The Mindwalk Pavilion

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Iliaster was seated on a bench in the orchard that lay to the rear of the Hermitage. Progress had been sporadic, and he felt sure that he was missing something, some key to opening up their psychic powers. Gianetta and Catalina, both had the potential to harm someone, though Gianetta's 'evil-eye' required the emotional trigger of some slight or upset. Catalina could cause headache's at will, though they had discovered that each of them could counter this. He felt that he needed something more definite to please Bruno.

Hélène had considerable power, but little or no control over it as yet. What was he missing? Emotional engagement seemed to act as a trigger, but he needed control. He reflected upon what he'd read of witchcraft, searching for clues. Two things struck him as interesting. One was the notion of sending a fetch. This was where a witch would either take the form of some animal and travel about in that form, or achieve the same effect by temporarily replacing an animal's mind with their own.

Iliaster thought that this seemed related to what Rafael was able to do, though once again there seemed a shortfall in what was required. Rafael could travel astrally to places he had been physically, but not it seemed to anywhere beyond.

They had tried experiments to prove that Rafael was actually travelling and not just visualizing. He'd proved able to move around the Hermitage and report accurately what the others were doing in rooms some distance from his physical body. Why couldn't he travel to somewhere that he'd never been before? That would be necessary, as Iliaster knew Bruno would never let them travel to Albion, however badly he wanted results.

The other thing about witchcraft was how often the witch seemed to have to obtain something personal from their intended victim before being able to attack them. If the victim became aware of the witchcraft, and often a witch would make sure that they did know, then retrieval of the linking object was paramount to survival.

Sometimes, he felt close to grasping the answer. Then he felt that he had all the pieces of a puzzle, and only had to put them together correctly to solve the mystery. Often he felt that he was floundering, and clutching at straws. He knew that Bruno would expect some results, though why four months was thought long enough Iliaster had no idea.

He wished that he could somehow distil the abilities of each of the Mithraides, then combine them in himself. This was at least theoretically possible, their telepathy had been learned, an innate talent awakened by effort. He's made effort to astrally travel, but had not so far made any progress.

Giving up on the introspection, Iliaster hauled himself from the chair, and went to the garden. They were growing vegetables in a small plot of land that they were slowly clearing and preparing. Taking a spade, he set to on some digging. It felt good to be doing something where the results were immediately evident.

The sun was high in the perfect blue sky, and soon sweat was running down his forehead and the salt stung his eyes. He removed his shirt and kept digging. The ground was rough, and it was hard work to remove the many stones and roots. His hands were already calloused from several weeks of this work, but now they grew sore as he worked on and on. Iacopo came and watched for a little while, then quietly fetched his own spade he joined Iliaster, who smiled a welcome.

Something was happening, Iliaster felt energy surging through him. Instead of growing weary he seemed to be getting faster. Rafael joined them, and then Gianetta, who removed stone, branch and root as they were released. Catalina brought them jugs of cold water, lifted from their well. They drank deeply, splashed some over themselves to refresh their faces, and set to again.

Iacopo felt that Iliaster was somehow channelling energy into him. Nothing had been said, they worked on, he did not grow tired. Iliaster moved across the patch, already they had cleared nearly as much as all their previous days combined. He wondered how long they could go on.

Iliaster felt something insides him was drawing energy from the earth, he could feel it flowing through him. He worked on, impossibly maintaining the same urgent pace which he had started with when fresh. Some hours had passed in a kind of blur. Catalina had brought water, and at some point bread and fish. He had eaten and drunk, then returned to his work. His body was shining with the sweat. Iacopo now saw Iliaster's aura glowing, almost incandescent.

The sun was low in the West now, and the new garden patch was completely cleared. Iliaster looked around, blinking as if wondering what to do next. Carefully setting down the spade, he walked to the well and drew a bucket. He poured the bucket over himself and drew another, washing the stickiness and filth from him.

Catalina now took him by the hand, and led him to their shared room. As he lay face down, she kneaded his neck and shoulders, releasing the tensions accumulated during the afternoon and early evening. As her strong fingers pressed and pushed, Iliaster fell asleep.

