Chapters 5-8
5
I woke up the next morning after one of the most comfortable,
if short, nights of sleep that I've ever had. I yawned, stretching my arms
and legs. But I couldn't. Frowning, I looked to see what was obstructing
my movement. Then it clicked and I awoke fully. During the night Justin
had moved over to my side of the bed and was sleeping with his arms
around me and with his head leaning into my chest. Smiling, I tried to
move his arms so that I could get up and have a shower only to find that
his grip tightened when I tried to move him. I looked at my watch and
saw that I could afford to sleep for another 20 minutes or so. I closed my
eyes and fell back asleep.
About 10 minutes later JC was at the door with a master key.
He slipped it into the lock and turned it. Going inside he opened the
curtains with a gesture and looked down at the bed. He smiled. Justin
and Tom, he thought, wouldn't make a bad couple. They looked so cute
together, curled up into a ball with the sheets on one of the beds.
Justin groaned as the light hit his eyes and said. "Ok, Ok, I get
the idea. I'll be up in a minute." He looked up at JC to saw him with an
odd smile on his face. "What?" JC just laughed and left. Justin shook his
head, bumping it against something that did not feel like a pillow. He
took in his surrounding and finally realised what JC had been laughing
at. He blushed at tried to get out of bed, only to be presented with the
same problem that Tom had earlier.
"Tom." He whispered. "Wake up."
"I am up." Groaned Tom.
"Then move your arms!"
"Ok, ok, jeez, you sound like my last boyfriend!" Then Tom
rolled over, releasing Justin from his grip. But Justin just stayed where
he was, frozen in place by Tom's words. Had he really said what Justin
thought he had? Or was his imagination simply working over time to
compensate for his crap sex life. He managed to get some movement
into his limbs again and got up to have a shower. He looked down. A
*cold* shower. By the time he was finished Tom was awake and waiting
for his turn to use the bathroom.
"Morning!" I said cheerily.
"Yeah. Morning." Said Justin.
"JC was here a minute ago. Breakfast in 10 minutes in his
room."
"Then you'd better have your shower quickly and I'll head over
now." Suggested Justin.
"Ok. See you there."
Justin got dressed properly and went over to JC's room.
"So?" Prompted JC. No one else had gotten there yet.
"What?" Asked Justin.
"I saw you this morning. Tell me." JC was grinning.
"I didn't want to spend the night alone in my room, so I went
over to Tom's. That's all." Said Justin defensively.
"Yeah right. I saw the two of you this morning snuggled up
together so don't think you can fool me that easily."
"Whatever." Dismissed Justin.
"Listen, J, I don't care what you're into. You should know that!
Look at Lance and Joey for fucks sake!"
"Thanks Josh." Said Justin, smiling warmly at his friend.
"Just because I say that doesn't mean that can go with just
anyone, you know! I still have to approve of them!" Joked JC, but
dropped the subject when Chris came into the room. They started talking
about what they would be doing today for a couple of minutes before
Lance and Joey came in laughing and joking with Tom.
Lance got quickly down to business. "Right. We've got that
radio interview in an hour and I'm told that it should take about 15 mins
to get there. We'll be there for half an hour. Then it's onto the studio
where they want us to lay down some more vocals for the new album.
No more then an hour!" He said in response to the groans. "Then we're
free until the concert tonight, and then it's onto New York tomorrow for
the last concert!"
"Party!" Shouted Justin.
"Yup. Then a month of Florida sun, sand and surf!" Confirmed
Lance. While he had been speaking breakfast had arrived and everyone
dug in.
"What am I going to be doing during all this?" I asked.
"As one of our personal assistants you'll be with us to get us
things if we want them, but since you're really only one as a cover then
we'll go easy on you!"
"Have you sent that report to the council yet?" Asked Lance.
"Yeah, I made it out this morning and sent it. Why?" Said JC.
"Just making sure. What did you say about our PA?"
"Just that we'd found him, how powerful he is and that he
wants to with the good guys."
"Could you stop talking about me like I'm not here?" I asked.
"You said that they'll send someone out. When?"
"I don't know. This hasn't happened in a while so it could take
them a while to get organised." Said JC.
"Ok. What can I expect?"
"Like I said, they'll check out your mind and they'll want to
know about your power, they'll do background and history checks on
you, but you won't be there for that. Emm, I don't know what else
there'll be. I told you about the physical tests didn't I?"
A couple of minutes later everyone was finished their breakfast
and was ready to leave. We were chatting - waiting for the limo - when
all the guys suddenly stopped talking. Frowns developed on their faces
and they all turned to stare at one spot in the room. I turned to see what
it was that they were looking at and saw a column of light floating about
a foot off the ground. It was originally about two-foot high and a couple
of inches wide but it quickly expanded to the size of a doorway, and
when two men and a woman stepped through I realised that that was
what it was.
"Gentlemen." Said the domineering women, in greeting.
"Ma'am." Said JC, evidently stunned to see her, who ever she
was.
"I take it that you're Tom." She said, addressing me.
"Yes."
"Good. My name is Baram Nihorsa. I'm the head of the Mages
Council that I know Joshua has been telling you about, and these are two
of my colleagues, Duril Sita and Kata Senti." The two men behind her
nodded in acknowledgement of their names. "Also on the Mages
Council. We're here to assess you."
"Your Honours." Said Lance. "We had not been expecting you
so soon."
"True, but then James, you hadn't been expecting *us* at all."
She replied. "Now then. We'd like to get on with things."
"Of course your honours." Said JC promptly. "We have other
engagements so we will, unfortunately, have to take our leave of you."
"I understand completely." She said. The five members of 'N
Sync filed out of the room. Once out in the hall Justin turned to JC.
