Black Dawn

by Andrew Dobell

  Amanda smiled, he was right, and she hoped she found out sooner rather than later.

  In time she circulated back through the party and exchanged more pleasantries with her guests. They had hired the entire one hundred and second floor of the building, and the space they were able to use ran around the entire building, meaning that the guests had spread around the floor in groups as people moved around to look at the view from different angles.

  Amanda was walking around the floor once more when a side door opened and she saw Trevelyan stood just inside the Porting room, he stepped out and smiled at Amanda.

  ‘Good evening, thank you for the invite, although sorry for turning up late.’ he said. ‘I wanted to get here earlier but Council Business rarely fits around my social calendar.’

  ‘No bother, thanks for coming.’

  ‘My pleasure. I wanted to come to firstly say thank you for your efforts in Los Angeles. I know it didn’t go exactly to plan, but I think you did well, all things considered,’ he said.

  Amanda flushed slightly at the compliment, but also felt a sadness and regret at the loss of life on that mission. ‘It could have gone better,’ she said.

  ‘Maybe. But you handled Nefertiti well and got the result you needed. The cost might have been higher than you anticipated, but to do nothing would have cost us more. So thank you.’

  Amanda smiled and nodded, wanting to only accept the complement and move on.

  ‘So I also have need of you for a short time if that’s okay? Do you have a few moments?’ Trevelyan asked.

  ‘Sure, what can I do for you?’ she said. She’d already circulated through all the guests she’d wanted to speak with and had started to relax a little more and not feel quite like she was on parade so much. So she saw no issues in taking some time away from the party, at least for a short time.

  ‘I’d like to show you something, and speak somewhere a little more private, and protected, if that’s alright with you? He asked.

  ‘By all means, where did you have in mind?’

  ‘Have you ever been to the Council Coven House before?’

  ‘No, I’ve not yet had the pleasure,’ she said. She quickly linked with Maria, Yoh and Liz and sent them a quick message about what she was doing before she focussed on the here and now once more. ‘Lead the way,’ she said.

  ‘Follow me then,’ he said, indicating the Porting room they had set up for this event. ‘I opened one of our Portals in here,’ he said as they walked into the room. There wasn’t anything visible to the naked eye that any Mortal could see, but to Amanda’s Magical senses, some powerful Flux Magic burnt away in the corner, waiting for a Magus to step into it and call it to action.

  ‘Walk with me,’ Trevelyan said, and Amanda moved into step with the Master Magus and felt his Magic reach out and connect with the Portal’s Essentia. As they touched, the Portal flared into life and opened like a flower, its magical protections pulling away to allow passage through the Portal.

  Stepping into the Magic, Amanda felt it surge over her like a wave, refreshing and exhilarating as the Magical energy surged within her. Anyone watching would have just seen the two figures disappear with a shimmer in the air, like ripples on the surface of water that’s just had a stone dropped into it.

  With a brief flash of Magical energy, Amanda found herself stood within a good sized room, behind them a circle of Magical energy held the image of the Porting room in the World Trade Center, while ahead of them lay a simple door.

  The room seemed to be made of stone with no windows and no other furniture, just the Portal and the door opposite.

  With her Magical senses working, though, Amanda could tell this wasn’t stone at all, this room appeared to be made from Magical energy and Mana, the solidified form of Essentia that only really appeared in the Material Realm at Poolings, where Lay Lines crossed. Also, her usual natural sense of place and direction that meant she never really got lost suddenly left her entirely and she had no idea where she was.

  ‘Where are we?’ Amanda asked.

  Trevelyan smiled, ‘Don’t worry. This is part of the security and defences that the Council has in place to protect the Council Coven House from infiltration by Nomads and such. We’re in a Null Realm.’

  ‘Null Realm? I’ve heard of them before, remind me what they are exactly,’ Amanda said.

