Jeremy Laszlo - The Choosing

“Ok guys all I want you to do is clear your minds and relax. Try to focus yourselves, but remain aware of your mind. If this works you should be able to feel the power flowing through me, and if you can I want you to try and absorb that power and contain it within yourself. It sounds easier than it is, but we have time to make a few attempts if needed. I am going to pray and summon my Goddess’s blessing and through me I will try and channel her power to you. Are you ready to try? Ashton asked with a wide grin on his face.

Garret was the first to nod his readiness and so Ashton walked to him and knelt down beside him.

“Ok now relax and clear your mind, focus yourself inward and wait until you can feel the power.” With his instructions completed Ashton tilted his head to the heavens and prayed.

His prayer completed, Ashton began a low chant. As the intensity of his chant increased the holy light of his Goddess began to dance across his skin. Ashton held the power within him. Molding it to his will he let it consume him. Reaching out with his hand he grasped Garrets exposed arm. Not requiring healing Ashton released the power slowly in its pure form allowing it to flow unchecked into Garret’s body. Garret gasped.

Garret sat still, his body as relaxed as he could make it and did as he was told. He focused his mind inward pushing all thoughts and memories that tried to assault him away. Clearing a space for him to focus Garret imagined himself in a pure space, surrounded by white nothingness. He could vaguely hear his friend chanting but as soon as he realized it he washed it away as well. Garret floated within his own mind waiting to see or feel something both magnificent and foreign. He did not notice when Ashton grabbed his arm, he was too disconnected at this point for his body to relay the message. He sat surrounded by a white abyss when he felt the tingle. Reaching towards it with his mind he was able to see it for what it was. A vast ocean of yellow light churned upon itself within him. However try as he might he could not reach it, he made attempt after attempt to grasp it, yet the power remained elusive. Then something struck him, the power was here, he knew it was here he could feel it and see it, but Ashton had told him to contain it. Slowly carefully Garret lowered the barriers within his mind he had built to keep out unwanted thoughts and memories. As the barriers slipped away Garret’s mind was flooded with images and thoughts but he ignored them, instead focusing himself on the power within himself. This time Garret mentally envisioned himself building the barriers around his entire mind contained, as the power reeled away from a barrier Garret would let it fall allowing thoughts and images escape. Before the power could too find the hole in his defense he replaced it. It was a task that seemed to take a life time, forever removing his mental shields allowing thoughts to pass beyond, then, replacing the shield. He slowly destroyed and rebuilt the barriers each time making them smaller forcing the power pulsing within him to focus tighter and tighter until at last a perfect sphere of roiling light was encased within his mind. Garret reeled at the realization and without knowing it he gasped. He had been able to detect, locate and contain the power, but now what was he supposed to do?

Carefully, deliberately, Garret opened his eyes, all the while focusing inward, keeping the power contained. He located Ashton with his eyes he realized his friend had stopped chanting and now sat before him staring at him intently.

“What now?” Was all Garret could mutter while retaining his focus on the power.

“Now if you have it focused, immerse yourself within the power, try to control it with your mind, command it to do something then release it.” Ashton instructed quickly seeing that his friend was struggling.

Garret again closed his eyes allowing himself to focus once again wholly on the task at hand. Mentally locking the barriers that held the power Garret was assured they would hold. He focused into himself and sent his consciousness to penetrate the barrier and be consumed by the power. Pure pleasure consumed him, gone was any traces of pain or sorrow, gone too was the uncomfortable body that contained his mind. He was one with the power within him, or perhaps one with the power he was within. Following his instructions Garret imagined himself aglow with the power like he had seen his friend become several times. Pushing this image mentally throughout the power surging around him he let the barriers fall and unleashed the power at his command.

Seth sat watching his brother looking for any sign of emotion. For long minutes Garret sat unmoving, his face like a stone statue showing no sign of emotion. Everyone in the room at this point was leaning nearer Garret anxiously awaiting any sign that he still lived. Slowly as if in answer to their curiosity, Garret opened his eyes. As Garret’s eyes focused on the man in front of him, his face bunched up in concentration. Garret had said something then but too low for Seth to hear only a few feet away. Ashton had heard his words and had relayed some new instructions, and Seth’s twin immediately closed his eyes once again. With the closing of his eyes his face once again relaxed into a statuesque expressionless mask. A moment passed and nothing happened. The trio sat watching and waiting intently for something, for anything to happen. When it did none of them were prepared.

A thunderous boom exploded through the room followed by a shockwave that shook the building. Ashton was knocked on his back from the force of the sound and all of them locked their eyes on Garret. Immediately following the deafening sound Garret began to shimmer, it started first at his extremities and worked down their lengths to quickly encompass his entire body. He shuddered as his body seemed to become something without substance, almost as if he were a liquid conforming to no specific shape. The thunderous explosion again shook the building and Garret sat wide eyed with a smile from ear to ear where a moment before he had only been as solid as smoke.

“Garret are you ok?” Seth asked his brother.

“That was incredible.” Garret stated while nodding a response to his twin.

Ashton pulled himself up off of the floor, all the while his gaze remaining on Garret. He brought himself back into a kneeling position where he had moments before coached his friend to wield magic.

“Well I would have to consider that a success.” Ashton stated, a smile coming to his lips.

“But I have to know, when I told you to mold the power to do something you wanted it to do, did you intentionally attempt to turn yourself into an explosive device?”

“No, actually I tried to make my body glow like you do. However I don’t think that part worked out.” Garret stated with a grin.

“No kidding brother, for a second there I had thought you were a goner.” Seth stated earnestly. “How did it feel? Do you feel any different?”

“I can’t really describe how it felt, it was more difficult than I had imagined. At least it was at first. It was hard for me to isolate the power and concentrate it. I guess over all it felt great though.” Garret told them. “You have got to try it, it’s amazing.” He added as an afterthought.

Sara listened to their conversation, still overwhelmed by the entire display. She realized then that if Garret was able to wield magic, than it was also a good chance Seth had the ability as well. She wasn’t sure how she felt about the realization, but she didn’t imagine it would change anything between them if he could.

“You still want to try Seth?” Ashton asked, afraid Garret’s near explosion might have changed his twin’s mind.

“Well, Garret seems to be fine so I don’t see any reason not to.” Seth answered as if trying to convince himself.