by C P Sennett
I let the primitive and master jibes go as I thought it best to keep the creature on topic. “So, she is not here anymore?”
It sneered at me. “I will not repeat myself mystic. I suggest you leave and settle this matter with your…employer. For I am to feed.”
I considered my options but in such close confines I would struggle to have room to fend off this creature, even if I could. Also, I needed answers to know what the hell I was dealing with here. I was outmatched I thought. At least for now and it had no obvious reason to lie to me as it could have just left me alone to find nothing.
It seemed different though, almost otherworldly. Normally I am good at spotting the body language, changes and pitch, and emphasis on words but this wasn’t a person as such and so I had to tread carefully.
“Human.” it boomed but not addressing me, it was addressing the brown robed man now. “See my guest back above ground and make sure he leaves my domain.”
“Your will be done.” said the robed man as he walked into the room and presumably underneath the hulking monster’s coils. Then, the giant torso rose upwards in the room. This was no lycan, fey or demon. This was something else but what the fuck it was I hadn’t a clue.
As it was slowly retreating into the darkness it spoke again. “Remember, it is not my wish for your kind to return here. See the message is spread like fire among your people.”
Reluctantly I nodded assuming it meant wizards. “If I find her then hopefully I’ll have no need to return.” I knew this was a lie as the Order I belonged to was bound to want to investigate this. Still, I needed to get out of here alive first and then find out what the fuck Monika had gotten me into.
Tabitha apparently had been here; but the creature had confirmed that she wasn’t anymore. The serpent also thought the Broker should have known that. Perhaps it was just indicating she was sloppy or that something was lost in translation. This creature may even have encountered the Order before which could explain why it wanted me to tell others not to come here. Either way, it looked like I was getting out of here.
The brown robed man looked less wide eyed and more with it now, as he motioned for me to follow him out of the room and through the light I could sort of see on the other side. I looked upward, now into total darkness but I couldn’t see anything, just black. The creature was gone.
We left, the two of us quickly making it down the corridor. The man said nothing and frankly I just wanted out, so it seemed to suit us both. Fresh untainted air came to me. It was still damp smelling but it had less of a foul edge to it. Then, as my adrenalin died down I became aware that my shoulder was throbbing. The creature’s tail or whatever had knocked me hard into the wall had jarred something and now there was pain. Thankfully though it was easing, turning with each step more into a dull ache.
We went quickly around a few bends as I increased my pace at the eventual sight of an old metal door along a straight corridor. I wanted the exit…I needed fresh air.
I took steps towards it and looked behind me seeing the robed man had stopped. He was standing motionless, back at the corner that we had just passed. The Asian man just stood there, watching me as I walked the last bit on my own. I didn’t look back, I kept on going and reached the opened door, trying hard to walk as calmly as possible.
Outside the door, the air seemed to lift again. There was a stairwell like before when I arrived but I felt that this was a different one. I was sure I was at the opposite end of the underground complex.
Then, grabbing the banister, I set about climbing the stairs. I reached the third flat part of the stairwell and to my surprise a door on this level was wide open. I stopped for a second wanting to get my bearings but in truth I still had a genuine desire to get out of here, down the corridor ahead and away from this place. I looked down the corridor and pushed on. Mind ready to attack if needed as I had dropped my shield spell now. It was simply too tiring to keep it up. Keeping a spell of that power up for a long time is difficult, even for me.
I walked to the end of the corridor. It was also like some submarine or naval destroyer interior and at the end was another metal door. This was slightly ajar and it smelt of plant life and had a gentle breeze coming in through it. Thankfully, when going through it I found myself back outside.
Then, and only then, I felt relief. Genuine relief.
I pushed the door shut and then scampered up the few feet of dirt path. It was dark here, cool night air and dark but I felt better. I felt safe as I jogged off into the night.
Chapter 4
I drove slowly towards my house. It was dark, very dark and the endless stream of drizzle ran down my windscreen but it was ably handled by the rhythmic thrum of my wipers. I wasn’t sure who, or what the hell I had met earlier and I counted myself lucky to have gotten away with my life. Something inside of me told me that that creature held some real power.
When you have a brush with something like this, it’s like squaring up to the school bully who’s a few years older than you and about 30 pounds heavier. You’re excited you survived the encounter then you are left drained and you realise you were stupid to have gobbed off. Thankfully now, I was forty minutes into my long drive home and the adrenalin had evaporated leaving me spent.
I was tired most of the time as was to be expected being Suffolk’s resident wizard but this was different. I didn’t want to do anything, in truth, all that was left was the desire to get home and sleep and if I am honest I had a growing pit of fear in my stomach.
I didn’t know what to make of tonight, the creature, it’s band of dirty followers and their robed man. Also, what was it all doing under a massive and very public hotel?
None of it was good I thought as the familiar sign for Ipswich came into view. Not too much longer now before home…
I turned the air con as low as I could to pep me up a little as the Beast ate up the miles on my way home.