"We can't just leave him in there with them alone." He
whispered urgently.
"I don't see why not, you know that they can be trusted more
then anyone."
"I know that, and you know that. But Tom doesn't. He had no
reason to trust them. I'm going back." With his decision made Justin
turned back towards the room they'd just left and started to walk back to
it. Sighing, JC grabbed his arm.
"I'll stay with him." Before Justin could protest JC explained.
"I'm our contact with the council, it's better if it's me who's there."
Justin nodded.
"If you promise to look after him no matter what the council
says."
"I promise. Now go! You're going to be late. Lance, I presume
you'll make some excuse for me?"
Lance nodded his head. "Sure. You've got a bad headache."
The four who were going left and JC headed back towards his room.
"You've decided to stay." Said Baram, not even phrasing it as a
question.
"I have, your honour. That is, if it's alright with you." Replied
JC.
"I can-not see any problems with it." She said, and then turned
her attention back towards me. "As I was saying, we will first perform
the mental tests that you've been told about. It entails searching your
memory and the rest of your mind for any indications that you might
turn to Dark Powers. This should take about half an hour, but you will
not feel the time passing, to you, it will seem like a couple of seconds."
She indicated to the two others to come forward. "Since this is not my
speciality, Duril and Kata will perform the examination."
They loomed behind her and, while see over saw everything,
made the mental preparations necessary to do an extensive search of my
mind. With out speaking they indicated to me to sit on a sofa in the room
and sat on either side of me. When their hands made contact with my
head I shuddered and felt Goosebumps all over me. They took their
hands away from my head.
"They're saying that they can't get through your mental blocks,
that you've got to lower any resistance that you are putting up against
them." Said JC.
"I'm not doing anything." I protested. How could I be? I hadn't
been taught and I wasn't doing anything on purpose.
"You must be." He said. "Just relax and don't worry about what
they're doing." Great advice, I thought, two people that I don't even
know, probing through my memories and thoughts, and I'm not
supposed to worry. I took a deep breath and relaxed myself, clearing my
mind of any worry. Duril and Kata put their hands back on my head and
this time they didn't pull away again. I felt tired and closed my eyes,
only for an instant, and when I opened them again, JC and Baram were
in a different part of the room, deep in conversation. When JC saw me
looking at him he ended the conversation with Baram and came over to
me.
"How do you feel?" He asked.
"Fine. I didn't even notice a thing." I looked over at the three
members of the council. They were tilting their heads and making a lot
of eye contact, but other then that they weren't making any noise or
anything. "What are they doing?" I asked.
"Talking mind to mind. The senior telepaths often spend so
long talking mind to mind that they 'forget' how to speak. That's what
happened to the two who were testing you."
"They're talking about me?"
"Of course. They'll be deciding weather you are fit to join with
us or not."
"When will they make their decision?"
"Now." Answered Baram. "It is our conclusion that you are fit
to be trained further in the arts of White Magic. However, the *other*
tests have still to come, so you will have to be prepared. Joshua, we will
have to persue this matter with Drayn further. We will be in contact."
With those as her parting words, the column of light formed in the room
again and they stepped through it.
"Well, that's that." Said Josh.
"You were talking to her about Drayn?" I asked.
"Yes." He said, sitting down on the sofa beside me. "I included
it in the report that I sent earlier, but I wanted to discuss it with her. She
doesn't know he's up to either and she's an Oracle!"
"Who is Drayn?"
"Good question. As I'm sure that you've gathered, he's a very
powerful Black Mage, and he was head of the 'Black Council', before it
was dissolved. As far as we can gather, his eventual aim is to bring order
into chaos, and to destroy the White Arts, forever. But, before you
mentioned him, there hadn't been a report of him for over 200 years. We
had been kind of hoping that he'd died since then."
"Sorry for bringing bad news!" I gasped.
"You should be." Laughed JC. "But seriously, it's better that
we know that he's still alive then hoping that he's dead."
"I guess. But hasn't anyone been able to do anything about
him?"
"The most powerful mages lived a long time ago and he was
one of them, the rest have either died or are recluses. Frankly, there's no
one else left who's powerful enough to kill him. We can beat him down,
but we can't kill him. Over the years he's vested so much power into his
protection that he's almost invulnerable." Explained JC.
"Not even the head of the council, Baram?"
"Not even her. But you might be. That's why Baram thinks that
he's come after you, because he is afraid that you might be able to beat
him."
"When?"
JC laughed. "Not for a while yet. Even with how quickly that
you're developing you powers, and with us teaching you, it's going to be
a while until you're ready to take him on!"
"How long?"
"A while. A couple of years, maybe."
I thought about it for a while. "Listen... JC, no offence, but I
don't want to be an assistant for the next couple of years. I've got a life
other then this one. I've got to think of my future."
"I didn't tell you?" Said JC. "The council has been in existence
for a while now, and it's had a lot of time to build up funds, especially
with some of the things that we know. Everything that you'll need will
be provided for. As far as I can tell, they're also sitting on a lot of
inventions, if you ask them nicely, I'm sure that you could be given one
to introduce you to the world, something that would guarantee you a
future... speaking of your future, there's something else that I should tell
you."
"What?" I asked suspiciously.
"Well, the thing is, well it's... it's."
"Just spit it out Josh!"
"Immortality. If you want, you can live forever."
"Oh." Well that was a shocker. He'd been talking about people
who'd been around for a couple of thousand years, but I hadn't
connected that to anything that might effect me.
"Yeah." He said. The conversation sort of fizzled out after that.
After a couple of minutes of silence he offered to show me how to mind-
speak. I agreed without hesitation and within the hour I had it down.
"Try to talk to Justin!" Suggested JC.
