Gaia's Champion Ch. 38

Jason, Sheena, and Phalmina arrived at one of the bookstores on Valerie's list. It was still early in the day, barely past eight o'clock, but the store was open. It didn't look like there were any customers around at the moment, and that suited the Gaians just fine. Once the car was off and they stepped towards the shop, Sheena let out a gasp of surprise.

"Sheena? Babe, you OK?" Jason asked, wondering what had startled her.

"Better than OK! I remember this shop!" Sheena grinned as she walked up to the front door.

"You've been here before?" Phalmina asked, tilting her head to one side as she looked at her friend and lover.

"Yeah! I used to come here all the time! Well, with my parents!" Sheena amended.

"Oh! Was this that cool shop you wanted to show me back when we were in high school?" Jason questioned as his fiancée's words jogged his memory.

"Yes! This was the place! I wonder if Felix is still here?!" the woman said as she opened the door and rushed in.

Jason and Phalmina were right on her heels and stepped in behind her. They took in the place, which looked very much like many other spiritual shops that were out in the world. This one had a decidedly more homey feel than most, as though no matter who you were, you would always be welcome there.

"Welcome to Journey's Rest! Is there something I can help you find?" came a young sounding, but kind voice from their left. The trio turned and found a handsome young black man standing behind the counter. He was far younger than Sheena had expected, sitting between his mid to late thirties, making Sheena think that Felix had sold the shop.

"Hello. I'm looking for Felix? Last I heard, he still ran this shop," Sheena inquired, looking at the man questioningly.

"Felix is my dad. I'm Thomas, his oldest son. May I know who is asking about him?" he asked, flashing Sheena a dazzling smile. He would have said more, but then spotted Jason quirking an eyebrow at him. Seeing this let Thomas know Jason was with her and immediately shut down any flirtatious lines of thought.

"My name is Sheena, Sheena Okar. Is he still here?" Sheena wondered.

"Dad's out right now, but should be back fairly soon. Feel free to look around while you wait," the man encouraged.

Seeing no other recourse for the moment, the trio turned to the shop and looked around. They meandered about, taking in all the items and knickknacks for sale. Phalmina thought some of the statues there depicting fairies, witches, and old gods, were somewhat comical.

Many of them were painted or sculpted by those with more of a romantic streak. These artists obviously had no idea what each one of these entities were truly like. If they had known, then there was no way they would have made some of them look the way they did. She did think a few of the fairy ones were close, but scoffed at what the pixies looked like, knowing that pixies looked nothing like fairies.

Like Thomas had suggested, they browsed the shelves, looking for the books on the list. All the books on the shelf looked new or moderately new, with none of them being even remotely close to what the trio was looking for. There were plenty of books about spirituality, along with herbology books, modernized spellbooks, but not the ones they were seeking.

"Are we sure this is the right place? Not seeing anything on the shelves," Jason commented as they meandered through the aisles.

"Forget your eyes. Use your senses," Phalmina told him with a smile.

Shrugging, Jason figured he'd give it a go and closed his eyes. Reaching out with his power, the Druid sensed... something, just beyond the edge of his reach. There was magic there, but he was unfamiliar with it. Opening his eyes, Jason looked over at his fairy love and smiled at her.

"Thanks for reminding me to see with more than just my eyes," Jason told her.

"You're welcome! You sense it too, Sheena?" Phalmina asked.

"Yeah. Something about it is both familiar yet... foreign to me. Almost like a language I'd forgotten how to speak," Sheena replied.

"I got that sense, too! Can't quite lockdown where it is from!" Phalmina said to her lover.

Just then, the doorbell at the front jingled as another person walked into the shop. It was a black man who looked to be in his late fifties, maybe in his early sixties. He had a short and neatly kept beard, but no hair elsewhere on his head. The man was carrying a drink tray that had two hot beverages in it and a paper bag. Since they saw the Tim Hortons logo on the bag, it was clear where the man was coming from.

"Hey, dad! Let me help you with that!" Thomas said as he rushed over from behind the counter.

"I appreciate the help, but I'm sure you just want your coffee and breakfast sandwich, don't you?" the older man questioned.

"You know me, pops! If I don't get breakfast, I'm a crankypants all day," Thomas admitted with a laugh. The older man had a good chuckle at this, knowing that his son hadn't changed since he was little. He pulled out Thomas' and his own breakfast, starting into it. It was no good if you tried eating it cold, as a lot of the flavor was more apparent when the food was hot.

"Oh, dad! There's someone here who was asking about you! I'm sorry, miss, but what was your name again?" Thomas asked.

The older man, who was obviously Felix, had already spotted Sheena and stood there transfixed by her. He also noticed Jason and Phalmina standing close by, and he smiled happily. The man breathed quickly, almost like he was having a heart attack, and he made a small choking noise in disbelief.

"Dad, you OK?" Thomas asked.

"I'm fine, son!" Felix grinned, waving his boy off. He then made a few complex and precise gestures, like he was casting a spell. Moments later, they all felt a spell activate around them and they glanced around, wondering what was happening.

"Don't worry about what happened. I just activated a slow time spell, so that we can speak privately," Felix told the trio, his deep voice echoing weirdly in the space they occupied.

"Why would you want to do that?" Phalmina questioned.

"Mainly to keep my son from prying too much into my affairs. He's a good boy and smart as a whip, but he doesn't put any stock in the supernatural world. In many ways, he's a denier, thinking that magic cannot exist. Even when it's shown to be happening right in front of his face," Felix told the group.

"Oh! So he's a Dursleyish Muggle, is he?" Jason wondered.

"Spot on, young man! Spot on! Oh, where are my manners? Felix Bhundar, collector of artifacts, items and all things magical!" the man said, introducing himself.

"Jason Bjornsson, lead Druid of these parts," he stated simply.

"Phalmina Tn'althion, First Song of the Morning, only daughter to Amaltheia Th'althinon, Queen of the Fairies," Phalmina told him, deciding to stand on formality this once.

"Oh, your highness!" Felix said with a bow. Phalmina sighed and smiled, thinking that if the fairy race was to be restored, then she'd have to get used to this... again.

"What about me?" Sheena asked in a mock hurt voice.

"I could never forget this face!" Felix said as he walked up and took Sheena's face in his hands. "The day I forget about the daughter of Donnis and Bella Okar is the day I might as well be dead!"

"I missed you too, Uncle Felix!" Sheen replied with a grin as she hugged him.

"When your parents vanished without a word, along with you, I feared the worst!" Felix told her as he hugged her back. "Was wondering if I'd ever see you again!"

"I only just got back to civilization a few months ago. This was only when I discovered that the Druids of Gaia have returned," she told the man, while looking at Jason.

"No doubt! It's been centuries since a Druid has been seen or known of! How do you know this man?" Felix asked, curious about their relationship.

"Uncle Felix, this is that boy I told you about back in high school," Sheena told him proudly.

"Wait, what?? This is THAT Jason?" Felix exclaimed, not expecting this.

"Hold up! You told people about me?" Jason asked, more than a little flattered by this.

"Anyone who mattered knew that I had picked you. Even my parents," Sheena told him with a grin.

"I can only imagine how that conversation went!" Jason responded as he scratched the back of his head, looking a bit embarrassed.

"It went quite well, considering that you were a Normie. How is it you have tapped into Gaia's primordial energies? No Normie should be able to do that," Felix wondered.

"Broke through a block that was put in mind by the Sons of Ceasar. Still don't know how they did that, but with them gone, that question has been back burnered for now," Jason responded.

"Speaking of which, how is it that the Sons just up and left the city?" Felix asked.

"Umm... I don't mean to interrupt, but maybe we should take this conversation elsewhere?" Phalmina asked. "Unless the enchantment you have up lasts for a while?"

"Oh! Right! Please, this way!" Felix said as he gestured for the group to follow him.

The older man led the way to the very rear of the shop and reached into a bookcase at the back. The trio heard an audible click, and the bookcase fell back into the wall and slid to the side. Jason's eyes widened, and he smiled at this hidden passage, feeling like a kid again.

"Hidden passageway in the back of a bookstore? Nice!!" the man grinned.

