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Sorcerers Apprentice, part 5.
Written by Lensman.

This story is fictional, all characters and events depicted within are fictional and any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.

I have one unbreakable rule (to paraphrase Isaac Azimov):
I may not harm a Little Girl, or through inaction allow a Little Girl to come to harm.

Keep these fantasies where they belong; in your head.

Story Codes: (Torture (adult men), Fantasy, M(16)g(8), Pedo, Rom, Beast)

Story Intro:
The continuing saga of Olwyn - a 16 year-old sorcerer's apprentice and Jen - an 8 (sort of) year-old-girl with no past.

Chapter 5,

"How dare you!" the old witch shouted angrily and cracked her spell-whip against the tall guard's naked back as he hung chained against the wall. "How did you manage to let that mere slip of a girl escape?" she yelled as she whipped the bared back of the shorter guard, where he was hanging chained next to his colleague, making him to roar out wordlessly in pain.
She was justifiably proud of her spell-whip; each stroke caused excruciating pain but inflicted only slight physical damage. The two guards' sweat soaked striped backs bore eloquent testament to the length and level of torture they each had received at her hands.

"It was not our fault mistress," the taller guard gritted past his pain, "she had help."
"I want no excuses Quinn!" she exclaimed and savagely whipped both guards until she was panting with exertion and they were raggedly screaming in agony.
"Please mistress..." Quinn whimpered plaintively, "no more... please..."
"Speak your piece then," she stated imperiously, if a little breathlessly.

"She - she had help mistress," he whimpered, "we fell under a sleep spell while you were gone." He choked back his fear and pain to continue, "But I was woken when she kicked me and I saw her climb out of the window along with another..."

"And you let her!" she screamed in rage, and then began whipping him with renewed vigour, punctuating her snarled phrases with vicious lashes of the whip. "You were awake," crack went the whip, "and yet," crack, "you didn't," crack, "stop them." The whip cracked again and again, sending Quinn into screaming paroxysms of pain and anguish.

Eventually the old witch stopped whipping the two men in disgust and left them hanging from their chains as she returned to her tower and her search for the girl. She climbed the tower stairs wearily, she felt herself getting older with each day that passed. "I shall have to release those two incompetent idiots soon," she thought to herself, "I begin to need more and more life essence as time passes, and shall soon need another donor." She paused as she reached the door to her chambers to rest for a moment before entering to resume her search for the girl.

* * * * *

Lady Aldergrove looked down at Jen properly for the first time, she saw the burgeoning hope in the poor girl's face and hated herself for what she was about to do to her. She smiled sympathetically but shook her head apologetically, "No child, I am not your mother."
Jen slumped her shoulders and looked to the ground crestfallen, she had been foolish enough to hope that she had finally found some family, but no it was a vain hope.
Landru compared Jen to Lady Aldergrove critically. "But my lady," he said puzzled, "you and the girl do look a lot alike, is there no chance you are related?"
Lady Aldergrove shook her head regretfully. "It is very complicated Landru..."

Olwyn stepped up behind Jen and placed his hands comfortingly on her shoulders. "If you are not related," he protested, "how is it you look so alike?" Then after a further moment's thought he defiantly added, "And, why did you ask me to protect her?"
Lady Aldergrove continued shaking her head as she looked at Olwyn. "You would not understand, and neither would the girl."
"Try us!" Olwyn exclaimed, just as Jen also protested, "Tell me!"

Lady Aldergrove sighed deeply as she looked to the ground and mumbled to herself, "I just knew this would happen." She then straightened her shoulders and looked up at both Olwyn and Jen. "If you really must know," she said resolutely, "then you had better follow me." She paused and smiled apologetically at Landru, "I'm sorry Landru, but I think it would be better if you stayed here."
Landru bowed stiffly and looked a little dismayed by his exclusion. "As you wish, my lady."

Olwyn and Jen followed Lady Aldergrove as she made her way into the forest. They followed her along the trails and paths until they stepped into the clearing that contained the odd stone structure. Just before stepping between two of the columns Lady Aldergrove turned to face Jen and Olwyn. "I must insist that what you learn here is never spoken of to anyone else."
Jen and Olwyn exchanged glances and then turned to face Lady Aldergrove again. Olwyn said, "Ok if that's what it takes." While Jen just nodded her acceptance.

Lady Aldergrove entered the structure and then motioned for Olwyn and Jen to follow her and then to step into the centre of the pattern on the floor. When they were completely within the magic circle she intoned, "Dissimulo Paciscor!" there was a brief flash of light, and then Olwyn and Jen felt a strange sensation as of something settling onto them and into them as Lady Aldergrove bound them with her magic to not reveal her secrets. She then motioned for them to step out of the circle, when they were clear she knelt down and laid her palm flat over the top symbol and pronounced, "Expositus Ostium!"

A deep grating noise then a heavy clunk sounded from beneath their feet as if a giant lock had been opened. Faint lines appeared in the stone within the circle radiating from a central small circle. Suddenly the wedge shaped stones sank down to form steps spiralling down into the darkness. Lady Aldergrove stood, and then began to descend the newly formed spiral staircase. "Follow me," she said and waved for them to follow her into the darkness.

Jen and Olwyn looked at each other nervously for a moment and then hastened to follow her, with Olwyn following closely behind Jen.
When they had caught up with her, where she was waiting at the edge of the daylight, Lady Aldergrove pronounced, "Occludo Ostium!" and they heard the stone blocks above them scraping as they rose back into place then a loud clunk and grating noise. As the last of the stone blocks rose into place the three of them were plunged into impenetrable darkness. As the last of the noises ground into silence, Lady Aldergrove pronounced, "Luminarium!" and the walls around them began to gently glow with a soft white light.

Lady Aldergrove then continued her descent with Jen and Olwyn trailing after her. After a few more turns of the spiral they exited into a stone lined arching tunnel, here too the walls and ceiling glowed softly. They walked along the short tunnel and through an open archway at its end into a large open circular chamber. The walls, floor and domed ceiling of the chamber were decorated with a large number of various different symbols interspersed with the symbol from Jen's pendant. At the centre of the chamber there lay a body in a glass coffin lying on a knee-high plinth.

Lady Aldergrove walked through the archway and up to the plinth, while Jen and Olwyn remained stood in the entrance dumbfounded; this was not what they had been expecting. Lady Aldergrove turned and smiled at Jen and Olwyn while gesturing for them to approach the coffin. When they did they were even further surprised. The coffin contained Lady Aldergrove!

