Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 11:07:50 +0100 From: Tim <shiningstar@oceanfree.net> Subject: Powers That Be 16 Here it is! The last chapter of 'Powers That Be.' I hope that you've enjoyed the story. Now, this isn't the end for Tom and the Guys, 'cos I've got another series in the planning stages at the moment, but I don't know how long it's going to be until I've got it out. It's going to be called 'Powers Within'. I think I'm going to work on 'Shining Star' for a while, I have been neglecting it. I want you all to make sure to e-mail me, let me know what you've thought of the series. Please? shiningstar@oceanfree.net. I really want to thank everyone who's e-mailed me and helped me while I've been writing 'Powers That Be'. You've all been an incredible support to me. BTW - If you e- mailed me after the last chapter and I didn't respond - I've been having a lot of trouble with my server and I'm not sure if some mail was deleted because it's acting funny. Thank you Tim, you're getting what you want in the next series. Sher, you're the reason I started writing, thank you. This story is fiction, i.e. - not based on real events, or character attributes. I don't know if any of the members of *NSync or BSB are gay, so that's made up. None of them have given me permission to write this either. If you're too young then don't read it because you might get in trouble. ----------------------- I crashed to the ground, landing flat out on my face. "Ouch." I groaned. I tried to push myself up so that I could look around but severe pain in my left arm kept me on the ground. But I could tell that the fight was still going on all around me. Someone put their hand on my shoulder. "Hang on," Said the person, who I recognised to be Lance. "I'll have you up again in a sec." "Thanks." I grunted before a warm feeling spread through my body and all the pain that I was feeling started ebbing away. Within a couple of minutes I felt fine and jumped to my feet, looking for a fight. But there was no one outside aside from Lance and myself, even Justin had disappeared. "Relax." Laughed Lance. "It's over." "Who won?" I asked. "I think it was a draw. Our groups are too evenly matched, and having you lying on the ground wasn't much help to us." I gasped. "Sorry!" I said. "What was I thinking of? Lance laughed. "That's what I was thinking. Come on, let's go inside." I nodded and followed him back through the still open patio doors, closing them behind me, and slipped onto Justin's lap on the sofa. "Hi." I said softly, as I put my arms around him and drew him into a deep kiss. There were a couple of groans and complaints and someone threw up a shield around us, blocking us from everyone else's sight. It was pale blue, the colour of Nick's magic. Justin pulled away with a wicked glint in his eye and started moaning. "Oh God Tom! Oh shit yeah... that's it! Oh.." He screamed. Less then a couple of seconds later the shield evaporated into thin air and Justin started laughing loudly. "Sick bastards." Muttered Kevin, but he was grinning all the same. "You're the ones who dropped the shield." I pointed out. Kevin replied. "Let's just say that Nick's got less then a... - he struggled to find the right word - professional interest in Justin." "Is that so." I said, looking at Nick with a raised eyebrow. "Well Nick." I said, pausing for a second. "Tough luck!" I said the teleportation spell and Justin and I disappeared. A second later we reappeared in our bedroom. "What *exactly* did Kevin mean by that?" I asked. Justin blushed. "I guess I should have said. Nick and I... used to be together." He braced himself, as if waiting for a negative response from me. "Why did you break up?" I asked, curious. "We finally figured out that we were better friends then lovers." Explained Justin. "But... he's still interested in me." "Damn right." I said. "Do you know what I'm really interested in though?" "What?" "This part of you that's been sticking in my butt for the last couple of minutes." I said, getting off Justin's lap and kneeling in front of him. Justin's eye's followed my eyes as I slowly undid the buttons on his trousers. I pulled them of with his boxers. He lifted up his legs so that I could pull the trousers off completely while pulling off his top. I paused for a moment to admire the body in front of me, from the light stubble on his chin, to his well-defined body and down to his erect penis that was standing right in front of my face. "You're so beautiful Justin." I whispered, accidentally blowing lightly on his erection. He shuddered from head to toe, Goosebumps rose on his arms and legs and I couldn't hold myself back anymore. I lowered my head and took him all the way into my mouth. He shuddered again and a sigh escaped his lips. "I love you Tom." He whispered. ---------------------------------- I woke the next