"It helps keep the Normies from getting to the real items of power," Felix stated as they all walked through the hidden door. Once everyone was through, he pressed a more visible button on the wall and the door closed behind them.

"With us gone, the spell will soon lift from the shop and do a quick memory modification on Thomas. He will think that we all left to go and get acquainted, but through the front door rather than here," Felix told them with a smile.

"Clever! So, tell me, Mister Bhundar, are you a mage?" Phalmina asked.

"Please, call me Felix! And no, I am not a mage," he told the fairy woman.

"Then... how is it that you are able to do magic as you do?" she wondered.

"That is simple. My family has been collecting magical artifacts for centuries. Some of them, we knew how to use, while others required more time and research to figure out. Those are the ones we continually study and keep locked away, while the ones we know how to use are put to use," Felix explained.

"So, that slow time spell and the memory modification? That was an artifact?" Jason questioned.

"Yes. Though its name and original purpose has been lost to time, it sees a lot of use! You'd be surprised how many people come in here looking to steal things! Caught more than my fair share of would be thieves over the years!" Felix told them. They finally came to the end of the passage, which ended at another door. This one was large and ornate, fairly teeming with magical energy.

"Is this..." Sheena asked, looking at the door in wonder.

"The door to my family's hoard and collection of magical artifacts and tomes of knowledge! You remember it?" Felix queried, thinking Sheena might have forgotten.

"Vaguely! I remember seeing this door in my dreams as a girl! I knew that on the other side of it lie all kinds of wonders and magical things! Things I could only dream of, which could give me anything I wanted!" Sheena replied, awestruck that such a door was real.

"You're not wrong!" Felix chuckled as he put his palm to the door.

The magic within the door recognized him and upon touching the door, it started to glow a golden color. The door then continued to get brighter until it was almost blinding, then it opened. On the other side of the door was a vast and massive room that was cavernous. Even Phalmina's eyes bugged out of their head, never having seen a repository of items and books so large.

"By... Gaia herself! All of this here... it is amazing!" Phalmina gasped.

"Hearing that never gets old!" Felix chuckled. "So, I believe that you lot were about to tell me of how the Sons of Ceasar were chased off?"

"They weren't chased off, per se. More like sent to go dine with Ceasar himself in the halls of Hel," Jason told him with a grim look.

"You... killed them? How??" Felix asked, aghast that such a thing was possible.

"You might want to sit down, Uncle Felix. It's a bit of a tale to tell," Sheena told the man.

He simply nodded and grabbed his seat, which stood behind a desk near the entrance. The man then grabbed a small sculpture, which was comprised of no less than six little chairs stacked on each other. He pulled three off the sculpture and tossed them on the other side of the desk. In seconds, they became comfortable, squashy armchairs, which they all took and regaled the man with their tale.

"That's... by all the ancestors!! I thought that the Sons of Ceasar were this invincible juggernaut! I knew they had some sort of corrupted magic at their command, but I didn't know it was Gaia's magic!!" Felix breathed.

"Yeah. Sadly, the Sons know about us and will come after us. It's only a matter of when," Jason rumbled, knowing that there would be harder fights ahead of them.

"With any luck, by the time they show up, we'll be far too powerful for them to simply subdue," Phalmina stated.

"Don't forget what happened to Vercingetorix. As powerful as he was, Caesar and his minions were able to keep him pacified until they could rip his magic from him," Sheena reminded the fairy.

"Right!" Phalmina said with a cute facepalm.

"Sounds like you guys are making some serious enemies out there! The Sons are no joke!" Felix told them.

"True, but they're pushovers compared to our latest threat," Jason stated.

"Who is your latest threat?" Felix wondered, having only been told of their tussle with the Sons.

"Have you ever heard of Carman?"

"The Dark Witch?? She's alive?!?" Felix asked, his face getting paler by the minute.

"Resurrected supposedly, thanks to a coven of followers of hers. She came right at us, and told us to surrender," Sheena sighed.

"You... you saw the Dark Witch? In the flesh?!?" Felix gasped, sounding like he was out of breath.

"Yup. Tried to make us kneel to her. Used some sort of dark aura against us. But we held our ground!" Phalmina told him.

"Thank the ancestors you did! If you didn't, then things might well be over!" Felix sighed, feeling a bit better at this news.

"Why is that? What does us keeping our feet have to do with anything?" Jason wondered.

"If you hadn't kept your feet, she would have used her magic to hamper yours. I've read up on the legends of dark users of magic and that seems to be one of their favorite tactics. By making you kneel to her, you would have put yourself and your magic in a position of vulnerability. When you are vulnerable like that, someone as powerful as she is can siphon your magic and add it to hers, weakening you while making her stronger," Felix stated.

"Damn! I didn't know that was a thing!" Sheena gasped, now more than glad to know that none of them bent the knee to Carman when they faced her.

"Hunh! Maybe that's why the kings and queens of old demanded that anyone who served them had to kneel before them?" Jason wondered, taking a stab in the dark.

"That's exactly why they demanded that you kneel! Some of them had seen Druids and Chosen of Gaia at work, making people submit to their will. Because of the power and control that the chosen wielded over Normies, they felt that those who were... lesser than they were, should do the same," Felix replied, confirming Jason's suspicions.

"Figures! Damn arrogant pricks and twats is what they were," Phalmina said with a huff as she crossed her arms. Felix laughed jovially, of the same mind as the fairy was.

"That much is fact! Now, might I ask why you three have come to my shop? Are you seeking weapons that would help you in your fight against Carman?" Felix asked, ready to aid them in any way he could.

"Not weapons, but knowledge. We have a list of books here, which outlines what we need in order to craft such things on our own," Sheena said as she pulled the list out of her purse. She then handed the list to Felix, who looked it over, eyebrows climbing at the books on the list.

"Tomes that belonged to the Artificier? Those things are a true rarity these days! I doubt you would be able to find the entire set!" Felix stated. "But... some of these books I may have here!"

"That is some good news!" Jason said as Felix got up, gesturing for the group to follow them.

"I am curious... how are you going to make use of these books, if you don't have a Spellforge?" Felix wondered.

"Who says we don't have one?" Sheena asked him, giving Felix a knowing look.

"Impossible! There is no way... wait... you found one??" Felix asked, stopping in his tracks as excitement gripped him.

"Didn't really... find one. It was more like... we built one," Sheena told him with a grin.

"You... built a Spellforge?? Like actually built BUILT one?!?" Felix gasped, amazed that such a thing was possible.

"Yeah, well, when you have a book that belonged to the Artificier that has the instructions on how to makes one, then it is possible," Jason said to the man. Felix's eyes went so wide, you'd swear they were about to fall out of his head.

"You... crafted a... Spellforge?!? Using a book from the Artificier?!?" Felix gaped.

"Yeah, we did. It was a real drain on us though and we were all out for at least a good ten or so hours after the fact," Sheena put in.

"By all that is holy! Might I... could I see the Spellforge? Someday soon perhaps?" Felix asked, looking as giddy as a kid at Christmas.

"Absolutely, Uncle Felix! But after we've dealt with Carman and her cronies," Sheena told him.

"Of course, of course! Oh, and pardon my manners! Please, go and find what it is you are searching for!" the man offered, gesturing with his arms.

Thanking him, the trio then consulted the lectern that stood before the shelves and tables of the archive. After finding what they were looking for, or what they could find at any rate, they were off into the stacks. It didn't take them long to find what it was they needed, as Felix was meticulous in his organizational system, having a place for everything and everything in its place.

While they all searched the stacks, Felix stood up and moved his chair, before gesturing at the stone slab beneath it. After the command phrase was spoken, the slab lifted itself upwards of its own accord, much like a trapdoor. Inside lay a chest that was sizable, at least two feet wide, by four feet long and three feet deep. Utilizing another command phrase, the chest then floated out of the hidden cubby before settling on his desk.

"Whoa! What you got there, Uncle?" Sheena asked, as she came back from her search.

"A little something that your mom and dad left behind. They asked me to hold onto this before they disappeared. Said it was to be given to you when I saw you next," he told her.

