Saturday, June 09, 2018, 11:30 AM Norfolk time, Saturday June 09, 6:30 AM Local, Tahiti

When I woke up after eight hours, I found that the Quinjet had been back, dropped off the items I had requested, and gone again. Damn, they can be quiet when they want to, I guess. With me being up as early as I was, I took immediate stock of my surroundings, and figured out who much salt I was actually going to need for this. It was conveniently bagged in ten-pound bags, and seemed to be fairly high quality, so I didn’t worry too much about any concerns about the material working. I figured that since no one was up, that I could get everything I could done, and be ready for when the other two were up.

Boy was I wrong. Once I had gotten everything set up in the Bungalow, I heard a knock at the door. I didn’t get any thing from Rex empathically, so I assumed that he was napping. I had not felt any snapping of the familiar bond, so I wasn’t worried about that. I went to the door and opened it up without worry, and Coulson was there, in a different variant of the relaxation style outfit that he wore yesterday.

I welcomed him into the Bungalow and asked if there was any issue with the healing from yesterday, and Coulson said that no, there wasn’t it still felt better than he had the day before, he just was up and would like to learn more about where I was from. I apologized that I had not thought about that, and that I wasn’t the most respectful of others when I was focused on a task. He looked at me and perked up, asking me what I was trying to get done. I told him that I had was about to try to get the gauntlet enchanted that I needed to get done to help in the attempts to heal him. Coulson apologized for intruding and said that he was sorry for interrupting the ritual.

I realized that this could quite easily be one of the last new things that this man ever experienced, and since him being in the bungalow would not necessarily cause any problems, I stopped him and invited him to observe the enchantment process, as long as he could keep any questions until after the ritual. Coulson’s eyes lit up, and with a thought, grabbed his phone out of his pocket, and sent out a text, before sitting down in a chair in the corner, eyes wide.

I pulled twenty-five of the ten-pound bags specifically into the center of the circle I had created and started to trace out the patterns in the floor of the bungalow, until there was a large pattern of arcane runes with the gauntlets in the center. Before starting the ritual, I asked Coulson if he had any brief questions before I started. Coulson looked at all of the salt and asked if this was the only material here that would work. I shrugged and replied that it was the only one that I knew of at the moment that would work. Coulson nodded and asked what the length of time the ritual would be. I did the mental math, and offered up that it would take more than four hours, but that if he wanted to leave and come back in, as long as he wasn’t very disruptive, he was free to do so.

With no more questions, I started meditating and focusing on the preparing the gauntlets for the ritual. My gauntlets glowed and vibrated almost visibly with the readiness of arcane energy. With a look to Coulson, I started to the work of the meditation and empowerment of the gauntlets. They started to glow a brilliant and vibrant orange, the color of transformation magic, and levitated slightly off the ground. The salt from the patterns was glowing the same orange, just less brilliant and less vibrant.

Just as the ritual started, and the gloves lifted, I started packing some of the ritual salt into them. With all of the material components surrounding and infusing the gloves, the ritual went SO much faster than I could have ever expected. The salt was reacting slightly different than the spell that I used to enhance the weapons, armor, and items into Masterwork items, in that the salt in that spell only absorbed at the very end, whereas this ritual had the salt going at a steady rate. After barely an hour and a half, the enhancement was nearly complete, only requiring me to seal the enhancement. I focused deeply, and neatly tied the threads of magic going into the gauntlets.

Coulson has sat there, watching the whole time, enraptured by the display of magic. After I tied off the magic into the gloves, they slightly changed shape and consistency, still maintaining their spider-skin palms, with the knuckles being reinforced to still work as cesti but being much more flexible, and no longer restricting the usage of the gloves at all. There was a color change that had also occurred as well, changing into a deep midnight blue, with the backs of the hands showing constellations. I immediately recognized the constellations on the back of my left-hand gauntlet were the constellations that could be seen from Magnimar, while the ones on the back of the right-hand were not exactly familiar with me currently. I also felt that there was a bit of extra magic tied into the gloves, making them extra durable, which is probably why the backs of the knuckles were smaller and less impinging on dexterous operations.

Coulson looked at them, especially the right one, and asked if I had known that the constellations above earth were going to show up on the back of them. I shrugged and said that I did not know anything about the process before hand, as there were the first items I had ever enchanted. Coulson smiled and said that it looked like I had done a very good job on this set. I was still a little gob smacked by the whole process and absentmindedly mentioned that maybe we were close to a ley line or something. Coulson perked up and said that there was a military base near here where there were supposed to be a confluence of Ley Lines, and at least a supposedly decent strength Ley Line was nearby.

