The Taste of Seduction

Meredith was both amazed and nervous during the summoning ritual. She had never experienced anything like it before. With the candles in the room dancing with the wind, the spirit appeared and she could feel its presence in the room.

"Aaah… Junipper," Austin greeted her, Meredith blinking her eyes a few times as she was surprised that Austin knew her. "Thank you for visiting us."

"As if I have a choice," the ghost said with humor in her voice, a chuckle followed after. "I was summoned, didn\'t I? Why did you call me?"

"Erm… hello," Meredith greeted, the ghost looking at her. "Austin taught me how to summon you… and I was told that you are one of the oldest spirits who knew how magic came to be?"

"Ah, I see now…" Junipper said, looking at them both. "He\'s teaching you? You\'re his student?"

"Yes," Meredith answered, introducing herself. "The name\'s Meredith."

"Oh, nice to meet you, sweetie! Any friend of Austin\'s, is a friend of mine!"

The spirit told Meredith that magic has been around for centuries, and it was used for both good and evil. It explained how magic started with the ancient civilizations, who believed that the gods bestowed powers upon the people who were worthy.

The spirit spoke of the Egyptians, the Greeks, and the Romans, who all had their unique ways of practicing magic. Meredith was fascinated by the spirit\'s story, and she listened with rapt attention.

"To think that I thought these are just fantasy passed on as stories generation to generation… you\'ve witnessed and known them all yourself!"

"Well, some people who do not wield them were fearful or jealous… that\'s why they see us as crazy people. But you know… through time, perceptions may change."

The spirit then spoke of the Middle Ages, where magic was considered forbidden, and those who practiced it were persecuted. The spirit witnessed the witch hunts and trials, where innocent people were accused and burned at the stake.

Meredith was horrified by this part of history, and she wondered how people could have been so cruel. As the spirit finished its tale, it gave Meredith a piece of advice.

"Remember," Junipper started, Meredith, listening to her wholeheartedly. "You, as a person who wields magic, is the one who decides if you\'ll use it for the good or for the bad. Now that you\'re learning from Austin, you have to reflect on that, too, as you improve yourself, yes?"

Meredith nodded and appreciated the talk she had with the spirit. She took the spirit\'s advice well, knowing that she now had a responsibility to use her powers wisely.

"Thank you so much, Junipper," she said, now looking at Austin as he got her attention.

"Time\'s up; we can\'t have them dwelling in our world for too long as that can pose consequences, too," he said, Junipper chuckling with what he said.

"That depends on the spirits you summon. For me, I\'m always welcome for a chat such as this," the spirit replied, now looking at Meredith. "Alright! You can dismiss me now and continue your training, dear!"

As the signal was given, Meredith scattered holy water on the ashes that were beneath her feet. It made the spirit disappear into thin air, the experience amazing.

"That was awesome!" she commented, a wide smile on her face. "But if summoned the wrong spirit who has evil intentions, it could lead to something bad, right?"

"Yes, it will," Austin warned, nodding in agreement as he is proud that she grasped the concepts this far. "Now, let\'s have a break. We have more to talk about when it comes to your training."

Meredith and Austin left the basement. As they were walking up the stairs, she couldn\'t help but ask him what they are going to learn next.

"So now that we have tried potion-making and then necromancy… what else should we be learning?"

"Good question," Austin said, a smile on his face as his answer made her feel excited and eager. "We\'re going to learn the spells found in the Book of Spells this time."

"Oh, really?" Meredith exclaimed, her eyes doubling in size. "Finally, we get to use the book!"

"True," he chuckled, making a comment on her progress. "I think it is high time for you to read and use the spells found in the book. You\'re already doing great for a person who just started using magic."

They have already reached the first floor, the two being greeted by the chamberlains of the palace as they walked by. With Atlas and Marcus coming from their morning jog, they approached them, knowing that at this time, they\'ll be having snacks in the dining room soon.

"Remember—" Austin started, the other men listening to their conversation as well as they walked to the dining room. "—you are the only one who can see the contents of the book. As I train you and teach you how to use them, you are to tell the details, too."

"Oh, yes, of course," Meredith said, her enthusiasm not leaving her voice. "I think if we\'ve learned most of the important spells from the book, I can already go home."

"Alright," Austin replied, asking her a follow up question. "Then what are you going to do with the book after?"

"I\'ll keep it," she answered, further explaining her intentions. "Though I\'ll probably keep it hidden like back in the labyrinth. I\'ll have to learn something like this from the book, too!" She turned to look at Austin. "You\'ll teach me… right?"

"Of course," he said, all of them already in the dining room to have snacks. "I\'ll teach you how."