Magi Legend

by Andrew Dobell

  He’d also been the one to get her to take self-defence classes, which over time, had transformed into full-on martial arts training, something which continued after she became a Magus.

  Howie had been a significant influence on her, and she’d always felt bad about letting him down by working the streets with Georgina.

  But that had all been a long time ago, and it seemed like they were well beyond that now. Certainly, with today’s events, their relationship had taken another big step forward as Howie was introduced to Amanda’s world.

  After getting back home in the afternoon after their escape from the nightclub, Amanda had spent the rest of the day talking with Howie, explaining what he had seen, who she was, what Magic was, and answering his many questions. He’d stayed at her house all afternoon, fascinated by what she told him and deeply curious about this crazy new world he’d stepped into.

  To his credit, once he had calmed down after the initial shock of the attack and the trip to the Abyss, he had taken it all pretty well. She’d even demonstrated a few bits of Magic, showing him what she could do.

  He’d been curious about her history and asked a lot of questions about how she’d become a Magus and about her training in Ireland.

  Amanda didn’t see the need to hold anything back. There was nothing about the world of the Magi and her story that she felt he shouldn’t know. He’d been a true friend to her in those early days and she felt like she owed him that at the very least.

  Spending time with him had been cathartic for her and she felt she’d finally started to put her guilt behind her. She felt like the debt had been repaid, and as she had walked along the New York streets with him, taking him back to his apartment, she felt much more at peace with him. Also, she found she really enjoyed his company, and if she were honest with herself, kind of fancied him a bit.

  Every time she found herself eyeing him up and enjoying just looking at him, she heard Maria’s words echo in her head about enjoying life and finding someone else, apart from her, to be with.

  She wasn’t sure how Howie felt, though, and really didn’t want to go poking about inside his head in what would feel like a massive breach of trust. Instead, she would have to do things the old-fashioned way.

  During the few moments she’d had alone during the rest of the afternoon, Amanda found herself thinking about the events of the past few days. Her meeting with the Council, and how Forrest had agreed that she did seem to be the Chosen One, weighed heavily on her mind. She thought about her newfound power and ability to pass into the Abyss and how it had saved the lives of her friends from the clutches of the Nomad, Nymira.

  She also thought about the visit by the Knights of Newark the other day and how they seemed fascinated by the Prophecy. As she thought about these things, she found her opinion shifting a bit.

  Maybe they were right. Maybe everyone around her was trying to tell her something, and she needed to finally listen to them.

  It all seemed to fit together, everything that had happened to her, everything that she could do all pointed to her being the Chosen One. She’d struggled with this concept these past few days, but escaping Nymira and seeing the reaction of the girls and Howie made her rethink it all.

  She’d saved them, and only she could have done that with her ability to shift into the Abyss. Without her, they would have likely died.

  She turned that phrase over and over in her mind—the Chosen One—and started to quite like the idea.

  It was late. Night had fallen hours ago, but the city’s lights meant that Manhattan was never really truly dark. Dodging a couple of cars, they crossed the street and walked up the steps to the front door of Howie’s building.

  “Here ye are,” she said.

  “Thanks,” Howie answered. “How long has it been since you were last here?”

  “I have no idea, a few years, at least,” she said and looked up the front of the building. “It’s not changed much, to be sure.”

  “Never does,” Howie answered.

  “This is where we first met, isn’t it?” Amanda mused.

  Howie looked down at the ground behind him, where he’d first seen Amanda sleeping all those years ago. “It is,” he said. “I’ve often walked past here these last few years and thought of you. Wondered where you were, what you were doing. But I’d have never guessed the truth.”

  Amanda nodded in agreement, a slight smile on her lips.

  “You wanna come up? Have a cup of hot chocolate, for old time’s sake?”

  She smiled up at him. “That sounds grand, thank you.”

  She followed him upstairs. Once inside, the familiar sights, sounds, and smells made her feel instantly relaxed and calm. She’d come to know his apartment so well, it had felt like home to her, the first home she’d ever known in the USA. Some of the décor had changed, and a few bits of furniture had been moved, but it was essentially the same place she’d left way back when.

  “You remember it all, then?” he asked from the kitchenette.

  She looked up, realising he’d caught her looking around and smiling to herself, remembering her time here. She flushed slightly, walked over to the breakfast bar and sat on a stool opposite him.

  “I do, yes. It’s good to be back.” She glanced around once more as he finished making their drinks.

  “So, I’m one of these Initiated, now that I know of Magic and the Magi?”

  “That’s right. You’ve stepped through the curtain, so you’ll be more aware of it now.”

  “So, most people don’t see Magic?”

  “Not really, no. When people happen across something Magical that their brain can’t rationalise, the Riven mind kind of blocks it out, which helps us to remain hidden.”

  “Riven? You’ve not used that word before.”

