The Professor and the Starlight Phoenix

by Nathan David Ward

“You know I wish you well, Professor. But my enthusiasm to find the Phoenix has come with its concerns, especially for the Institutes wellbeing.”

  Grimtale cast Bilshore a warm smile and placed his hand upon her right shoulder as a sign of reassurance, “I think you’d agree that there’s no better people for the job than us. This is what we have been preparing for…”

  “However, I don’t think you’re ready. Silverstein seems confident enough, but bringing him here, you understand I cannot stay and it’s not just him that worries me…”

  Grimtale carefully raised his hand until it was gently resting against the side of Bilshores cheek. It was warm and it made her feel comfortable and relaxed as she let out a heavy sigh and looked up, directly in to Grimtales eyes that were fallen graciously. He hadn't broken eye contact, but Bilshore couldn’t help herself as shyness washed through her, acting as a reminder of how she felt towards the man of magnificent stature as he stood towering over her, with his thick purple velvet coat hugging his muscular build and his bushy black beard, curling silky soft around the curve of his smile as he gleamed under the pinky sparkle of Magentas tail feathers, which had swooped through the black steel verticals and landed overhead, perched on the fingertip of her favourite golden sculpture that reached out from within the ceiling mural, like branches of a willow tree.

  Grimtale was now more than aware of Magentas presence as he looked over his shoulder, catching the twinkle of her beady black eyes as she chirped and fluttered her wings.

  “I’ll leave you to get on, Professor,” said Bilshore, with disappointment in her tone as she looked away.

  “I’m sorry about this.You have a safe trip back, please take care of yourself and let me know as soon as you get home.”

  Grimtale leaned in and kissed the blushing Sachester on her warm, rosy red cheek. Casting away her sulking lower lip and replacing it with a gentle smirk as she pulled open the left gate that stood beside her, turning back to cast her eyes on him, just one last time through the vertical struts as she stepped back, in to the vast wilderness of the Morient world that lay beyond the Institute gates.

  “I’ll see you again,” she said, before whistling, alerting her mode of transport which came with haste, launching from the hazy mountain ledge and spreading its enormous wings to break its fall as it landed beside her. Its neck like a serpents with the body of a horse and wings of a creature like nothing of the human world. The beast hissed, flailed its double ended tongue and lowered its head as Bilshore cocked her leg over the brown saddle-like leather, and held on tightly as it flapped its wings and made way for Shoulders Heath, ascending out of the valley pit, towards the sea that lay beyond the dark mountains. Leaving the Institute of Morient kind all but a blur in the distance as Grimtale watched her disappear, over the horizon, far from the dangers that were assembling across the land.

  The steel gates clattered as Grimtale pulled them to, aligning them and chanting under his breath, which sparked the tip of his chunky wooden as he waved it between the structures. Lime green orbs spluttered and illuminated the steel until finally the enchantment wound about the verticals like a snake, an unbreakable bond.

  Grimtale frowned as he glared across the land, observing the approaching storm clouds that had begun to blacken the skies.

  “I fear there has been further developments, Professor Magenta,” said Grimtale, as he felt the flutter of wings brush against the hair of his neck.

  The rosy bird chirped, then sparkled as it began to grow in size, shedding its delicate feathers which drooped around her now humanoid looking body, morphing in to the shape of her soft frock coat as magentas face finally reappeared from the remnants of the bird-like features.

  As she took her first breath, she coughed, launching a pair of pink feathers from her throat and in to the air, then turning to Grimtale who had now reverted his gaze as Magenta raised her hand to wipe her lips. He was staring coldly at the long fleshy scarring along her brow and cheek, which caused her some discomfort as she broke eye contact to pull her wand from her coat pocket and cast a spell over the deformity, hiding it from sight where it was best for everyone, especially Magenta who would rather it not be there at all, but it was something she knew she had to simply live with, now.

  “I have news, Professor,” she said, returning her wand to her pocket and taking a step closer to Grimtale.

