Chapter 4: Making a base

All of us were awakened by a loud "What the heck!"

Rachel popped her head out the curtain to see her very stunned maid. "Hi Sally give me a few moments and I'll go down to the kitchen with my guests and we'll explain everything."

With a nod Sally turned to leave the room. Just before she stepped out she turned back to the bed and asked, "Should I get the rest of the staff as well?" With a nod of Rachel's head, Sally was out the door and shuts it as she leaves.

Rachel went back under the curtain and said, "Well I guess it is time to see how some people that weren't chosen by your spell react."

Xia said, "I'll stay here so I don't spook them even more."

The 3 of us got out of the bed and past the curtain. I conjured up an outfit for myself. "Well ladies if you picture up what you want to wear today I'll cast it right up for you." I placed the clothes that they thought up at their feet.

Once dressed, Rachel led the way to the kitchen. The kitchen was huge just like the rest of the mansion. It had a large 2 door freezer and another 2 door refrigerator next to it. There was an Industrial strength stove with 6 burners. In the middle of the kitchen there was a big table with places and chairs for 14 people, 6 on each side and one at each end.

Walking into the room we saw Rachel's staff seated at the big table. There were 6 women and 3 men, using the entire left side of the table plus the 2 ends and the first left side chair on the right end. As we entered they all looked up at us. Their expressions ran the mix from fear to anger.

Realizing that this was going to be a tough argument, I took both ladies by the hand and sat in the middle placing Rachel to my left an empty chair space away from the woman seated on the right side of the table.

Rachel led off by saying, "Ok Walt lets start by introductions. To my left is Bao my main bodyguard and martial arts expert. At the end next to her is Brett who is my second guard when I go out. Now on the left side of the table is Sally my house attendant, who also designs some of the clothes I wear. Next is Steve who you met yesterday, he is my butler and chauffer when I need to go out, he also fixes the cars on the side when needed. Then we have Lisa she is my live in lawyer and handles the day to day handling of the staff. Next is Mary she handles all of my finances and is a lifesaver on tax day. Then is Denise she is my personal doctor who also helps down at the local clinic. Last on that side is Darcy who is the cook and also helps down at the school teaching foreign languages. Finally at the other end is Bobby who is my third bodyguard for when I need to make sure I stay safe. Now that that is done, I think you need to explain a few things Walt."

I looked over all the faces at the table before ending at Rachel. "Ok Rachel I do owe an explanation or 2 here. Now you all are probably here because you heard that Sally saw a bed in Rachel's room that wasn't there yesterday. Since Amy and myself showed up yesterday empty handed that would seem impossible to happen. Well I'll start with a little history for you. Until last weekend I was a normal unhappy middle class accountant. After pure chance and a little luck I am now the Avatar of the goddess Lutana. Why she chose me I'm still not sure but I'm not going to stress about it as I'm happier now than I've EVER been. You see the biggest advantage to being the Avatar of Lutana is I now have magical abilities. Now I'm sure there are a few doubters among you so I want you to discuss amongst yourselves what I should do to prove this to you.

Bao stood up and looked hard at me she then turned to the rest. "Ok let us meet in the reading room to discuss this challenge." With that she walked out of the room. The rest followed while I got glares from all but Mary who looked curious.

As they left Amy turned to me and said, "I think it will turn out good. I like that look Mary gave you she seemed to believe you the most." All I can do is nod as I reflect on these past few days. It was then that I realize that I left the book that Xia gave me is still at my apartment.

I pulled away from the table and said, "I forgot something very important at my apartment. If you'll excuse me for a moment ladies I'll go get it." As they nod I teleported to my living room.

I moved over to my computer desk and there it was right next to my mouse. As I picked up the book I looked around and realized that this will be a very easy place to pack if Rachel's staff accepts what I can do. Mission accomplished I teleported myself back to Rachel's kitchen.

I appeared in the kitchen at the same time that Bao and the others had just returned. Seeing me appear with a book that they've never seen before is enough proof for most of them. However Bao isn't buying it. She walked up to me and said, "Nice trick but you aren't fooling me." Only because I have improved my senses am I able to follow her action of a lightning quick grab of the book. I could easily have held on to it but I let her grab it. As she walked away looking at the cover she said, "Mary will do the talking for the group, I'm going to read this book."

