Have Magician, Will Rule Worldby Clyde Andrews |
Table of Contents Part 1 appears in this issue. |
| conclusion |
“It would not have mattered, my dear. To me it sounds like, Aleister was being used to get close to you and, Shane anyway. A lure if you will,” L.J.P. said. “This, I believe, had been planned for a while.”
“It worked, didn’t it?”
L.J.P. just raised an eyebrow. “We’re here.”
The door to the factory was open. L.J.P. thought this rather weird; it was almost as if the witch wanted them to enter. Valerie, however, did not waste any time and proceeded inside. L.J.P. followed.
Inside the factory it was just like any other: a large open space with machinery in it. On the far side of the factory floor in front of them was Shane, sitting on a picnic blanket and playing quietly with his favourite racing car. He did not notice them come in, only kept on playing.
“I suggest we proceed with caution... I smell a trap.”
Valerie did not care, she ran to her child.
“NO!” L.J.P. screamed after her. But it was too late.
On the floor, unnoticed by even L.J.P., there was a magic circle drawn in black chalk on the concrete. Valerie, also unaware, walked right into it. Instantly she was projected to the ceiling, by a bright, blue ethereal light, a good twenty metres into the air. L.J.P. knew immediately it was a transport circle, but designed in such a way it only transported its victim a short distance and then held her there.
L.J.P. rubbed his chin, he could tell that the witch liked to show off. What dark magician didn’t? “Show yourself, witch,” he said.
“Don’t step any closer, L.J.P. I want you to stay exactly where you are,” a female voice said in an almost seductive manner.
L.J.P. then noticed, as he glanced up, that Valerie was screaming at the top of her lungs, but he could not hear her.
“I see you are quite a magician, witch. You seem to be able to construct more complicated algorithms than most others I have dealt with.”
All the while Shane kept on playing; he was obviously also trapped and was prevented from seeing beyond the circle he was placed in.
“Why, thank you for the compliment. I pride myself in my work.”
“It’s a pity you concentrate your fine talents on such evil purposes, my dear. It will break my heart when I wipe you from the face of the earth.”
From behind one of the great machines a young woman appeared: tall, dark, and oh so beautiful. This confirmed L.J.P.’s suspicions; all dark magicians were super-models, it seemed. He then chuckled at a thought that just popped into his mind; a mental image of Elle McPherson trapping unwary men with her magical talents — not that he knew whether or not Elle was a magician, but it seemed to be logical conclusion, and typical.
“I see you are quite easy on the eyes, my dear... It will certainly sadden me to destroy you now.”
“Oh, L.J.P., what am I going to do with you?” she said, now slinking closer to him. The black, low-cut evening dress showing her assets off perfectly. “I know: I’m going to wipe that smile from your chubby old face.” Her delicious overly lip-sticked lips formed a sensual smile.
Before she could reach him, L.J.P. drew a protective circle around himself. He too was now trapped, but at least safe while he thought of how he was going to proceed.
“It looks like, to me, that you are the one that should be worried. I mean, I’m not the one trapped in a pathetic magic circle. Real amateur stuff there, L.J.P. Look at it, it’s more than sad,” she said.
“Well, it should keep you out until I think of something. Thinking on my feet is something I am quite adept at, I might add.”
“Ha! You white magicians are so prim and proper,” she said, looking down at the formula L.J.P. had drawn. “If you were not so righteous, you would not be in this situation.”
“We would not be in this situation, my dear, if the world was not full or megalomaniacs like yourself.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere, L.J.P.” She smiled. “Besides I have big plans for my little super-magician, Shane. You can either join us, or face the consequences.”
L.J.P. rubbed his chin, as if in thought for a moment. “I’ll join you then!”
“What?”
“You heard me. I would like to join you.”
“Oh, my dear, sweet, L.J.P. You are a cunning one, but unfortunately I do not fall for such tricks so easily, unlike my slave, Aleister.”
“Well, Aleister’s a good boy now; very obedient I might add,” L.J.P. chuckled. While he was sparring verbally with this witch he noticed Shane was indeed surrounded by what looked like a circle of darkness. Shane simply could not see beyond the circle.
Just then L.J.P. had an idea. It seemed that the witch had used a distraction in Aleister to get what she wanted. It only seemed fair to L.J.P. that he extend to her the same courtesy.
“I think, young Shane wants something,” L.J.P. remarked casually.
“I told you, I’m not falling for your stupid tricks today.”
“Fine, but I know it’s his snack time. Very hard to conquer the world with a hungry, complaining child.”
