‘What about you, what’s your story?’ Tarquin asked Zacharias, almost reluctantly turning from the fascinating girl. It was clear she wasn’t bragging; her tone was too matter of fact and entirely without embellishment. He knew people who’d had such scares tended to have one of two reactions; either turning timid or suddenly seeking ways to take the offensive.
‘I’m not animus and whilst I do have magic I can’t use it. I’ve some experience with a sword but haven’t learned any real skill with it or anything else. I’m not interested in going into the army, but need to learn how to better defend myself.’
‘Can you help us?’ Megan asked.
‘I’m sure we can,’ Tarquin said slowly, coming to a decision. Taking her on in particular might take some reorganisation. However, it was clear she was a warrior at heart and since she’d found her way to his door, he would not turn away such a catch. He suspected there was more to the young man than he was admitting to, but there would be time later on to discover that. He’d get the wizard teacher Alistair to check him out.
13
Megan was the only woman amongst her six wizard classmates. The teacher too was a man. They had been here a fortnight and had quickly settled into the academy’s routine. She had joined the wizard student class, whilst Zacharias had been put into a class that mainly catered for animus students. So far it was suiting them both quite well. They were both learning many potentially useful things.
Zacharias had requested private quarters, and to her astonishment, they had been given them only a few days after their arrival. The dormitory set aside for the few women students wasn’t overly large. The existing three women had spread out and were not terribly keen to have to shift their stuff over to make room for her. She’d been a little surprised there were any women at all but then realised these were animus women. They had the ability to change form into an animal. Usually animus people changed to the one animal that best mirrored their personality. Only the most talented could change into more than one alternate form and that ability was now rare. She wasn’t surprised each of these women took predatory forms, since they’d chosen a military path. Animus people had a raw deal generally, since they were regarded as untrustworthy by the ungifted. Rogues were hunted down by wizard teams, so it wasn’t surprising that they regarded new wizards with caution. Zacharias had of course asked about the others in her dormitory and had frowned on hearing who they were. Megan suspected he’d used them as the excuse to get her out of there. Whilst Megan as a wizard, would best any animus with magic, an animus was unbelievably fast and strong. Wizards might have magic but it was reliant on being formed into a spell. Animus people were physically far faster and stronger than a wizard all of the time and many wizards had died from a surprise attack.
‘Today we’re going to practice speaking to other wizards, mind to mind, and talk about speaking to non wizards. We can also try linking minds,’ their teacher Wizard Alistair announced. ‘Have you done any of that Megan?’
‘I’ve spoken to non wizards yes, but it’s of limited use when they can’t respond.’
‘Wizard to wizard is obviously a step above that and is a very useful capability,’ Alistair said. ‘The rest of the class has covered this; have you?’
‘Yes, but what’s linking?’ She remembered Schubert mentioning the term but he’d seemed a little hesitant about it and hadn’t explained what it was at the time. She now wondered what his reservations had been.
‘That’s when a wizard makes a mental link to another person. As long as the partner has magic too, it is possible for them to respond. That is linking.’
‘Is it a permanent thing?’
‘It can be a permanent thing yes. Once a link is established, it creates a mental bond between the two.’
‘I’d rather try linking to my fiancée then,’ she admitted.
‘Can you call him from here?’ Alistair asked, watching her closely.
‘Yes, he’s not far away,’ Megan said locating Zacharias’s presence. The teacher nodded and she reached for Zach. ‘Zach love, can you hear me?’ She felt him stop whatever he was doing and had the impression she had his complete attention. ‘The teacher wants to show us something called linking minds. It sounds more of a two way thing than when I speak to you like this. I’d rather try it with you than have one of my classmates in my head. Could you come now?’ She felt the affirmation in his mind, that he would be there instantly if she needed him. ‘He’s on his way.’
‘Very well. In the meantime I want all of you to practice talking to each of your classmates. Talking only, no rummaging in someone else’s mind; it’s rude.’