  “The chamber awaits,” he replied, leading the way back down the hall, over the stream of marble and towards the golden entrance to the chamber throne room.

  * * *

  Inside the throne room, Silverstein was still waiting patiently with his feet kicked up over the arm of his bronze chair, watching the others who were talking amongst themselves, beside the central ruby statue of the starlight phoenix, which was twice the size of the average professor as it stood there, still, glowing bright red as the chamber slowly fell in to darkness where moody clouds drifted overhead, concealing the sun's rays.

  The conversations were abruptly brought to a close as Grimtale returned to the sound of heavy doors slamming against the walls, with magenta following behind as they approached their seats.

  “This session is back in progress, professors. If you would all retake your seats, we have news from the human world,” Grimtale explained, sitting back against his golden throne, overlooking Silverstein whose eyes had widened at the sight of Magenta who made her way over, slumping beside him in her solid silver throne.

  “Where is Kenneth?” Silverstein whispered, as Magenta shuffled to find her spot of comfort.

  “He’s on his way, you were bloody right about him, though. You’ll hear the full story in a moment, anyway,” she explained, as the other three professors found their seats.

  They were designated to bronze seating, leaving only Bilshores chair empty by her absence as the chamber settled, falling silent and allowing Grimtale to speak.

  “Professor Magenta, as you can see we are now joined by Professor Yuri, Professor Lint and Lillian Vargov, which I believe you’re familiar with. However, Silverstein with certainty, will not be.”

  Silverstein looked across and gave all three a subtle nod.

  “Each will play a part in the capture of the Phoenix. Professor Flint Yuri is our tutor of innovations, anything new and quirky, he’s the man for the job. Perfect when faced by a spot of trouble that perhaps was unforeseen.”

  Yuri gave a wave of his hand to address the others, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose with his other hand as Grimtale continued.

  “Professor Teppi Lint is our potions and enchantment master, who I believe is currently working on a serum to counter the reaction after a Reaper bite?”

  “Correct, Headmaster,” he confirmed, in an unusual accent, much like the robes that wrapped around his body. They were wax treated and fluttering as a gentle breeze blew through the crack of the chamber doors, whistling as it swirled about the room.

  “And lastly, Silverstein. This is Lillian Vargov, the first of her kind. A mix breed between the rare elvish kind and the humans; but here at the Institute we hope you have settled in nicely, you will always be made to feel welcome, and to live without prejudice. Anything less is unacceptable,” Grimtale smiled - Silverstein frowned, biting his tongue to make sure he kept his thoughts to himself.

  “Thank you, Professor Grimtale, Headmaster. I may not have much to offer, however defending the school and keeping you safe is something I can assist with, what I’m willing to assist with,” she replied, her pointed ears standing on end beyond the blonde of her bob cut hair.

  “Right, you are. We shall need to round up what tutors we can, but by no means will we force anyone to stay. As we know, this is about to get dangerous my friends, and I expect no one to pledge their lives to this cause. However, we also cannot win without them, but we will do our damndest!” Grimtale concluded, meeting Magentas gaze from across the chamber.

  “Now, Magenta has further word from Vinemoore. If you will, Professor.”

  Magen
ta rose on to her feet and slowly wandered to the centre of the room, allowing time to recollect her memories of the events that had unfolded during the rescue of Robin Occamy, the betrayal of Kenneth Brown and the return of the dreaded Reaper kind. It sat prominently in her mind, so she didn’t need long, and when she did begin to explain it seemed to unravel like cotton from a thread, it was exact and accurate even down to the point when they had fallen through the attic hatch of the Occamy household and were covered in dust, wooden shards and broken webbing.

  “Kenneth prompted Robin to run, to pack his things and take off with his family. I did what I could to convince him but Kenneth had already planted too many ideas, the man was torn and sadly we were forced to return, without the Professor. Kenneth Brown has not only endangered our chances of success, but by fuelling a broken man in to believing he can run and live a normal life, safe and away from danger...he has brought forth the possibility of Robin jeopardizing the wellbeing of his family.”