Olwyn and Jen both took a step backward and gasped in surprise. Olwyn gulped then stammered whispering almost reverently, "Y - You look very similar to your ancestress."
Lady Aldergrove smiled as she shook her head. "I suppose that is an understandable mistake to make," she said quietly. "This is not my ancestress," she continued as she pointed at the body in the coffin, "this is me," then she pointed to Jen, "as are you child."

Jen shook her head in confused denial. "B - But I'm not you," she protested still shaking her head, "I'm me!"
Lady Aldergrove began pacing back and forth along her side of the coffin. "As I said, it is difficult to explain." She looked at Olwyn and Jen then asked, "First of all, where did you get your name Jen?"
"I don't know," she looked troubled, "my mother gave it to me I guess."

Lady Aldergrove smiled, "My given name is Genevieve, given to me by my father in memory of his Grandmother. And though I cannot remember that far back I do have happy memories of my childhood." Then she gently asked, "What can you remember of your childhood?"
Jen sniffed back sudden tears and stammered, "N - Nothing!"

Genevieve nodded then continued her narration, "There is a very powerful and complicated spell that allows a mage to grow a copy of themselves and keep it ready in case they have an accident. This body," she gestured at the body in the coffin," is my third attempt to get it right."
Olwyn cleared his throat to interrupt and then asked, "How does having a copy of your body help if you have an accident?"
Genevieve smiled, "There is a magical link between myself and my copy here, the link constantly replicates all of my memories and experiences into this body. When I die my essence, my soul if you will, should transfer to this body instantly."

Olwyn started to interrupt again, "but what..." but stopped as Genevieve raised her hand.
"The spell takes a long time to grow a new body," she continued to explain, "it takes a month for the body to grow a year older." She smiled as she remembered, "It's fascinating to watch you know. I came here every few days at first, just to see the changes as the drop of blood transformed and grew into a baby, and then a small girl and so on through the months up to the age I wanted. Then I placed the body under a stasis spell to stop the ageing process."

Olwyn tried again, "But what does that have to do with Jen?"
Genevieve seemed to ignore him and continued the trip through her memories. "What happened the first time I tried is still a mystery to me," she said as she gently placed her palm on the glass of the coffin and looked through the glass to the body inside. "When the copy body reached the right age I came here to cast the stasis spell only to find that the body was gone. I broke the link to that body so if anyone had taken it they would not be able to harm me through the link, and then I started again." She paused a moment to collect her thoughts, and then continued, "If you look closely you can see a pendant around this body's neck, I put another like it on my second attempt..." she then looked significantly at Jen who was shaking her head in denial. "I watched the second copy grow for about nine or ten months, and then I again found this place empty. I immediately dispelled the link and the growth spell. It was only much later that I found out what had happened."
She looked at Jen again with sadness in her eyes. "I'm truly sorry Jen, it was two years before I found out that you had woken from your sleep and had wandered out of the chamber and gardens to the streets outside. When I dispelled the link most of the memories that had been copied were wiped clean. So you see, I'm not really your mother... we are the same body, but living different lives."

Jen was trembling with fear and anger as tears ran unheeded down her face. She shook her head as if she were trying to negate what she was hearing. "No... No..." she cried out, "I'm not a thing made by magic... I'm me... I'm real... I'm alive!"

Olwyn swiftly moved to Jen's side and knelt to embrace her in a sympathetic hug. "Of course you're real," he said quietly trying to soothe her, "it doesn't matter whether you were born, created by magic or brought by the stork. What matters is that you are as real now as anyone else, you have your own memories and life to lead." Then he spoke louder to Genevieve, "If Jen is a younger copy of you then you are responsible for her existence. You brought her into this world so technically, she is your daughter. I think it is time you recognised that."

Genevieve shook her head sadly, "I can't, there are too many people who would try to harm her just to get to me. I can't do that to her... I can't be that vulnerable!"
"What do you mean, vulnerable?" Olwyn asked puzzled.
Genevieve chuckled sadly, "I take it you don't recognise me then?" When Olwyn shook his head she smiled and continued, "If it was widely known that the Red Queen had a daughter, any unscrupulous person could kidnap her to ensure the throne's co-operation with their nefarious schemes. I won't allow myself to be that vulnerable, I can't!"

Olwyn realised, if she was the queen then she couldn't admit her relationship to Jen openly. "OK, I can see that," he nodded and tried again to persuade her, "but if not to the world... then to yourself and Jen." Then he nudged Jen towards Genevieve and smiled encouragingly, "Go on Jen, go and give your mother a hug."
Jen hesitantly stepped over to her 'mother' and tentatively smiled at her. Genevieve paused for a moment obviously thinking of the consequences for herself and Jen, and then she smiled back at her and opened her arms. Jen tentatively stepped in and they hugged each other for the first time.

"So... what do we do now?" Olwyn asked as 'mother' and 'daughter' awkwardly broke off their embrace. "There is still someone out there who is trying to hurt you Jen."
Jen nodded, "Yeah, the old woman..."
Genevieve looked surprised. "What old woman?"

Jen looked up at her and explained briefly, "I was attacked by a large man in leathers; he choked me until I blacked out. I woke up as I was being dumped in a dark cellar, and then I was strapped onto a table. She cast a spell I think and then asked me who I was and how long I'd been living on the streets and I was forced to tell the truth."

Genevieve looked concerned. "You shouldn't have been affected by that... were you still wearing your pendant?"
Jen shook her head angrily. "No she'd snapped it off." When Genevieve nodded for Jen to continue she said, "At the end she screamed and then stormed out, but just before that she said something about getting back what was hers... does that make sense?"

"No, not really..." Genevieve said, "Can you describe her?"
"Umm..." Jen thought for a moment, "Her hair was white and she was old and wrinkly."
Olwyn interrupted and said to Genevieve, "I know where they took her, so why not send someone to arrest them or something?"

"It's not that simple," she sighed, "we can't send the city watch without telling them Jen's relationship to me, and I can't send the royal guard to do a job the city watch should do." She shook her head and sighed again. "It might be best if you left Balmora, Olwyn could you take Jen back with you when you return to your master?"

Before Olwyn could answer Jen interrupted, "No!... I've only just found you, I'm not leaving you now!"
"Maybe she could stay at Aldergrove house," Olwyn suggested to Genevieve, "That way you could visit and get to know each other better."

Genevieve nodded slowly looking thoughtful. "Ok you can stay here," she said to Jen, "but only if Olwyn stays to look after you." She then held up her hand to stifle Jen's indignant protests and smiled, "I trust him to look after you..." she chuckled lightly, "and my house." Then she looked at Jen's ragged clothing, "If you're going to be staying here, you'll need some better clothing than that."