"Ok." I concentrated on finding Justin's mind among the
hundreds of thousands that surrounded me. With JC it had been easy
because he was sitting right beside me, but with Justin I had to search for
6 minutes before I found him. JC assured me that I could make a sort of
a link with them so that I could find them without trouble, but that was
later on, and this was now.
/ Hi! / I said.
/ Tom? / Said Justin, sounding stunned. Apparently when our
minds were unscrambling what was said to each other they were able to
attribute the characteristics of the person to the 'speech' in your head.
/ Good guess! /
/ You've been spending your time well, I take it / He said.
/ You know it! I think I've got this now. /
/ It looks that way /
/ Man! This is gonna cut my phone bills in half! /
Justin laughed. / You can only do it with other people who have
magic dumbass! /
/ Where are you now? / I asked.
/ In the studios. You can tell Josh that we'll be back at the hotel
in an hour and a bit, so he can stop worrying! / I laughed out loud,
puzzling Josh.
/ I'll do that, see you then. / Then I 'hung up' on him.
"It worked then?"
"Yeah. It was a perfect line and everything." I joked. "Justin
says that they'll back in little over an hour, and that you're to stop
worrying."
He grinned. "I always worry about that boy and he knows that
nothing's going to stop me!"
6
"I'm impressed Tom." Were Lance's first words when they got
back from the studios.
"Thank you." I said, taking a bow.
"Here, take my hand. I'm sure JC told you about the
connections that we have to each other. It'll mean that you won't have to
spend time looking for us in the future.
"Oh, yeah, sure." I said, taking his hand. I felt the tingle of
magic that I was now used to and that was it.
"All you have to do is think my name and you should be able to
get me. You should do the same with the others as soon as they get back.
"Where are they?" Asked JC.
"They're down getting food in the restaurant." Replied Lance.
"J's idea?"
"You know it." Laughed Lance.
"How long have you before the concert?" I asked.
Lance checked his watch and then said. "Three and a half
hours, then we're getting picked up. They're already starting to gather
outside, but security can handle them for now."
"You could just teleport across to the stadium." I suggested.
"We can't do anything to make people think that there's
something strange about the group, except for Curly. If we do that then
we could really bring the vamps and black wizards down on us."
"But don't you already do that by fighting them?"
JC smiled grimily. "Most of them don't survive."
"Alright then..." I said.
"Food's here! Open the door!" Shouted Justin from outside the
door.
"You should have just ordered room service." Said JC. "You're
asking to be spotted going down to the restaurant."
"Didn't you know? I live for danger." Shot Justin back.
"We're meant to fight the powers of darkness! We don't have
the training to deal with a horde of psycho girls! They're unstoppable!"
"Anyway, how did things go today Tom?" Asked Justin.
"That's right!" Said Chris. "I knew there was something that I
wanted to ask you!"
"Fine." I said. "They decided that I'm fit to be trained in Magic,
by you lot, but I have to be ready for more tests.
"That's great! But the tests are usually combat ones, so you're
going to have to learn some fighting skills. What do you guys think?"
Asked Justin.
"It makes sense, but there's a lot to combat magic. What do we
teach him?" Said Joey.
"I say we start with some weather control, wind, lightening."
Suggested Justin.
"You would!" Said JC. "I think we should teach him mental
attacks."
"Listen to you!" Exclaimed Lance. "You've got to think about
what he really needs. I think that we should start with some simple
things. I agree that lightening is something useful, but it's not much
good indoors, is it? I say that we start with some defensive skills. What
about telekinesis Josh?"
"I don't know. It's not much good in fights unless you get
really good at it. Controlling the wind is an easier way of doing the same
thing, it's crude, but it works." Said JC. Justin gave JC a light punch for
making fun of his speciality.
"If you're good enough at it it's almost as good as telekinesis.
And I'll never have bad weather on my dates, will I?"
"But I've notice a tendency for me to have bad weather. That
wouldn't have anything to do with you, would it J?" Asked Joey. "I
think Lance is getting tired of it." Justin blushed and didn't say anything
else.
"Ok then, Justin. Can you teach him to control wind?"
"I guess I could give it a try. Come on Tom, let's go to the
roof."
------------------------
"It's not a matter of wanting the air to move, or wishing it to
move. You have to *know* that it's moving the way you want it to, then
it will. It's the same as a lot in magic, it just takes a lot of confidence to
know that it's working the way you want it to, then it will. If you start to
imagine problems then they'll occur." Explained Justin.
I looked up at the perfect day that was in it. Not a cloud soured
the sky and even on top of a 16 storey building there wasn't a breath of
wind blowing. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate.
"Just imagine it in your head and then apply it to the real
world." He coaxed. "It's really simple."
I opened one eye to look at him. "Maybe for you. But you've
been doing this how long?"
He grinned. "Only a couple of years. Do you want me to come
in there and show you how to do it?"
"Nah, I think I can manage." I didn't want to chance him seeing
some of the thoughts that were racing around my head at the moment.
Mainly about what he looked like naked. I tried to dismiss them and
eventually my entire concentration was focused on believing that the
wind was blowing. Finally, something clicked and I realised how to do
it. I opened my eyes, raised my hand and pushed a swirl of air towards
Justin.
He stepped backwards, trying to regain his balance and then
shouted over the increasingly strong wind. "That's really good, but
you've got to be able to actually push someone away." I simply grinned
and tried harder, I closed my eyes to focus completely on what I was
doing and felt a surge of power. When I reopened my eyes Justin was
floating 5 foot of the edge of the roof and out of the wind. I slowed
down the wind again and felt the rush of power leave me. Justin drifted
back towards the roof and landed.
"Now *that's* what I'm talking about!" He said.
