Page 16 of Jade Lion and the Witch Boy (Haunted Hearts: Season of the Witch #5)

AFTER THIRTY MINUTES in the automobile, we arrive at a large, unassuming estate with a gate. Sebastian slows down and waves at the column of stone. A small black etching that resembles the cell phones I read about beeps.

“State your business,” a voice from the column says.

“Uh, hi.” Seb leans out the window and shows the card that was given to us. “I’m here because Luther asked us to come. I’m Sebastian.”

The black etching is silent for five seconds. Seb clears his throat and continues, “I’m with Kai, the Jade Lion.”

“Enter,” the voice says abruptly. With some whirring noises, the gate moves on its own accord. I sense no enchantment, so this must be technology. Seb drives us forward into a small driveway. The mansion before us has a cream-colored facade and is at least double the size of Boysen House.

After we park, I get out and gaze up at the structure. “Wow,” Seb says as we both close our doors. “Wizard life is fancy. But how do hundreds of members live in here?”

“Most likely, they have empowered their own portals,” I reply.

“They can do that?”

Flashes in memory reveal open gateways to other locations, each powered by significant amounts of magic. I shake my head. “Yes. Space and dimensions are…complex, but can be navigated with the right type of sorcery.”

“Really?” Seb puts his hands in his brown coat pocket. “I guess this Union place is already doing wonders for your memory.” He seems almost disappointed in himself. I cannot accept that.

“No one has done more for me than—”

“You made it!” Luther walks down the front steps. His smile is bright, and he seems so at ease here. If this is some trap, my claws will tear apart anyone who might hurt Seb.

“Welcome, Jade Lion.” He gives a short bow, and his trench coat moves forward as he does.

I exchange a perplexed look with Seb. “I don’t think you have to call him that. Or bow,” Seb says.

“And what of my friend?” I say in a firm tone.

Luther looks between us, then nods at Seb. “Right. Hello, Seb. Shall I take you in?”

We walk up the steps to the front door. When Luther unlocks it, the first thing I notice is how barren the mansion is. There are barely any pieces of furniture, and no one is around. I expected various tables of workers using magic to protect the world, as Luther pointed out.

“What the…?” Seb asks.

“Follow me down here,” Luther says, pointing to a doorway.

“Why should we?” I ask. I raise my hand and let a single wisp of green arcana menacingly hover above my skin.

Luther looks alarmed but steps backward with his hands up. “All will be revealed, I promise you. The rest of the Union is down here.”

I exchange a confused look with Seb before we step down the staircase. What we see in the basement confirms my memories.

It’s a portal: an archway made of black stone bifurcates the room. Luther waves his hand over one side of the portal, infusing magical energy into the black stone. In seconds, the air in the room shifts, and I’m overcome with warmth. The black archway lights up with streaks of blue and gold.

The portal is active. The basement now resembles a doorway to another, brighter location. Just like in my memory, before the two of us is a portal to another place entirely. In it, we spot several people, presumably wizards, walking about and congregating.

“Wow,” Seb says, breathlessly.

“After you two,” Luther says with a smile. “I have to close the portal and rush in as it shuts down. Don’t wanna leave it on in Virginia and sap all my energy.”

I touch Seb’s shoulder. “Go on. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

He smiles that beautiful smile, his face glowing in the rays of the portal. After another moment, we walk through.

Seb showed me an online video of what an airport looks like.

It seemed so busy, but that is exactly what the Union of Mages resembles.

Pink sunlight streams in through the domed glass ceiling.

There are statues of globes made of gold rotating along certain walls.

Wizards of all genders and ethnicities walk about or line up at other portals.

One particularly long line winds down a main corridor. It all feels like magical bureaucracy.

“Hold,” a man before us says. He dons a dark blue uniform, like the police of the United States, and he wields a magical shard. Seb and I stop on instinct, unsure of who he is.

When I turn around, Luther steps through the identical portal, and it disappears, just as he said it would. Luther approaches us and waves the man off. “They’re with me.”

The man in blue salutes, then says, “Sir!”

Luther leans in and whispers, and the soldier goes rigid again. He stares at me, then bows. “The Jade Lion,” he says.

