8 Dark Halo (Part 3)

After Anthony and Kris created a way for the Synthesis Magic to stay constant, the first thing they notice was that because one of the intelligences were channeling the magic full time, Anthony's perception of time was at a somewhat regular rate. Secondly, they notice the longer the magic stayed working, the more Anthony's body seemed to adjust, causing the spell to be less stressful on his collective. Now that they were able to have a stable way to ensure their survival, Anthony and Kris could soon start to think about other things.

"Hey, Kris I'm going to be a hero or villain right?"

"That's what Lady Death said, "It's our destiny."

"Okay if that is the case then we need to start thinking now on how we can ensure that we will survive. I feel like we are at a crossroad to either be prepared for everything or to be reactionary to everything."

"Yep, I feel it as well."

"I think this is the wave pushing me again in one or another direction."

"Then what should we do?"

"Okay, Kris what is the most important aspect of a superhero?"

"A killer costume?"

"No. I mean yes, but I'm only three months old, so I'm sure I would outgrow the thing."

"I know, it's the killer backstory. Well, we don't have to worry about that we kind of got that on lock. How are you doing by the way?"

"It still hurts but, I think, I think I'm finally at the point of accepting what happened."

"What about your dad?"

"I'm sure he knows or has some idea about the situation. Now that I've had a chance to breathe and reflect, I did feel magic around him and our grandfather. I guess they are where we inherited our bloodline. But if I were him; if I were my father, I think I would have done the same thing to me as well. Maybe, well not the same way I mean, I am a baby after all."

"I'm glad, but back to this superhero business."

"Or villain."

"Sure. What is the most important thing a superhero or villain needs to have?"

"The ability to survive," Anthony shouted out with such joy and confidence.

For the first time in a long time, everything in Anthony's mind was quiet. Anthony could feel the emotions running off of Kris at this moment. She didn't have to say it, Anthony could feel the emotion of shame and pity of being stuck with him forever. He could feel her disappointment in the answer he gave her. Anthony could feel her accept her lot in life and then he heard her say,

"Explain."

"A superhero or villain is always put into a situation that in some way shape or form threatens, and or takes away their life. Now I don't know if we get another go around on this Ferris wheel but, I want to ensure we will last as long as possible." Anthony could feel Kris's attention-getting peeked. "We need to put ourselves in a position so that we will not have any more regrets. We need to master magic, that will be our bread and butter. We also need to learn to survive without magic, like; hand to hand combat, wilderness training, how to blend in, languages, the whole nine. Lastly, we need money and an identity separate from this one."

Kris could feel Anthony's intent and said, "How should we start?"

"We were put in this situation because I wanted to rush. I need to look past the moment. We need to start slow. Sometimes we need to do more than one thing at once. We need to create our own luck. We need to master the synchronicity wave."

*Two*

Two months later, Paris was nearing the ancient hamlet in the Himachal Pradesh of Malan in the India subcontinent where he left his grandson. As he drew near, he could feel the strings of fate tightening around his soul. The paths that were once opened to him were closing rapidly as he neared the old cabin. He thought of his brother; the time in which he saved him from Menelaus. He could no longer hide behind his brother — those times were long past.

Paris could see the cabin. He thought to himself with any hope the bastard would have starved to death. That brought a smile to his face. He stepped closer to the cabin but was frozen still. He tried to move, but for some reason, he could not move. Was this fear? Was he afraid? He was either a lion showing pity to a gazelle before a hunt, or he was the gazelle who caught wind of a predator. There was a river at his back. Destiny was in front of him. His last opportunity at life. Paris could feel it, a wave pushing him forward. He walked in.

*Three*

The cabin was not significant. It only had three rooms: a living space, a bathroom and a bedroom that held his grandson. He could see that room from the entrance of the cabin. The room was dark. He left his grandson lying on a mat in that abyss. Now he had to walk in that room. It's ironic; he had to walk into a hell he created for someone else.

As he walked in Paris felt the chains of fate and the Synchronicity Wave let go of him. He tried to turn around but felt his soul being shackled. His only way was forward.

Paris took a breath as he pulled out an ornate small knife and cut his index finger. He began to draw a circle with a pentagram in the middle. Surrounding the circle were four smaller ones connected to each end, with runes drawn in the middle. He healed his hand and placed the bundle of owl feathers in one circle and the owl carving in the one to the opposite side. As he looked at his work, he walked towards his grandson and looked at him. He picked him up and carried him to one of the empty circles as the baby began to struggle. He cut the baby's palm and made him touch the rune.

