All rights reserved. This story is property of Fritz Ilagan. No one must copy, reprint or repost this story without any consent to the author, whole or in part, except for permitted by this site or the laws. All characters and situations in this story is completely fictional except for those with historical and social tendencies (you'll see in chapter 13).
This story involves gay love but it might take awhile before you figure it's there. I didn't intend this to be a "jack off" story so no sex scene would be found in any part of this series. For comments, drop me a note in darkdraiodoir666@hotmail.com. I try my best to answer all emails.
Guys, here's another chapter of my story The Gatekeeper: Stigmatized. Hope you like it!
Chapter Four: The Mordigan Witches
It was hard. Osiris couldn't think straight; too many things happened in the past few hours that even his brain was forgetting to work properly: his head was thinking ten things at once. But even against the tempest of thoughts in his head and his constant rational convincing of himself, he no longer could think of anything that can disprove Caleb's explanations and his experiences.
"Okay," Osiris finally said, "Given a minute that I believe you. I'm a warlock. I have magical powers. So what?"
"So what?" repeated Caleb confused.
"Yes! So what?" said Os, "Am I the only person in the world that has these powers? What makes me so special that those thugs tried to kill me? And who the hell are they anyway?"
"You're not the only one that has these powers Os. I think they wanted to take away your powers, as you said; Lilith tried to get your heart. And, I think, you got a value for the Hand because of your interesting family line. As you probably don't know, long magical ancestry means the family magic is passed from generation to generation, adding up more and more. The Hand might be thinking around these reasons but we can only speculate."
"We?" prompted Osiris. "You and whom?"
"I'm sorry I failed to tell you earlier. I'm Caleb Brine, a Herald of the Mordigan Witches, which is my coven."
"Mordigan Witches... sounds familiar," muttered Os, thinking hard. Then it hit him. "Of course, Djinn, one of the men that attacked the school, he mentioned you. He sounded afraid of the Mordigans."
"Well, they're afraid of us, we're afraid of them," said Caleb. "Djinn, Lilith, Akvan, Oni, Iblis and Seth are the Six Sergeants of the Hand of Atonement, a coven whose aim is to oppose the Mordigan Witches. Their coven, which is shortly known as the Hand, is involved in magic that no respectable witch or warlock should practice. Dark magic.
"They kidnap many people: some ordinary, some magical. Witches are taken probably because of their powers yet sometimes the Hand wants to recruit members. Ordinary people are taken because they have specific characteristics. Virginity, youngest in the family of thirteen, superbly high intellect, things that makes an individual unusual or coveted that can appear useful in magical rituals. The Hand also appears to accept payment from people who want to curse their enemies.
"We, the Mordigan Witches, are the ones that prevent these things from happening. We try to stop the Hand's operations and try to track down their members. Our coven is the only one that is strong enough to stop the Hand as they are spread throughout many countries and even gets protection from illegal syndicates and they also have connections in governments."
"So, the Mordigans are good while the Hand is bad. I can't believe I'm believing this... that witches and magic actually exist," said Osiris yawning. He glanced at the VCR; it showed 5:10 am. Caleb looked at it too.
"You can't believe something if you hadn't actually seen it or experienced it, this is how the mysteries of the world are explained but perhaps we can continue this talk after we get a few hours sleep," said Caleb, who also appeared to be tired. Osiris was still reluctant but considered that if Mr. Brine hadn't tried to kill him until now, he decided he can trust the man. However Os got another concern.
"Caleb, if the Hand found me at school, what's stopping them from tracking me in here?" asked Os, who instinctively look through the windows. The blinds weren't drawn down and Os watched the shadows that the neighboring homes created as the street lamps and moon light hit them.
"Oh they probably know that you're already here," said Caleb making Osiris's eyes pop, but he calmly added, "Don't worry about them attacking us. The house has deflecting and shielding spells around it. Also, no one can enter it without being invited by anyone within the house because of the Vampire Enchantment. And there are at least forty Mordigan Heralds watching and guarding us outside. Don't worry; the Hand is not that stupid to attack when the Mordigans are prepared."
