The Book of the Magi

by Billy Spencer

  “Man, I remember one semester here the thunderstorms got really bad, and the electricity went out. People were pretty happy, but me, I was scared,” Oracle said to himself in a whisper.

  “hey Oracle, what are you talking about?” Jessica said to Oracle as she was looking out of the large window close to them. Looking at the trees and just nature in general put her at ease. She always felt that even though the world was changing right before their eyes at least mother nature seemed to stay constant.

  “nothing Jess, nothing at all. Just looking at the different forums on the web. Seeing different posts from other people. Seems that for the most part humans are still on earth,” Oracle said to Jessica looking at the computer screen as he was scrolling through different pages.

  “So Matius lied to us? Why would he do that?” Jessica said to Oracle as she was twirling her hair. She felt confused by why this warlock would just lie to them on a big threat.

  Oracle continued to look on the forums at what people were posting. “People are having dreams...Of a Pledge,” Oracle said to Jessica as he started to turn around from the computer screen.

  “wait a pledge? what the heck is that all about?” Jessica said to Oracle as she went towards the computer screen to look at what he was reading.

  Oracle got up from the computer desk, and just lowered his head down for a few minutes just trying to process everything. “A pledge is an Oath or Pact that anyone can make to try and gain immortality. The pact itself is a lie, because there is no way to become immortal, without giving up your humanity. But people don’t see this part of the pact because they don’t really read it,” Oracle said to Jessica.

  “what do you mean they don’t really read it?” Jessica said to Oracle still looking at the computer screen.

  “They don’t really read it because they are dreaming when the deal is being made. Most people can hardly remember their dreams, and this is how either Matius or whoever is behind our towns people disappearance is able to complete this Pledge,” Oracle said to Jessica as frustration started to spread across his face. He was mad that this was happening behind everyone's back, that no matter how far they have gotten, they always went backwards.

  “In their dreams...that’s insane. To make a Pledge and make it seem like something it isn’t that’s taking advantage of people,” Jessica said to Oracle as she started to pace back and forth trying to think of everything that was going on.

  “Greed makes people do almost anything. Maybe these people were chosen by Matius by their desires and he promised them anything and everything, and took them for pigeons,” Oracle said to Jessica. He didn’t know what else to do, he felt like he was out of ideas and was feeling frustrated.

  The feeling of dread and hopelessness began to take its toll on Oracle. He wished that he could help everyone by fighting these creatures whether it be vampires or demons, he wanted to help. But he couldn’t do anything like that, he didn’t have their abilities, and just felt only useful when it came to information.

  Tears began to fall down Oracles eyes, and Jessica could see that he was hurting. She didn’t want him to be hurting at all, and just wanted everyone to be ok. “Hey Oracle, wanna talk about it?” Jessica said to Oracle as she went to sit on one of the couches inside the room, they were in. Jessica motioned to Oracle to have him come sit next to her.

  “It’s really nothing Jessica. I mean I’ll get over it,” Oracle said to Jessica as he sat down next to her, trying to wipe the tears away from his face.

  “No, it is something Ichikori. You may be Oracle to us buddy, but don’t forget we never forgot your real name,” Jessica said to Oracle as she placed a hand on his cheek.

  “I just don’t know what to do anymore,” Oracle said to Jessica with a sigh. “I feel like I get in the way of everything. I cannot do anything to help you guys, seeing you summon your familiars or change and fight evil like some sort of super team is just indescribable to me, you guys are amazing, and me, I just watch on the side lines,” Oracle said to Jessica lowering his head in shame.

  Jessica could see how down Oracle was, the look on his face, and the way he tried to hide himself from her. She could see sadness and just hopelessness coming off of him. “Ichikori you are not helpless. You may not have power to summon beings. But you know what you do have?” Jessica said to Oracle as she pressed a finger to his chest and smiled at him. “You have heart, you always are with us when we are fighting because if we let the people down, we let you down. We see how you try when looking up information and providing it to us, and just being a great friend who at times keep us in check.Heck you got me into some really awesome things like reading, science, and learning programming in the past, and you always try to help us the best you can.” Jessica said to Oracle putting her arm around him.

  “I guess I do have a knack for trying to keep you out of trouble,” Oracle said to Jessica as he looked at her and smiled. To him that meant a lot to him, just the small words of thoughtfulness. He was afraid of being forgotten or left behind and seemed to doubt his friends. But just hearing what Jessica said to him reassured him that they are a team, a unit that cannot be broken.

  “So, what do we do about these Pledges you think is happening? I mean we should tell the others and see what they found, maybe figure out some game plan or something,” Jessica said to Oracle looking outside and seeing the clouds get darker.

  “I’m not sure, we should talk to the others, maybe they have a better idea on how to tackle this,” Oracle said as he stood up and started to head towards the door.

  Before Oracle and Jessica could reach the exit there came rain pouring down from the sky and lightning began to shake the earth and rumble. “What the crap is going on?” Jessica said out loud looking outside and just seeing lightning strikes heading miles away from them, but still feeling the power of every hit as they came roaring from out of the sky.