  Everyone in the room seemed to cast the same expression as their perceptions of Kenneth became clouded.

  “If that is not the actions of a Count fanatic, what is?” She added, pleading for action to be taken.

  “Where is Mr Brown at this time, Professor?” Asked Yuri, leaning forward from his solid bronze throne.

  “He’s on his way down,” she replied, glaring in to the shadows, not needing any words to express the lack of care she had for Kenneth as the others caught on, watching as Magenta slowly crept back towards her seat.

  “May I be excused, Professors?” Asked Silverstein, rising from his seat and glaring across at Grimtale who had seemed like the most powerful presence, as he sat dominantly in his golden throne, looking down at his followers like ants, powerful yet intelligent ants.

  “You May,” Grimtale responded, watching as Silverstein's coat glimmered flakes of silver a he strolled towards the doors with haste, pulling the left ajar then crashing it shut behind him, leaving Magenta and the other professors curious as they wondered what had possibly been so urgent to get up and leave mid session.

  Grimtale looked to the others, his expression enough to convey what he was thinking as Yuri shrugged his shoulders.

  “Shall we continue?” said Lillian, softly.

  “Reapers...The Reapers have returned as some of us predicted. Perfectly timed too which draws forth more concerns, concerns that we may be compromised, or perhaps it was just a coincidence? The Phoenix has forced many to surface including my faithful friends in this room. So the question that now stands, what are the next steps, professors?” Grimtale blinked away the dry of his eyes and turned his gaze to Magenta.

  “We wait. Professor Occamy is now in the safe hands of Ethel Jillings. You hired her, headmaster.”

  Grimtale smirked, with a new sense of reassurance as he cast his mind back over the times when positivity was elevated by her doings, the joy that Ethel had brought to the institute, and if anyone could bring Robin round to see the light of the situation, and the possibilities that were achievable from a simple helping hand, she was the person for the job.

  He was sure of it as he rested back in his throne and cast his gaze to the skies above, anticipating the fury and the darkness that was building. The tensions were high and hearts had begun to race as lightning suddenly struck. Casting a blinding white light inside the chamber and along the golden mural hallway, where Silverstein now resided, leant against a wooden totem, observing the gates, waiting as Kenneth made his way towards them.

  He was curious of what would be waiting, but it was no surprise when Silverstein caught his eye, as he cast away the enchantment and pushed forward the dark steel gates that stood between him and a pathway to hell - or it might as well have been, he realised as the two of them locked gaze and begun to head towards one another.

  “Coll-Ructo!,” Silverstein yelled, as he drew his cold cast wand from his shimmering coat pocket and pointed it towards Kenneth, so it seemed, until the green energy slithered by, passing by Kenneth's ear and against the steel verticals, binding them closed with a hiss and a crunch.

  “Wouldn’t want Reapers getting in, now would we, Mr Brown.”

  “Of course not,” he replied, puffing up his chest and holding his head high as he neared Silverstein, who was still coming at him, slipping his wand back inside his coat pocket and glaring menacingly in to the dark of his eyes.

  “I don’t know what you think you’re up to, but this has to stop.” Silverstein continued to pace towards Kenneth who had slowed and begun to drift, not knowing what to expect as the next moment his personal space had been invaded as he looked down Silverstein's nose, which was pointed, sharp like a Reaper's tooth.

  “I can assure you that the Count won’t thank you for misleading his trust,” he added, looking Kenneth dead in the eye.

  “I do not work for the Count, Leonard…” Kenneth blinked, washing away the dryness of his eyes as Silverstein's breath brushed against his face.

  “It’s not me you need to convince, you fanatic. Assisting in the escape of Robin Occamy, I feel if he was to discover a man of your calibre abusing your position, whatever that may be, he would be most...upset.” Silverstein paused for thought, “In fact, I’d count on your family being burnt at the stake for the errors of your ways, Mr Brown. Not to mention the chamber are most displeased with your attempts to lure Robin and his family towards an even greater danger that may lie beyond vinemoore. Where exactly did you think he would go? How do you suppose we bring an end to the Phoenix plot without him?”