morning to JC's slightly muffled voice coming through the bedroom door. "Tom, Justin? I hope you're awake, because otherwise I'm going to have to come in their and judging by the noises that I heard last night, I don't know *what* I'm going to see." He said. I heard some stifled giggling that could only have been Nick, I was awake enough to be able to feel them both out there. "We're up." I said, remembering what JC did to wake people. "Sure you are Tom, but I know that J isn't." Said JC wryly. "Ok, Ok! I'll get him up, just don't do that sonic boom thing." I pleaded. "Fine." He sighed. "Besides, I'm sure that you know *far* more effective methods of waking him up then I would. Big day today y'know." "I know, I know." I groaned. The fight with Drayn, the white council had narrowed the search down to three or four places that Drayn could be in Ireland, and we were going to search them all today. "Justin." I said, poking him in the ribs. "Wake up Justin." "Just a couple more minutes." He groaned. "Now. Or JC's going to come in here and wake you himself." "Ok, Ok, I'm getting up. Just don't let him come anywhere near me." He rolled on to his back and opened his eyes. "Morning." He said, turning to face me. "Come on." I said, struggling out from under the covers, accidentally pulling them to the floor. I looked back at Justin, who was only wearing a huge grin on his face. "What?" I asked. In response he swept his eyes up and down my body. "Have you looked in a mirror recently?" He asked. "Don't remember, why?" "You're body's getting better all the time, must be all the exercise that you're getting with me." He said, still grinning. I looked down at my body and gasped. For the first time in my life I had a six-pack. I couldn't believe that I hadn't noticed it but it was true, I actually looked muscular. "What the hell?" I said. "Doing magic is exercise too y'know, you just don't feel the bad effects of being tired afterwards." He said. "Cool." I said. "Coming for a shower?" I asked. The grin got wider and in a blur he was in front of me and pulling me towards the bathroom. I was towelling my hair when the next knock on the door came. "Yeah?" I said. Nick opened the door and walked in. He looked at me and blushed. I was naked and determined to stand my ground. "No one said that you could come in, you've got yourself to blame." I said. "Oh I'm not complaining." He said, shocking me. "Just to tell you that we're all waiting downstairs for you, JC wants to go over the spells again, oh, and if you ever get bored of the curly haired one - you know where to find me." He winked and left me with my mouth wide open in shock. I went into the bathroom to find Justin. "Everyone's waiting for us." I said. "So I heard." Said Justin, grinning. I blushed deeply. "I wasn't... I didn't..." I stammered. "Relax." He said, slipping his hands around me. "I know you're mine." "Is he always like that?" I finally managed to say. "'Fraid so." Replied Justin, who was now nuzzling my neck. I pulled away from him. "Oh no you don't. We've got to get dressed." I said over my shoulder while walking back into our bedroom. I slipped into a pair of jeans and put a T-shirt on. Justin followed me in and dressed too. We made our way down the stairs. As soon as we came into the kitchen all conversation ceased and everyone silently filed to the practise rooms. I could see why they were all being quiet, they were gathering up their power. Something that I didn't think they would get a chance to do when we found Drayn. Then I corrected myself - they would have a chance - it was me who was going to be doing the fighting. I shuddered at the thought. Once we were in the room JC spoke, his voice resonating with the power that he'd gathered. "Now, if everything goes according to plan then we should surround Drayn in circle so that we can block him in, then we cast the circle spell." The others fanned out into a circle around me. Purple light flashed from JC's outstretched hands and formed a perfect copy of Drayn in the middle of the circle. "If you're all saying this spell to keep Drayn in the circle, doesn't that mean that I'll be stuck in there with him?" I asked. "No, if you say the spell with us, like you've been doing all along, then you can pass no problem." Answered JC. "Ok." I said. JC cleared his throat, and then, with one voice, we said the spell. "Corcra cosantacht anseo, chun comaid cad ata inti ann." Power streamed out from all eleven of us and quickly shaped into a half sphere, with the Drayn copy and me inside. The others stood outside with their hands stretched in front of them, almost touching the barrier. The copy came to life and launched itself at the barrier, which flared a multitude of colours but held its shape. The copy shrieked and jumped at me, magic pooling in its hands as it did. It lashed out and lightening left its