The Wizards of Xitt

The Wiccan Council

CHAPTER TWELVE

The Wiccan Council

Nights melted away too fast in Atlantis that Kaila had to convert several hour of the day to feed the normal course of his sleep. He was untidily sprawled over the furry blanket of the glassy bed.

The bed was so intoxicating and refreshing. Kaila was certain of the fact that, had there be no such strong electromagnetic or gravitational field created about him. Or had there been no pleasant soul-penetrating infrasound cracking the lock of sleep with his name, he would still be coasting to some dreamless sleep. Of course, his own waking mechanism had been paralyzed by the anesthetics of such a bed. He would never have been able to initiate the process of waking.

The scent from his sleep still lingered as he opened his eyes to see a beautiful fairylike figure of a woman. She was seated inches away from him on the bed and backing the sunlight filtering in from the window. The rays of the sunlight seemed to form a halo about her. For a moment, Kaila thought he was seeing an angel with bright webbed wings around her. The peculiar scent was issuing from her and seemed to be dazing him further. Kaila knew he should be feeling dizzy, sleepy perhaps, from the effect of that sedative of a perfume. But he was feeling more awake, more conscious of himself and totally alert. The strings of muscles in his body were becoming taut and the nerve endings were twisting into knots. In fact, he thought he could feel his body hairs straightening.

Just how long had she been around, watching him sleeping with almost nothing on? Did she touch him? He swore he could still feel the after effects of the current generated by that touch... Oh for goodness sakes, could she at least stop looking at him in that manner, as if she saw through his clothes. Of course, she did. Kaila grabbed the furry blanket and threw it about himself.

Virgill’s smile widen, unnerving him more. Even with the blankets over him, Kaila did not still feel he had enough clothes on. He still felt her eyes on his skin.

“Good morning Kyle. Your tea is almost cold.”

Has she been here that long? And why did she have to blink like that when she was talking. Virgilla Osborne was definitely trouble. And he was just realizing the magnitude of power a woman could wield over a man. For him, no woman had ever stripped him bare before with one look.

“You missed breakfast. So I thought it would be a good idea to bring your breakfast here. In order to save you a trip to the dining hall, where you’ll still have to eat alone. Everyone has already eaten.” Virgill explained.

The explanation covered everything including her presence. But Kaila was sure the explanation was not complete. He would have loved to hear that part of the explanation that said. ‘I just wanted to see how you look when you wake in the morning’. Actually, that was his thought; he had wished briefly after stirring that he would always wake to find her there every morning.

“Oh,” Kaila said. He had not yet notice that his vocal cords had also been dazed. The sound he made must have sounded like a squeak. But he had to say something or he will seem ungrateful. “I mean thank you.”

Virgill’s smile seemed more genuine now. Kaila found it was more heart stopping than the synthetic one. “Why don’t you clean up quickly, and get on with your meal. I’ll be down the hall in case you need me.” She said and rose, heading for the door.

Kaila was excited and devastated at the same time. There was a part of his mind that wanted her there, even next to him under the blanket. And there was the other part of him that told him to heed to the latter, the angry howling of caution. He had to keep away from the angelic Supremese of Atlantis. She was definitely going to complicate his already complicated life further.

A smile began to climb up the wide expanse of his not-too-smooth face. The indecision had reminded him of Kaheola, his minor Uncle. Where was the carefree Kaheola now that he needed any form of advice, even crooked ones like his. Of course, he already knew what Kaheola would have advised him to do.

“Who cares if she has a wound up husband or not! Screw that bastard! Fun is the most important thing in this world! Consequences are just undesirable side effects! You only live once, you die every day! Screw those prudes who think marriage should spoil the fun!” Kaila knew that Kaheola would have used any one of these phrases in his crooked advice.

How was the young man taking his absence? And Aunty Puanani, Aunty Charlotte too? Had they already learnt that he was arrested for those horrific crimes they accused him of? And that he was the first man to break the greatest fortress in Honolulu and escape a possible life sentence? Would Aunty Puanani ever believe it? Have they already found Malena? Has she already told everyone that he was innocent? What did she think of him now?

It seemed to Kaila there were more questions than answers as it were. He knew it would not do him any good worrying about questions he knew he could not find answers.

Maybe, he could get answers. Igor should have some contacts on earth. Perhaps, he could ask the Suprema to get him news about what was going on in Honolulu. Yeah, that was exactly what he was going do. But first, he had to wash up the night and treat his stomach to another Atlantean delicacy. The Unchens for dinner the previous night had been like nothing he had ever tasted. He did not know when he had helped himself to a second round under vivid encouragement from Virgill. Of course, every woman is often happy when her delicacies are appreciated by the stomach. In Virgill’s case however, Kaila doubted she even knew how to make coffee.

Kaila pushed down the white furry blanket and rose from the bed. His eyes turned towards the eight-hour clock. He was not sure if he would be right to say, the time was minutes to midday. The long and short hands of the silver-rimmed glass clock were between four and five and, seven and eight respectively. His eyes lowered to the screen below. The words on it confirmed his suggestion. It read ‘Good Morning’. It was still morning just before noon, Kaila argued in his head.

It was clear that the Atlanteans operated under a Sixteen-hour day and night system, unlike the Twenty-four hour system used on earth. Under the Sixteen-hour system, eight hours was for darkness and eight for light. It explained why he had woken so late, his body had not yet adjusted to the Atlantean time system.

He wondered how long their months would be, or how many months made up their calendar? He was sure it would not be the same as that on earth. Muriel had said the place was about a quarter of the earth.

That threw questions into Kaila’s mind. Where was Atlantis? It could not be on earth, or Muriel would not have spoken about the earth the way she did. Atlantis was surely one of those extra-terrestrial settlements scientists were looking for all over the galaxies. But the name Atlantis also rang an alarm bell in his head. Kaila had merely taken note of it on his way to Atlantis. Atlantis was an ancient Civilization he had read about when doing a research on Plato. It was in one of Plato’s uncompleted works, a story about a mythical Island in the Atlantic Ocean. It was apportioned to Poseidon who had fallen in love with a mortal woman Cleito. Kaila knew this was it! He was standing on an Island that had disappeared many years ago. An Island whose supposed ruin scientists were searching for all over the earth. So Atlantis really did exist, Plato’s work was not just mere fiction. It was so exciting that he was standing on an Island believed to have been lost many thousand years ago.

But how did an Island on earth disappear in one day and one night, only to reappear somewhere else possibly very far from the earth. How did the people survive? Plato had posited that a cataclysmic event had caused the Island’s extinction. And how did they manage to be in this so-called i-realm? What the hell was going on?

Kaila rushed into the bathroom. There were far too much questions now than there were answers. He found the mirror and inspected his face. It did not look like that of a mad man. He was not mad and none of these things was really happening.

Somehow, he knew that all these things were connected to the little quest, he and Malena had undertaken. There had been only one question then. Who was Kaila Maentel? Now there were too many. Where the hell was Malena Spars? Where was Atlantis? What was the i- and v-realms? Why had Professor Pretzel and Dane been murdered and their Huna chip stolen? Why did the Huna Chip affect him that much? Who were the three wizards? Where did they come from? – And on the question went. Not even the original question had been fully answered. He had only known that he was a cross breed, a Xeonoex, probably, with royal blood running in his veins. He knew that there was a prophecy about him or his birth, a prophecy that was taken from him before he could read it.