"You can fly?" I asked.
"You didn't know that I could fly and you pushed me off the
edge of a building?! Oh god that's funny. Seriously though, most of us
can fly. Me because I can control the wind and can lift myself with it,
Josh used Telekinesis, Joey morphs into what ever he wants to fly as,
Chris usually copies someone else abilities for a while."
I interrupted. "I thought he stole magic?"
"But when someone gives it to him willingly they can both use
it. And Lance usually gets a lift from either Josh or me, so don't go
pushing him off any buildings! Still, that was impressive shit Tom. Want
to try anything else?" Asked Justin.
"Yeah, but I think I've got it now, it's fairly simple once you
cop on to how to do it." I said, thinking about what I wanted to try next.
I wanted to feel that surge again, when it came I felt like I could do
anything. Rain! I thought. Going back in my mind to place where I'd
been when I figured out how to move the air I thought about clouds and
rain instead. When I opened my eyes this time I saw clouds racing
towards us from over the horizon. Justin was also looking at them with
one eyebrow cocked.
"Don't get me wet, I just bought this jacket, and it's dry clean
only." He asked.
"Do something about it yourself, you're the elemental mage
here." I replied.
"True." He said and raising his hand he dispersed the clouds
that had just started to dominate the skyline with ease. Concentrating
further, I managed to form a cloud just behind Justin. I blinked and it
started raining on his head.
Because he was so surprised he lost his grip on the weather and
the cloud started to grow and expand. As it did it got darker, until it was
completely black. The rain beat down quicker and Justin was running
around like a headless chicken, trying to find somewhere to shelter.
Finally he found the door that lead back downstairs and he raced down
it.
I laughed out loud and with a thought stopped the rain. By the
time that did gotten to the doorway the sun was shining warmly again
and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I sauntered down the stairs.
----------------------------
"Are you responsible for this?" Said Lance in an accusatory
tone, pointing at a Justin who was dripping water onto the carpet.
"Me?" I said, feigning surprise. "How could I have done that?"
"Hmmm." Said Lance, clearly not believing a word that I said.
"It just started pouring down, it caught us both by surprise."
"Then why aren't you wet?" Asked Joey.
"Because I had the good sense to run for cover, unlike some
people around here."
"I told you that this jacket was dry-clean only. Now it's
ruined!" Complained Justin.
"Justin, it's not my fault that you were caught by a little bit of
rain. It does happen you know."
"Not like that." Said Lance.
"What about like this?" I asked while forming a little cloud
above his head.
"I can *see* what you're doing Tom."
I waved my hand and the cloud undid itself. "I don't know what
you're talking about." I said guiltily.
"Anyway." Said JC, saving me from Lance's stare. "The level
of control that you're showing is impressive Tom, but then, that's what
I've been saying since the start. I think it's time that we showed you
something more important, something that will come very useful in the
future. Time Control."
"What do you mean? Going into the past and stuff?" I guessed.
"No, it's been tried in no one can do it, if we could then we'd
call it time travel. Time control is all about taking yourself outside time
so that you can effectively speed up or slow down time. We use it a lot
when we are under pressure for time; we can slow down time so that
we've got more time do things in, to hold conversations. Do you get
what I mean?"
"Yeah. Is it hard?"
"It depends what you mean." He answered. "When you're just
starting you can only slow it down or speed it up a little bit, but as you
get better at it you can bring time almost to a stop."
They tried to show me how do it for almost and hour and a half,
never growing impatient, never sighing in exasperation, but when it
came to the time for us to leave for their concert they had given up on
me. JC said that it was probably because I wasn't advanced enough, and
left it at that. We all pushed through the crowds and made our way out to
the waiting limo.
"Hey Tom?"
"Yeah JC?"
"What about that sister of yours? Do you think that she'd want
to see the show again?" My sister! Over the last couple of days I'd
barely thought about my family because so much had happened.
"Of course she would! But I thought the concert's been sold out
for months."
"I think I know someone who might be able to arrange
something. You just get her and her crazy friend Amy to the backstage
entrance for 7:30 and I'll arrange the rest."
I took out my phone and rang home.
"Hello stranger." Said Mum.
"Very funny. Listen, do think that Ashley and Amy would be
up to a second dose of 'N Sync?"
"I think they could manage it."
"Can you get them to the backstage entrance for half seven?"
"I'll manage it. But I want to talk to you. I didn't like you
leaving it so long before ringing." She chastised.
"Sure thing. I'll see you there." I said.
"Bye Honey."
"So they'll be there?" Asked Justin.
"I don't think they'd miss it for the world." I replied.
The concert went brilliantly that night. My sisters got a special
mention from the group and I had a long conversation with my mother
about what I was getting up to. I managed to stick to the truth most of
the time. But without being able to mention the learning magic parts
there were huge gaping holes in my story.
-------------------------
"Thank you guys." I said, later that night.
"For what?"
"For making my sister one of the happiest people on the planet,
and for making me look like the coolest person on earth to her." They all
laughed at that. Because of the early flight tomorrow morning to New
York we all went to sleep early. This time Justin didn't join me in bed.
7
After an early rise in the morning we had all been trooped on to
the tour bus to begin the 8-hour journey into New York City for the final
concert of the tour. We first took some time to help me form the mental
connections with each of them that would come in handy in the future.
"I don't think that we should teach you any combat magic on
the bus, but there is something else that I've been meaning to show you.
You've got to develop your magical senses." Said Lance.
"Yeah, it's actually what we should have shown you how to do
first, but I think this thing with Drayn and with what happened to Justin
made us concentrate on showing you how to protect yourself. But you
have to know when someone is casting a spell or something as well."
Added JC.
"So I'll be able to tell when someone is using magic?" I asked.
