(Untitled)

[_rayne]

All of the information I've managed to locate on the Axis of Pythia (and believe me, I had to track down some rather unsavory former clients to find anything at all) suggests that it only works across dimensions, and not through time within a single dimension. Not that this is conclusive; it's a pity Ripper didn't divulge more of what he knew about

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[_rayne]

I concentrate on the vehicle, the driver's seat door, to be precise, and wave a censor of incense as I chant, hoping I'm getting the demonic tongue even close to what it should sound like. Ripper probably won't like the scent of mugwort that's sure to linger, but oh well. I rather wish I knew what the actual effect of the time-bending was supposed to be, but the scrolls had been sketchy on that point.

A bright flash off to the side catches my attention, and I turn to see a cloudy light seeming to form in the rear-view mirror. Interesting...I continue the chant, moving my hands to indicate the four elements and the arrow of time. Bloody complex spell.

[_rayne]

I complete the circuit of arm movements three times, then throw back the ceremonial robe and complete the incantation with a series of noises that sounds rather like I'm gargling toothpicks. I'm going to feel that tomorrow.

At this point, an actual image forms in the mirror...bright sun, rolling hills, a running horse or two, all very bucolic. Could be almost anywhere, or any time.

I sigh and lower the censer, then carefully ground and release the magical energy into the earth. I suppose I should be grateful I didn't set Ripper's car on fire or something. I gather up my various implements and start to remove the robe, when I notice I'm being watched. Teenage boy, sitting on the curb. Lovely, I always like doing ancient magic with an audience.

"Enjoy the show?" I ask him.

[_rayne]

I'm starting to get the feeling the boy is wasting my time...he's not going to be able to pay my usual fee with his lunch money. "Well..." I say, "If you're short on cash, I do sometimes take payment in kind. Do you have any special skills that might come in handy? Anything magical, for example?"

[_rayne]

My eyes are drawn to the oddly shaped burn he's digging at, and say, "Let me see that. You know, there are potions that would clear that right up--"

I break off. The boy's already made it plain he has nothing to offer, and I'm not generally the altruistic type. But then he opens his palm and I see that the burn is a perfect heart shape, identical to the locket glinting at his neck. That is quite unusual, and I wonder if the locket has some magical properties that the boy doesn't know about.

"Did the locket cause that? May I have a closer look at it?"

[_rayne]

I turn the thing over in my hand and finally see that one side is silver, the other gold. The silver side burned...aha, now we were getting somewhere. Perhaps the boy had been bitten by a werewolf and didn't realize it. On the last full moon perhaps? Could that be why I hadn't seen hide nor hair of Oz after all of his threats? Maybe he bit the boy and ran off with his tail and his pathetic conscience between his legs. If so, all the better for me.

I drop the locket, gold side down, and ask, "You weren't bitten by anything recently, were you? Because I can only think of one reason why silver would burn you...if you were a werewolf."

[_rayne]

I frown in confusion, and wonder if the boy has been smoking something. How exactly could you forget something like that?

"Well, that is interesting...and possibly useful. If you don't mind giving me a sample of your blood. I wouldn't need much." I'd recently found a ward against werewolves that required a few drops of blood from one of the creatures. I'd just about written the notion off; it wasn't like I could ask Oz for some. But the boy needed a spell done, and he had what I required.

"I think I could do your mystical binding in exchange for that."