  ‘The Material world and the Spirit World, are separated by a barrier we call Acheron that cannot be crossed and keeps the Archons in the Abyss. Although Acheron cannot be crossed, it can serve as a realm unto itself for those powerful enough to be able to carve out space within it. These Magical spaces are called Null Realms. They’re not tied to any geographical place on Earth and can be accessed from anywhere. The Null Realm is expressly controlled by the creator of the Realm and those he links to it. Rather than using it as a realm itself, which some do, in this instance, the Council use it as a security barrier. It’s the only way to get to the Council’s Coven house. In a moment we’ll be asked to drop our Aegises to allow the Magi security team to check on us and before they open that door and let us through,’ he said.

  And sure enough, a voice sounded in the room suddenly and asked them to remove their Aegises. Amanda obliged and felt Magic passing over her, identifying her. Moments later the security seemed satisfied and she heard the click of the lock on the door ahead of her.

  ‘I guess they’re happy?’ she said.

  ‘Apparently so,’ Trevelyan smiled. He walked forward and opened the door and stepped aside to let her walk through. She thanked him and walked into a large vaulted room. The whole place looked like something that had been built in the middle ages, like some kind of castle made from huge chunks of stone. The room they were in looked circular and very large, maybe over fifty meters across, with a very high domed ceiling. Before them, in the center of the floor, a fountain burbled away with a walled pond surrounding the urn like structure in the middle of it that the water cascaded down the sides of.

  Beyond the fountain, two sets of curved stairs led up to archways leading deeper into the building, while further arches on this level revealed corridors that snaked off into the depths of the building.

  Behind her, Trevelyan stepped through the door from the Null Realm and shut it behind him. It appeared to be one of several doors, all of the same type, although a few of them were bigger double doors.

  ‘Welcome to Ultima Thule, the Council’s Coven House,’ Trevelyan said, ‘follow me.’

  Trevelyan walked to Amanda’s left, over the beautiful mosaic floor and headed towards one of the corridors, Amanda quickly caught him up and fell into step beside him.

  ‘This is amazing, where are we, where is this building based? It’s huge,’ Amanda said.

  ‘It is, and the answer to your question will become very clear in just a moment. I don’t want to ruin the surprise, and it’s easier if I just show you,’ he said.

  ‘Oh okay,’ she said, and followed along beside him, getting the feeling that he wanted to talk once they had reached their destination. The corridor they entered had a much lower ceiling than the room they had been in, but that ceiling must still have been nearly ten meters high with its gothic arches. Sconces burned on the walls at regular intervals, giving off plenty of soft light to see by. Rugs dotted the floor here and there while paintings were hung on the walls. Some were portraits, others depicted scenes from history that Amanda didn’t recognise.

  The corridor had been bending gently to the right, and before long Trevelyan walked up to a door on the left and stopped before it, his hands on the ring of steel that hung from the huge oak door and served as a handle.

  ‘Shall we?’ he said?

  ‘Please, she nodded,’ and watched as Trevelyan opened the bolt on the door and pushed the double doors wide open.

  The room was another large one and seemed to be a kind of balcony. Huge gothic arches that acted as windows, without any glass in them, encircled the crescent-shaped floor and gave a stunning view of the
vista beyond.

  If Liz had been amazed by the view from the top of the World Trade Center, she would be stunned to silence by this view.

  The castle sat within a cold white landscape of ice and snow, of a kind that Amanda had never seen before. Huge chunks of ice jutted into the sky while deep ravines stretched off into the distance creating an utterly wild and alien landscape, making it seem like the castle, which she could see reaching for the stars behind her, stretching up for hundreds of meters with its gothic spires and flying buttresses, had erupted from the ice.

  But the true wonder of the view lay before her, hanging in the night sky, surrounded by a star field so bright that she could clearly make out the misty Milky Way.

  Saturn, the ringed planet, hung in the sky, huge and imposing, but beautiful and awe-inspiring at the same time.