"Vampire Enchantment?" asked Osiris. Who suggests these names?
Caleb smiled. "The Vampire Enchantment is an ancient protection spell. You know, vampires can't enter a private dwelling without being freely welcomed by anyone within the domicile. The enchantment works the same way but it's not limited to vampires. Don't worry, you're safe here."
Caleb stood up and invited the teenager to go with him to the spare room.
"I thought you said you're afraid of them," said Osiris. "Now you're telling me not to worry."
"Because it's my job to worry Os, not yours," said Caleb as they arrived in a fairly large bedroom. "Here we are. This room is yours. Do whatever you want with it. We're the only ones inside the house but please don't try to go out without telling me first, if you don't want to get zapped."
Caleb was about to close the door when he added, "And your right. I did say we're afraid of them. Why else would we put forty Heralds outside?"
A bright amount of sunlight greeted Os when he woke up the next day. The wall clock in front of his bed told him it was half pass twelve. Probably due to exhaustion, he didn't have any dreams that he could remember.
Sitting up, Osiris thought about his conversation with Mr. Brine. He tried to find other explanations... more rational explanations why all those things happened to him... but Mr. Caleb Brine's justifications, however bizarre it sounded, were the only reasons that put everything in place; the weird things that he did, his escape and the reason of the attack at school, it all fitted Caleb's story. But it was so absurd and unbelievable and he was still having a hard time accepting... Osiris Rites have powers beyond human comprehension and now he was protected by a fraternity of witches and warlocks?
He looked around the room trying to stop his mind from replaying all the horrible events of yesterday. The room was so clean, obviously not often used, comfortable and cool due to air-conditioning. Os moved his bangs off his eyes to see the room much better and noticed he was still wearing Caleb's shirt; the long sleeves completely covered his hands. It was too large for his skinny frame and that was when he noticed neatly folded clothes by the end of his bed.
The house was silent and rather big for a bachelor like Mr. Brine and quite neat, thought Osiris. He looked around, now wearing a well fitted white shirt and faded jeans. Seeing photos of vacation trips, trophies and a framed copy of the New Valley Chronicle, the label beneath the frame told him that it was the first school paper that Caleb helped create as an adviser. Osiris explored more, entering all the rooms in the house except for one that he assumed was Caleb's room. It was locked. It was ordinary in every aspect, not like what Osiris envisioned of a witch's house. He smiled to himself as he first thought of discovering a cabinet of preserved human parts and a sacrificial altar which he thankfully didn't find.
After half an hour, Os got certain that Caleb was not home so he went to the kitchen when he felt a little hungry. There, he saw a square piece of paper, a note from Caleb.
Os,
I just needed to check something about adding more security. I'll be back later in the afternoon.
Don't worry, your safe inside the house, Heralds are still standing guard outside and I told Luna
to watch over you. Help yourself with anything that you want in the fridge.
Caleb
Osiris wondered who Luna was, while he prepared himself a sandwich for lunch. It was creepy, the feeling that someone or something invisible watching him as he hadn't seen any Luna around the house. But Os dismissed the thought. Yet after lunch, he felt bored so he slouched to the couch and tried channel surfing, anything to stop him from reliving the memories of yesterday. Once he was convince that nothing worth watching was on the idiot box, Osiris turned it off and looked around to think of any other things he can do to preoccupy his mind.
Bookshelves stood around the house, even the kitchen had a shelf full of cookbooks, making Os think that it was so out of character for Caleb wasn't seemed the type to be a bookworm, even though he was an English teacher. Picking a brown leather-bound tome, Osiris tried to engross himself to the novel but it was impossible... it was too boring to read. He paced around the living room, looking desperate. Seeing a shady tree-covered park just out front, Os decided that maybe he can do with some fresh air. He put a hand to the door knob and tried to turn but it was locked.
Frowning, Os tried turning it again but it won't budge. He blinked for a moment. Hadn't he been in this situation before? And if he was really a warlock then he can do magic, right? Magic himself out of the house maybe?
