Jackson complies in a heartbeat, willing to give Hakeem everything he has to offer. He summons up his magic, tendrils of shadow swarming around him in a viscous whirlpool. He pours it all into the mana well, until it was full or he had no more to give. He didn’t know what would happen first, it was designed to hold all the excess magic Jackson couldn’t use until it could be sent away. He pours his mana into the well until his vision blurs and his knees give way. He stumbles backwards as the magic escapes him, into Eddie’s embrace.
“I got ya.”
Jackson can’t help but nuzzle into Eddie’s chest. “You always do, it’s almost unfair to you.”
Eddie looks down at the drained elven man, his smile bright and sweet, “I’ll always be there, for either of you. It’s not my burden, but my privilege.”
Laughing softly as he tries to right himself, Jackson holds onto the arm Eddie offered for support. “What did we do to deserve you Eddie?” He looks up at the large man who embraces him with a tired smile.
Eddie ponders the question while looking at the raging storm being kept at bay. “Hmm, well the view of the park and the food are definitely candidates.”
Jackson snorts, shaking his head softly, “Fair enough. Now let’s see what our resident genius has in store shall we?”
“Let’s.”
Eddie and Jackson stand back, eventually joined by Princess Bandit perching atop Eddie’s shoulder, to watch Hakeem unfold what he has planned.
Hakeem flips through pages of a grimoire, all the while a second onethe boys hadn’t noticed floats by his side. Jackson recognizes the second tome, it’s the book of astromancy he received from Brenda’s estate. What’s Hakeem going to do with star magic when the heavens are cut off by a raging storm?
Hakeem lets the book float freely in front of him, the second tome opening up before him at his command. He points the wand to his back, beckoning the power stored in the well to answer his call. The green mana floods out towards Hakeem, turning into a sea of silver as it engulfs him. Jackson wants to run out and pull him away from the mana, the same force that had once brought endless pain and destruction.
As if sensing his anxiety, Eddie holds him closer.
Eddie is right, Jackson has to trust Hakeem like he did that day in January. He has to trust he will be ok.
With the two grimoires floating freely in front of Hakeem, he raises his wand between them and taps it thrice in the empty air. The magic swirling around him stills, as though he’s a conductor commanding his orchestra’s attention. It’s now he would conduct a symphony of magic for the world to see; or at least, for his world to see. Hakeem steals one last glance back towards Jackson, Eddie and even Princess Bandit. While Princess offers a curious chitter, Jackson and Eddie gaze upon him with trust emanating from them and give a small nod for him to continue.
With both arms raised, Hakeem takes a deep steadying breath as his eyes begin to burn with silver flames. His focus shifts to the raging storm in the sky, the final obstacle separating him from the heavens where the shining stars beckon him.
“Undine, quell your tears. Garuda, calm your song. As your humble servant I beseech thee, grant us reprieve from your passionate dance. Let the heavens part by my will and grant me an audience with the stars.”
Magic lace every word as his command echoes through the stormy skies, hands tracing intricate runes in the air. Thunder booms and lighting crashes as though the gods have been angered by the demand. Two spell circles of emerald and sapphire lightform under his feet, made of harsh lines in complex geometric patterns. The power emanating from themspurs a wind on the guarded terrace. The pitter patter of the rain and howl of the wind come to a stop as Hakeem heightens his focus. A small patch of clouds above Wychwood park begins to part, allowing the twinkle of a few stars to shine through.
Jackson is about to rush over to praise Hakeem for quelling the storm, when Eddie stops him, gesturing with a finger to his lips to be quiet and watch. Jackson regards Hakeem with wonder and a soft gasp when he sees the fire still burning in his eyes. As he raises his wand towards the small patch of starry sky Jackson knew, Hakeem had only just begun his performance.
A third circle of silver forms under Hakeem’s feet, it was now or never.
“Hear me, Nyx, goddess of night.
Mother of stars that rule strong and bright.
As the curtain draws back and lets our world into your sight,
May you dance across the heavens bathing us in your light.”
At first, nothing happens as the spell circles glow under Hakeem’s feet. The world has gone deathly still with no storm in the area to fill the void of a blacked out city. Then, in a blink of an eye, the sky line over Wychwood Park bursts clear of any storm clouds. The entire sky around the park breaks free from the raging storm and is now a canvas of twinkling stars. Jackson had never seen the stars in the city shine so bright.
Hakeem sways where he stood, spell circles fading, grimoires floating gently to ground and his grip on the wand loosening. He begins to fall backwards as his body is overcome with exhaustion from such powerful spells. Eddie can’t say a word before Jackson bursts from his embrace and slides on his knees across the damp terrace floor to catch Hakeem in his arms. “Hakeem! Please tell me you’re alright.”
Hakeem feels warm, his breathing uneven and his brow sweaty. He opens his eyes which are now glazed over with exhaustion and offers Jackson a smile that pierces through his heart.
Jackson heaves a sigh of relief and tightens his grip. “For fucks sake! Don’t scare me like that to prove a poi-”
He is cut off by his nose being poked by the tip of the wand in Hakeem’shand, which he is barely holding on to. “Oh, ye of little faith. Just be quiet,” he points his wand to the sky that was parted by his command, “and watch.”
Any complaints about the energy used and effort Hakeem exerted on his body dies in Jackson’s throat. Only one word dares escape his lips at the sight conjured before him.
“Woah.”
