Chapter 17
As the Imbolc preparations continued around her, Bas pulled Brianna aside into a secluded corner of the mansion's sprawling gardens. Snow blanketed the dormant flowerbeds, and their breath misted in the frigid air.
"I have a mission for you," Bas said, her voice low and urgent. "One that requires your unique abilities."
Brianna felt a thrill of anticipation mixed with apprehension. "What kind of mission?"
Bas's emerald eyes glinted in the pale winter sunlight. "I need you to travel to the future. To observe Chad and ensure he remains aligned with our cause."
Brianna's eyes widened. "You want me to spy on future Chad? But I thought we agreed to invite him to Imbolc, to evaluate him here?"
"We will," Bas nodded. "But we need to take every precaution. Your mission to the future will give us valuable insight into how Chad's powers develop and whether he remains trustworthy."
Brianna felt a knot form in her stomach. The idea of spying on Chad, even a future version of him, felt wrong. "I don't know, Bas. It feels like a violation of trust. And you know how tricky time travel can be. What if I accidentally change something?"
Bas placed a hand on Brianna's shoulder, her expression softening slightly. "I understand your concerns. But this is bigger than anyone's feelings. The fate of our world could be at stake. We need to be certain about Chad's role in all of this."
Brianna sighed, knowing Bas was right, but she still felt conflicted.
"How far into the future do you want me to go?" Brianna asked, resigned to the mission.
Bas considered for a moment. "Two and a half to three years from now. That should give us a good indication of how Chad's powers have developed and whether he's still aligned with our cause."
Brianna nodded, her mind already racing with the implications. "And what exactly am I looking for?"
"Observe his daily routine. His time alone, and his interactions with others, particularly those in the magical community," Bas instructed.
"Pay close attention to how he uses his Word Wizard abilities.
And most importantly, try to determine if he's involved with these temporal anomalies we've been detecting. "
Brianna took a deep breath, steeling herself for the task ahead. "When do you want me to leave?"
"Tonight, after the Imbolc ritual," Bas replied. "We'll use the energy of the celebration to power your journey."
Brianna nodded, her mind already racing with preparations. "How long should I stay in the future?"
"No more than 24 hours," Bas said firmly. "Any longer and the risk of altering the timeline becomes too great."
As Brianna turned to leave, Bas called out once more. "Brianna, remember… You're there to observe only. No matter what you see, you must not interfere."
Brianna felt a chill that had nothing to do with the winter air. "I understand."
Candles flickered throughout the mansion, their warm light a stark contrast to the cold darkness outside.
The air was heavy with the scent of sage and patchouli.
Chad hung back, observing, but not participating in the ceremony.
They had said he needed to adjust to the idea of magic, ancient rituals, and all manner of the occult, first.
Most of the L.A.W. witches were in attendance. Magda was on a lone mission in Australia. But Joell, Crystal, Rayna, Victoria, Sahara, Lioness, and, of course, Brianna stood in a circle, with Bas front and center.
The ritual began with Bas lighting a large white candle in the center of the circle. Her voice rang out, clear and strong:
"We gather on this Imbolc night,
To welcome back returning light.
As winter wanes and spring draws near,
We cleanse our hearts of doubt and fear."
The other witches joined in, their voices blending in harmony:
"Brighid, goddess of fire and healing,
Bless us now, your power revealing.
Grant us wisdom, grant us sight,
To face the challenge of coming light."
Chad watched in awe as the energy in the room seemed to shift. The candle flames danced higher, casting flickering shadows on the walls. He could almost feel the power radiating from the circle of witches.
As the ritual continued, Chad found himself drawn in, despite his initial reservations.
There was something primal and beautiful about the whole thing.
Then, as the ritual concluded, he felt a strange tingling sensation wash over him.
He watched as the witches broke their circle, chatting and laughing as they moved to extinguish candles and clean up the ritual space.
Brianna caught his eye and smiled warmly, making her way over to him.
"So, what did you think?" she asked, her eyes glowing.
Chad ran a hand through his hair, still processing everything he had witnessed. "It was... intense. Beautiful, but intense. I felt something during the ritual, like a surge of energy. Is that normal for non-magical people?"