I exchange a confused glance with Seb, then follow after Luther.

“He’s excited to see you. We all are.” Luther turns around, walks backward, and continues talking, “So many thought you were just a legend. But when I sensed your arcana in Cosmo, I had a hunch you were someone important. I had to investigate.”

I nod as wizards mull about the open area. “Why were we stopped? I thought the Union was open to all wizards?” I ask.

“And what are all these people in line for?” Seb asks.

“Ah,” Luther says. “The answer to both of those questions is right this way.” We walk down a corridor past where the bulk of the folks are lined up.

Luther waves, and the guards nod in reverence.

Our trio walks down a staircase, passes another set of heavily guarded doors, and finally ends up in the basement.

The sight before us makes me catch my breath.

Through a thin glass wall stands what appears to be a giant glowing rock, a small mountain of some sort.

The colors pulsing on the surface range from red to green, and it has the distinct aura of arcana.

The rock is almost diamond-shaped, has a jagged edge, one long spiky point at the top, and is deeply embedded in the earth.

It must be at least thirty feet in diameter and several yards tall.

Given its apparent longevity, I suspect the Union building was built around it.

Several wizards in uniform meticulously carve out pieces from it.

“What…what is this?” I ask.

“This…is geo arcanum,” Luther replies with a smile.

I exchange a concerned look with Seb, and we both turn to Luther.

He taps the glass and says, “Every wizard has a role in protecting sorcery. Many are officers. Others act as teachers, training younger wizards. And there is the maintenance crew, of course. In exchange, we grant all adults access to a monthly supply of geo arcanum. It’s an asset used for mystical augmentation and magical storage.

We’re able to track its usage, so if a wizard tries to commit crimes, we’re alerted to them going over into the dark side.

” He raises up the gem in his pocket; it’s a red shard of rock that fits into the palm of his hand.

“High-ranking agents like yours truly get a little more a month…for missions and such.”

Seb frowns. “Why do you need this? I thought you wizards pull from the Sun.”

“Yes, but this augments our power. The sun isn’t shining all the time, though it happens to be a nice day here in Scotland.”

Seb and I gaze around. I see—we have been teleported to an obscure plain here in Scotland.

“So, you just have this incredible resource amongst yourselves?” Seb asks.

Luther nods. “A wizard coven found this rock, the prime geo arcanum, centuries ago. History tells that when certain powerful wizards began to disappear, the magical community was afraid.”

“You mean me?” I ask.

Luther gives an apologetic look, then continues, “Um, the ones who owned this giant chunk of rock you see started the Union to not only uplift and protect wizards, but to create a system to regulate and share the geo arcanum.”

“You use your abilities in public on unsuspecting mortals?” I ask.

“Cauldrons, no,” Luther says with a chortle. “That’s Magic 101, the nonmagical people can never know, family notwithstanding.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that,” Seb remarks. “But why do you need extra magic at all? Just to build your super-special clubhouse?” I laugh softly, and Seb continues, “You claim to be protecting sorcery―but from what?”

Luther nods. “I am so happy you asked. Follow me, please.”

We walk quickly down several corridors until we’re outside.

The sea breeze kisses our faces as we amble down a grassy knoll.

The ocean in the distance shows that we’re on a cliff, and we walk toward it for several meters.

Peering around, it is evident that they have their own foggy barrier to prevent mortals from accessing the Union.

However, what we see in front of us once again has me shocked.

Several wizards stand on the edge of the grassy cliff staring out at the sunset sky. There’s a crack resembling broken glass floating right above them.

“What is this?” Seb asks.

“It’s a break in reality,” I reply, breathlessly.

Luther gives me an affirming point. “I needed to show you a truth you may not have believed.” We walk further down, getting closer to the rift. Yellow light peers through, threatening to pour out. My heart rate picks up as I remember seeing these rifts in my time.

When Luther stops, I stand next to him, with Seb to my right, and we stare up at the massive, horrifying sight.

“I know you didn’t trust me when you met me, but you pulled the truth out of me, so you have to understand my intentions.

All of reality, mortals and magical folk, are threatened by this. ”

“What…what am I looking at?” Seb asks.