Kaila closed his eyes and rubbed his eyelids. It seemed there was more; things he had never sat down to look at closely. How on earth did Malena know what to do at Kukaniloko? Who was she? And what was that dream she was talking about? Had she turned into Virgill and lived in Atlantis? The questions were overwhelming and he had already used up the clues. Where could he possibly go from here? He had to find answers, and he was not sure, those answers were in Atlantis. He had to get back to Honolulu, there should be more clues left.

For God sakes, was he running out of his mind? Kaila Maentel would be the most familiar face in all of Honolulu if he ever got back. The first man to break out of Hale Maka’i would be celebrated by the media. They have actually been looking for means to strangle what they termed ‘a malfunctioning justice system’. Mrs. Spars would have placed a heavy price on his head, and laid dragnets everywhere to capture him. Truth is, not many criminals eluded the HPD for up to a week within Honolulu. Only a couple of them have managed such feats, the Waikiki ripper had been most prominent. Kaila was not sure he could last up to two days in Honolulu himself.

But despite the odds, Kaila knew the best place to find answers would be Honolulu. And he will find means to get there undetected, at least, until he had found his answers.

Kaila turned away from the mirror, took off his clothes and took a warm bath. When he finished, the cabinet which held the towel also held a neatly folded trouser, shirt, and underwear. Kaila knew the clothes might have gotten there while he was sleeping or when they were at the games. All the same, he did not have much choice, his host or hostess was just trying to be extra nice to him.

Kaila found means to conjure out a shaving device with which he shaved away the roughness from his cheeks and chin. He also took a couple of seconds to set his hair. The effects, together with the fitting shirt and trousers, was a handsome young man, befitting for the land of Atlantis.

A craggy leather material caught his attention as he stood watching himself in the mirror. Soon, curiosity drove him towards it. It turned out the leather material was his wallet. Kaila smiled and extracted the contents into his hands. There were pieces of paper bearing some writings, notes he had taken during research, or reminders of what to check out. There was also an old credit card that may have belonged to his father. He had gotten it from one of his things mama had preserved. Mama kept quite a lot of things belonging to his father till he had grown up, then she had handed them over to him. It had been very thoughtful of her, because, at least, he had gotten a brief glimpse into his father’s life. For instance, from a diary his father kept, he had come to know that his father liked women, and that there was this great treasure whose trail he believed he was already on.

There was a bunch of complimentary cards, tell-tale signs of his lifestyle. He went on shopping every so often and hardly in the same place, the direct effect of having a fashion-crazed model of a girlfriend. There were also one hundred and eighty six Dollars inside his wallet. Kaila thought again of the exchange rate between the Dollar and a Quinta. He would have loved to do some shopping for what to wear. He could not keep having Virgill find him what to wear. But how was he going to get money. He did not own a credit card, and he was not sure there was any Citibank in Atlantis.

Well, that would have to come into his discussion with Igor later in the day. Maybe, it would be a good time to call Elizabeth about the time out. A trip to the shopping malls of Atlantis for wherever else she wanted to go.

Soon, Kaila stepped into the bedroom and headed straight for the breakfast, which by virtue of the time was to become lunch. The tea was almost cold and so was the scrambled egg and toast. The temperature however, did not in any way, tamper with the tastiness of the food. Kaila helped himself to most of the meal, most of which he had never tasted. There was a jar of creamy trifle and oddly shaped vegetables that tasted more or less like celery. There were other things that Kaila could not find appropriate names for, but tasted them no doubt.

After the meal, he thought of taking the tray back to the kitchen. Problem was, he did not know where the kitchen was. Maybe, he could take the plate to the dining area. From there he knew he could find his way. He had seen the three fairies coming from one of those doors, the one on the right. If only he could place himself the way, he had sat for dinner, the previous night.

Driven by a sense of adventure more than a need for the undue necessity of saving the maids, fairies, or whoever brought the food some energy and time for other things. Kaila gathered up the tray together with the leftovers and headed for the door.

The door creaked open on its own and slammed shut after Kaila exited the room. The lobby was dimly lighted though the patterned walls and arched pillars were somewhat very bright and loudly audible, though; there was a grave silence about. Kaila admired the glossy tiles and the golden vase or casement that held either flowers or sculptured images.

In the middle of the lobby was a large star-shaped light crystal embedded within the tiles. The ends of the stars pointed to two short and broad hallways. The hallways seemed like conduits to the different rooms and studies of the C. Palace’s most hallowed inhabitants. One of those rooms Kaila knew belonged to both Virgill and Igor, or did they use separate rooms?

Kaila looked at the hallway directly opposite the one he was coming from. Some form of excitement began to build within him. He did not know why but the room that was pouring out some measure of light into the dim hallway seemed to attract him. Was it because it was not locked, he could not tell, but he knew he wanted to check it out. In fact, he wanted to check out every room in C. Palace, though what he was really looking for, he did not know.

But he could not do any of those things with the tray in his hands. Right, he had to get to the kitchen first, via the dining hall he believed. Kaila sighed and retraced his weary steps of the previous night back to the dining hall.

He had barely stepped into bright dining room when Phylie the fairy came wheezing towards him.

“Master cannot carry the plates.” She shouted at him. “Useless, useless fairly, me, useless fairy!”

“Oh thanks!” Kaila exclaimed as the translucent creatures swooped down and snatched the tray from his hands. The tray was obviously heavier than she was and soon began to pull her downwards. Kaila shot forth his hands instinctively to help but the fairy swerved away almost tumbling over in the process.

“Amphye! Scarvie!” She yelled. “Where are these lazy scoundrels!”

Two handsome but roguish looking young fairies that looked pretty much alike, bolted into the room. They seemed as bright as any crystal of light in the dining hall and there was something like gold dust all over them. They took the trays away from Phylie and headed straight for the door without as much as casting a glance at Kaila.

“Look at you two! See the mess you’ve made of this new box gown!” Phylie shouted after them. “I’ll tell Guynie, you should stop chasing those poor teeny midgets.”

Kaila immediately guessed the relationship between the twin fairies and Phylie. Especially, the way she kept looking at the door moments after they had disappeared. Amphye and Scarvie were her sons.

A moment later Phylie turned, she was slightly embarrassed at the short rapture. “Sorry Master Mintel, Please do not think badly of us.”

“Why? No, no, not at all!” Kaila said shaking his head.

Phylie looked a little more reassured and brightened up a bit. “Anything you need master?” She asked, her disproportionate eyes turning round.

“Nothing Phylie.” Kaila said reaching forth to stroke Phylie’s hair gently.

Phylie blushed, glowing bright pink. She was once again her giggling self. But then, there was a loud noise, like that of something exploding.

“Sir Ben!” Phylie shouted fiercely and turned to leave. “I surely will have the Suprema call in the hunters.”

There was a second noise and Kaila could see Phylie turn a vivid red. She breezed towards the door, cursing beneath her breath.

Whoever Sir Ben was, Kaila knew Phylie did not approve of him so much. Well, here was his chance to get to that room. Who knows, the noises might attract everyone down to wherever it was coming from. He only hoped it was not the particular room he was going towards.