  She had no idea how long she stood there staring at it, but if felt like forever. It was only when her tongue started to feel a bit dry because she had her mouth open in shock for so long did she shake her head and come around a bit. She looked back at Trevelyan, who had been looking at the view as well. But he smiled at her upon seeing her expression. Did she look that shocked?

  ‘Is that…?’ Amanda asked.

  ‘Yes, that’s Saturn, we’re on one of its moons. Enceladus to be precise.’

  Amanda tried to voice something, anything. Her mouth moved but nothing came out. She just couldn’t vocalise the thoughts she had in her head. She felt in utter shock and the idea that they were this far from Earth seemed utterly insane to her.

  ‘It’s ok, it’s a lot to take in. Come, there're a few seats over here, let’s just sit for a moment shall we?’

  Amanda just nodded and followed Trevelyan to the benches that sat close to the edge of the balcony and sat herself down.

  For maybe five or ten minutes she just sat there and marvelled at the view and slowly came to terms with where she was and what she could see.

  ‘So, how long has this been here?’ she asked.

  ‘The council have maintained a base of operations that has always been called Ultima Thule ever since the formation of the Council, but it’s been located in a few different places until we built this place over a thousand years ago.’

  ‘I had no idea that we could leave earth, you know?’

  ‘It takes a powerful Magus to Port that far, but it is possible to do, as well as to travel in space. A few adventurous Magi have been doing it for centuries, building Magical ships that can sail the spaceways, exploring the far reaches of our solar system and beyond. And we’re far from the only Magi to have a base like this out in the solar system. It’s not common, but it’s not as rare as you’d think.’

  Amanda turned to look at Trevelyan. ‘Why are you showing me this?’

  Trevelyan smiled briefly. ‘How did things pan out in L.A. Amanda?’

  His reply of a question to her question threw her for a moment, but she figured he would be going somewhere with this. ‘It went well. We found the Nomads who were targeting the Covens there, the group was led by a man called Shaitan, and we were confronted by a Magus called Nefertiti who seemed to want to protect him. She killed his Coven mates and promised that it wouldn’t happen again. I’m guessing she took Shaitan with her.’

  ‘You know, I met with Toni, Tabitha and Melissa recently, before they went to L.A. with you. Their Coven mate, Jonas, was a part of the Council, but he died that night of the attack on their House. Melissa died on the mission with you didn’t she?’

  ‘She did. Toni and Tabitha aren’t here… I mean, at the party tonight. It’s a bit soon for them I think.’

  ‘Of course, but you took on that Nomad and you avenged their deaths, that’s impressive. I applaud you for taking on such a powerful Nomad, but you should be careful especially where Shaitan is concerned. The rumour is that he can pass into the Abyss at will.’

  ‘It’s not a rumour, it’s true, I’ve bleedin’ seen it,’ she said.

  ‘Then maybe you can understand why I urge caution with dealing with him.’

  ‘Of course, without a spiritual component to an Aegis, he can ignore it and appear right inside of it. That’s dangerous.’

  ‘It is. You should also know that the story is that he has set this knowledge down in a book known as the Libre Nox Noctis that he wrote. We have no idea where this book is, we’re hunting for it right now, but the power contained within its pages could be dangerous in the wrong hands.’

  ‘Understood,’ she said.

  Trevelyan looked at her then and seemed to be contemplating something. He then looked away from her and stood up, walking to the balcony.

  Amanda looked out at the view of Saturn once more, it had already moved its position as the moon they were on went about its orbit. She shifted her senses into the Magical spectrum and observed the huge Magical energies at work here and could see or feel the artificial gravity and air that the magic produced as well as a huge glamour effect that hid the structure from the sight of any space probes camera that might be pointed right at it. There were many other effects at work here, all hugely powerful and all of them protecting the structure and its inhabitants from the harsh environment outside.

  Trevelyan turned to her then. ‘Come with me Amanda, I think you should see something.’

  She stood up, balancing on her stilettos and followed Trevelyan out of the room and back into the corridor, he waited for her and spoke once she had caught up.

  ‘We should Port there, are you ready?’