"They... they left this for me??" Sheena gasped, her chin quivering.

"That they did. I would have given it to you sooner, but you went off grid almost right after they did. Now that you are here, it's only fair that this be given to you," Felix said, handing her an ornate key.

Tears spilling down her cheeks, Sheena unlocked the chest and opened it, finding several things inside of it. In there were several robes and mantles, which looked old, but still radiated with magic. There were also several books, most of which were journals from her parents and what they had done in magical experimentation. Most notably, were no less than three books on Shamanic magic, one on Druidic magic and a tome of the Artificier!

"By the ancestors!! Is that...?" Felix gasped, staring at the tome that Sheena had pulled out of the chest.

"Yes... yes it is!! It is one of the seven that we are looking for!!" she exulted, laughing and crying at the same time.

"Babe? You found something?" Jason asked, as he returned from the stacks with a book in hand.

"Yes! One of the books we need to help Luke!" Sheena told him as she turned to face her fiancé.

"That's amazing hon!!" Jason replied.

"What have you got there?" Sheena asked, gesturing to the book in his hand.

"An apprentice tome! Wasn't sure if I had the right one, but after looking at the name, I knew it was one that we could use!" he told her.

"That's awesome!! Thank you for keeping this safe for me, Uncle Felix!" Sheena gushed as she rushed and enveloped him in a hug.

"Not a problem, little one! Not a problem at all!" he told her as he hugged her back.

"Have you heard anything from my parents at all? Anything about where they are or how they're doing?" Sheena asked hopefully.

"Sadly, I haven't heard anything from them since they left. But... there is one thing I can show you," he told her as he reached into his coat, as though searching for something.

"How many pockets do you have in that thing?" Phalmina wondered as she flitted back to the group, empty-handed.

"I honestly don't know! It is a Coat of Many Pockets, so even though my ancestors tried to gauge how many it had, we found that the number of them was... innumerable! Like there are an infinite number of pockets in this thing! Aha!! Found it!" Felix chortled as he pulled out a glass sphere. The sphere looked to be normal at first glance, but upon closer inspection, you could see motes of light dancing inside of it.

"This is what I call a 'Life Globe'. All I need to do is perform a simple cantrip and anyone I know, be they a loved one, a good friend, or someone I wish to keep an eye on, is tied to this globe. Each mote of light inside represents someone I know, and the light that burns inside is a sign that they are still alive. These two right here, Sheena, are your parents," Felix told her.

Sheena gasped and cried some more, as she saw that the two lights Felix was pointing at were glowing brightly. Her parents were still alive and now she had proof of it! She turned to Jason and hugged him close, sobbing happily at this knowledge.

"Thank you, Uncle Felix! Thank you so much!" Sheena blubbered, grateful to know for a fact that they were still here.

"Is there any way you can track them through this Life Globe?" Phalmina asked, wondering if it could be done.

"I have been trying to do this, but so far, all my efforts have been futile. I have been trying to make it respond to my attempts to track my friends, but it has refused to co-operate. So, I hold out hope that this Life Globe at least keeps tabs on whether or not they are alive," Felix told them.

"At least we have that," Jason said, and Sheena nodded furiously, agreeing with her man completely.

"Indeed! Oh and actually, I have something that I think you might find helpful, Jason!" Felix said as he rummaged around in his Coat of Many Pockets.

Felix kept digging, and it almost looked like the coat was about to swallow the man, until they heard an exclamation of triumph from him. The man grinned as his arms came out with his hands holding what looked like an arm ring of some sort. It was old and made from solid gold, with a pair of dragon heads on each end of the ring. Jason was drawn to the simple jewelry, but couldn't understand why.

"What it that?" Phalmina asked, curious about the arm ring.

"Something I found in a pawnshop a few years ago, while I was vacationing in Rome. The man running it was a Normie, who had no idea what it was he had. He was trying to melt down the thing, as the gold itself was worth something, but he had no idea why it wouldn't melt. He had tried selling it, but the damn thing couldn't be picked up by anyone, like it was refusing to budge," Felix informed them.

"Now that is quite odd! Any idea where it came from?" Jason asked as he looked at the piece of gold.

"Well, I'd say the obvious thing is that it's Viking in origin, but from what era, I do not know. The man was quite happy to be rid of it, as I got it for a literal steal! Something was telling me that this should be in the hands of a Druid," Felix said, handing Jason the arm ring.

Jason took it gratefully, as the artwork on the arm ring entranced him. The moment he touched it, it was almost as though something that was a part of him was being returned. Automatically, he placed the arm ring on his wrist and it latched onto him, like it had found who it belonged to.

Then a sudden burst of green magic emanated from the arm ring, surrounding Jason, but not hurting the man. His eyes widened, and the look on his face was one of shock and rapture, as whatever the magic was doing was something he liked! It went on like this for a few minutes before the magic finally faded and Jason was in control once more.

"Love, what the hell happened?!?" Sheena yipped, concerned for Jason's welfare.

"I think... I just got a boost to... my knowledge and... my ability to learn!" he replied, feeling like he had downloaded an entire encyclopedia of Druidic magic into his brain.

"Your knowledge? What did you learn?" Phalmina wondered, her concern for Jason also overtaking her mind.

In response, Jason reached into his Druidic magics and pulled a small splinter of wood from Felix's chair. He concentrated on the splinter, pouring life and magic into it, giving it the spark of life it lacked. In mere moments, the splinter elongated and grew, becoming a small stick, then a larger one, which quickly sprouted roots. A few seconds later, it sprouted into a complete and pure sapling, which was teeming with life and magic.

"How... what..." Felix gasped, amazed at such a transformation.

"Now that babe, that is impressive! Making a sapling out of a splinter of wood?? Wow!" Sheena said, amazed that Jason had done this without any aid from her or Phalmina.

"I'd say that impressive is understating it! This is African Blackwood, which is endangered and doesn't grow anywhere outside of Africa!" Felix gushed, letting them know what he'd done.

"I would guess that it is expensive then?" Jason asked.

"About ten thousand dollars for a single kilo of this wood, yes!! If you are able to do that with the arm ring I gave you, it makes me wonder what things you'll all be capable of when that Spellforge is working at full capacity!" Felix breathed, still a little beside himself that he now had an African Blackwood sapling in his archive! He was going to have to find a pot to put it in, because such a tree wasn't just worth a lot of money. It was a damn investment!

"Thank you for all your help, Uncle Felix! It is truly great to see you again!" Sheena said as she put the books and items back in the trunk.

"Yes, it was! But I am curious about something. What had you stop by my shop today?" the older man wondered.

"Well, we were given a list of shops that we should look into for the books we needed to help with the crafting of a Forgemaster. So, when I saw this place on the list, naturally I wanted to come here right away!" Sheena replied.

"Oh! Might I see this list?" Felix asked. Sheena nodded and handed the slip of paper over. He then smirked as he read the list, almost like he knew something they didn't. "This is Valerie's handwriting, isn't it?"

"How did you know that?" Phalmina queried.

"I know Valerie well! She's a frequent customer of mine, but hasn't been in lately. Is she all right?" Felix asked.

"She's fine now, since we took down the Black Witch that was holding her," Sheena told the man.

"Oh my! You really have been getting into a lot of trouble, haven't you, young lady?" Felix said in an almost accusatory tone.

"What? It's not my fault that trouble seems to find me wherever I go!" Sheena replied defensively. Just then, Felix teared up and brushed them away hastily.

"You OK, Uncle?"

"Yes! It's just... you looked and sounded so much like your mother just then! She would often say the exact same thing in the exact same tone!" Felix chuckled as more tears ran down his face.

"I'm going to find them, Uncle. I swore I would, no matter what," Sheena told him.

"Don't think you're heading out on such a search without me, missy," Jason told her in a mock hurt voice.

"Or me!" Phalmina stated with her hands on her hips.

"Oh... you two..." Sheena meeped as she ran and embraced them, pulling them into her for a bone-crushing hug. She then let them go, glad to see that they would stand with her in the search for her family.

"I will need to hear of this story about how you got Valerie out of the Black Witch's clutches," Felix interjected.