fingertips, racing towards me. I jumped out of the way and searing flame shot from my hands at it and it shimmered, disappearing and reappearing in another place. At this stage the others started chanting the spell that would bind Drayn into the ring that I was carrying. I risked a glance at JC. He had his eyes closed and was dripping with sweat, no wonder, because as well as the spell he was channelling his power through the copy. "Stop!" I said. They all opened their eyes and looked at me. With a gesture JC froze the copy. "There's no sense in doing this, we all know what we're supposed to be doing, so all this practise session is doing is costing JC power, and I thought that we all needed to have as much of *that* as possible!" JC grinned and wiped his brow. "You're right." He spoke the words that cancelled the protection spell and Justin started up a gentle breeze to cool JC down. "Thanks J." He said. "I could do with a shower." "Damn right." Joked Justin. JC went off to have his shower and Justin and I went to have breakfast while the others watched TV. By the time JC got back downstairs we were all watching the morning cartoons. "When do you want to leave?" He asked. "We might as well get this over with." Said Brian. "He's right. There's no point putting it off." Said Lance. "So...." Said JC, looking at his watch "We'll leave in half an hour?" "Sounds good." Said Kevin. We all made various noises in agreement and went off to get ready. When I got up to my room the staff on Onanis was lying on the bed. "What are you doing here?" I asked it. "I thought you might like some help." It said. "But I thought that your powers were to do with Time?" "So are Howie's. But he's going with you. I've got other abilities too, just like any normal mage." "Then you're welcome to come." I said. "And I should thank you." "Thank me?" It said. "For what?" "For getting me home, for helping me turn back time." "Oh that." It said dismissively. "It was nothing." "It was something." I said. "Tom? Who are you talking to?" Asked Justin, who'd just come into the room. "The staff of Onanis." "Oh." Said Justin, looking at the staff, which had moved and was standing on its point. "Thank you for helping to save my life." "You're welcome." Justin looked from the staff to me, and back again. "Could you... umm... give us some privacy?" "Oh! Sorry." It said, and the teleported out of the room. "Come on, I want to see the end of this cartoon." Said Justin, hastily stripping off and changing into the battle robe that he'd taken out of the wardrobe. The rube shone bright red for a second and he threw me my one, which I quickly changed into. "Are you done yet?" Asked the staff from outside the door. "Yeah, come on in." The staff teleported back into the room. "I hate to use magic like that, but I have trouble with door handles." It joked. It floated over and rested in my hand. "Mmmm." It said. "It's been too long since I've had a mage who had this much power." "I'll take that as a complement." I said. "You should." "Come on." Said Justin. "Let's go." We walked down to the central hall where Lance was already waiting with Joey. "Is that the Staff of Onanis Tom?" Asked Lance. "Why don't you ask it." I said. "He." Said the staff. "The hint is in the voice - I'm a male." "Sorry." I said. "It's an honour." Said Lance. "Don't see why." Said the staff. "I'm only a lump of wood." A couple of confused expressions crossed Lance's and Joey's faces, but they were saved from having to answer by JC, Chris and Howie coming down the stairs. They too admired the staff, no more so the Howie, soon we were all there except Nick. "Nick!" Hollered Brian. "Stop jerking off and get down here!" He looked over at the staff and blushed. "Sorry." He muttered. But it did the trick because a second later Nick jumped down the stairs, looking flustered. "I really *don't* want to know." Muttered AJ, who was standing beside me. Nick blushed but JC stepped in to save him. "Let's get going, everyone ready?" Asked JC. When he saw that everyone had nodded he traced out a rectangle in the air and formed the now familiar doorway, this time it showed a deep forest. We all stepped through and Lance, Joey and Brian grasped each other's hands and started probing the area for any sign that Drayn was there. After a couple of minutes of us standing on edge they finally reopened their eyes and Lance shook his head. "He's not here." Said Lance, an almost relieved tone in his voice. "Fine." Said JC. This time it was Kevin who opened the portal. Taking it in turns to save power, I guessed. The all stepped through into a huge cavern. "Solas." Said Justin, illuminating the whole area, the three people with seeing power clumped together again and eventually announced the area clear of any sign of Drayn. "That only leaves another three places where he could be." Said a clearly nervous