Chapter 19: The Gang’s Back Together

“Wow, things really changed here, haven’t they?” Wil looked around the Stevenson farm. Three of the fields were in use, with their beer’s ingredients growing out in the open. The barn in the front quarter of the land had been replaced with something a lot bigger, with improved equipment and more tables and chairs.

More than that, there were people there, in the fields and in the brewery specifically. Most of them were fae, but everyone who saw him waved or cheered. Wil waved back as he took in how much things had grown without him.

“Yeah, after things cooled down, this became one of the new places to hang out for the more accepting people to come socialize with fae. They even serve food now.” Darlene was red faced and huffing for air as they got close. They paused long enough for her to catch her breath. “The past four months were just as busy as the months before that, if that tells you anything.”

Guilt hit him again, but he swallowed it down. “I’ve got a lot of catching up to do with everyone. I’m glad my dad won the election. Did Sinclair drop out of the race?”

Darlene snickered. “No, of course not. He did, however, lose Mr. Carrey as a sponsor, and Sheriff Frederick got canned. Those two things along with how well the fae helped clean up swung things in your dad’s favor. Things are looking up for Harper Valley.”

“I’ll say.” Wil took a breath, checked on Darlene, and then continued up to the house. He was about to knock on the door when Darlene tugged his arm and led him around the back to where the cellar doors were.

“He spends most of his time down there. I don’t feel like going down more stairs, so meet me in the house, okay?” Darlene leaned over and kissed him and waddled back around the front.

Wil knocked on the doors, and then entered as soon as he heard Bram shout. The giant sat hunched over a workbench, stirring a vivid green potion counterclockwise, humming tunelessly.

“Whatcha brewing?” Wil asked.

“Oh, just a lucid dreaming potion. Corey’s been pestering me about it when he found out…I could…” Bram’s head swiveled over to him. He was clean shaven again, the terrible beard nowhere in sight. His eyes widened and he stood.

The next thing Wil knew he was scooped up in a bone crushing hug. In hindsight, he should’ve expected something like this. He patted Bram on the side, gasping for air once he was released. “Damn…Bram…Happy to see you too,” Wil huffed.

“After all this time, you just waltz into here and act like it’s no big deal?” Bram demanded incredulously.

“Well, yeah.” Wil grinned, and together they laughed.

“Did you go home? You should see Darlene first.” The face Bram made reflected how Wil felt about it overall.

“She’s here with me. I saw. I told her about what happened, so it’s time I filled you in as well. Kitchen table meeting?”

Bram’s eyes lit up. “I have a new brew, too!”

Fifteen minutes later, it was the three of them sitting around Bram’s clean but shabby kitchen. All the improvements were made to the brewery, and Wil was relieved that at least this hadn’t changed. He went over everything that had happened to him as he nursed a vivid coffee stout.

Being back there with his closest friends, Wil found himself tearing up by the end. He knew he missed them, but it wasn’t until they were all together that Wil felt the months of crushing loneliness fade away.

“So that’s the situation,” Wil said, clearing his throat and wiping at an eye. “I have three months, and I’m going to need everyone’s help. How much have you read up on runic configurations?”

Bram laughed. “How many books on it do you have? Ever since you showed me runes on our fences, I’ve been learning everything I can about them. Actually, I have a few things I made. I was hoping you could empower them for me, when you got back.”

Wil shook his head in disbelief. “That’s a lot of surprises to come home to. Alright, then we have some prototypes to make. Starting tomorrow,” he added, noting Darlene’s glare.

Stolen story; please report.

“Damned right,” she said. “We may be on a time limit, but your stuff doesn’t arrive for another week or more and it’s your first day back. You can at least pretend like you are happy to see us instead of diving into work.”

Wil nodded. “You’re right. I’m excited, you know? I got to do a lot of work while I was staying at Marlowe Manor, and it was…I missed you two, but it was some of the most fulfilling work I’ve done. And though I don’t like being forced into it, I’m eager to tackle the challenge of seeing if we can make it work.”

Darlene rolled her eyes and drank her tea. “Then you may discuss what you plan on doing for a little while. Afterward, we’re celebrating your return by going to dinner. Am I understood?”

