#5 - Chaos Theory Part 2

[Stardrifter]

by
Stardrifter

#5 - Chaos Theory Part 2
Harsh Truths

The furious tapping of laptop keys rings out in the classroom as thirty odd students try to keep up with their professor. A short, skinny old man with white hair and glasses as thick as Coke bottles drones on with a monotone voice, barely stopping for a breath in between sentences. Professor Quigley's current topic is the merits of the Ancient Roman plumbing systems. When Dawn took Greek and Roman Studies as an elective, she pictured an intriguing look at the romantic age of Greek and Roman times. Instead she got a Professor at least ten years too old to still be teaching lecturing about toilets.

It's been three days since she came back to Gotham University. Jason spoke the truth about covering for her. Everyone thought she had taken personal time to visit her parents in Massachusetts. Since coming back, three professors had taken her aside to ask how she was, offering condolences and a shoulder to cry on. The students had stared at her as she walked down the hallway, as if waiting for her to break down in tears any moment. The headmaster insisted she take counseling.

With all the sudden attention, it hit home that she had forgotten about the death of her friends. She was so overwhelmed by the truth about magic and demons that it had slipped her mind. She felt like a horrible friend. It didn't help that she could close her eyes and see each of their faces as the demon used her body to murder them. When she wasn't putting on a brave face for the school, in the privacy of her room she spent much of her time crying.

Dawn sighed as Professor Quigley continued to drone on. Boredom overtaking her, she began filtering out his voice as she became lost in thought. If only he could put some inflection in his voice. How can they be excited about learning if even the professor seemed bored with his lesson? She thought of the different voices he could use to liven things up. She'd take just about anything else at this point, even a chipmunk voice.

"And then of course there were the much talked about vomitori..." Professor Quigley coughs as his voice cracks. He reaches a shaky hand up and rubs his throat before continuing. "Vomitoriums," he squeaks out, his voice sounding as though he had inhaled helium. "I'm sorry. What? What's going on!?"

The laughter of the class pulls Dawn's attention back. Professor Quigley is panicking as he can't understand what's going on. Finally realizing it's not a joke, a couple concerned students walk up to try and help. One level headed woman takes out her cell phone and calls the nurse.

Sinking into her seat, Dawn closes her eyes and concentrates. "Normal voice, normal voice, normal voice..." she whispers over and over. After a couple seconds the high pitched squeal in Professor Quigley's voice deepens back to his normal monotone. She opens her eyes and looks around nervously, hoping no one noticed her. Fortunately, everyone's attention was on Quigley.

"Class dismissed!"

Dawn gathers her things quickly and heads out into the hallway. She rushes into the ladies room, closing the door behind her and locking it. Tears start falling as she sinks down onto the floor. This is the fourth incident since she's been back to school. Her idle thoughts causing all kinds of havoc. Fortunately no ones been hurt yet, but the strain of constantly guarding her thoughts is becoming too much. She feels like a powder keg ready to explode.

After a couple minutes the tears cease and Dawn gets to her feet. Looking at her face in the mirror she thinks she looks ragged. Not just the redness from the tears. She looks like she hasn't slept in days. A quick splash of cold water does little to help. She pulls her hair back into a ponytail and takes a deep breath before heading back into the world.

Dawn checks her iPhone and sees it's only two-thirty seven. Her class let out early, she has almost an hour before her next class. Her only desire now is to be alone, so she makes her way back to her dorm room. The entire time she avoids the eyes of her classmates and the faculty, clutching her books to her chest like a life preserver. She guards her thoughts closely, trying not to think about anything except her destination. When she reaches the solace of her silent room, she breaths a heavy sigh.

"Tired?"

Dawn's eyes dart quickly towards the intrusion. Sitting on the empty bed of her former roommate is a young man. Her first reaction is defense, so she throws her books at the man and raises her arms in a defensive stance. The man squeals and raises his arms to protect his face.

"Who are you? I'll fuck you up!" Dawn yells, her frustration and anger from the last three days all coming out at once and directed at this intruder.

"I'm not going to hurt you," the man pleads, holding his hands up to try and calm her down. He reaches under his black hair to feel a bump where one of the books hit him on the forehead. "I'm your new roommate."

"Really?" Dawn asks sarcastically. "Since when do we have coed dorms, you fucking rapist!"

"Rapist?" the man yells in a hurt tone. He stands up slowly, straitening out his black suit jacket over his black dress shirt and black slacks. "I may be many things, my dear Dawn, but I would never lower myself to rape."

