let us focus on getting rid of this demon once and for all. We need to move onto phase two of the plan," Magnus responded. "And please lower your voice, Evonne. We shall not speak of such matters in the future."
Victor's voice resurfaced. "Do you think she has what it takes to become an official member?"
"I don't see why not," Magnus responded with confidence. "Her training is excellent so far. And as I've told you, I can read energies. I'm sure she could achieve anything she sets her mind to."
"Hmm," Victor mused thoughtfully. "We shall see."
My eyes widened. Magicians always kept secrets about their powers. That's why we didn't use magic as readily as other people. There were many reasons for this secrecy. It could be considered unethical. Or even morally reprehensible.
As their footsteps approached the door, I realized that I had overheard more than I should have. Panic fluttered in my chest, and a multitude of questions swirled in my mind. I quickly walked away, never to look back.