Angel followed the others and moved in close to Mr Black, as Roxanne ushered in the security team guys from outside the room. With everyone ready, Echo drew on her powerful Magic and Ported them all off the continent.
- Antarctic
Gentle Water sat on the ridge in his extreme cold-weather gear and used his Magic to place his senses way up in the sky above the dig site and looked down. He used his Magic to zoom in and get a better look at the place. As he watched, powerful Magic flared in one of the portacabins, and suddenly there were several fewer life forms in the building, and from what he could tell, no Magi.
Moments later, he watched as men around the dig site started the long and arduous task of breaking down the camp. It looked like whatever this was, had come to an end. But he needed to know for sure, so he planned his next move and how he would approach the site.
Promotion
The Vatican
Mary pulled on the topmost layers of her robes, straightening the garments out as she looked at herself in the mirror. This could be a great day for her—the fruition of so much time, energy, hard work, and fighting against all the odds. Getting to the position of Grand Inquisitor had been a long slog, and had it not been for the support of Valerio Rossi, God rest his soul, and a number of others on the Conclave, such as Marcus, Nico, Claud, and Damion, she might have never made it. She’d worked as an Inquisitor out in the field, and proven herself to them time and again. She’d also made her ambition to be a Grand Inquisitor clear to anyone who would listen.
Simeon had been very vocal about his opposition to her appointment to the Conclave. However, even though he is the head of the organisation, its rules for voting in the Conclave members and the Witch Finder General were quite clear—his singular vote counted no more than any of the others’ votes.
She felt like she got a kind of grudging respect from Simeon these days, that maybe she’d proven herself enough to be taken seriously by him now.
She didn’t know him well enough to be sure though, and maybe he’d just given up trying to object at this point.
Whatever the case, she had served this organisation with a dedication that could not be questioned, much like her faith in the ever-loving God. And now, God had spoken to her, and she had heard him. She’d heard his will and knew she was on the right path.
She’d seen the decay and the apathy that had infected Valerio Rossi and how he had become paralysed by the Inquisition’s continued defeats against the Witches. He’d even confided in her that he wasn’t sure how effective they were any more, or how relevant they were.
She had prayed and asked for clarity on this from God and He had revealed His plan to her, and it was glorious. Apathy had infected Rossi. The Devil had dug his claws into him and sewed doubt in the man’s mind. She had asked God for guidance, to know what she must do. She wanted to carry on the fight, reinvigorate the Disciples of the Cross, and show the world the righteous path.
The plan had been revealed to her a few nights ago, after the meeting when Rossi had declared his intention to go to New York. She’d prayed and asked God if her plan would be a just one, a blessed one, and He had said yes.
Mary had been cultivating leads and information in New York for a while now, after finding out that Amanda had chosen that city as her home. Mary had a special hatred for Amanda and her coven. They were clearly in league with the Devil, her red hair marked her as such.
Mary had the resources of the Vatican to monitor Amanda and send her all the information possible on the situation in that city, including the coven’s that had just arrived. So getting a message to several of the more militant ones had not been terribly difficult.
She’d had to be careful, of course. She didn’t want Amanda getting too much forewarning of what was happening. The Devil could smell a trap and would not want Rossi, one of the Serpent’s own, being killed.
Purging the unclean from the Inquisition’s leadership was a righteous cause, and Mary knew she would be granted her Kingdom in Heaven for expelling such a taint from the Warriors of God.
The plan had worked and word soon got back that Rossi had been killed in a surprise attack. That night, Mary had prayed for Valerio Rossi’s soul, she prayed that God would take the taint away and grant Rossi eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
She hoped to see him again one day when she walked through those pearly gates and to welcome him back into the loving arms of God.
From the day her plan had been formulated, Mary had been liaising with the other Grand Inquisitors, reminding them of some of their debts to her, debts she had purposefully not collected against for just this occasion. When the news of his death broke and had been announced to the Conclave, the need for a successor to Rossi had become apparent.
A new Witch Finder General needed to be found. They debated and were given time to deliberate before being brought back into the Conclave chamber. They were then asked who wanted to stand for the position. Mary put herself forward, as had Reynaldo De Sauveterre, making it a two-horse race.
The meeting had gone back into recess, and the candidates were allowed to mingle and talk until they were called to order once more, when they each had to speak before the group.
Having known this was coming, Mary had prepared well in advance, speaking with the Conclave members, preparing her speech, and getting ready for this moment. Her moment.
Then, after they’d each spoken, the meeting had ended. The vote would be cast and revealed this morning.
Mary couldn’t help but feel nervous. Even though she knew her path to be the one true path, her fallible human soul and body felt weak at the thought of becoming the first female Witch Finder General.
But she pushed those thoughts to the side and locked them away because she needed to be strong. She needed to show she could be a leader for the Inquisition during this dark time.
