Rivers of the Dead - 10. 1-10 - A Spell's Simplicity

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Sunday found Caleb and Liz in the mountains, driving up a paved road toward a locally-famous landmark—a small cave nestled in the hills. The cave itself was small, going back only thirty yards before becoming impassable, but it was a place they'd been to before, and they knew it grew dark quickly toward the back.

Liz had selected the place and Caleb didn't entirely know why, but he was content to follow her direction. She was the one casting the spell, after all, and he figured she knew best. There was one thing that bothered him a bit, however, and he wondered why she hadn't brought it up.

He had his backpack in the back seat with a number of different supplies, most of which were for the hike to the cave, but one in particular he'd picked up for the spell. He'd been lucky to make it on Saturday before the outdoorsman store closed, but he'd found what he was looking for: an exact copy of the knife Ethan had used to kill himself. He hoped it would be exactly what Liz needed to perform the spell, because even looking at it gave him jitters.

But whatever it took to make this spell work, he'd do. Even as he drove Liz's car through the small, winding canyon, he was firming up his resolve. While the road twisted and turned, Caleb's path was certain and straight ahead, and he would reach his destination and bring Ethan back.

"Okay, let's review the spell, shall we?" Liz asked, drawing Caleb from his thoughts.

"Yep. I'm all ears," Caleb replied. "You sure you want me to keep driving? The roads are getting kind of winding."

Liz snorted. "Yeah. I know you're a shitty driver, but I need to maintain focus. I have to get in the right frame of mind before we arrive, or it'll take even longer to perform the spell. Besides, I kind of want to start by sunset."

Caleb glanced at the dashboard clock. It was four in the afternoon, and it would take them several hours to get to the cave once they parked at the trailhead. They had plenty of time, but he once again bowed to Liz's instruction. She was in charge here and knew what they had to do. Still, he was eager to find out more, so he asked, "So, we go up to the Cherry Creek Cave, and then?"

"I set up a circle to cast from," Liz explained, "placing the five candles equidistant from each other like points of a pentagram."

"How does that fit in with the three things needed for magic?" Caleb asked. "I mean, you said you needed will, knowledge, and emotion, right? Why candles, why a circle?"

"They're focusing elements," Liz replied. "To help maintain the will."

Caleb nodded. "What do the candles represent?"

"The five elements. Earth, Air, Water, Fire, and Aether."

"And then?"

"We'll build a fire for me to focus on, between me and you."

"And?"

"You'll toss the ingredients in the fire while I incant," Liz replied, then with a small, encouraging smile added, "And hopefully we'll find the answer of how to bring Ethan back."

Her wording gave him pause, and he glanced at her in alarm. He hit the next curve in the road a bit too fast and almost skidded out, but the road straightened out for a bit after that. Liz gave him a critical look but Caleb was still focused on what she'd said and asked, "Wait, what?"

"What?" Liz asked, confused.

"I thought the purpose of the spell was to bring Ethan back," Caleb said.

"Yeah, but probably not immediately," Liz replied, shrugging. "They don't leave resurrection spells just lying around."

"Yeah, but I thought . . ." Caleb started, but couldn't finish the thought. This was disappointing, and he felt as if Liz had misled him, though he realized it wasn't intentional. She wasn't always clear in her explanations, even if she did know what she was talking about.

As if to prove that point, Liz explained, "This is a process, Caleb. We ask, then go from there. The spell I found, it . . . it says it opens the doorway so one can seek Death's boons. I did a little research and it says to be as specific as possible when we ask, which is why we're doing it this way. We should be able to find the answer, if there is one."

Her last four words echoed in Caleb's mind as his face fell. "So, this might be a dead end?"

"Don't think that way," Liz replied. "Think of it like we're opening the pathway to Ethan. We'll just have to do a little more work to figure out how to bring him back."

"Why am I here?" Caleb asked. "If this isn't going to bring Ethan back, why do I need to be here?"

"Because you're the pure emotion I'll be using in the ritual," Liz said. "Didn't I explain that part? I have the knowledge and hopefully the will, but you're the only way this is going to work."

"You don't have pure emotion?"

