The Rite of Ascension | Realm of Magic 5
V. The Rite of Ascension
Over breakfast with her father, she brought up what she found to be the next logical step: actually being able to use her magic. Luckily, Ian didn't seem against it.
"Obviously, Dad, you can't just expect me to find out I'm a Spellcaster and be all 'oh, cool, not for me,'" Halle said, popping a grape into her mouth.
"Well, obviously," Ian echoed. "And I wouldn't ask that of you. From the first time you held a Henry Puffer wand replica, I knew you'd be a great witch someday. Even if it made me have the occasional meltdown."
"So," she said, dragging out the word a bit longer than necessary. "You're cool with it? I can have Margaux and Raph help me find my magic?"
Ian chuckled. "I'm cool with it." Halle beamed. "As long as you don't do anything to make me lose this magnificent hair while you're practicing."
Laughing, Halle stood up to take her plate to the sink. "It'll be gone before you know it, anyways," she said. "So, it's a deal."
Even Pugsley noticed the change in Halle. He sure did miss all of the pets and cuddles she used to give him before growing distant for what seemed like entirely too long.
After dressing in what she thought was a significantly I'm-ready-to-be-a-Spellcaster-esque outfit, Halle called Margaux. After filling her in on her conversation with her father and where her head was at now, Halle said the words she never thought she would say (in any sort of real life context, that is): "I'm ready to be a witch."
She was surprised when her friend let out a totally un-Margaux-like scream of excitement. "Yes! I knew it wouldn't take you too much longer." Halle could hear the smile on Margaux's face. "Meet me at the café." Without further details, Margaux had hung up.
"That settles that," Halle said to no one. "Let's do this."
***
When she arrived at the café, Halle's nerves had started to work overtime. She had no idea what to expect when it came to the process of tapping into her magic.
"You're sure you're ready?" Margaux asked.
Halle couldn't hold back her smile. "Yes," she said. "I'm so sure. I talked to my dad and he made me feel so much better about everything. That was the last piece I needed to be ready."
Margaux clasped her hands together and beamed. "Okay," she said. "This is so great. Raphael is meeting us in the realm; he'll help you with the Rite of Ascension. It's harmless, really, a scavenger hunt."
"Where are you going to be?" Halle asked. Margaux seemed to stiffen a bit at the question, but quickly regained her composure.
"It's like an independent study project," she said. "Lots of time in the library."
Halle still had questions -- she had so much she wanted to learn about the magic world -- but accepted this answer as truth and pushed it aside. She tried to get a bit more information about the Rite of Ascension, but Margaux was keeping her lips sealed.
"Trust me," she said. "It's a lot better to experience the whole thing not knowing what is coming. Take me and Raph. I went first, told him what it was like, and he was pouting for weeks because it was, quote, a complete snoozefest."
Halle laughed. "So what you're saying is... stop talking and get our butts to the portal?"
Margaux grinned, standing and holding her hand out to Halle. "Exactly."
***
Just as Margaux said he would be, Raphael was waiting for Halle's arrival. As for Margaux, well, she headed straight to the library (which Halle realized must be somewhere else in the realm because her friend took off in the opposite direction of the school).
"What all did she tell you?" Raphael asked, eyes shining with excitement.
"Pretty much nothing," Halle answered. "Just that the Rite is painless and it's better if you know as little as possible. Sorry she ruined yours, by the way." She smirked despite herself.
Raphael avoided the subject. Instead, he grabbed Halle's hand and headed towards the school's front doors. "After you get your instructions, meet me back out here," he said. "I'll help you, but you probably won't need it."
Before she knew it, they were in front of the stairs that would take Halle down into L. Faba's office, for lack of a better word (it was nothing like any office Halle had ever seen before). With one last squeeze of her hand, Raphael tilted his head towards the darkness below. Though it was not wholly uninviting, and she had been down there before, Halle's body seemed to defy her mind.
"Painless, right?"
Raph nodded. "I promise. You'll laugh after at how easy it was."
With a deep breath and a heavy gulp, Halle descended the stairs.
When she made it all the way down the staircase, Halle's stomach was entirely in knots. As she approached L. Faba, her body was at war with itself. Half of her wanted to retreat, to go back home and forget everything she had learned. The other half, the winning half, urged her forward.
The Sage was casting spells into the air, sparks flying off of the end of her wand. Her presence was stronger than before; Halle felt like she was being drawn towards the Sage, opposing magnetic poles.