Nick. "Don't worry." Said JC. "We'll find him." "That's supposed to comfort me?" Asked Nick. "I'd prefer not to find him!" "Do you want to go back Nick?" Asked Kevin gently. "No." Said Nick. "But that doesn't mean that I want to be here either. Then he traced the portal into the air and we all stepped into a musty warehouse. The group of seers came together again and started searching. "Let me save you the trouble." Said Drayn. Immediately the group spread apart, getting ready to surround him. "Ah, I see you've brought the other Scooby Gang, not that it's going to make a difference - he turned to me - remember what I did last time?" He said, almost pleasantly. "Remember what *I* did last time?" I snarled, bunching up and throwing myself at him, power gathering into me, the memory of Justin's death still raw in my mind. He easily side stepped me and hurled bolts of lightening at me. The staff in my hand jerked up and blocked them with its shields. In the corner of my eye I saw the others fan out, forming a circle around Drayn and I. /Now!/ I heard JC say telepathically to us all, but I was too busy trying to avoid Drayn to join in saying the spell. Power flashed around me and then the circle formed, with me stuck inside with Drayn. Drayn said a couple of words and icicles formed in his hands and he hurled them at the protective circle, to no avail. "So." He said, his voice dripping with venom. "It's you against me. How very - he searched for the word for a minute - heroic." The staff spoke. "Not quite Drayn. He's got me." "You?" Sneered Drayn. "I beat you, and that pathetic master of yours, last time we met." "I've learned since then." Said the staff calmly. "Enough!" I shouted. "Feac ar do olc rudai!" I said, casting an introspection spell, designed to make people look inside themselves, at all the bad things that they'd done. It was supposed to distract them so that you could do more damage to them. His eyes flickered for a millisecond and then he grinned. "You think that's going to work on me? I'm *proud* of what I've done." He laughed. I jumped towards him again and swung the staff around in a blur, power crackling along its length. It cracked into Drayn's shields, and passed through them, striking him on the arm. He grunted in pain and then healed himself as he dodged the fireballs that I was throwing towards him. Using the staff, I aimed a narrow finger of lava at him. I finally heard the others start casting the binding spell, I had started to get worried that something had gone wrong. Drayn pointed a finger at me and black tendrils of smoke started floating downwards towards me. I jumped out of the way and almost into a ball of acid, I was running and couldn't stop in time so I flipped over it, the tips of my hair melting away in the process. They were starting to get to the end of the binding spell and were reaching the crescendo. Drayn hesitated for a second when he heard them starting to get loud. Doubt flickered across his face and then he started running in a circle, the air started rippling around him and I realised what he was doing, he was slowing time around him, giving himself more space to think. He started to go out of focus. I took a deep breath and slowed down time around me, Drayn moved back into focus briefly, but as soon as he saw me he pushed on further, getting closer to the null point, where time would be stopped. I too pushed, and the same thing happened another two times, until we'd both gone as far as possible. The shield blocking us in was still there, and a syllable hung in the air as the guys said it. A thought chased through my mind as I heard them form a full word, gradually, they were almost finished! I shot a fireball at Drayn but once it left my hand it slowed as if it was pushing through treacle. Damn, I thought, nothing's going to work. I cast a simple speaking spell instead. "You've got nowhere to go Drayn." I said. "Nowhere, maybe, but not no time." He said. I immediately caught his meaning. "I'm not going to let you turn back time." I said. "Just try to stop me." I summoned all the power that I could to me, thinking about all the pain, all the joy, everything that I'd ever experienced. The staff glowed in my hand as it did the same. I strained and caught where they were in the binding spell, then together, the staff and I said the rest of it. I took the ring out of my pocket and threw it to the ground and struck it with the staff as Drayn looked on with a horrified expression on his face. The staff shone a pure, blinding white and when my vision came back to normal Drayn was gone and the ring was glowing faintly from the inside. I gradually released my hold on time and moved back up to normal time, just as Nsync and the Backstreet Boys started saying the last couple of words. When they saw that Drayn was gone they faltered. "Don't worry!" I said. "I