Satisfied with her look, she left her quarters and made her way down to the Conclave chamber, lost in her thoughts of what she would do once she was voted into the position. There was so much she wanted to push for, including another female Grand Inquisitor to replace her on the Conclave.
She had someone in mind, but that would come later, after this much more important vote. Mary and Reynaldo were ushered into a separate side-room, where they would wait and also cast their own ballots, which weren’t really in doubt.
Sitting in this room with her rival for the seat of the Witch Finder General felt uncomfortable, and she barely spoke. Mary had been sure to be cordial and exchange pleasantries, but beyond that, they both held their peace. Mary silently prayed, hoping that her path remained true and blessed in the eyes of the Lord, and that the other Conclave members would see that and vote for her to be the new Witch Finder General.
Mary found that waiting for others to choose your fate seemed to make time slow down as you thought about your campaign, who might support you, or who might support your opponent. It almost felt like a children’s game when team captains chose from a line-up, and you were the last one to be picked.
She knew she’d played her cards well, though. She knew there was little else she could have done, but she also knew that her gender would be a constant issue for some high-ranking church members and maybe that would be enough to sway some of them to vote for Reynaldo.
She hoped not. She hoped they would see reason, see her blessed path, and want to follow her down it.
When the door suddenly opened, Mary jumped and then chided herself for having done so.
Walking back into the room, she could feel the eyes of the Grand Inquisitors following her progress across the room and no doubt, her opponent’s as well. She did her best to ignore the pressure and walk tall and proud as a defender of the faith.
Mary stood beside the Conclave’s aide, who opened a slip of paper and addressed the room.
“The votes have been cast and verified, and a clear winner has been chosen by the will of God Almighty. The new Witch Finder General and High Inquisitor is… Mary Da
mask.”
Mary closed her eyes and smiled very slightly to herself, being careful not to look too pleased or too smug. Quickly, she offered thanks to God. She was now certain her path was the true one. God had smiled down on her and on the Disciples. A new era of strength was upon them, and she would make sure the Inquisition became a force to be feared once more.
- The Melchior Estate, Long Island, New York.
Maya felt the Magic flare and surge, announcing the arrival of the one Magus who knew the key to Porting into her private estate. It was the early hours and still dark outside. Maya’s preferred time of day. But when she turned around, she could clearly make out the familiar features of the woman who stood nearby.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Maya asked the figure.
“It’s time to head into the desert. Mr Black is making his move for the Lazarus Scroll, which means you need to take Amanda and capture the Scroll before they do.”
“When, now?”
The figure nodded. “Right now.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Meltdown
Manhattan, New York
A buzzing in her head brought Amanda out from her restful sleep, waking her abruptly. She sat up and put a hand to her head. Groggily she wondering what on earth might be going on.
“Jaysus, what time is it?” she muttered, even though she didn’t need to look at a clock. It was 3am, and she rubbed her eyes in protest at being woken up so early.
It took her a moment to realise that the buzzing sensation wasn’t an alarm clock someone had set off in some spiteful prank, but instead, was because someone wanted to speak with her through a Mental Link.
She looked down at Maria’s sleeping form lying next to her. Luckily, she hadn’t disturbed her, so she concentrated on the presence behind the Link and recognised it as Maya.
That was odd. She’d not really had much contact with Maya and had never been contacted by her through their Mental Link before. She’d always found her to be friendly and pleasant, but Maya remained distant and had never asked her for help or contacted her in this manner.
So, curious as to what the fuss was about, she opened the Link.
~Maya, what’s the craic? Do you know what time it is?~ she sent as she opened the Link.
~Sorry for disturbing you at this early hour, but I need your help,~ Maya replied.
Needed her help? Maya always seemed so independent, what would she need her help for? ~Sure, what can I do?~
~I’ve been following up on a few leads, and I believe I’ve found the location of a powerful Artifact called the Lazarus Scroll, but we need to leave now, just you and me. Can you help?~
~Just us two? Are ye sure?~ Amanda asked. That seemed a little odd. Why not bring the others?
~I’d normally ask Yoh, but he’s no longer able to teleport,~ said Maya’s voice in her head.
Amanda sighed. The mention of Yoh’s transformation into a Scion instantly made Amanda feel guilty, even though she knew he didn’t blame her. Despite that, she still felt somewhat at fault for his transformation.
She swung her bare legs over the side of the bed. ~Okay, sure, let me get dressed. Is this going to be a dangerous trip?~ Amanda asked as she grabbed her jeans from the nearby chair and pulled them on.
~Maybe, best be ready for all possibilities.~
~And where are we Porting to, might I ask?~
~Arizona,~ Maya sent.
Amanda looked at the pile of tops in her wardrobe and pulled out a cropped t-shirt which she pulled on and then slipped into her sneakers. ~I’ll come to you, okay?~
~Sure, I’m waiting. Here’s the key to the Aegis.~ A complex, abstract thought appeared in Amanda’s head suddenly. She’d have to hold that thought in her mind to Port through the Aegis Maya was inside of.