Halle cleared her throat. "Hi again," she said. "Do you remember me?"
L. put down her wand and looked Halle up and down. "Halle," she said, smiling. "Of course I do. What brings you back so soon?"
Halle had a suspicion that L. already knew the answer.
"I talked to my dad. He told me the truth about my mom... about what I am." L. nodded encouragingly. "I'm ready," Halle continued. "I want to know what I'm capable of."
"Wise choice, young Halle. It's a simple process. I'll cast a spell that will give you a temporary power to see motes throughout the realm. Bring me seven of them and you will have proven your capabilities."
"That's it?" Halle asked. It seemed too easy; there must be a catch.
"That's it. Shall we begin? Once the spell is cast, you'll only have until morning to bring the motes back."
Halle took a deep, shaky breath. She never thought she would be doing something like this but, here she was, a little nauseous and a lot sweaty, but shockingly confident at the same time.
"Let's get started."
L. Faba silently waved her wand in front of Halle. The end glowed, all purple and pink, and Halle could feel the energy connecting her to the colors. Her whole body flushed, and what had previously been a sheen of nervous sweat turned into a comforting warmth. She could feel her pulse behind her eyes.
The moment seemed to stretch on for an eternity, but it couldn't have been more than five seconds.
"Open your eyes," L.'s voice drew Halle out of her daze.
For the most part, Halle's vision was the same, except for a few extra floating dots, dancing as she moved her eyes around the room.
"You won't find any motes in here, so you aren't really seeing any differently," the Sage said. "Head outside and you'll see what's not normally there. Good luck."
L. Faba turned and, like she was when Halle entered the room (a moment that seemed a lifetime ago), lowered her body into a more duel-like stance, wand pointed at nothing. Halle had been dismissed.
***
Back outside, with Raphael nudging her along, Halle set out on her quest to find seven motes. Turns out, she didn't really need his help. With her vision changed by L. Faba's spell, the glowing orbs stood out more than anything else. They seemed to be everywhere on the school grounds. The twins were right: this would be quick and easy... well, if she could figure out how to collect the things.
"Do I need, like, a special bag or something?"
Raphael laughed. "I know they look like nothing but energy, but with the special vision comes the ability to hold them in your hands. Just reach out and the mote will cooperate."
Skeptical, Halle took a few more steps towards the blue and red ball of light in front of her. She reached her arm out, stretching her fingers towards the mote. Just like that, just like Raphael said, the ball shrunk down to nothing and floated above her palm.
"Okay, yeah," she said. "I think I can handle this.
***
Six motes later, Halle headed back to the school and down to meet L. Faba once again. This time, her nerves were nonexistent.
"Back so soon?" the Sage asked. Though her question would suggest surprise, her voice didn't hold even a hint of it.
Halle nodded, holding out her hand. The seven motes had all came together to form one larger one, glowing pink. Even though it floated, every part of Halle's palm felt like it was being touched by tiny hairs. It almost tickled.
L. snapped her fingers and the mote disappeared. "Very good," she said. "You've passed the test, though I had no doubts you would. It's time for the final step, the real Rite of Ascension."
Like she had when giving Halle enhanced vision, L. aimed her wand. Halle didn't have any time to think, not that she needed to. She had felt what her magic could do with the motes, even though that was probably so silly compared to what was about to come. She had no more doubts.
The two were wrapped in silence. L. waved her wand, wordlessly, and Halle felt herself lift off of the floor. Blue light swirled around her and the electricity that she had been feeling since she arrived in Glimmerbrook reached its high. Her ears popped from pressure.
Halle remained suspended in midair for an eternity, and for only a second. She was no longer aware of where she was, nor of the other people in the room. L.'s wand shot out sparks as the Sage used it to trace Halle's body.
Finally, L. spoke, though Halle could not understand the phrase that left her lips. She felt her body slowly return to the ground, felt the cold stone floor under her feet. Her skin still tingled, and the air around her was still dotted with shimmering sparks.
"Welcome, young Halle," L. Faba said. "The realm is lucky to have you."
Halle beamed. She couldn't wait to find Raphael and Margaux again, to talk to her dad, to start practicing magic. She almost pinched herself. She was a Spellcaster now. She was a witch! She let the excitement take over. Now, she thought, where do I begin?
***
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