GAME ON - GoM 2

8

The morning service was over and only Father Jason and four elderly women remained in the church. They sat all together on the side pews by the small Immaculate Conception statue, praying in murmurs with their rosaries gliding in their hands. Thames and Alex sat as far from them as they could, to keep from disturbing their prayer.

Alex thought she'd make Thames regret his offer when he said, "We're here to answer all your questions. So feel free to ask whatever you want to know about channeling."

But he didn't seem to have any problem keeping his word, and actually answered all her questions. When she couldn't come up with anything more to ask, he gave her a page with three paragraphs of text in Latin.

"You need to memorize this," he said.

Alex nodded, and was about to fold the page to put it in her pocket, but Thames shook his head. She frowned.

"You want me to do it now?"

"Yes."

"Why can't I do it later?"

"Things are moving fast, Alex. You need to know this conjure as soon as possible. That means now."

"Okay... Can I at least know what this is for? What does it do?"

"This is the conjure that will allow you to channel."

Alex was tempted to ask if he was joking, considering the length of the text, but Thames' face was enough to know he wasn't.

"You mean I have to say all this before channeling?"

"Yes, among other things."

"Other things?"

"You should get started."

She sighed, resigned, and focused on the page. Good thing Bootter had taught her some basic spells in Latin. She wasn't able to translate the whole thing, but at least the language was familiar.

Thames didn't hide his surprise when she recited the full conjure without even glancing at the page in under thirty minutes. She raised her eyebrows at his reaction and gave him back the page.

"You mentioned other steps."

"Yes. After you say the conjure..."

Alex took her turn to be surprised when Thames explained that she needed to craw a cross on the palm of her hands with her own blood.

"What? By the time I'm done, Armageddon is gonna be over centuries ago! Isn't there a faster, easier way to get to the part when I actually do something?"

Thames held her eyes, calm and grave, until she was about to snort. Then he produced a pen and drew an intricate sigil on the back of the conjure page.

"This is the alternative to the conjure," he said, giving her the page.

"And bet I gotta draw it with my blood, too."

"Yes."

"Jesus Christ!"

Alex was sure she'd whispered it. But Father Jason looked up straight at her from the other side of the church, making her blush at the speed of light. She scowled at Thames, holding the page as exhibit A to make her case.

"How am I supposed to have time to do all this before they kill me? There's gotta be another way!"

Thames shook his head, flashing a tight smile at her frustration.

"Look, Alex, it cannot be any easier. Because it's gotta be always and only a last resource. Think of it as a nuclear warhead. Why do countries have nuclear weapons?"

"To never have to use them," she replied, annoyed.

"Exactly. Channeling is the nuclear weapon of conjuring. It can't be easy and quick to do it. Else, channelers would go around leveling whatever annoys them on a bad day. That's why it takes some time to get ready. And that's why you have to use your own blood. The physical pain of drawing that blood is another sort of safety lock." Alex frowned down at the sigil. "Trust me: it takes way more than a pricked fingertip to draw it."

"Guess so," she murmured.

Thames stood up and when to the altar to grab a bible. Back with Alex, he held the book before her.

"Rest your hand on it, child," he said. Alex did and met his bright eyes. "Now I want you to swear on this holy book to use your skill to channel only with the energy of Light. And that you'll only do it to fight the warriors of Darkness-whatever their numbers, shapes and names. And swear you'll only do it as your last resource in case of extreme danger, in order to protect and save lives, when you've already tried other ways but nothing worked."

Alex breathed deep. "I do. I swear, so help me God." She glanced up at the Sacred Heart statue. "Heard that? We're in this together now. So no cold shoulders, mister."

Thames frowned first, then he scoffed, and ended up coughing in his attempt to keep from laughing out loud.

Alex turned to him, taking offense. "I mean it."

He flashed a warm smile and a glimpse of pure white light sparkled in his eyes. "I know," he said softly. "And He knows too."

"Good. 'Cause trust me: not even God would want a pissed-off Corban."