Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:41:24 +0000
From: Draiodoir Draiodoir <darkdraiodoir666@hotmail.com>
Subject: Gay Male/ Sci Fiction/ The Gatekeeper/ Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: The Devas

	After Osiris's escape, the Mansion was chaotic. Roland stood from
afar, watching his fellow Mordigans reconstruct the damage left by Os's
magic. Heralds ran here and there, looking haggard and worried, talking
amongst themselves. It was surreal, thought Roland. Only two people in the
Mansion's history has been able to open the golden door... according to
Lachesis's Book of Shadows, it was four hundred years ago when Clotho, one
of the Mordigan Sisters, used it to escape from her siblings after a big
argument. Caleb and Luna got Roland's attention, as his mentor strode to
the Threshold Mirrors.

	"Caleb! Wait!" he called out. Running to Caleb, Roland saw that the
Herald was holding a suitcase. "Where are you going?"

	"I'm leaving," said Caleb. "I quit. I'm no longer a Mordigan."

	"WHAT! Why?"

	Caleb smiled to Roland's alarmed expression. "I can't stay in a
coven that had forgotten its fundamental virtues. The Elders won't even
explain why they tried to capture Osiris."

	"Then I'm going to quit too," said Roland surely. "And well, I
think I have a lead on why the Elders tried to capture Os." He handed Caleb
a piece of parchment. Silently, the older guy read the passage written on
it.

			The connecting threads shall break in plight
			And one of the three stars will lose its light
			A flesh from my flesh will come to rule them all
			Thus bringing forth the Mordigans' fall
			By the two Ultimate powers, I shall return
			To watch your spirits in the pyres of Hell burn

	"What's this?" Caleb asked still looking at the parchment.

	"It's a passage from Lachesis Mordigan's Book of Shadows," said
Roland. "It's the curse for the Sisters created by Gerald Rouman when they
tricked him and stole his powers."

	"You must stay here..."

	"But--"

	"Be my eyes and ears Roland," said Caleb. Some Mordigan witches
stared to Caleb's suitcase, looking disappointed.

	"If you are right and this is the reason of the Elders, they won't
stop until they get Osiris. Now that I'm no longer a Herald, I'll be free
to find him... don't tell anyone that you have the BOS." Caleb handed back
the parchment to Roland.

	"Be well."

	The embrace was only a few seconds long and Caleb and Luna started
to the Threshold Mirrors to exit the Mansion, leaving Roland alone in the
middle of the bustling Vestibule.

					* * *

	Waking up in a room that he didn't recognize had become Osiris's
habit ever since he found out that he was a witch. When he opened his eyes,
Os perceived that he was on a very fluffy bed with white sheets and
comfortable pillows that felt like feather to his skin. But Osiris sat bolt
up right when he realized that he was naked beneath the comforter.

	A woman entered the room and Os instinctively pulled the comforter
to his neck while blushing profusely. The woman was young, probably not
much older than Osiris, her flowing long black hair looked well cared
for. She was carrying neatly folded clothes, approached the table beside
the bed, put the clothes there and glanced at Os who was still trying to
cover himself, making the woman smile.

	"Here are some clothes that you can wear," she said genially, "and
lunch will be ready in five minutes, just go outside that door. Lazarus
wanted to talk to you after you get ready. I'm Brigit Calipus but you can
call me Bree." Bree extend her right hand and Osiris reached to shake it,
making the blanket fall and exposed his torso.

	"I'm Osiris," said Osiris, hastily covering himself again,
embarrassed that a girl was in the same room while he didn't have any
clothes on.

	Bree walked out of the room but before she closed the door, she
glanced back and said, "Relax Os. You don't have to hide what I've already
seen. I'm impressed so don't be embarrassed." Bree gave him a wicked smile
and a wink then finally closed the door. Osiris stared, mouth hanging open
and face burning. He didn't need telepathy to know what Bree was talking
about.

	Silently, he donned the clothes Bree gave him which comprised of a
white tee-shirt, fresh boxer shorts and a pair of jeans. It was rather
weird to wear normal clothes again as he got accustomed to the long robes
of the Mordigans. Before getting out of the room, Os observed his
surroundings.

	An old wardrobe, a table with a vanity mirror and a shelf of books
were the only things in the room. Osiris read the titles on the spines but
they appeared to be ordinary literature. Looking out the open windows, he
saw that he was on the second floor of an old ordinary three-story stone
house and saw a vast expanse of land that looked like rice fields, with a
dense forest on the one side and rough roads on the other.

	Where in the world was he? It seemed that the golden door
teleported him to what appeared to a province, but where? Osiris paced a
little around the room, thinking hard.

	Who was the woman? And she mentioned a Lazarus character. It was
rather too much of a coincidence that he, Os, managed to escape from the
Mordigan Mansion then get rescued by a bunch of strangers just after
getting out of the golden door.