Osiris closed his eyes, concentrating to unlock the door but before he can verbalize his intent, a voice behind him made him halt.
"What do you think you're doing?" the voice said sounding gently feminine. Os looked around, alarmed, yet no one was there... nothing was there.
"Who are you?" asked Osiris, sounding obviously scared as he looked around the empty room. "Where are you?"
No one answered him and Os thought that it's rather weird for Caleb to teach his couch how to talk as he could have sworn the voice came from that direction. After a moment, dismissing the voice as a result of his imagination, Osiris turned back to face the door and resumed his concentration upon opening the door.
"You ought not to get out of the house, you know. It's for your own protection."
This time Os rounded fast, staring intensely around the room. He definitely heard that!
"Who are you!?" he snarled to the voice.
"You don't have to shout," said the voice then to Osiris's surprise, a rather large cat-like animal sauntered around from behind the couch. It was beautiful with black spots, rings and stripes around its body.
"What the--a cat?" Os muttered to himself, backing to the door. "A talking cat!? I'm going insane."
"Excuse me," it said rather incredulously as it walked to the center of the living room and sat proudly on the carpet. "I am not just a cat. I'm Luna, Caleb's ocelot and familiar. And you're not insane... yet."
It took at least five minutes for Osiris to get off the initial shock of having a conversation with a cat. After a while though, Os asked now sounding unconvinced, "Luna? Are you the one who's suppose to watch over me?" He guessed if he can survived psycho witches he can handle talking cats. His life was getting weirder by the minute. "And you're familiar to what?" he added rather confused.
The ocelot, Luna, yawned uninterestedly. "You neophytes always bore me. I'm a familiar, guide and guardian spirit of a witch, Caleb."
"Oh, okay," said Osiris then turning his back to the cat. "But I can definite take care of myself if all Caleb can get to baby-sit for me is a talking cat." He carried on to opening the door by his mind and after another minute and a suddenly click from the knob, Os smiled proudly to himself as the door swung open. Os grinned and gave Luna a cheery wave as he started to march towards the door.
"I'm going for a walk."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," warned Luna serenely, but Os didn't heed her call and when his left foot stepped out of the door, a bluish flash of light swirled around him then hurled him back to the room where he landed face down to the carpet with a dull thud. The door shut itself again.
Luna walked towards him, yellow eyes twinkling. "Told you so."
Osiris glowered to the cat. "So what I'm on house arrest?" He straightened himself again. Luna started licking her paw.
"If you didn't want protection, why did you ask for Caleb's help in the first place?" said she simply. "I suggest you should appreciate my master's efforts on keeping you alive."
Biting his lip, Os bowed his head. The cat was right. "I'm sorry. I was just... I wasn't used to being... confined." He sat to the couch and stared to Luna, curiously. "Uh...I'm Os by the way." Then he extended a hand to Luna intending to have a shake.
"I'm not going to lick that if that's what you want me to do," said Luna scornfully to Os' proffered hand. "And I already know who you are. I know everything that Caleb knows... it's one of the powers a familiar have."
Osiris drew his hand back, scowling to the cat. "I offered to shake hands--paws. It's what people do when they see each other for the first time."
Luna just stared to him. "You humans are a weird type. Why do you shake hands anyway?"
"I don't really know." Os went back to the couch, examining Luna carefully. "So you have powers?" he asked. "What exactly is a familiar anyway?"
"Familiars are spirit-guardians for witches. Some look like animals but others can take other forms. We possess powers that can aid our charge and do tasks for them," explained Luna, propping herself to a leather armchair.
"So every witch has a familiar?" Os inquired, wondering what kind of animal his familiar will be.
Luna circle on the chair then lied down when she found a comfortable spot before answering. "Well, it depends on the circumstances. A familiar only reveals itself in times of greatest need. Oh, here comes Caleb." Luna raised her head to the middle of the room.
Mists started gather there, then turned to a spinning mast of blue fog. Osiris watch in awed fright as the fog took form and Caleb solidified in the middle of the room.
