Michael Scott - The Alchemyst

To taste with purity

Hekate s fingers brushed Sophie s lips and suddenly the girl was consciousthat her tongue was tingling. She licked her lips, finding traces of thefruit she had eaten earlier and discovering that she could actually taste theair it was rich and earthy and even distinguish the water droplets in theatmosphere.

To touch with sensitivity

Sophie s skin came alive. The fabrics against her skin the soft cotton of herT-shirt, the stiff denim of her jeans, the gold chain with her birth signaround her neck, her warm cotton socks all left different and distinctimpressions on her flesh.

To smell with intensity

Sophie actually rocked backward with the sudden eye-watering explosion ofscents that invaded her: the spicy otherworldly odors of Hekate, the cloyingearthiness of her surroundings, her brother s twenty-four-hour deodorant,which was plainly not working, the supposedly unscented gel in his hair, themint of the toothpaste she had used earlier.

Sophie s aura began to glow, silver mist rising off her skin like fog off alake. It surrounded her body in a pale oval. She closed her eyes and threw her head back. Colors, smells and sounds were rushing at her: and they werebrighter, stronger, louder than any she had ever experienced before. Theeffect from her heightened senses was almost painful no, it was painful. Ithurt. Her head throbbed, her bones ached, even her skin itched everything wasjust too much. Sophie s head tilted back, and then, almost of their ownaccord, her arms shot out to either side and she rose four inches off thedirt floor.

Sophie? Josh whispered, unable to keep the terror from his voice. SophieHis sister, wrapped in an undulating silver glow, was floating in the airdirectly before him. The light from her body was so strong that it paintedthe circular chamber in shades of silver and black. It was like a scene from a terrifying horror movie.

Don t touch her, Hekate commanded sternly. Her body is attempting toassimilate the wash of sensations. This is the most dangerous time.

Josh s mouth went dry and his tongue was suddenly too big for it.

Dangerous what do you mean, dangerous? Something in his mind clicked and hefelt as if his worst fears were about to be realized.

In most cases, the brain cannot cope with the heightened sensations ofAwakening.

In most cases? he whispered, appalled.

In almost every case, Hekate said, and he heard the regret in her voice.

That is why I was unwilling to do this.

Josh asked the question he really didn t want answered: What happens?

The brain effectively shuts down. The person is left in a coma from whichthey never awaken.

And Flamel knew this could happen? Josh asked, feeling a great surge ofanger begin in the pit of his stomach. He felt sick. The Alchemyst had knownthe Awakening could, in all likelihood, send him and Sophie into a coma, andyet had still been prepared to let them go through with it. The rage burnedwithin him, fueled in equal parts by fear and a terrible sense of betrayal.He d thought Flamel was his friend. He d been wrong.

Of course, Hekate said. He told you there were dangers, didn t he?

He didn t tell us everything, Josh snapped.

Nicholas Flamel never tells anyone everything. One side of Hekate s face was touched with the silver light radiating from Sophie, the other wassheathed in black shadow. Suddenly, Hekate s nostrils flared and her eyeswidened. She looked up at the ceiling of roots. No, she gasped. No!

Sophie s eyes snapped open and then she opened her mouth and screamed.Fire!

They re burning the World Tree! Hekate howled, her face contorted into asavage mask. Shoving Josh to one side, she darted out into the corridor,leaving him alone with the person who had once been his twin. He stared atthe girl floating in the air before him, unsure what to do, afraid to even touch her. All he knew was that for the first time in their lives, they weredifferent in ways he could not even begin to comprehend.

W e need to go. Nicholas Flamel caught Josh s shoulder and shook him,bringing him back to the present.

Josh turned to look at the Alchemyst. There were tears on his cheeks, but hewas unaware of them. Sophie, he whispered.

is going to be fine, Nicholas said firmly. Shouts echoed in the corridoroutside, the sudden clash of weapons mingling with the roars of humans andanimals. Above it all rose Scathach s delighted laughter. Flamel reached forSophie, who was still floating four inches above the earth, and his auraflared white-green when he took her hand. Gently he pulled her back to theground. As soon as her feet touched the earth, it was as if all the strengthhad left her body, and he caught her before she crumpled to the floor,unconscious.

Josh was immediately at his sister s side. He pushed Flamel away and held histwin in his arms. Crackling energy darted from Sophie s fading aura to hisflesh, but he didn t even register the tiny stings. When he looked up atFlamel, his face was an angry mask. You knew, he accused, you knew howdangerous this was. My sister could have been left in a coma.

I knew that was not going to happen, Nicholas said calmly, crouching downbeside Josh. Her aura your aura is too strong. I knew you would bothsurvive. I would never have deliberately placed either of you in danger. Iswear that. He reached for Sophie s wrist to check her pulse, but Joshpushed his hand away. He didn t believe him; he wanted to, but somehowFlamel s words rang false.

They both jumped as an agonized, catlike squeal came from the corridoroutside. It was followed by Scatty s voice. We really should be leaving. Andright now would be a good time!

The smell of burning wood was stronger, and tendrils of gray smoke begun tocurl into the chamber.

We ve got to go. We can talk about this later, Flamel said firmly.

You better believe we will, Josh promised.

I ll help you carry her, the Alchemyst offered.

I can do it myself, Josh said, and gathered his sister into his arms. Hewasn t going to trust Sophie to anyone else. He was surprised by how lightshe felt, and he was suddenly thankful for all those painful months offootball practice that had made him stronger than he looked.

The Alchemyst picked up the short staff he d left propped against the walland spun it in the air before him. The tip glowed green and it left thefaintest of smoking emerald trails in the air. Ready? Flamel asked.

Josh, his sister held tightly against his chest, nodded.

Whatever happens, whatever you see, don t stop, don t turn back. Just abouteverything outside this doorway will not hesitate to kill you.

Josh followed Flamel through the door and immediately stopped, frozen inshock. Scatty was standing in the center of the narrow corridor, her twoshort swords a blur before her. Behind the swords, crowding the corridor,were some of the most terrifying creatures he had ever seen. He d beenexpecting monsters; what he had not been expecting were creatures even moreterrifying. Creatures that were neither beast nor human, but something caughtin between. Humans with the heads of cats snarled and slashed at Scatty,their claws striking sparks off her swords. Others with the bodies of men butwith the huge peaked skulls of ravens jabbed at her, attempting to gouge andstab her.

Scatty down! Flamel shouted. Without waiting to see if she even heard him,he stretched out his arm and leveled the short staff. His aura flared greenand the air was suddenly bitter with the odor of mint. An emerald-coloredglobe of spinning light gathered at the tip of the staff and then shotforward with an audible pop. Scatty barely managed to duck before the ballsizzled through the air and shattered against the ceiling almost directlyover her head. It left a bright mark, like a stain, which started to dribbleand drip sticky green light. The scarred head of a tabby cat pushed throughthe opening, mouth gaping, fangs glinting. It spotted Scatty and lunged forher and a drop of the gooey light splashed off the top of its head. Thecat-headed human went wild. It threw itself back into the corridor, where itimmediately attacked everything in its path. A birdman stepped up to theopening, and was doused in the dripping green light. Its black wings abruptlydeveloped holes and tears, and it fell back with a hideous chattering cawing.Josh noticed that although the green light, which had the consistency ofhoney, burned the creatures, it had no effect on the wood. He knew he shouldbe paying more attention, but all his concern was focused on his sister. Shewas breathing quickly, and behind her closed eyelids her eyes were dancing.