  “Riven is the name we’ve given to anyone who is a normal human and still unaware of Magic. It means separated, which is a reference back to an event in pre-history when the Archons tried to get rid of all the Magi by separating us from the Magical energy in the world. It worked for the most part, and the numbers of Magi were vastly reduced, but we still survived, so the story goes.”

  “Jeez, there’s so much to take in, it’s crazy,” he said, looking a little overwhelmed.

  Amanda could sympathise. She remembered her first days in Ireland, learning under the Gentle Water’s tutelage and feeling like she was drowning in all the information he was giving her.

  “There is, but you will get there in time, so yeh will. Depending on how involved you want to be with this side of the world.”

  “Do I have a choice?” Howie asked, handing her a mug of hot cocoa.

  That was an interesting question. Unlike being a Magus, which would automatically mean a certain level of involvement in the Magical world, there was still a healthy amount of separation between him and the dangerous world of the Magi. The Initiated were no more connected to Magic than a Riven was, meaning they were indistinguishable from the general masses of humanity the world over, something that the Initiated of the Arcanum and those who worked directly for a coven used to their advantage.

  So, did he have a choice? She supposed he did.

  “Yeah, you have a choice,” Amanda said. “You’re not a Magus and you won’t show up in our Magical sight as an Initiated, so if you wanted to stay out of the Magical world and continue on the path you know, then sure, you could do that. I’m sure there are plenty who do, but you might find that since you’ve peeked behind the curtain and seen the truth, it will be harder than you think to keep out of things.”

  “Hmmm,” he said and walked over to the couch with Amanda, where they sat and sipped on their drinks

  “You could work for me,” Amanda said.

  Howie looked at her over the top of his mug, pausing as he thought about it. “Really? You’re offering me a job?”

  “Sure, why not?” she smiled.

  “Doing what?”

  “I don’t really know yet, but I’m sure I can keep
you busy and pay you well. You could work with Shaun on the security and intelligence side of things.”

  “Work for the scary Vampire in your basement?”

  “That’s the one,” Amanda said with a smile.

  “Hmm,” he said, mulling it over. “I kinda like that idea.”

  “Think on it and let me know,” she said, going back to her drink.

  They chatted for a little while longer, finishing their drinks before Amanda decided that she really must be getting home. She liked Howie a lot, and a part of her ached to take him there and then, but she just wasn’t sure if that was a good idea or not.

  Pulling her denim jacket back on, she made her way towards the door.

  “Thank you for the drink. I’ll see you soon?”

  “You can count on it,” he said and moved towards her to kiss her good night.

  She stepped in as well, and their lips met. As they pulled apart Amanda looked into his dark eyes. There was something there. A connection that had never been addressed before. She almost felt like she could get lost in those deep dark eyes and wondered if he felt the same way. She leaned in and kissed him again. It lasted a little longer this time, and she could feel his hands on her back as they kissed, burning through her jacket and all the way to her soul.

  Maria’s words echoed through her mind and Amanda made her mind up.

  She deepened the kiss, as they slowly moved against each other. He pulled her in tight against his chest, his muscular arms lifting her up easily.

  She liked that feeling of strength. She felt safe in his arms, secure.

  Her kisses grew more insistent, filled with energy and her need to have him.

  She pulled off her jacket and tossed it aside, never parting lips. She enjoyed feeling his hands as they ran up and down over her back and bum, squeezing her flesh. Amanda did the same to him, feeling the strong, toned muscles of his torso.

  Needing more, she pulled on his shirt buttons, undoing them as quickly as she could before opening up his shirt and drinking in the way the light highlighted his well-defined muscles. She ran her hands over his velvety brown skin and loving the feel of his body.

  Grunting in frustration, he tugged her top over her head and ran his tongue over her exposed collarbone and down her chest.

  Coming up to kiss her again, she took his head in her hands. “Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked.

  “Are you?” he replied.

  She nodded back to him, smiling and giving him her best ‘Come to bed’ eyes.

  “Then I am, too,” he said, and pulled her in once more and as he kissed her, she could feel his arousal growing.

  She wanted this more than anything else now. She wanted him, and there was nothing that could stop her. She soon lost herself in the moment, focusing only on him, on his touch, and his strength.

  Pushing him down on the sofa, she straddled him, taking him in completely. Setting the rhythm, she soon felt the first hints of ecstasy wash through her. She gasped and writhed as the orgasm mounted, taking her higher and deeper until finally, with a shudder, she crested the wave.

  “That was amazing,” she gasped between ragged breaths as she bent down and kissed his chest.

  “Are you okay to… you know…?”

  “Don’t you dare stop,” she said, looking down at him.

  He smiled. “Yes, ma’am.” Picking her up he carried her through to the bedroom, where he lowered her to the bed and plunged deep inside her.

  She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling as he held her ankles aloft.

  This would be a night to remember.

  - Approved email from Syndicate Staff member to partner on the mainland.

  Hi Babe.

  It seems like we have new management here at work. Nothing changed much, but we had a few dramatic scenes when they first arrived earlier today. Looks like things will calm down quickly, though, and it’s business as usual.