Mary got up from the table where the others were watching me with Bao. She turned towards me and said, "I personally was a believer before I saw you appear out of nowhere. But Bao said we need to be convinced, so we came up with a few challenges. We need to hear what you think you can do then you have to prove it as you say it. If you can do that then we can see how well we can all get along." After that she turned and sat back down at the table.

I turned to the table and said, "Ok no problem. I can do simple things like cast light." I made my small blue light appear in the center of the table. There was a collective gasp at this by all but Bao who was immersed in Lutana's book. "I can make things out of apparently nothing." I made a 6-inch long 1-inch wide steel bar appear. I brought the bar over to Bobby who is a towering man. At least 6 and a-half feet tall and all muscle. "Try and bend it?" I asked him.

Bobby took a good hold of the bar in both hands and tried to bend it with no result. Out of breath he said, "No way too solid man." He gave the bar back to me.

I took the bar and said, "Really well I also have cast a spell to improve my strength." I then bent the bar into a pretzel shape and placed it on the table next to the still on light spell globe. "I know you all just think that I somehow fixed that bar so Bobby couldn't bend it so I'll give you another feat of strength." I went over to the freezer and opened the doors. Seeing that it was fully stocked I closed them and turned back to the table. "Raise your hand if you think I can lift this freezer." Nobody at the table even Mary dared to lift a hand. Going into a lifting squat I grabbed the bottom of the freezer and lifted it about 2 feet off the floor to the maximum extension of its power cord. Then I let it back down slowly as to not jar the contents of the freezer.

Mary jumped up from her seat, "Ok you've got me convinced. Can you cast those spells on other people too?"

I pointed to Amy and Rachel, "I've already cast spells on these 2 so I'm sure it would work on others as well." I then cast 'Strength' on Mary, but I feel a reaction that I've never felt before. My magic usually feels like a tingle or buzz, but this was a stronger buzz like what I wanted to do didn't work. "There seems to be a problem Mary, I just tried to cast the spell on you but I feel it didn't work."

Mary didn't believe me and picked the bar up from the table. She tried to straighten it back out but it doesn't even move. She turned to me and said, "Why does the spell not work on me?"

I looked Mary in the eyes and said, "I'm not sure but I have a way to find out. I just need to call down the guide Lutana sent to help me." I sent out a mental call <Xia I need you down here I've run into a magic problem I haven't had yet.>

<Ok on the way Walt> she replied. Xia flew down into the kitchen and landed on the table and said, "Ok Walt what is the problem?"

Xia's voice was enough to distract Bao from her reading. She looked over and once she saw Xia she just said, "Ok Walt you win. By the way this book is very interesting thank you for letting me read it." Bao then turned back to the book shutting out the rest of the room.

The others were in a stunned silence but Mary was too aggravated, "His magic doesn't work on me WHY?"

Xia looked at Mary for a few moments then looked closer at all of the people in the room. "Ok Walt I think I found the problem. Some of these people are magic resistant. It probably is due to an ancient ancestor that had or was given this resistance. This means that you can't cast spells on them but of course can cast a spell at them, Fireball for example. You may be able to make potions or devices that could get around this, but you'll have to find that out through practice and trial and error. From what I can tell 3 of these people are magic resistant." She then pointed to Mary, Bobby, and Lisa.

Mary turned to me and said, "Ok Walt it looks like you can't cast spells on me. We are going to have to work out a different way to enhance me. Why don't you try to make me bracelets of strength or something like that to enhance my strength?"

I thought about that for a moment. "That may work Mary. I want to make sure if this works however, that whatever I make only works for the person intended. Make a fist so I can get an idea of what size to make the bracelet." Mary made a fist and I made a bracelet that was just a touch bigger. I then cast the 'Strength' spell on the bracelet. "Ok Mary put this on and we'll see if it works."