	Apprehensively, he stared at the door, half-expecting it to burst
open and a band of robed men coming in to kill him or wrench out his
heart. But no one entered and Osiris stood there, debating with himself,
even calling in his mind to the strange voice that helped him escape the
Mansion for an opinion.

	Nothing. He was on his own.

	Os opened the door and saw that the room beyond was a dining area
with a long table made of reddish hardwood covered with white cloth. There
were twelve chairs around it and two were occupied by two guys talking to
each other merrily, who stopped their conversation when they noticed
Osiris.

	The one sitting at the end of the table was wearing a white
tee-shirt, looking a little older than the other, with jet black hair that
was long enough to cover his ears and dark green eyes that was obviously
appraising Osiris. The guy to the right donned an open Hawaiian shirt with
a blue tee underneath with brown hair and eyes to match. Both beamed at Os
and the older guy pointed to a chair and said, "Come Osiris, you're just in
time for lunch. I'm Lazarus Easter and this is Carlo Castro."

	Os walked slowly to the chair, his guard up, trying to anticipate
any surprises. He reached the chair and sat quietly when Bree came into the
room from what appeared to be the kitchen, carrying a huge plate of
food. Another girl came in after her, who looked much younger, carrying a
pot that was steaming and smelled rather good. Osiris's stomach grumbled
but he ignored it as he stared to everyone in the room.

	Bree smiled and winked to him as she placed the plate on the
table. Osiris blushed and Carlo creased his brows inquiringly to Bree, as
the girl sat beside Os. The other girl sat beside Carlo.

	"I'm Alicia Gale," said the girl smilingly, after positioning the
pot of stew at the center of the table. She looked young, probably
seventeen and reminded Osiris of cheerleaders from New Valley High.

	He just gave her a nod. Os could feel a strange vibe from his
surroundings. He felt vulnerable being surrounded by strangers in the house
where he was totally outnumbered. They began to eat, passing each other
dishes. Bree took the liberty of filling Osiris's plate with food as he
appeared timid to reach any. He was having second thoughts.

	"Is there a problem Os?" asked Lazarus after he noticed that he
wasn't eating. Os looked at Lazarus straight in the eyes, using his
telepathy to detect any lie.

	"I know you saved me and everything but why did you do it?" asked
Osiris. He made it obvious that he did not trust anyone in the
room. Lazarus looked as though he was unsure of how to answer. For a few
minutes, the table was silent. Then the guy closed his eyes and smiled.

	"It's unnecessary to use your power to me Os," he said opening his
eyes again.  Osiris stood fast, his face furious, that everyone on the
table jerked in surprised. "Who sent you?" he roared, "The Hand? The
Mordigans? Who?"

	"Os relax," said Bree, "No one sent us."

	He looked at her sharply. "Isn't it a bit coincidental that I got
rescued by witches, again? So how did you find me?"

	"Lower your voice," Lazarus said, his voice ringing with
authority. "You owe me your life so don't accuse us just yet. I might
regret saving your neck." He paused a bit as Os stared at him. Lazarus
continued, "We didn't find you. You found us."

	"What?" Osiris asked, his voice was still as loud as ever and it
must have attracted the dog that came trotting in from the open glass
sliding doors behind Lazarus. It was a beautiful golden retriever and it
sat on the floor beside Lazarus' chair staring faithfully at Os, who eyed
it warily.

	"This dog found me yesterday," Lazarus said, patting the dog's
head. "He led me to the field where you lay unconscious and if he hadn't,
it would have been impossible to find you through that thick undergrowth."

	"You're lying!" snarled Osiris loudly. Crying came from the room on
Lazarus' right and Alicia stood hastily and went to it. A few more seconds,
the crying stopped and Alicia came back carrying a baby in her
arms. Osiris's mouth hanged open.

	"I told you to lower your voice," Lazarus reminded.

	"Sorry," whispered Osiris automatically then caught himself. The
dog continued to stare him and when Os looked at it, a low gentle voice
spoke in his mind.

	`Getting a bit distrustful aren't you?' it said to Osiris's mind
whose eyes grew huge.

	"You..." he muttered, getting the room's attention, "you're a
familiar."

	"He's your familiar," said Lazarus and the dog nodded in
agreement. Osiris was still unconvinced.

	"How can I be sure?" he asked, his voice now in check.

	"Well, you can ask him anything about you," said Bree. "A familiar
is tied to its master by more than magic. It is a guardian spirit that has
been looking after you ever since your birth so naturally, it will know
even your most inner secrets."  Osiris wanted to discard any suggestions
from the people in the room but he didn't know any way of knowing if the
familiar was his. He gave himself a mental kick for not studying hard
enough when he was still in the Mansion.

	`Fine', thought Osiris, `Okay then. Can you hear me?' He looked at
the dog warily.

	`Yes', the voice said as though being said by an English gentleman.

	`What's your name?'