“We call it the Other Side. A dark, distorted dimension, like a chaotic mirror of our realm,” Luther says in a grave tone. “There are no permanent closures of these rifts. Only monitoring and preparing ourselves for what might come out.”

“What comes out?” Seb asks.

“Abominations,” I say, not blinking. I recall horrifying monsters in my time, beasts that needed to be killed before they could devour all of Earth.

“They’re inhuman beasts,” Luther says solemnly. “Each more bloodthirsty than the last.”

“So, you just stay here, vigilant over this…crack to the Other Side?” Seb asks, his voice rife with fear and apprehension.

“Yes. There are dozens of rifts all over the world. Hence the need for the Union portal system,” Luther replies. “Which is why I called you here, oh great Jade Lion.”

“His name is Kai,” Seb says before I can.

“Right, Kai. I’m going to be honest with you: the threats from the Other Side are only getting stronger. We need every resource we can to protect our plane of existence. One uncontrolled break could unleash horrors that might kill mortals and wizards alike.”

My heart races as I stare at the glowing yellow rift. Just as Luther finishes speaking, a horrifying vision floats along this fissure to the Other Side. An abomination with multiple purple glowing eyes and tentacles hovers near the entryway to our world.

Before I can react, the sentinel wizards lift up their hands.

Circles of magic manifest before them and pulse forward, and it’s evidently enough to drive back the creature.

However, even I can tell that the monster did not make a strong attempt to invade our realm.

If it had, would I have been able to stop it?

“They usually get close once a day.” We turn to see Luther gazing intently at the rift. “We haven’t had a full-fledged invasion in over a year, and not from this portal, either. We operate stations all over the world, twenty-four hours a day.”

“And you said there’s no way to shut these off completely?” Seb asks with a shaky voice.

“Unfortunately, no. I’m aware it sounds reactionary, but going into the Other Side to do research is a death sentence,” Luther replies.

Seb looks shaken, so I touch his shoulder. “I am here. You are safe. If that thing got close to you…”

“You would have gone full-on beast rage mode, I know.” He smiles in relief. I do not know what that means, but if Seb is content, then I am. “I think I’ve seen enough here. Have you, Kai?”

“Yes.” I nod and turn away, guiding Seb with me.

Luther follows and talks about the Union dining hall, but I don’t listen.

Instead, I gaze back at the menacing rift.

I recall my own battles with those monsters during my time, and I shudder.

The Other Side is still an imposing threat to all humanity, a century later.

Luther guides us to the main floor, where we started.

“So, you have my card. Please, give me a call as soon as you can. The High Council would love to formally meet you.” He stops before our departure portal and looks at me solemnly.

“I know I’ve given you a lot of information, Kai, but I wouldn’t have done that if it wasn’t dire.

You’re the Jade Lion of legend, and you would be an integral asset to all of us here in the Union. ”

“As long as he’s not a witch, right?” Seb mutters in a facetious tone.

Luther looks at him with discomfort, then back to me. “This is bigger than that.”

“Seb has a point,” I say. I cross my arms, and, despite being taller than me, Luther seems intimidated. “If I were to join your Union, I would want my coven of witches to come with me. That includes their rightful membership access to geo arcanum.”

Luther loosens his collar. “We don’t typically allow witches…”

“Without the others, I will not even consider joining. I do not care that they are witches; they take care of me.”

Seb smiles at me in surprise, and my chest warms with pride. I love making Seb happy, and I hope he knows I mean what I say.

“I can definitely ask the High Council to make some, um, exceptions.” Luther bites his lip, avoiding eye contact.

“Very well, I…” My words trail off when I notice something to my right.

Various portals are being used, each a gateway to another part of the world.

One in particular, a few yards away, calls to me.

I see the trees, hills, and stone staircases, and recognition floods my mind. “That…that is a portal to Hong Kong.”

Luther and Seb turn to where I’m staring. “Yeah,” Luther replies. “You have a good eye.”

“I need to use that portal.” I do not wait for his response before I find myself striding toward it. All of my answers lie waiting through that mystical archway; I can feel it. My memories are in the hills of Hong Kong, and I won’t be denied them any longer.