111: Things Calm Down -Ben-

It's been three days since Saba came back from the hospital. The doctors told her she only has a couple more weeks left to live. Two days since John called to tell us that he wasn't coming back. That didn't go over well with Carl; he keeps yelling about betrayal and brotherly trust. It's been ten minutes since Crystal screamed when she opened the front door. Life just never gets boring around here.

"So, you're a warlock?"

"In training, yes.", the infamous Nick Brown sat in front of me smiling.

"And you want to work for me?"

Nick was too distracted because Crystal had just walked in with his fifth cup of coffee. I'm not kidding; four cups in less than ten minutes. I was shocked he wasn't bouncing off the walls, but I figured he probably needs the energy to control his magic.

After he downed the fifth cup he began to speak, "See, normally I'd go find someone more magically inclined; no offense, but when I was instructed to come here- I don't know how I got to this time, and seeing as Warlocks can not time travel-"

Crystal sat down, "Why not?"

"Oh, well, as far as I understand, a warlock gives off a specific signature; almost like a fingerprint. The only difference is that this "fingerprint" is a way to keep our magic from getting out of hand. If two warlocks appeared having the same fingerprint, then the oldest one wouldn't survive."

"So you can't go back in time because there would be another you? What about going forward?"

"The fingerprint is transferred to another person with the capabilities to be a warlock when you die, so no future travel either."

Crystal nodded, "Those are stupid rules."

"I didn't make them and apparently neither did nature. An old and very powerful warlock made the fingerprints long ago to stop two exceptional warlocks from messing with the time line. Again, I really don't know all the details; just enough to keep me from trying."

"You were saying?", this guy is the all powerful warlock that Crystal told me about? I glanced over at Crystal while I waited for him to respond. Did she hit her head?

"Oh, right. So I found a letter addressed to me and written by me, with instruction to come and find you. I don't remember writing it, but I wouldn't have written it with out a reason."

"How long have you been training? What do you know?"

"Well, I know some weak offensive things and a few healing spells."

Nick pointed to a scrape on Crystal’s knee, probably from the crazy events of a few days ago. Within seconds the scrape was gone.

"All right. Well, we don't have a room for you, but you can sleep in the living room for now. When I need you, I'll call for you."

"Just as long as this place doesn't have cockroaches."