	`You can call me Anubis.'

	`Okay, if you really guarded me as a familiar, how come you didn't
help me when the Hand first attacked?' thought Osiris, with a bit of
resentment.

	Lazarus, Bree, Carlo and Alicia stared transfixed even though they
can't hear the conversation.

	`I'm sorry but a familiar can only intervene in times of greatest
need. At that moment, Caleb was battling the Hand to save you, so you still
didn't need me yet,' the dog explained.

	`But in the hospital, how come you didn't save me? `

	`You didn't need me then, either. As I remember it, you blasted
that room all on your own.' The dog looked as though it was smiling. Os
frowned at it.

	`Okay. Fine. Tell me something that only I could know.'

	The dog scratched its ears for a moment and then,

	`You nearly got slapped when you followed Angelina to the girl's
bathroom without intending to, because you hadn't noticed the sign on the
door because you were ogling so much.'

	He blushed and became thankful that their conversation was
telepathic. `You could have known that from Jaypee. I need something that's
more personal than that.'

	`Fine,' said Anubis' telepathic voice curtly, probably thinking
that getting nearly slapped was already personal.

	`A week before the accident that killed your parents, your mother
told you a story about why they named you Osiris. She said that Osiris is
the god of the underworld and immortality in ancient Egypt. She picked out
the name because one day you will do something that is immortal; something
that shall never be forgotten by the world for thousands of years, for you,
she believed were, are and will be destined for greatness. She told you
this to improve your morale because one of your teachers scolded you for
not being able to answer fractions and calling you stupid. Will that
suffice?'

	He stared blankly. No one knew that story except him and his
mother. He felt a lump form in his throat for being reminded of the two
women that mattered most in his life but now were gone... It was personal
indeed.

	`Okay, so you're my familiar,' thought he, giving the room a
nervous glance and saw that everyone was still looking at him. `So what
happens now?'

	The dog lay lazily on the floor as though it owned the place then
said, `That would be up to you. I'm a familiar and once I reveal myself,
I'm at your disposal. I'm going to follow you anywhere you go.'

	`Will you help me if they turn out to be members of the Hand or the
Mordigans?'

	`Of course I will protect you, but you don't need to worry. They're
not... but they are witches.'

	"So? Have you two decided yet?" asked Bree impatiently, who decided
to continue eating. Lazarus and Carlo started eating too while Alicia took
the baby to her room.

	"Anubis told me you were not members of the Hand or the Mordigans,"
said Osiris as Alicia took her sit, "but you were witches."

	"Sit down Os and eat before the food gets cold," said Lazarus. Os
decided to sit but still didn't touch his food.

	"Yes we are witches," Lazarus continued, "Only witches can
understand a familiar's call for help. We are not members of the Hand or
the Mordigan Witches because we are a small coven. We call ourselves
Devas."

	"How many of you are there?" asked Os.

	"You're looking at the whole Devas," said Bree. "Lazarus is our
High-priest."

	"There are only four of you?"

	"One witch is a solitary, two is a partnership and three or more is
a coven," said Alicia smiling.

	"You know about the Hand and the Mordigans?" asked Osiris to no one
in particular.

	"Any true coven knows about those two. The Hand of Atonement and
the Mordigan Witches are the most powerful covens in the world, with
hundreds of witch members plus connections to the mortal world. They are
well known, not just because of their influence and power but, due to their
ceaseless war against each other, the longest magical feud ever fought in
human history, though normal people are still oblivious to it," said
Lazarus conversationally.

	"Don't you like the food, Os?" asked Bree. "Well, I don't really
blame you. Alicia can't cook even to save herself."

	"Hey! You cooked everything that's on this table so don't you dump
the blame on me," Alicia retaliated.  Bree rolled her eyes. "Or maybe you
want me to cook you something different, Os? Maybe some... sausage
perhaps?" Bree said this while giving him a suggestive smile. Osiris
gulped.

	"No," he croaked, "It's okay."

	Lazarus gave Bree an inquiring look but got ignored.

	"Eat Os. It's not like we'd save you, just to kill you," said
Carlo.

	Osiris remained silent. `That's just what the Mordigans did,' he
thought.

	Lazarus cleared his throat then wiped his mouth with a napkin. "You
can stay as long as necessary Os. I'm sorry but I need to get going for
class."

	He excused himself and went to a door beside the kitchen. The
others continued to eat and after another minute, Osiris picked up his fork
when he could no longer ignore his stomach. The first taste was exquisite
so he continued to shove food into his mouth. Bree's cooking could rival
Roland's, Os thought. The remaining four ate in silence and after dessert
Carlo excused himself to go to the garden, while Alicia went and washed the
dishes.

	Bree smiled at Osiris, then said, "Lazarus gave me some money so
you could buy some clothes. Those robes won't really work now that you're
back in civilization."