The witch turned to Shane. What L.J.P. said was true in a small way: Shane was looking rather anxious. He was walking around the perimeter of the circle; touching it and recoiling in fright when it sparked.
“He looks fine to me,” the witch spat.
“Fine, be like that. I’m only trying to help.”
“You’re trying to interfere, that’s what. Now watch as I obliterate you.”
The witch, obviously at the end of her patience for small talk, acted. She immediately went over to the transport circle, filling in what looked like incomplete formula. Within seconds there was a result; It was a horrible sight and L.J.P. could do nothing to stop it. One minute Valerie was suspended in mid air, screaming with no sound, the next she was gone. The blue light faded.
“What have you done to, Valerie, Witch?”
She did not answer. Instead she turned her attention back to L.J.P., her beautiful blue eyes glaring intently at the old man.
The witch, stooping down so that L.J.P. caught an eye-full of her cleavage, began adding her own formula to L.J.P.’s handiwork.
“What are you doing now, witch?”
Again she did not answer.
L.J.P. was becoming concerned, for he could see the unusual polynomial factions and algorithms she was scribbling frantically over his own. This witch certainly knew her stuff, L.J.P. thought, wiping his brow with his handkerchief.
The air was becoming stale and hot in his circle; L.J.P. realised that the witch was going to expel the air from within his protective circle. She probably could not find the right combination to his locking formula; he had certainly not used a common one. She was opting instead to flush him out by other means. But L.J.P. became puzzled. How could she use magic on him inside his protective circle?
“How are you doing this, my dear?” L.J.P. said, trying to remain as calm as he could with the air becoming thin.
Finally the witch spoke. With a smile that was victorious and self-serving. “You see what I can do when I have the boy in my possession. No magician can stand up to my power. With this child born of great power, I, and only I can have the power of many magicians.”
L.J.P. then realised that even though the witch was indeed more powerful than any foe he had ever come across, it did not stop her from gloating. “Why is it you dark magicians must be so self-serving? Surely your talents, your power could be better utilised. Say, learning how to become a decent human being for one.”
“Bah, you are weak old man. A mere pinprick of light in a universe full of uncountable lights. I am the brightest light. The most important. You will see this very soon.”
“Actually... you are... wrong.”
“What? What do you mean, old man?”
“Shane is the most... important. You are just the leech sucking the blood... from his toe,” L.J.P. said, finding it hard to concentrate in the thin air. Again he wiped his brow.
“No matter. I will rid myself of your troublesome ways soon enough,” she smiled with those perfect lips.
L.J.P. looked over to Shane. He was crying. “I... see that your... power source is not... happy.” L.J.P. then collapsed onto the factory floor. Trapped inside his protective circle he was fast running out of oxygen.
The witch turned to look at Shane once more. “I will feed him in a minute,” she said. “I think you would have had more worrying things to be concerned about, L.J.P.”
“Unlike... you... I am always... concerned for... others,” L.J.P. whispered, gasping for breath and looking rather worse for wear.
“I’m afraid it’s all over for you, L.J.P.,” she said. “The once great white magician, now just moments away from death. How touching. Forgive me, though, if I don’t shed a tear, dear sweet L.J.P.” She then blew him a kiss.
L.J.P.’s mind became cloudy and his eyes began to lose focus as a result. He tried to use as little oxygen as he could, but he found it tough going. His body was almost screaming out for air.
“I want my, Mummy!” Shane screamed.
“It’s all right, Aunty Lizzie is here,” the witch said in an effort to calm her magical conduit.
“I want my, Mummy!” Shane repeated, this time holding his breath until his cheeks turned a nasty shade of red.
“I’ll get you anything you want, but Mummy is doing the shopping... she’ll be back soon,” she said in an effort to calm him down. “What do you want to eat, my darling?”
Shane released his breath only to scream.
The witch, desperate now, decided to release Shane from the circle of darkness. She began rubbing out the chalk with the heel of her hand. Shane stopped screaming when the world around him was revealed.
“That’s better, now, what can I get you, darling?”
L.J.P., only just making all of this out through his clouded vision decided to seize this unexpected opportunity. He managed to move his leg. Slowly and deliberately he began to wipe some of the formula from his circle. Within moments the air rushed in and L.J.P. breathed in deep; the feeling was fantastic and he managed a weak smile.
Shane immediately reacted. “Uncle L.J.P.!”
The witch spun around, seeing that the white magician was free from his own trap. “I see you decided to face me, L.J.P. How unfortunate for you.”