"How do you know my name?"

"Forgive me, I have not introduced myself. My name is Klarion," he says with an exaggerated bow. He points with his head to the other bed, where an orange cat lies sleeping. "That's Teekl."

Not wanting to take her eyes off him for a second, she spares but a quick glance at the cat. "Okay look, I have had the worst week of my life. I'm tired and frustrated and about ready to go off and anyone about anything! Now who are you and what do you want?"

"I told you, I'm Klarion," he says with a warm, low voice. "And what I want is to help you, dear Dawn. I saw what you did to that old man. You don't have much control, do you?"

Dawn's eyes go wide with fear. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about the spell you cast. Making his voice go all high pitched," Klarion's own voice turns high pitched at the end, just as her professor's had. An uncomfortable silence falls as Dawn just stares at him, no idea what to say. Klarion takes a slow step toward her. "I told you I'm not here to hurt you, and I never lie my dear."

"Yes you do!" she yells, as if gloating that she caught him. "You told me you're my new roommate."

"And I will be, once you realize what I'm going to do for you. Magic! You have it, I have it. You can't control it, I can."

Dawn finally lowers her guard, still on edge but so exhausted she's about ready to accept anything. "You want to teach me magic?"

"Yes," he says with a wide grin.

"Why?"

Klarion throws his arms to the side. "Why not? It'll be fun."

"You want to teach me magic just for the fun of it? Nothing better for you to do?"

"Oh there are plenty of things for me to do. I have all kinds of interests," he says with a spin before sitting back down on the bed. "But right now my chief interest is you."

A thought occurs to Dawn. "How old are you?"

His grin returns, as if in approval of her insightful question. "I am four hundred and fifty-seven. Does that matter?"

"I don't know. But it makes sense," she gives out an exasperated sigh. She follows with a quick chuckle about how in stride she can take a man telling her he's four hundred and fifty-seven years old. "As much as anything makes sense anymore."

"So...would you like me to teach you what I know? Yes or no?"

****

-1571-
Rome, Italy

Jason Blood falls through the air until he impacts one of the arches in the Colosseum. The impact is enough to take the air from his lungs, causing him to crouch down and wretch for a moment. He's too dazed to see the large red demon who comes to stand over him. The muscle bound behemoth is covered in scars and open sores, from it's cloven hoofs to it's large horns.

The demon growls as it raises it's arms for the killing blow. Jason notices but has no time to defend himself. His fate is averted at the last moment when a flaming sword appears in front of him, slicing the arms of the demon clean off. A follow up swing takes off the demon's head.

"Hail, Jason!" the sword wielder yells, kicking the demon's corpse away with disgust. The savior before Jason is not a man, but an archangel. His pale skin is contrasted by his black hair. His skin gleams in the full moonlight, but not as brightly as his glowing white wings. The angel is adorned for battle, covered in beautifully ornate golden and silver armor. "The battle is not yet won! Can you continue?"

"Of course, Zauriel," Jason croaks out as he rises to his feet. He takes a deep breath and surveys the battlefield below them on the Colosseum floor. A raging pit of fire sits in the center, about ten feet in diameter, slowly spewing forth more demons. Almost twenty are through already, led by a dark figure in the center. "Neron must be stopped! How are the others?"

"Rodrigo is entrenched in demons by the gate, keeping them from escaping," Zauriel says, pointing toward a Spaniard in the simple robes of a monk. The monk takes on five demons at once with a glowing staff. Zauriel then points toward the sky twenty feet above the battlefield. "Fate and Mordru have been locked in battle from the beginning, showing little concern for anything but each other."

Jason looks at the mysterious Fate, his golden helm covering his entire head, leaving nothing visible but his eyes. He wears a long, golden cape over simple brown pants and white tunic. Fate summons a glowing ankh to block a magical assault from the wizard Mordru. Mordru is dressed in an ornate red wizards robe. His long brown hair flows in the wind. His face is a mix of joy and lunacy as he throws spell after spell at Fate, a wide grin spread across his face, surrounded by a goatee.

"Where is Klarion?" Jason asks, his voice filled with almost fatherly concern.

"There!"

Jason follows Zauriel's hand to see Klarion running from two demons.His black pants and tunic make him hard to see in the night. The teen's feathered hat flies off his head as he rushes to escape his pursuers. At the last moment Klarion sees three other demons coming straight at him. He turns quickly and runs up to a stone wall, with no escape.

"Help him!" Jason pleads with Zauriel, rushing off to try and reach his apprentice in time. Zauriel grabs his arm.