Amanda walked round to Maria’s side of the bed and gave her a gentle kiss, being careful not to wake her. Unsure if she would be back before morning, she conjured a brief note that she left on the bedside table, saying she’d been called out on an errand. Then, concentrating, she Ported to Maya, following their Link through space to appear beside her.
Amanda found herself standing outside on pea gravel that crunched underfoot as she moved. She’d appeared in the middle of a quadrangle with a building surrounding her on all sides. An ornate pillared arch behind her led out, while before her, a large set of shallow steps led up to an ornate entrance. Maya, dressed in black form-fitting clothing stood just a couple of metres away.
“Welcome to my home,” she said.
Amanda admired the large mansion that surrounded her. “This is your house?”
“Yes, this is the Melchior Estate. It’s on Long Island and has been my home for a long time,” Maya explained.
“It’s beautiful,” Amanda said in awe.
“You should visit properly some time.”
“That’d be grand, thank you.”
“Another time, though, we need to move quickly,” Maya said, a sense of urgency in her voice.
“Okay, so, where are we going?” Amanda asked.
“Here,” Maya replied as a thought appeared in Amanda’s head through their Link.
“Okay, grand. Let’s be going, then,” Amanda said and pulled on her Magic again.
***
From an upstairs window, the figure watched as Amanda talked with Maya in the courtyard below, before finally Porting away in a rush of Essentia.
“Good luck,” she said, before Porting away herself.
***
With a quiet whip-crack of air, the pair appeared amongst the buildings of the Palo Verde nuclear power plant. In the darkness of the desert night, the lights of the plant itself illuminated the area with bright intensity as the plant hummed with power. A huge domed building stood nearby, and through her Magical senses, Amanda quickly picked up the traces of Magic coming from within. She could also see the tattered remains of an Aegis that had surrounded the building.
“We need to get in there,” Amanda said, motioning to the building. She pulled on her Magic and sent a set of her senses just inside the building. With a little manoeuvring, she found a suitable catwalk they could appear on. With another quick working of Magic, they Ported inside and onto a raised walkway that threaded through the immense metal structures of the reactor core. They couldn’t see anything from where they stood, so Amanda crept along the catwalk as she finished boosting hers and Maya’s Aegises. The catwalk emerged from between two towering silos, branching left and right. Below them, two groups of people faced off against each other. On one side, a Magus in a tan-coloured duster stood beside a Scion that Amanda recognised all too well. The sight of it made Amanda reach out and grab the nearby railing to keep herself from stumbling.
Horlack, the enormous Scion-beast that had attacked her in the alleyway in New York several years ago, which had triggered her Epiphany and transformation into one of the Magi, stood alive and well next to this Magus. Things had just become much more dangerous.
“Holy fecking shit,” Amanda whispered under her breath.
“Horlack,” Maya muttered.
“You know him?” Amanda asked in surprise.
“I’ve had problems with him in the past,” she said. “I can deal with him.”
Amanda glanced over at Maya, her face having taken on a much darker and more severe expression. Amanda looked back at the confrontation below, and couldn’t help but stare at Horlack. She felt sure she had killed this creature with her Magic, blasted him into nothing. Had she been wrong? Well, the answer stood just a few hundred feet away, alive, and seemingly not very inconvenienced by his apparent death.
Approaching them, a much larger group of people filed out of a doorway onto the huge flat platform that had a summoning circle painted on it in blood. Numerous dead bodies were scattered around the area, some of them whole, some of them in bits and pieces.
The group that confronted the Nomad Magus and Horlack seemed mostly made up of Riven. They wore black tactical gear and carried sil
enced submachine guns which they pointed towards the Magi and the Scion.
As she watched, Magi joined the Riven soldiers and were being led by an old man with a walking stick who seemed to be in charge.
Behind him, the three Magi consisted of a dark-haired woman in leather, an Indian man with a handsome face in a shirt and trousers, and finally a blonde woman in a mini-skirt, jacket, and heels.
Suddenly, Amanda realised she recognised the last Magus. It was Angel, the Magi who had attacked her on the train in France and nearly killed her. What had Maya brought her into?
“What do you want to do?” Amanda asked. “There’re some powerful people down there.”
“Let’s see how it pans out. This is much more dangerous than I thought it would be. We might not get the Scroll today.”
“No shit,” she replied, watching the confrontation below unfold and trying to hear what they were saying over the noise of the reactor.
“Horlack,” the old man said, his voice ringing with authority.
“Do I know you?” rumbled Horlack.
“No, but I know you,” he said, before addressing the Nomad. “Dust, is it?” the old man asked. “Give me the Scroll and we can avoid any trouble.”
Magic suddenly flared from Dust as he tried to Port away. The dark-haired woman’s Magic washed over him and disintegrated Dust’s effect before it could do anything.
Horlack looked down at the man next to him, clearly sensing his attempt at Magic and escape.
Magi Legend Page 60