«We will set a trap. We will direct a massive amount of Dispel energy, well amplified, right on Staccato. And the best way to do something like that is to plant devices, artifacts, whatever we'll come up with, all around the place and activate them at the same time just on him.» Garaham pointed at some sheets completely covered in his mid-1800s handwriting.

«To be sure that our traps would be set right and without suspicions, I need someone trustworthy to supervision the decorations where we will hide everything, and, Banshee, you are just the right person. So, start getting ideas: I have organized for you to have a team of young volunteers to help with your any need and free requests to our decoration warehouse.» Garaham pointed a hand towards her.

«Nay nay nay! Wait there! Ye mean that while you all prepare the traps and fun part and I'm stuck with decorating the fucking place? Do I have to let ye hear from me Union rep for this clear act of sexism?» she stood up in a jump.

«Mages don't have a Union representative. We don't have a Union, full stop,» he replied. «And it's not a sexist decision, but a mere good micromanaging of resources. You're, by far, the more artistic mind of this particular group.»

«I can play the violin and suddenly I'm Martha fucking Stewart?» she protested quite vibrantly.

«No, but I can think of no better person to whom give such a task as decorating for what's, indeed, a party. Chop chop, time's-a ticking.» and with those last strangely kind words he moved the hand in the air for a final time, and Banshee found herself instantly teleported in a giant empty concert room with what looked like a class of teenagers overly excited for their nightly job at her disposal.

Back at Casa Pollos, however, the work was just beginning.

They needed a contained blast of magic because they didn't want to dispel anyone in the audience, but they had no idea about the actual power they were going to dispel from the coat.

«We will need a terrible amount of magical energy. You should reconsider letting Banshee helping us instead of sending her in the rear.» Chico observed.

«We need her to effectively unmask him once we neutralize the artifact. Plus, the only way to channel enough dispel energy is by a ritual, and we can't all disappear from the room, don't you reckon?» Garaham said, nervously fidgeting with his own finger points.

«How we do ritual in room full of mages with no one seeing?» Vopros pointed out.

The concert hall map was quite simple. There were a hundred rows of ten chairs climbing up as a parterre and a balcony with as many places. There were two orders of boxes on both sides and a central Royal Box for Councilmen and their families. The stage was quite huge, it could host a big orchestra with ease, and had all the trappings and machines of an advanced theatre stage.

There was a lot of upstage and backstage space, accessible from the stage and from two backdoors, opening one on the road beside the concert hall and one on the artists' changing rooms. It was a pretty big ground to cover, but a great place to hide traps.

«To be able to focus the most of our energies we will have to be as close as we could possibly can to Staccato. Which means that our best options are the upper stage walkways. They run over the whole stage, and they are completely covered by the curtain's harlequin, so nobody would see us.»

«Yeah, I can get that Jefe but... you are the only one who could use Dispel magic here. How would we ever be of assistance?»

Garaham looked at them intensely, and in sudden perfect silence. He had thought long and hard about what he was about to do. On one hand, it was the perfect conclusion of ten chaotic years spent with, namely, one of the strangest Covens of the Order. The classic "going out with a bang". On the other hand, he had spent years gathering what he was about to show them, and even if, in his new Logistics office, he would have probably never had to use Dispel magic at all again, he was quite reluctant to part from everything.

He sighed, moved his hand in the air and a wooden box appeared on the table. It was quite lean and classic, with a combination locket keeping its lid closed. It slightly tinkled when it landed softly on the table. It wasn't bigger than both of Garaham's hands when he manipulated the locket until it clicked. Then he glared towards Chico and Vopros and opened the box.

Inside there were two rows of six little glass vials, perfectly kept with a divisor so they wouldn't break clanking against each other. Every vial contained a glossy nearly transparent liquid with the consistency of oil. When hit by the light, it sent around a mesmerizing rainbow light.

«Jefe!» Chico's eyes opened wide «you're into drugs?»

«This meth seems interesting. Can I have sample? I have friend, friend can be interes-» Vopros started, with a very curious stare. Garaham repressed the sudden urge to throw the table right in their faces.

«These aren't drugs you excellent example of brainless specimens!» he shouted. Then he took in a deep breath and lowered his voice, maybe even too much. «This is vis siderea.»

The table suddenly went serious.

Vopros moved his eyes back to the translucent vials.

«So is drug.» he sentenced. Garaham took a deep breath in, again, longer.

«It's a magical enhancer.»

«That is what I said to my mother when she found me with my first joint.» Chico nodded.

«The vis siderea is a well-kept Enforcers secret, you zoo-cuddled chimps. I'm breaking a thousand Order rules just by naming it in front of you. But, at this point, it kinds of doesn't matter anymore.»

«So... it's very preciosa...» said Chico, looking at it with hungry eyes.

«It is. The amount you're looking at has been collected by me in the due course of many attentive years.»

«You stole it.» summarized Vopros, bluntly.

«I didn't steal it. It's simply the...» then, something happened to Garaham. In front of nearly every other person out there he would have launched in a convoluted and wordy explanation of the thin red lines between what he did and what it was perceived he did, stowing away the doses of vis siderea he had been given for missions, pretending he had used it. He looked at Chico, then at Vopros. And for the first time, he felt the strangest of feelings. «... oh, of course I stole it! You never know when you'll need a Dispel boost as if the supervisors always knew when to rightly administer this stuff! An Enforcer is at constant risk. And this can save lives.»

He felt at ease in telling the simple, rotten truth.

And was awarded by the two most peaceful gazes, as if what he said was the most normal thing in the whole world.

«Sounds legit.» Chico confirmed with words what he had transmitted with his expression. «So, what do we do with this fuerza espacial?»

«To put it simply, this is liquid Dispel Magic. Enforcers are given it when they go into a mission, to boost their Dispel powers should the need arise.» he paused, looking at the stuff almost with nostalgia. «They're given one vial for each difficult mission.»

Chico whistled.

«You could Dispel a city with so much of this stuff.» he said. «So we drink it and we can dispel stuff?»

«First of all: I'm willing to cross some lines for this revenge but not all of them. I would never let you dabble in Dispel, especially with no training whatsoever so, no, you're not going to "dispel stuff". But, if we can find a way to direct the power of the vis siderea directly on Staccato...»

The three stared at the vials in silence for some moments. Truly, the liquid was fascinating. Its colors were shining and flashing all around to the slightest movement of the table. The light passing through it shattered in thousands of smaller colored rays, spreading all over the living room. It was such a humbling, peaceful sensation.

«We blow it up.» said Vopros.

After some moments of general astonishment, he started to explain.

And, indeed, it was brilliant.

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Hi guys! We're almost at 2.000 reads and we're WOW! Plus, Christmas is coming and the book is almost finished - just three more chapters to go! So, prepare the countdown, because the Pollos will take a small break after this end for the last editing session of the next book... but we could give some sneak peeks if wee see interest so... let's see!

Plus, we opened an Instagram profile where we will post quotes, curiosities, whatever comes to mind. Especially one of the silent and never mentioned members of our team. We've just started and your support means the world to us! Look for oneiron_saga on Insta and follow us! (we'll follow back, of course!)

For now, as always, thanks for your amazing comments, votes and general spread love! It really means the world to us!

Have the perfect weekend and lots of love!

Daniel

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