Chapter 8

“WHAT?!!! I thought it was a trick!” I said as the apparition of my Mother stared at me...

“I’m sorry, Toman. In almost all cases, it is true that ghosts cannot exist on this plane. In certain cases, when a death is so horrific and quick, the essence of a person can latch on to another. In this case, it was the father. Thank you, Father, for holding us as long as you have. I know it has taken a supreme effort on your part.”

“We?” I almost shouted. “What in the hell do you mean we?” Even as I watched, another weaker apparition appeared. “NO!” I almost screamed as I took off running. I felt Pops, Mordaf, and Merlin finally try to wrap a capture spell around me. “NO! I refuse!” I shouted as I flung all three of them off of me.

Merlin suddenly appeared in front of me. “Toman, stop! You are the only one who can bring...”

“No, No, No, No, NO!” I shouted as I slung my arm at Merlin, watching as he was flung from in front of me. A look of absolute surprise was etched on his face. Taking off at a run, the visage of my Mother appeared in front of me.

“TOMAN! Stop!” She shouted, bringing me to a halt. “Thank you. I fear you would have run for a long time if you had not stopped. I am sorry that you have been saddled with this son. Your power rivals Merlin’s now, as you saw.” Here, a smile crossed her features. “With the wild magic you possess, there are certain things that you and only you can do. I ... damn, I am afraid I am too far from father.”

I suddenly felt the apparition grow weak, and then she fell to the ground, slowly starting to fade. “What is happening?” I asked.

“I am too far from father. I had to stop you. Now, I am afraid that I will finally pass. I am so proud of you, my son. Never forget that. I’m afraid I won’t see you again for a long time. Farewell!” She said, as it looked like she was in extreme pain.

“NO!!” I was screaming. I’d just found that she was still here, and now my being a scared child was driving her away!!!?? A thousand thoughts ran through my mind, and then something I had heard in a story years ago came to mind. Could it work? Could I actually do it? Extending my arms toward my Mother, I started to pour power out. Finally, she stopped fading but grew no clearer. Grunting, I reached inside, feeling the locks that I had shut. Opening it, I felt the power start to flow.

Mother’s form was a little clearer, damn it, it wasn’t enough! Pushing harder, I felt the door I had felt open crack a little. Open! I pushed harder and felt it finally open. Come on, faster, or I will lose her! Even as I watched, she started to fade a little again! NO! Damn it! I suddenly felt an almost ripping sensation as the door was flung open! About time, I thought.

I could feel Merlin behind me as he had been since this had started. Then, I felt the approach of Pops, Mordaf, and Naci. I could almost feel Naci’s tears as she watched what I was doing. Finally, I could feel Mother start to stabilize. Still, I felt it wasn’t enough. I had to put out more! Reaching as deep as I could, I found another energy source, grasping it. I felt the outpouring of energy triple!

Even as I watched, a halo of light appeared around the apparition of my Mother. So it was true, after all! Nodding, I started to feel strange, as if the two powers were melding together. Odd, I thought. That’s when I felt the drain start to set in. Damn, but this was taking a lot out of me! Suddenly, I felt Merlin’s hand on my shoulder and Naci’s on my other.

I didn’t know what they were doing, but it was helping as I continued to pour as much power as possible into the halo of light. It had been an hour, and I was fighting to keep it up. Merlin and Naci had released me some time ago, and both were slightly stumbling away. I couldn’t stop; I had to finish! A moment later, I heard Pops and Naci gasp as a figure stepped out of the halo of light! Finally, I thought it was about time!

“Stop Toman! You’ve done it, son!” My mouth dropped open as I was staring at my Mother! Not a ghost or apparition. No, a living, breathing person!

Dropping my arms, I heard Naci whispering in my ear. “Push it closed, Toman, like you did before. Lock the door when you do.”

I nodded as I did as she suggested. I felt one side easily closed; the other took a lot of effort, though I finally got it. Then suddenly, I felt Mother’s arms around me. God, I had missed her!

“My brave and fearless Toman! I thought I’d never get back or go to the beyond. Thank you, son!” My Mother told me, a look of pride on her face.

I clung to her for a moment, then turned to see all the others looking at me in wonder. “When did you learn the restore spell?” Merlin asked. “I have been trying to master it for centuries.”

“I heard of it in a story,” I told him. “I thought I had nothing to lose, so I did it like I thought it should go.”

