Meanwhile, at the library in Woodsville...
(*Warning: This is not your average fairy tale.)
“That’s awesome,” said Kellan Wolf, “But a Veil of Concealment is big…like big…magic.”
“Yeah, big like Aarush Mage magic,” Dylan Hunter said, pulling on
the heavy steel furnace door, which refused to budge. “I’m thinking that maybe,
if we can get this door open, we can access the power…somehow…maybe get to
Ella…”
“Here, let me help,” Kellan said, stepping up to find the
best place to yank on the door.
“A supremely powerful Aarush Mage has performed an intense
shrouding spell on this old furnace and you two teenage studs think you’re
going to man-handle the door open?” Ruby Hood shook her head, “I don’t see this
working out in your favor.”
“Awww, Rue, we’re Otherly Naturals. She’s an Otherly Natural;
I’m sure she wants our help,” Kellan said with an air of superiority and a quick
wink before he grabbed the other door handle.
The boys grunted, hunkered down, and pulled with all their
might. Nope. They tried again. Nada. And again. Nothing.
“Ugh! This is like stone, dude,” Kellan grinned and
shrugged. “Ruby’s right. We’re not getting this door opened.”
“One more try,” Determination etched a maze into Dylan’s forehead
as he got in his best vantage point stance.
Kellan joined again and waited for the signal. On Dylan’s
nod, the two put all their weight and strength into opening the door. Again.
And moment later, the heavy steel door flung open. A brilliant
purple light flooded the dark dank basement.
The cloud of force washed over Ruby. Holding up her forearm
to shield herself from the brightness, she shouted, “I stand corrected. Now
what’s this? Ella? The spell?”
Before anyone could respond, the furnace buzzed and whirled,
growing louder and louder. On instinct, Ruby closed her eyes and dropped her
hands to her sides. Opening her palms, she let the power engulf her, encircling
and rushing around her. The sheer enormity and light of the strength behind the
power squeezed and constricted her.
“Wow!” she yelled over the vibration, “This energy is
intense!”
And then it was too much. Too much in one place. In one
moment, Ruby’s chest seized, and she struggled for a deep breath.
As she opened her eyes, her body filled with dread. The guys
lay slumped on the ground, listless, out cold, or worse. Intuition sent energy
orbs flying from her hands, all with only a tiny tremble of her fingers. An orb
descended on each, swallowing their fallen bodies, then levitating them up the
stairs and out of the basement.
Ruby’s cloak tightened around her, sheltering her with vigor,
and suddenly she could see clearly, past the blinding light. With intent, she stepped
toward the door. It had to be closed. It should have never been opened in the
first place. She knew that now. The power surge, a warning from Ella, had told
her. Message received. Loud and clear.
Each step took all her effort, but she made progress. One
step. Then another. And another. Until finally, the last one. A shove, with every
ounce of her strength, sent the door crashing closed. Darkness flooded the room
once again.
For a moment, she just let her breath flow, in and out, waiting
for her eyes to adjust and the space around her to calm. The spell in that old
furnace needed to be left alone. Ruby prayed the boys were okay, and no damage
had been done.
To be sure, Ruby yanked on the furnace door a several times. Satisfied it was firmly closed, she fled the basement. Her pace quickening with every step. As soon as she reached the top of the stairwell, she slammed the door closed, turned the deadbolt, snapped the reinforced lock, and clasped the steel chain. Then she slumped against the door and exhaled.