"Come over for some tea, Uncle, and we'll tell you all about everything we've been up to!" Sheena promised. "After we have dealt with Carman."

"More than fair! Now, this list that Valerie gave you is incomplete," Felix told the trio.

"Incomplete? Incomplete how?" Jason wondered.

"It is incomplete, because there is one place that is not on this list. A place that Valerie didn't add," Felix stated as he rummaged around in his coat again.

"Why would she not put this place on the list?" Sheena queried.

"She didn't put it on there, because she is not aware of this place's existence," Felix told them simply. "Now, where did I put that thing?"

"What are you looking for this time?" Sheena giggled as she watched Felix dig in his impossibly deep pockets again.

"Just a sec... AHA! Here it is!!" Felix crowed as he pulled out a quill. He then spoke a word of power, and the quill started to glow a yellowish gold color.

"A magic quill? You really do have a lot of weird, but cool things in that coat, don't you, Uncle?" Sheena asked.

"It's how I, and every member of my family that came before me, have survived as long as we have through the ages. While I could regale you all with the tales of my family's exploits, you three and your friends are on a clock and every second counts," he told them. Felix then wrote the name and location for this other place on the scrap of paper that had the names of the other shops they had yet to go to.

"This place you are letting us know about. Why does Valerie not know about it?" Jason asked.

"Simple. She doesn't know about it because it chooses to be found by whoever it wishes. Those it selects to know about it only do so because it believes that their allegiances and intentions are good and pure. People whose allegiances are dubious, or whose intentions are nefarious to any degree, are not permitted to even know about it," Felix replied.

"You make it sound as though this place is sentient," Phalmina joked.

"In some ways, it is. It is almost like a living person, so you have to be careful what you say, lest you offend it," Felix chuckled.

"If it is that finicky about letting who knows where it is and how to find it, then why are you writing it down for anyone to see?" she asked.

"Not just anyone can see what I'm writing," Felix replied with a quirk of his eyebrow.

"Magical pen. Of course!" Phalmina replied as she facepalmed herself cutely. Everyone there had a good chuckle over that, and they went over everything they had picked up. Once Felix was finished with writing down how to find this place, he handed the slip of paper to Sheena.

"So, for the books we picked and the arm ring, what do we owe you?" Jason asked.

"It's on the house, young man," Felix told him with a smile.

"Uncle, no! This is too much!" Sheena stated.

"Handle Carman and her minions, let me see this Spellforge you constructed, and have me over for tea from time to time, and we'll call it even," Felix told them as his smile got wider.

"Deal!" Sheena said and gave the man a hug. Phalmina did the same and hugged Felix close, before Jason ambled up and shook his hand.

"You look after that woman now, you hear?" Felix told Jason while fixing him with a look.

"Yes, sir! Anyone trying to come at her has to go through me first and even then, they better hope they put me down. If they don't, then I will put them down so hard that the only way they're getting up is to meet their ancestors," Jason stated with a nod.

"Good boy! Now, let's see about getting you lot out of here," Felix told the trio as they put everything they had taken into the trunk that Felix held on to for Sheena. Jason hefted the trunk and made for the main entrance out.

"Not that way," Felix told them as he gestured for the group to follow him. Jason hefted the box and brought up the rear behind his ladies. Felix led them down a side passage, which ended in a place that almost looked to be a part of the sewage system. There was a spiral staircase leading up and the walls themselves veritably glowed with magic.

"These stairs will take you to an alley just behind the shop, one where there are no cameras watching. It should be safe enough for you three to get to your wheels from there," Felix told them.

"Is there any trouble you are having, Uncle?" Sheena asked as concern inflected her voice.

"Men and women who see me as a pretender, because I have no capacity to do real magic myself. They are just a bunch of idiots who are jealous of the items I have, who want them for themselves. No serious threat as far as I'm concerned," he told the group with a laughing scoff.

"Have any of them tried attacking you?" Jason asked, wondering if he was going to have to crack some heads.

"No need to trouble yourself, Jason! I am more than safe here and when I'm out and about, my Coat of Many Pockets has more surprises than you know!" Felix told him with a twinkle in his eye.

Chuckling, Felix opened the hatch above them, which would stay open until they all walked through it. Jason went first and after ensuring the coast was clear, he beckoned Sheena and Phalmina through as well. As the women walked through, the hatch began to close and Felix heard Jason's last comment before it was shut.

"I wish I had an uncle who was just as cool!"

Felix guffawed at that remark, glad to hear that he ranked so highly with that young man! Sheena was right about him; he had a good heart and a good soul, and would make a wonderful father to their children. He was going to have his hands full when Phalmina finally popped, as fairy children were more than a handful, if what he'd read about them was accurate.

The shop owner was having himself as good chuckle as he made his way back to his archive. He sighed and hoped that he'd done enough to help them in their quest, praying that he didn't lose his friends to these dark forces. Felix knew he could help directly, but dealing with women as powerful as Carman was beyond him. He could only hope that Sheena and her friends would have what they needed to bring the Dark Witch to a final end.

******************************

Valerie, Dominique, Darnell and Aaliyah got out of the vehicle they were driving, looking about the area they were in. It was a seedier part of town, where every third building was condemned, with people wandering around the streets aimlessly. Some were drunks, others were druggies, while others still were streetwalkers of all sexes.

Some of these had spotted the quartet, looking to either finagle some money out of them, or whatever it was they wanted. But a hard look from Darnell had them back off, as they could tell that if they approached, he would give them a right thrashing. Wishing to avoid such unpleasantness, they all kept walking, as they recognized a warrior when they saw one.

"Are you sure this is where he wanted us to meet?" Dominique asked, taking in the neighborhood with a look of disgust.

"Places like this is where Dimitrius does business with people. It's a way for him to stay off the radar of those who see him as a traitor," Valerie told her onetime apprentice.

"It's smart for him to set up shop on this side of town. I mean, who would ever think to look in a dump like this for a warlock who deals in rare antiquities?" Aaliyah commented.

"Whatever. Which house is it, Valerie? I'd like to get inside and away from the stares of some of these people. A few of them may try coming at us," Darnell warned, as he eased a couple of hatchets in their sheathes inside his coat.

"It's... this one!" Valerie stated as she raked her gaze over the fence of a run down house.

The property looked like it was something out of a world war two film, rather than a city of the modern day. The fence was half gone, and the yard was a pile of refuse and detritus, with a few critters crawling along amidst the mess. The house itself looked like it had been vandalized and likely had been, with how much of it looked torn apart and smashed.

"How can you be sure?" Darnell asked, as his glare kept the denizens of the neighborhood at bay.

"Witchsight, babe. I see the rune that has been left behind," his wife reassured him as she tapped the side of her eye socket. Darnell grunted and let the women lead the way, with him bringing up the rear. They let themselves into the house and closed the door behind them. Once they were inside, they heard what sounded like a TV on in the background.

"That... sounds like... a football game," Darnell commented.

"Sounds like Dimitrius hasn't changed much, if at all!" Valerie snickered.

"I'm back here!" came a masculine baritone voice. Without missing a beat, the group meandered forward towards the rear of the house and were surprised by what they saw.

The man that Valerie called Dimitrius wasn't what any of them were expecting. Sure, the man had black hair and brown eyes, but he was, for lack of a better term, buff. Dimitrius looked like he hit the gym every day by how strong and powerful his form was. Not only did the man have the physique, but he also had the looks that almost made him look like a distant cousin of Henry Cavill, five o'clock shadow and all!

He sat in an old armchair, dressed in plain everyday clothes that made the man look like a Normie! In one hand, he held what appeared to be a focus of some sort, while his other hand held a freshly cracked beer. The man looked like he would easily blend into any crowd he stepped into, and maybe that was the point.

"Valerie! So good to--whoa! Who are these people?" Dimitrius asked, popping to his feet.

"They are friends of mine. With what's out there, we need to start sticking together," Valerie told the man.

"And what, pray tell, is out there where you require all of this backup?" the man asked, thinking she was joking.

"Carman, the Dark Witch."