‘And don’t everyone try to talk to me at the same time,’ Megan added, conscious of an incomprehensible cacophony of sound appearing in her head so that she had to throw up a shield to cut them off. She turned to the nice lad who often came to sit beside her. ‘Have you tried this linking before, Paul?’
‘No, but I thought it was only for lovers. I’m surprised he mentioned it with you the only woman amongst us. I don’t want to be linked with another man.’
‘So I was right to call for Zach,’ she said then became aware her connection to Paul was becoming easier and stronger. Was he doing something? She cut him off quickly. She then obediently had a few words with each of her classmates. She was surprised at how different each man felt; their minds bore an individual stamp as clear as their name. She suspected she would recognise each of them in future, even if they didn’t announce themselves formally.
‘What is that glow you sense?’
‘My Zach,’ she said, turning from her current partner. She went to the window; Zacharias was jogging across the grass below her. ‘I see you,’ she said and waved to him. He looked up, saw her and waved the hand holding his shirt. Her senses followed Zach’s progress as he came in the door below and ran up the stairs to the first floor. Then he was in the room, introducing himself to her teacher. Megan felt the strength of his presence as he came in and noticed a few of her classmates flinch in surprise. He oozed strength and vitality from every pore. Zacharias felt just as powerful as a mature wizard, in fact stronger than Alistair and most of her classmates. Everyone had sat up to take notice.
‘You’re glowing love. Whatever have you been doing?’ Megan asked, immediately dropping a shield over him. Everyone was staring at him with puzzled curiosity. She suddenly wondered if she’d been stupid to bring him into such close proximity to wizards who had the ability to sense how different he was. At least shielded they couldn’t now see his aura quite so clearly. But they would already have sensed him in the time it took for him to come in the door. They had noticed him now and could seek him out later. The damage was done.
‘I was sparring in the arena. They put me against an animus today. Damn they’re fast and strong,’ Zacharias told her, his white teeth gleaming cheerfully. He hadn’t had so much fun in a long time. He pulled his shirt on aware he was rather sweaty and dusty from the arena, rather in contrast to this neat class. He glanced at each of her classmates in turn taking their measure. ‘So, what’s linking?’ he asked.
‘A joining of minds, I believe,’ she told him.
‘I’d be able to talk to you from afar? I heard about that possibility somewhere. That’d be handy. I’d be able to get a word in edgeways,’ he chuckled. ‘I can’t use my magic though, will this work with me?’
‘It works with animus, as long as the wizard partner sets it up,’ Alistair told him. ‘You have astonishing magical strength Zacharias. If you truly wish to link with Megan then it is possible. Just be aware this is potentially for life. It will bring you closer to one another, but when one of you dies it is exceptionally hard on the surviving partner.’
‘I see why she called me,’ Zacharias said evenly, realising the man knew what he was. ‘I want this Meg,’ he said softly, aware of her stricken expression. He wished the man hadn’t told her what would happen to him when she died. As far as he was concerned, he knew he’d be heartb
roken then regardless. He was only interested in the now however, and this sounded not only useful but very intimate. ‘So how do we do it?’
‘Megan must speak to you, connect to your mind. Then the tricky bit is that you must focus on her presence and follow her back to her mind. To do this, both partners must keep their mind open to the other until the connection is made. The more often you connect, the stronger the link will become until you can even discern physical details of your partner. Some can even tell their partner is getting sunburn. Are you ready?’
‘Zach, this is a foolish thing to do,’ she said into his mind aware the rest of the class were avidly listening to their spoken words. ‘I don’t know why Alistair is even suggesting it. It makes no sense. He didn’t ask me to call you. The others probably thought they were going to practice on me. A couple of them certainly said they didn’t want to be linked to another man.’
