SO SWEET AS MAGIC, PART TWENTY-FIVE: THE END

Once everyone had gathered at the Cory Mansion, it was time for explanations. 'Everyone' meant Rachel, Akageno, Matthew, Lila (clutching Jasmine as though she would never let go), Amanda, Cass (holding an icepack to his black eye), Felicia, Paulina, Jake, Gary, Josie (representing the BCPD), Agent Neil Johansen of the BOW, and David Halliday.

"Will somebody please explain what's going on?" said Halliday, "Because I don't understand any of it."

"All will become clear in due course." said Akageno, "First of all - "

Before their astounded eyes, his long red hair turned silver, his green eyes became dark as onyx, his smooth face became weatherbeaten -

"CARL!" (Surprise! :-D)

"You're alive." said Matthew.

"Obviously." said Carl. "How shall I begin? It was some months ago that I first became aware that I was under magical attack; one intended to cause my death. I was able to deflect some of it, but enough leaked through to cause terrible headaches and irrational behaviour."

"So that was it."

"I decided to let my unknown enemy think he had succeeded in destroying me. I faked my death,and waited for him to make his next move. I returned to Bay City in disguise, and made myself known to Rachel."

Rachel smiled at the memory of that first meeting with 'Mr Akageno'. As soon as they were alone in his car, she had said:" All right, Carl, you have a lot of explaining to do! You abandon me and our children, you make us think you're dead, and then you show up, looking like a teenaged girl's wet dream! What game are you playing?"

For once in his life, Carl's customary eloquence had deserted him. After a long silence, he had said, "I didn't expect to be recognized."

"You never could fool me, Carl! Not for long."

"So, Rachel knew who you were, all along?" said Paulina.

"Oh yes." said Rachel.

"I should have kept my hands off her, but as soon ask a starving man to ignore a banquet." said Carl.

"We were both starving." said Rachel.

"Rachel and I determined that our unknown enemy was a Black Magician named Jordan Stark, who had managed to take possession of the body of David Halliday."

"I was possessed?" said Halliday.

"So - all the crimes Stark committed - ?" said Neil.

"-Were his alone. Mr Halliday was guilty of nothing but not having any sort of psychic self -defense." said Carl.

"What did Stark want?" said Josie.

"He wanted his wife to live again, in Amanda's body." said Rachel.

"He got what he wanted, sort of." said Amanda, "I have all of Amalie Kitteridge's memories, as well as all of my own memories. I think we - merged."

Privately, Carl thought any change in Amanda was likely to be an improvement. Aloud he said, "Do you remember how it happened?"

"I was - We - it's easier to explain if I use the third person: Amanda wasn't as completely under Jordan's spell as he thought."

"I guess altering the spell on that locket worked." murmured Rachel.

"At the same time, Amalie was fighting Jordan as hard as she could. When she realised that he was going to murder that baby, she wanted to save her, and so did Amanda, and - somehow - we were able to act as one person. So, here we are. Here I am."

"Tell me, when Amalie's soul was trapped inside that painting, was she conscious?"

"Not normal consciousness, but I was aware of who I was, and of time passing." said Amanda, "I don't know how to put it into words."

"Who was it zapped me at the Lumina Ball?" said Cass, "Was it Stark?"

"No, that was me." said Carl, "Sorry."

"How is it you were able to do all that magic?" said Neil, "You're not a wizard."

"Actually, I attended the Royal College of Wizardry on a full scholarship." said Carl, "I failed to graduate because of a stupid prank: I tried to write 'Professor Ambrosius Is A Twit' in letters of fire on the wall of the assembly hall, lost control of the fire elemental, and torched the place. No one died, fortunately,or I'd have found myself in prison, but there were a few broken arms and things in the panic to clear the hall. I was expelled, and forbidden to use magic again. Technically, I suppose I've committed a crime by casting out Jordan Stark."

"In view of the circumstances, I don't think the BOW will be pressing charges." said Neil, "But why is it we have no record of your being an adept?"

"I had a different name then."

"Darling, you had to give up magic?' said Rachel, "That must have been hard!"

"I wouldn't have enjoyed being a full-fledged wizard." said Carl, "Such a stuffy lot; all those rules and regulations. I prefer to go my own way."

"Are you sure you didn't use magic to make Mom love you?" muttered Matthew.

"He didn't." said Neil, "I'd be able to tell, same as I did with Paulina."

"I have never used magic to get a woman into my bed." said Carl, "I've never needed to."

"I'll say." Rachel murmured.

"Are you sure Jordan Stark is gone for good?" said David Halliday.

"We think so." said Neil, "He won't be able to possess you again. We can make sure of that."

"Then, I'd like to go home to Omaha, and find out if my fiancee is still speaking to me."

As people were putting on their coats, Paulina took Rachel aside.

"When you and Carl were - alone, did he - take off the disguise?" she asked.

"No." said Rachel, "Maintaining the transformation spell took a lot less energy than taking it off and putting it back on."

"So - what was it like?"

Rachel smiled slyly. "With the lights off, I never knew the difference."

"I'd have left the lights on." Paulina muttered.

The End

Note: About the title. I thought there was a line in Marlowe's DR FAUSTUS something like "Farewell, philosophy, theology adieu/ There nothing is so sweet as magic". Only there isn't. But I was too lazy to think up a new title. :-D