Upon hearing this name, Dimitrius paled, knowing the name very well. All practitioners of the Dark, current and former, knew of the Dark Witch and the powers she wielded. Much of this was legend and myth, but even legends had some grain of truth to them. If anyone could reach even a fraction of the power that Carman wielded, then it was not a wasted life.

"The Dark Witch herself? She's back?!?" the former Dark Father gasped, almost spilling his beer all over himself.

"Yes. Some of us have even seen her in person," Aaliyah told him, causing the man to spray his beer out of his mouth. He coughed and wheezed as he caught his breath, eventually restoring his normal breathing pattern.

"You--you've actually seen her?" Dimitrius queried, his face a mixture of awe and terror.

"Not me, I wasn't there, but one of our friends who was, took the time to describe what she looked like. Here's a basic sketch of Carman now," Aaliyah told him, showing the man a drawing she had done of the woman. Dimitrius snatched the drawing out of her hand and looked it over, his face getting more worried by the second.

"Fuck," the man said out loud.

"That's my thought on the matter as well and why all of us are here. With a woman like that out there on the loose, you can't be too careful!" Darnell stated as he crossed his arms.

"Of that, I have no doubts! I would hazard a guess that you lot are looking for spells of protection? Possibly even a few shielding artifacts?" Dimitrius guessed.

"Those would be good, if you have any on hand. But what we are looking for primarily are tomes and grimoires of those who came before," Valerie told the man. She then rattled off a few of the titles, which caused the man to choke on his beer and pound his chest as he caught his breath.

"Those... those aren't defensive grimoires! You're actually thinking about fighting that woman?" Dimitrius questioned.

"Is that a problem?" Aaliyah challenged.

"I didn't realize that you hung about with people who were suicidal, Valerie!" the warlock said in an almost accusatory tone.

"It's not suicide, if we can manage to hurt Carman. She may be powerful, but she is still mortal. She was beaten, or need I remind you of that fact?" Valerie sassed.

"You've lost your damn minds! Whatever your plan is to fight the Dark Witch is pure insanity! No one goes toe to toe with a foe like Carman and lives to tell the tale!" Dimitrius stated angrily.

"We aim to be the first. Like Val said, Carman is a mortal woman, just like the rest of us. If we can construct weapons capable of damaging her, then we stand a chance," Aaliyah told the man.

"Are you certain that you want to go down this road?" Dimitrius questioned, gulping as he did so. "Because if you do, then I'm not sure that even my collection would be enough, or have what you need to defeat her!"

"At least let us have ourselves a look, so we can be certain that you either have what we need or not," Valerie posed, giving him a look.

"All right! It is, as they say, your funeral," Dimitrius replied as he pounded what remained of his beer and crushed the can. He then gestured for the group to follow him downstairs to the basement. Once they got down there, Dimitrius walked over to an old wall, which looked like it was falling apart.

"Hard to imagine that a man like you operates out of such a dump!" Darnell observed.

"This is merely a meeting place, not my home," Dimitrius scoffed, surprised that so little would be thought of him.

He then tightened his grip on his focus, drawing upon the mystical energies that saturated it and his being. The man then gestured with his hands while speaking an arcane tongue, focusing his magic. Moments later, a portal formed, small at first, then it got bigger and bigger. Seconds later, the portal was more than large enough for the rest of them to step through.

"Walk on in, but don't move a muscle until I step through," he instructed.

Knowing that Dimitrius wasn't playing, Valerie led the rest of them through the portal, stepping into the room on the other side. What they saw there was something that none of them had ever seen before. The room, if it could be called that, was vast and cavernous, to where it almost seemed like it went on for miles!

It was well lit, with modern day lighting illuminating the stacks and artifacts that littered the place. Items of gold, silver, brass, and other metals and materials were everywhere, along with a great many statues that were placed inside it. The room itself looked like a cross between a library, museum, and vault, and likely was all three to an extent. The man then walked through and shut the portal behind him before turning to address the group.

"I knew you had a large hoard of items, but I didn't think it would be this massive!!" Valerie commented, as she took in the sheer size of the place and the quantity of items there.

"Seriously dude! Are you a dragon or something?" Dominique queried, as she was awestruck, just as her mentor was.

"Ha ha ha, very funny," Dimitrius told her in a mocking tone.

"I'm being serious! From what I've read, only dragons were supposed to have treasure hoards this large!" Dominique told the man.

"Hmm. Maybe I killed a dragon and stole his hoard!" Dimitrius chuckled, now taking the remark as a compliment.

"Did you?" Darnell asked.

"Did I what?"

"Kill a dragon and take his shit?" Darnell wondered, curious if it was true.

"We're getting off topic here. So, can we move about the hoard then?" Valerie asked, hoping that it was safe to do so.

"Yes, you may move about. But I warn you not to take any items you want beyond the silver seals on the ground. That denotes the outer edge of my hoard, and if you try to take anything past there, then the safeguards will activate and destroy you," Dimitrius told them.

"Safeguards?" Aaliyah asked quizzically.

"You see these statues that are positioned all along the stack and shelves?" Dimitrius asked, gesturing to the eight-foot behemoths of stone that were everywhere.

"Yeah?"

"These are the safeguards I was speaking of. Ancient golems that I found while digging in the ruins of Uruk. While my magic is powerful, I cannot command them when they are activated," Dimitrius told them.

"The magic that animates them is that strong?" Valerie asked.

"Wait. Are you saying you got these from Uruk? As in THE Uruk, from ancient Mesopotamia?" Aaliyah questioned.

"Yes. Why?" the warlock asked.

"May I have a closer look at them?" the witch wondered.

"You may, just be careful around them," Dimitrius warned. Aaliyah nodded and approached the nearest one, walking around the construct. She inspected the artifact as closely as she dared, not touching the thing. It was then that she made a choking sound, and she backed away from the statues.

"Babe? What is it?" Darnell asked his wife, seeing the look on her face.

"These golems... they are not only from the city of Uruk, they are from the time of the ancient king, Gilgamesh!" Aaliyah gasped.

"Wait... they are what?!?" Valerie choked out, more than a little stunned herself upon this revelation.

"I wasn't able to get the whole story about why these things were there, as I was dealing with some... old friends who wanted these just as bad," Dimitrius stated. "But, from what little I was able to garner and translate, these things were used by Gilgamesh to protect his treasury."

"Was there anything left of the man's treasury??" Dominique asked, well acquainted with the legends of such a mythical god-king.

"Whatever was there was picked clean by pillagers and thieves ages ago. I was lucky that these boys were still intact," Dimitrius said with a proud smile.

"So, if you can't command them, then why are they here?" Darnell asked.

"Simple. To deter any would be thieves, of course. As I warned you earlier, you need to bring anything you wish to purchase from me to the center. Then, after payment is discussed and agreed upon, then I will remove the enchantment that will trigger the golems to activate," Dimitrius told them.

"The golems don't discriminate?" Valerie guessed, which would explain Dimitrius' warning.

"No, they do not. Almost lost a few friends who didn't listen. I would hate for that to happen to you lot," the former Dark Father stated with a serious face.

Taking the warning to heart, the group then split up, moving along the stacks and piles of books and artifacts. They took care to inspect every item they came across, trying to discern its use or value. The group didn't know how long they were down in the hoard, but it must have been a while, as they were still looking around for anything of use.

"You find anything there, Neeq?" Valerie called out, seeing Dominique through the stacks.

"A few things of interest, but... hang on. I think I just found something!" the former apprentice bubbled.

"What is it?" Valerie asked, as she rushed over.

"I think... yes! It's an apprentice book!" Dominique smiled as she pulled the old and dusty tome from in between a pair of massive volumes.

"Good find!" Valerie commented, as she looked over the book. She could feel the power that radiated from the tome, sensing the unspoken promise of greater heights. The Grey Witch smiled at the find and turned back to her own search, hoping to find such a tome as well. She kept at it, and eventually found something that excited her to no end.

"Oh... my..." Valerie gasped as she laid her hands on the tome she had found, pulling it from the shelf.

"Find something?" Aaliyah wondered as she came ambling down the aisle, holding two heavy books to her chest.

"One of... his books!" Valerie breathed, her fingers idly tracing the sigil on the cover of the book.

