The Magician

For Courtney and Piers

Hoc opus, hic labor est

I am dying.

Perenelle, too, is dying.

The spell that has kept us alive these six hundred years is fading, and now

we age a year for every day that passes. I need the Codex, the Book of

Abraham the Mage, to re-create the immortality spell; without it, we have

less than a month to live.

But much can be achieved in a month.

Dee and his dark masters have my dear Perenelle prisoner, they have finally

secured the Book, and they know that Perenelle and I cannot survive for much

longer.

But they cannot be resting easy.

They do not have the complete Book yet. We still have the final two pages,

and by now they must know that Sophie and Josh Newman are the twins described

in that ancient text: twins with auras of silver and gold, a brother and

sister with the power to either save the world or destroy it. The girl s

powers have been Awakened and her training begun in the elemental magics,

though, sadly, the boy s have not.

We are now in Paris, the city of my birth, the city where I first discovered

the Codex and began the long quest to translate it. That journey ultimately

led me to discover the existence of the Elder Race and revealed the mystery

of the philosopher s stone and finally the secret of immortality. I love this

city. It holds many secrets and is home to more than one human immortal and

ancient Elder. Here, I will find a way to Awaken Josh s powers and continue

Sophie's education.

I must.

For their sakes and for the continuance of the human race.

From the Day Booke of Nicholas Flamel, Alchemyst

Writ this day, Saturday, 2nd June,

in Paris, the city of my youth

SATURDAY,

2nd June