"Wait, you underestimate your apprentice."

Trusting his companion yet worried about Klarion, he watches as the five demons close in on the teen. Karion looks worried at first, but once the demons are all within reach, he smiles and smacks the palms of his hands against the wall behind him. A loud rumbling can be heard and Klarion disappears suddenly into the shadows at his feet. Before the demons even realize what is happening, the large stone bricks break apart and fall on the demons, crushing them. Klarion then rises out of a shadow on the ground and turns to continue the battle.

"We need to end this battle now," Zauriel states the obvious. "The others can handle the demons and Mordru. Let us take the battle to Neron."

Jason holds his hand out. Zauriel takes hold of it and lifts them both into the air with a single flap of his large wings. They glide over the battlefield toward the portal in the center. Neron senses them coming and turns in time for Zauriel to let go of Jason, who lands a dropkick right into Neron's chest.

Jason uses the momentum to flip backward and land on his feet. A group of demons start to surround him, but he throws his hands out and sends out a blast of blue energy in an arch around him, throwing them back. Neron, on his backside, raises a hand to block the blast.

Neron rises to his feet in one smooth, unnatural motion. He stands a solid eight feet tall and is adorned in dark red and black armor. His demonic visage is hidden behind the appearance of a man. A strong, masculine face with blond hair.

Zauriel, having flown around after dropping Jason, charges straight toward Neron's back, his flaming sword raised high. Without even looking, Neron reaches back at the last second, dodging the sword blow and grabbing Zauriel's arm, pulling him over his shoulder and, using Zauriel's own momentum against him, slams him into the ground.

Neron wraps his hands around Zauriel's head, but Jason intervenes quickly. Clapping his hands together, electricity gathers around his arms, crackling and popping. Jason holds his hands out and blasts Neron with the electricity. It knocks the demon off balance, releasing Zauriel, who falls in an unconscious heap on the ground.

Neron recovers quickly, blocking the blasts with his hand and, with just a slight push, sends the blasts back at Jason. The counter knocks Jason off his feet.

"You could live another thousand years," Neron gloats while standing triumphantly over Jason, "and you'd still never be able to match me. Face your defeat, Blood, and accept the end of your world."

"I may be no match, but I know someone who is! Gone, gone the form of man! Behold the demon Etrigan!" Nothing happens. Jason looks around, confused. Neron simply crosses his arms, waiting with a grin on his face. "Gone, gone the form of man! Behold the demon Etrigan!"

"What is happening, demon? Where are you?"

"RAAAAAARGH!"

Jason pushes Etrigan's enraged roar to the back of his mind. Normally he would take a bit of pleasure in the demon's frustration, but not today.

Neron offers a pitying laugh. "I am a Lord of Hell. The only demons rising here do so at MY behest."

Neron raises his hands slowly, looking to savor the death of a recurring thorn in his side. A dark, sickening smile spreads across his face. Before he can cast any spells, a blast of energy hits him in the back. It's barely enough to phase him, all it really does is cause him to rock forward slightly, but his smile turns to rage at the interference.

"It's a bit noisy here," Klarion yells while throwing bolts of blue energy from his hands. "Did you proclaim yourself the Lord of Smell?"

Jason smiles at his apprentice's horrible joke. Anger clouding his judgement, Neron turns to face Klarion, leaving Jason to rise to his feet and start summoning power. He crouches down and moves his hands in a circle around him, drawing energy from the Earth and the swelling portal to Hell.

"Listen 'Witch-Boy,'" Neron taunts while firing a blast of hellfire at Klarion. He dodges at the last second, coming to his feet and patting out a spot of fire on his chest. "You are of such insignificance that even the lowliest of demons would feel it beneath them to torture you!"

Neron fires more blasts of hellfire. Klarion's attempt to block them with a magical shield ends quickly, the hellfire tearing through his defenses instantly. Instead he focuses on dodging, enhancing his speed and agility with magic. The occasional demon gets in the way, but Klarion evades them too, even managing to get a couple caught in Neron's blasts.

"The demons don't enjoy my company?" Klarion asks through heavy breath, smiling despite the danger he's in. "I am truly heartbroken. You wound me." Neron roars in anger, his frustration getting the better of him. Klarion stops suddenly and looks behind Neron, giving the Demon Lord a moment's pause. "Behind you!"

