Excerpt 8 from the Exclusive Episode of Lazare Donatien’s Adventures

Discover below the promised excerpt from the exclusive episode of Lazare Donatien’s adventures:

Lazare’s Gift

Chapter 8

We had finished our meal ages ago when I finally concluded my tale. The silence that followed reigned supreme for a fleeting moment.

“Could you lend your friend some substance at various points during the day?” the blonde sorceress named Sorah finally asked.

“We need to speak with him face-to-face if we’re to restore his corporeal form as swiftly as possible.”

“Of course, one moment, please,” I replied, rising to stand at the head of the table.

I focused and sent a portion of my vital energy to Zeph, who gradually took on a semblance of human form, just enough for his presence to be seen by the entire gathering.

“Good day, Zeph,” Sorah began, ever direct. “You’ve been in this state since 1618, is that correct?”

Clearly, mincing words wasn’t this young woman’s cup of tea, I thought, struggling to suppress the smile tugging at my lips.

“My respects, Madame,” Zeph replied, true to himself. “Yes, that is correct.”

“Are there any sorcerers in your family?”

The question raised a surprised eyebrow on my valet’s ethereal face, mirrored by my own.

“I don’t believe so, Madame,” he answered after a brief but intense moment of reflection.

“Hmm… Extend your left hand, please,” the young woman continued, reaching out her own.

Zeph complied. A faint purple glow shimmered in his left hand, startling him. Sorah murmured a brief incantation, hovering her hand above my astonished valet’s. She closed her eyes, reopening them seconds later, her expression suggesting satisfaction with the result.

“Well?” Miríel and Hénora asked in perfect unison.

The blonde enchantress merely nodded.

“You do indeed have sorcerers in your lineage. An ancient line, now extinct, with traces nearly imperceptible, to be exact, but still present. That will suffice for our purposes.”

“Would you be so kind as to shed light on that statement, young lady?” I queried in turn. “I confess I’ve lost the thread a bit.”

“An event in 1618 disrupted the entire magical realms,” Hénora explained, taking over from her sister. “As a descendant of a sorcerer family, Zeph was affected by this cataclysm. In his case, his spirit was flung far from his body, and we all know the rest by now. The good news is that his ancestry will allow us to restore his body, provided certain other conditions are met.”

“What happened in 1618, then?” I questioned once more.

“Three sorceresses sought to escape the stake and crossed time to land in the future. It wasn’t meant to happen that way, but it did,” Miríel answered this time.

I looked at them in turn, a silent question in my gaze I dared not voice.

“Yes, we are those sorceresses,” Sorah confirmed, seizing the reins of the conversation. “But that’s a long story, and we didn’t come here for that today, did we?”

“No, indeed,” I retorted with utmost courtesy. “I’m delighted Zeph’s case has a solution. On that note, what exactly do you need to carry out this task?”

“We have everything we need, thank you,” Sorah replied. “Just a perfectly secluded and enclosed space for the ritual.”

“Oh, and please keep Zeph in this state as long as you can,” Hénora interjected. “Can you do that without being in direct proximity?”

“It’s trickier, but feasible, yes,” I confirmed, nodding. “As luck would have it, I believe I have just the sort of room suited for this little experiment. If you’ll follow me,” I declared, heading toward the door.

I led my guests to one of the Manoir’s empty chambers and left them there, alone with Zeph, who was visibly uneasy but ready to do anything to regain solid limbs.

The young sorceresses had asked me to leave, fearing their magic might affect me, so I settled in the adjacent room. From the next room, a magical hum vibrated through the wall.

Once their host had departed, the three sisters wasted no time. Lazare had warned them he’d infused his valet with enough vital energy to last about ten minutes. After that, Zeph would fade from their sight again. They had to act with speed and precision.

Miríel drew several small capsules of varying colors from a pouch at her waist, while Hénora pulled a book from another bag. She flipped through its pages at breakneck speed, stopping only when the right formula appeared. Sorah, meanwhile, set about tracing a circle on the floor using a small, glowing blue sphere that served as chalk.

The air crackled with energy around Sorah as she worked. When all was ready, they asked Zeph to step into the center and began the ceremony without delay.

“By the creator universe and the savior mother, I bid you, circle of life, to awaken,” Sorah recited, slowly raising her hands, palms skyward, before her.

At once, the circle lit up, shimmering with every color like a precious jewel.

“By the strength of the earth, let attraction stir and ashes unite,” Hénora continued, tossing the first capsule into the circle’s center.

Tiny ashes scattered around Zeph’s translucent form, clinging to him.

“By the bond of mercury, let another life flow through your veins,” Miríel took up, casting a second capsule into the circle.

Fine ripples stirred, gliding around Zeph until they enveloped him from head to toe.

“By the mighty breath of the winds, let your being assemble as one,” Hénora went on, throwing a third capsule into the circle.

A gentle breeze wrapped around Zeph’s form, transforming the next moment into a violent whirlwind. When the storm subsided, Zeph had regained a tangible human body—but with a slight hitch: he couldn’t move.

“By the warmth of the sun, let life pierce your being and settle to stay,” Miríel concluded, hurling the final capsule into the circle.

A radiant beam engulfed Zeph, warming him so intensely that he glowed red for seconds after the light faded.

“By the creator universe and the savior mother, I thank you, circle of life, for fulfilling your duty,” Sorah intoned, gently lowering her hands to her sides.

The colors flared brilliantly for a moment, then everything stopped, and the circle on the floor erased itself. Zeph touched his new body in disbelief.

What a strange sensation to feel skin beneath his fingers again after all this time! A flood of emotions overwhelmed him, and he burst into sobs.

“It’s unbelievable! Thank you, thank you!” he repeated, falling to his knees. “I’d given up hope! My God, what joy! It’s marvelous—look, my hands touch the floor, I can feel the cold stone tiles!”

The three sisters shared a warm, benevolent smile.

“Come now, Zeph, stand up,” Miríel said, helping the valet to his feet. “There are still a few things you need to know about using this new body. Shall we?”