"That's not all! For example, I can feel all the others around me
at the moment, I know that they're there and they know that I'm here."
"But they can just look at you and know that." I said wryly.
"That's not the point!" Exclaimed Lance.
"Jeez, can't you take a joke boy?" I laughed.
For the next two hours they showed me how to sense magical
usage and discharges in proximity to myself. I was told that, like
everything, my range would increase over time and practise. During this
time Chris was sitting in the corner with a rabbit that the coach had hit a
while back. Chris had yelped when it had happened and had gotten the
driver to stop the coach right there. He had gotten out and tenderly
picked up the rabbit to bring it onto the tour bus. When I saw it I felt
such pity because it was really close to dying. But, when I looked over
later the animal was almost completely healed, it just had a lot of dried
blood on its fur. I got up and went over to sit beside him at the table.
"I didn't think that you were a healer." I said.
"Hmmm?" Said Chris, all his attention on the animal. "Oh, I
can only heal animals, not humans. So I'm not considered to be a
healer."
"Is it alright now?" I asked.
"It'll be fine. All I have to figure out is how to get it back to
where it came from. We've already come a couple of hundred miles."
"A teleportation spell?" I suggested.
"Yeah... but they can be tricky when the things alive and not
yourself." He then called JC over. "Help me with this will you JC?" JC
understood what Chris wanted to do and nodded. The rabbit shimmered
briefly and then vanished, back to where it had come from.
We spent a lot of time then just laughing, joking and playing
games. They even tried to get me to sing. They finally convinced me to
try, but only once and never again. I knew why, it was the same reason
that I hadn't wanted to in the first place, because I couldn't.
"I never got you back for that stunt you pulled last night Tom."
Said Justin.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I replied.
"You know full well what I'm talking about. The little rain
cloud thing?"
"It's not my fault that your guard wasn't good enough to
protect you against my meagre power." I joked.
"You took me by surprise!" He said.
"I thought that you were able to tell when spells were going on
around you."
"I guess... but that doesn't mean that you can go around playing
practical jokes on me!"
"It was only the once. You'll get over it."
"No I won't! I really liked that jacket. And you tried to do the
same thing to Lance later!"
"But he knew that I was doing it." I responded.
"He *is* a seer you know."
"Excuses excuses." I laughed.
------------------------
"See something you like James?" Asked Joey, who was sitting
beside Lance, who was staring at Tom and Justin and not hiding it very
well.
Lance blushed and looked towards Joey. "They just look so
perfect together, don't you think?"
"If I agree that they do then will you stop staring at them?
They're going to see you any minute."
"Sure thing honey. Agree?"
Joey glanced over at the pair on the sofa who were deep in
conversation. "Ok, I agree. Now pay some attention to me!" Lance
grabbed Joey by the neck and pulled him into a deep kiss.
A couple of minutes later Lance asked. "How's that?"
----------------------------
"Would you look at those two over there?" Said Justin.
"I don't really think I want to!" I said. Justin laughed.
"You're probably right. Still though, it'd be great to have what
they have with someone, wouldn't it?" Justin sighed.
"I guess." I said noncommittally.
The concert that night was awesome, as expected and the party
was even better! Towards the end, when most of the people had gone
home, a drunk sounding Lance came up to me.
"Hey Tom. I've got a friend of mine who'd like to get to know
you better. You interested?" He said in a slurred voice.
I looked around and there weren't really all that many people
left. Only those who were really close to the group were still here. "I
don't know Lance..."
"Go on." He shouted, over the music. "They'll be really
disappointed if you don't show up. Just one dance 'k?"
I hesitated. But what the hell, one dance wasn't too bad.
"Alright, where?"
"The other room. It's quieter. You can talk." Said Lance, losing
his balance at the same time. I grabbed his arm to prop him up. "Thanks
man. Here comes Joey! Joey!" Joey looked over at us and grinned,
seeing the state that his boyfriend was in.
"He making an ass of himself Tom? Here, I'll take things from
here." He said, grabbing Lance and putting his arm around him as a
support.
"Go on. Have fun." Slurred Lance.
"Sure thing Lance." I said, then I turned to look for this other
room that Lance was talking about. As soon as I turned my back Lance
stood up straight, but kept Joey's arm around him.
"Did he fall for it?" Asked Joey.
"Hook, line and sinker." Replied Lance. "What do you say
about going up to our room?"
Joey just grinned again and led the way.
Eventually I found the other room that Lance had been talking
about. I went in and closed the door behind me. It was quiet. You
couldn't even hear the thumping music from the hall I'd just left. Must
be sound proofed.
"Is that you Tom?" Asked Justin, startling me.
"Yeah. What are you doing here?" I asked. He walked towards
me.
"JC said that he had this friend that he wanted me to dance
with, that they'd be in here."
"Lance said the same thing to me. Said that it'd be quieter."
"Sure is quiet." Said Justin.
"Is it just us in here?" I asked.
"Yeah, I've been waiting for about 10 minutes for someone to
show up, I was about to leave when you came in." Something seemed to
click in Justin and the look of confusion on his face cleared up.
"What?" I asked.
"I think that we're meant to dance together." He said hesitantly.
"Us?" I laughed. "Is this their idea of a joke?"
"I don't know. Do you want to dance with me?" He asked,
moving closer towards me.
"Sure, but..." I drifted off, realising what I'd just said.
"Well, then we really should thank them, shouldn't we?" Justin
grabbed me, and, without the assistance of any music, we danced.
--------------------------------------
I groaned. Heavy drinking did not agree with me. I opened my
eyes and smiled, looking at whom was occupying the other side of the
bed.