Brianna's eyebrows rose slightly. "Not typically, no. But then again, you're not exactly a typical non-magical person anymore, are you?" She grinned, bumping his shoulder playfully.
Before Chad could respond, Bas approached them, her emerald robes shimmering as she walked. "Chad, I hope you found the ritual enlightening," she said, her piercing gaze studying him intently.
Chad nodded, trying not to fidget under her scrutiny. "It was fascinating. Thank you for allowing me to observe."
Bas's lips curved into a small smile. "I'm glad you had a positive reaction. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to speak with you privately for a moment."
Chad glanced at Brianna, who gave him an encouraging nod. "Of course," he said, following Bas to a quiet corner of the room.
Once they were alone, Bas turned to face him, her expression serious. "Chad, I understand your abilities have been developing rapidly. Brianna told me about the incident with your voice."
Chad felt a wave of nervousness wash over him. "Yes, that's right. I didn't mean to freeze Brianna like that. It just... happened."
Bas nodded, her expression unreadable. "Spontaneous manifestations of power are not uncommon as abilities develop. However, the rate at which your powers are growing is... unusual. I'd like to run some tests, if you're willing."
Chad hesitated, unsure of what these "tests" might entail. "What kind of tests?"
"Nothing invasive," Bas assured him. "Mostly exercises to gauge the extent and control of your abilities. It's for your own safety, as well as ours. Unchecked power can be dangerous, Chad."
Chad nodded slowly, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Alright. When do you want to do these tests?"
"We can start tomorrow," Bas said.
Brianna had catapulted herself into the future by opening the portal in her suite.
She had to concentrate on a specific time in the future, within the two-to-three-year window, and wherever Chad might be, but without his being able to catch her in the act.
She thought about the funeral… possibly Professor Emerson’s funeral, and transported herself into the back of the church.
Luckily, she had been wearing black for the Imbolc ritual anyway, so she didn’t even have to change her clothes.
Brianna materialized in the back of a dimly lit church, the air heavy with the scent of incense and flowers.
She blinked, adjusting to her surroundings, and scanned the rows of pews filled with mourners.
Her heart clenched as she spotted Chad sitting near the front, his shoulders slumped, and his head bowed.
She crept closer, careful to stay out of sight, and positioned herself behind a large floral arrangement. From here, she could observe Chad without being noticed.
The service was somber and touching, with several speakers sharing memories of Professor Emerson. Brianna watched Chad closely, noting how he seemed older somehow. It was not just his appearance, but also the way he carried himself. There was a gravitas to him that hadn't been there before.
But perhaps the weirdest thing was seeing herself, right next to Chad, holding his hand, even when the service concluded, and people began to file out of the church.
Brianna shrank back, waiting and hoping no one would notice her, or if they did, they would think that perhaps Chad’s girlfriend had an identical twin.
As the mourners filed out of the church, Brianna carefully made her way closer to where Chad and her future self stood, trying to overhear their conversation without being noticed.
"Are you sure you're up for this?" Future Brianna asked Chad softly, squeezing his hand.
Chad nodded, his expression resolute despite the evident grief. "I have to be. Emerson knew this day was coming. He prepared me as best he could. Now it's up to me to carry on his work."
"The Aether Pirates won't wait long," Future Brianna warned. "With Emerson gone, they'll see this as their chance to strike."
Chad's jaw tightened. "Let them try. I'm ready for them."
Brianna felt mixed emotions at the cold determination in Chad's voice. This was a very different Chad from the one she knew. He was harder and more resolute. She wondered what had happened over the past three years to change him so dramatically.
As Chad and Future Brianna moved towards the exit, Present Brianna carefully followed at a distance, slipping out of the church behind them. Outside, she watched as they got into a sleek black convertible, Chad taking the driver's seat.
Making a split-second decision, Brianna muttered a quick cloaking spell and hurried to the car, managing to vault into the backseat just as Chad started the engine. It was risky, but she needed to learn more about what was going on.
As they drove through the city, Brianna listened intently to their conversation.
"The library’s defenses are holding for now," Future Brianna was saying, "but the Aether Pirates are getting more aggressive. That last attack nearly breached the wards."
Chad nodded grimly. "We'll need to reinforce them. I've been working on some new protective incantations that might help."