Solomon knocked lightly on the door and then walked into the office as if he owned the place.
The entire psychiatric hospital's security staff had failed to notice a grown man passing right by them, swiping one of their access cards in the process. Floating objects, invisibility, and telekinesis were just some of the basic abilities of a mage. The spell Veil of Obfuscation—a mental manipulation spell—was one of Solomon's most frequently used incantations. It was only a second-tier enchantment spell but could effectively divert attention, making it impossible for others to notice the caster. In essence, it worked like a less costly version of Invisibility. [Source: Spears of War]
After resolving another matter with exceptional efficiency, the mage opened a portal near St. Teresa's Psychiatric Hospital and entered the premises. By that time, Anna and Damon were already arguing and far too preoccupied to notice Solomon's arrival at the office door. The only person who might have noticed, Dr. Hastings, was distracted by the thermometer on her desk.
Had Solomon not knocked on the door after enjoying the family drama, they might not have even realized he was there until the spell expired.
"I'm asking you formally, Damon Hellstrom: do you really intend to challenge the authority of Kamar-Taj over the Material Plane?" Solomon asked, his head bowed as he slowly approached Damon. As he spoke, he adjusted the cuffs of his relic-adorned Shroud of the Saint's Remains. "All offspring of extradimensional entities are required to sign this contract. Do you really wish to make yourself an exception?"
"I made a condition, and you didn't fulfill it," Damon said, chest heaving as he took a deep breath. A sharp pain throbbed at his temple, and it felt as if something was trying to claw its way out of his skull. The agony threatened to drive him mad, and the combination of dizziness and weakness made him feel utterly powerless—a feeling he despised. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Damon steadied himself by gripping the desk. Despite his pallor and trembling, he managed to muster enough energy to question the mage. "You didn't keep your end of the deal, so why should I keep mine?"
"I've done what I was supposed to do," Solomon said, lifting his gaze briefly to look at Anna, who remained seated on the couch. Her face was unreadable, her earlier anger during her argument with Damon seemingly dissipated the moment Solomon arrived. He addressed her directly: "I assume you won't agree to me sending him to Hell right now, so I've decided on a different approach. I hope you won't interfere, Miss Hellstrom. I wouldn't want to ruin our partnership."
"I'll try," Anna replied coldly, her expression as stoic as ever. However, her body remained tense, as if ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.
"Good." As soon as Solomon finished speaking, he murmured a brief incantation. Four glowing missiles of radiant white light burst from his fingertips. These blinding projectiles struck Damon squarely in the chest like a series of hammering blows, forcing the air out of his lungs and leaving his ribs aching as if they'd been cracked. The dazzling light from the impacts filled Damon's vision with a chaotic burst of multicolored spots and lines. (Radiant Bolt,Spears of War)
Struggling for breath, Damon felt nausea roiling in his gut, his brain and stomach locked in a vicious cycle of physiological responses. He wanted to retch but lacked the strength even for that. Weakly, he collapsed into his chair, unable to do more than let out a faint, broken groan.
"You can't do this! I'll call the police—"
Gabrielle Rossetti, the nun, sprang forward like an enraged lioness, placing herself protectively between Solomon and Damon. At the same time, Dr. Hastings bent down to retrieve a handgun from her desk drawer. However, before she could even aim it at Solomon, another spell activated.
Hastings watched in horror as a sparking, smoking ember darted from Solomon's outstretched hand, flitting erratically around her, the nun, and Damon like a bothersome insect.
Finally, the ember seemed to surrender to its chaotic path, exploding into a cascade of vibrant, crackling fireworks. The resulting eruption transformed into a coiling dragon of pure, shimmering pyrotechnics, filling every inch of the office with light and heat. The dragon, seemingly alive, playfully sniffed at Hastings before lunging toward her.
Blinded and scorched by the dazzling display, Hastings fumbled with her weapon, trying to regain her bearings. Just as she began to raise the gun, two flaming shuriken flew through the air, striking the firearm and sending it clattering to the floor. One of the shuriken singed her hand, forcing her to retreat.
By the time Hastings, now reeking of smoke and frustration, crawled out of the firework-dragon's chaos, she saw Sister Rossetti frantically trying to extinguish the flames licking at the desk and chair. Damon sat limp in the chair, his face ashen, mumbling faintly under his breath.
"I've always wanted to use that spell," Solomon said with a grin, winking as if this were all some delightful game. "Not long ago, I suggested to someone that we watch fireworks together, but they declined. So, being able to use it here is quite satisfying. Don't be like that, Dr. Hastings."
Solomon pointed at Hastings, and three heavy iron rings materialized, clamping tightly around her shoulders, wrists, and legs. She was entirely immobilized. The mage ignored her furious cursing as well as the commotion from security guards outside the office. The guards, hearing the explosions, had tried to intervene, but they now lay slumped unconscious in the hallway—Solomon had simply put them to sleep.
"I think it's time you convinced your brother to sign the contract, Anna," Solomon said, tilting his head toward the demon-born woman. "I hope this approach proves effective. Otherwise, I'll have to resort to more forceful measures."
"He will sign it," Anna said as she stood, roughly pushing the nun aside. Without ceremony, she dragged her brother out of the chair. "He has to."
"I'm glad you're making a sensible choice," Solomon said, his voice tinged with amusement, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. The mage's satisfaction made Anna grit her teeth in frustration.
"I'm not an idiot," she retorted icily.
"Good. I don't want an idiot as my partner, Satana," Solomon said, emphasizing her other name with a pointed tone.
"Mind telling me where you just came from?" Anna asked.
"It's not a secret," Solomon replied casually. "I went to—"
"—investigate something I sensed might impact my future," he continued after helping Anna lay Damon on the sofa. With a glance, he silenced the nun's protests before turning back to Anna. "When we arrived in Ohio, fragments of a potential future forced their way into my mind. Luckily, Google exists, or I wouldn't have figured out where to go."
"And where was that?" Anna asked.
"Ms. Shaw, I'd appreciate it if you didn't aim that gun at our guest. Mr. Damonet, care to explain why you're here?"
Seeing the swirling orange sparks, John Reese sighed, feeling a familiar headache coming on. Harold Finch, however, seemed relatively unfazed.
After all, was there anything in this world stranger than magic? At this point, if someone told him Solomon could shoot golden laser beams from his eyes, Finch wouldn't even blink.
"I don't see how this concerns you, Mr. Damonet."
"You're kidding me—? You two know a wizard?" Sameen Shaw gawked at her companions in disbelief. Reese sighed, offering a quick explanation of his and Harold's past encounter with Solomon.
"It was just one job… though I didn't think his life was ever truly at risk."
"You think I wanted to come here?" Solomon stepped out of the shimmering portal, looking genuinely puzzled as he surveyed the industrial space around him. The massive, concrete facility was lined with glaring overhead lights and tangled electrical cables. Among the group were a kneeling woman, a man in a blue T-shirt, and a stern-looking Middle Eastern woman whom Solomon assumed was "Ms. Shaw."
"I had to make several jumps to get here," Solomon said, addressing the room at large. "Would someone kindly tell me where 'here' is?"
"This is a nuclear testing site near Hanford, Mr. Damonet. There's no supernatural threat here," Harold explained.
"I thought so too," Solomon replied, his gaze settling on the kneeling woman. Unlike everyone else, who looked confused or surprised by his arrival, she seemed entirely absorbed in her own emotions.
"But fate says otherwise, Harold. I believe this place holds the key to some impending catastrophe."
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [[email protected]/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]