"Wake up Justin." I whispered. He just grunted and turned the
other way. Still smiling, I summoned a breeze that lifted the covers and
they drifted to the ground. I admired the naked body that was before my
eyes, but Justin did nothing but turn over again, this time treating me to
an even better view. But it didn't dull the edge of my sadism.
The breeze grew stronger and gradually he was pushed towards
the edge of the bed. Just before he got to the edge, as I was reaching
forward to give it the personal touch someone knocked on the door.
I looked towards the door and the wind died down. "Who is it?"
I called.
"It's Josh. Is Justin in there? Because he's not in his room."
I blushed. "He's in here. How do you wake him up? Because
I'm having some trouble with that."
"Try sunlight. It works against vampires and it can work for
you too."
"But I don't want to get out of bed." I said back.
"I wonder why." Jeered JC.
"Shut up. Anyway, it's your fault that he's in here." I said back.
"I only set you two up to dance together, I didn't force you to
have sex with him." I blushed again. Just as I was about to say
something back, Justin muttered something under his breath and turned
over again, rolling of the bed. He sat up looking dazed.
"Hey Lover." He said, smiling at me.
"Never mind then." Said JC, before walking off, his footsteps
echoing down the corridor.
"What was that about?" Asked Justin.
"I was wondering how to get you up." I said.
"You didn't have any trouble figuring that out last night." Said
Justin. I groaned at the bad joke and then got up to take a shower.
Eventually we both were washed and dressed so we made our
way over to JC's room. We made our entrance to applause and wolf-
whistles. Justin bowed and I blushed.
"You're welcome." Said Lance and JC.
"Yeah yeah." I said.
"Anyway." Said JC. "Before I forget, the flights to Ireland have
been confirmed, Lance."
"Ireland?" I asked. "Why are we going there? Why didn't
anyone tell me? I don't have my passport with me."
"Relax. We're not going for another couple of days so you've
got plenty of time to get ready. We're going because Ireland's an
extremely powerful place for magic and it'll be good to have you train
there for a while. It was Lance's suggestion so you can thank him."
"They have a disproportionately high number of people born
there with magical powers, and even some people born with only minor
magical abilities, like being able to light candles. Magic is more
powerful there and it's also where the Mage's council is located." Added
Lance.
"You've got two days to get back home and packed. And then
we're off!"
"It's not my month of Florida Sun, Sand and Surf though."
Pouted Justin.
"You'll get over it." Said JC dismissally. "Besides, we're only
going to spend a couple of weeks there, then you can go and bask on the
beaches."
"And the weather's crap..." Continued Justin, not listening to
what JC was saying.
-----------------------------------
"You're going to Ireland?" Asked Mum. "Why?" I'd just
gotten home so that I could pack for the couple of weeks that I'd be
away for and to say good bye to my family.
"Because the guys are going over for a holiday and they invited
me to go with them."
"But you've only known them for a couple of weeks and
they're asking you to go with them to another country?"
"Even if I was working with them I'd have to go with them to
other countries, I don't see what's so different about this."
"It's not work! That's what's different about it." She
exclaimed, and then changed her tone. "Speaking of work, your boss
called, said that you shouldn't bother thinking that you're getting your
job back at the shop."
I'd forgotten completely about it! My other job, yeah, I really
should have done something about it. But it's not like I was ever going
to need to work there again. "Oops." I said.
"Damn right. But I told her that I didn't think that you'd feel
threatened by that and then I hung up on her. I never did like that
women." She paused. "But that's getting away from the subject. I don't
know if I want you going on this trip. Your sister misses you and so do
I."
"Mum! I'm nineteen years old. I'm going to be moving out
permanently soon, you're going to have to get used to my not being
here."
I saw a glint in her eye. "There's something else isn't there?
Something that you don't want to tell me. Who is it?"
"Mum... I don't really want to say anything. I promised to keep
it a secret."
"So there is someone!" She said triumphantly. "Is it one of
those 'N Sync boys? Is that why you can't tell me?"
"He's not a boy! You're making me feel dirty saying that."
"So you've had sex with him?"
"Mum!"
"I just want to make sure that you're being careful, that's all. I
don't want my boy to get sick. Well... if it's like that then I guess you're
going to have to go, aren't you?" She stated. "*Just* tell me which one it
is."
I didn't miss out on the emphasis that she'd put on 'Just'. If I
hadn't known better I would have guessed that she was a telepath
herself, so I ignored her question and went to my room to pack. She
followed into my bedroom.
"How will I break the news to Ashley? That her idol is gay."
She sighed.
I turned to her. "You are *not* going to tell her that Justin's
gay." I said.
"I never mentioned the name Justin." She said, smiling sweetly.
"You little..."
"Yes?" She said. "I thought I'd taught you to finish your
sentences. What were you going to say?"
"Never mind." I muttered, turning back to my packing. Half an
hour later and I was almost done. If only I could find my passport...
"Mum! I'm home!" Yelled Ashley from the front door, just
before she slammed it.
"Yes dear, I'm sure the neighbourhood is glad to hear that."
Reprimanded Mum lightly, before she said in a louder voice, for my
benefit. "Hello Amy. Glad you could come over."
I groaned. Ashley bounced into my bedroom to give me a hug.
"Tom! How long are you staying for?"
"I'm not. I'm getting picked up later and then I'm going to
Ireland for a couple of weeks."
"With 'N Sync?" She squealed. "Are they picking you up?"
"No! Ashley! They're not. I'm getting a flight to JFK and I'm
meeting them there. You're not going to see them so don't go telling
Amy that!"
"Telling me what?" Asked Amy. I groaned again and pushed
them out into the hall so that they could continue their screaming out
there while I looked for my damn passport.