"There's a funny thing about magic, Caleb. The more you learn, the easier it is to be corrupted. Every time I cast, there's a possibility my emotions will be tempered by greed, by being hungry for power. It's hard to be pure in my thoughts, because there's a part of me which is always focused on the high I get from the magic itself. You, on the other hand, can be pure, because you love Ethan."

"But you also love Ethan," Caleb countered.

"I also love magic, and this will be more than I've ever handled before. It'll be like doing Meth when all I've ever had is weed. It'll be distracting, and that'll screw this up. The emotion won't be pure unless it comes from you," Liz explained, shaking her head forcefully. "Working with magics this powerful, it's better to not take any chances on the three cardinal rules."

"Okay," Caleb replied, nodding. He could see her reasoning, even if he remained somewhat skeptical. He was going to do his part, anyway. "So, as I add the ingredients to the fire, I should be channeling my love for Ethan?"

"That's right."

"Sounds simple."

"It is, though it's more difficult to achieve than it sounds. You can't let anything else slip into your mind while we're channeling these mystical forces, or something bad can happen," Liz cautioned. "Just love, got it?"

"Got it," Caleb agreed. "I've been meaning to ask, why the cave?"

"In Orpheus' descent into the underworld, he walks into a cave to begin his journey," Liz replied. "Again, it's another focusing agent."

"Okay, makes sense."

"Don't think too much about it, okay?" Liz said. "That's all in the knowledge and will department, and I've got that covered. Just focus on adding the ingredients and loving Ethan. When we get up there I have something else to give you to help you with that, too. Understood?"

"You got it."

"We're here," Liz said, pointing to a brown, wooden sign ahead of them with the words 'Cherry Creek Cave Trail' painted in gold letters on its face. "This is the trailhead. You ready to head to the cave?"

"Yeah," Caleb said as he pulled into the small, gravel parking lot. He put the car in park and handed Liz the key. He nodded once, resolutely. "Let's go."

They left the car behind, gathered their packs from the back, then headed to the trail at the other end of the parking lot. The sun was warm, a light breeze made the trees slowly dance. Birds sang and insects buzzed around them. The mountains were alive, playing a sort of music that Caleb found strangely intoxicating.

He'd not been in these mountains since the summer before, though he couldn't remember why he'd stayed away for so long. He loved being in nature, loved seeing all the different ways in which life found a foothold in the wilderness. There was such a big difference between the natural world and the world of man, where man thought himself dominant over everything.

As they hiked through the trees along the rocky trail, Caleb had to come face to face with the realization they might be doing the wrong thing. Was he not, like so many people before him, thinking himself better than nature? Did he think he had power over death itself, arrogant enough to believe he could decide the fate of a soul?

Yes, he realized. It was selfish, as most human deeds are selfish, but he would do it anyway. Modern man could tame the wild and could even escape natural death in a thousand ways which men of ages past could not. Why should this be any different?

The sun hung low in the sky by the time they reached the cave. Because of the mountain between them and the western horizon, sunset seemed closer than it actually was, but they had time yet. Liz didn't seem rushed or anxious, so Caleb tried not to be, either. Instead, as Liz set her pack down and began pulling out the various things she needed, he took his backpack off as well and drew out the one item he knew would be necessary.

Somehow, even within the shadows of the cave mouth, the knife seemed to catch a glint of sunlight, drawing his attention. He rolled the knife over in his hands, his mind rolling with it, unable to get the image of the bloody knife at Ethan's side out of his mind. A part of Caleb wanted to drive the knife into his own flesh, knowing that at least then he'd be able to go wherever Ethan had gone. At least then this wouldn't be a dead end.

"What's that?" Liz asked as she caught sight of the blade.

"It's the same kind of knife that Ethan, you know . . ." Caleb replied, shrugging. "I figured it would be better to have the same kind."

Liz nodded, appearing somewhat troubled by this revelation. "You remembered what it looked like?"

"Yeah. It's hard not to," Caleb replied. "It's what I used to cut my shirt so we could wrap his wounds. Plus, I gave it to him as a birthday present a couple of years back. He was a boy scout, after all."

"I remember," Liz said quietly. "I didn't realize he'd used that knife."

"It was one of the first things I saw when the paramedics left to take him to the hospital. That knife, lying in the dirt. It seemed so . . ." Caleb shrugged. "I don't know what I'm trying to say, but forgetting what the knife looked like was never a problem."