By the time they had returned to Aldergrove House the sun was beginning to set. Landru must have been watching for them because as they arrived at the rear lawn he bustled out of the kitchen door to meet them smiling. "Supper is ready my lady, if you would like to stay..."
"Thank you Landru," Genevieve smiled in return, "that sounds lovely."

Landru looked pleasantly surprised as he stood aside and bowed them into the kitchen. He seated Genevieve at the head of the table while Olwyn seated Jen then sat beside her.
After eating Genevieve took Olwyn aside to an unused room, opened a panel in the wall and retrieved a small pouch from the niche behind. "Use this money," she then handed him the jingling pouch, "to buy Jen what she needs, but please stay with her and try to keep her out of trouble!"

* * * * *

As the early dawn light struggled to penetrate the deep gloom of her scrying chamber, the old woman stood and stretched, listening to her joints crackle and pop. She had searched a great deal of the city by scrying, but there was too much area to cover and too many locations protected from scrying for that method to guarantee success. Earlier, before she had started, she had bonded another rat and taken it to the dungeon to gain the scent of the girl from the table, and then put it out the window and sent it to follow her.

She slowly made her way down the stairs on unsteady legs to the cellar where her guards were still hanging chained to the wall. She approached the taller guard and released his manacles with a gesture. "Quinn, make contact with your old friends," she commanded him as he stood rubbing his wrists, "use them to find the girl... do whatever it takes, but find her!" After sending him on his way she released the shorter, scarred mute guard and instructed him, "Go and find a young one to donate their life essence." Then, as he headed for the door, she shouted after him, "and make sure you are not seen!"

* * * * *

The following day, after a good night's sleep, Olwyn took Jen shopping. They wandered around the shops and markets for some time until finally Jen found an outfitter that she was happy with. They entered the shop and Olwyn was surprised by the eclectic mix of styles and fashions. There were plain silk ball gowns of various colours. There were elaborate brocades and simple leathers. Olwyn wearily followed Jen as she excitedly looked through all the various styles and colours, as she had in all the numerous other shops they had visited earlier.

After a few moments of watching Jen enthuse over the clothing on display the proprietor of the shop approached Olwyn. He was dressed in plain cotton shirt and breaches that looked well tailored. "Ahem..." he cleared his throat to get Olwyn's attention, "How may I be of assistance young sir? Perhaps some new robes for that special occasion?"
"Nothing for me, thank you," Olwyn replied smiling, "However, my young charge requires some new outfits."
"Very good young sir," the tailor nodded and then approached Jen smiling, "and has little miss decided what she would like?"
"Yes!" Jen proclaimed, and then proceeded to explain in great detail and at great length what she wanted in a quiet voice that Olwyn was unable to overhear.

While the tailor and Jen were discussing what she wanted Olwyn looked around at the styles on offer. Something odd began to nag at the back of his mind, he was not able to put his finger on it but there was definitely something odd or missing from the displays. When Jen and the tailor returned he forgot about it. "All done?" he asked hopefully.
"You jest young sir," the tailor smiled, "little miss must return in three days for a final fitting and the garments in question should then be ready two days after that."
Olwyn nodded his understanding, and paid the tailor the required deposit and was relieved to be walking home to Aldergrove House.

* * * * *

The morning sun was bright as it reflected from the dew-laden grass like a thousand diamond stars, but Olwyn was oblivious to the beauty of the garden he was sat in; he was too busy meditating before practising spell casting. He was sat on an overturned large terracotta garden pot with his eyes closed, clearing his mind ready for the day ahead.

"What're you doing?" Jen asked curiously, startling Olwyn out of his meditation.
Olwyn looked over at Jen where she was standing barefoot on the grass beside him wearing only her nightdress; no wonder she had managed to sneak up on him. "I'm meditating," he explained patiently, "before I practice some of my spells."
"I wish I could do magic," Jen said wistfully as she looked at her feet.
"I think that you probably can," Olwyn said smiling, then added confidently "all you need to do is try, I'm sure you could do it."
"Will you teach me?" she asked hopefully looking up at him, and then pleaded, "Please..."

"Ok," Olwyn nodded, "you need to be able to concentrate, to focus your thoughts and actions." He paused, arranging his thoughts, and then said, "Magic exists all around us, but your mind needs to be trained to grasp and shape that raw magic into a usable form." He then paused again and looked at Jen staring raptly at him and smiled as he thought of his own first days as an apprentice. "Thinking of an image," he continued after a moment, "saying a word or phrase and moving your body in certain ways forces the mind to work along the proper paths that mould the magic to your will." He remembered Master Jaklin saying the same thing to him. "The more complex the spell then the more complex the thoughts, words and actions that are required to cast it. Sometimes some material is also required as a focus to create something, but that's rare."

He thought for another moment and continued, "Let's try a simple spell... one to allow you to see magic." He then gestured to the ground in front of him, "Sit there and close your eyes." Jen sat on the grass cross-legged, unaware or unconcerned that her nightdress hem had risen to mid-thigh and her plump bald little slit was on show. Olwyn stared distracted for a moment by the beautiful sight, and then he shook himself and continued his instruction, "I want you to concentrate, think of a pale blue ball... nothing else just the ball."
After only a few moments Jen said, "Ok, now what?"

Olwyn smiled and shook his head, what was he doing, a mere apprentice trying to teach. He put aside his self-derision and said, "Ok, now say..." then he slowly and clearly pronounced the words needed to cast the spell, and then continued, "...while keeping the image of the ball firmly in your mind."

Jen carefully intoned the phrase just as Olwyn had; she felt a brief heady rush, as though she was falling for a moment but nothing more.
Nothing appeared to happen to Jen, which was exactly what Olwyn expected. "Now open your eyes," he chuckled lightly, "and have a look around."
Jen looked around expectantly but her shoulders slumped dejectedly when she could not see anything different. "It didn't work," she groaned thinking she had failed.

"How do you know?" Olwyn chuckled, "What is magical out here?" then he uncovered the ring Master Jaklin had given him and showed it to her, "What about this though?" and grinned at her reaction.
Jen looked at his hand and her eyes opened wide in surprise. "Your ring..." she said in an awed whisper, "it's glowing blue."
"No it's not," Olwyn laughed, "you have mage sight... you just cast the spell, and can see its magic."
Jen laughed and clapped her hands, very like the young girl she looked; she was excited that she had managed to cast a spell and was impatient to try more.

Jen and Olwyn continued practising spell casting for the rest of that day, only breaking for lunch when their hunger drove them inside, but soon after eating they returned to the gardens and to their studies.