The door was still open when Kaila got there. He slipped in and closed the door behind him. When he turned his eyes, elation washed over him in a giant flood. The room was definitely a study, an infirmary, and a museum all combined. Kaila knew he will definitely find something in it. But what was he really looking for? He was soon ripped out of his thought by the movement of a pearly figure. It was paler than a fairy and too translucent to be human.

He had seen several of the creatures at the cylindrical hall, where the glass elevator was. But he had not yet known what they were, spirit was his sure bet.

The figure was the size of a human being, and its head was hidden within the wall. It seemed the creature was looking out the other side of the wall and making a peculiar low guttural noise that was quite irritating. “Phew! That was close.” The figure mouthed and turned. It took the figure a few moments to notice Kaila who was rooted where he stood; beside the door. The pearly eyes seemed very sharp, as they fine-tuned their focus within the misty socket.

Kaila exhaled sharply. The figure was that of a Caucasian man, British, if his bizarre eighteenth century outfit was anything to go by. With a black court coat over a bloodstained white frilly shirt, and a white wick, Kaila guessed the figure must be a noble of some sort.

“And who are you?” The figure asked, walking majestically towards Kaila.

“I’m Kaila Maentel.” Kaila replied with a measure of indignation.

“Oh come on, don’t be scared. The mighty Sir Benedict Etherington is not as devilish as they say.” There was a heavy British accent to the words.

Sir Ben! The name registered in Kaila’s mind. “I’m not scared Sir Ben. Or, have I any reason to be?” Kaila implored.

“People need no reason to be scared of Poltergeists my friend.” Sir Ben said curtly then turned to something that looked like a tree. The fruits of the tree were fluorescent yellow orbs. “And what have we here?”

Kaila’s eyes followed the poltergeists. He wondered what kind of tree that was, and if the fluorescent fruits were edible. But what would a living tree be doing in someone’s study? And more importantly, whose study was it?

“This place’s got too much airable stuffs, should be real fun.” Sir Ben said happily, going towards the tree.

“This wouldn’t happen to be your study, would it?” Kaila asked.

Sir Ben ignored the question and when he rose from the base of the tree, he was crestfallen. “I wish my study was this orderly.” He said resignedly. “It used to be though, back in the days when I was still Lord of Northumberland. Heard of Northumberland boyo, haven’t you?”

“Sure.” Kaila nodded, he was not sure it was a good idea to say no.

“Heard of the great Lord Benedict and his eight hundred men. The very same that defeated King Eduard and his men at the battle of Greengale.” Sir Ben said demonstrating.

Kaila did not know what to say to this.

“I’m out of here boyo. You can book an appointment to come see me if you find the Balkan woman.” Sir Ben said. “And I wouldn’t mess with anything if I were you. It’s the Suprema’s study.” He added and glided out of the room through the wall.

Why did it even excite him that he was in Igor’s secret study? Kaila wondered as he tore his eyes from the part of the wall where Sir Ben had disappeared from.

Well, thanks for the tip Sir Ben. He did not actually intend on mess with things, he intended on exploring nobly. But where could he start, there were so many interesting objects and gadgets in the room. However, none possessed the strange magnetism than the tree with its glowing fruits.

Kaila turned towards it; he found something like a date printed on it. There was nowhere of it being edible! He let his eyes slide down to the foot of the tree, there was a golden plaque posted there. ‘Tree of Memories. Igor Fleming’. Igor Fleming’s memories! Kaila took a deep breath, he could learn so much from them. Problem was, he did not know how to key in to them.

He returned to the fruits and their engravings. They were all Roman dates, if only Malena were there to interpret the dates. She was very good at them.

Kaila tried closing his eyes while touching the fruits, nothing happened. He did not give up though, he repeated the process with all the fruits he could find. Perhaps, one of them was open.

He might have gone round, because, when he opened his eye again, he saw another tree. The tree did not have as much fruits as Igor’s and had no labeling plaque. Kaila wondered who owned it. Could be Virgill’s, or anybody else. He closed his eyes and repeated the contact process with the fruits of that tree too. Nothing happened still, but he noticed a certain feeling when he touched each fruit. Could be the overall theme of each memory? He was experiencing this great elation associated with conquest from the fruit he was touching.

Maybe not the memories right away, but there was still a lot more to explore in the room. Kaila marched onto the long brassy telescope which he believed must be capable of some impossibilities than those on earth. Who knew, it might be able to yield the Heavenly community. He could not manipulate it though, so he left it in peace. He heeded the beckon of the two conjoined machines that looked more like enlarged egg beaters. There was a label on the machine; it read “ScaletonTM. Find and Fix the Skeleton of your world.” Interesting!

Kaila hit the ‘Start’ button and the machine began to turn at a threatening speed. After a while, it began to spew very thick grayish fumes. Kaila slammed the ‘Stop’ button. He remembered what Sir Ben told him and smiled. So much for a Poltergeist advising a human on mannerly behavior.

Kaila stopped short. There was no chance that he was imagining those threadlike webs that had just appeared and disappeared. Was it really true that the world had invisible skeleton-like support, which kept it from collapsing? He was tempted again to punch the ‘Start button’, but he had to fight the urge. A world with skeleton was one of the last things on his mind at the moment. He had too many questions and who knew if the answers were in this room, and who knew how long he still had within the room. Igor may not have gone far.

Next stop was at a slowly moving model of the world, some labeled, most not. There was the Andromeda, Cartwheel, Cigar, Pinwheel, Sombrero, Sunflower, Milky way, etc, The Milky way was more elaborate than the rest, and with about sixteen named and unnamed planets. There was Atlanto just beside the earth and planets Kaila had never heard of before; Paulta and Catherine. And the two planets in addition to Atlanto were rotating around the sun in anti-clockwise direction.

Kaila knew that Atlanto must be the planet containing Atlantis. What made him so sure was the small size of the planet in comparison to earth. Muriel had said that the place was one quarter the size of the earth. In addition, the atmosphere was marine blue, exactly like the Atlantean sky.

A particular space just after the Asteroid belt caught Kaila’s attention. It seemed something had been removed from there. Kaila closed his eyes and stretched forth his hands and felt it. It was rough and irregular, but try as he may, he could not picture it. Yet in comparison with the planets, it was only half as huge as Atlantis and even its slow erratic movement seemed purposeful.

Kaila opened his eyes; there was still nothing in that space, at least not to the sense of sight. He had to move on though. Next was a very tall bookshelf that was made up mostly of a reddish metal and glass. Before he reach the bookshelf however, he caught sight of a brassy table with a particularly interesting object on it.

Kaila veered towards the table. The object on it looked like a large silver snail shell. Two plate-like structures projected from the outer part of the mouth end, and on one of these plate-like structures was fitted one of the fruits from the memory tree. The tail part of the object projected a small screen which was displaying the date on the memory fruit III Nondes of August 900 BC.

Could the object be some sort of a time travel machine? Only one way to find out. Kaila stretched forth his hand and placed it on the second plate-like structure. Suddenly, he felt a pulling sensation at his feet. The screen resolved to statics and a part of the shell began to rotate at great speed. Kaila felt himself being bodily sucked into the mouth of the shell. Then, he saw nothing else but blackness and void. It was like he was being squeezed through a very tight tube-like space.

