Unsealing
When I returned to the hotel, the old lady was once again at the counter. The older mage lady was also still sitting in the lounge chairs. She looked up at us as we passed. I glanced over at her out of curiosity. Why was there a mage here in this stingy hotel? I knew she was a mage because I felt a faint glimmer of energy around her. Only when I meet another mage with similar magic would this feeling come up. It was weird though, I could not tell what type of mage she was. I didn't think she was a Life mage though. Perhaps she was a wind mage?
Our eyes met. The old mage grinned at me. It was no normal grin. Her face looked twisted when she grinned. It sent shivers up my spine. There was something about her that was not right. I quickly walked away, making sure not to look back at her. She was creepy.
I went into our room and set Riley down on the bed. I still felt chilly from seeing the old mage lady. Who was she? Could it be possible for her to be an enemy? Was she part of the organization? If so, we can’t stay here for to long. I shouldn't have come back here. I didn't really have anything to collect from this hotel. I just had a feeling that I should come here to do the unsealing for Riley. It was a feeling I could not explain. It just felt right to do this here. I felt like if I did not do the unsealing here, we would somehow miss something very important. It really doesn’t make sense. Yet my subconscious kept telling me to do this.
I held my head and thought for a few minutes. I tried to clear my mind to think straight. But it all felt cloudy. I sighed and gave up on trying. Maybe it's the goddess Fate that is leading me to do this. I suddenly thought. I laughed at the thought. Why would a goddess make me do such a minor thing? I laughed. Soon I placed the worries at the back of my mind. I needed to focus on the task at hand.
I took out carter's dragon heart. “Carter, be my look out” I said. He appeared next to me.
“Sure, what are we doing?” he asked.
"We are performing the unsealing," I replied.
"Here? Why didn't you do it at the witch's place. I would think it safer over there. Even if I don't like those witches." He said puffing out a breath of wind.
"I don't know. I just have this feeling that I should do it here. Don't ask, it just feels right to perform it here." I said.
Carter looked at me weirdly. "Alright, whatever you like." He said, flapping his wings. Wind circulated around the room
I thought for a second and decided to ask Carter about the witch. “Carter, did you see the old lady in the lounge chair?” I asked him.
“What about her?” he asked perplexed as to why I was asking him about that lady.
“She’s a mage,” I stated.
“Really, I could not tell” he said, landing on the bed.
“Are you sure? I was feeling like she might be a wind mage. If she isn't, then what could she be?” I asked perplexed. Carter was a wind type dragon, that means if he couldn't sense her magic. She could not be a wind mage. But if she isn't a wind or life mage, then what was she?
“No, she’s not a wind mage. There is no way she can be one. You must have sensed wrong.” He said.
“No, I don’t think so. She is certainly a mage. But she is not a life mage. That part I am certain. If she isn't neither, then what could she be?” I pondered.
“Logan you must have sensed another kind of magic.” He suggested, surprising me.
“What do you mean? I can only sense wind and life magic.” I said perplexed as to what he could mean.
Carter shook his head, “Did I ever mention that when I first met you. I’d noticed that you had the magic aptitude for all five elements.” He said raising his claws and drawing a five in the air.
“What does that mean?” I asked confused. An aptitude for the five elements? Did it mean what I thought?
“That means exactly what it sounds like. You can potentially see all five elements. That is a very rare ability. To the extent of my knowledge, someone with such an aptitude has ever only existed once. This person was a legend and he existed during the time of great magic." He said.
“Who?” I asked, wondering who this person could be.
“You may have heard of him, he was the creator of the Sacris Magicae. His name I do not really remember. His legends are old. But he eventually became a god. He even fought in the war of the gods at the end of the time of great magic.” Carter said.
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I blinked. Did he just say the creator of the Sacris Magicae? “Does that mean I can become a God to?” I asked a little hopeful. If this guy had the same aptitude as me, shouldn't I be able to achieve what he achieved.
Carter laughed his belly puffing up and down like an inflating/deflating balloon. “Don’t make such a silly joke. Having the aptitude does not mean you can do that what is impossible. The creator of the Sacris Magicae was a genius. No, he was beyond genius. He was one of a kind. He achieved things no one has ever achieved. If you can do what he did, maybe you would have chance, but it is beyond impossible.” He laughed wind snorting out of his nostrils.
“What did this guy achieve that’s so special?” I asked, wanting to know what was so special about him. Sure, he became a god, but he was a human to begin with. He started as a mortal just like me. What makes him that special?
“He fought and defeated the creator God in a fair fight when he was still a mortal." Carter released the first bomb.
I blinked, this dude defeated a god when he was still a mortal? Is this even possible? This has to be exaggerated.