  Kenneth's face had begun to boil with aggression, “I want to save the man, and his bloody family! I want him to be able to sit around a table and eat a fully prepared meal with his loved ones, not to live in fear like we have. He doesn’t deserve the life that the Institute has laid to hand for him, he deserves better!”

  Silverstein swept his hand through his hair and took a step back, then sighed as his eyes fell back on Kenneth who was pale and burning at the cheeks. His spectacles were barely clinging to the tip of his nose and sweat had begun dripping from his forehead.

  “It’s not me you have to convince, Mr Brown. Just remember where your loyalty lies and I’m certain there will be nothing to worry about. Unless you’re telling a fib? Time will tell, you might already be too late, that is of course if you have betrayed your master,” Silverstein grinned a horrible yet charming grin as he watched Kenneth back away.

  “He wouldn’t, he can’t know…” Kenneth muttered, eyes wide and stumbling as his legs felt like jelly, as the horrors flashed before him. The sight of his family mangled and left for dead.

  He suddenly picked up his pace until he was finally running in the direction of the tall dark gates. He was away before Silverstein had the chance to say goodbye, which disappointed him greatly; however, he gave Kenneth a wave as he slammed shut the gates and dispersed from view, racing toward the glowing crystallized portal that he had cast with his cane, holding it out in front of him as he ran, then disappearing beyond it, with a strong thought of the street he lived on, in the dead centre of the town of Vinemoore, which was still peacefully under a much thinner blanket of frosty whiteness.

  The fear for his family's safety had never been so high as he imagined them, their bodies, laid still against the snow, left to rot. He wasn’t going to let that happen, not ever, he thought as he limped his way down the centre of his street, casting his sights towards the dim lit alleys and openings as he passed. With his cane raised and spectacles pressed as far up the bridge of his nose as they could go. He was ready for whatever could be waiting for him as he neared the front of his home, expecting the worst, with tears streaming down the side of his face.

  CHAPTER 7

  Tick-Tock Goes The Clock

  The cold, frosty wind whistled by his ears as they flapped and flailed behind him, like the tail of his brown umber coat that was damp and dirt ridden from the journey back to Vinemoore. He couldn’t think straight, his mind was engaged in a never ending w
ar of thoughts and threats which had began to cloud his vision in long, thin looms of spaghetti, like trails running before his eyes as he reached for the brass knob that protruded from his grand front door. He twisted it, then pressed his body against it, pushing back the slab on its hinges and hitting the inside wall of his home with an almighty slam. The house then fell to silence while Kenneth stood out of breath, panting under the arch of his living room as a dying orange light shone brightly through the front of the house, casting Kenneth's shadow long and spindly along the carpet, towards the furniture that sat in shadow at the far end of the room.

  His pulse had continued to flow heavy through his body, hazing his vision - so much that he failed to notice that something wasn’t quite right - beside the fact that there was no sign of his family which had already sent him in to a state of increased panic.

  An eerie atmosphere had fallen in a split moment, heavy like a sack of potatoes had fallen from the skies and gone crashing through the roof. It was an instant feeling, a cold sensation of evil that had began to linger through the halls and in the piercing breeze that whistled against the window frames.

  “Mr Brown,” said a soft voice from afar, lurking in the darkest corner of the living room.

  “Where are they? What have you done with my wife and children?” Kenneth yelled. He grasped tightly to the shaft of his cane and slammed it against the ground. A Crunch, was the sound it made before aggressive splinters of orange and red energy erupted from the tip that was now firmly pressed into the raised bristles of the doormat. They dispersed and cast a warm glow of light across the room before finally extinguishing like a flame starved of oxygen, but the tiny remnants of magical energy had served a purpose, it was now only too obvious to Kenneth who or what was sat opposite him, slumped in his tatty single seater armchair, wrapped by a garment as dark as night with a metallic half mask clung to its face. It gestured towards the back room where what seemed like half a dozen figures were standing motionless.