Another collective female groan filled the room.
“Look,” Chad said. “I can ride a motorcycle, so I’m not worried about losing my balance and you dumping me off your broomsticks.”
A long, loud, belly laugh followed.
“Chad, my boy. You have yet to see all these witches can do. In the near future, you may be riding on the back of a motorcycle in the sky.”
24
After the meeting dispersed, Chad, Brianna, and Dr. Emerson made their way to the professor's home and hidden study. The air was thick with anticipation as Dr. Emerson shoved a bookcase aside, revealing a concealed door.
"I've been waiting for the right moment to show you this," he said, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "The Codex Temporis is not just a book. It's a gateway to understanding the very fabric of time and space."
As they entered the secret room, Chad and Brianna gasped. The walls were lined with ancient texts and artifacts, but at the center stood a pedestal holding the Codex Temporis. It seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy.
"Now," Dr. Emerson said, "we begin the real work." His fingers hovered over the worn leather cover. "Before we open this, we need to beabsolutely clearon our intentions. The Codex is incredibly powerful, but also dangerous if misused."
Brianna nodded solemnly. "We want to create a global ward against interdimensional intrusion, one that can protect our entire timeline, now and into the future."
Chad added, "And if possible, a way to amplify my Word Warrior abilities to make it happen. I swear on the lives of my future children, I will not misuse whatever I learn." He glanced at Brianna. She was staring at him with brows raised, but didn’t comment.
Dr. Emerson took a deep breath. "Very well. Let's begin."
Over the next few days,the trio immersed themselves in studying the Codex Temporis. The ancient tome seemed to come alive under their scrutiny, its pages shifting and changing as if responding to their thoughts and intentions.
Brianna found herself lost in intricate diagrams of temporal flows and interdimensional gateways. Her ability to manipulate time grew stronger with each passing day, and she began to grasp the underlying principles that governed the fabric of reality.
Chad, meanwhile, focused on sections that detailed the power of words and intention. He discovered incantations and techniques that could amplify his Word Warrior abilities beyond anything he had imagined possible. No wonder Damien wanted this book!
Dr. Emerson acted as their guide, his vast knowledge helping to contextualize and interpret the Codex's more cryptic passages. But even he found himself in awe of the book's depth and complexity. As they delved deeper, the true scope of their task began to dawn on them. Creating a global ward that could protect not just space, but time itself was a monumental undertaking.
Finally, the three of them pieced together a plan. It was multi-faceted and would require all the power of the L.A.W.witches and non-witches. Brianna had even offered to bring her sister into it. Freya was a witch too, but not a time-traveling one. Bas said that’s why she hadn’t been recruited, but Freya could build a strong spell, and they needed all the strength they could get. At last, Bas relented, but she drew the line at allowing their grandmother to participate. Both women were very protective of their grandmother and could be distracted, trying to shield her.
As the trio emerged from Dr. Emerson's hidden study, bleary-eyed but filled with newfound knowledge and purpose, they returned to the mansion on Long Island. They found the L.A.W. witches abuzz with activity. The witches had taken Bas's instructions to heart, honing their skills and preparing for the monumental task ahead.
Bas greeted them in the foyer, her emerald eyes sharp with curiosity. "Well? What have you discovered?"
Dr. Emerson spoke first, his voice filled with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. "The Codex Temporis is even more powerful than we imagined. It contains the knowledge to create a global ward, but the process is complex, to say the least."
Chad nodded, adding, "We'll need to combine my Word Warrior abilities with Brianna's time manipulation skills, all amplified by the collective power of the L.A.W. witches and ley lines. It's going to take everything we've got."
Brianna stepped forward, her face etched with determination. "The ward needs to be anchored at specific points around the globe—nexus points where several ley lines intersect. We'll need teams at each location, working in perfect synchronization."
Bas absorbed this information, her mind already racing with the logistics. "How many nexus points are we talking about?"
"Eleven," Dr. Emerson replied. "Scattered across the continents. And they must all be activated simultaneously for the ward to take hold."
A hush fell over the gathered witches as the enormity of the task sank in. Joell was the first to point out the lack of members. Eleven nexus points around the globe, each needing a ‘team’ of witches. Let’s see, there are eight of us, plus Bas and two professors, so even if a team consists of only two people, we’re still short. What do we do now?”
“My sister, Freya, will be joining us,” Brianna said.
Several of the witches gasped. “With no training?” Victoria and Joell asked, simultaneously, looking at Bas.
“She’ll be paired with one of you. She’s a gifted and powerful healer, using her hands alone. She’s also skilled with plants and poultices.” Unspoken was the idea that she might be needed if things went wrong.
“It sounds like her gifts are closely related to mine,” Magda said.
“Indeed. I’d like you to befriend her, but more in a supportive role, Magda. Since she needs good fighting skills, I’m pairing her with our crack shot, Crystal.”