finished the binding spell! He's gone." "What?" Said JC. "What happened?" "He slowed down time, and was about to try to turn it back when we finished the spell." I explained. "You finished the spell?" Asked JC. "Crap. Do you realise what it means?" "What?" "That you're going to have to wear the ring from now on, that it's your responsibility." Said JC. "Oh." I said, that was something that I didn't want, but then, if I hadn't finished the spell, then there was no telling what Drayn might have done. "If we'd all finished it together it would have meant that any one of us could have worn it, but now it's just you." "What's wrong with that?" I asked. "If one the of the black mages gets his hands on it then he can use it to increase his powers, so there's going to be pressure on you, they may come after it, and you." "Oh." I repeated. "Don't worry." Said Justin. "You know I'll look after you." "That's supposed to comfort me?" I said. Justin pouted and turned away from me and Lance created a portal so that we could all get back to the house. JC was about to step through last. "Umm, you don't feel like letting me out of here do you JC?" "What? Oh." He said, laughing. He flicked a wrist, said the words, and cancelled the spell. "Sure thing." I cautiously stepped out of the circle that was etched into the ground from the power of the magic. Since there were no ill effects I walked towards the portal and went through it. As soon as we were both back in the house Lance closed the portal and JC started speaking to Baram telepathically, reporting everything that had happened. We all waited around until he was finished talking to her. "She says that there is a celebration planned for tonight in the elder hall at seven." Said JC. "I'm not hanging around here until then. I want to go into Dublin, anyone with me?" Asked Justin. I nodded my agreement. "I'm coming!" Said Nick. "Yeah, sure." Said Brian, after a being treated to Nick's puppy dog eyes. "If I didn't know better I'd swear that you were a telepath." He added, muttering. "Anyone else?" Asked Justin, looking around. No one else seemed interested and they drifted off towards the sitting room and kitchen, only Kevin hung around. "Can I speak to you Tom?" He asked. "Sure thing." I said, and followed him to the library. "You're going to need this." He said, putting his hand to my head. "You can't try invisibility spells in the middle of a town, so the best thing is an ignorance one. Once you do this - I felt the tingle of knowledge passing through his fingers into my mind. - everyone will ignore you, except mages, unless you speak to them. Ok?" "Fine." I said. "Thanks." "You're welcome. Just make sure to look after that ring!" He said, pointing to the ring that I'd already slipped on my finger. "Where are we?" I asked, Brian had taken charge of the teleportation spell and we had turned up in a small room with no windows and one door leading from it. To say that it was bare was an understatement; there was nothing in it aside from a light bulb swinging gently on a short wire. Brian walked over to the door and pushed it open. "You didn't think that we were just going to teleport into the middle of the city did you? This is one of the special places that we can use, pubs and places like that, they're owned by mages." He walked through the door into a busy pub, but as soon as we were all through the door everyone's eyes turned to us and the conversation died away. Justin looked around and everyone quickly looked back at their drinks and at each other. With a nod to the barman he walked to the exit and left. We followed suit and stepped out onto a busy pedestrian street. One glance at a signpost told me that I was on Grafton Street, the main shopping street of the capital of Ireland. I suddenly remembered what I was supposed to do to make sure to keep us safe. I closed my eyes and took the knowledge that Kevin had given me to make sure that no one would notice our presence in the city. Once I was finished I opened my eyes. "What do you want to do first?" I asked. "I want to get a drink." Said Nick excitedly. Brian sighed and explained. "Nick's had this thing about coming to countries where it's been legal for him to drink. Ireland's his favourite. What he doesn't realise - Brian smacked Nick lightly on the back of the head - is that he can drink back in the states as well so there's no reason to get so excited." "It's just better here. I don't get asked for Id for one thing, and it's... it's just better." Protested Nick lamely. "Whatever you say." Sighed Brian. As we walked along the bustling, crowded street people seemed to make room for us without looking at us, even if they were in groups they split apart without noticing anything strange. The others were used to walking around like this, but I found it intriguing. Nick dived into the first pub that he came