Jen was sorely disappointed when she failed to cast the sleep spell she had been trying. She tried again, determined to put Olwyn to sleep where he lay on the lawn smiling smugly at her. She visualised the image and spoke the phrase required, but still nothing happened, frustrated now by her failure she tried once more, concentrating very hard. Success at last, she knew she had managed it as she felt the now familiar heady rush and saw Olwyn's head fall back to the lawn, but then a pulsing headache began between and just behind her eyes. She knelt beside Olwyn and shook him awake. "I got you," she crowed in triumph, then winced as her headache pulsed again.

Olwyn saw Jen wince and knew at once that she had overstressed her mind. Olwyn quickly sat up and gently placed his hand on Jen's shoulder, "Come on inside and I'll make you some tea for that headache." He then stood and gently tried to help Jen rise.
Jen shook her head, "No I want to practice..." and then immediately regretted it as the ache redoubled.
Olwyn interrupted her as he bent to pick her up in his arms, "No more practice today, you've overstretched your mind and it needs to rest. Any more and you may cause permanent damage." And then he carried her back to the kitchen to make her some tea.

The following day was also spent practising magic, but Olwyn did his best to make sure Jen didn't overextend herself again. He was surprised by the speed and facility that Jen showed; she managed to pick up the intricacies of casting spells almost frighteningly fast. It was apparent to Olwyn that if she applied herself she would soon be surpassing his own ability in spellcasting.

* * * * *

Quinn had spent a number of days searching for his old gang without rest; he knew better than to return to his mistress's tower without succeeding in his assigned task. He had finally managed to track down Jack and his gang and was even now heading for a meeting with them.

"Wotcha Quinn," a familiar gravely voice said from behind him as he strode down the street, "heard you were lookin' fer me."
"Hello Jack," Quinn replied without turning then slowed a little to let Jack catch up with him as they continued to walk down the busy main street together. "I've got a little job for you and the boys."

After the silence between them stretched for a long moment Jack prompted, "And..."
"I'm looking for a young girl, about eight years old..." Quinn started.
"Heh, heh," Jack snickered and nudged Quinn, "like 'em young Quinn?"

Quinn gritted his teeth; he knew he would have trouble from Jack. "I'm looking for two people," he said trying to keep calm, "one is a girl, she looks about eight with black hair and brown eyes and is skinny as a rake. The other is a boy, probably in his mid teens, has dark hair cut short and wears apprentice brown robes. My associate doesn't care about the boy, but the girl must not be harmed."

"Ok," Jack nodded all business now, "I'll get the boys out looking, what you want doin' when we find 'em?"
"I'll be staying at the 'Sea Sprite' inn down by the docks," Quinn said, "when you find them, come and find me. Don't let them see you, just follow them and let me know."
"Right," Jack nodded, "that'll cost ya' fifty gold!"
Quinn grumbled but paid ten gold up front, and then they went their separate ways, Quinn back to the inn and Jack to his gang.

* * * * *

Jen woke slowly, languorously enjoying the feeling of wellbeing that gently flowed in every part of her body. She slowly realised that she felt 'at home', she felt for the first time as if she really belonged to a family. She had a mother in Genevieve and she had Olwyn as a friend. As she thought of Olwyn Jen felt a pleasant gentle tingle start just at the top of her slit. She thought of how he had deceived her as Jet, and the tingle got stronger. She thought of how he had saved her and found her family, and the tingle grew stronger still. With a mental gasp Jen began to realise she had strong feelings for Olwyn... in both his skins.

She tried to think of him dispassionately, but the tingle spreading throughout her loins made it difficult. Olwyn was a good looking young man, and a good looking dog as well. Did she feel only gratitude to him, saving her from Jack's gang as a dog and from the old woman as himself, or was it something more? Jen wasn't sure what she really felt, but she knew she had to find out. She stealthily climbed out of her warm bed and quietly crept out of her room. She sneaked along the hallway keeping as quiet as possible, not knowing that Landru had already left the house for the forest. When she reached the door to Olwyn's room she paused for a moment, and then opened it as quietly as possible, stepped in and quietly closed it again.
Olwyn lay sleeping on his side facing away from Jen with the bedclothes thrown mostly to one side. As she watched he rolled onto his back, causing the sheets and blankets to slide off his naked body revealing to her aroused gaze his rampant erection.

Jen couldn't take her eyes off of Olwyn's cock, rising proud and throbbing from his sparse forest of hair. The tingle in her pussy increased to a demanding pulse, and it was as if she were being compelled as she slowly stepped to the side of the bed, closer to that proud manhood. "I've tried it as a doggy cock," she mused to herself, "I should really try it as a human cock." With that naughty thought she climbed onto the bed beside Olwyn and gently grasped his cock. It felt different to the doggy cock, and yet similar. On impulse she bent over and sucked the head into her mouth. The naughty thrilling in her pussy got stronger as she began to bob her head up and down on his cock sucking all the while.

Olwyn was having a tremendous dream, he was back in the clearing with Delia and she was once more enthusiastically sucking on his cock. She was rhythmically bobbing her head up and down his throbbing cock when the dream shifted slightly. The girl sucking his cock pulled off with a slurp and grinned... it was Jen! The shock of the change and his sudden desire for Jen pushed Olwyn out of his dream and into the reality.

He awoke to the feeling of hot wet sucking on his cock. He opened sleep blurred eyes and saw Jen enthusiastically bobbing her mouth on him. The sight and exquisite feeling were too much for him, he groaned as the exquisite pleasure drove him over the edge and he came.
Jen heard Olwyn's groan; startled, she looked up at him as she continued to suck and then suddenly her mouth was filled with a hot, salty and slimy liquid. She continued to suck and swallow each squirt that Olwyn gave her until he gave her no more.

Olwyn pulled Jen's head up and off his deflating cock, pulled her up to straddle his waist and grinned at her. "I was not able to say this the last time," he chuckled lightly, "thank you, that was great. May I please you like that?" Jen smiled almost shyly back at him and nodded.
Olwyn quickly pulled off Jen's nightdress to leave her naked and then twisted on the bed to position her lying under him. He saw the slight apprehension cross her face and smiled as he ducked to kiss her for the first time. "Don't worry," he said gently, "I'll never do anything you don't want me to."

He leant over Jen and gently kissed her luscious lips, kissing and lightly licking them until Jen opened up, and then they shared a deep soulful kiss with tongues writhing back and forth. When Jen was panting for breath Olwyn moved to her jaw-line and then kissed and lipped his way down her throat to her chest. As he kissed his way all over and around her chest Olwyn brushed over one of her tiny nipples, Jen gasped at the sensation. Olwyn then began to gently kiss and suck on Jen's nipples. First one, and then the other, nibbling back and forth until they both were hard little nubbins, while Jen moaned her pleasure and held his head in place.