I perked up and noted that I could possibly use the Ley line to enhance my capability of getting even further through the curse. Coulson mentioned that we could take Lola to the base after sunrise when it would be less suspicious, take everything that would fit, with us, and drive over. I agreed, and then asked Coulson, that since we had a fair amount of time, that he could ask whatever he wanted about my home world, and that I could show him examples of all the different magic that I could perform without utilizing any of the limited magic that I could perform. I started by using my prestidigitation capability to collect up the non-used salt that was remaining from the ritual, some one hundred pounds of salt, and re-bagged it all, carefully resealing them. Coulson watched as I had done son, and then I started showing him all kinds of different things that could be done with all of my different freely available magic, including copying texts, animating the broom to clean the room, firing off an ultrasonic ray at the wall, then mending it via spell, and then going through all of the different usages of prestidigitation, while explaining which items only remained for a one hour duration, and which could remain permanently.

It was certainly fun to see the sparkle in his eyes, and I could reflect back on my own wide-eyed wonder the first time that I had seen magic. I offered up that as long as we can get him doing better, then it would free up more availability for me to show other magics that I can perform. Coulson smiled and said that he would like to see it, if he got the chance, that is. Coulson got up after our discussion and noted that he was going to go make sure he was back in bed for Agent May to find in the morning. I wished him well and told him that I would see him later.

Saturday, June 09, 2018, 5:30 PM Norfolk time, Saturday June 09, 12:30 PM Local, Tahiti

*****

Not long after I had finished updating my journal, including all of the notes for what I had seen and experienced through my initial treatment plans for former Agent Phillip Coulson, I felt an empathic transmission from Rex of restfulness and warmth as the sun was beating down on him. I sent back the feelings of enjoyment of hunting and the feelings of success. Rex sent back to me the feelings of appreciation. I finally gave the gloves a further look over and it seemed like the gloves might have a degree of a subtle enchantment where they show the stars above where you are for the right one, while the left one seems more stuck in place. I guessed that the left one was showing the last place that I was on my home world of Golarion, and that’s why it was now stuck showing just that specific set of stars.

Knowing that we still have more resources here, I can try to figure out more things that could be helpful for Coulson’s health and progress and maybe be able to even put stronger magic items together. I doubted that I would be able to enchant something that could directly heal Agent Coulson, but the things that will assist me are definitely on the table. I jotted down some extra paths to research when I was not directly focused on directing my magic towards healing. I thought about it, and realized that there wasn’t much to do today, and that I would need to research into it when I had the availability to use magic freely. I had decided to get a bit to eat and then head out to the table.

As I went out to the table, Agent May and Phillip Coulson were both already out there, discussing something before they noticed I was leaving the bungalow. I walked over directly, to not make things weird, and sat down at the table with them. Agent May ever so briefly glanced down at my new gloves before resuming her practiced gaze at me directly and then said that Coulson had told her that the two of us had talked and that we would be heading to the military facility nearby. I offered up that I hadn’t known that there was a large source of Ley Lines here, and that they can be used to further increase the chances to get through the curse. Agent May seemed a bit taken aback before I clarified my position, saying that from my every estimation, the effect that prevented Agent Coulson from healing naturally or via less extreme technological methods.

Agent May nodded while I spoke, and said that I would need to be dressed differently to fit in. I looked down at my clothes and asked what the appropriate attire for this mission would be. Agent May started to look at Coulson, before looking back at me. I had activated my kote of Many garments to change my clothing to look like Coulson’s, of my particular colors and styles. When she looked back, she was a bit surprised, but then went back to her normal look.

I noted that Rex should probably stay here, and that we can head out as soon as they are ready. Coulson looked to Agent May and said that it was probably the best time to do so right now and then he got up from the table. Agent May got up as well and then I followed them both to a red convertible that I had never seen before but looked very impressive. Coulson got into the driver seat, while Agent May got into the passenger seat, leaving me to go to the back seats. I did so, and buckled up, before we started driving on the sand, until Coulson smiled and hit a button, changing the tires to a flying vehicle.

We flew at a low elevation, not too far above the ocean’s waves, as we went towards that military base island. Coulson asked if I had any idea about how much the Ley Lines might aid in the chances. I kind of shrugged, saying that it might increase the chances by anywhere from five percent to twenty-five percent. Agent May asked if it was only the strongest Ley Lines that would generate the twenty-five percent increase. I nodded and said that it was much more likely that the Ley Line here could most likely an increase of ten to fifteen percent.

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We finally got to the base, and Coulson quickly talked to the guard at the dock that we landed Lola on, indicating that we were being sent by S.H.I.E.L.D. to check in to something. I didn’t listen too intently, as it seemed above my level in S.H.I.E.L.D. As we got closer to an area where there were old ruins, I was amazed by how strong this Ley Line actually was. I immediately started to attune myself to the massive current running through the area. I felt extremely energized by the effect and told Coulson that we needed to head to the top of the ruins.

