Missiles & Magic

Swan joined Wolf for the ritual. Raven observed too.
Lioness stood on symbols-covered floor.
The artifact started buzzing with magic, the symbols responded, the incantation sounded.
"No shields," Swan reminded her telepathically. "Just work with what comes."
The younger woman closed her eyes, inviting the power swirling all around her to flow through her.
It surprised her when the ritual ended.
Her knees buckled and Raven caught her.
She smiled, then realized she still cannot feel his emotions.
"It didn't work," Swan said.
"Can we stop trying now?" Lioness asked.
"Let's just focus on what is and work with that."

His forehead creased with focus. Quick glance around, then his eyes glued back to the little disc at the end of his staff. He moved with speed and precision, dodging obstacles and opponents, carefully navigating the disc to the target at the end. Everything was just clicking into place. Now to time the strike correctly... a bit closer, a bit faster, pull the staff back aaaand... hit! Score!
His hands lifted in a victorious gesture, before he realized nobody is cheering with him.
"It was a damn good hockey display," his rival's voice mocked. "But this is figure skating, Wolf."

Swan came into Wolf's office, just as he growled with frustration.
"I take it things didn't work," she stopped behind him, gently rubbing his shoulders. She touched him with the comfortable ease of friendship spanning decades. He leaned into her touch.
"That's putting it mildly," he responded. "I think part of her is resisting the process, rendering it ineffective. Or maybe I'm just getting too old and soft for this..."
His hand vaguely indicated the whole room.
Swan shook her head.
"Even young, you hardly ever were a shark. Being aggressive was never the answer, quicker though it might be."

The effects of the artifact were profoundly unpleasant, Lioness thought.
It was as if the "probe" was confused by the fact that there was so little magic to hold on to.
But as the magic of the artifact developed, it penetrated whatever was holding her power back, and started pulling at the strands to get to envelop the very roots of it.
Wolf started his incantations.
More unpleasantness followed.
It wasn't as fast as the original ritual Sarmad did.
Maybe that was what made it painful.
"Stop!" she couldn't bear it.
Wolf frowned.
"Back to the drawing board, I guess."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Lioness looked at Wolf with trepidation.
"No. I just don't have any better. Do you?" the director looked at her sternly.
"I just..." she trailed off.
I can live with the way I am now. Can you guarantee it won't make things worse? Why do you insist on 'fixing' me so much?
"...I have so much depending on me at home," she finished the only "excuse" that seemed valid. "I can't risk being incapacitated, because of Thea."
"I've talked with Raven, he thinks it's worth trying."
...and he generally distrusts magic otherwise.

Mouse activated the artifact, monitored it for a moment, then de-activated and change on of the symbols on it. She then nodded to herself, picked it up and left the lab to bring it to Wolf.
"I think this is as close as I can get with it," she said, handing her creation over.
Wolf turned it in his fingers and then activated it. He could feel the magic of the artifact reaching into him, looking for the very source of his own magic.
"It should guide the binding spell well enough," he said. "and hopefully aid the reverse too."

Lioness filled out her report and sighed, cracking her back.
The surveillance led them to someone worth talking to, after all. The agent originally wanted to have a go at them in the field, but Herron disagreed. And their superiors sided with him. They will send someone else to conduct the examination. They didn't even want her present for it. This was getting old.
"You can't..."
"You shouldn't..."
"It's dangerous..."
"Wait until..."
How many times she heard a variation on one of those since she came back? How many will she hear, until the thread of her patience finally snaps?