  The lights to the technology building shut completely off and that is when they both started to feel nervous. “Crap this storm is doing this? It must be getting really bad,” Oracle said to Jessica as they started to leave the building as the rain hit their bodies and started to soak their clothes.

  The main building was a bit of a walk, but it still had power inside of it. Oracle could see the lights in the library still on and didn’t understand it. “what the hell...why did our lights go off then?” Oracle said to Jessica as he looked back to the building and his face widen in horror and fear.

  “what's wrong Oracle?” Jessica said to Oracle as she tried to tug his shirt to keep him going but just stood still. Jessica then turned around to see what Oracle was staring at and saw the darkness, and could feel fear fill her body and almost take over.

  Both stood dead in their tracks, not moving a muscle and just letting the rain pour over them. What they saw felt like the abyss, but really it was the shadows lurking about. Eyes dark purple within the darkness, slowly shambling moving towards Oracle and Jessica with their fangs out, and them just ready for the hunt. Creatures that are ready to rip their prey into pieces and feed upon their corpses.

  Chapter 26

  Jessica stood there staring at these creatures with fear going through her body. She thought to herself why she wasn’t moving or doing anything, she wanted to, but couldn’t find the will to move or scream. The creatures slowly moved towards them wearing various different shirts that were torn, and showed scratches on their bodies and bite marks.

  “These people were turned...turned into vampires,” Jessica said to Oracle as she tried to move her body. She started to move back slowly tugging at Oracle to come along with her, but he just stood there frozen.

  The vampires who were moving towards them were getting closer and closer and Jessica didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t summon her familiar, fear had struck her body and she was filled with fear. “Oh god...help someone, please help us!” Jessica said out loud pleading to the skies and the unknown in her desperation. She was scared and fearing that she would die a
ny second, and didn’t want to leave her hopes, dreams and love behind.

  “You piece of shits,” A loud voice said from behind Jessica and Oracle as rays of lights shot out and pierced holes through a few of the vampires slowing them down.

  Jessica turned slowly and saw to her surprise three people she was so glad to see. “Guys, you came for us, you heard me,” Jessica said out loud as she didn’t believe her eyes.

  “You’re damn right we heard you,” Nick said to Jessica as he held both of his guns at both of his sides with Amaterasu by his side. “you think we would let our friends become food for this scum?” Nick said out loud as he went past Jessica and Oracle walking towards the creatures shooting at the vampires as Amaterasu flew into the horde of hell spawns and attacked their limbs.

  “Were glad you guys are ok, really let’s get you back to the main building quick,” Abigail said to Jessica as she looked at Nick making sure he was okay.

  “Hey Oracle, everything ok?” Abigail said to Oracle snapping her fingers in front of him.

  “uh, yea I’m ok sorry. Let's just get out of here quick, dunno what happened,” Oracle said out loud trying to wipe the rain away from his glasses.

  Azabel grabbed Oracle and put him over his shoulders and marched towards the main building. “don’t worry friend, were going to get you out of her quick,” Azabel said to Oracle as he was trying to walk fast.

  “What about Nick we gotta wait for him,” Jessica said to Abigail looking back at Nick shooting at the vampires while dodging their attacks. She could see him and his familiar Amaterasu working together as one, and just fighting back the vampires. Lucky for them the horde seemed mindless and was very slow.

  Abigail grabbed Jessica's arm and looked her straight in the eyes. “Get moving now, Nick is buying us time to go get Lucuris and Joey, now go,” Abigail said to Jessica as she was getting more impatient. She didn’t want to be mean to her friends but her boyfriend, the man she loved and care for was risking himself and giving them a chance to get away before things got worse.

  “You bastards think you can stop us, try again,” Nick said out loud as if talking to the world as he was jumping over vampires landing behind them and pouring bullets into their bodies. He didn't know how to kill these beings but was just trying to slow as many down as he could. Amaterasu was also doing her best and just kept on biting at the beings and soaring them into the air away from the rest of the group. “Thanks for having my back girl,” Nick said to Amaterasu with a smile on his face. He knew his familiar had his back, and was part of his family, having her and his friends beside him always gave him confidence.

  “thank you, Nick,” Abigail said with a small whisper and turned around and started heading towards the main building with the rest of her friends. She saw the horde of vampires and it seemed like an endless pit of despair, she wanted to fight by his side with her familiar Zee, but some battles must be fought, and some to save for another day, she thought to herself, as she wiped rain drops from her face.

  Jessica and the rest of the group eventually made it back to the main building, she could still hear gunshots coming from behind her and felt a bit relieved that Nick was still alive, but couldn’t shake the worry about leaving him behind. “Ok we got to get to Luc quick guys, so let's go to the library where they are at,” Abigail said out loud as she tried to dry herself off the best she could before moving forward.

  “Wait, what about Nick we can’t leave him out there,” Oracle said to Jessica as he grabbed her arm and tried to plead with her. He didn’t want to leave his friend behind and thought it was his fault that he got scared, that Nick had to stay behind and fight their battles for him.