8
I'd finally found my passport (It was inside a sock (???)) and was on my
way to JFK airport to meet up with 'N Sync. I made my way onto the
plane after my flight was called and sat down in the first class seats that
'N Sync had provided for me. I stretched my legs and revelled in the
luxury that had been provided for me. Leaning back I quickly fell asleep
after take off. Next thing I knew I was being pushed from side to side.
"Excuse me Sir, we're experiencing some turbulence so if you
could just fasten your belt. Thank you..." Said the Airhostess before
moving to the next row and the next sleeping person. I turned to grab my
seatbelt and fastened it, falling back asleep as I did so. A thought drifted
across my mind as I went to sleep but I dismissed it. A couple of
minutes later a jolt woke me and with a troubled look on my face I
stared out the window. This was no ordinary turbulence. I could see the
clouds swirling around the plane, pushed and controlled by a racing
wind, which also banged against the plane. Feeling forward with my
mind I listened in on the conversation taking place in the cockpit.
"But what the hell is it?" Said the pilot tensely.
"I don't know! Traffic Control says that they're not getting any
reports of unusual weather nearby." Replied the co-pilot.
"But just look out the window! What the fuck is going on?"
"I recommend making an emergency landing."
"But we can't request a priority runway allotment without
something wrong with the plane and there's nothing wrong!"
"Well tell them something's wrong, because I don't want to
stay up here a minute longer!" Commanded the pilot just before I pulled
out of their conversation.
So, something was wrong but no one knew what. But why had I
woken up? I usually slept through turbulence and I knew that I didn't
have any problems with it. On a hunch I used the magical senses that
Lance and the others had shown me. I closed my eyes and a whole other
world opened up in front of me, a world where people were outlined by
drifting flakes of magic. I looked outside the plane and confirmed my
worst fears. The wind was magical. Someone was trying to scare us or
hurt us.
/Lance./ I called. /Lance, JC, Justin!/ After about five minutes
of trying to find them telepathically I finally heard someone answer me.
/Tom? What's wrong? Is your flight delayed?/ Said Lance.
/I wish!/ I said. /Something's wrong. Someone's doing
something magical to the plane and I don't know what to do!/ I showed
him what I could see and what I could feel.
After a couple of moments deliberation Lance finally said
something. /All right Tom. Justin says that it's simple weather control
magic, but it's hard to counter. He also says that it would have to be
someone on the plane so look for someone who's casting a spell./
/That's going to be difficult. We've got to stay in our seats./ I
exclaimed.
/Then do it from your mind! It's not that difficult, close your
eyes like before and concentrate. I know you haven't done anything like
this before but you're going to have to if you want to get to the ground
safely!/
/Ok ok Lance. I'll try./ I took a deep breath and relaxed every
muscle in my body, concentrating on my thoughts and feelings. The
more I thought about it the more I felt a throbbing pain towards the back
of my head so I concentrated my thoughts that way. Now I knew that the
person was behind me, but since I was at the front of the plane in first
class that wasn't of much help. I stopped breathing all together because
it was distracting me and I needed to focus harder. Eventually a picture
formed in my head. I could make out the interior of the plane and within
a couple more seconds the people took form, different colours
representing each person's aura and the form that the magic took around
them. For the vast majority the magic swirled in random patterns, with
some it flowed more regularly, indicating some power, but towards the
back of the plane, deep into economy there was a person into whom the
power whirled and plunged, indicating not only a powerful ability but a
heavy usage at the moment. I'd found my mage.
But I didn't know what to with him. I didn't think that I could
take someone like that on, I hadn't had enough practice with fighting to
be able to take someone really serious on, and I didn't even want to try
on a crowded aeroplane. As for countering his magic, I didn't think that
I could do that, and if I failed then all I'd be doing would be warning
him that I was on board the flight. There was only one thing that I could
do. I had to try to take him on mentally. And hope that I could do it long
enough for the pilots to get this plane onto the ground.
As if in a daze I looked down at the seatbelt holding me in and
opened it. I stood up and turned to walk down the passage between the
seats ignoring the jolts that shook the plane from side to side. An
Airhostess scurried up to reprimand me for getting up. One glance her
way and her fragile mind closed down and she slumped into an empty
seat. I continued my walk down the aisle. Eventually I got as far as the
man, who I'd seen in my mind, I gripped onto the heads of the seats on
either side of me and looked down at him. He was dressed in a Grey suit
and everything about him said 'ordinary'. He looked up from the model
of the plane that he was holding at me and the smug look on his face
quickly disappeared. I locked my eyes onto his and held them there. As
he stared back at me the ordinary blue of his eyes quickly changed to a
fiery red and I flinched with the power that was emanating from them.
"Do you really think that you can do anything against me?" He
asked smugly. Too smugly.
"I already am." I said as I felt the same rush of power that I'd
felt before seeped into my mind and a shadow fell over his face from the
black colour of my magic radiating from my eyes.
Suddenly the hand of his that was holding the model of the
place clenched and the model shattered and shards of plastic sliced
through his hand. Refusing to show any weakness he kept his fist closed
as the blood seeped from between his fingers. "You're nothing more
then a boy. Who's controlling you?" He asked, reasserting control over
himself. I was losing ground again.
"If you think that someone's controlling me then you're already
in trouble. I will beat you and then there'll be nothing left of your mind.
Give up now." I said, putting as much power as I could behind the
command. A spasm rocked his body from the attempt to keep the spell
controlling the weather outside going and to keep out of his mind at the
same time and for a moment the howling wind calmed, but only for a
moment.