****
On the drive back, a small part of me had wanted to pull over and begin surfing the web to find out who or what I had encountered but equally part of me didn’t. I wanted to use the car’s Bluetooth to call my Broker to find out what she had gotten me into but I was too tired to hear the answer or to argue the toss with her. I hadn’t been sleeping well for the past few weeks as work had drained me. I was going too hard into too many personal projects and the sad thing is that they were fillers really until the Broker gave me this job.
The work with her pays well enough but not as much as you would think so I have to subsidise my income at times. There is no real point in wielding all this power and being poor, now that just wouldn’t be right. A little harmless magic can really swell your coffers although I know it’s not ‘officially’ legal in the eyes of the Council of Sorcery who control the Order and I know they certainly wouldn’t approve. Thankfully, though, I am not on the council. Being out in sleepy Suffolk has its advantages as they never really look into me much. Being honest, I think most of us earn a little through less fair means but we’re all subtle about it.
The Council of Sorcery is more like a collection of elite wizards. People who work in collaboration when required but we are not formal in how we do it. Us wizards don’t like to share power much. Yes, I have a kind of chain of command as do others but we are expected to handle most things on our own, and most of us can, most of the time. We do share bits of training and theory but it isn’t commonplace.
I mean nobody wants to boost someone up above themselves. That’s rare in humans with specialist skills as people tend to hoard knowledge and guard it closely. Thankfully though I’ve had a few people who have helped me out over the years and I’ve learned a lot from them. Notably an old shaman in Goa, called Ashok. I owe him a lot as this old man has helped me a number of times. He had actually shared a lot of his knowledge with me on spirits. Spirits are a real problem in Suffolk and something I spend a lot of time researching, hunting and banishing.
I pulled onto my driveway next to my lovely Jaguar, I cal
l her Beauty and she is one of my best ill-gotten gains. I looked up at my big old house, home I thought as I smiled. Now, as much as I loved my home right now I loved my bed inside it more and that was where I was heading. Normally I go to great lengths to keep my house and myself safe and no matter how tired I get security can never slip.
I walked up the few steps and along the path to the front door. The outside night light was on a timer to come on around six pm anyhow so the house was usually well lit in the evening. It was silent around though. The drizzle of earlier hadn’t reached this part of town but you could smell it on the air, it was coming all right.
Dressed in my tux I reached the door, keys in hand and as I turned the lock and headed in. I was too tired to even take my mask off my passenger seat. My mind was ready for the loud beeps which started as soon as something tripped the sensors.
Here’s the thing, read anything about people like me, people who know how to do spells and understand the constant ebb and flow of magic around us all, usually we are portrayed as technophobes. People hating technology, comfort and anything nice. Not me, I have enchantments to keep me safe AND a good old-fashioned electronic alarm to keep me doubly safe. Anyone coming for me will need to disable both the technology and my magic. It’s this thoroughness which gives me better than good odds for seeing the next day’s dawn.
I walked quickly over to the alarm. 10 beeps and it goes off so you have to be quick to enter the security code. I flipped open the panel and put in my passcode 6667 then enter. Then, heavenly silence at last…
I took a deep breath and checked out how bad I looked in the big mirror mounted in the hallway, considering the night I had. I thought I looked rough as hell…
Then, I walked through my partially redecorated hall, it’s been like this for months now, and into my nicely finished dining room past a few of the antique pictures of long dead Lords of vast mansions. Ostentatious I know, but they have an air of power and majesty to them that I like. Then, into the kitchen.
It was there I made a beeline to the fridge. Not for anything more than just to pour a glass of chilled water to take to bed. I fancied spicing it up with a vodka but to be honest, I was drained. All I wanted was sleep.
****
I’d staggered back through my hallway and kicked my shoes off before walking heavy legged up the creaky stairs. Thankful that I live in an area of town where houses are big and old. The basement rooms, yes, I said rooms, are where I keep my important arcana items and my ritual room. The ground floor is a normal room for entertaining guests, not that I have many.
The first floor is my living space and again more guest rooms. Then, on the smaller top floor is where I store my expensive antiques and other oddities I collect.
As I entered my room I dropped my jacket and bow tie on the clothes basket. Then I flopped down on my bed slowly taking off my trousers and shirt, rolling around like a drunk as I was so exhausted. When down to my underwear and socks I just lay there smelling the familiarity of my own sheets, and within seconds, I was asleep.
****
My dreams are often a bit wild. Most I remember and some I can even control. It’s not uncommon for some people of the arcane to try to send warnings, messages or even harm you via dreams. This one wasn’t any of them though. Oddly though, it was one I couldn’t really remember and that was uncommon.
There was an overriding theme to it. A beautiful blue glow which seemed to run through the dream. Then I woke with a start…
“Shit, Fern’s still in my boot!” I cried aloud scrambling bleary eyed in the dark. I looked at the digital alarm clock. Its bright blue glow not unlike the mephit currently freezing in my boot of my car. I’d been asleep for about three hours as the clock now read 3:35am.