L.J.P. struggled to his feet; he was unstable and weak. “I would rather face you, I can think of nothing better to do. Besides I was getting tired of dying from lack of oxygen.”
“You will die in a much more unpleasant way now,” she said. “I think you need to be shown the full extent of the power I can command.”
“So full of yourself, aren’t you?”
From one of the machines the witch picked up a toolbox and took out a hammer. “I know you will not like this,” she said with a derisive grin. She drew a formula on that hammer, and then with all her might threw it at L.J.P. The hammer pierced the air with a crack reminiscent of a whip. The sound boomed through the factory, rattling the walls and windows. Then from that noise there came lightning. Striking hard and fast around L.J.P.
The hammer, now suspended in mid air, continued to generate the deafening sound and deadly lightning; it seemed to be striking an imaginary anvil. L.J.P. was flung to the far wall.
Shane screamed at this sight. “Uncle L.J.P., what’s happening?”
“Silence, boy. I am teaching the white magician not to interfere in my work.”
L.J.P., stunned from the lightning, shook the cob-webs from his head. But he had to get back up, for Shane and Valerie’s sake.
“Is that... the best you can do, witch?” L.J.P. said. However, his voice was weak and weary from this whole ordeal. He looked a mess, sweat drenched, flushed, and covered in grime from being on the factory floor.
“Then deal with this.” The witch then took out a drill from the tool-box. Again she decorated it with her chalk marks, and again a simple, everyday tool would became a weapon.
The witch turned it on and plunged it into the factory floor. The solid concrete turned into liquid magma, spreading like a fire from the drill to where L.J.P. stood. He could only stand there with his mouth open; he was aghast at what this witch was capable of. And he cursed himself for being so ill-prepared.
Shane was also shocked by what he saw, but this time he understood that the witch was not a nice person and that she was hurting his Uncle.
Shane’s eyes narrowed, and his five year old mind began to see things differently. This was the first time he had witnessed such a thing and he did not like it.
“Leave, Uncle L.J.P. alone!” he screamed.
The witch ignored him, continuing to use the magical drill. The magma had spread nearly to L.J.P.’s feet.
“I said: leave, Uncle L.J.P. alone!” Suddenly a great gale emanated from him, blowing the witch off her feet and up against a steel girder. She was knocked unconscious, and all her magic dissipated.
L.J.P. wiped his brow, pushed his spectacles up, and smiled. The magma had stopped only millimetres from his feet before turning back into solid concrete.
“I think I need a drink,” he sighed with great relief. He looked up only to see Shane safely in his mother’s arms.
“What happened, L.J.P.?” Valerie said, somewhat puzzled.
“The feeling is mutual, my dear,” L.J.P. said. “All I know is that, young Shane here saved the day.”
“How... I mean, against a witch?”
“Yes, it’s true. Shane here is the first magician I know — ever — who was able to harness his powers before magolescence,” L.J.P. said shaking his head, still in disbelief. “Absolutely amazing!”
“It’s just as well then, isn’t it,” Valerie added. “Otherwise things might have turned out rather differently.”
“Indeed. This of course means that we will have to keep an extra special eye out for young Shane here. We do not want a repeat of today.”
“I don’t think I will mention to anyone that he is a magician from now on.”
“A good idea. Well, at least not until he does reach magolescence.”
“Oh, why is that?”
“By then he will be far too powerful for even me to be able to control,” L.J.P. said, looking stern all of a sudden. “I mean, look what he could do in his undeveloped state. I shudder to think what he will achieve at his full potential.”
“I’m hungry,” Shane interrupted.
“Oh, sweetheart, in all this fuss I forgot about your snack time,” Valerie said, genuinely concerned.
“What do you want, young Shane? My treat,” L.J.P. said.
“Chocolate!”
“Chocolate it is,” L.J.P. laughed. “ You can have whatever you want, young man. It is your birthday today. We’d better go, I don’t fancy sticking around here much longer.”
“Sure, but what about the witch?” Valerie said picking up Shane.
L.J.P. went over to the witch, chalk in hand. “It’s time she went to the only place deserving of her.” He then drew a circle around her. When the accompanying formula was complete she vanished.
“Where did you send her?”
“Antarctica. That’ll cool her off for a while,” L.J.P. chuckled. “I did learn one thing though...”
“What’s that?”
“How gorgeous a woman looks when she’s using power tools.”
“Men!” Valerie laughed at L.J.P.’s rueful smile.
Copyright © 2005 by Clyde Andrews