Remembering his true objective Olwyn restarted kissing his way down her body, Jen moaned her disappointment as he left her nipples but realised his destination and let his head go so she could play with her sensitive little nipples herself. Olwyn kissed his way down her belly but stopped just above her slit.

Jen spread her legs wide in anticipation of Olwyn's attentions and moaned, "Please... please do it!"
Olwyn just stared at the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Jen had spread her legs and her pussy lips had opened slightly revealing the small thin inner lips and the hood partially covering her clit, between the tiny inner lips her small vaginal hole led into her body. As he watched Olwyn saw her clit swell with her arousal and then a small drop of liquid collected at the base of her hole. As he stared Olwyn breathed in the heady aroma of Jen's arousal and it awoke the beast within him.

Olwyn dove in lapping and sucking on Jen's bald little pussy like a man possessed, he couldn't get enough of the wonderfully exotic flavour of her pussy juices. And the loud gasps, moans and groans that Jen was making only served to spur him on. To give this beautiful, wonderful little girl the best orgasm that he could.
He lapped from her anus to the top of her slit and then began strumming her clit vigorously. He tried to stick his tongue as far into her as he could reach, and as he tongue fucked her he stroked her clit with his thumb. He then switched over and sucked on her clit as he pumped his fingers into her tight wet hole. He constantly varied his stimulation so Jen wouldn't get used to it, and he kept going feeling and hearing Jen's pleasure getting higher and higher. Suddenly Jen's body stiffened and she began to scream in pleasure as she orgasmed.

Olwyn slowly lapped at Jen's engorged pussy until she calmed, and then he crawled up beside her and gently kissed her.
As her panting slowed to normal Jen whispered to Olwyn, "I love you," and then blushed, as she had not meant to say that, but realised that she meant it.

Olwyn was surprised but thought about what she had said. "Jen," he said solemnly, "that is not something that I'll say lightly, like I love the way you sucked me off."
Jen felt devastated, she had finally felt at home but the man she now knew she loved didn't love her. She turned from Olwyn in frustrated misery.

Olwyn saw Jen turn from him and he felt his heart wrench, then he knew it would all be ok. "Jen," he said as he gently turned her head to face him, although she would not look him in the eyes. "Jen, I will not say 'I love you' unless I mean it," he said firmly, "but I do. I love you Jen, more than I would have thought possible..."
Whatever more he would have said was lost as an ecstatic Jen began plastering his face with kisses.

As it was the third day Olwyn reminded Jen that they had to return to the clothes shop for her fitting. They quickly dressed and after eating breakfast, headed straight to the shop. After she was finished he quickly escorted her back to Aldergrove house for further practice. After another day spent practising Olwyn again took Jen back to the clothes shop to pick up their purchases. While Jen was in the back being attended to by the tailor, Olwyn remained wandering around the front part of the shop looking at the clothes on display. He was reminded of his last visit, and again there was a subtle nagging feeling that something was missing. He was not able to identify what it was, but there was definitely something odd or missing from the displays. He was startled from his contemplation by the sudden return of Jen and the tailor.

Jen stood with her hands on her hips grinning widely. She was dressed in supple leather leggings the colour of chocolate, with a matching leather jerkin over a white cotton blouse. Olwyn smiled at her appearance; she had obviously tried to mimic her 'mother', but he thought it looked much better on Jen. The leather leggings were skin tight and when she turned he could see that it showed off her pert bottom to perfection. Then it struck him; the missing element from all the clothing on display was the colour red! There were no bright red or scarlet garments on display at all.

While Jen was looking at her reflection in a full length mirror, Olwyn paid the tailor the remainder of his money. "I noticed you don't have anything in bright red..." he asked curiously, " why is that?"
"Ah... one of the Queens men are you sir?" the tailor asked in return smiling condescendingly.
"Pardon?" Olwyn said in genuine puzzlement, "I'm new to the city and I'm not sure what you mean..."
The tailor smiled again and explained, "It is well known that the Queen favours scarlet gowns, and even the royal guard's uniforms include carmine doublets. So it has become fashionable to only wear red when openly supporting the queen."

Olwyn was dismayed that there was so little open support for Genevieve and her rule, but now he understood more about why she could not openly acknowledge Jen. He thanked the tailor for his excellent service and then left with Jen.

Both Olwyn and Jen were tired of being cooped up in Aldergrove house and after only a little persuasion Olwyn agreed to visit some of the markets with her. They were casually walking through the artisan's market when the display at a weapon smith's stall caught Jen's eye. She walked over, quickly followed by Olwyn, and browsed through the weapons being displayed. The two large guards flanking the stall eyed Jen and Olwyn suspiciously as they perused the many daggers, knives and swords arrayed on the black cloth lining the stall.

Jen picked up a masterfully crafted dagger, the blade was bright steel with a faint bluish sheen and the handle was bound with shark's skin. Jen carefully tested the edge of the blade and found it to be razor sharp. "How much for this one?" she asked the vendor casually.

"You have a keen eye young sir," the salesman said jovially, "that is one of my best blades." When Jen didn't comment he continued proudly, "It was crafted by Edrigal the master smith," as if that name should impress them.
"Very good," Jen replied nonchalantly, "but the price?"
The salesman smiled expansively, "This is the work of a master smith... I cannot let it go for less than 50 gold!"
"Ha!" Jen snorted derisively, "You'll be lucky to get 50 silver for it, not 50 gold..."

After much hard bargaining Jen had Olwyn pay the vendor 15 gold for the dagger and was very pleased with herself.

As they were heading back to Aldergrove house, Jen felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up; she had the feeling she was being watched. Her instincts had always proved to be good in the past so she hissed at Olwyn, "We're being followed..." before she could say anything more, Olwyn turned to look behind them.
Through the thinning crowd he could see the reed like figure of Snake leaning casually against a wall. If Snake was there then One-eyed Jack and the rest of his gang could not be far away.

As he turned back Jen suddenly shouted, "Run!" and took off leaving Olwyn trailing a few paces behind.
Olwyn ran after Jen fervently hoping she knew where she was going as he could hear the pounding of running feet chasing behind him. They weaved between the thinning crowds of people, and then turned down a back alley. With his heart pounding in his chest Olwyn sprinted after her. Suddenly, ahead of him, Jen leapt and scrambled up and over an unkempt high brick wall. Olwyn had no choice; he surprised himself as he leapt and scrambled over the wall easily, but then fell into the bushes on the other side. He pulled himself free in time to see the back of Jen as she dashed across the overgrown garden and through the open door into the house. Olwyn quickly jumped up and chased after her.

