Beyond the Glow

Chapter 47

"No! Stay over there." He gasps, the literal life being sucked out of him by his wish. "I wish that Len knows his destiny, and the extent of his magic!" He coughs, and I cry out as Len falls forwards, holding his head; his face scrunched up in pain.

"My final wish," Baldur says, and I crawl forwards again, I can feel a tear trailing it's way down my cheek.

"No more wishes! Please! You're going to die; use the last wish to save yourself!" I cry, and Baldur smiles.

"This is my destiny." He says quietly, and winces as another wave of magic slips away from him. "My final wish;" He says, stopping to cough, and scrunch up my eyes, putting my hands over my ears in an attempt to block him out.

...is that you reach your full potential; good luck my friend. The words resound throughout my skull, and I let out a frustrated wail; he didn't save himself. I turn away, unable to watch him any longer. With a final pulse of magic, the first and second wishes are completed, and Len is silent on the other side of the room. I look up, searching for his eyes, but he's laying on the floor, passed out.

That's when I feel it.

It's as if my body is in overload, trying to catalog the overwhelming magic from Baldur; while at the same time keep it under control. I'm shaking involuntarily, but it doesn't necessarily hurt; like my blood is hot with the magic, but not boiling.

My skin is giving off a golden glow, and I look at it in amazement. It only does that when I complete a wish, but now it's so strong it doesn't seem to be fading anytime soon. I gulp, playing with the lamp on the chain nervously. Is this my full potential? Is this why he died?...My true color?

I glimpse down at the lamp, searching for the familiar copper. My heart skips a beat when I see gold instead. So it's permanent then. I bite my lip, my hand forming a fist around the lamp; I've never heard of it happening, but now I guess I know how my Father got his lamp. I doubt anyone ever starts out as a golden genie; even him. Not to mention that he knew Baldur as well, could he have done this twice now?

I stand, walking over to the doorway again. This time, the copper strands seem to melt at my touch, and watch as they sag, then fade away; letting me through. I keep going, out into the hall, leaving Len in the room. Now that I'm this strong, surely I can defeat her on my own, I don't need to drag him into it anymore.

My feet turn towards the gardens, and as I pass the windows facing them, my pace picks up. I can see a woman in white standing at an altar with two men, in front of lines of finely dressed people sitting in chairs decorated with bows. Standing in orderly lines on either side of the proceedings are people still dressed in their work clothing, the servants. Behind them are two lines of guards, hands on the hilts of their swords. Among them, to my surprise, is The Mistress; standing stoically at the front of the guards line, not with the servants where I assumed she'd be.

I frown, gritting my teeth, and pick up the pace; the doors are just ahead, I can make it.

"Asra?" I pause, looking around for the voice. To my left are the windows showing the garden outside, and to the right is just hall. I skid to a stop, raising my staff defensively; casting my gaze around the deceivingly empty area.

"Who said that?"

There's a commotion in front of me, the air seeming to ripple and flicker before Kendi, Amita, Kida and Fira all appear in front of me; seemingly out of thin air. I blink, shocked into silence by the presence of four people I thought I wouldn't see again for a long time; certainly not here.

"It is her!" Says Kida, a smile lighting up her face. Kendi, Amita and Fira however, just stand. Staring. Fira is leaning heavily on a crutch, and there's a bandage on her forehead over the cut I saw earlier. Kendi seems to have fared much better, with one arm in a sling and an eye-patch over one side of her face, her knives hung almost loosely in her hands.