The Enigmatic Spellcaster
842 Words
Belinda had risen unusually early that morning, a rarity that left Emily, her assistant, incredulous as she found her in the Seattle café. "What’s the occasion?" Emily exclaimed, her surprise plain.
Ignoring the question, Belinda got straight to the point. "The doctor called us in. Put down your breakfast; we leave now."
Emily, accustomed to Belinda's unpredictability, abandoned her half-eaten toast and followed her employer with practiced ease.
At the academy's infirmary, Dr. Parker led them to the three apprentices attacked by wolves. Standing taciturnly pale, his silence left them to discover the truth themselves.
Their attention first fell to Pete, whose superficial abdominal wound had healed completely—a feature Emily attributed to Belinda’s potion. But they soon moved to the other two, stunned into verification of what their eyes conveyed—yes, these were indeed Adam and Phoebe, who had miraculously regained their lost right arm and left leg.
Emily struggled to reconcile this with the memory of the injuries she had witnessed just three days before. She glanced at Belinda, who approached the two apprentices, her hand probing the areas where limbs had been restored.
Phoebe’s cheeks flushed with gratitude, "Was it you, Ms. Belinda, who healed us?"
Belinda merely smiled, refraining from response, yet Emily noted the pallor seeping into her face as they turned towards the office.
Behind closed doors, Belinda’s voice cut through the air, incisive and demanding, "Parker, what’s the story here?"
Parker met Belinda’s gaze with incredulity, shaking his head.
Emily sensed an unvoiced understanding shared between them, something significant she had yet to discern. Belinda paced with urgency, her fingers tousling silver strands as she contemplated, then suddenly laughed.
Her laughter drew their eyes back to her, intrigued by her murmured, "Astounding, simply astounding!"
Though Emily remained perplexed, Belinda finally explained, her face glowing with excitement, "You saw it, didn’t you, Emily?"
"They've regrown their limbs," Emily replied, the astonishment palpable.
"Exactly—a magic untethered by the Tower’s regulation, something entirely new. Neither I nor the Tower have encountered such magic!"
Emily’s shock deepened. She turned to Dr. Parker, who was wiping sweat from his forehead, understanding now his anxiety.
In their world, all magic was overseen by the Tower, and any arcane magic outside its jurisdiction was deemed dark, its users followers of the Shadow Goddess, punishable by death.
Parker, witness to such magic, should have reported to the Tower. Yet, doing so would unleash scrutiny on the academy, enveloping the headmaster, professors, and students in a widespread investigation.
Emily reasoned that if she could conceive such repercussions, surely Belinda could too. And yet, the professor seemed pleased.
Dr. Parker shared the surprise at Belinda’s demeanor, wondering if she had devised a strategy already. His question conveyed his reservations, "Ms. Belinda, how should we proceed with this?"
"Keep it under wraps. Tell no one," Belinda instructed.
"But if questioned about their limbs’ restoration?" Parker pressed.
Her response was sly, "Say it was Raphael."
Invoking Raphael, a figure who had transcended human limits and was beyond the Tower’s reach, was a tempting deception. Given the past relationship between Belinda and Raphael, none would question his appearance to aid elements connected to her life, diverting focus to their rumored rekindled romance.
Belinda knew well the improbability of Raphael’s involvement—the magic was utterly foreign to his style. But this wasn't Parker’s concern; he sought a discreet resolution to preserve the infirmary’s stability.
Thanking Belinda sincerely for her guidance, Parker bowed and excused himself.
Long after the door closed, Belinda’s smile lingered. Emily couldn’t withhold her inquiry, "Why do you smile?"
"I rejoice in discovering magic unshackled by regulation," Belinda replied.
Emily hesitated, "But Ms. Belinda, something so unregulated is perilous! Even if the mage used it to murder, they’d evade the Tower’s detection."
"Is regulated magic better? With every spell, the Tower logs every incantation from my very first day of learning magic—a truly terrifying notion," Belinda mused, glancing at her bracelet.
"Does it not concern you that our language might also be controlled, not just magic?"
"As a professor, the advantage is adversaries can’t touch me without substantial evidence. Plus, the privilege of having been loved by Raphael," she shrugged off with lightness.
Despite the force of her logic, Emily worried, "Still, your safety shouldn’t lead you to reckless paths."
"No, Emily. The more secure one's position, the greater the obligation to shield those truly endangered," Belinda countered, curtailing further debate.
A thought kindled in her mind, bright with anticipation, about the enigmatic spellcaster. "I yearn to meet this magic-user."
The laughter returned, contagious in its purity. Emily watched her senior with a newfound warmth, "You look like you did in those days with Raphael."
"Really?" Belinda chuckled, dismissing it as jest, yet privately confessing an inward flutter of admiration for the mysterious mage—a stirring akin to artisans’ mutual respect.
She envisioned the unknown figure and mused aloud, “Surely a gentle soul.”
Author’s Note: In the next chapter, Grandma Belinda (just kidding) meets James x
- Writer