The temple ruins were stable enough for Lola to land, so we did so and got out. Agent May went to the trunk and pulled out what was basically a small brick of gold and some oil for me to use. I offered up the Aqua Clarissima for Coulson to drink, and he immediately did. Channeling the spell, I decided to attempt to overcharge it when I cast it. The first time I tried, I went far beyond what I should, and the spell didn’t even succeed. The second time I cast it, the spell succeeded by far.

The golden aura from the spell settled into Coulson’s chest, slowly healing a little bit more. I could also tell that each time I succeeded in healing Coulson, that the spell would be harder to succeed at. It was a race between casting the spells and making them do sufficient effect. A race against minimal success until I could not succeed at all. The third spell I cast worked as well, still working to generate more incremental healing.

The fourth spell was another failure, proving my hypothesis even more. I went through the next five attempts at casting the spell, all successes, all seeming to get closer and closer to what might be the end result of what was needed to end the curse. I also noted that Coulson had not been one hundred percent truthful, as I could tell even now that there was a continual drain that was affecting him. Unfortunately, all I could do was give him more time. From my estimation, I had given him another almost three months than what he already had left at this point. Being tapped out of expendable magic, I noted to Coulson and Agent May that I was going to have to head back to put my notes together and then I can talk more with them about my new discoveries.

We got back in Lola, and headed back to the beach where the bungalows and Rex were waiting for us. I start furiously scribbling away notes and calculations in my journal, trying to figure out everything that I could, as quickly as I could. As we got back, I politely excused myself to my bungalow and declared that I would need at least an hour before I could give them a report. Coulson seemed a bit confused, with Agent May looking more concerned. I rushed into where my books where and tried to finish up my back up calculations.

Saturday, June 09, 2018, 8:30 PM Norfolk time, Saturday June 09, 3:30 PM Local, Tahiti

*****

The news wasn’t good, it wasn’t good at all. Granted, we were certainly in a MUCH better circumstance than we would have been, in that he would have likely passed in less than three weeks, and now has a full three months, including what Coulson already had left, but it was still an eventual death sentence, as I would never be able to cure this wound fully. I had just five more successful times that I could provide without any more modifying circumstances, before this went beyond my current ability to do more. Figuring from some rough estimates, assuming whatever I could in addition, such as Alchemical items, I might be able to get him another five weeks at minimum. After going over my calculations for the fourth time, because I wanted to be iron firm on my estimates, I stepped out of my bungalow, to see that Agent May and Coulson were waiting for me at the table again.

Knowing that the information that I had wasn’t the best, I laid it all out as plainly as I could. I pointed out that I should have succeeded in getting past the amount of damage from the attack by now, if it was going to allow that to happen, and that if it wasn’t having any effect, the wound would have stopped having any result. Agent May looked worried, but Coulson looked resigned. I offered up that what had happened, was that I had given him more time, what I estimated was an extra ninety some days, before he would be back at the point where he was before I arrived. I offered up that I could currently, using everything the same, have five more successes at casting the spell before it got past my ability to create any further extensions.

Coulson looked extremely upbeat by that, and asked how much that might add. I shrugged and said that it might be any where from another five weeks to another ten, tacked on to what I’ve already extended his lifespan by, before I couldn’t go any further without significant research into other options. Agent May looked a little crestfallen, but Coulson was no where near as sad. Coulson looked to her and said that he now had so much more life to live, especially with his extension on life that he has, and that he would still love to spend it here, with her. I cleared my throat, and pointed out that I wasn’t fully done yet, that there were other spellcasters that were FAR more powerful than I, on my home-world, and that if he could find a way there or to another world that has a similar structure, he could find someone to help him with much greater success than I, maybe even end the curse.

Coulson asked if I knew of any way to get him to this other world and back. I shook my head, indicating that as far as I knew, the deities of this world did not want the deities of that world to transfer over, and back. It was a limiting force, from what David Drake had claimed, that prevented the mass inrush of worshipers from one faith to be moved to another world to attempt to take over. Coulson looked to me and asked if that meant that he couldn’t come back if he made it over there, and I nodded in agreement. Coulson looked to Agent May, with a smile, and said that if he can find a way, it would be another adventure waiting him.

Agent May looked to me and asked if this was why I had not been striving to find a way home. I nodded, remembering it only today, my training in this field having been five years ago. Agent May then asked if multiple people could follow along, and I shook my head, saying that there was a minimum of six months between when people were allowed to transition between worlds. Agent May looked at me oddly for a minute, and I noted that I remembered that it seemed like every six months or so between when a person from this world made it over there, and almost always they would appear in a different area of the world. I added that it always seemed like someone either had a known or unknown reason to not be here anymore.