"What?? May I?" Aaliyah asked and Valerie nodded, opening the book. Aaliyah's eyes darted across the script, taking in everything as quick as she could and her eyes widened.

"Is it..."

"It is! It's one of the seven we need!" Aaliyah giggled, giddy as a schoolgirl.

"Let's bring these to the center! Don't want any mishaps!" Valerie stated, and Aaliyah nodded in agreement. The pair then hurried over to where Dimitrius and the others stood by, waiting for them.

"Hmm! I'd say by the look on your faces that you found what you were looking for?" the warlock asked.

"Some of it, which is still exciting!" Valerie gushed, glad that she came to the man.

"I've also found a few things!" Darnell piped up, causing everyone to turn in his direction. In his arms, the warrior held three tomes, all of which looked old. The ladies walked forward, each one taking a book to look at it.

"Well, it looks like you have more than you thought, Dimitrius! That's four books we needed, and one we don't need, but we're taking it anyway!" Valerie grinned, looking over the book. One was a book of the Artificier, while the other two were apprentice books. The power that lurked within would hopefully be enough to meet Carman on equal footing.

"I also found this!" Dominique stated, walking forward.

"What is it?" Aaliyah asked, regarding the raggedy, torn book in her hands.

"I don't know, but something was telling me I should grab it! Any idea what it is?" the witch queried.

"You want to be careful with that one! Was more than a hassle for me to obtain it, even in this state!" Dimitrius warned.

"Odd. It's in a dialect of Gaelic that is old. Impossibly old! I'm not sure if I can read it!" Aaliyah told the group.

"Have you tried a Spell of Translation?" Valerie suggested.

"Good idea! Here, hold this!" Aaliyah stated. "Will my spell set off the golems?"

"I don't believe it will. Go ahead and try it," Dimitrius told her.

Aaliyah then focused her magic, putting all the energies into her eyes and mind, giving her the ability to read whatever she saw. Once her magic had come to her, she performed several complex gestures and spoke in the tongue of Gaia. It took her all of thirty seconds before the spell was complete. The moment it was finished, Aaliyah looked around and looked at the golems, then smiled upon seeing they were still statues.

"Looks like only attack spells set them off," Dimitrius stated as Aaliyah took the book from Valerie and started reading. The more she read, the more shock and awe etched her face, making the witch look absolutely thunderstruck!

"Babe? You all right?" her husband asked.

"I'm... by holy Gaia... fuck!!! This is the journal of Bé Chuille!!" she gasped.

"Wait... what?!? As in THE Bé Chuille?!? The one who was there and fought Carman??" Dominique yipped.

"Yes!! This is exactly what we need!! Dimitrius, please, tell us how you got this!! Where is the other half??" Aaliyah pleaded.

"How I got it... that's a long story. Getting the other half of this book is, for all intents and purposes, impossible and pointless," the warlock told them.

"Why is this?" Darnell asked.

"Because I already know where the other half of the book is, and who has it. They won't sell it to us, or trade anything for it, because we fought over this book and the book wound up tearing. He got one half, and I got the other. Since that day, any and all dealings I have had with the man have ceased," Dimitrius told the group.

"Is there no way we can get our hands on the other half of this book? We need it if we are to defeat Carman!" Valerie pleaded.

"Sure, if you feel like enacting a suicide mission to storm the mansion of a High Priest of the Black Arts to steal it back. The mansion is also guarded by all kinds of sentries, magic and other defenses almost no one knows anything about," Dimitrius went on, educating them on the folly of this line of thought.

"Is it possible for us to get in there and find what we need, and get out before anyone notices that we're there?" Valerie asked, hoping there was something that Dimitrius knew.

"It might be, if you knew where you were going and how to time things so no one would see you moving about. But it is folly to even try it. No one has gone into that place and come out alive," the man told them.

"Have you?" Aaliyah queried.

"As a man doing business dealings before I swore the Oath of Neutrality, but that was a long time ago," Dimitrius told them.

"Would you be willing to help us?" Aaliyah suggested.

"What? Break into the home of a High Priest and steal from the man? Are you insane?!? I might as well sign my own death warrant and those of anyone who was to go with me! As powerful as I am, this High Priest hasn't rested on his laurels. I wouldn't doubt that even he could possibly defeat me in a straight up fight!" the former Dark Father breathed, shuddering at the thought.

"Surely, there has to be some way---" Dominique began before she was cut off.

"There is no way I am going in there and I'm sorry, there is nothing any of you possess that can tempt me to even try such lunacy!" Dimitrius told them vehemently.

"Let's go and look once again in the stacks, kids. If we can't secure Dimitrius' help this way, then we'll have to do it ourselves," Valerie told the group.

"But Val--" Dominique pleaded.

"He's made up his mind. Let's look once more and see if we can't find anything that can also be of help to us," Valerie told her former apprentice.

Sighing in disappointment, the rest of them did as Valerie asked, heading off in different directions to search for anything else. Valerie stayed behind and quickly enacted a Slow Time spell, one which would last for several minutes. She was quick to ensure that Dimitrius wasn't affected by the spell, giving them some time to speak.

"What are you doing?" the warlock asked the woman.

"Simple. Trying to change your mind about helping us with what we need," Valerie said to him.

"I've already told you, there is nothing you have that can convince me to help you with this fool's errand!" Dimitrius reiterated.

"What if we have something that you want? Something you've been wanting for years, but have never had?" Valerie queried.

"What do you think you could possibly offer that could make me not only help you, but be a willing participant in this insanity?" the man scoffed.

"Me."

"You? What are you going... oh!! You can't be serious?? Are you really of the mind that offering yourself to me is going to make me change my mind?" he laughed, thinking the whole idea ludicrous.

"I am dead serious, Dimitrius. I know that you've wanted me for years and every time I have turned you down. Know that what I'm offering isn't anything paltry as a single night. What I'm offering you is something more... long term," she told him. The man looked like he was about to laugh again until Valerie pulled out her focus. The mirth was wiped from his face in an instant and replaced by intrigue.

"You... are truly offering that? Without question or hesitation?" the warlock asked.

"I am. We have a few minutes left before the Slow Time spell dissipates, so if you have anything you wish to make part of the contract we will craft, then speak your mind," Valerie told him.

"Very well! Just so you know, I will be fair, speak any... caveats to the terms I want and make a few of your own," Dimitrius told her as he too pulled out his focus.

Valerie hoped Dimitrius would be fair in this sort of dealing, and she was glad to be proven right. The pair then spoke their minds, outlining what each one wanted from the contract they would make. They went back and forth for several minutes, reaching an agreement just as the spell ended, dropping them back into real time.

"We are agreed on the contract stipulations?" Valerie asked, hoping that Dimitrius found them acceptable.

"We are. Let us enact the Binding that enforces the contract from both sides," the former Dark Father stated.

The pair of them held their focuses aloft, chanting and allowing their respective magics to flow through them. As the magic embraced them, they both directed it, speaking their intent and the terms of the contract into being. The magic suffused them both, going from one to the other, then back again, locking it into both of them. Moments later, the magic then faded, as the contract was now finished and held them both to the terms.

"Val, good call on looking around! We found a few items and another apprentice tome!" Dominique called out, as she and the other two showed back up in the center of the hoard.

"Excellent news!!" Valerie smiled as they put the items on the table where Dimitrius waited with the rest of the books they had found. He then uttered a few words of magic and waved his focus around them, removing the trace and alarm magic that would activate the sleeping golems.

"Wait, you're deactivating them now? We haven't even discussed terms of payment!" Dominique said out loud.

"Everything you brought forward has already been paid for," Dimitrius told her.

"Paid for? But how--Val, what did you do?" Dominique questioned.

"I paid for what we need to help in the fight against Carman," Valerie stated simply.

"What did you give him? Or more like, what did you promise him?" Dominique demanded, knowing that such tomes of knowledge didn't come cheap!

"That's for me to worry about and not you. Besides, it's not just these tomes I negotiated for," Valerie told her former apprentice.

"What else did you... negotiate for?" Aaliyah wondered.

"Valerie has not only secured the books and items you wanted, but she has also... convinced me to let you have any and all books on your list, should they ever come into my possession," Dimitrius told them.