"By your blood, we shall walk into the abyss," Paris said as he placed the baby on top of the rune. He tried to heal the baby but notice that the boy was healing on his own, so he walked away. He walked to the last opened spot, cut his wrist and spoke, "By my blood, we are connected."

The runes started to glow the color of blood, spreading from the pentagram out towards Anthony and Paris. The smell of iron filled the room as rattling chains could be heard over the moaning of dead souls. As the blood reached the owl carving a silhouette of an owl could be seen as it let out a silent shriek and all fell silent. When the blood reached the feathers, they began to scatter around the room floating and sinking like plum blossoms. Paris looked at the translucent owl, and after a moment, when he realized it would not do anything he continued.

"By blood, I am owed a chance at life, and by blood, you are owed a chance at life. If you deny my claims, speak now," Paris spoke as he waited. The blood began to grow brighter. "Your silence shows that you do not deny my claim. Then it is by right I, Paris of Troy challenge you, Anthony Aims Constantine, with our honor as Laughing Magicians to a shadow game."

*Four*

Anthony opened his eyes to see a child sitting crossed legged in front of him. They were in an ample open space, illuminated by the spell on the ground.

"So this is the form you have chosen for yourself," the child spoke as his eyes began to shift to the color of the night sky. His pupil became the color of the harvest moon.

Anthony looked down at himself to see that he was no longer an infant.

"Where are we, and who are you," Anthony asked calmly.

"I am Paris of Troy, your grandfather. When your mother was pregnant, I felt the call of destiny. I performed a ritual, and it showed me that the twins she was carrying one would be stillborn the other would bring calamity."

"Yes, my brother did try to kill me in the womb, but I was able to survive, but we laughing magicians are just lucky like that."

Paris looked at the boy with shock and said, "So, you know. How?"

"Where are we," Anthony said with a smile.

"Okay, Fine this is the shadow realm a place of chance and fate. It has been decided that one of us must die here because we both do not belong. We are two people out of time."

"In which way," Anthony asked.

"I Paris, born thousands of years ago and you Anthony the boy who outran destiny."

"So what do we do now, do we fight?"

Paris smiled and said, "In a way. You should know the rules; they were imprinted on your soul the moment we set foot in here. Would you like to play a game?"

"Sure," Anthony said with a smile, "But I get to pick the game."

"Fine," Paris said with the smile still on his face.

Anthony reached up to snap his fingers and made a circular table appear with two chairs. Anthony and Paris got up, and both of them walked to the table. As they sat down, two guns appeared.

"Russian Roulette," Paris asked with scorn.

"A game of chance, we are laughing magicians, after all, let's play a game of luck," Anthony responded, "There is only one loaded gun, we pick a gun, shoot it, last one standing wins. You choose first."

Paris stared at his grandson as moments after moment passed him by. He reached out many times, and each time he pulled his hand back.

"Why hesitate, can you no longer feel the wave? A choice lies before you. One to heaven, the other to hell. Will you be stuck in this abyss. Trapped as you had me in that room? Have I led you to die just like you left me to die? You see Pops; you've made a mistake. When you brought me here, my soul was freed from my body. I am finally free," Anthony said with joy and relief, "I can think like I used to. No longer am I stifled by that tiny infant brain. So many questions I had; finally, I can wrap my head around them now that I'm back to 100%. Do you want to know the best part about it pops..."

Paris started to sweat as he quickly reached for the gun, aimed it, and pulled the trigger.

BAM

A shot was fired.

Paris look down to see Anthony did not pick up the gun. He began to smile but felt a sharp pain come from his chest. Then he looked at the gun and saw there was no smoke. The sound of the gunfire did not come from the gun he was holding. It came from behind Anthony.

"How?"

"I never said the guns on the table where loaded," Anthony said as a female figure walked out and stood behind him. She was simply beautiful. She had long shoulder length auburn hair that cascaded over a light well-toned frame. A white lace, skater dress draped over her milky caramel skin exposing long, slender, athletic legs. Her eyes whereas deep as silver pools. just like Anthony's as he continued, "or the only guns."

The young woman came up and placed the gun she held on the table.

"I have a little understanding on how the synchronicity wave works, and it's simple really,"

"Who is she?"

"Make your own luck," Anthony said with a laugh, "Night, Night gramps. If you see mom on the other side tell her I'm sorry I couldn't keep a few of her wishes."

Paris fell over dead. Anthony turned over to the young woman and said, "I told you a dress would be better than jeans."