her head, just as the Goddess had always done. That one-way communication the Goddess favored. Break the threads. What did she mean?
You’re more powerful than he is. The Mirga line is your line, Gwen. You are Mirga from far back, from much older, more powerful magic than Tink, than any of the Mirga. Take your magic back and snap the threads.
Gwen felt a new magic within her now. One she knew instinctively was her own. It was familiar somehow, and it was powerful. That was why she recognized the Mirga eye. The symbol was the symbol of her family from a time long ago, well past the point of remembering, but somehow her soul had recognized it.
She focused on the small threads of magic she could see leading from herself to Tink, and this time, rather than focus on pulling them to her, she mentally cut each one. She reached out and snapped the connection. As she did so, she felt a brutal pain race through her, like nothing she’d ever felt. Each cut brought more agony. It was sickening and horrifying, but she held on long enough to cut the last of the threads, before the world went black around her.
Chapter Seventeen
Gideon felt the moment the pull on his magic stopped. He was still weak, but without the drain, he could stand. Gwen was on the ground, unconscious and bloody. Tink stood above her, fat and swollen and grotesque with the engorged magic running through him. He epitomized the word monster in a way Gideon, even as the Boguman, never had. Gideon drew now on the power of the Boguman.
He transformed into the monster intended to frighten children into behaving. He called on every ounce of Boguman power and magic the Goddess had bestowed upon him when he took the job. Baba Yaga joined him, standing beside him. Then Zelda and Mac were there as well.
Gideon looked at Tink and knew what had to be done. He only hoped it was enough to let him save Gwen. To allow him to get to her in time.
“The van,” he called out to others, and they all aimed at the van at once. His black Boguman power, Zelda’s blood red, and Baba Yaga’s green. Fabio joined them, adding silver and gold. They struck it at once with all they had, directly in the center of the Eye of Mirga.
The van exploded, and with a rush of powerful energy, the blast came toward them, flattening all of them. Flattening everything around them.
Gideon felt it then. Felt all of his power and magic, all that had been lost, flow back into his body. He looked to where Tink had stood and saw nothing but a deflated, empty shell. There was nothing left but skin and clothes, as though someone had shed a Tink costume and left it lying in the grass.
Gwen was gone.
His Gwen was nowhere to be seen.
Chapter Eighteen
Gwen stood and looked around, trying to get her bearings. She was exhausted, utterly drained, but as she looked down, she realized she was still there . She was still in corporeal form.
She flexed her fingers and saw bright teal flames shoot from the ends. Well, that was new.
She looked around, confused. Someone should be here with her. This wasn’t right. Someone was meant to be here. Try as she might, she couldn’t even figure out where she was, much less who she thought should be here with her, but she was sure someone was missing.
And what the hell were those teal flames about?
She was in a field, but she wasn’t alone. There were people nearby. And houses on fire. All around her was destruction, but she seemed to have been thrown clear of it somehow. Her body ached and screamed at her as she struggled to stand.
She could see witches and warlocks at the center of the destruction. Gwen began to walk toward them, and something about that felt right. She knew, without a doubt, the person she was supposed to be with was there. If she could get to him, everything would be okay.
She still didn’t have a clue who he was, but whatever. She’d figure that out later. This felt right.
“Gwen!”
Yes , she thought. That’s him .
And then she saw him.
You’re more powerful than he is. The Mirga line is your line, Gwen. You are Mirga from far back, from much older, more powerful magic than Tink, than any of the Mirga. Take your magic back and snap the threads.
Gwen felt a new magic within her now. One she knew instinctively was her own. It was familiar somehow, and it was powerful. That was why she recognized the Mirga eye. The symbol was the symbol of her family from a time long ago, well past the point of remembering, but somehow her soul had recognized it.
She focused on the small threads of magic she could see leading from herself to Tink, and this time, rather than focus on pulling them to her, she mentally cut each one. She reached out and snapped the connection. As she did so, she felt a brutal pain race through her, like nothing she’d ever felt. Each cut brought more agony. It was sickening and horrifying, but she held on long enough to cut the last of the threads, before the world went black around her.
Chapter Seventeen
Gideon felt the moment the pull on his magic stopped. He was still weak, but without the drain, he could stand. Gwen was on the ground, unconscious and bloody. Tink stood above her, fat and swollen and grotesque with the engorged magic running through him. He epitomized the word monster in a way Gideon, even as the Boguman, never had. Gideon drew now on the power of the Boguman.
He transformed into the monster intended to frighten children into behaving. He called on every ounce of Boguman power and magic the Goddess had bestowed upon him when he took the job. Baba Yaga joined him, standing beside him. Then Zelda and Mac were there as well.
Gideon looked at Tink and knew what had to be done. He only hoped it was enough to let him save Gwen. To allow him to get to her in time.
“The van,” he called out to others, and they all aimed at the van at once. His black Boguman power, Zelda’s blood red, and Baba Yaga’s green. Fabio joined them, adding silver and gold. They struck it at once with all they had, directly in the center of the Eye of Mirga.
The van exploded, and with a rush of powerful energy, the blast came toward them, flattening all of them. Flattening everything around them.
Gideon felt it then. Felt all of his power and magic, all that had been lost, flow back into his body. He looked to where Tink had stood and saw nothing but a deflated, empty shell. There was nothing left but skin and clothes, as though someone had shed a Tink costume and left it lying in the grass.
Gwen was gone.
His Gwen was nowhere to be seen.
Chapter Eighteen
Gwen stood and looked around, trying to get her bearings. She was exhausted, utterly drained, but as she looked down, she realized she was still there . She was still in corporeal form.
She flexed her fingers and saw bright teal flames shoot from the ends. Well, that was new.
She looked around, confused. Someone should be here with her. This wasn’t right. Someone was meant to be here. Try as she might, she couldn’t even figure out where she was, much less who she thought should be here with her, but she was sure someone was missing.
And what the hell were those teal flames about?
She was in a field, but she wasn’t alone. There were people nearby. And houses on fire. All around her was destruction, but she seemed to have been thrown clear of it somehow. Her body ached and screamed at her as she struggled to stand.
She could see witches and warlocks at the center of the destruction. Gwen began to walk toward them, and something about that felt right. She knew, without a doubt, the person she was supposed to be with was there. If she could get to him, everything would be okay.
She still didn’t have a clue who he was, but whatever. She’d figure that out later. This felt right.
“Gwen!”
Yes , she thought. That’s him .
And then she saw him.
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