After some body racking seconds, the tightness eased. He then felt himself falling gently from a bright sky, as if suspended by a parachute. Soon, his legs hit a shoveled up soil, within a small wheat farm, just behind a man. The man was clad in poorly knitted sack cloths which appeared to be soaked in sweat. He was sharpening a clumsy looking metal, which Kaila guessed was what he was using to harvest the sheaves of wheat beside him.

Kaila noticed the man freeze, he knew the man had felt him. He shifted backwards and at the same time, the man jumped up, turning round to face him. The curvy metal was pointed directly at him and the man was murderously cross.

“Who are you?”

Kaila noticed that the language was not English, even though he understood it as well. He did not respond immediately, what if the man did not hear English. In fact, if it was true that he was in the 900BC, then English had not yet developed.

“Who are you?” The man asked again, getting angrier.

Kaila knew the man could strike him any minute with the metal. He wondered if it would affect him, considering the fact that he was not really there. He had been teleported there by a time turning machine. But he knew he had to say something, he could communicate with the man. If he could hear what the man said, maybe, he could speak it.

“I am Kaila Maentel.” He started

Kaila saw the man’s tensed face relax, and his grip loosen on the metal. It seemed the man noticed something as he suddenly dropped the metal to the floor.

“From?”

“Oh,” Kaila thought, which civilization existed in the 900BC. He really had to find a very convincing place. It flashed across his mind. The native Indians! He was not sure though, if they lived during the 900BC or if the people from other places knew about them. “The American Indians.” Kaila drooled.

“Oh, the Indies!” The man exclaimed, then rushed to Kaila. “You are welcome my friend... Come along, I was about to going home. The Wiccan Council might have already started.”

The Wiccan Council, Kaila thought. He had never heard of such. But it seemed they were expecting a delegation from the Indies. What if the real delegation showed up? Well, till that time came, he had to act as that delegation. And he knew it was not going to be easy. He might have to tell lies all through to wiggle himself round the memory. That was actually the problem with lying. No great lie ever comes alone, it comes in company. The more convincing it is, the more the companions... But was this how travelling through time was supposed to be? He often thought that people who travelled back in time only acted as passive observers, and not a part of the memory. Maybe, he was wrong.

“...Priam? Enga? Come gather these sheaves.” The man was saying as he retrieved the metal and a skin bag. From the skin bag he produced a pod-like flask, untied its mouth and took a swig, then tossed the flask back into his skin bag.

Two young men appeared from the wheat hedge. They gathered the harvested wheat, and tied them together with straw-like strings. They were both dressed like their employer and showed a mixture of surprise and awe at seeing Kaila.

“So nice of your King to finally send a delegation to the Wiccan Council.” The man commented.

“We love to take our time.” Kaila responded.

“How did you come Mr. Maentel?” The man asked.

“I flew.”

“Ah, where’s your broom? And your wand. I love to see the works of the Indian Magic ware makers.”

Kaila noticed the workmen behind the man looking up at him from their work. He knew that his interrogator was a wizard and he had just passed himself as one. Now he had to find a real good reason for the absence of such necessary wizard travelling objects. He looked up at the man and smiled. “You ask too many questions Mr....”

“Eliam.” The man supplied. “Eliam Panderus.”

“Okay Mr. Panderus, we don’t exactly fly by broomsticks.”

“You apparated through such great distance?” Eliam exclaimed in awe.

“We are actually skilled in a different form of transport, which the wizarding world is yet to know of. It is much like apparition, but different, in that, it makes use of a realm beyond this one you see. Much like walking through a door... You open the door, let’s say, in the Indies for instance, then you walk through the door, and you are here. Then you close the door back.”

“Just like this notion of going from realm to realm, which our scientists have been considering?”

“Yes.” Kaila replied and decided to forge on before Eliam took him unawares again. “And the wand; we don’t exactly carry wands again, that’s ancient. We are now inserting wand chips into the brain and minds of witches and wizards alike. So a wizard’s mind and brain can do whatever a wand can do. As of now, wand carrying is only for underage wizards and witches, and solely during training sessions. In the next few years we believe wand carrying will become a forgotten legend in the Indies.”

Eliam was listening to Kaila with great awe. It occurred to Kaila that Eliam must have been hearing many high tales about the Indies. Well, Kaila thought, he was definitely in line, and more than that, he had captivated Eliam. He had the Advantage now.

Kaila watched on as Eliam slowly brought out what seemed like a stick from his pocket. Kaila knew what it was; a wand. He was slightly afraid. What if Eliam did not believe a word of what he said? What if the young man cast a spell on him now?

“Let me see it.” Kaila said stretching forth his hands.

Eliam handed the wand over, with a measure of shame on his face. He certainly was not proud of the wand.

Kaila turned the wand in his hands. He knew quite a bit about magic, and wandlore in particular. He knew that a wand was made up of two major components; the wood and the inner core material. He knew that Wandmaking was a specialty that only few wizards could manage. For one the wand maker must be able to find the connection between the wood to be used and the material for the core. Then, he must also be able to measure out the length of the wood that will give maximal effect with a given amount of core material. After that, both materials are passed through a kind of wizard flame that knits the materials together, making it one magical entity, with a heart to chose and reject its owners.

“Core must be dragon’s beard.” Kaila said the first thing that came to his mind. He knew he was wrong.

“Eagle’s tail feather.” Eliam corrected.

“Feels as strong too. You really must pledge full allegiance to her so you’ll be able to get the best out of her. You know that, right?”

Eliam nodded.

“Too bad, we are forbidden by a living decree, not to do magic outside the Indies... except under life-threatening situations. I would have thought her some new tricks.” Kaila said returning the wand to Eliam.

Eliam inspected the wand briefly, then, pocketed it.

“Aren’t we going to be late for the Wiccan Council?”

“Priam, make sure the wheat is well packed, then have them brought to the barn.” Eliam said and turned to Kaila. “Come Mr. Maentel, let me go home and clean up first.”

Kaila followed Eliam down the hillside. As they emerged from the cover of some trees, Kaila could see a spread-out sprawl of rounded houses made out of wood.

“Welcome to the city of Cambria!” Eliam said and led Kaila round a beaten track between some mulberry bushes down to the foot of the hill and towards the houses.

From the foot of the hill, Kaila could make out the buildings better. They were separated into groups by wooden fences on top of earthen embankments. The embankments were surrounded by ditches, which were closely guarded by thick thorns. Within the fences, four or five thatched houses stood at considerable distances from one another.

Kaila followed Eliam towards one of the fences. He could not tell what material held the fence together, or how they were made with such geometric precision.

Meanwhile, Eliam was enjoying Kaila’s mixture of confusion and admiration. He was throwing his arms wider and wider, asking questions about the lush golden temples of the Indies and their fabricated houses.

Kaila answered him mostly with short monosyllabic words. He knew the man was busy making comparison in his mind. He did not need to worry though, because, Kaila felt the houses were too high tech for a 900BC dwelling.

Eliam swung open the gate, which was made of metal, and they both passed through. Kaila waited for Eliam to lock the gate, then, lead him toward his own house. A few moments on, Eliam was smiling as he led him towards the most central of the five houses. Kaila could see sheep lazing about, and cockerels doing mock wrestling. It was the house however, that captured Kaila’s attention. For a 900BC house, it was really sophisticated.

