Doctor Strangelove

Chapter Eighteen

Stephen was pacing by the window. Rachael's test was today, and he wasn't sure she was ready. She was definitely very good at magic but she was becoming arrogant about it. He now understood how difficult it must have been to live with him. She was stopping her practices earlier because she thought that she didn't need to practice anymore. He stopped pacing once he heard someone coming up the stairs. He saw it was Rachael and tried not to be nervous for her sake.

"Hello, darling," he said. "Are you nervous?"

"Yeah," Rachael nodded. 

Good, at least she's nervous, he thought.

"I think I'll pass, though," she continued smugly. Stephen fought a sigh. 

"Come on," he said. "I want to go warm up in the library before the test."

"Okay," Rachael said.

Stephen and Rachael walked down to the library together. Stephen shut the door and turned to Rachael, who was ready for him. Stephen put his hands behind his back.

"When I call out a spell, I want you to perform it," he said. "But be prepared, because I will start battling you. Are you ready?"

"Yes," Rachael said. 

"Okay. Get ready," Stephen warned. He took a deep breath. "Chains of Krakkan!'

Rachael shouted the spell and moved her hands in the correct fashion. Stephen looked down at himself and saw that he was covered in strong chains. 

"By the light of the all-seeing Eye of Agamotto!" he shouted. The chains were instantly gone. Rachael dodged them with a skillful spin. 

"By the flames of Faltine!" she shouted. Stephen put up a shield to protect himself from the flames that were coming at him. 

The kept at it for a good thirty minutes. Occasionally, Stephen would call out a more complicated spell to see if Rachael could perform it. She only faltered once or twice. Just to mess with her, Stephen called out the same spell twice in a row. She did not find it very amusing, but it made him laugh when she fell because she was so confused.

Once the warm up was over, it was finally time for Rachael's test. Even though she was acting a little cocky, she was bundle of nerves. It was made all the worse by being watched by the judgmental eyes of Stephen, Wong, and Mordo. 

"Now, Rachael, just remember everything I told you, and you'll be fine," Stephen said as he led her up to the attic. 

This was where the test would take place. It would be easier for Stephen to open a portal to another dimension here so Rachael could try to defeat some demons. Nothing too advanced, of course, but it would still be harder than anything she had dealt with before. Stephen took his place beside Mordo and Wong. Rachael stood in the center of the room.

"If at any point it gets to be too much to handle, call for me," Stephen said. "You won't be in any trouble." 

"I know I can handle it," Rachael said. 

Stephen sighed internally. "Okay, if you say so. Remember, all you need to do is round them up and trap them in a simple binding spell. Got it?"

"I've got it," Rachael said. 

"Good," Stephen said. "I'm going to open the portal in three...two...one!"

Stephen lifted his hands and moved them in a circular motion. He opened the portal to another dimension, letting a flood of creatures out. The were shrieking horridly. Stephen watched Rachael intently. She had been very calm before he had opened the portal, but now it looked like her nerves were getting the best of her.