Zeph Malston: The Aether Mage

1After walking into the mansion, Keva saw Bernard and his two guests from the Phillips family. Ronan and Lili introduced themselves to Keva, while Bianca took her friend to a guest room. The poor wolf girl still hadn't woken up. Everyone one else moved to the living room where they conversed. Keva decided it was time to give Bernard that lecture she saved for him. Bianca returned to see her boss kneeling on the ground apologizing. After Keva was done scolding the old rascal, she asked where Eli was. Alex answered her and told his wife that the elf was in town running an errand.     0

Keva didn't dwell on the absence and changed the subject. She started asking about Zeph, and what he'd been doing since she was gone. When they got to the wind weasel incident, Bernard played the video. Everyone got a good laugh. Lili laughed louder than the others. Zeph just hung his head in embarrassment.     

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Dave was staring at the camera on his desk. Just a few seconds ago, he was busy going over his story for tomorrows weave post. It was a fluff piece about the trending fashion statements in the capital. Usually, he would interview local people of interest and take their picture, but he didn't have his camera. Now it was here, and so was the elf he met at the Malston estate. A cold sensation crept up his spine.     

Eli saw the shocked look on the young reporters face. "No need to freak out dude. I'm just here to find Mr. Kezwick. Do you happen to know where he is?" Dave lifted his arm and pointed towards an office a short distance away. His arm was shaking. Eli saw the nameplate on the office door. Sure enough, Charlie Kezwick was written on the plaque. He patted Dave's shoulder, "Thanks dude," and walked away.     

Everyone on the floor watched this strange exchange between a co-worker and an elf dressed in baggy shorts and a loose blue shirt. Several even followed from far away, their curiosity piqued. When Eli arrived in front of the door, he turned to face his audience. "Move along nothing to see here, and he pulled out a badge from his front pocket. When they all saw the official mark belonging to the Lord of Asperitus, the crowd dispersed like smoke in the wind. Eli smiled, turned around, and walked through the door.     

Charlie Kezwick was on his computer, organizing a few stories when he heard the door open. He was a brown-haired light skin man wearing a generic black suit. Not even looking up, he said: "Leave it on the desk." Eli smirked at the man's obliviousness. The elf made a small gesture, and vines started growing out Charlie's office chair. "What the hell!" Charlie screamed and tried to get up. But vines sprang forward and pulled him back into the chair.     

Eli walked slowly up to the seedy looking newsman. Each step forward caused more vines to wrap the scared man. Finally, Eli arrived next to him. The elf looked into his eyes and sat on the edge of the desk. "Mr. Kezwick I presume?"     

Charlie nodded. The vines were covering his whole body and he couldn't even speak. Seeing him nod, Eli made another gesture, and the vines moved, revealing Charlie's mouth. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"     

"Sorry Charlie, I ask the questions." Eli made the vines tighten, causing the man to grunt in discomfort. "Now word on the street is that you have a contact in the capital that told you about Lord Malston's grandson. I would like to know who that is."     

Charlie's eyes opened wide. "That's why you're here?" The Vines tightened once again, constricting even more than the first time.     

"Uh-uh. What did I say about questions?" Eli wagged his finger in front of Charlie's face.     

"I can't tell you. There's no way I'd reveal a source to some strange elf that looks like he belongs on the beach looking for spare change!" There was fear behind the man's defiant attitude. After looking into the man's eyes, Eli could tell Charlie wasn't afraid of him, but the mystery contact in the capital.     

"Are you sure about that?" A vine grew upward and waved in front of Charlie's face. Menacing thorns started growing from it.     

"No! I won't tell you." The newsman struggled against his bindings. He tried magic, but he wasn't skilled enough to cast any while bound.     

"Hmm. That makes things difficult. You see, a friend of mine is coming home today, and everyone was going to celebrate. I was hoping you'd talk and we'd get this done in a few minutes, but it looks like I'm going to miss dinner." Eli knew that if this contact only tipped Charlie off about the rumored Malston heir, the man wouldn't be so tight-lipped and afraid. No, there was more to Charlie's relationship with the informant. Eli wrapped the vines around the man's mouth again while he browsed through the computer. When that didn't turn up anything, he checked the desk. The thorns waved threateningly in front of Charlie's face, making sure he wouldn't do anything stupid.     

The search was thorough and after few minutes, Eli found a hidden compartment in the lower desk drawer. Inside it was large brown envelope filled with cash. There was a broken wax seal on the lip. When Eli pushed the two broken parts of the seal together, his eyes narrowed.     

"Well, well well, It looks like you were under the employ of some very influential people. Let me guess, they're the ones that wanted you to poke around?" Eli waved the envelope in front of the captive. Charlie nodded, tears starting to fall down his cheeks. "That's fortunate for me. Most seasoned scumbags would be smart enough to burn the envelope and get rid of the evidence. You don't strike me as someone dumber than the average criminal. That means you received this recently, probably this morning." Eli looked menacingly at the frightened Mr. Kezwick. The vines parted and allowed the man to talk.     