The most interesting feature of the house was the door. It was not wooden, but metallic with Copper-forged door knobs. The roof was covered with a kind of whitish wax-like material. The walls were rings of oak posts, that were bridged by what appeared to be wattle. In addition, the wattles were filled with daub.

Eliam pushed open the door and Kaila followed him inside. He was still observing Kaila out of the corner of his eyes.

“Nice house you’ve got here Eliam.” Kaila complemented and he was not lying. The inner wall seemed layered and there was a small space between the roofs and the topmost end of the wall. Some of the walls of the room were actually made of a kind of woven wicker. The floor was made of polished flint, and some parts were overlaid with mats of woven rushes.

A bee-hive shaped hearth stood to one end of the room, and there were about two cane chairs and tripod-legged table. On the walls were oil-painted images that did not show much resemblance to whoever was being painted. A parchment patterned like a calendar hung beside them.

“Olera? We have a visitor!”

Kaila heard someone running forth and back behind the wicker.

“In the headroom dear.”

A young boy of about six burst through the wicker and ran onto Eliam who scooped him readily into his arms.

“Wyllam, Wyllam, you took care of mummy?

The boy nodded.

A young woman came into the room too, from where Wyllam had entered. She was quite beautiful and may have showed too much skin in her short wool gown. Eliam kissed her curtly and then turned her to meet Kaila.

“This is Kaila Maentel from the Indies.” Eliam introduced.

“Welcome sir.” Olera mouthed.

“Thank you,” Kaila replied bowing to her.

“Now Wyllam, go meet uncle.” Eliam said setting Wyllam on his feet. Wyllam ran to Kaila and Kaila scooped him up. “Why don’t you get him some mead dear, while I wash up.”

Eliam passed through another opening, while Olera still took the one she used to come in. Kaila was left alone with Wyllam.

The boy just did not stop looking at his face until Kaila felt quite uncomfortable. “Come on Wyl, let’s check out grandpa.” He carried Wyllam to the paintings and began pointing them out, one by one to the boy.

A few awkward moments passed, the boy was either too shy to use his own voice or had not yet learnt how to speak. Olera re-entered the headroom with a large horn, filled with a kind of foamy liquid.

“That’s Panderus Eliabes. Eliam’s father.”

Kaila nodded smiling; of course, he could see the resemblance in the distorted image. In fact, the picture to him was nothing other than a borderless caricature.

“Here Mr. Maentel.” She said handing Kaila the horn of mead. “Most people believe the taste is found in one all-consuming sip.”

Kaila accepted the drink gratefully, he was sure, he was not going to like it. He took a sip; the thing was just too gingerly and bitterly sweet for him. No wonder most people consume everything at once. Kaila however, made sure the lines of distastefulness appearing on his face after sipping the mead resembled those of pleasure.

“It is Eliam’s best.” Olera commented as she watched Kaila smack his lips. “If you’ll be staying long, I’ll be glad to make you a few jars to take back to the Indies.”

A few jars indeed! He caught Olera’s imploring gaze and understood that her last statement was actually a question. A question he had no answers for. Well, there was only one thing to do then, steer away the course of the discussion.

Kaila pointed to the picture beside Eliabes.  “Who’s that?”

“That’s Ilac, Warlock of the Druidery Council, and heir apparent to the Panderus’ throne of fortune.” Olera explained. “He’s the eldest of the five Panderus disproportionate family, and the most arrogant of men.”

Kaila did not know if he had asked for that much information, or if it was even necessary.

“Beside him is Wyllam Panderus, the greatest of men, and the bravest of the Xylan Warriors.” Olera said, blinked heavily, and sniffed. “He’s with the gods now. But I wish the gods would find means to keep good men longer than their time.”

Stop it! Kaila imploded, the woman was on the verge of tears and the information was not even necessary.

“The lady over there is Viola, a priestess of the Dina Temple.” Olera went on. “And next on the family trail is Nym, wife of the great Eramus.”

Olera did not talk about three other portraits grouped a little further from the Panderus family. Of course, it had to be she, Eliam and Wyllam junior.

“Perfect family, isn’t it?” She commented. “Except for one black spot.”

Kaila knew exactly what she meant. The Panderus from what she said sounded like a great family and it would be unheard of, that the family also included a wizard. It meant Eliam would be some sort of an outlaw where the family was concerned. That is, if they may not have already tried to kill him outrightly.

Talk about the devil! Eliam was already in the headroom. He was clad in pale yellowish dress robes with white frills. He also had on, a pointed sack hat and held his wand in his hand.

“Set already.” Olera said turning. “I was just introducing Mr. Maentel here to the Panderus family.”

“You were?” Eliam returned in a voice that echoed many years of displeasure. “If you could pass me my satchel Ole.”

Olera turned to a high stone slab and picked up a small satchel that was woven from rushes.

Kaila set Wyllam down. “Time to go pal, hope we meet again.”

Wyllam nodded and ran to his father.

“You’ll take care of mummy again, right?” Eliam asked.

Wyllam nodded again.

“Here dear.” Olera had finished dusting the small satchel. “If Mr. Maentel isn’t going back today. I could prepare the other room.” She offered.

“That would be for Mr. Maentel to say. But in any case, the meeting is meant to last three days.” Eliam said challenging Kaila with his eyes to refuse.

“Well, see you soon Olera.” Kaila said turning out the mead in one swig. “The mead is good.” He managed through a contorted face and dropped the horn on the table.

“We’re off then, see you dear.” Eliam said, pushed the door open and led Kaila outside.

Outside the gate, they met Priam and Enga and four other young men. They were returning from the farm with a basketful of wheat each.

Eliam meted out further instructions to the men, before leading Kaila toward the somewhat crowded street.

They passed through what looked like a Market place and Eliam seemed to be quite popular. Kaila received a good number of gazes and he knew, it was because of the way he dressed. He was also aware that Eliam was confiding in some people he exchanged greetings with that Kaila was from the Indies.

It was not long before Kaila noticed someone following them. The person was dressed like himself and he was not sure anyone else apart from himself could see the person. Wait a minute! That was Igor Fleming, it was him!

“Come on Mr. Maentel, we are almost there.” Eliam said and increased his pace.

Kaila was not following; he was looking at Igor who had stopped following.

“What is it?” Eliam said following Kaila’s gaze with his eyes. He grabbed his wand and pointed it in Igor’s direction. “Revela inata!”

Kaila held his breath; even Igor did not move a muscle.

“There’s nothing there.” Eliam concluded.

“No, nothing,” Kaila lied. “I was just trying to remember an old spell.”

“They say spells comes to a wizard as he needs them.” Eliam consoled.

“I might never need that spell.” Kaila held.

“Then trust me, you are better off without it. Come on we are here.”

Kaila could not see anything. “High Fregale Fort on Brandon Hill. To man must hide, to wizards reveal.”

Eliam was enchanting, pointing his wand ahead. Nothing happened immediately but then Kaila heard the grating of chains and then a thunderous voice.

“What keep I at Trenchan Hall?”

“The reddened tomb of great Lipidius.” Eliam answered.