Coulson perked up and asked how long I had been in this world. I looked a bit abashed and reminded him that I had only arrived during the “Blip”, to which Coulson was confused. I then went on to tell him everything I had learned from all of the sources I had, via S.H.I.E.L.D., the police and first responder call ins, the various news reports that I had heard, and what I had been even overhearing from the gang members. Then I reminded him that it was wasn’t the time period when someone from my world got here, that there had only been one instance of that before, and it turned out that that was in a time displaced manner in some place called the Russian Empire, dealing with someone by the name of Grigori Rasputin. I didn’t have any more information about people going to my home-world from here, but that from what I had heard, the United States was apparently much more likely to have someone show up than another country, at least partially because of the fact that the common Trade tongue was at least comparable to a dialect of the language of “English”. I added that this was all just information that David Drake had passed along in his school, to prepare people of the possibility since it had happened more than once.

Coulson was listening intently but didn’t say anything else while Agent May was cautiously trying to take every tiny bit of information that she could. I apologized sincerely that I didn’t have more information, that I could try to do more searching through whatever resources that I can find when I got back to the mainland. Agent May asked if I would be willing to repeat what we did tomorrow. I told her that I had already scheduled my weekend to do so, and that I had no inclination on backing down or not doing everything I could to help. Coulson tried to wave me off, but I told him that I was here with the resources that I had, and that it didn’t help anyone for me to not do every little bit that I could. I also brought up that I had gotten attuned to the strongest ley line in the area, so I would just have to look for more things that can help the spells penetrate the curse.

I then noted that I was going to get a little bit of rest, and that I would likely be up early again, trying my hand at maybe enchanting another magical item to try to assist in breaking through the curse. I wished Agent May and Coulson well, and then retired back to my room to try to reflect throughout everything I had heard that might help. I scoured my brain for a good long time, until I realized that there was nothing that I could do. I had a hairbrained scheme that could eventually work, but if was a long way from what I could reasonably do at this moment, and someone in my home-world could do it better. Still, there was a LOT of salt left over, so I had an idea.

I sent a text to the contact that was in my phone as Agent May, asking her to come to my bungalow to help me with a question, when she had a minute. Almost immediately, there was a knock at the door. I opened it up and told Agent May to come in. Agent May came in and said that she would answer any question that I had. I told her to please sit down, as this might take a minute. Agent May cautiously did and asked what I needed.

I sighed and told Agent May that I could only think of something that would take me possibly weeks to accomplish, but it was a definite possibility, but again, it wasn’t anything that I could do right now. Agent May thanked me and asked me what I needed from her. I looked up with a smile and told her that I couldn’t do anything to help right now, but that I could do something. The corner of Agent May’s lip slowly curls up ever so slightly into a smile, as I told her that Coulson was absolutely fascinated by Magic, and that I’d be more than happy to make him something to keep him entertained, but also, if he was intending on going to my home-world, by hook or by crook, he needed to head to Magnimar or Sandpoint and find David Drake. May asked me what I intended on making for him, and I said that I was going to use some necklace or article of clothing to make him an item that he can use to cast a few certain spells, either all day, or once a day depending on the spells.

Agent May’s smile increased and said that she could get just the thing and headed out of the bungalow. I used my flash of inspiration and figured on making something that would give him the ability to use Prestidigitation and Animate Tools as often as he wanted a day, and then he could pick between Unseen Servant and Cure Light Wounds once per day. The Cure Light Wounds wouldn’t work on his chest wound, but it would work on other minor wounds. Agent May came back with a necklace that was extremely well made, and I asked her, is it important to her or him that this stay in the same form. Agent May shook her head, saying that it was a gift that she had gotten for him, and that she was going to give it to him tomorrow after I left.

I thanked her and told her that I had one more task for her that might be going too far, but that it would be required for this to be a surprise. Agent May quirked an eyebrow up again as she indicated that I should continue. I told her that I needed her to find a way to keep Coulson busy for the time period between midnight here and eight am. Agent May sighed and said that she would find a way to keep him from intruding on my bungalow for that time period. I thanked her and told her that I needed the last few hours to finish up on the preparations for this and head to sleep to be ready for tomorrow.

Agent May nodded and left while I started inscribing runes into the back of the pendant, using my traveller’s anytool to make the etchings. I briefly drew out my plans for the salt designs and noted the extra salt that I needed, another twenty-three bags or so. I got everything ready and sent a message to Rex to keep an eye out for everyone tonight, and that we would be leaving late in the night tomorrow night. With a heavy sigh, I decided to set down my journal and go to bed.