The Three Spellcasters

Elysium

For the past two days and nights, I've been helping Colt keep his belongings during his transition. Today is the weekend, but it's been raining all day; Noah and I play video games in my room while my parents work at the hospital. We sat on my bed with controllers in our hands, and Dux sat on my lap, purring.

The sound of the doorbell alarmed Noah and me as it also startled Dux. Noah stayed as I went to check who it was, with Dux running ahead of me. I look through the peephole seeing only a raincoat figure, "Who is it?" I shouted through the door, "Anthony," his voice called on the other side. I open the door inviting Anthony in; he stomps on the rug cleaning his shoes before taking them off as he steps inside. "Did you walk here?" I ask. Anthony nodded. "In the pouring rain? How come no one drove you?" He shrugged, "I don't mind it; I wanted to walk, more like jogged." Anthony hung his coat as Dux walked in circles around him suspiciously.

I kneeled to pick up Dux, but he hissed. He circles Anthony a bit longer before sprinting back to my room. "What's the deal with your cat?" Anthony questioned. "No idea; Dux has never done that before."

We went to my room; I let Anthony take over to play with Noah as I sat on the bed, watching them play while petting Dux.

It occurred to me that Anthony is a half-spellcaster, but how much does he know? Does he know the elemental spells? Does he have a familiar? Has Anthony ever been to the Realm of Elysium? I am intrigued by what he knows. "Hey, Anthony, what kind of spells do you know?" I ask curiously. He paused the game, facing me before answering, "I know the basics, locking/unlocking doors, packing/unpacking clothes, turning on/off the lights," he listed.

"Have you ever been to the Realm of Elysium?" I added. Anthony thought, "Not since I was a little kid." But, of course, this gave me the idea of all three of us going there; it was a rainy day, after all, and I'd never been there before summer started. I gave a mischievous look to both Noah and Anthony. "I guess we are going to Elysium," Noah said, getting up from my bed. "Your the best," I smiled. Noah made his way downstairs, going back to his house. "Are we taking our familiars?" he shouted, "Yes," I called back.

"You ready to go, Dux?" I say as Dux jumps out of bed, standing next to my left, Anthony on my right as we stand in front of my closet. I raised my hand, lining the door. The portal to Elysium appears, more specifically, the center town of Belden.

We step inside, standing next to a large fountain. Dux jumped, walking along the edges as we waited for Noah.

Soon enough, a small portal appeared with Noah and his familiar, a golden retriever named Kali, coming out. "So, these are your familiars?" Anthony questioned. "Yes, do you have one?" Noah wondered, petting Kali. "I do, a Crowned Eagle named Respen," Anthony responded.

We walked to a nearby shop my family has owned for generations: the Augury and Alchemy, a potion shop owned by my mother's side, and The Mystic Tome that's next door, from my father's side. We first went into the potion shop, where we got greeted by my grandmother, Lilly Chambers. "Alex, what a surprise," she hugged me tightly. "And, Noah, good to see you as well." she hugged him.

"And who is this?" my grandma smiled, looking at Anthony. "This is Anthony Motes; he moved not long ago. Also, our new friend," I beamed. "H-hi," Anthony stuttered. "No need to be shy; come in, look around," grandma welcomed.

The inside looks old-fashioned but newly renovated, with many potions lined up on the shelves. Anthony and Noah look around as I make my way downstairs; there is a giant cauldron in the middle of the room with my grandfather, Eric Chambers, and my great-grandmother, his mother, Abbie Chambers, making a batch of some potion. "Hi, gramps, grandma Abbie" I hug them both.

"Alex, my grandson, how's it going?" gramps asks.

"I'm okay; it's raining back home, so I thought id come by with some friends."

"Noah, no doubt," gramps chuckled, "and you also brought the wolf too, I'm guessing?" he sighed.

"Eric, be nice," his mom shushed him, "Alex, don't listen to my son; your friends are lovely," she gave me a bright smile while stirring the cauldron. "Uh, no, I have a new friend; his name is Anthony; he recently moved," I remarked, walking forward to see what grandma Abbie was making. "What are you brewing?" I asked, sniffing the stench that was bubbling in the pot.

"A health potion. Can you hand me the jar of Troll Snot on the shelf over there?" she asks, continuing to stir the pot. I handed her the jar, and she poured some into the liquid. "Tell me, how is the family doing?" she asks with a smile.

The potion smell is overpowering, but I try to be polite, not to cover my nose. "Mom and dad are good, and Lizzy started university," I say, coughing from the smell. Grandma laughed. "I know, the scent is awful; you can go upstairs," she hugged me again before making my way up, seeing Anthony and Noah.

My family here, the thing is they're dead. Both sides of my family are. Once a supernatural has passed, they can live in Elysium, no matter the town.

Ghosts here can make physical contact more than in the real world. So it is not as hard as you may think when a loved one has passed because you can always see them here in Elysium.

I see Anthony, giving him a bright smile. "How do you like the potion shop?" I ask. He smiles back. "I like it; there are so many. I might want one." he eyed one potion called Lions Strength. I put my arm over his shoulder. "If you like this place, you'll like the store next door," I say, walking him towards the door.