I jumped out of bed and threw on some blue jeans that were hanging on the radiator, nearly falling over as I was in such a hurry. I burst onto the landing and bombed down the stairs, disarming the alarm in the hallway as I opened my front door and raced outside.
The cold air instantly hit me, especially with just a pair of socks on your feet and no top. It hadn’t rained in Ipswich yet but the ground was cold underfoot which also helped to wake me. I looked at my car and cursed, remembering I hadn’t picked up the bloody keys.
I raced back through the open door and grabbed them from where I left them on the rack.
I knew the mephit was going to be angry, real angry as it would hate to have been in there. It would be like being left naked in a giant freezer surrounded by electric fences. I didn’t envy her position but she had hardly endeared herself to me at the end of our last encounter.
I ran to the car, its boot opened with the keyless entry as I touched it. Hurriedly I lifted the boot assuming she hadn’t gotten out and thankfully I was right. I removed the cover to my tools and the lid was still on the cool box as I pushed it off.
Inside was mostly melted ice cubes and the now heavily submerged cocktail shaker. I picked it up and considered removing the lid, confident that the Fern would still be inside.
I then decided against this as I didn’t want her to flare up outside. It was dark and people were more likely to see it. A passing car could have left me with some questions to answer.
Now, being honest I wasn’t sure how I was going to play this. Cutting the supernatural some slack isn’t sound advice if you want to extend your stay in the mortal world. I closed the boot and carried in the cool box and the other bits towards my house. It was that awkward, unmanly, walk that people do without shoes on a cold floor occasionally stepping on sharp stones.
In some discomfort, I staggered back into my house with the box and set it down on the floor in my hallway. I then leaned out and relocked my jeep before putting the keys back on the rack. Once the house door was closed behind me I opened the cool box and the shaker before looking down again at the pulsing blue bottle. Within a second it sparked into life as I picked it up and began to walk. The light of the bottle bathed the whole house in colour.
“Ok lady, what have you got to say for yourself.” I said aloud, as inwardly I wondered with equal measure what she was going to say to me. With that, I took the glowing bottle and headed downstairs to my basement. I call it the workshop mostly as it stops me then having to field awkward questions from people.
It’s far easier to pretend to be an artist or something else than saying it’s where I study and practice magic. If you are dumb enough to mention the M word then the rolling of eyes start as everyone thinks you’re a kid’s magician and asks you if you can do their little Sarah’s birthday party – not fun!
It’s easier to tell people a half truth and say I repair antiques. I need to work on this though as with the help of the antiques road shows over the years the country is more aware of antiques than ever before and some even ask me to tell them more.
This said, I do occasionally restore antiques and I DO have a workshop for this but that’s on the top floor of the house.
For matters of the arcane though, I head downstairs, to my basement.
My basement’s pretty cool. It’s not without its modern touches though. Having over 50 to 60 square foot of private space is great, especially when it’s locked down with a barring ward that makes people feel sick if they don’t speak the password when entering. A password which nobody alive knows except me and I don’t actually need it. Also, there is an illusionary glyph on the wall at the top of the stairwell to make it look unappealing to onlookers. It’s the only glyph I’ve ever gotten the hang of. These together really help you to get things done in private if someone goes snooping around.
I took the cocktail shaker towards the door and headed back to alarm the external doors and windows again. After earlier events, I wasn’t taking any chances.
As I approached the basement with the cool box in hand I put in the keylock which is different to the alarm code, this is just a normal mechanical lock, coded 7776. Then, I opened the door and I could feel the presence of the barring ward and my illusionary
glyph still all intact. Then, I went down into my basement hitting the light switch as I went.
As I carried the chilled box down the stairs the door-closer clicked behind me resetting the door in its position and reactivating the need for the code to be input from the outside.
As my foot hit the floor I took in a big breath taking great delight in the fact that my basement didn’t have the usual smells one associates with underground areas. No, there was no earthy smell in my wonderful rooms and given where I had been to earlier tonight I was more than happy not to have more of the same. This was one of the areas I liked to relax in when home.
The basement landing always welcomed me. I guess it’s how people feel when greeted by a wife or dog when you come home, familiar and reassuring.
The basement landing has plain walls but for me this was the first line of defence, as if I ever needed to hole up somewhere and defend myself, this was the place. There were a lot of wards around here which have been in place for years and like all wards, time usually adds to their power. The best thing about it though was hardly anyone knew it existed and this was the best way to keep myself alive.
Too many of my kind have seen their names up in lights and overconfidence or the lack of attention to detail gets them killed. The basement landing was normal, empty, exactly as it should be.
Once we were down I carried the cool box in one hand and the glowing mephit bottle through the small hallway and past my arcane library on the right. This is where I keep my important books and magical items of note. Then past the bathroom. Yes, I have a bathroom down here as I can spend a lot of time in the basement and nature calls, even for us wizards.
Then, around the corner still in the hall, past the door on my left to the basement bedroom and onwards into my ritual chamber.