"Impressive, boy. But you're only a boy; I'll win here. I've had
hundreds of years to practice my magic." He pushed harder; I could see
the streaks of his life force entering the magic that he was pushing at
me."And you're losing to a twenty year old? That's sad." I sneered,
focusing not only my eyes but also my mind and my thoughts onto
winning this literal battle of minds. He flinched again as I saw more of
the pit of desperation that was his mind. He knew that he was losing and
I snuck in similar thoughts, hoping to weaken him further and it worked.
He began to think of how hopeless the struggle against me was and how
it was inevitable that I would win. The light in his eyes dimmed and then
he shook his head, trying unsuccessfully to get me out of his mind. But I
was rooted too deep and when my instincts told me so, I gave his mind a
mental twist and he fell unconscious.
I fell to my knees and put my hands up to my face. When I
looked up again everyone was staring in fear at me. I cursed myself and
wondered what I was going to do about them. I thought that in JC's
direction, hoping that he'd be able to do something about it before I fell
unconscious myself.
-----------------------------------
"Tom. Tom!" I heard through the fog of sleep. "Wake up!"
Said Justin.
"Just five more minutes, that's all I want. Just let me sleep." I
mumbled. I felt his tongue pushing into my mouth and the shock value
of that woke me up.
"Thought that might do it." He laughed. I sat up and looked
around. Someone had pulled me into a seat and the plane was empty
save for Justin and I.
"Where's everyone else?" I asked.
"Well, JC and Lance took everyone who saw what had
happened off the plane and the council is getting rid off their memories
right now, as for the bad guy, the council's dealing with him. You did a
pretty good job back there Tom."
"Tiring." I managed to say.
"I suppose it was. Do you think you can walk? I'd love to carry
you but I think it might look a bit strange, don't you?" He joked.
"Can't I just lie here?"
"We've got a flight to catch. You can sleep on that. Come on,
get up." Justin then pulled me to my feet and I leant against his shoulder,
smelling his aftershave.
"Mmmm." I said. "That's nice."
"Come on." He grunted as he pulled me along. "We can't fly
all the way to Ireland so I don't want to miss this flight."
---------------------------------
"Welcome back." Said JC as I opened my eyes to look around
the plane. I grunted in greeting and tried to close my eyes again, but the
moment was passed and I couldn't get back to sleep. I sat up in my seat
and looked around me. Justin was sitting to my left, and JC was sitting
to my other side. Across the aisle Lance, Chris and Joey were sitting.
"So we were in time for the flight?" I said, knowing the answer
already.
"Yup, we got to it in time, thanks to a freak storm that delayed
it." Said JC. I raised an eyebrow at Justin and he just gave me a small
smile. I yawned.
"You're still really tired, aren't you?" Said JC. "I guess it's to
be expected though."
"Why?" I asked.
"Didn't I tell you?" He said. "When you exert yourself
magically it's the same as exerting yourself physically, only most of the
time you don't feel it until afterwards."
"No you didn't tell me. But no harm done." I said. Frowning, I
added. "Speaking of harm, what is going to happen to the people who
saw what happened on the plane?"
"Nothing's going to happen to them, but they've already had
their memories wiped, if that's what you mean." He answered. "But on
another note, congrats on winning your first little battle! Even though it
wasn't that little, he was a reasonably powerful mage, you should be
proud that you beat him."
"Do you know what he wanted?" I asked.
"Not yet, but I'm sure that the council are going to have fun
asking him that!" He replied. I nodded at his answer and when he drifted
back into his own thoughts I turned to Justin and smiled. There was
something that had been on my mind for a while and I wanted to clarify
things.
"I think we need to talk." I said.
"What about?" He asked, his brow furrowing in concern.
"Us." I said. "I want to know how far you want to take our
relationship."
He thought about it, by this stage I was getting quite good at
telling when people were thinking. "I don't know... Can I stay safe and
say as far as it goes?" He said, his eyes twinkling.
I smiled, that was the answer that I had hoped he was going to
give. "I was hoping that you'd say that."
"I'd give you a kiss right now." He said. "But we *are* on a
public flight and everything."
"Damn right." Said JC. "I don't want you two getting caught
out by anyone, is that clear?"
"Yes boss." Said Justin meekly.
"What were you doing listening in on our conversation?" I
asked.
"I wasn't, but you two are so loud... it's not my fault."
"Yeah right." I muttered.
/He's right you know./ Said Lance telepathically. /Maybe you
should try talking like this, it's *way* more private./
/Well, I guess if you could hear us then maybe he's right.../ I
said. /But it's not really the same thing, is it?/
/That's the whole point!/ He laughed.
/You know what I mean!/ I said.
/Yeah yeah, I do, but when you've got to keep the conversation
private, it's the best way./ He replied, being serious again.
/I get your point. Happy now?/ I wanted to get back to my
Justin. Wow, I could call him that now. A smile crept across my face.
"What are you thinking about?" Asked Justin.
/You, me, us./ I thought.
/Yeah, me too. You don't regret what you said a minute ago do
you?/ he asked, concerned.
/Not for a second. And I'm not going to either./ I said firmly.
"How longs left in the flight?" I asked.
JC answered me. "Another hour and a bit, you should try to get
some more sleep, Ireland's five hours behind JFK so jet-lag is really
going to hit you and considering how tired you were earlier..."
"Good advice, I think I'll take it." I said, yawning again as if on
cue.
/Need any help?/ Offered JC. /I could send you to sleep if you'd
like./
/No thanks, I think I can make it on my own./ I said.
/If you're sure.../ And then, seeing that I was he stopped talking
to me.
An hour and a bit later I was woken by Justin and told by him
to put my belt on, because we were about to land in Dublin International
Airport. This time the weather was good, and there was no one who was
planning on interfering with it! Grumbling, I pulled the belt around me
and secured it. We made a smooth landing, and then we were on Irish
soil.
Chapters 9-12
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