A huge fort castle appeared before them. It was bounded by huge walls and a black gate with moving monstrous faces baring their teeth and snapping them at both Kaila and Eliam.

Kaila was somewhat afraid. What on earth was he doing here? What answers would this yield him? He turned to look at Igor who motioned him to face forwards.

“Name.” A deep voice called.

“Eliam Panderus, Cognate of Cambria.”

“Kaila Maentel, delegation from the Indies.”

“Indies? First timer! Ope’!”

The huge monsters roared pouring hot air on both Kaila and Eliam. The monster’s mouth remained open and Eliam nudged Kaila.

“Come, we don’t want to be late now.” Eliam said stepping into the mouth of the gate’s monsters.

Kaila held his breath and followed suit. Within minutes, his foot hit hard ground. He was inside a very beautiful stone-cast castle made out of a huge cave. The walls were patterned with stones of different colors and water fountains spurted water everywhere except the walkway.

At the door into the great house, a wizard dressed in similar fashion to Eliam walked up to welcome them. He presented them with something like a tag in the form of a toadstool. The tag had their names printed on it and posted itself to their breast pocket without any fastener.

Belgare or whatever Eliam called his name was not a very pleasant person. He kept on howling about someone who had mistakenly stepped on his foot. And he kept on wishing his trap had caught some Haggis.

Of course, Kaila did not know what Haggis were, but from the way Eliam rebuked Belgare, he suspected Haggis to be humans.

Belgare too could not see Igor, he even passed through him. But how come, they could see him? Kaila mused. “Go ahead without me!” Kaila practically shouted to Eliam as they neared a dark hallway Kaila supposed would be leading to the meeting hall.

“What?” Eliam shouted back. Music from the hall was making communication difficult.

“I’ll join you soon.” Kaila said pointing to the front of his trouser.

“Oh, that way.” Eliam piped pointing to a door on the left.

Kaila turned towards the door and motioned for Igor to follow him.

Igor did not use the door; he gained access to the room through the wall. Kaila shut the door once Igor was in.

“I want to know what’s going on?” Kaila rasped.

“You speak Gaelic too. I mean I’ve been learning the language for hundreds of years now, and I still can’t speak it as fluently as you do right now.” Igor said.

Kaila had not noticed until now that he had been communicating throughout in Gaelic. He looked up at Igor, a pearly image like Sir Ben. There was a small notebook in his hand. “What’s that?” He asked.

“A book. Just a precaution. It is believed that people were lost in memories for years in the early days of the time warp machines. So scientists came up with theories that carrying at least an item from the present time could help people return to their time whenever they wished. Especially when immigrating into memories that span months or even years.”

Kaila took some time to digest what Igor had just told him. Actually, that wasn’t the answer he needed at the moment. “Igor?” He called in an uncertain tone.

Igor looked up.

“I mean, is this how time travel was meant to be? Am I supposed to be seen?”

“No, but there have been exceptions.”

“Exceptions with cross-breeds like me?”

“I knew only one other all my life.”

“A cross-breed like me?”

“Not exactly like you. But this is not the place or the time Kaila.”

Kaila knew Igor was trying to deflect, but in truth, inside someone’s memory was never the right place for anything.

“Kyle, even for a cross-breed, you are still a big puzzle. Come on, you don’t stray too far from the source of the memory.”

“That would be Eliam?”

“Yeah.”

“If I’ll be attending that meeting, then I’ll be required to make contributions.” Kaila argued.

“Depends. Who did you tell Eliam you were?”

“Kaila Maentel, from the American Indians, and he thought I said I was from the Indies.” Kaila explained.

“Excellent, you won’t have to say anything. Singh Akram has refused to send delegations to the Wiccan Council since inception. So if you are asked to contribute, tell them Singh Akram only wanted you to come and observe what they do at the Wiccan Council. Come, the meeting began once Eliam arrived.”

Kaila felt somewhat strange and a little scared as he walked towards the meeting hall. Igor was floating on the air behind him, and smiled every time Kaila turned to look at him.

The heavily pattern doors swung open as Kaila approached it, and Kaila stepped into one of the strangest conference room he had ever been in his life.

Thirty to forty humans and animal-like creatures were seated around a seemingly moving table, though nothing on the table was moving.

Above the table, a fire formed the word “THE WICCAN COUNCIL. FOR ALL HUMANITY.” The fire kept changing from blue, through green, yellow to red.

There was an empty seat to Eliam’s right. Kaila took it, he would have wished that they had not noticed his entrance, but every eye in the room, every orb that stood in front of the faces was trained at him. Even the white-beard man he suspected to be presiding over the meeting had stopped in the middle of a speech and given him an approving nod.

“...And may I present to you all, a delegation from our newest ally, The Indies.” The white beard man said waving his wand proudly in the air.

Kaila stood up and bowed as everyone applauded. He wondered why the white-beard wizard used the word, ‘newest ally’. Was it that Akram had already agreed to send in a delegation, and they were perhaps, on their way? Well, he had to play that role until they arrived.

After the applause died down, Kaila cleared his throat and said “I bring you warm greetings from Singh Akram and the beautiful witches of the Indies.”

Everyone laughed and clapped again, while Kaila re-took his seat.

“Well, you are most welcome to this emergency D-37 meeting of the Wiccan Council.” The white-beard man said. Kaila realized that what had been obscuring the man’s face was actually smoke from his black cigar.

Igor drifted into view opposite Kaila. Kaila looked up at him.

“Don’t look!” Igor shouted at him.

Kaila looked around, in case anyone heard Igor. No one had, so he looked back down at his own table. There was a small card in front of him. The card bore his name, “The Indies” and below was a written interpretation of what was being said within the room. The writing was in a language Kaila did not understand, and guessed it must be a language used in the Indies.

“For the sake of our friend from the Indies, I think we will recap what’s we’ve said so far.” The White beard wizard begun after a brief awkward silence. Kaila was still getting a number of glances, especially from the human-like creatures. “Mr. Maentel, it is now public knowledge that the Island of Atlantis is no more...”

There was a little murmur among the delegates.

“...It is such an unfortunate event and the primary reason we are gathered here. However, we have also received some disturbing news from the land of the Nubians. Stories of the fiery death of thousands of men, women, children of both the Magical and Non-magical community. These incidents have been linked to a half man, half beast creation of years of covert experimentations by one of our own, Eider Mosenge. We have reasons to believe that this creature is that prophesied about ages ago by the priestess Cordate.”

There was some muffled noise from behind one of the doors. Most wizards on the table trained their eyes towards it, but the white-beard wizard kept his attention on the felt material he was sifting through.

“And also from the far East,” The white-beard man indicated some oriental looking humans. “We’ve just learnt that the operations of the fox masters, has become powerful enough to terrorize both the Wizarding and Non-Wizarding communities. Their experimentations on Magnetic fields, Time Warping, and Compartmentalization are becoming life threatening. In fact, I believe that those people found in mass graves all around the world are casualties of this madness.”

The white beard man swept the entire table with his piercing glance. The noise from the door filtered in again.