"Makes sense," Liz said, nodding thoughtfully.

Caleb smirked. "I thought you'd forgotten about bringing a knife."

Liz lifted a large, paper-wrapped pouch. "I have a little pocket knife in the ingredient pouch you'll be throwing into the fire. Thought that'd work for the focus."

"Well, this one is more similar," Caleb said.

Liz smiled and nodded. "Cool. We'll use that one. I'll take the knife I brought out of the pouch. Actually, now that I think about it, it might be better if you hold the knife instead of adding it to the flame. That way it can be like your focusing agent, you know?"

"That won't mess up the spell?" Caleb asked.

Liz shook her head, knowing adding an extra ingredient to the fire would be far more devastating. Now that she knew the real instrument of death, the knife could only cause trouble, but it shouldn't matter if he simply held onto it. "No, that should be fine. Better. I'm sure of it."

"Awesome," Caleb replied.

"Why don't you go find some kindling while I get set up?" Liz asked. "There should be plenty of dry wood around."

"You got it," Caleb said, setting the knife down and putting his backpack on again. His canteen still had a bit of water in it, and he wanted to make sure he kept himself hydrated even if he wasn't going very far. With one last nod at Liz, he started back into the trees.

Foraging for firewood didn't take very long, and by the time he returned with a large armful Liz was still getting ready, though she was close. She'd set up her meditation mat again, and placed the five candles on each point of the pentagram. The ingredient pouch had been placed next to the knife, indicating Liz expected him to sit there. She sat next to her pack, reading through the printed-off page which held the spell, studying it one last time before they began.

Caleb dropped the handful of firewood between the meditation mat and the knife, then crouched down to rearrange it so it would light easier. He reached back and pulled a few pieces of crumpled newsprint and a box of matches from the side pocket on his backpack. With the aid of the newsprint, the fire lit easily, and the light drew Liz away from her studies.

"Ready?" She asked.

Caleb nodded. "Whenever you are."

"Before we begin, I have one more thing to give you," Liz said, reaching behind her and picking up a small, red book. She raised up on her knees to pass it over the fire to Caleb.

Caleb took the book and his eyes widened in shock. He recognized Ethan's journal, even though he hadn't seen it in some time. His trembling fingers wanted to open the book but he couldn't find the resolve. He glanced up at Liz with questioning eyes.

"Keep that in your backpack, and wear the pack during the ritual. Let it serve as a focusing object for you to help channel your love for Ethan and his love for you," Liz said in explanation. "Imagine having that piece of love behind you, wrapping around your shoulders."

Caleb nodded numbly and did as she suggested, putting the journal carefully into his pack. He wiped a tear away from his cheek and uttered a quiet prayer to whatever gods were listening that he would be able to see this through. After settling his backpack on his shoulders once more, he felt an immediate warmth from behind him, and couldn't help but feel that Ethan was there, wrapping him in an embrace. After taking a moment to soak in the feeling, he returned his attention to Liz.

She smiled at him encouragingly, knelt on her mat, then gestured for him to take his place across from her. He knelt as well, picking up the knife and keeping the ingredient pouch at his side, watching as Liz took a small piece of kindling and used it to light each of the candles beside her. When the last was lit, she threw the piece of kindling back into the fire and held her arms outstretched as if in meditation, her eyes focused on the flames dancing before her.

Caleb mimicked her stance, picking up the parcel in his open hand while the knife pointed outward in the other. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. He drew his thoughts to Ethan, trying to shut out everything else. When he decided he'd achieved a sense of focus, he opened his eyes and nodded to Liz.

Liz opened her mouth and began to speak, her voice steady and powerful, like a prayer. "Brother Orpheus, Lord of Music, he who has descended to the depths of Hades, I beseech you. I beseech you in your wisdom and your experience, grant us this boon. By this offering," Liz paused, and Caleb realized it was time to add the ingredient pouch, so he tossed it into the flames. It combusted almost instantly, as if it had been eager to burn. Liz continued, her voice taking on even greater force. "Show us the path, the path by which we may find our lost love. Show us the path to Death. Show us the doorway."