‘I can’t blame them. So that’s why they seemed so disgruntled to see me arrive. Perhaps Alistair is testing you somehow,’ Zacharias said and couldn’t help grinning at her astonishment that he’d managed to reply to her the same way. There was also respect in the emotions swirling in her mind. It was the first time he’d been able to use his magic for something other than passive healing.
‘You successfully linked then?’ Alistair asked observing the exchanged glances and particularly Zacharias’s grin. It was clear they were continuing to privately converse.
‘I did,’ Zacharias said turning his attention to the teacher. ‘Is there a range on this?’
‘Yes, the farther apart you are from each other the more effort it takes to converse, although the more you do link, the easier it will become. The actual range varies according to your magical strength. It’s something you’ll need to find the limits of yourself.’
‘I thought it’d be something like that,’ Zacharias mused. ‘So is that it, we’re linked?’ Wizard Alistair nodded. ‘Thank you.’ He kissed Megan’s brow before following the teacher back to the door. ‘I must say, this is a strange choice of lesson to give to a class without partners,’ he said quietly so the students couldn’t easily hear. ‘Were you surprised she called for me?’
‘Not at all. It was a way to meet the man the other teachers are mystified by. Why don’t you want anyone to know what you are?’
‘I have enemies that don’t know where I am yet. I’d like to keep it that way as long as possible,’ Zacharias explained. ‘Why is anyone mystified by me? I’ve not done anything odd.’
‘We can all feel that you have a great deal of magical power. It takes a wizard to discern, that like an animus, your magic is structured differently to a wizard’s and channelled for a specific purpose. Most initially thought you must be an animus although you said you were not. Side by side with an animus however, it is obvious you were not one. You have none of the animal mannerisms or traits that mark even a latent one. Your magic shines. Megan immediately shielded you when you came into the room. Were you aware of that?’
‘Yes. I didn’t draw attention to it because she wasn’t. Anyway, thank you for the tuition, but everyone’s getting curious and I won’t hold your class up further. I have a class I’m meant to be in too.’
Wizard Alistair watched the immortal smile at Megan before closing the door behind him. It was clear there was genuine feeling between them and also that she knew what he was. Who was he to interfere? At least now the headmaster could be informed. The teachers had been clamouring for him to meet the charismatic man who seemed wizard but wasn’t and identify him. Immortals were rare and their very existence incited jealousy. It was no surprise he would have enemies and wished his gift to be kept under wraps as long as possible. How old Zacharias was he couldn’t judge, other than to suspect that given such a reservoir of strength, he was either relatively young still or powerfully gifted. Zacharias had bounced into the classroom like a puppy with palpable energy and zest for life. He had made everyone feel drab, tired and inadequate in comparison. Alistair shook his head wryly and brought his mind back to the rest of the lesson.
14
Megan was sitting in class when she felt a powerful wave of anger followed by a jolt of fear.
‘Zach?’
She looked out through his eyes, learning in moments, that he and his animus friend Brendon were under attack by five wizard students. Brendon had transformed and fought bravely until he was spelled immobile. Zach and now Megan too, watched sickened, as one of the lads brutally and vindictively kicked the helplessly pinned dog Brendon had transformed into. Zacharias fought too, but lacking anything offensive like Brendon’s fangs or his opponent’s magic he was seriously disadvantaged, especially since there were five of them. Megan could feel Zach’s pain as he was punched and kicked.
‘What is it Megan?’ Alistair asked having seen her jump to her feet, her eyes distant and her hands curled into fists.
‘Zach’s under attack by five wizard students. They’ve already immobilised Brendon, then kicked and punched his dog when he was down,’ she said furiously. She linked into Zacharias’s mind and rapidly constructed a shield around him. Now the blows bounced off, which gave the attackers pause for a moment, but then they began pelting him with all manner of spells seeking to get through his defences.