  ‘Of course,’ she said, and didn’t resist his Magic as the view of the huge vaulted corridor changed to a much smaller one as they Ported. About three meters wide with a carpet, tables with ornaments on them and a few visible doors further along, this corridor felt much homier. They stood outside a door, which Trevelyan walked towards and opened, creaking as it moved on its hinges.

  He walked inside and Amanda followed him into a fairly large room, maybe fifteen meters across and less deep, with a much more normal height ceiling that had a few electrical lights hanging from it, giving off a dim illumination. The room had been carpeted and contained a number of cabinets and shelves, all of which looked like they belonged in a stately home.

  Dotted about the room were a number of glass-topped cases or podiums which contained books, or scrolls or other written works. Trevelyan walked over to one and looked down at it.

  Amanda had paused inside the door. It was very quiet in here and she felt the weight of history in this room. The books on the shelves and the delicate manuscripts within the cases all looked to be hundreds of years old. What was he going to show her?

  ‘Wow, what are all these?’ she asked.

  ‘Valuable documents of all kinds gathered down through the centuries and preserved by us.’

  She walked over to the nearest one and looked inside. The document inside looked old and the writing, although in English, would take some deciphering. A modern printed document beside it translated the original text and offered commentary. This scroll formalised the naming of the Magi by the Magi Senate about two thousand yards ago. When the senate had been formed, and Magi from all over the globe joined, there came a need for a single word to refer to them, as every culture used their own term. So a bastardised version of the word “Magi” was chosen. Spelt the same, but pronounced “Mah-Guy” rather than “Mei-Jai”, this had been based on the hard G of the Greek word “goés”, pronounced “Go-Ace”, meaning Sorcerer or Conjuror, and also the hard G of the singular version of Magi, Magus.

  And so, the Magi had been born. Amanda had never known this before and had read the translation with interest.

  ‘Come, look at this one,’ Trevelyan said.

  She walked over and stood next to him and looked down at the old looking scroll within the glass case. There looked to be a passage written on it, she couldn’t quite make it out and it seemed to be written in a language she didn’t quite understand, but the translation lay next to it, written plainly in modern English.
>
  THE PROPHECY OF HELENE

  Many years from now a time will come when the Archons will return.

  Guided by the Red Witch they will return to Earth.

  You will know these times by the mark of the creator.

  Placed upon the body of one of your own.

  Mark her soul, with colours of life and Death.

  See the body marked by the power of the creator.

  Mark her passing into the Abyss

  See the Weavers whose company she keeps.

  She will be your guide in the dark times ahead.

  Be ready to fight, for the time will soon be upon you.

  All that I have prophesied will come to pass.

  When Ishtar gives birth.

  She finished reading it and looked up at Trevelyan. ‘What’s this?’ she asked.

  ‘It’s a prophecy, originally given by a woman called Helene in AD 42 to the Magi Senate, the organisation of Arcadian Magi that preceded the Magi Council. It talks about the return of the Archons, and of someone, a Magi, who might be a guide in these dark times. Amanda, your adventures and missions against the Nomads, they’re getting noticed. Your name is starting to become known. I predict you will become quite a well-known Magus. It’s my belief that this prophecy is talking about you, that you will be our guide through the dark times.’

  Amanda took a moment and looked up at Trevelyan, wondering if she had heard him right and if he was just having a joke at her expense. But he stood there and looked at her with a very serious expression. ‘Me? Feck off. You’re having me on,’ she said, incredulous.

  ‘I assure you, I’m quite serious.’

  ‘Really? Are ye sure?’

  ‘Quite sure.’

  ‘So… I’m some kind of, chosen one? Like Neo, or Anakin, or Harry Potter? And I’m what? Meant to save the world?’

  ‘I have no idea who these people are. Some popular culture reference I presume?’

  ‘Well, yeah.’

  ‘Then you have me at a disadvantage, but to answer your question, honestly we have no idea, it doesn’t say what you will do.’