"Please, they'll kill me if I talk."     

Eli chuckled. "They'll think you talked anyway. I flashed my badge to everyone on this floor. Rumor will spread. You'll be killed as punishment for talking, or to make sure you don't talk in the future." He threw the shiny golden symbol on the desk. "I work for the Lord of Asperitus. And if you cooperate, you might just get out of this whole situation alive.     

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Zeph was sitting alone in the living room. Bianca took her friend to the guest room and was waiting for Semara to wake up. Alex and Keva were in the garden behind the mansion. There was a gazebo there, where they were creating their own romantic little world. Ronan was training Lili, and Bernard was in the lab. Rin chased a butterfly around the couch. They came inside because it started to rain again, and the kitten didn't want to get wet. Instead of watching CV, Zeph brought up the book he was going through earlier.     

While reading more about enchanting, a sudden realization hit him. There's no way Bernard made Aetherite with enchanting. He got up and headed towards the lab. As he was leaving, Rin pounced on the butterfly illusion. It finally stopped flying away. So, she made her move and pounced. She landed right on top of it and was sure she finally caught it. But when she lifted her paws to look, the butterfly was gone.     

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Bernard was typing away on his computer when he heard Zeph come in. He turned around. "Hello son, what can I do for you?"     

Zeph dragged a seat over. "Well, I had a question."     

"Ask away." Bernard gave the boy his full attention.     

"How did you make Aetherite? After reading this introductory book on enchanting, it seems impossible."     

Bernard chuckled. "You're right. It is impossible to make something like Aetherite with enchanting."     

Zeph knew he walked into it now. Bernard was entering teacher mode again. He sighed. If he really wanted to know, then he needed to be prepared for a long explanation. Steeling his resolve, the boy asked, "Then what did you use?"     

A satisfied look spread across Bernard's face. "I used alchemy. You see, I specialize in transmutation magic. It's a very rare affinity and it allows me to do many things most would deem impossible."     

Zeph's eye popped wide open. "Alchemy!?"     

"It seems you've got a similar concept in your old world." Bernard knew that Zeph made that face whenever he saw something in this world that resembled a myth or legend from his old one.     

Zeph nodded. "Yeah, it was a debunked practice. Before there was proper science in my old world, there was alchemy. Alchemists believed that they could alter matter, like changing lead to gold. They even thought it was possible to make an elixir of immortality."     

"Then there are similarities then. I don't know about an elixir of immortality, but I am able to alter matter." The old man watched as Zeph's jaw dropped.     

"So that's how you made Aetherite, you altered stuff that already existed?"     

"Indeed. I mixed and matched several substances. Then I changed their properties. After many years of experimentation, I developed Aetherite." Bernard then recounted some of his alchemical exploits, before he eventually made the miracle matter. Over an hour passed before they knew it.     

"When will you start teaching me Alchemy?" Zeph really wanted to learn it.     

"Later, you already have so many things you're trying to accomplish."     

"But I can handle it."     

"Not yet you can't. Alchemy requires the use of transmutation magic. In order to use that, you'll need much more power and control that you have right now. Once you are able to cast tier three spells, then we'll start your Alchemy training." Bernard's tone was firm.     

"I have to wait that long?" The boy's excitement faded.     

Bernard saw the reluctance on Zeph's face. "Transmutation magic is dangerous. It holds the ability to change matter from one thing into another. What if you accidentally changed the air around you into a lethal gas? Imagine the floor beneath you turning into a caustic liquid that would burn you alive." More and more disastrous scenarios were told to Zeph, so the boy would understand why he needed to wait.     

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Bianca was waiting for Semara to wake up. Every thirty minutes or so, she'd check in on the girl. After two and a half hours, her friend was still asleep. She looked at the wolf girl sleeping peacefully and started to feel annoyed. The urge to mess with her friend grew and grew until she couldn't take it anymore. Thinking to herself, Bianca remembered something Zeph and Eli did. It wasn't fun when it happened to her, but the thought of doing it to Semara made her smile.     

Semara felt something brush against her ears, so she opened her eyes. She realized she was in bed. A small grunt escaped her lips as she sat up. "Bianca, where are you. I had the strangest dream." Looking around she couldn't find her friend anywhere. Instead, she saw a fluffy black and white kitten chase a blue butterfly into the room.     

"Aww, how cute. And what's your name." Semara's started talking to Rin in a cute squeaky voice. The kitten ignored her and continued to chase the butterfly. "Tsss. Fine, be like that. I need to find Bianca anyway." She pouted and turned around.     

As soon as Semara turned her back on Rin, the blue butterfly landed on her tail. Semara didn't notice and started walking out of the room. The kitten's eyes were focused on blue and nothing else, so she pounced. A loud shriek resounded throughout the mansion.     

Zeph was leaving the lab when he heard the scream. A triumphant voice cheered in his head. ~Got it!~