He ran through the door into a large kitchen that had clearly not been used for some time, there was dust on every surface and a damp musty smell in the air. Olwyn could easily see Jen's tracks in the dust and followed her deeper into the mansion. "Jen," he called out ahead of him, "why, in all the God's names, did you bring us here?" He heard no response as he continued to follow Jen's tracks through the ever-present dust.

He followed her trail to a narrow ascending staircase and guardedly climbed up after her. He exited the staircase into a once plush hall. The walls were wood panelled and decorated with portraits of sour faced people dressed in old style clothing. Jen was idly walking down the hall looking at the paintings as if she didn't have a care. "There you are," Olwyn's voice sounded loud in the hushed hall.

Jen spun round startled. "Don't do that," she admonished Olwyn in a hushed whisper.
"Why did you bring us here?" Olwyn asked in a lower voice, "and why are we whispering?"
"If Snake managed to follow us here," Jen explained quietly, "and didn't just run past, he won't come in."
"Why not?" Olwyn asked.
"He's like the rest of Jack's gang, a bunch of superstitious idiots." Jen said derisively, "They think this place is haunted so won't come near it." As she said this she opened one of the doors along the hall and entered the room beyond.

The room had once been a lavishly appointed and decorated bedroom with a large canopied bed dominating one wall. Unfortunately everything was now covered with a thick layer of dust. Jen led Olwyn to a window that looked out over the rear gardens. As Olwyn watched he saw the forms of three people gather beyond the garden wall. They pointed at the building and then two rushed away.

"Do you have another way out of here?" Olwyn asked.
"No," Jen replied curious but not concerned, "why?"
"I think that they may be going to get help," Olwyn explained, "I saw them at the wall then Snake and the big one ran away."
"They could just be watching the front," Jen said hopefully.

They left that room and moved down the hall looking for a room that overlooked the front. When they found it and looked out the window, Jen spotted the large form of one of Jack's gang but not snake.
"It's easy to see Bulk," she said trying to convince herself as much as Olwyn, "but I don't like it, this isn't like them. I expected them to just give up."
"Let's search the rooms," Olwyn suggested hopefully, "sometimes these old mansions have secret hiding places. We might be able to hide until they give up and leave."

As they were carefully searching another bedroom, doing their best to be thorough but not disturb too much dust, Olwyn felt an icy draught at the back of his neck. He spun around but could see nothing out of the ordinary so returned to his search.
Jen was gently tapping against the oak panels on the wall, listening for the sound of a hollow section, when she felt again as if she was being watched. She turned to look behind her and stopped in shock.

Floating just above the carpet of dust was a greyish faintly translucent figure of an old man, looking at her. He was dressed in old style fashions; wearing a doublet with numerous slashes showing the lining, large puffed trunk hose with a codpiece showing and hose on his legs.
"What dost think thou art doing?" he said in a faint voice that sounded as though coming from a long distance away.

Jen was shaken, she had heard rumours that this mansion was haunted but had always discounted them. And yet here was the all too visible proof that it was true. She took a step backwards away from the ghost and bumped into the wall behind her. She saw Olwyn on the other side of the room through the ghost as he turned to look at her.

"What's up?" Olwyn asked looking at Jen; he had heard her gasp and turned to see her with her back to the wall, looking pale and shocked. He abandoned his search and walked over to see what was wrong.

Jen was horrified as she saw Olwyn walk towards her right through the form of the ghost without noticing it, the ghost however noticed Olwyn.
"By the god's sirrah," the ghost shouted at Olwyn faintly, "an were I alive, wouldst give thee such a thrashing!"
Jen giggled at the sight as the ghost wildly swung his fists at and through Olwyn with no effect.

Olwyn knelt beside Jen as she looked past him and regained some of her colour and then giggled for no apparent reason. "What?" he asked as he looked around him but could see nothing wrong, "What's so funny?"
Jen was feeling a little better; it was difficult to feel frightened of something that can't touch you and looked so funny. She smiled at Olwyn and shook her head. "Not you," she chuckled, "that ghost," and then she pointed at it.

Olwyn turned to look where Jen was pointing, but could see nothing strange. "What ghost?" he asked nervously.
Jen first looked at Olwyn, then at the ghost. "Why can't he see you?" she asked the ghost.
The ghost stopped in mid-kick and looked at Jen astonished. "Art thou speaking to me... thou canst see me?"
"Yes of course," Jen nodded then looked at it inquisitively, "why, shouldn't I be able to?"
"Thou canst hear me also," the ghost continued in wonder. Then suddenly he moved to kneel beside Olwyn and clasped his hands together as if in prayer to Jen and begged, "Please fair maid, I beseech thee, aid this poor lost spirit."

Jen was nonplussed, she looked to Olwyn for help, but he was alternately looking at her and around the room for the ghost. "Ok," Jen said, coming to a quick decision, as she stood and faced the ghost, "we'll help you, but you must help us. We need a place to hide, quick."
The ghost smiled in gratitude, "Thou wilt? I can be free of this... this limbo!" He then stood and waved for Jen to follow him, "Follow me fair lady, this way," then he walked up to and through the wall that Olwyn had recently been searching. Jen went only a few steps before the ghost returned looking sheepish. "My pardon fair lady," he said and bowed, "a door is cunningly concealed herein." Then he indicated a blank section of the oak panelled wall.
Jen stepped up to the wall and searched briskly but found nothing. It was only when the ghost pointed out what to push and what to twist that Jen managed to open the hidden door.

Olwyn watched fascinated as Jen seemed to be having a conversation with nothing, before she walked across the room and opened a secret door in the wall he had been searching. She looked in for a moment and then quickly nipped through into the unlit narrow passage beyond. He swiftly followed after her and pulled the door shut behind him, plunging the passage into total darkness. Unwilling to stumble along the passage in darkness Olwyn drew his dagger and quietly cast a spell onto the blade to give light.

Jen heard Olwyn mumbling behind her then suddenly light bloomed brightly around her clearly showing the passage, and the stairs descending just at her feet, with the ghost stood further down the stairs.
"This way lady," he said gesturing for Jen to follow.

Jen carefully followed the ghost down the rickety stairs between the wooden slatted walls of other rooms. Down to another secret passage that ran for five or six paces and then turned and led to another set of steps leading down between stone walls. They trudged down the steps for some time until they eventually arrived at an open archway leading into a small stone lined room.

Two of the walls, ahead and too the right of the archway, were set with shelves. The one to the right was stacked with odd items of equipment and the other was filled with books and bottles. Near the shelves of books, in the far left corner of the room, was an old chair beside a small table and unlit oil lamp. Against the left wall, opposite the shelves of equipment, was a large oak table stained and scarred by many years of use.