"Whoa! How did you do that?" asked Os, mouth hanging open in amazement.
"Practice," said Caleb smiling. "I see you met my lovely cat, Luna."
"I am not just a cat! I'm an ocelot," said Luna indignantly. "I can't take this anymore. You humans should know the difference--"
"Yeah, yeah," said Caleb as he picked up Luna on the armchair then put her to his lap, where she purred while he tickled her neck to shut her up. "I see the clothes fit you nicely."
"Yeah, they're okay. Thanks," Os answered. "So, where have you been?"
Caleb continued to tickle Luna on her chin. "I just arranged more security procedures, you know. We can't be lax in security if we're talking about the Hand."
Osiris blushed a bit and hoped that Luna wouldn't tell her master what he did. But the thought barely got off from his mind when Luna said suddenly, "He... prrr... tried to get out of the house... prrr... willed the door to unlock... prrr... but the differential permeability spell... prrr... stopped him... prrr..." Os glared at her.
"Oh, must have hurt huh?" Caleb grinned. Osiris scowled.
"What's the different permission spell?"
"Differential permeability spell. It's just another form of protection I cast before sleeping. It insures that only Mordigans can enter or exit the house so when you tried to get out, it didn't permit you. It's just insurance if ever the Vampire Enchantment fails."
Caleb put down Luna on the floor then asked, "Who wants snacks?"
Snacks were two boxes of pizza delivered to the house after thirty minutes. Caleb opened the boxes then put them on the kitchen counter where he let Luna have a sniff. Os was about to shoo the cat when she suddenly said, "It's okay. No poison in this pizza."
Caleb prepared a pitcher of lemonade then he, Osiris and Luna started eating. After a moment Caleb turned to Os then asked, "How are you holding up?"
Osiris gave his pizza a bite then chewed thoughtfully. "Okay, I guess. I'm not as freaked out as before. I even practice some kind of magic when I unlocked the door and to tell the truth... I like it. It was fun."
"I'm glad. So how did you exactly opened the door? A spell?"
"Well, I just thought very hard. I did it once, when I escaped the hospital. I told the lock to open and it... opened," Os said shrugging. Caleb looked thoughtful but didn't say anything. Osiris really had tons of questions to ask but didn't know where to start.
"Just ask me anything you want," said Caleb so suddenly, startling Osiris.
"How did you know what I'm thinking?" Os asked rather warily.
Caleb smiled and said sounding amused, "You're a telepath Os and you still can't control your power. You're transferring thoughts to others without you realizing it."
"Oh. How does that work again?"
"You were thinking about asking me questions. You unconsciously transfer your thoughts to me so I get a sudden thought of asking me questions which would be very odd for me, so the only assessment that I can form was that it was your thoughts that I perceived."
Osiris made a funny lost expression with his face that resembled a confused puppy. He just pretended he understood Caleb then said, "Okay... well, I was just wondering... if you knew my Aunt Celina, did you also know my parents?"
Caleb gave Os a strange look. "Well, no. Your Aunt Celina was the only one who wasn't really hiding her magic back then. Your parents... I never knew them, never even knew that they were witches until I met Celina. Met her when I was twenty-one. She tried to join the Mordigans then."
Os was surprised at this. "Really? Did she got in?"
"Yes but she changed her mind. It was when your parents died," said Caleb looking sympathetic. "She chose raising you than joining us."
"But if she didn't hide her magic, why didn't she told me we're witches and why did she bound my powers?"
"I didn't know Os but I think it was to protect you from the truth. The truth can hurt sometimes. She lay lowed and just until yesterday I haven't heard from her in the past."
"Where do you think she is now? Do you think she died on the fire?"
"We are not certain," Caleb answered cautiously. "The body that had been found on your aunt's house this morning was burned beyond recognition. But in my opinion, it was Celina."
"How can you say?" asked Os.
"Because Celina's a pyrokinetic. I don't think she would get killed by her own element. But don't worry, the some of the Mordigan Trackers are trying to find her righ now as we speak."