Caleb let his gaze be drawn into the flames, doing as Liz had said he should. He started with the image of Ethan's shoulders, and how he longed to hold them, to wrap his arms around his best friend and tell him he loved him. This thought connected him back to the journal resting in his backpack, and the warmth which seemed to radiate from it, embracing him back. He held onto that image, the desire to comfort and be comforted, as Liz continued.

"Open the door to us, Brother Orpheus," Liz yelled to the abyss of the cave beside them. The words echoed in the dark, bouncing off the unseen walls of the cavern, giving them a sense of life as they bellowed their response.

Caleb's desire to comfort his best friend morphed into the sight of Ethan's eyes as they stood on the side of the road. Those eyes, filled with so much pain, so much longing for peace. Caleb wanted to give Ethan peace, to make those eyes smile and laugh again as they had when they were younger. To go back and prevent Ethan from ever thinking he wasn't loved.

"Open the door!" Liz screamed at the dark. The light breeze from before picked up in intensity, sweeping into the cave as if in answer. The flames flickered and danced as they nearly died from the force of the wind, but then the wind disappeared and the flames surged back to life, crackling with energy.

Caleb gripped the knife tighter, thinking of Ethan's eyes. And then he saw them in a different light, the echoing chasm of pain they'd reflected when Ethan saw them kissing. How Caleb longed to return to that moment, to pull back from the precipice of that instant of perceived betrayal before it took all three of them over the edge. How he longed to take it all back, to make it right, to give Ethan the kisses he deserved and not the one that sent him away.

"Grant us passage to the beyond! Grant us the way to Ethan Pallet's soul!" Liz roared, and the fire responded, exploding with energy as the flames shot even higher, the smoke billowing up into a cloud of pure darkness which seemed to gather like a thunderhead above them. Caleb swore he could hear a distant crackle of thunder, as if a storm were also on the horizon.

That storm was a frantic, primal surge of energy, rippling in and tearing everything apart. The imagery drew Caleb in deeper, to the image of rain pouring all around him, the dark storm within his soul. Everything around him darkened like the light in Ethan's eyes the day he died, the way he'd looked at Caleb as they kissed, blood flowing from his wrists like the floodwaters of the evil storm threatening to destroy Caleb's heart.

The knife had done the deed, had killed Caleb's love and hope as surely as it had killed Ethan. He rolled the knife in his hand, and the thunder answered, rumbling in response. It wasn't the knife that killed Ethan, but a knife was a knife. A knife for a knife, Caleb thought.

"Let this man's love be the key, let his love open the way!" Liz cried, and Caleb felt a surge within him as Liz began drawing on his energy. It was like the orgasmic energy he'd felt before, except instead of activating his pleasure, it accentuated his pain, drawing it out fully.

Caleb saw Ethan clearly now, leaning against the tree, his blood flowing freely as his eyes locked onto Caleb's. Now his eyes were filled with lucidity, and his mouth was contorted in an infernal scowl. 'Why did you do it, Caleb?' Ethan asked in Caleb's mind. 'Why did you kill me? This is all your fault. I'm dead because of you.'

The guilt was overwhelming, overtaking everything else in Caleb's psyche. He wanted to run, to hide, to escape the image before him, but it existed in his mind, trapping him in the moment where Caleb could do nothing but watch Ethan die. A knife for a knife. A life for a life. If I could give myself up to let you live, I would. I would sacrifice myself for you, I would.

Ethan's head tilted to the side, and with a quirky grin he said, 'Done.'

"Let love . . . let love—" Liz stopped short as the fire roared again, becoming so bright she had to block her eyes with her hand to prevent it from blinding her. She lost her focus on the spell, the energies quickly spinning out of control as her mind raced to assess the situation. "What . . . what is . . ."

She peered around her hand again as the fire died just a little, and could just make Caleb out over the top of the flames, the knife held in both hands and pointed at his heart. "Caleb! Caleb no, what are you doing!"

With a rumble of thunder, the cloud of smoke above them ruptured, and a single bolt of bright light reached out from it and struck Liz in the chest, sending her sprawling backward into a land of purest darkness.

Don't forget to comment and react to this chapter! Also, special thanks to my Patreon Supporters: Michael, Bill, Charles, Amr, Don, James, Joe, Jos, Mark, Mark, Paul, Steve, and John. Couldn't have done it without them. Ask me how you can help and get access to chapters early!