Olwyn recognised this room as being similar to Master Jaklin's laboratory, with alchemical equipment and compounds stacked on the shelves. He stepped over to the table and chair and found the oil lamp was full of oil and ready to use, so he used a minor spell to light it then put away his glowing dagger.

Jen looked at the ghost who was stood near the large stained table looking back at her expectantly.
"Can you manifest yourself to others?" Olwyn asked the room in general as he still could not see the ghost.
"Yes but 'tis exhausting," The ghost replied.
Jen relayed to Olwyn, mimicking the ghost's tone, "Yes but 'tis exhausting," and chuckled lightly at Olwyn's smile. Then, to satisfy her own curiosity, she asked him, "why?"

"Jack and his gang are still looking for us," Olwyn explained to Jen and the listening ghost, "and I was wondering if he would be able to frighten them away."
Jen looked at the ghost hopefully and nodded, "Please..."
The ghost looked weary but nodded, "I shall do as thou ask fair lady, but must thou freest me when I return." Then he walked out of the room and up the stairs.

Olwyn started looking through some of the books that lined the shelves; many were treatises on the uses and properties of various alchemical compounds while others appeared to be journals. Being curious, Olwyn sat in the overstuffed chair and began to read some of the journals to pass the time.
Jen wandered around the room unenthusiastically, she looked at the items on the shelves desultorily then sat on the arm of the chair beside Olwyn and read the journal over his shoulder.

It was quiet in the underground chamber, nothing could be heard but the breathing of Jen and Olwyn and the occasional rustle as he turned a page.
Olwyn looked up, something had disturbed his concentration, and he looked around for the reason but could find nothing.
"What's up?" Jen asked when she noticed Olwyn's agitation.

"Shh..." he hissed and motioned for her silence. Then they both heard it; a faint soft tread of stealthy footsteps descending the stairs outside. Jen drew her new dagger as Olwyn carefully placed the journal on the table beside him and stood, prepared to cast a spell.

They were both surprised when the ghost stepped wearily through the archway. He looked more substantial to Jen but was still slightly translucent, and much to Olwyn's surprise he was also able to see him.

"I hast done as thou asked fair lady," he said with an exhausted sigh, "those ruffians shall not return anytime soon."
Olwyn bowed to the ghost and said politely, "Lord Brandon Willoughby I presume?"
The ghost looked at Olwyn in surprise then bowed in return and said, "At thy service good sir."
"I meant no offence," Olwyn said to Brandon, "but I took the liberty of reading some of your journals," then he indicated the books on the shelves.
"None taken," Brandon nodded, "I needs must ask of thou and thy lady a favour," then he looked expectantly at Olwyn and Jen.
"Anything," Jen said impetuously.

Olwyn was a little more cautious, "What do you want us to do?"
"I need thee to find a mage who wouldst banish me from this limbo," he said with an exhausted sigh and slumped shoulders, "to free me from my tedious half existence."
As Olwyn watched, Brandon grew more tenuous and transparent until he vanished without a sound.

"I must rest," Brandon said to Jen as he slowly faded away before her eyes, "all that the mage requires is here on the shelves. I shall return later." Then to Jen's surprise he grew wispy like smoke in a breeze and slowly thinned until he had disappeared completely.

"What did he say?" Olwyn asked Jen, "Do you think Jack and his gang are gone?"
Jen shook her head. "I don't know," she said shrugging, "but I hope so. He just said he needed to rest, and that all the stuff needed to banish him was here." Then she looked around and asked, "What did he mean by banish him?"

"I think," Olwyn said as he picked up the journal he had been reading, "that he was trying to find a way to extend his life, but something went wrong and now he is trapped here as a ghost." Olwyn then searched through the journal until he found the section he was looking for, "He wrote about his last experiment. 'The energy release shouldst be enough for my magic to enact the needed change. I shall be young again.' But I can't find what he means by the 'energy release'."
Jen shrugged, also not knowing what he meant, and turned to the shelves to help Olwyn search.

After searching through the dusty tomes for some hours Jen moaned, "I'm bored!" then after a moment's further thought, "and I'm hungry too."
Olwyn's stomach growled in agreement. "So am I," he chuckled, "let's go home and get something to eat and come back later." He drew his knife and again cast the spell of light on the blade, and doused the lamp. Together he and Jen cautiously climbed the stairs back to the hidden door. As Jen prepared to open it he sheathed the knife to hide the light.

Jen listened for a moment and hearing nothing from the other side of the door she slowly opened it and peered into the room beyond. The bedroom was dark and empty; she opened the door fully and crept over to the window. Carefully, she looked out to the darkened street below but the sun setting over the rooftops cloaked the street in deep shadows, making it difficult for Jen to see if the mansion was still being watched or not.

Olwyn quietly stepped up behind Jen. "You stay here," he said, making her jump, "while I check the rest of the mansion for Jack and his friends." Then without waiting for Jen to argue he willed his change to dog-form and padded quietly out of the room into the hall beyond.

Jen was frustrated that Olwyn had left her behind, as if she needed protecting from Jack and his gang, and was a little jealous, she wished she could change forms like that. She strode over to the open secret door and closed it with a forceful click. After calming herself for a moment she quietly sneaked to the open door and peeked into the hall. Seeing it was deserted she crept along the hall until she found a room that looked out over the back garden. Unfortunately she could see nothing but shadows in the garden and beyond the wall. After a while looking out to the garden Jen was startled again as Olwyn spoke from the doorway.

"You don't stay where you're told very well do you," he chuckled lightly when Jen jumped and turned to scowl at him, "I've checked the building and around the outside and I couldn't see anyone. So it should be safe to go now, if we're quick." Then together, Jen and Olwyn left the mansion and returned to Aldergrove house.

* * * * *

Jen sat bolt upright silently screaming and shaking with fear. As she breathed in to scream again she realised she was in her bed and the dream she'd had was rapidly fading. She quickly and heedlessly got out of bed and ran to Olwyn's room, slamming open the door and running then jumping onto his bed, roughly waking Olwyn in the process.

"It was horrible," she yelled, still frightened by the dream images.
"What!" Olwyn said sleepily, "what's wrong?"
"My dream was dark and scary," she said seriously, "I've never had a scary one before. Oh why can't I remember the details?" she wailed.

Olwyn was confused. "What are you talking about?" he asked still half asleep
"My dreams always come true," Jen tried to explain, "but I can never remember all the details until it happens. I dreamt of you before ever seeing you, and now I had a scary one."
"It could have been just a dream," he said trying to calm her fear.
"No!" she said fiercely, "it was about you and that bitch who tried to take me, but I can't remember the rest."