Neron turns in time to see the vast amounts of magical energy swirling around Jason. It's so bright he has to blink. That's all he has time to do before Jason let's the energy go, sending a massive beam of pure magic at Neron and the demons in the area. Klarion runs out of the way, barely managing to escape the attack. When it finally ends, everyone caught in it are nowhere to be seen, sent flying into the Colosseum wall.

"We need to close this portal now!" Jason shouts at Klarion. The master and apprentice circle around to opposite sides of the portal, dealing with the occasional demon and blasting those trying to get out. They begin focusing in unison, concentrating on the sealing spell.

"Faster would be better, my friends." Rodrigo calmly says as he runs up to defend them. His glowing staff whirling around in a blur, taking out demon after demon. He makes his way over to Zauriel. The archangel groans as he slowly gets to his feet, joining in the defense.

The sorcerers' hands glow white as beams of energy shoot out, engulfing the portal. The light takes the shape of net, preventing the demons from coming through as the portal shrinks in size.

All seems won until the body of Fate smashes into the ground beside Jason. The Helm of Nabu has a large dent in the side, the normally glowing eyes grow dim. Mad laughter rings out above them. The laughter of triumph.

"Oh...oh go ahead!" Mordru yells with joy in his voice. He slowly lowers himself onto the ground. "Close the portal for all I care. I'll still defeat you all, and now Nabu's helm shall finally be mine!"

Jason and Klarion don't spare him a glance, their focus entirely on their task. Zauriel and Rodrigo attack in unison, Rodrigo from the ground and Zauriel from the air. Mordru quickly sends a magical blast at Rodrigo, who blocks with his staff but is sent flying back. Mordru then sidesteps Zauriel's flaming sword, placing a hand on the archangel's chest and electrocuting him. Zauriel screams in agony but fights through the pain and headbutts Mordru in the face.

Staggering back, Mordru growls and wipes blood from his nose. Zauriel raises his sword to attack as Rodrigo advances from behind. Zauriel sees the wizard smile just before he vanishes in a blink, sending Rodrigo off balance. The archangel has no time to react as his ally and friend falls onto the tip of his flaming sword.

"NOOO!" Zauriel shouts as the life leaves Rodrigo's eyes. He doesn't have any time to grieve as Mordru reappears behind him. Fury in his eyes, Zauriel pulls his sword out of his friend and swings wildly at the wizard.

A loud crack, almost like thunder, booms in the night sky as the portal to Hell finally closes. Jason and Klarion both stagger a bit in exhaustion. Rodrigo's death registered in their minds, yet neither can think about it at the moment. They both look over at Zauriel facing Mordru and the scattered remnants of demons that must be dealt with.

"Ha!" Mordru laughs, throwing a ball of magical fire at Zauriel's feet. Zauriel lifts off the ground with one flap of his wings to avoid the fire, giving distance to the wizard. It's a short lived reprieve, Klarion runs over and manipulates the fire and sends it back toward Mordru. The wizard waves it off as one would swat a fly, but leaves himself open for a blast of magical energy from Jason, knocking him off his feet. Zauriel lunges toward him, but the wizard sends out a spherical wave of energy in all directions, knocking everyone back.

A great rumbling shakes the ground around them, giving all the combatants pause. They look toward the ruined wall where Neron was blasted and hear a great growl the likes they've never heard. Out of the rubble erupts Neron, no longer hiding his true form. His dark grey skin is rocky and covered in fiery red veins. Large horns glisten in the moonlight. Beyond words now, he charges toward them like an enraged bull. Klarion dodges to the side, but Jason and Zauriel are swept up by the demon.

"Having fun, aren't you?"

Klarion turns to the speaker, his hand raised and ready to attack. He finds Mordru only three feet from him, his hands raised in a passive gesture. "No no, give me a second to talk."

Confused, Klarion isn't sure what to do. He looks over at his master and friend fighting Neron in desperation, then back at the wizard. He knows he can't take Mordru alone. Nor does he want to turn his back on him to help the others. So he gives in.

"Talk? What is it you want?"

Mordru smiles a dark, creepy smile. "I'd just like to make an observation. I see in you the beginnings of great power. Power that could be much greater with the proper...instruction. Blood is a capable sorcerer, no doubt, yet I do not think he is the best teacher for you."

"What?" is all Klarion can muster in response, the whole situation both confusing and ridiculous.

"I can see into your heart, my boy. The others, they fight for their God or their sense of justice or other inane concepts. You, you fight because you enjoy it. You enjoy the danger and the...chaos of battle." Mordru smiles wider at the doubt he sees fall over Klarion's face. "You'll never be one of them. One of the 'good guys.' You're not like them. But you could be so much more, and so much more powerful, if you know where to look. Think about it."