  Not sure if this will change my work rotation, but I’ll let you know if my return date changes.

  I’ll Skype you later.

  Lots of love,

  Nick

  Searching

  The Atoll, the Pacific

  The seaplane bounced once, its skids skimming the water, kicking up spray all around it. Her view of the small island in the centre of the atoll was blurred by the water that ran down the window.

  The trip out here had taken hours. This chain of islands was the first thing they’d seen since leaving the Honolulu airport and it made for a welcome change.

  The atoll had a curious shape that looked quite unnatural, no doubt a result of the recent events that had taken place here.

  Six small islands formed an almost perfect circle around a single, central island.

  The ring islands were all tiny, nothing more than sand, with just a hint of grasses growing on a few of them. But the central island, while still not huge, held a good amount of vegetation, as well as a rock that jutted up from the centre.

  “Here you go. You should be able to walk to the beach from here,” the pilot said as the plane came to rest in the shallows close to the beach on the central island.

  Assunta nodded to one of the Crusader Knights who sat next to the door. He opened it and then jumped out into knee-deep water. Assunta followed him out and took the lead as she walked up out of the water and onto the beach.

  Mary had called Assunta back from her mission in New York to follow up on a related lead. A contact in the US military had reported to the Vatican that they’d recently picked up some strange survivors from an atoll in the Pacific after detecting a nuclear blast there. Their investigations led them to this island where they picked up several people, including the crew from a missing sub and a few civilians.

  Mary had put this together with the rumours she’d heard about Amanda-Jane Page and the Prophecy of Helene, and the choice had been made to investigate.

  To keep the assets assigned to this personal mission of Mary’s to a minimum, Assunta had been called in from her stakeout. She didn’t mind jetting about the world and it kind of made sense to her that she should be the one to do this mission in order to keep some continuity in the broader investigation into Amanda.

  It might be the middle of winter back at the Vatican, but here on the equator, the days were hot year-round. A few steps up onto the beach, away from the gently lapping water, she stopped and dropped her bags, looking back to the six other Crusader Knights that she’d brought with her. They all followed her up onto the beach and stopped close by, catching their breath in the bright sunlight of the day.

  “Right, first thing’s first. Let’s set up camp somewhere and then we can start to organise the search,” she said and watched the team move into action.

  Turning to face the sea, she gave the pilot a wave. He waved back, and within minutes, had the plane back in the air and heading back to base. She’d call him back on her satellite phone once they were ready to leave.

  They chose to base themselves beneath a cluster of trees to keep out of the sun as much as they could. Also, the ground was much sturdier and made for a better area to pitch their tents.

  They were planning to stay for a few days to make sure they thoroughly searched the whole area, so she made sure the team took their time setting up and making themselves as comfortable as possible.

  They were making good progress and she felt hopeful that they would be organising search teams later today.

  After an hour of hard work in the unrelenting sun, they were all sat around the fire that Cesar, Assunta’s second in command had built, sipping on water and catching their breath.

  Assunta sat next to Cesar in their pop-up chairs and organised the search teams, choosing to send Valeria, the only other woman on the team, and Leon off to swim out to the outer ring where they would do a circuit of the outer islands. Today would be about getting a lay of the land, checking out the terrain, and figuring out the order of their search.

  Later, after they had enjoyed a l
ight lunch, the team set about their assigned tasks. Valeria and Leon changed into their swimming gear and set off for the outer ring while the rest spread out and started hunting through this central island. Although it was the biggest bit of land in this atoll, it was still relatively small and you could walk across it in just a few minutes.

  Still, looks could be deceiving, and they’d been told to go over the island with a fine-toothed comb, leaving no rock unturned.

  Halfway through the afternoon, one of her team, Ignacio, called out to her from near the central rock. Walking up the beach from where she’d been searching, the ground changed from sand to hard-packed earth and the vegetation grew thicker. Ignacio led her through the undergrowth and eventually to the side of the rock, and a small clearing in the middle of some very thick bushes.

  The small clearing appeared to be deliberate, and the way that it had been hidden behind a wall of branches that she struggled to get through, would have been enough to pique her curiosity. But that wasn’t the strangest thing about this find. Set into the rock face was a metal door. Clearly manmade, the rounded vertical rectangle had been cut perfectly into the rock.

  Assunta stepped forward, her breath ragged from the difficult climb through the bushes and she looked at the curious metal door before her. Made from a dull but polished metal, it had irregularly shaped holes cut into the surface to reveal inner workings that didn’t look dissimilar to the insides of a watch or clock.

  She stepped closer to it, and with some concentration, called on some divine help from God to reveal the door’s clearly divine nature.

  Standing right next to the door, she raised her hand and moved to press it against the metal. She found she could touch it without issue, its cool surface hard and unyielding beneath her hand.

  Pulling her hand away, she stepped back.

  “Well done, Ignacio, this is an amazing find.”