‘Zach, you can tell them I’m seriously angry,’ Megan said forgetting to keep her words entirely silent. ‘I’ll give them something to laugh about,’ she added darkly. ‘Aim for that spotty ringleader love. Just do it,’ she ordered. Zacharias might not be able to access his own magic but she found that she could. She let loose a blast of force like a giant boot that kicked the ringleader, making him sail through the air until he hit the solid wall at the end of the corridor. She pinned him, spread-eagled, to the wall near the ceiling. She noticed Brendon’s satisfaction, although the poor man was still trapped. She snapped her attention back to Zacharias hearing a sharp order. The frozen assailants suddenly moved in concert, shoving Zach backwards. They couldn’t get to him inside his shield but they were moving with some purpose. Soon their plan became apparent and must have been what they originally planned to do. It was clear not all of them wanted any part of this but were being compelled in some way.
Zacharias was being pushed backwards along the corridor and towards an open window. There was a substantial drop from that window. They were planning murder!
One by one they yelped as their hands turned a vivid scarlet. One took heed of the warning and ran. A second wavered, but hadn’t acted quickly enough and was bullied into staying.
‘What the hell’s happening?’ Alistair demanded, fully aware of the massive amounts of power flowing from her, her concentration and also desperate expression. ‘Where is he?’
‘There, fourth floor corridor. I’ve shielded him from their spells. Now they’re trying to shove him out the window,’ she wailed. She knew she didn’t have either the time, or strength to spare, to run to him.
‘Let me help,’ Alistair demanded.
‘Free Brendon,’ she asked knowing it would be difficult to let Alistair join her while she was so focussed within Zach and concentrating on warding off attack spells. Through Zach’s eyes she witnessed the moment Brendon was released. His lips curled back from his fangs, but he kept his furious snarl silent.
Brendon had been watching the whole time, and his anger was unabated. He sprang at one of them, biting savagely and taking them all by surprise. But his moment of ambush was over and he simply sought to divide and distract them from their goal of murder. He dodged several spells and then another bounced off him, or mostly anyway. Someone was protecting him! He barked and growled loudly hoping other animus would hear and come to help. The spells coming his way prickled, irritated and some were actually quite painful. It was worrying to know he was not experiencing their full force. He hoped whoever was aiding him wouldn’t suddenly withdraw their protection now he was relying on it.
‘Do you really think you’re going to get away with murdering me?’ Zacharias a
sked his attackers. ‘My lady knows who you all are. You’ve been marked so everyone will know. Wizard Alistair knows too,’ he added, fully aware how close he was to the window and a very long fall.
‘We aren’t murderers. We’re just conducting an experiment to see if you really are immortal.’
‘A fall from this height would kill anyone. I’m no exception to that. Immortals might live longer than most but not forever. We die from injury like everyone else.’ He could feel the window frame behind him now, offering a little temporary resistance and reprieve. Brendon had fought very bravely and another animus dog was now backing him. Unfortunately the wizards had shielded themselves so were immune to anything the animus might do. ‘I love you Meg,’ he whispered into her mind. He could tell she was weakening and desperate.
‘Don’t you do that,’ she screamed. ‘Don’t you say your goodbyes.’ She screamed again, but this time it was because she both felt and saw the sudden shove that pushed him out the window. From her classroom window she watched her love fall. She blinked, wondering if her eyes had played tricks on her again. Had his descent slowed near the bottom? She didn’t know; she just ran down the stairs and across the grass to him.
‘Out of my way,’ she cried and the people surrounding Zacharias parted. She gasped; her love lay in a spreading pool of blood, his limbs out at unnatural angles. But she could still feel the spark of life. She fell to his side and put a hand on his head soothing as much of his pain away as she could. His eyelids flickered and the faintest of smiles touched his lips, then he fell unconscious.
‘Leave him be. He’s past helping,’ Alistair said trying to pull her away.
‘No he’s not. While he still lives there is hope. Did you slow his fall?’
‘No, I was watching over that one,’ Alistair said, glancing at a naked man close by who was no longer in his dog form.
Surviving Prophesy: The Immortals Page 19