Iliaster!

He sat up abruptly. It was dark now, and he could see Catalina lying in the bed next to his sleeping form.

He looked down at his astral form, which seemed just as solid as if he were really sitting upright. Carefully he tried to stand, but nothing seemed to happen. Remembering Catalina's instructions on not trying to do anything, he stood and stepped to one side, looking down on his physical body.

That he could travel astrally was now established, and Iliaster felt elated. He turned and stepped into the corridor without giving the door a thought. Now he stood, looking left and right, deciding where to go next. He heard a loud bang to his left and moved easily towards it. The sound had come from Hélène's room. Iliaster stepped into her room.

Hélène was asleep in her bed. She was also standing with a wooden stool in her hands, about to throw it at the wall.

"Hélène!"

Iliaster moved without thought and took hold of the stool, lifting it easily from her hands.

The astral Hélène now turned around. Seeing Iliaster, she pointed at her sleeping body.

"She won't acknowledge me. She thinks I'm a ghost. I'm not a ghost, I'm her. She's scared, We're scared."

Iliaster saw confusion and near panic in Hélène's face. Putting down the stool he made sure that Hélène was looking directly at him. Speaking soothingly, he willed her to be calm by sharing his own centred stillness.

"It is alright little one, you will be alright. Be calm now, be calm, be calm."

He could see that his words were helping.

"There is no need to be afraid now Hélène. You are like Rafael, you are like me. You have divided yourself, you can heal that divide now. You must be calm Hélène. You are strong, and you have feared to show your strength."

Iliaster was not sure where the words were coming from, but he knew he was saying the right thing.

"You no longer need to be afraid of your own power. Embrace it. Heal yourself."

He watched as the astral form of Hélène lowered itself into her body. The young woman glowed, a soft, warm light. Then she stepped out of her body again.

"I.. I can do this?"

"Yes Hélène. It is called astral travelling. I hope that all of us will be able to do this soon. It's like the shared voice. We just have to accept that we can do these strange and wonderful things."

Hélène gave Iliaster a wide and happy smile.

"I'm not haunted." She practically shouted it, then danced around the room, laughing, and repeating again and again that she wasn't haunted.

Iliaster could sense the raw power the woman possessed. He wondered what she could do, and suspected that she would surprise both him and herself on that score.

She stopped dancing, and stood before him.

"Why did you wait till now to do this Master Iliaster?"

"Because this is the first time I have consciously done this. I heard a noise and came to investigate."

"I'm glad that you did Master, so glad."

"I am too. Now little one, where shall we explore?"

Hélène took his hand. Without transition they were on a hillside, overlooking a farm some way below. They were standing in front of an animal shelter built of rough stone with a slanting wooden roof. Iliaster looked at Hélène questioningly.

"This is where I used to come when I was scared Master. I hide in here and watch the sun rise. Sometimes there were cows in there, it was warm then."

"It seems that we are able to visit places we have been. Rafael has found that to be the case for him."

"You sound disappointed Mater Iliaster?"

"It will not be enough for Bruno, and it may disconcert others."

"Yes I understand. They might think we are trespassing on their privacy."

"I had hoped that we could travel to places we had not seen."

"We do not know that we cannot Master."

"True little one, we have not yet tried for ourselves."

"Then where shall we go?"

Iliaster thought about this. Where should they go? to Albion? He knew that he'd need to be more specific than that. Iliaster realised that he knew next to nothing about the Celts or their home. He would have to rectify that.

"I confess I am not sure where we should try. I had thought Albion, but I know so little about the place, I wouldn't be sure we were actually there."

"Albion might be unwise Master."

"Why so little one?"

"Because they are witches Master, they might see us, even like this."

This hadn't occurred to Iliaster, but he could see the sense of it.

"You're quite right Hélène, we will leave there for now."

As he spoke, he saw that the sun was rising.

"I think that we should discuss this with the others, and decide where to go tomorrow. I hope that I shall be able to repeat this."

Hélène agreed. I hope I remember that I'm not haunted when I awake Master."

Iliaster smiled,

"You know you will little one. Let us return now and we can celebrate our progress with breakfast."


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