Mordru shimmers and disappears suddenly. Klarion turns in time to see Jason flying toward him. He raises his arms in a vain attempt to catch him, only to end up in a pile on the ground with him. They rise to their feet quickly.

"Where's Mordru?" Jason asks, looking about the battlefield for the wizard.

"I don't know," Klarion says, avoiding his master's gaze. "He just disappeared."

It dawns on Jason quickly. "The Helm!"

Just then, Mordru reappears over the dead body of Fate. Jason breaks into a run, trying to reach him in time. Mordru quickly rips the Helm off the corpse and lifts it in triumph. He starts lowering it onto his head, then stops. They all stop. Neron and Zauriel cease their battle. Jason comes to a halt. A feeling that can't be put into words causes each to stop and turn toward the body of Rodrigo.

Rodrigo's arms move slowly, placing themselves underneath him and pushing him up onto his feet. The dead body stands motionless, his head facing downwards. They all watch as his skin turns stark white. A dark green cloak seems to grow over his shoulders and down over his body. Finally, he reaches up and pulls the hood of the cloak over his head. When he looks up at them all, his eyes glow green.

"This battle is now over," the cloaked figure whispers, yet his voice can be heard by all. It's a strange mix of Rodrigo's voice and an otherworldy one. "Leave, now."

Mordru, not about to have his victory snatched from him, continues placing the Helm on his head. The cloaked figure looks at the Helm and it is ripped from Mordru's hands, landing on the ground at the figure's feet. Enraged, Mordru flies into the air and throws blasts of magical energy at the figure. The blasts suddenly veer away from the figure before they can hit him. Without a word, the figure raises a white hand out from behind his cloak. In it he holds a white crystal. Before anyone can react, Mordru's body changes into white energy and flows into the crystal. The cloaked figure tosses the crystal aside. He turns his gaze to Neron.

Neron looks about at Jason, Klarion, and Zauriel. "You may think yourself victorious this day, but at what cost?" A pillar of fire engulfs the demon briefly. When it goes out, Neron is gone.

The threat ended, the cloaked figure disappears as well. The three remaining heroes slowly gather together, unsure of what just occurred. Jason breaks the silence. "Zauriel, was that...?"

"The Spirit of Vengeance, yes," Zauriel whispers.

"The Spirit of Vengeance?" Klarion asks, confused.

"The Spirit of Vengeance is the embodiment of God's wrath," Zauriel explains. "It does God's will here on the mortal plane. And it is a rare, dangerous occurrence."

Jason lets out a sigh and rubs his eyes with the palms of his hands, exhaustion setting in. They've prevented the Legions of Hell from invading the Earth, yet it feels like a hollow victory. He walks over and picks up the Helm of Nabu and the crystal. Looking at the crystal, a beautiful yet jagged and uneven piece, he can barely make out the visage of Mordru inside. "I'll make sure the Helm finds it's next wearer," Jason tells Zauriel. "And that Mordru is safely contained where no one will ever find him."

"Thank you, Jason Blood," Zauriel says, reaching out to shake Jason's hand. A darkness covers the archangel's normally warm face, pain for the loss of life tonight. "I will see to the body of Fate," he says, motioning his head to the mutilated corpse of the former bearer of the Helm of Nabu. "As always you have been a most capable ally. And your apprentice."

Klarion smiles politely at the compliment and shakes the archangel's hand as well. He tries to hide the uncertainty he feels inside. Mordru's comments hit a nerve. As Zauriel takes up the body and flies off into the night, Klarion's eyes keep coming back to the crystalline prison of the evil wizard.

****

-The Present-

"Concentrate on the flame," Klarion says in barely a whisper, trying to get Dawn to focus without distracting her. "See it, but don't look at it."

Dawn rolls her eyes up from the candle to look at him from under her eyebrows, a look filled with sarcasm and frustration. "See it but don't look at it? What kind of nonsense is that, Master Yoda?"

Klarion laughs slightly at her joke, then clears his throat and looks at her with a very serious expression. He holds his hands up and presses his fingers together, doing his best to look like a stuffy college professor. "It is most certainly not nonsense, Ms. Granger. If your addled young mind could just put aside your Justin Beiber and Pokemon for a moment to focus, you would understand that for the magically inclined there is seeing with your eyes, and then there's seeing with your mind."