“Need I remind everyone here that the foundations of this world, depends heavily upon the balance of nature. Any alteration of such we all know, will lead to involution of the earth. This will not only cause the extinction of the Non-Magical community, but also that of the Magical community...” he paused. “What pains my heart the most is that most of the things we now do, are to inflict harm and pain on the Non-Magical Community. Our Mother Akereles taught us that it is not good to meet tyranny with tyranny, or cruelty with more. Our continued existence in this world is tied to that of all men, magical or not.” He swept the table again “I know some would say here that Atlantis deserves what it got, but I can confirm to you that despite the persecutions, twenty percent of the Atlantean community were witches and wizards...” He paused again. “I only hope that we can learn to see that humanity goes beyond ourselves, or those who are by blood or character near to us. Humanity is an all-embracing theme, and it should not be based on the reward systems of this world... Forrar please, if you will present your report.”

“Thank you Auncar.” A short ugly wizard, with thick wools for clothing mouthed after clearing a very dry throat.  He rose from the table and walked towards one end of the room. A small rectangular misty mirror was hung against the wattle wall.

The mist soon cleared from the mirror and a very dark mass underwater came into focus. Forrar hit his wand against the mirror, and the mass zoomed outwards.

“As you can see my lord. This is all that remains of Atlantis.” The mass zoomed backwards to reveal the water above it. “A peat-like, dark, impassable mass that had already plugged the channel... And as you can see by these lines here...” He pointed to lines, which had suddenly appeared, and were connecting the mass to the sky. “The mass has already generated a magnetic field which is pulling on the atmosphere... I embarked on a quest to measure the force of this pull on the Pisces scale. The result is not good. In the next decade or so, that pull will lead to the collapse of that part of the atmosphere. That singular event can lead to a chain of events, which eventual result would be the earth destruction.”

“What are the recommendations?” One wizard who was already physically shaking asked from the end of the table.

“I’ve been thinking of something I know is not a particularly hot topic here-”

“What is it?” The white beard wizard asked.

“Antimatter.”

“Ridiculous!” One of the animal-like creatures rose. “Every form of experimentation on antimatter was banned in this very council decades ago.”

“My father was jailed for it!” The place was becoming noisy.

“Atten! Atten! Let’s hear what he has to say first.”

“My lord, I believe that that black mass is matter from the earth core. They are heavier than matters on the earth’s crust, and are responsible for the magnetic field. Actually, we can use antimatter to create an exact amount of what was lost to cover the core matter, and thus, counterbalance the pull.”

The wizards began to murmur again, getting louder. It seemed that everyone in that room had an undesirable experience with antimatter.

The white beard wizard was sunk deeper into his chair by thought, almost oblivious to the loud murmurs.

“We are talking about saving the world.” Forrar shouted. “In the next ten years, the world you know would be no more- Besides, what happened to poor Atlantis, probably, has to do with antimatter.”

The white beard wizard snapped out of his reverie.

“Antimatter?”

“Yes my lord.”

“Do you have any prove of this?”

“Not really-”

“Bring them in here Engame.” The white beard wizard commanded in a raised voice, waved his hand from side to side, and the door rattled open.

Three heavy looking wizards led in three other bound wizards.

The wizards at the table looked rather shocked. They began talking in low tones. “Antioch Mineseus? Amphyn?”

“Atten!” The white beard wizard shouted, his voice echoing in the room. The room became relatively quiet.

“This I believe will be as hard for you to swallow, as it had been for me. These are the men that were caught in relation to the disappearance of Atlantis. And you very well know them, they are members of this sacred council.” The white beard wizard said in a voice that said he had not yet gotten over the shock of such a realization.

The bound wizards did not look any remorseful. If anything, they looked happy, glad at their achievement.

“These men were found in the Bohecan forest, making very dark incantations upon some soil samples we now know came from Atlantis.” The smoke obscured his face once again. “Bring forth the exhibits.” He called forth, to one of the guarding wizards.

The wizard walked towards the table and dropped a leave-ful of sand and a badly burnt machine.

Everyone shifted closer to get a good look at the machine, some even stood. Even Forrar came closer.

“This is a Grans Mill my lord?” Forrar observed, “the last model developed by Pargus Grans.”

“Impossible!” The white beard man mouthed unknowingly. He was probably in another world.

“But all those machines were destroyed by order of this Council...”

“It is true, antimatter.” The white beard man still did not seem to have returned.

One of the bound wizards was finding the disbelief amusing.

“Mineseus, is this true? You experimented with the Mill.” The white beard man was referring to one of the bound men.

The man laughed out loud, his fellow conspirators joined him.

“You know, you are funny Arcen. You’re still talking of experimentations. We are through with that now, we are now gods. We’ve created a new world, out of the ruins of Atlantis.” Mineseus said proudly. He turned to look into the vacant faces of the wizards on the table. “Fellow Wiccannots, Arcen is an old blind wizard; he cannot lead us further than he can lead himself. Very soon, the non-magical community will find means to flush us out of our hiding places; we could at least build a world where we can live in. The science of Anti Matter is so vast, so useful that it is madness to have placed a ban on it.”

“What have you done Mineseus?” It was Arcen, who had sat up straight on the iron chair, as if a needle had just punctured him, the moment Mineseus begun to speak.

“I have created a new world.” He turned to his partners, “we have created a new world. And the people of this new world will know of the brave Antioch Mineseus, the charming Morpheus Amphyn, and the Artful Morgane Marto. The three gods in one-”

“This is treason! Treason against Humanity, and Nature.” Arcen swept through the delegates with his eyes, then turn back to Mineseus and his cohorts. “You are found guilty by this Council, guilty for treason. You deserve a lifetime imprisonment. Those in favour raise!”

Almost all the delegates raised their wands, Kaila raised an empty hand. Arcen took particular notice of it.

“As Wyllock of this sacred Council. I hereby sentence you to a lifetime imprisonment, to be carried out immediately.” Arcen intoned.

Mineseus or his men did not flinch or move a muscle at the mention of their sentence. It seemed they had been expecting it, or rather warming up to it.

Two men entered the room with leaf-covered plates. Kaila wondered what kind of life imprisonment could be carried out immediately.

The two men came to kneel before Arcen who pat them on the back. Probably, giving them a go-ahead.

Kaila turned to see the other wizards on the table. They were either in fear, or in deep concentration. Altogether, it was a sentence none of them would wish their worst enemy.

The two men removed the covering dry leaves to reveal livid green leaves and a golden bark.

“The leaf of Glateni...” Eliam mouthed beside Kaila. He was shaking his head.

Kaila leaned into him. “What are they?”

“The leaf of Glateni, the worst shackle there is in all the world. It does not bound the physical body, but the mind and soul. And only of those who are guilty of the offence for which they are charged.”

Kaila’s lips dropped unconsciously. A leaf that can detect guilt, and bound the mind and soul was not something to be toyed with.

“And the bark of Lymos gives immortality.” Eliam continued. “A Lymos tree is said to reveal itself to only one great wizard in each generation.” His eye fluttered towards Arcen and Kaila followed.

The men holding Mineseus, Amphyn and Marto had already forced the trio to their knees. They then squeezed a thick whitish liquid from the leaf of Glateni onto the golden bark. Small bubbles escaped as the liquid sizzled a little. The liquid turned golden, deep golden.

“Together, they form a substance called the Antema.” Eliam continued.

