Holy shit, Chad thought to himself.Could I become a healer too? Not just a protective warrior, but someone who can help people?He wanted to find out, and he wanted it badly.
He closed his eyes and pictured nutrients pouring into the plant. He had heard the witches pray to the Goddess and knew that the Goddess liked rhymes. The room was full of witches, all tuned into the Goddess. “Okay. Let me try something…”
Bas nodded, giving him the go-ahead.
“Goddess of nature, and of life. End this plant’s dying strife.”
The plant wilted, turning brown and brittle. Completely dead.
The other witches tittered, some placing their hands over their mouths to hide their smirks. Brianna shot them a dirty look.
He turned to Bas, throwing his hands in the air. “What did I do wrong?”
“Well, you ended its strife all right,” she said. “But calling on the Goddess was smart. She heard you. Unfortunately, your wording matters quite a lot. She can take things notoriously literally.
Chad groaned. “I’m never going to get this, am I?”
“Yes, you are,” Bas said forcefully. “Youhave to.”
“Can’t you just get Dr. Emerson to save the world? He seems a lot more knowledgeable than I am.”
Brianna opened her mouth, but Bas turned her laser focus toward her. It was as if a silent command was given. Brianna shrank back a step and lowered her gaze.
“Let’s try one more test,” Bas said. “This time, you decide what it will be. It needs to be something you want very badly.”
Chad took a few moments to think.
“Okay. I want everyone to stop laughing at me,” he said forcefully.
Suddenly, the witches had duct tape covering all their mouths. When they ripped it off, a lot of them said, “Ouch,” and they all glared at him. All but Brianna. She was grinning. “You did it! Plus, you got revenge without killing anyone.”
It was Chad’s turn to laugh. He felt a surge of pride and relief at his successful use of his Word Warrior abilities. However, his elation was short-lived as he noticed the stern expressions on the faces of the other witches.
“Next time I want an upper lip wax, I’ll go to an aesthetician,” Joell said.
Bas stepped forward, her emerald eyes flashing with a mix of approval and warning. "Well done, Chad. You've demonstrated a significant improvement in your control and intention. However," she paused, her gaze sweeping across the room, "we must remember that using your abilities for personal comfort or retaliation, even in jest, can be a dangerous path."
Chad nodded solemnly, feeling chastened. "I understand. I'm sorry, everyone. I didn't mean to cause any harm or discomfort."
The other witches murmured their acceptance of his apology, though some still rubbed their lips gingerly.
In the weeks that followed,Chad threw himself into his training with renewed determination. The incident with the withered plant and the duct-taped mouths had been a turning point, showing him both the potential and the pitfalls of his growing abilities.
Brianna was by his side for much of it, offering encouragement and occasionally serving as a practice partner. But Chad couldn't shake the feeling that she was holding something back. There was a new tension between them, a hesitancy in her eyes when she thought he wasn't looking.
One evening, after a particularly grueling session working on protective wards, Chad finally broached the subject.
"Bri," he said, collapsing onto the couch in his apartment, "what's going on? And don't say 'nothing.' I know you too well for that."
Brianna sighed, sinking down beside him. “Apparently, Lioness has been using her remote viewing abilities to study the anomalies. The results are alarming. We may need you sooner than expected.”
Chad turned toward her and took her hands in his. “What did she see?”
“Someone is trying to break through from the other side. Two someones, actually.”
“What is this other side? Does it have to do with the other dimension Bas alluded to?”
“Yes. I’m afraid so. It seems that there is probably a space between parallel universes. That is what’s referred to as the Aether or Ether. Lioness said they’ve broken through on their side, and now they’re trying to come through ours.”