	He remained silent; he was still trying to comprehend what
happened. One moment he was laughing with Caleb and Roland, joking about
the date... now he was sitting in a house, who knows where, with people he
barely knew. Bree fell silent and just sat beside him, empathic to what Os
was going through. She just waited for him; they had time.

	"Where are we?" Os asked quietly.

	"This is Lazarus's house. Springfield, Riverlake just some
kilometers from Queue City," provided Bree.

	So Os was still in Riverlake... he wasn't that far from Bumpville
City, his home, but he knew he couldn't go back yet... not now that the
Hand and the Mordigans were after him. He looked around. Could he really
trust these people?

	`There's only one way to find out,' Anubis told Os telepathically.

	He frowned to his dog. `Easy for you to say...'

	He decided to give it a try, yet Osiris didn't lower his guard. He
and Bree drove to the city for shopping, an hour away from the Easter
estate. On their way to Queue City, he found out how loquacious Brigit can
get. She gave Os a background story about Lazarus' house which was old and
ordinary looking but rich in history.

	"Lazarus's grandfather built it as a gift for his wife when they
married. Russ (Lazarus' nickname) practically grew up here and got so
attached to the house that when his father tried to sell it he withdrew all
his money from his savings account and told his father he would like to buy
it," said Bree, steering around a corner. Osiris looked to his right and
saw beautiful landscapes that he missed, being cooped up for so long in the
Mansion.

	"So did Lazarus's father sell it to him?" Osiris asked while
staring at the countryside.

	"Of course not. He was only twelve then."

	"Oh. So how much money did Lazarus have in the bank?"

	"Three hundred and fifty," said Bree, eyes looking ahead, "thousand
dollars."

	Osiris looked at her, brows shooting up. Bree giggled.

	"Oh, for a second there I thought you were serious," he said, "You
weren't, were you?"  Bree just smiled as she took a turn on the road.

	"Lazarus' family is loaded. At least all of them were doctors and
that's why he is trying to finish medical school, to live up to family
tradition. His parents are in Iraq volunteering."

	"All of his family members are doctors?"

	"Yeah, but if you ask me, he didn't need to have a diploma for
that," said Bree, "One of his powers is healing. He healed you when you
came here." She glanced at Os then added, "Don't worry. Carlo was the one
who took your clothes off. I was only teasing you."

	"How about you, what's your power?" Osiris inquired, changing the
subject. Bree just smiled.

	"I'm telekinetic. And you're a telepath, right?" asked Bree,
glancing at him for a second.

	"Yeah. How did you know?"

"Anubis is telepathic too and that's how he called Russ to help
you. Familiars can share the powers of their masters, you see."

	The hour was up and they arrived to the busy streets of a bustling
city. Bree maneuvered the car so well, that Os figured she could have
driven them blindfolded. Once or twice, Os gripped the side of his seat due
to Bree's sudden U turns.

	"Here we are," Bree said happily as she parked in front of a huge
mall. It had been a while since Osiris had been to this kind of place and
he felt weird being around normal people again. Bree ushered him in and
dragged him from shop to shop.

	It was fun choosing normal clothes, Osiris got so used to wearing
robes he forgot how to dress stylishly and he was fairly thankful because
Bree seemed to have an eye for trends. After at least two hours of walking
and fitting and choosing, they went back to the car, exhausted but
satisfied, putting at least six full bags of clothes, shoes and toiletries
in the backseat.

	"That's what I need... a good shopping trip!" said Bree.

	Os looked back, feeling rather timid due to how expensive it had
been. Bree noticed this and added, "Don't worry. Lazarus told me you needed
this stuff. He wouldn't mind."

	They went back to the house and found Lazarus silently reading a
book on the first floor by the living room. Lazarus looked up as Bree and
Osiris entered with their shopping bags.

	"I see you went wild," muttered Lazarus staring to Bree. "Are those
Osiris's things or yours?"

	Bree dropped the bag she was carrying and crossed her arms. "What's
that supposed to mean? For your information, only one bag here is mine."

	Lazarus went back to reading. "Good."

	Bree put out her tongue and then went up stairs with the bags. Os
approached Lazarus.

	"I'll pay you back, one of these days." Osiris said rather
awkwardly.

	Lazarus didn't look at him but said shortly, "Don't mention it."

	Silently, Os went up stairs to find Bree was putting away his items
in the empty wardrobe.

						* * *

	Alicia was rather the shy type and Carlo was always busy in the
gardens. Lazarus wasn't usually home because of school and other stuff so
Osiris got very close to Bree, the only Devas member with an Energizer
battery for her mouth. She was very cheerful and never ran out of jokes and
stories. Os learned to open up again, little by little, and he felt rather
at ease with Bree. She was not hard to look at either, Os thought, seeing
that Bree had a long elegant hair and soft brown eyes.

	"So, the baby's Lazarus's brother?" Osiris asked after two days at
the house while he helped Bree tidy the library on the third floor which
was composed of two large rooms: the library and the room where Devas held
their rituals which was locked except if needed.