to and we followed him in. By the time that we got in Nick was shouting in the bartender's face and was being ignored. He saw me come in and said in an exasperated voice. "How strong did you make the spell? He can't hear a thing that I'm saying. I blushed. "I didn't know how strong in should be, I mean - you're always bouncing around the place and Justin's usually not much better." "Yeah well." Said Nick, considerably calmer now. "It's not much good us being in town if we can't even buy anything." I nodded in agreement and unwound the spell a small bit. Nick finally got the attention of the barman and got four pints of Guinness for us. ------------------------- "Are you done?" I groaned, laden under my shopping bags, and those that I had to carry for Justin because he'd bought so much. "Just another couple of minutes." Begged Justin. "Justin, another couple of minutes and all the shops are closing, how can you buy so much at one time?" "Practise?" Said Justin cautiously. I just glared at him. "I hate to say it J, but he's right. Even *I* reached my limit an hour ago." Said Nick. "And it's almost six, we've got to be at the HQ in an hour." Added Brian. "Ok, ok." Grumbled Justin. "I'm done, let's go." We left the shop and headed for the same pub that we'd arrived in the city in. "Why the fuck's it closed? It's only six!" Exclaimed Nick. "Fuck it! What are we going to do now?" "How's that ignorance spell?" Asked Brian, mulling over something. "Fine, why?" I replied. "Then what's stopping us from teleporting out right now?" He asked. "Nothing!" Said Nick excitedly. "Nobody can see anything that we do anyway, come on!" I looked around hesitantly. Something was telling me that everything was not right, but I couldn't tell what. I shrugged it off, but I still felt uneasy. "Ok." I sighed. "Let's go." Since Brian was the only one with free hands, apparently he didn't need anything, he cast the teleportation spell, after checking to make sure that no one could see us. ------------------------- In the shadows of one of the many small alleys leading off Grafton Street there was someone, barely visible in the dark watching the teleportation intently. As soon as the group was gone she smiled grimly and slunk back until she couldn't be seen. ------------------------- "Hurry up!" JC shouted up the stairs. "This thing is being thrown for us, y'know!" "Jeez JC, don't get your robes in a twist!" I shouted out the door. "We'll be down in a second." I closed the door again and turned to face Justin. "You ready?" I asked. "Yeah. Will we go?" "Lets." I said, opening the door for him. We were both wearing the ceremonial robes that we'd been wearing the first time that we'd gone in front of the council, of course, I hadn't been wearing them when we'd gone in, only after Baram gave them to me. We walked down the stairs to the rest of the group. "Oh, you decided to join us. How good of you." JC said sarcastically. "Everyone ready to go?" He barely waited for a response before he indicated to everyone to form a circle, and he said the teleportation spell. I looked around me, the scene was like the one at Justin's funeral, there were people all around us teleporting in, but this time there faces were not sombre, there were talking animatedly, joking and laughing as they walking into the mountainside. We followed the crowd towards the Elder Hall, where the celebration was taking place. There were a lot of people who were staring at us, and whispering among themselves, it was especially noticeable among the children who were there. JC explained to me that this was a celebration for all the white mages, including the children. As soon as we entered Baram approached us. "Let me be the first to congratulate you all! The first of many, I'm sure. And Tom, we plan to hold your entrance ceremony tonight as well." That stunned me. "Is there anything that I need to know beforehand?" "No. Everything will be explained to you during the ceremony." She said. "It will be in about an hour, until then - circulate!" With that she walked to another group and started talking to them. "She's different." I commented. "It's a social event, so she's a lot more relaxed then if it was official council business." Explained Lance. "So, you're finally going to be initiated." He said. "Don't worry about a thing, it's actually a really simple ceremony." "Okay, I'm calm." I said, grinning. "Tom!" I heard a familiar voice calling me. I turned around to see my mother advancing across the floor to me. "Mum!" I said, flabbergasted to see her. "What are you doing here?" "What do you think I'm here for? To see you being initiated!" "But... how... when..." I said, not managing to form a full sentence, I was so amazed to see her here. "Well, I was just settling into my normal Sunday routine when someone knocked on the door. I opened it and there was this women