Mary tried on the bracelet. "I don't feel anything I'll see if I can bend that bar." She walked over to the table and picked up the bent bar. Using both hands on each end she tried to straighten the bar back. With a small grunt the bar was straightened in moments. "Wow I did it! Thanks a lot Walt now we need to come up with ideas for the other improvement spells that you can do."

I nodded as I walked over to Mary. "Ok Mary now I need to tune this bracelet to you so no one else can use it. Just let me take your hand for a moment I'll shrink it down a bit so it won't slip off as well." Mary gave me her hand, and I took hold of it in one hand and closed my other hand around the bracelet. I shrunk it down to just barely loose around her wrist and tuned the bracelet into her brainwaves to adjust its ownership.

I turned to Denise next, "Ok Denise I need your help here. Since you have the medical background you have the best knowledge of the human body. I want to cast my 'Mind' spell on you. With it I want you to learn every thing possible about the body. When you are done learning I'll need you to come up with ideas for what spells I can cast for the best possible body improvements. Once we know what spells to cast we can then come up with what devices to use on those that resist my magic. So far I've cast these spells."

I then re-capped all of the spells I cast so far. "That is all I can think of at the moment. Please suggest improvements and ideas after you do the research Denise. After hearing what I have done do you want me to cast the mind spell on you?"

Denise thought for a moment and replied, "Yes Walt please cast the spell. In fact all the spells you've cast so far sound like real benefits. Except I think the perfect self one could be considered a little vain. So yes cast them all on me but those that required nudity. You can fix and improve them once they are cast right?"

I nodded and said, "Yes Denise I can fix them once cast. The reason I wanted to wait on the others, was to get a list of improvements from you. Then I could cast the lot of spells on all that could receive and wanted them."

Denise said, "Ok Walt I see the reasoning, just cast the mind spell. I think I see some small tweaks to make those spells just a bit better. After you cast the spell I'll go up to my room and start on the research."

I cast the 'Mind' spell on Denise.

After she received the spell she retired to her room. I turned back to Xia, "I never asked if you could have spells cast on you."

Xia thought for a moment, "I come from a magical land, so I'm not sure how your magic will affect me. In most cases I believe that the spell you cast should work as intended. For now until we know more I'd ask that you don't try a spell on me just yet until you get a better hold on the abilities you have."

By this time Bao had finished reading Lutana's book. She placed it down in front of her and said, "Walt this was an amazing read. Lutana has so many views that are close to my own. I want you to cast all of the spells you have already cast on the others on me. I really like that symbol that you wear and would like you to make one for me as well. Can you make mine in a 5-inch size instead of a 2-inch one please?"

I replied, "Sure no problem." I cast up the medallion for her and pushed it across the table to her. I turned to the rest of the group. "Ok I want to give you all a bit of information before I turn the decision over to you. The main reason Lutana has given me these abilities is that she wants me to change the current course this world is going. It is her opinion and I agree that if things don't change this planet would eventually self destruct. So my main mission is to try to get this world turned around into a more peaceful forward looking arrangement. I'm not sure how exactly I want to do this so I'm going to try to establish a think tank to help me come up with ideas. I want to make this place my base of operation so we have somewhere to gather together. There is plenty of room here and I can make things bigger if necessary. Plus we are out of the way enough to avoid notice for a little while. Now that you all have heard what has been said I want your opinions."

Lisa turned to me, "Ok I think that the best help I can give would be on laws. Being a lawyer I know there are a few laws that you would want to establish. Also I bet there would be a lot of them that you would want to change or abolish! My vote is to allow you to stay here. I now turn the table over to the others."

Sally said, "Well I'm still not sure about you. If we helped you clean up the world, what is stopping you from taking over? Answer that good and I'll add my vote to Lisa's."

What a challenge! I turned to Sally, "Well I'll be honest with you. First with this gift that Lutana gave me I feel NO need for even more power. As for taking over the world well once it is cleaned up there should be little advantage to a takeover. I don't want that type of responsibility anyway. Lutana has given me more than enough to do!"

Sally nodded, "Good enough you get my vote."

Steve turned to me, "Well my knowledge is in cars. I saw the car you arrived in and while it looked like a Cadillac it sure didn't sound like one! So what can you tell me about this?"