“A story?” Merlin asked, “Strange, I remember no story like that.”

“I believe it went: When things are wild, from not quite a child. Life can be for all to see. For as a reward, with family restored. Honor is earned as the evil burns!”

Merlin, his brother, and Pops’ mouths dropped open as all three fell to their knees. “By the great power! It’s a prophecy of the new age!” Merlin was whispering. Looking up at me, Merlin started to shake his head. “You are the catalyst, my boy.”

I looked at all three of them, and then I saw my father’s visage also kneeling, staring at me. “One day, you should be able to restore me, Toman. Then I can teach you a few things that I had to learn the hard way.”

Nodding to him, I turned, heading toward the village crap I needed to lay down soon. I didn’t have much left as restoring Mother had put a big drain on me. Walking as fast as I could, I felt the others following me. A moment later, Naci was beside me, holding my hand. The contact felt as if I had a current running through me!

“I’m sorry for many things I said before, Toman. I didn’t realize that you had so much on you to do. Remember, I am here also, I am not quite as strong as you, but I am not that far below you either.” She said almost in a whisper.

“I know, Naci, I need to strengthen you. Loving me has also made you a target. I have to tell you, Naci.” As I stopped outside the village, I said, “I do not really know what love is. I haven’t experienced it as I threw myself into learning and surviving. I had one friend who tried to kill me. I do feel something for you, Naci. I really do, though I am unsure of what it is. Forgive me; you are beautiful. I had never thought of a female like that until I met you. So again, forgive me as I am so unsure right now.”

Naci looked at me with large eyes as she nodded. “It is fine, Toman. As long as I can be with you to help with all these problems, then I will be more than happy. We can learn together as it should be.” Suddenly, she gasped, and then a wry smile crossed her face.

“What’s wrong?” I said as I started to look around.

“I just realized something, Toman. I just realized that I have been waiting for you! All this time, I thought I was waiting for an older mage. “Throwing her arms around me, she pulled me to her, not hard as I was barely on my feet. Then she pressed her lips to mine. I felt her tongue as it began to push on my closed lips. Opening my mouth slightly, I felt her tongue slip in, dancing with mine. Again, I felt a huge shock flow through me. Her eyes flew wide as I knew she was feeling it also.

I felt a presence behind us as I heard my Mother clear her throat. “So ... this is the young woman mage who has captured my son’s heart.” We broke apart, but I swore it took a lot of effort on both of our parts. “You must be Naci, the one Toman saved from the bear.”

Naci turned toward my Mother as she blushed, nodding her head yes. Mother was about to reach out when she gasped. “You are a wild magic user also!” Then, a sly smile crossed her features. “Good, a strong woman to help keep an eye on him!”

I rolled my eyes at my Mother as Naci giggled, “Yes, mam, I have tried. Though it isn’t easy, I’ve already had to stop him from killing father when he lost control.”

“Toman! You almost killed her father? Tsk, Tsk, son. Not a real good way to impress a girl.” Mother stated.

“Hey!” I yelled. “He pissed me off! He wouldn’t stop pushing; I was still mad about that hunter hurting Pops!”

Mother’s face suddenly fell as she nodded. “I know I was there; had you not strengthened him, he’d not have made it. Thank you, Toman.” This last was whispered.

“Yes, I must also thank you, Toman,” Naci added. “What you did for father has helped him also.”

I nodded, “I’ve found that I can help anyone. I even opened up to Merlin. A few of his were covered, you might say. He said he has almost all that he used to. So I guessed I helped.”

This time, Mother and Naci were rolling their eyes. “Toman, you have to realize that there are very, very few who can do that. As far as I remember, there were only two, though I don’t think she really wants to help anyone at the moment. Last I heard, she locked herself away on an island in the dark range of the magic world.” Mother told me.

“The dark range? Not sure I have ever heard of that.” I told her.

“It is a place of darkness and evil. It has existed for a very long time. Stories of it go back to the beginning of written word.” Merlin told us as he walked up to us. “When Morgana attacked me, I was able to subdue her for a short time. She told me that she had been cursed several times and that she needed to leave before she hurt me. I told her I could help her and that everything that had happened was not her fault.” Here, Merlin sighed. “She had at least forty curses on her. I had managed to take three off her, almost had the fourth when she went on the rampage she had.”