Carter smiled, "He flipped the 18 layers of purgatory upside down when he was still a mortal," He released another bomb.
My jaw dropped. "Flipped the 18 layers of purgatory upside down." I repeated. Purgatory. The place where evil souls get imprisoned. The place where the vilest of the vile gets imprisoned and tortured. Was this person even human? How could he do such a thing when he was still a mortal? It has to be a joke. Purgatory, that was the hell of the world.
"He also single handily achieved Godhood through his own powers. He was a legend among legends. Think about it. A mortal fighting a god and winning. A mortal flipping purgatory upside down. Its purgatory, a place where souls are tortured. There is no way anyone can compare to him," Carter finished.
I fumed. Sure, those things were definitely impossible things to achive. But he did not have to say it in that way. He could have said them in a more gentler manner.
“Whatever," I said. I did not want to hear anymore of this. I returned to the original problem. "If it wasn’t wind magic that I sensed from her, what other element could it be?” I asked leading the topic back on track.
Carter stopped laughing. He pondered for a second. “Maybe water, earth or fire?" He said. "Any of them is possible. We’re you able to see earth particles when we escaped from that earth mage before?” he asked.
I shook my head. All I could sense was life particles disappearing back then.
“I don’t think it’s earth then. It could be either water or fire. The fire mage you met before does not count because your powers were sealed at the time. Plus, with an aptitude like yours, untapped element can be the culprit. Certain catalyst can trigger you to see new elements” he said.
“Like what?” I asked.
“For example. When you met me, my wind magic rubbed off on you. So, eventually wind became your second element. Your master probably triggered your life magic awakening. That was most likely why you could use life magic first. But, even though you have such a rare aptitude, I wouldn't recommend you trying to achieve every elemental awakening. You are not the creator of the Sacris after all. Its better to focus on two elements than to spread yourself out to thin.” He suggested.
He had a point. Being spread out to thin wasn't good. But did he have to add the part about the creator of the Sacris. I know I'm not him, but how does he know that I won't be able to achieve what he did? Who knows, I could become even greater than him in the future.
“Forget it. We need to perform the Unsealing before Riley wakes. Unsealing his magic can help him heal better. Plus, we can’t leave him sealed forever.” I said finally getting myself back on track.
Carter nodded his head. “Alright, I’ll be the look out. Setup the wards” he ordered, flying toward the door.
I started setting up the candles into a nine-point circle. Then I placed the crystals and incense in the spirit points of the circle. Then I used wind and life magic to inscribe runes into a magic circle. Hence, completing the ward. This ward should be able to keep all magic residue from releasing. We did not want any unwanted attention.
I gently lifted Riley off the bed and placed him in the middle of the warding. Slowly I activated the warding. Wind and Life runes mixed interlacing into a complicated pattern. Soon the warding was completely activated.
“Carter, be vigilant. I’m about to start the Unsealing” I said aloud, so that Carter could hear me.
“Okay, I got it," he replied through our link.
Taking in a deep breath, I pushed wind and life threads out from their respective orbs. They floated into the air. With a flick of my hands, I sent them into the ward, hovering above Riley's body. The threads started to link together. Soon ruins formed. Then chains and finally another complicated magic circle appeared.
I lowered my hands and the newly formed magic circle descended down to Riley's ankle. That was where the seal was located. As the circle and the seal touched, sparks started to fly. The seal was trying to fight the unsealing, but the magic I used was far superior to that crummy seal. The magic circle shrunk and completely took over the seal. Seconds later the entire seal dissolved into nothingness. No signs of it was left. It was completely destroyed.
The moment the seal broke. Red hot light rushed out from Riley's body. Soon, Riley's entire body started glowing red. I watched with excitement as Red particles started appearing in the air.
I gasped. This was fire particles. I could see fire particles. This feeling. I recognized it. This was the feeling I had around that old mage lady. Suddenly I realized that what I felt before was fire magic. I could not believe it. Fire magic looked so beautiful. Its red hue made it the center of attention. I hit myself. How could I have mistaken this with wind magic. They were so different.
Fire particles were intense and tough. It felt like a warrior preparing for battle. Wind particles were calm and cool. It felt like a gentle old strategist that had everything under its control. Life particles on the other hand was energetic and lively. It felt like a kid playing with his friends. The elements were all so different.
I couldn't believe I ever confused the elements at all. It was such a dumb mistake.
Riley's body soon started to crackle. His bones were completely healed as the fire magic started to run through his body. I smiled. This was exactly what he needed. The fire magic would soon subside, and he would be truly whole again.
Unfortunately, I as wrong. Dead wrong