	He checked the books. He just got a sense of stability whenever he
was surrounded by them, as though all of life's questions could be answered
by books. Their library was nothing compared to the Archive, but anything
that was connected to the Mordigans made Osiris irritated and he decided he
liked it here more than there, because it was smaller and less
intimidating.

	 "No. Randolph is Alicia's," said Bree tidying up some books about
human anatomy that Lazarus forgot to put back.

	"Oh, Alicia's baby brother," said Os who tried to help by sorting
the books too.

	"No. Randolph is Alicia's son," said Bree. Osiris dropped an
encyclopedia on his foot.

	"What? But she only looks seventeen or something," said Os, rubbing
his toes while staring to Bree.  Bree picked up the book. "She's
eighteen. Her step-father raped her when she was sixteen. She was sophomore
then and had nowhere to go, so Lazarus helped her."

	"That's awful."

	"There are many awful things that are happening in the world
Os. You're not alone. Probably, that's why we liked you the first time we
saw you. We knew you were like us." Bree beamed to Osiris then continued.

	"Carlo's mother died three years ago because of a heart ailment
that she attained after giving birth to him. His father was devastated and
got insane. With no other relatives to turn to, Carlo asked for our help
and here we all are. His father is in an asylum at Queue. We visit
sometimes."

	Osiris listened to the lives of the people that shared the
house. It looked as though the residence had become a sanctuary for those
who needed saving.

	"And how about you?" he asked, "How did Lazarus save your life?"

	"You're being nosy, Osiris," Bree said turning her back to him.

	"I'm sorry... um... sorry," Os bowed and put the remaining books to
the shelves.

	Bree turned and smiled to him, "I'm joking. Well, actually, I'm the
one who saved Lazarus, in a way. He broke down five years ago when his
brother died by drowning. That's when he started learning magic and he
blamed himself for not being able to save his brother. Lazarus hadn't
mastered his healing then."

	"And you saved him?"

	"He tried to commit suicide but I stopped him when I entered his
room. My parents split up when I was thirteen and they forgot about their
daughter when they got divorced. He was my best friend. His parents adopted
me and I came to live with them."

	After cleaning the library, Bree invited Osiris to the veranda so
that she could ask him more about his story. Anubis was lying there lazily,
sunbathing.

	"Why were you so suspicious of us?" asked Bree, handing Os a cup of
coffee. They were sitting in armchairs under a big purple umbrella. "Or are
you naturally like that to people that help you and save your life?"
Osiris looked embarrassed again.

	"Yeah, I'm sorry about that," he apologized, "It's just, I learned
a lesson the hard way. Trust should be earned... not readily given." Os
then proceeded in telling Bree the story about how the Hand tried to kill
him first.

	"They attacked my school. Angelina died because of it... because of
me."

	Bree looked at Osiris with compassion. "I bet you've told yourself
that so many times now, you might even believe it!"

	Os evaded Bree's look which only confirmed the girl's thoughts. He
then continued telling Bree about the Mordigans' rescue and the sudden
change of weather when they tried to capture him.

	 "Did they even tell you why?"

	He shook his head, "The Heralds just said that the Congress of
Elders ordered them to capture me."

	"That's rather odd," said Lazarus so suddenly Osiris jolted, his
coffee splashed to the floor nearly bathing Anubis. The dog growled
sounding annoyed. "It wasn't in the nature of the Mordigan Witches to
withhold information."

	"Where did you come from?" Osiris asked Lazarus.

	"I just got home from school," he answered.

	"Oh."

	Lazarus joined them. Bree gave him a cup of coffee too. He sipped
the steaming drink and asked Os, "So, how long do you intend to remain with
us Osiris?"

	"I... I'm not really sure yet. I don't really have anywhere else to
go," said Osiris avoiding Lazarus's eyes.

	He got this weird feeling every time the guy looked at him, as
though Lazarus was appraising him, looking for flaws. And Os noticed,
Lazarus was like Caleb: manly, handsome, with a strong disposition, a
natural leader which always gave Os the feeling of being a small schoolboy
whenever the guy was in the same room with him. Add to the fact that
Lazarus somehow gave this stiff no-nonsense attitude.

	"Well, you are in a house for strays, Os. I'm sure Lazarus won't
mind if you stay as long as necessary," said Bree then turned to Lazarus
and added with an eyebrow raised, "Will you?"

	Lazarus ignored Bree and looked at Os for a while and said, "Of
course you can stay here." He then stood up, "I need to change. Bree, what
time are you going to the store?"

	Bree checked her watch. "An hour from now. Why? Do you need
something?"

	"No. Ask Osiris if he wants to go. He might get bored here in the
house," Lazarus said as he left for his room.

	"Is Lazarus always that... stiff?" asked Osiris carefully choosing
his words after the High-priest was out of earshot. Bree laughed.