  “we have no choice right now Oracle… I know we can all try and fight them off, but right now we need to go get Luc and Joey to come help Nick with us, we do this as a team,” Jessica said to Oracle as she patted his shoulder and moved towards the library making sure to keep an eye out if something was suspicious.

  “You know this is kind of confusing,” Azabel said to Abigail looking at the empty hallway that was once a place where new college students registered for classes.

  “What is so confusing about it? Matius is trying to get at us, sending his minions to do his dirty work,” Abigail said to Azabel as she was trying to drain water out of her hair. She didn’t understand what Azabel was getting at, but she saw he looked a bit puzzled.

  “Like why your brother didn’t come when he heard the screams, he could have joined Nick and us in fighting those vampires,” Azabel said to Jessica as he scratched his head.

  At that moment Abigail just stopped and started to wonder why. She didn't think about it until now, but she was curious as to how they could not hear Jessica scream. Abigail snapped back into reality and started to charge towards the library bumping into Oracle and Azabel as she passed them by. “Shit gotta get to Luc quick,” Abigail said out loud as she passed all her friends.

  “Hey, Abigail, what’s going on,” Jessica said to Abigail as she started to sprint after her, feeling scared as to what was happening.

  “There’s no time to explain something is just off,” Abigail said out loud looking behind her and seeing Jessica catching up to her quick.

  As Abigail turned her head back, she saw before her dark purple eyes, and shambling beings coming out of the library, and in front of them was someone that looked familiar to Abigail. “Diana?” Abigail said with horror running thru her voice. “What the hell did you do to my brother,” Abigail said to this creature who seemed to be the leader of the vampires that attacked them.

  “Don’t worry he didn’t scream... much,” Diana said to Abigail with a smile as she licked the edges of her teeth, slithering her tongue in and out.

  “Scream? what did you do to Lucuris,” Jessica said to Diana demanding an answer.

  “Shut the fuck up...I saw him first,” Diana said to Jessica as she started to feel her body, from her breast to her lower thighs, massaging herself slowly and softly. “Oh, he was going to fuck me all night long, but you got in the way you good for nothing bitch,” Diana said to Jessica with nothing but evil and emptiness in her eyes.

  “It was you who sent these Vampires for us? why Diana?” Jessica said to Diana squeezing her hands into a fist trying to keep calm and not jump out and attack the monster before her.

  Diana kept touching her body as her minions stood behind her in a group just staring in front of them as mindless shells. “Had to make the boss happy you know. Gave me this awesome power to fuck you up, to bad your boyfriend Lucuris killed her. But it’s ok Matius took me under his wing,” Diana said to Jessica as she let out a laugh smiling at Jessica.

  After Diana finished talking, she snapped her fingers loudly for everyone to hear. Looking straight into Abigail and Jessica's eyes, she dared them to try and stop her. “bring them here boys,” Diana said out loud as the vampires behind started to move around and break apart a bit.

  Four vampires carried two bodies that were scratched up and with clothes almost torn to shreds. It was Lucuris and Joey, who weren’t even transformed into their Black Mage outfits and seemed to be hurt bad, as blood kept dripping from their bodies.

  “You see...I never forget what happens. Unlike other people who can forgive I chose not to, sack of shits,” Diana said to Jessica as she looked down at Lucuris and kicked the side of his head.

  Jessica would not stand for that type of treatment to Lucuris. She leapt in front of everyone else in her group, took out some paper from her pants. She saw it was wet but knew that it was still enough to summon Odin.

  “You have no right to be doing all of this. You don’t own Lucuris. He didn’t love you Diana, he loves me, he loves his friends. And if you dare hurt him anymore, there will be nothing left of you,” Jessica said to Diana as she looked at the Vampire Queen with nothing but hatred in her eyes. But looking down at Lucuris, seeing him hurt, and just helpless made her all that more determined to be there as his rock and his shield.


  Jessica put her hand in front of her mouth and bit down hard close to her thumb. She dug her teeth deep into her hand until the skin broke and she saw blood slowly pour out of it.She then started scribbling onto the piece of paper the best she could, and as fast as she could before Diana sent her minions after her.

  “Go ahead Jess, summon your beast, summon them all,” Diana said to Jessica loudly taunting her. She wanted to fight everyone, she wanted to feast on all their bones for the anger she held deep inside her empty heart.

  Jessica was done with the summon and before she could place the paper on the floor, white sparks started to surround the paper. It started out small but after a few seconds it grew and grew. Odin appeared out of the paper showing his shiny white armor, that also seemed to be flawless. Holding in one hand a sword long and powerful with a dragon insignia that was a part of the cross guard. In Odin’s other hand he wielded a shield strong enough to block any dark attack and large enough to shield him and his master in time of need. “You have summoned me for battle once more Madam,” Odin said to Jessica in a deep voice as he was adjusting his helmet. The helmet itself was a skull of a dragon, and stood as a reminder to Odin and Jessica that even the fiercest of beasts can be slain.