"Dimitrius will also help us in our endeavor to recover the other half of Bé Chuille's journal!" Valerie informed them all.

"What?" Darnell asked.

"How?" Aaliyah wondered.

"Worry about that later. Right now, worry about getting these books back to the house and going over everything that is needed to give us every edge in the fight to come! I'll catch up to you kids later and go over everything to ensure that we can come out of this alive," Valerie told the group. Dominique looked about ready to protest until Dimitrius stepped up and displayed his focus for her to see.

"See for yourself that the... contract that we agreed to is mutual and completely voluntary," Dimitrius offered

Dominique quirked an eyebrow, still not trusting the word of the former Dark Father, embraced her magic. She cast a Detection of Intent spell, seeing if he had tricked her former mentor into anything. Valerie had brought her focus out as well, and Dominique cast her spell, blanketing both of them in her magic. The color of the magic came out a lime green, showing that there was some reluctance, but the contract that was agreed to was consensual.

"Does that put your mind at ease?" the man asked.

"It does. For now. Hurt her and I will hurt you. Understand?" Dominique questioned. Dimitrius couldn't help but laugh, but nodded, getting Dominique's point. With that, Aaliyah, Darnell and Dominique scooped up the items they took as Dimitrius opened up a portal behind them.

"This will take you back to the house where we met. So far, the vehicle you came in is safe, as I used my magic to make it look like a piece of shit car. No one has touched it yet, but the spell will wear off soon. I would advise you to get there before the spell dissipates," the warlock told them.

Not needing to be told twice, the trio went through the portal and vanished from sight. Dominique gave her former mistress a long look before going through, the portal closing right behind her. Valerie sighed, then looked up at Dimitrius, with a slight smile playing across her face.

"So, I would assume that your home is above here?" Valerie guessed, wondering if they were going to find a staircase or elevator nearby.

"Not quite," Dimitrius chuckled as he waved his hands and crafted another portal, this one opposite to where the other one was opened up. Moments later, a scene was visible through the portal, looking like a modern day goth like mansion.

"Go on. There are no traps waiting for you there," Dimitrius said in a slightly lower voice.

Valerie couldn't help but shudder, not out of fear, but reverence. The place exuded an aching, timeless beauty that spoke to her soul. As she stepped through the portal, the rich thump of her boots against the polished hardwood echoed softly through the air, as though the house itself were listening.

Warm golden light from crystal chandeliers spilled down the ornate wallpapered halls, casting delicate shadows that danced across damask paneling and intricately carved wainscoting. The air was faintly perfumed with lavender and old books, a fragrance both inviting and steeped in memory.

She turned slowly in place, taking in the tall ceilings adorned with plaster flourishes and aged gold leaf, each detail meticulously preserved. Velvet drapes in deep wine and forest green cascaded from the upper reaches of arched windows, the fabric heavy with aristocratic grace.

The furniture carried the hallmarks of French elegance; Rococo curves, claw-foot legs, and high-backed chairs upholstered in brocade, all tastefully arranged amid Victorian touches like lace runners and oil portraits in gilt frames. The juxtaposition gave the house an air of dignified nostalgia, as if time had passed through it gently, leaving behind only the finest moments.

It was a place out of a forgotten era, a sanctuary of refinement and restraint with just a hint of theatrical melancholy. Valerie could imagine the ghosts of the past still lingering here. The sound of faint laughter in the parlor, the rustle of skirts on the stairs, the distant strain of piano music. To her, it was more than just a home. It was a living memory, draped in velvet and carved in rosewood.

"So, what do you think?" Dimitrius asked as he stepped through the portal, closing it behind him.

"This... I had no idea you lived in a house like this!" Valerie gushed, loving the look and décor of the home.

"Well, it's not my home... per se. More like my family's old estate, which recently came back to me," Dimitrius admitted.

"So, you don't live here?" Valerie asked.

"Oh, I do! Just not in an official capacity, as there were some greedy developers looking to keep this place from me. Since I was the last of my bloodline and rightful heir to this place, I wanted it. They took some... convincing to see things my way," the warlock chuckled.

"Convincing, huh? What sort of convincing did you need to... employ to keep their grubby mitts from this place?" Valerie asked, with an arched eyebrow.

"The sort that involves blackmail and the sullying of the names, which was more than enough to refrain from... interfering with my claim," Dimitrius told her with a smile.

"Well, I for one, am happy that you got this back! They don't make places like this anymore!" Valerie told him.

"Why not come upstairs so you can... better see what this place is like? Since you will be spending a fair amount of time here, no?" the former Dark Father asked, extending his hand.

Valerie made a show of hesitating, but was eager to go with the man, oddly turned on by the place he called his home. For some odd reason, this was very much the home she had desired to have for herself for years! Even the look of the lands outside of the place was everything she had desired!

Dimitrius led her up the massive flight of stairs and to the second floor. The large vaulted ceilings that were a main feature of this place continued on upstairs as well. He stopped at a pair of large double doors, and opened them. Valerie stepped into the room and was further thunderstruck by what she was seeing!

Inside was a huge vaulted bedroom, with an old and ornate four-poster bed made of dark wood. There were dressers, vanities and even a dressing screen made of the same wood! Much of the décor was similar to an old Victorian style she had seen before and wanted badly! The only thing preventing her from acquiring such items was that they were ruinously expensive!

"Damn!! You certainly have good taste!" Valerie commented as she took in the room.

"Well, since you like that so much, I think you might enjoy this!" Dimitrius stated as he walked over to the bed and grabbed a box that was sitting on it.

"What is this?" Valerie asked.

"A little something I picked up some time ago, after... the first time," Dimitrius told her with a smirk.

"You... got me something? And you held onto it after all these years?" Valerie asked incredulously.

"I was going to give it to you... but then we had our... disagreement after you learned of my past," the man told her.

"Lying, even by omission, never gets you anywhere Dimitrius," she told the man.

"I know that now. Why do you think I worked so hard to regain your trust?" the former Dark Father questioned. Valerie smiled at that, knowing that he spoke the truth. She looked down at the box he handed her, and her eyes scanned it, wondering what it was.

"What is it?" Valerie wondered.

"Go over to the dressing screen and open it there. If you like what you see... well, you'll know what to do with it," the man smirked.

Valerie giggled slightly and hurried over to the screen, getting behind it. Dimitrius looked outside and saw that the sun was setting, which made for a beautiful moment in the room. He knew it wouldn't last and embraced his magic, using it to light the various candles that were situated around the room.

As he did this, he heard an audible gasp from behind the screen, then a small squeal. Dimitrius then allowed himself a small smile as he knew he had hit it out of the park with what he got her. He then saw the shirt and skirt that Valerie wore flap up on the dressing screen, hanging there. The man continued lighting candles and steadied himself, because he was sure what he would see soon would take his breath away.

"You really went all out, didn't you?" Valerie asked, her voice much nearer than he thought.

Turning around, Dimitrius beheld Valerie and from where he stood, she looked every inch a goddess! She was wearing a customized set of lingerie he had paid a pretty penny for. The man was a master at turning silk, satin and lace into the ultimate wrap for the feminine form! It was all black, which stood out against Valerie's pale skin, making her assets pop all the more!

She was wearing a satin corset, made with real whale bone, to help with supporting her massive rack. It came with a matching thong and thigh-high stockings, which were held up with a garter belt. Valerie also wore elbow length gloves which were more lace than satin, and a sheer robe that went around her voluptuous form. It was finished with a small satin choker, completing the ensemble.

"I'm guessing that you like it?" Valerie asked in a sultry tone, knowing full well that she commanded Dimitrius' attention. The warlock was goggle eyed at the sight of her, his blood boiling and cock hardening almost instantly!

"I'd say by that look on you face, that I have your full--mmph!" she yelped as Dimitrius crossed the space between them and was kissing her full on the mouth.

Surprised at first, Valerie then quickly melted into the kiss, remembering just how wild she could drive this man. Their first and only time together stood out vividly in her mind and she giggled inwardly, knowing that they would both be finding pleasure that evening.