	"No. He's just protecting himself," she said vaguely, more to
herself than to Os.

	"From me?"

	"So you want to join me? We have a store in the city called
Nature's Best. We sell herbal teas, shampoos, essential oils and organic
soaps. Carlo plants the herbs while Alicia and I make the products. Lazarus
is good in marketing."

	Osiris just looked at her strangely when Bree changed the subject
so abruptly. There was definitely something they were not telling him. He
stood up with Bree and said, "Okay then."

						* * *

	Os had barely fallen asleep, when he heard banging outside his
room. He sat straight up when he was sure that he was not dreaming. Looking
at the table, the clock showed half past ten. Osiris heard Bree screaming
outside, a crash, then an explosion. He opened the door when he heard
Randolph crying.

	It was chaos; the dinner table was upended, plates lay broken on
the floor and some parts of the walls had holes in them that were still
smoking. But what really made the scene so bizarre were half a dozen
ghostly figures hovering in midair like storm clouds trying to snatch as
many things as possible then throwing them at Carlo, Bree and Anubis.

	"Os! Duck!" Carlo called out as one of the smoky things darted
toward Osiris, who rolled forward, the spirit missing him by a hair.

	"What was that?" Osiris asked hurrying to Brigit's side by the
stairs. Anubis was barking lightning bolts from his mouth, attacking the
ghostly things but kept missing, making more holes in the walls.

	"Phantoms. We think they were sent by the Hand," she said as she
brandished a broom at the one trying to get close to Os. He concentrated
and directed a marble-sized energy blast at the smoky things. Osiris
smirked satisfactorily as it hit home, wafting two phantoms away but his
smile vanished as the phantoms reformed.

	"You said you were only a telepath!" accused Bree seeing Osiris's
psychic blast. They ducked together as the two phantoms charged, apparently
aggravated by what Os had done, their ghostly hands scratching the stairs.

	"I said I'm a telepath. I didn't say it's my only power."

	They hurried to the other side of the room. Carlo and Anubis had
gone to Alicia's room to protect Randolph.

	"How come my power didn't work?" asked Osiris, as a vase flew into
the sliding doors of the veranda, blasting the glass.

	"Phantoms are impervious to psychic powers; that's why I can't use
my telekinesis. Where the hell is Lazarus!" shouted Bree as another phantom
dashed towards them.

	"What's their deal?"

	"If they can get in your mouth, they can possess you. Even though
they're insubstantial, they can't enter a body without using the
mouth. They can hurt you physically and try to make you cry out so that
they can get in--damn you!" Bree cursed as she swung the broom at a
phantom's head. It shrieked as the broom hit it.

	"How can we kill them?" asked Osiris through gritted teeth, as one
phantom scratched his shoulder. He tried to punch it but only hit
air. "They're like smoke!"

	"I'm using this broom made of rowan which is a tree of
protection. It can hurt them a bit but it's not that effective as there so
many of them"--Bree hit another phantom with the broom--"there's a
vanquishing spell for phantoms but I can't remember... aaah!"
	Bree shouted as the phantom that was about to charge exploded in
her face.

	The blackish smoke cleared and there stood Lazarus, hands aloft and
flicking at the floating phantoms. The vile spirits soared here and there
as they continued to explode trying desperately to evade Lazarus's
invisible power.

	After the High-priest was through, only three phantoms managed to
get away by soaring away across the veranda, escaping death. Lazarus closed
the glass sliding door casually, even though the glass was no longer
there. When he turned around, Bree glared at him.

	"Where in the hell have you been?" she demanded. Lazarus raised his
eyebrows.

	"I just came from my study group," said Lazarus. Carlo and Anubis
came out of Alicia's room. Randolph had stopped crying after the phantoms
left, and Alicia had put him back to bed.

	"How did you make them explode?" asked Osiris, unable to contain
his curiosity. Lazarus had a ghost of a smile in his face. Bree rolled her
eyes.

	"Degradation is my power, Os. I can make things explode by will,"
explained Lazarus then he looked sharply back to Bree.
	"I'm sorry if you forgot the banishment spell for the
phantoms. It's not my fault you don't put an effort in learning to cast
spells."

	Bree looked furious. "So what are you saying? This is my fault
then? It's my fault we nearly got possessed by stupid gaseous ghost
things?"

	But before Lazarus could answer, Bree stalked off to her room,
slamming the door behind her. Alicia flinched and looked back at her room
but thankfully, Randolph stayed asleep. Everyone started cleaning the
dining room. Carlo and Alicia repaired damages using spells to mend the
holes in the walls and reformed broken vases and plates.

	"Don't your powers work on the phantoms too?" Osiris asked Alicia
as he helped her arrange the cutlery. Alicia looked sheepish.

	"Carlo and I don't have powers yet," she said quietly. Osiris
looked obviously surprised.