Joyous laughter erupts from Dawn at Klarion's ridiculous impression. She sits up and arches her back, rubbing the stiffness out. After readjusting her ponytail, she looks down at the flame again and concentrates once more.

It takes a moment, but she finally puts aside her reservations and reaches out with her thoughts. When she does, it's like nothing she's ever experienced before. She can still see the flame with her eyes and is fully aware of it, yet in her mind she sees a different picture at the same time. From that view she can see the waves of energy flowing from the flame as it devours the wick of the candle.

With her mind, she takes hold of the heat coming from the flame and brings it to her, manipulating it to her desire as she does. Holding out her hand, the invisible energy becomes visible as a bright blue star. It only shines for a few seconds, but it's a glorious few seconds.

Dawn looks up from her hand at her teacher, a bright smile on her face. Klarion returns the smile and claps his hands together. "Well done, my dear. That was your first step on your road to greatness."

He makes a show of bowing to her despite being seated, placing a hand behind his back and one in front of him. When he leans back up, the hand in front of him produces a rose, which he hands to her with a wink. She takes it, giving him a sly look and placing it to her nose to inhale it's fragrance.

"How did you do that? she asks.

"Do what?" Klarion asks, unsure of her meaning. "Produce the rose?"

"Produce the energy," Dawn says, running her hand over the flame and putting it out, using it's energy to create another small star, this time purple. "I was watching. You produced the energy but it looked like it came out of nowhere."

"Ah," Klarion grunts, studying her through squinted eyes. "Very observant. You're a quick study."

"So all my professors say," she jokingly gloats.

With a flamboyant flip of his hand, Klarion produces a small deck of cards. He fans them out on the floor in front of him, revealing scenic pictures. Some are simple enough, a large city, a forest, and other easily understood pictures. Some are very unusual. A crystalline formation, a random swirl of colors, a boy sitting alone in a room, and more.

"When you think of creation and everything in it, you think of the Earth, the solar system, the galaxy, and such," Klarion explains with a grandiose tone. "There are other worlds in the universe, other stars, other civilizations."

"Really?" Dawn interrupts, her eyes wide with excitement. "Aliens are real?"

"Don't interrupt," Klarion quietly chides her before continuing. "That view of existence is very narrow. Imagine if this card is our universe," he says while holding up a card showing a picture of a galaxy. "This is all of creation as you know it. What you don't know if that there are other universes. Other dimensions or planes, call them what you will. Some much like this one, others so different our minds can't comprehend them."

He motions with his hand over the spread out cards. Then he takes the cards up and reforms the deck, placing the card representing our universe in the deck. "All of these planes exist simultaneously. Adjacent to one another like each card in this deck. Time is constant...in most of them...and they all travel the timeline in parralell to one another.

"There are ways to break through the barriers between them. Through science or sorcery. And if someone with a magical talent, such as myself, has a connection to one of the planes, they can summon energy for their spells from that plane." Klarion pauses a moment to watch Dawn and see if she's getting it all and what her initial response might be.

"So..." Dawn draws out the word, thinking it all over. "That makes you incredibly powerful. You can just cast any spell you want no matter what energy is available around you."

Klarion claps his hands, giddy at her deduction. "Exactly! Well not exactly. It depends on what world you're connected to, as some are more powerful than others. And the strength of your connection counts as well. But yes, being a sorcerer with a connection to another plane gives you incredible power. Far more than any normal sorcerer."

"So what world are you connected to? And how did you get it?" Dawn blurts out, eager to learn as much as she can.

Klarion smiles and stands up, straightening out his clothes. He walks over to Dawn's bed and scoops Teekl up in his arms. The cat purrs loudly, happy to be held. "That is for another time. You've already taken in so much and it's only your first lesson. I have some things to attend to right now. I want you to keep practicing with the flame. Get it down to a reflex. As much concentration as it takes to reach out and flip on a light switch with your hand. With that control you will stop causing things to happen randomly. Then we can move on to other things."

Dawn stands up, sighing loudly in disappointment but accepting his decision. "Fine, fine." She walks over and gives Teekl a scratch behind the ear. "Thank you, Klarion."

Klarion smiles warmly at her, holding Teekl tight as he offers another exaggerated bow. "You are most welcome, my dear Ms. Granger. But you may not be so grateful as time goes on. We have a lot of work to do. You can't begin to understand what it takes to be a real sorcerer."

"I'm ready for anything," Dawn says defiantly, standing up straight and tall.

Klarion shimmers and disappears in front of her, his voice echoing in the room around her. "We shall see."

-To Be Continued-