This statement took the heaviness off of Osiris's chest. At least, the prospect of one day seeing Aunt Celina again gave him relief. Caleb gave him few more seconds then said, "Os, we can't protect you here for too long. Sooner or later, the Hand will think of a way to defeat this house's defenses."
Osiris looked at him but remained silent. He doesn't have anywhere else to go and apparently, Caleb picked up his thought because he said, "You don't have to worry. I arranged it to the High-priestess, that's why I went out this morning. She invited you to stay to the Mordigan Mansion."
Blinking rapidly, Os asked, "Mordigan Mansion? What's that?"
"It's the home of all Mordigan Witches Os. It's the safest place on earth. We can protect you better there and it's more comfortable compare in here."
"Where is it?" asked Os.
Caleb smiled. "Well, if I tell you I would have to kill you." Osiris gulped nervously and Caleb realized his joke wasn't funny so he added, "Sorry Os, I was only kidding. To tell you the truth, I can't really tell you where it is because even I don't know its exact location. We use a special room that only Mordigan Witches can enter to get there and it automatically connects to the Mansion."
He felt that to go with Caleb to an unknown place would mean Os takes his safety out of his hands and transferring it to Caleb. But somehow, Osiris knew that he could trust his teacher.
"When are we going? The special room, is it far?"
"Don't worry about it. We don't have to travel outside but it is necessary to get to this place because the Mansion is hidden, even to the Mordigans for extra protection. I believe it moves."
"Moves?" Os said, confused. "Your Mansion has wheels or something?"
Caleb had to laugh. "No. It is hidden by a veil of spells and enchantments so that people other than Mordigans, cannot find it. I think it's in the astral plane. The special room that shall connect us to the Mansion is a Position of Power. It's also called a Territory by some because you can do anything inside it."
"How does it work?"
"Well, I need to do a spell first to transport us there. All Territories created by Mordigan Witches shall have a door that connects to the Mansion, so unless a Mordigan Witch invites someone to his Territory then no one can enter it."
"Are Mordigans the only ones that have these Territories?"
"No. Any witch powerful enough can have his own but only Mordigans has the special door. So you agree to go then." Osiris nodded and Caleb smiled. "Then we're going first thing tomorrow morning."
Caleb, Luna and Osiris stood together by the living room. After a quick breakfast, Caleb explained to Os that in conjuring a Position of Power, he would need to cast a spell. Os was rather excited for this to see a proper spell being cast before.
Caleb walked forward, hands raised then a powerful spray of water came out of his palms. He directed the stream against the armchairs, couch and coffee table, forcing the furniture back towards the walls, making a large wet space in the middle of the room. Os was about to point this out when Caleb stopped spraying the room and clicked his fingers. The furniture and the floor instantly dried.
"Wow," said Osiris in awed. "How did you dry them so fast?" Os felt like a little boy with all his questions but his inquisitive nature just can't help it.
Caleb walked towards a cupboard as he said, "I turned the water into air. I'm a Hydromerist, I can control water."
"If you can only control water then how did you turn it to air?"
"Well, I can control some parts of air... water vapor, the gaseous form of water." Os smiled. He didn't know that magical principles can be explained by the laws of physics.
Caleb was now taking candles and clear crystals out of the cabinet. Then he moved to the middle of the room and started placing crystals on the floor, twelve in all, forming a circle. He then placed four candles to the directions of north, south, east and west.
"Yellow for Air, the Watchtower of the East," said Caleb, explaining to Osiris why he placed specific colors to a specific direction. "Red for Fire, the Watchtower of the South. Blue for Water, the Watchtower of the West and Green for North, the Watchtower of the Earth. We invoke them to lend us their power and they also act as Guardians, protecting our circle from negativity and such." He then invited him to the middle of the circle.
After Osiris and Luna entered, Caleb pronounced, "Ignite!"
All the candles lighted. Os smiled. 'Cool!'
"You ready?" asked Caleb. "Okay, I'm going to call upon the Watchtowers. You just stay calm."