The two men nodded.

“Good. You may proceed.” She magnanimously motioned for them to continue.

“Right,” said Bram, drinking his own oatmeal stout. “What’s our first step, then?”

“That one’s going to be all me,” said Wil, lighting up. “I’m going to go up the mountain and inspect the leyline I broke. Maybe even take notes and play around with it. Not like I can break it any worse, right?”

The two of them stared back at him. “I don’t know,” said Bram. “Can you?”

Wil shrugged. “It’ll probably be fine. It took a lot of effort to break it the first time, and I don’t think I’ll have to worry about life or death circumstances distracting me now. I have a few things in mind I want to try.”

“And then if you succeed?” Darlene prodded.

“The thing about leylines,” said Wil as he set his drink down, “is that they’re all about power. That’s a lot of what magic is. Raw power of will that can change the world. When a wizard taps into one, it’s like using a much larger reservoir of personal power, but at the cost of it being possibly addicting and a bit rough on the body, right?

“Back when Hugo launched his attack on the rift, I tapped into it and blew the Flying Calamity out of the sky. It gave me the power boost I needed when I was running on fumes. It tore through me and I needed rest, but it made me stronger while I did it. If we can find a way to make leylines less harsh, or to tap into them without having to channel it through our bodies, then that alone would change how we use them.”

As they thought about it, Bram chewed his lip thoughtfully. “That’s why runes. You want to find a way to make the leyline activate them without you having to do anything, right?”

Wil nodded. “That’s what Thomas and I are hoping for. It’s not been successfully done yet, but we believe it’s possible. And then you can take things like my sled or flying carpet, or my new Thunderhawk, and anyone could use them. And it’d allow us to recharge depleted artifacts more efficiently.”

“Where’s a damned notebook?” Darlene demanded. “I know you have a million of them here.”

Bram got up and retrieved one and a pen from a drawer and handed them over.

“What’re you doing?” Wil asked.

Darlene took the notebook and scratched a line with the pen to make sure the ink wasn't dry. “I’m going to start writing down possible uses and applications for this research. If you want Cloverton to get off your ass and leave you alone, you have to present them with something impressive, right? Someone’s gotta be the organized one.”

“Hey,” said Bram. “I’m plenty organized. I’ve been keeping things running just fine, haven’t I?”

“Anyway, what are some other things we can potentially do with this?” Darlene wore a little smile, not looking at Bram.

“Cars,” said Wil immediately. They’d been increasingly on his mind since his trip. “The non-magic cars stink and are liable to explode if they hit something. If we can find a way to make magical cars operate for non-magical people, that would be huge.”

“Cars,” Darlene repeated as she jotted it down. “What else?”

They thought about it some more. Bram got an excited look on his face and said, “If you can affect the flow of magic and make it replenish artifacts, maybe we can make it channel magic into tools and even advanced potions. There are some high end potions I can’t do without casting spells. I’ve made do by using some help from the fae, but…”

Wil nodded. That had been something they’d talked about in the past, and something Bram was embarrassed over. He prided himself on getting good with potions, but the most potent recipes were out of his reach.

“For that matter,” said Wil, “we can and should experiment with a lot of single off spells. Wizards can use wands or crystals to store a spell at the cost of destroying the object with time, but you guys couldn’t use those. Not on your own. I think that’s the biggest thing we can hope for. Being able to bridge the gap a little bit between wizards like me and people like you.”

Darlene jotted that down as well, and then started a second page, pen practically a blur. Wil said nothing as she filled that page up, then realized everyone was watching her. “What?” she said. “I’m getting it all down and adding notes of my own. Some realism to go with your pie in the sky idealism. And now I’m done. That’s officially it for work talk today.”

“You got it,” said Wil. “Bram?”

Bram looked like he wanted to cry. “If we must,” he sighed. “But think of -- “

“Nope,” said Darlene. “It’s friendship and celebration time. Or else. I’m tired, cranky, and this is the first time in months I’ve felt alright.”

“It sounds perfect to me,” said Wil, looking around the run-down but comforting kitchen. “I’ve been gone a long time now. I want you to tell me everything that happened, no matter how small.”