Dimitrius continued to kiss her, knowing just how much she enjoyed a long and proper kiss. Valerie kissed him back, making his own heart beat even faster than it was before. His inner beast growled happily, knowing that it would be able to come out to play for the first time in years! His hands slithered all over Valerie's curvy form, knowing he'd get more than a handful of it before the night was over.

Valerie then backed off, ending the kiss as she stared up into the man's eyes. She took a moment to catch her breath, found herself yelping in surprise, then giggling in delight. Dimitrius had taken a double handful of her ass, then hoisted her up so he was carrying her! She almost squawked when he threw her, but he used his magic to ensure that she flew in a straight line towards the bed, landing on the pillowy mattress with a loud bomf.

As she sat up, Valerie watched as Dimitrius took off his shirt and now it was her turn to be turned on! Dimitrius had put in some serious work to manage to attain that much muscle! While he wasn't shredded or anything like that, it was clear he'd been hitting the gym for a while now! The power in his arms and shoulders was evident, making Valerie gulp at the sight of him.

"Oh... my..." she breathed, fanning herself a little.

"You like this new look I've got?" Dimitrius asked, seeing the stare he was getting from Valerie.

"Ummm..." she breathed, chewing on a finger cutely.

Chuckling to himself, Dimitrius walked over to the bed and got on all fours, crawling over to Valerie. Her chest rose and fell in anticipation of what was to come, her mind already racing at the ideas. Dimitrius started by kissing her again, but he didn't spend long kissing her mouth. He soon moved to kissing his way down her body, paying special attention to her breasts.

The man knew that Valerie loved having her breasts licked, sucked, and nibbled on, as it drove her up the wall. Dimitrius seemed to remember this as he used his tongue and teeth to great effect, making the woman roll her eyes at the pleasure she was receiving. Valerie might have cum like that, but Dimitrius didn't want her to lose it too soon. He wanted to drag this out to where she would demand to be stuffed by the man.

Valerie knew the game he was playing, and it was working, as she was getting beyond riled. Dimitrius stopped playing with her boobs and made his way down her belly, eventually coming to the upper area of her pussy lips. He breathed on Valerie's quim and licked her through her panties, making the woman's desire skyrocket. She was breathing so heavily that her tits threatened to spring out of the corset she was wearing!

Dimitrius continued to lick and suck her through her panties, driving the woman insane with desire! He kept this up for a bit until he shifted the thong aside and put his lips on her nethers directly. This feeling was enough to knock Valerie's senses into overdrive and she keened loudly, as she could feel an orgasm building within her.

"FFffffffuuuuucckkkkk!!" she yowled, as Dimitrius' tongue went to work, pushing her further along the climb to bliss. The warlock did not relent and continued on, licking and sucking on her pussy to where she was thrashing this way and that. She kept moving like this until Dimitrius' tongue pressed the love button that was her clit.

Howling like a banshee, Valerie came hard, her entire body shaking with the pleasure that overwhelmed her brain. Dimitrius then backed away, looking down on the woman as she rode out her high, grinning like a mad fool. He took this time to divest himself of the rest of his clothing, revealing his rock hard dick that bounced up and down as he freed it from his underwear.

Valerie was still recovering from the blast of bliss that she had enjoyed, and her eyes caught sight of Dimitrius, naked. Though she was still coming down from her ride to cloud nine, she didn't want to come down just yet. Instinctively, she reached out to the man, wanting him to come close to her, needing that hard dick inside her. Dimitrius wasn't huge by any means, but he wasn't small either, just as she remembered.

Seeing the gesture, Dimitrius leaped back onto the bed and leaned forward, kissing Valerie once again. She reciprocated the kiss, her hands searching out and finding her soon to be lover's cock. Wasting no time, she drew it close to her needy pussy, making her point to the man. Growling in agreement, Dimitrius shifted himself towards the woman, pushing closer until his cockhead was lined up with her cunt.

Dimitrius then pushed his cock into her slowly, not wanting to hurt the woman beneath him. Valerie shuddered at the insistent push, enjoying every inch that he gave her and demanded more. More is what he gave her, and Valerie moaned in delight when she felt his pelvis hit hers as Dimitrius bottomed out in her.

"Please... just... take me... as you want," Valerie begged. "Fuck me... like you own me."

His inner beast roaring in triumph, Dimitrius let him take control, and he lost himself to pleasure. His hips moved up and down in a blur, savaging the woman who had agreed to become his lover. Something he had wanted since that day they had each other, all those years ago. He couldn't explain it, but he was addicted to this woman like a crack addict was in need of their fix.

Something about her just drove the man wild, but he knew not what. Maybe it was because that first time gave him a taste of something he liked? Dimitrius didn't know, but at this point, he didn't care, as the woman he was fucking was losing her shit with how hard and fast he was taking her. Though they had stayed in the same position, it was more than enough to enrapture them both.

Valerie was undulating, moving with each thrust he gave her, reaching for a higher level of bliss. Dimitrius was doing the same and could feel that he was going to lose it soon. The familiar sensation in his balls sent sparks of electricity up his spine and into his brain, pushing him past the point of no return.

At that moment, he lost all sense of self and let his beast take over. Dimitrius was soon smashing into Valerie with everything he had, making the woman wail as she too was close to her peak. Moments later, he could feel her pussy muscles clench around his cock, almost like it was trying to crush it. The intense pressure was too much for the warlock and right behind her, he came hard.

Roaring like an unholy beast, his seed shot out of him and filled Valerie up with every drop he had. In that moment, even his beast was knocked out and the man could feel himself losing a battle with consciousness. While he always fought to keep his wits about him at all times, this time, he didn't mind losing it. He was finally back in the arms of the woman he had wanted and there was nowhere else he'd rather be.

Valerie herself was riding a high much like Dimitrius was, losing all sense of self as she rode out the hurricane that was her orgasm. She saw Dimitrius had finally lost his battle with staying awake and collapsed next to her. Valerie allowed herself a small smirk, and she cooed at what she had done to the man. She even giggled a little, knowing that she still had it!

The Grey Witch lay there, sighing as she basked in the afterglow of the amazing sex she just had. She just sat there, breathing in and out, loving the sensations that coursed through veins in that moment. It was far more than she had anticipated and was pleasantly surprised by what Dimitrius had done to her! She wondered that maybe, just maybe, being a willing cocksleeve to this man wouldn't be such a bad thing.

As she thought this, some truly naughty ideas entered her mind, and she got on all fours. Valerie then crawled over to where Dimitrius was napping and moved her head to where his limp dick hung. Using her mouth, she took the organ in her mouth and started sucking the man back to hardness. His cock responded, and she knew by the noises he was making that Dimitrius was more than ready for round two!

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In another part of the world, back in the city they inhabited, the Marstons burst out of a door and into an alleyway. They all ran for cover, hoping and praying this would be all they needed to discourage any sort of pursuit. Amy peeked out of the cover she was in and squealed as she ducked back down as a bolt of magic nearly took her head.

"Fuck!!" she screamed.

"Hold on, sis! I got your back!" Darren called out, working his hands to craft a defensive barrier. Moments later, a translucent barrier came into being, separating them from their attackers. They knew it wouldn't hold for very long, but it gave them a little bit of breathing room. At least now, they could prepare themselves for the fight they knew they'd have to finish.

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Here is where chapter 38 ends and I hope you have enjoyed the ride thus far! Things are getting intense, as seeking items to take on a witch of Carman's caliber is no easy feat! With the search expanding even further, expect a fed more changes to pop up out of nowhere and take our valiant heroes by surprise! Whether those changes be pleasant or not, remains to be seen! Stay tuned next month for chapter 39!

Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read my work and I hope that you've enjoyed it! I'm open to constructive criticism and will seriously consider any suggestions made about various story arcs. Please rate and comment on my work down below and ask me questions if you wish, as I love hearing from my fans! If you like what I write, don't be afraid to follow and share with your friends, though your views, ratings and comments are enough for me.

In the meantime, this is C. H. Darkstrider, signing off to grab a beer and some quality time with the wife! ;) You will attain whatever you most desire, as long as you believe in yourself. Cheers!