Os nodded and didn't want to show that he was nervous. It was his first spell after all. Caleb faced the yellow candle then recited the incantation. "Hail Oh Mighty One, I invoke thee! Come, Watchtower of the East. I now call the Ruler of the Whirlwinds."
A powerful gust of wind appeared before the yellow candle but remarkably, its flame didn't extinguish. Then Osiris saw a man materialized when the wind dissipated, wearing yellow toga that was swaying with the wind around him and so long that it covered the floor he's standing on. The man had blonde hair, with shining blue eyes and a very fair almost silver skin. He smiled to Caleb and Os. Caleb bowed then moved to face south while Os couldn't stop staring at the Watchtower who he could had sworn winked at him.
"Hail Oh Mighty One, I invoke thee! Come, Watchtower of the South. I now call the Ruler of the Solar Orb."
Long tongues of flame burst before them and Osiris nearly shouted. A man stood in the middle of the pyre, his auburn hair magnificently fiery, and his eyes black as coal. The sight was so threatening Os thought the Watchtower looked angry but when Caleb bowed, the burning man gave a smile. He was in a blood red toga that reveals his masculine torso.
Caleb called the other two Watchtowers, naming the West as the Ruler of the Mysterious Depths while the North was called Ruler of the Forests and Fields. The Watchtower of the West was in blue toga that flowed so easily it looked as though made of water. The Watchtower of the North was dressed in green toga as stiff as vines but complimented the figure. But unlike the first two, West and North appeared as women of unworldly beauty.
Caleb spoke clearly and with persuasion. "Lend us your strength, Mighty Watchtowers, so I can create my Position of Power."
The four Watchtowers gave Caleb a bow then turned themselves into orbs of their own elements as big as basketballs. Caleb closed his eyes, extended his hands, palms up, reciting, "My Position of Power I call to rise. Illuminate upon our eyes."
Osiris's mouth dropped open. The four balls of air, fire, water and earth began to move circling around them. Faster and faster until they became blurs of light. Next, the living room walls dissolved and got replaced by crystalline walls of purple and blue. The square shape of the living room vanished as tall columns of marble appeared to have grown from the floor making a dome-like structure. They were no longer in Caleb's house. The room was so splendid it emits its own delicate glow. There was a blinding flash of white light. The elements vanished and Os stared around, jaw hanging.
"You liked it?" Caleb smiled at Osiris.
"This place is so beautiful," said Os revolving on his spot. "Where are we?"
"This is my place, my Territory. A place I created between the worlds. I'm the only one that can enter it and anyone I invited in, of course. Time doesn't exist here, so as long as I stay in this place, I don't age. This is where I can perform powerful spells because ordinary laws doesn't govern this place but I can only stay for small periods as it becomes draining to raise and maintain."
"You mean you created this place? You can actually do that?"
"It's like a little world of your own. You can conjure it anywhere, anytime. No one can find us. We literally vanished from the face of the earth."
Impressed by the things a witch can do, Osiris inspected the room more and more. Even though it appeared to be under furnished, he deduced that if Caleb can create his own world, he could have conjured sofas if he wanted. There was no door and Os looked confused to Caleb. The older guy smiled at him and pointed to the wall in front, as though answering the silent question. A large silver-framed mirror stood there, reflecting the magnificent room. Osiris stared at his reflection.
"You just need to pass through it," said Caleb. "Don't be scared and don't stop or it'll get sticky."
"Sticky?" Os frowned and then stared back to the mirror anxiously.
Caleb noticed and said, "Are you ready?"
Without taking his eyes from it, Os answered, "Yes."
"Don't worry. You'll love it."
Smiling, Caleb led the way and walked against the mirror. The mirror appeared to have turned to molten silver and let Caleb's body pass through. After him, Luna trotted through it. Gulping nervously, Os walked towards it. It felt like going through a wall of gelatin. It felt cold and stopped Osiris from breathing as it pressed against his face. He forced himself more to it and felt like getting out of a swimming pool as his face and then his body went through. He opened his eyes and his mouth hanged open.
"Welcome to the Mordigan Mansion Osiris, the safest place on earth," Caleb smiled.
To be continued....