there, someone who I'd never seen before in my life. She introduced herself as Baram Nihorsa, a funny name, I thought. But anyway, she said that we needed to talk about something very important and could she come in. I said sorry, but that I didn't normally allow strangers into my house. She said that it was about you in Ireland. Well, that got me interested. So I brought her into the Sitting room and she said that what she was going to say was going to be very difficult for me to believe. So she explained the whole thing about the White and Black Mages and about magic. I was thinking - whoa, someone call the men in the white coats. But she showed me some very interesting little tricks that she could do and *that* convinced me. Then she told me what you were up to this morning and about the little get together tonight and so here I am." She said. "Why didn't you tell me what you were up to?" "I didn't think that I was allowed." I explained. "Hmmm. I *am* your mother, y'know, speaking of which, I haven't gotten a phone call from you in a long time. I was starting to worry." "Sorry, I've been really busy." "So I hear." Justin came over to us then. He and the others had drifted off to give my mother and I some privacy when she came over originally. "It's a pleasure to meet you Ms Williams." He said, extending his hand to her. She took it gracefully, but I was convinced that she was going to say something to embarrass me. "Likewise, Mr. Timberlake, I would say that my son's told me all about you, but he doesn't seem to like keeping in contact with me. How are you?" "Justin's fine Mum." I said in exasperation, hoping that I could wrap up the conversation quickly. "So your sister keeps saying." She said, managing not bat an eyelid. Justin blushed deeply. Then she spoke to Justin again. "What I want to know is if you're taking good care of Tom here." Justin rallied admirably. "I think that I am, but he can be very demanding on my time." My mother eyed him critically. "Hmmm." She said. I started blushing as well and looked pleadingly at her, hoping that she'd take the hint. "It's no good looking at me like that Tom. If you think that this boy's good enough for you then it's my duty as a mother to try to figure out why." She then saw the new look that was on my face. "Ok, ok." She said. "You can face down a powerful wizard who wants to kill you, but you can't even manage a conversation with your mother... I wonder about you sometimes." Then she walked off. "You didn't tell me that you'd told her about us." Hissed Justin. "I didn't. She figured it out for herself. She's really good like that." I said. "And I'm really sorry if she embarrassed you, sometimes I think that that's what she lives for." "It's ok." Said Justin, smiling. "I was with you, and I think that she embarrassed you more." I gave him a dig in the side but he just laughed it off. We spent the next hour fielding all kinds of questions from people about what we'd done in the morning. I didn't see my mother again until it was time for the ceremony to start. Baram was up at the council table when she stood up and asked for silence. A spell carried her voice to the furthest corners so that everyone could hear what she was saying. "Thank you all for coming to this celebration tonight, the celebration of the defeat of Drayn!" There was clamorous applause. "But that is not the only reason that we are here tonight. As you know, one of the members of the group that defeated Drayn was Tom Williams, a mage of the Black Order, however he has not yet had his Entrance Ceremony, an oversight that we wish to amend now. Tom, could you please approach the council." I nervously walked across the room until I got to the dais and noticed my mother and JC also standing there. They indicated that I should stand between them. Once I was there Baram started talking about all the things that I'd done since gaining my powers, how I'd helped to defeat Drayn, turned back time to save Justin's life, and all the things that she thought made me worthy to be a White Mage. Then she said. "Georgina Williams, is it your opinion that Tom Williams is fit to join the Mages of the White Council?" "It is, your Honour." "And Joshua Chasez, is it your opinion that Tom Williams is fit to join the Mages of the White Council?" "It is, your Honour." "And Tom Williams, is it your opinion that you will be able to abide by the rules and laws set down my this council?" "It is, your Honour." "Then by the power vested in me by the Mages of the White Council, I bid you welcome." Magic spilled from her fingers and surrounded me in a warm comforting glow. Thunderous applause reached my ears and I smiled. ------------------------- Well, that's that. 'Powers That Be' is now officially finished. Make sure and let me know what you've thought of the story! E-Mail me - shiningstar@oceanfree.net Tim.