	"I thought all witches have powers?"

	"Well, anyone that can cast spells can be called a witch but powers
didn't really come as natural as spell casting for us."

	After cleaning up, everyone gathered by the table, except for Bree,
who hadn't come out of her room. Os looked worried.
	The phantoms had attacked because the Hand sent them there... to
get him... it was his fault.

	He was about to open his mouth to apologize when Lazarus said
suddenly, "Os, the phantoms were sent. You didn't invite them in here so
don't think this is your fault."

	Carlo scratched his head. "I thought nothing could enter the house
uninvited because of the Vampire Enchantment that we cast?"

	"Phantoms are ghosts Carl," said Alicia. "They can pass through
walls and some magical shields. We hadn't anticipated the Hand using them."

	"Alicia is right. Phantoms are subversive spirits... very hard to
control. Still, I don't think they'll return... though it was a clever
move, sending spirits to possess Os so he will go to the Hand willingly
instead of taking you by force"--Lazarus looked at Osiris--"Don't think of
this as your fault Os and don't worry, we won't let the Hand take you
away. So for now, let's sleep and we'll cast more protection around the
house tomorrow."

	Osiris and Anubis went to their rooms. Even though Lazarus told him
not to blame himself, Os couldn't deny that he nearly got everyone hurt,
and with Bree freaked out already, he could feel her anger for getting
nearly killed.

	Anubis lay in a basket Alicia had prepared for him and looked
empathically at his master. Even a familiar cannot be certain of the
future. Osiris stared blankly at the shadows... he needed to do something
or everyone around him would end up like Angelina.



	It had been three days since the phantoms attacked and everyone
assured Osiris not to worry. Lazarus was right, the phantoms hadn't return
though Os couldn't hide his worry that the Hand might try to do him in
again. So, to help him forget about the phantoms, the Devas made him feel
as though he truly belonged with them.

	Everyone acted like brothers and sisters; Alicia was a sensitive
sweet girl that always gave Osiris a third helping every meal, probably
practicing her mothering skills. Carlo was great to Os too, teaching him
the magical properties of herbs and plants. And as Osiris was only a few
months older, they really clicked whenever they talked to each other.

	Os noticed that Carlo and Alicia were very much attached and he
even caught them being sweet to each other but he didn't want to assume
things. Probably, due to their age since they were younger than Lazarus or
Brigit, they tended to be closer to each other.

	Bree flatly told Osiris that she didn't blame him for the
attack. "Lazarus was right," said Bree while she and Osiris restocked the
shelves in Nature's Best one afternoon. "I should have learned those
spells. I just got pissed at myself because I can't help thinking what
would have happened if Lazarus hadn't rescued us."

	Eventually, Bree got back to being talkative, always smiling and
joking and telling stories which reminded Osiris of Aunt Celina a
little. Bree taught him how to handle the cash register in the shop so that
Os could call himself useful as he started to help there every afternoon.

	The one matter that Os couldn't help but notice was Lazarus's
attitude. Osiris couldn't ignore this feeling that Lazarus was somewhat
uncomfortable whenever he was in the room. His sentences were short though
not really rude and Os overheard Alicia telling Carlo that something had
changed in their High-priest about the same time Osiris arrived.

	This in turn made Os sense that maybe Lazarus was regretting taking
him in, perhaps the High-priest realized that protecting him made the Devas
susceptible to an attack from the Hand or the Mordigan Witches... which
meant that as long as Osiris was in the house he was risking the others'
lives too.

	"Is something wrong Os?" asked Alicia when she found him looking
out of the library window deep in thought one afternoon.
	"Oh, it's nothing," said Osiris who looked startled for a
second. "How's the baby? Bree said Randolph had a little cough."

	"He's alright now. Lazarus healed him already," Alicia said walking
to his side, "He's with Carlo, Bree and Anubis in the garden if you want to
join us? We're having a picnic."

	He just shook his head. "No I'm okay here."

	"You don't look okay to me," she pointed out, causing Osiris to
sigh.

	"Lazarus isn't really thrilled about having me here, is he?"

	"What? Why would you say that?"

	"He doesn't smile when I'm in the room or he stops talking when I
walk in. I just feel it and I don't need to be psychic to sense it," said
Osiris staring down at the garden watching his familiar, Anubis, fetch a
ball that Carlo threw while Bree and Randolph cheered. "And I think I know
why."

	Alicia didn't know what to say so she remained silent. She too
watched what was happening below. The silence stretched on for a few
minutes before...

	"I think I need to go."

	"What?" Alicia said surprised. "Os, I don't think Lazarus would
want you to leave."

	"I think he knows that I risk attracting the Hand's attention if I
stay here much longer. That's probably why Verdandi Britestone wanted me
out of the Mansion, she was afraid that the Hand might attack them because
they were protecting me. I don't want to drag others into my mess. The
phantoms were just the beginning. I can't risk all of your lives."