After Olwyn had succeeded in calming Jen down, they got up and had a good breakfast. Then, after they had packed some provisions, they set off to return to the Willoughby mansion. They both moved quickly and cautiously, constantly aware of their surroundings, keeping a watchful eye out for anyone following them. Unfortunately they didn't notice the form of the large black rat carefully following their path and watching their every move.

They quickly entered the mansion and made their way to the secret door. Jen carefully closed the door behind them while Olwyn lit his dagger again, and they carefully descended the stairs to the underground chamber.
When they arrived at the laboratory Olwyn immediately set to work. He lit the lamp and began searching through the books on the shelves, while Jen sorted through the equipment and compounds.

After searching through most of the jars and vials, reading the labels of those that had them and putting aside those that didn't, Jen heard a quiet voice whispering behind her.
"Thank thee for returning fair lady, but where is the mage?"
Jen turned to look at Brandon the ghost. He looked just as he had when she first saw him; pale grey and translucent. She pointed to Olwyn where he was reading and said, "We're going to do it."
Olwyn looked up from the journal he was reading and across at Jen. "Is he here?"
"Yep," Jen nodded.

Olwyn stood and put the book he was reading down. "Lord Willoughby," he said to the room in general. "I haven't yet been able to find exactly what you were doing, or what you meant by," he then leant over the open book and read from it, " 'The energy release shouldst be enough for my magic to enact the needed change'." Then he looked up again and asked, "What energy release?"

Jen watched Brandon as he seemed to concentrate for a moment and then firm up and become more solid.
Olwyn took a surprised half jump backwards and abruptly sat back in the chair as the ghost silently formed out of nothing before his eyes.
"I created an enchantment," Brandon said smiling down at Olwyn, his voice sounding thin and remote, "that will activate a gem such that it may power another spell."

Olwyn nodded his understanding. "Will you teach it to me?" he asked failing to completely mask his excitement.
"Needs I must," Brandon nodded smiling at Olwyn's enthusiasm, "thou wilt have need of it to free me."

Jen watched Brandon walk over to the large stained table, and then beckon for her to approach him. "Depress this pattern," he said pointing to a scrollwork pattern carved into the top of the left leg of the table. "And push thy finger in that knothole," then he pointed to a dark knothole showing in the surface of the table.

Jen pushed as required and a faint click sounded from under the table. Jen looked and found a secret drawer had opened, just under the top overhang, and had slid out a short way. She cautiously pulled the drawer open fully and carefully lifted out an old small book.
"The book of mine enchantments," Brandon said smiling as Jen placed the book onto the table top, "the spells thou wilt need are contained within."

Olwyn stepped up to the table and carefully opened the old book making sure he didn't damage the delicate brittle pages. As Olwyn was reading through the book, Brandon was looking over his shoulder explaining what each notation meant; ensuring that Olwyn understood each stage of each spell required.

After much tiring study both Olwyn and Jen understood the spell to activate a gem but neither could grasp the full complexities of the one required to free Brandon. But, with Brandon's explanations noted on a separate piece of parchment, Olwyn was confident that he would be able to cast the spell.

While Olwyn continued to read through his notes and Brandon's spell book, Jen collected together the materials he would need.
"Thou needs get those five bottles of black powder yonder," Brandon explained, "and those five bottles of white powder." Then he directed Jen to the open space on the floor near the entrance to the room and continued. "Place them in a circle, equally spaced, alternating black and white." Once Jen had the bottles placed to Brandon's satisfaction he continued his instructions. "Open one of the black bottles and pour forth half of the powder within to form an arc to the next black bottle. Then pour the remainder to form a heap where the bottle had been."

As Jen was pouring out the remainder of the black soot-like fine powder from the first bottle she was surprised by a rattle as a large clear crystal fell out of the bottle into the pile of powder. She carefully picked the gem out of the pile and held it up to the light.
Olwyn turned as he heard Jen gasp and saw her holding up a large clear gem. He knelt near her and asked, "Where did you find that?" then held out his hand for it.
"It was hidden in the black powder," she said as she gave him the gem and started on the next bottle of black powder. Again, as she was pouring out the remainder of that bottle into its heap, a clear gem fell out.

Olwyn looked at the huge gem in his palm intently; it was rectangular in shape cut with bevelled edges and was the size of the first joint of his thumb. He looked at the remaining bottles and groaned, "I can't activate all ten of these..."
"Thou needest not activate them individually," Brandon smiled, "thou canst activate them in groups... try five at once."

Once Jen had finished laying out the black powder and had collected the remaining clear gems, Olwyn prepared to activate them. He held them in his cupped palm and then covered them with his other hand and carefully ran through casting the activation spell. As he slowly opened his hands, all five gems were softly glowing with a magical internal light.

While Olwyn was casting his spell, Jen was busy pouring out the white chalk-like powder just outside the circle formed by the black powder; she was also collecting the clear gems that had been hidden in with the white powder.

Once the outer circle was complete, Brandon stepped into it and sighed. "I am ready; replace the activated gems on their respective heaps of powder."
Olwyn stooped and placed the five gems he had already activated onto the five heaps of black powder. Once the last gem was in place a faint glow appeared throughout the circle and a faint crackle of energy could be felt. Olwyn quickly took the other five gems from Jen and activated them, then placed them on the five heaps of white powder. As he squatted to place the last gem a strong pulse of force rippled out from the pair of rings, knocking Olwyn onto his back.

Olwyn and Jen were stunned as they watched crackling lines of energy form between the gems, arching over the form of Brandon where he stood within the circles. The air within the dome of energy began to glow and pulse with a steady even rhythm, with each pulse the glow brightened and the crackle of energy increased.
Olwyn quickly scrabbled up and retrieved his notes from the table, and began the slow and complicated process of casting the spell.

Jen watched as Olwyn repeatedly checked his notes and then ran through the incantation and gestures required to steadily cast the spell. As he was casting she noticed that Brandon was progressively becoming more and more solid.
"Thank thee fair lady." Brandon said bowing to Jen, his voice sounding firmer and more real than before, "Thou hast mine heartfelt thanks for releasing me from this purgatory."

Jen smiled at Brandon but felt saddened also, she was loosing a new-found friend. She fervently hoped that this would not be the end of him, that his journey would continue, as others believed. "Safe journey!" she called to him as she waved farewell sadly.

She continued to watch blinking as the light grew brighter and brighter until the entire domed area contained by the circle was filled with blinding bright white light. Suddenly the light vanished, like a candle being snuffed out, and a violent pulse of raw sound and energy exploded from the magic circle knocking Jen and Olwyn over and leaving the room in complete darkness.

Author's Note:
If you enjoyed this story, and or have a comment or suggestion to make, please email me at lensman@mail.com
All emails are welcome and will be responded to if a return address is used.