The men forced open the laughing mouths of the accused magically. Drops of Antema then plunged straight into their throats.

Some delegates at the table looked away.

Mineseus’ and Marto’s mouth stayed open for a while. Amphyn’s mouth had snapped shut once the Antema was in. The three accused wizards were stilled, then they began to writhe. There was a great turbulence within them and this was visible through their skin.

“Antema boils the blood, it tortures the body, soul, and mind-” Eliam looked down at the table as Mineseus, Marto, and Amphyn were bundled towards the door. “We believe that pain is the ultimate corrective force in the universe. It balances everything.”

Kaila managed to tear his eyes from the door, he had been shaken. The amount of pain he saw those three go through during those minutes was beyond comprehension. And only God knew how long they will have to go through that. He turned to Eliam. “But why Antema. The capital punishment would have been far better.”

“Death in itself Mr. Maentel achieves nothing.” Eliam turned to him. “Antema only breaks down on turning the heart from evil, and it doesn’t matter if it has to take Millennia for Antema to achieve that.” Eliam turned his voice into a loud whisper as Arcen cleared his throat to resume.

The door suddenly burst open and Belgare rushed in. He went straight for Arcen who did not look pleased at the unwarranted interruption. It had better be important; if not... his eyes seemed to be saying.

Belgare bent to his ears and whispered something.

An idea struck Kaila; he raised his eyes to where Igor was floating. Igor was nowhere to be found.

Eliam was still talking in whispers about the council being right by incorporating the Antema punishment, and how the Lymos tree chooses the Wyllock of Wicca.

Kaila heard the faint “...Petrificum.” He barely had time to see the blue beam of light travelling at ultraspeed towards him. Kaila was hit squarely on the chest.

A terribly cold sensation travelled up and down his body from his heart. He hit the floor and stayed there, fully petrified.

“It would appear we have an impostor among us.” Arcen announced.

“The eyes in the room flicked from Kaila to Arcen and back to Kaila.

Kaila could hear the shifting of many chairs. All the wizard might have risen to their feet, and they were coming towards him. And probably, all their wands might have been trained at him.

Above the noise, Kaila could hear some arguments.

“But the gates of Aebury has never been fooled!”

Kaila’s field of vision picked up a crowd of wizard. He saw them part as Arcen’s head came into view. Then Kaila could see a lot more of him and that his thick short wand preceded him. Kaila tried to close his eyes, but the eyes refused to close. He gave up and tried rolling them under his stony eyelids.

Arcen’s lips were moving and the end of his wand was already spitting out mixture of colour when Kaila blacked out. He was now expecting death.

It felt like he was moving. Kaila thought he was on his way to the land of the dead. He realized that his eyes were still open and that why he was not seeing was that where he was travelling through was dark and full of void. It was typical of the road to the afterlife, but Kaila knew he was not dead. Then, he was being stretched out and squeezed through a tube-like space.

Moments later, Kaila was gently lowered until his still petrified body hit hard floor. Not like the bony floor he had fallen earlier, but a tiled smooth floor. His eyes adjusted to the bright light and began to take in blurry features of Igor’s study.

Footsteps were here and there in the room, hurrying somewhere. Then, Igor’s face popped into view, there was a small vial in his hand.

Igor poured the liquid into Kaila’s mouth without permission. Kaila’s face suddenly contorted with displeasure and distaste. The liquid was horribly bitter and hot.

Kaila turned a questioning and grateful look at Igor as he tried each part of his body to see that it was free of petrifaction.

Igor helped him up before he spoke. “It is scented daffodil. I stole it from my father’s infirmary.”

Kaila wanted to ask Igor about his father, but stopped himself short. He knew he would be opening another can of questions. There were too many questions as it was, than there ever would be answers.

“So that’s how Atlantis came to be?”

“Yeah, but nobody knows this. I want it to stay that way.” Igor said looking serious.

“Sure.” Kaila nodded.

“Atlantis was sucked out of the earth into space. It is believed that when you drop something in space with antimatter, they usually form into spheres of matter with an atmosphere suitable for life. If this sphere of matter falls within the habitable belt of space. It can be inhabited by human beings and other living things. Fortunately for Atlantis, it fell right into place.”

Igor returned the memory back to the tree. Kaila found a nearby chair, his feet were still feeling stiff and unable to support him for longer periods of time.

“However, not everyone survived the impact of such sudden movement and formation. An estimated eighty percent of Atlanteans died during the process. In fact, it is only here in Atlas and Mineseus do you still find pure breeds from the earthly Atlantean kingdom. Xitt was formed by four wizards from Waikiki. They called it by an ancient name...” Igor trailed off as they both heard the footsteps.

A knock on the door, and without answer, the door swung wide to admit Virgill.

Igor was already half-way to the door.

“You’re not yet ready for the Olympiad?” Virgill threw at Igor. She brushed past him and was surprised to find Kaila. She was even more surprise to find Kaila physically tattered, bloody even.

“You guys were fighting or something?”

Kaila looked down, a bit guilty. He had come into the room without permission and had touched what he had no right touching.

Virgill waited for no answer. Of course, she knew none would come. She grabbed a piece of cloth from the brassy table. Then she dipped the cloth in a glass of water and began to clean the blood from Kaila’s mouth.

Kaila managed to tear his eyes away from her bosom when he noticed Igor looking. The closeness was suffocating him, and besides, Virgill was so elegantly dressed, the emerald satin was blinking inside his head.

“Are you guys aware that the game starts within the next twenty minutes?” Virgill asked, she moved from the side of the mouth to the temple.

“Just a moment more and we’ll be there.” It was Igor’s throaty voice.

“It better not be more.” Virgill dropped the piece of cloth and stomped out of the room.

Kaila kept his eyes trained at the door as Igor closed it.

“Women! Everything you want, nothing you need.” Igor said.

“Not agreed.” Kaila piped. “Igor, what happened to those accused wizards back at the council.”

“Amphyn and Marto died months later. But Mineseus has never been found since then.” Igor supplied looking concerned.

“What are the odds of that?”

“That he is still alive... If someone could ever overcome the power of Antema without dying, I cannot begin to imagine the possibilities open to such an individual.”

“What other properties are inherent in Antema?”

“They’ve never experimented on it apart from what they used it for. And unfortunately, the trail of Wyllocks appears to have ended with Arcen... I refer to the periods between Arcen and mine as the dark ages. There are no memories, no text to learn anything of them.” He gave Kaila a hand up. “The most worrisome fact is that Mineseus might still be alive.”

Kaila gave him a blank look that was more exaggerated by the closeness.

“Mineseus has the knowledge of antimatter, how to create a world. He also has Antema flowing in his blood. Only Heavens know what he’s been up to, over the centuries.”

“Why are you so certain he is alive?”

Igor turned a look at the model of the world; he seemed to be lost in it. Then, he turned back to Kaila. “I am a wizard Kaila and for a wizard, suspicion is as good a fact as smoke is fire. And I am also blessed with the spirit of discernment. I can feel it in my spirit that he is alive.

The pod-like communication object on the table gave some alert. Kaila had not yet noticed its presence.

Igor flipped it open, saw a disapproving Virgill and closed it back. “Come on, it’s the Supremese.”

Kaila followed him out dragging his permutative mind along.