	"What happened to Angelina won't happen to us Os," said Alicia
totally surprising Osiris.

	"How did you know about that?" he asked.

	Alicia smiled. "Brigit has a big mouth but you'll love her for
that. All I'm saying is that you can't think you're cursed just because
there are sick people out there who put a mark on you Os. You are a great
person... don't let them get to you."  Osiris bowed his head, still
unconvinced. "But the threat still remains and as long as the Hand is after
me, no one near me will be safe."

	He left the library leaving Alicia crestfallen.

						* * *


	Osiris quietly packed, putting clothes and other personal items
inside a small backpack when the door opened. Lazarus came in looking
rather distressed as he watched Os packing.

	"What do you think you're doing?" Lazarus asked. Os just continued
packing.

	"I'm leaving," he said shortly, turning to face Lazarus and seeing
that Bree, Alicia, Carlo and Anubis were just outside his door. Anubis
pushed the door closed giving the argument some privacy.

	"Why? What's you're reason?"

	"You know why," said Osiris. "You're the one who made me realize
it."

	"What are you talking about?" asked Lazarus sounding very agitated.

	"You know, I thank you for saving me, I'm entirely grateful for
it. But I know and you know that I am risking all of your necks as long as
I'm staying in this house. I get it. That's why you appear--stiff whenever
you see me. It's like I'm a time bomb waiting to explode and you're
probably regretting saving me already."

	Lazarus looked as though someone had slapped him. He slowly shook
his head.

	"That's not the reason Os," he explained, "I'm sorry if I'm a
little rigid, it's just... it's something else. It's not what you think. I
don't see you as a risk."

	"It's like I'm cursed, Lazarus. I'm even afraid of myself,"
muttered Osiris sounding hopeless. "I need to go or the Hand might attack
again and they will--you will--all of you'll be in danger."

	Os picked up the backpack and turned towards the door but Lazarus
grabbed his arm stopping him from leaving. "Don't worry Os. We can take
care of ourselves."

	"They're powerful. They killed Angelina. And I can't... I can't let
that happen again," the youngster muttered. Lazarus embraced Osiris, as the
younger man could no longer hold his emotions. "Every night her face has
haunted me, and I'm just tired of it all."

	"Bree and I have been confronted by the Hand before and we're still
here and I know you're powerful too. Maybe if we are all together, we can
protect ourselves from them. We're already involved Os," Lazarus said
reassuringly.

	He felt so safe. It had been years since he felt this kind of
security... the last time being when his father hugged him before leaving
for Mexico seven years ago. Osiris had forgotten feeling this safe, as
though he could jump off a cliff without fear for he knew someone would
catch him. He felt more protected than the walls and enchantments the
Mordigan Mansion offered him. Lazarus became a brother he never knew and he
let his emotions show. Osiris let it all out... he cried.

	"Sometimes it takes more courage to say you need help, so let us
help you. You're stronger, I know it... stronger than the magic or any
ability that you think defines you," said Lazarus. "Stay here with us."

	Os looked at Lazarus, his walls of defense was fighting not to
crumble. . But it was like holding water in a cupped hand; the tighter he
grip, the more it slips through. What is it in Devas that held Osiris to
them? As though the Mordigan's magnificent Mansion was nothing compared to
this simple old house for it was the only place Os ever felt he
belonged. It took a moment but he finally let the walls fall as he nodded,
giving his trust to the Devas High-priest. Lazarus smiled then the door
opened.

	"Os is staying," said Lazarus brightly, still holding Osiris in a
hug as Brigit walked in. One look at her face gave Lazarus the impression
that something was wrong.

	"What? What's wrong?" he asked as he released Os.

	"Someone's trying to enter the house," Bree said gravely.

To be continued...

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

	Greetings my reader! If you are reading this note then it only
means you stuck until the end of this chapter. Many had extended their
approval so far and I thank them all so much for making me feel so good
inside. Reading your comments felt as good as sex... well, seeing that all
I have right now are your comments hehehe...

	I'm taking my midterm examinations this week and I really ought to
find a real job. You know what they say, "even if you're the best of the
best if you aren't making paper, what you're doing is a hobby." Though I
really love writing I might stop for a while though I promise you I will
finish posting this story and I hope you stay alive until the end so don't
do anything stupid friends...

	I want to thank my wonderful editor for polishing my English
grammar and giving such wonderful words of encouragement... I'm not sure if
he'll appreciate it if I post his name... I'll ask him next time. Any
errors left uncorrected is my fault.

	Send those emails to darkdraiodoir666@hotmail.com and please put
the title of the story at the subject as I have to stories on Nifty
currently active. I'll try to reply to everyone but if you hadn't heard
from me, take my deepest apologies. Love you all and hope my writing do
entertain you. And if you have time, check out my other story "Falling for
a Straight Guy".


Until next chapter,
Fritz D. Ilagan