‘You have an office?’ Amanda asked.
‘I’ve taken on more responsibility within the school and this happened to be one of the perks.’
‘Very nice,’ Amanda said as she admired the room with its wooden book shelves and desk. Everything felt warm and comfortable in here, a perfect place to work.
‘Thank you. Take a seat,’ Alicia offered.
Amanda sat in one of the chairs that faced the desk with Alicia sitting on the opposite side.
‘How can I help you?’ Amanda asked.
Alicia took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down almost before she’d even started to speak about it.
‘You remember that group of kids I showed you last time, the ones who were into the occult?’
Amanda remembered, and almost immediately relaxed. Alicia had discussed this with Amanda last time, and Amanda found nothing really magical at all. Alicia meant well, she didn’t mean to pre-judge, Amanda felt sure of that. But her personal beliefs, in Amanda’s view, were colouring her opinions on this matter.
These four kids were what Amanda thought of as Goth’s. They wore black clothing, they often painted their faces white and wore black eye liner, that kind of thing. She also knew from her visit last time that although there had been an interest in some occult stuff from a couple of them, it all looked totally harmless to Amanda. Even with Magic being real and with some real horrors in the shadows, Amanda didn’t really worry about these kids, and had tried to get Alicia not to worry either. Even if you were interested in the occult, the chances of you discovering it were almost at zero. For a mortal to discover the Magi and Scions, there had to be a single minded drive to look for it, and to look in the right places. A few kids playing on a Ouija Board would never find anything.
‘I checked last time I came, they’re just kids and they certainly aren’t worshipping the devil or anything.’
‘I know you did. But they seem much more into it this time. They’re much more secretive about it and just looking at the note books they have with all the symbols and runes in them. I’m worried Amanda. I wanted to ask you because you took me seriously last time, you helped me, and I can talk freely with you. I’m worried the Sisterhood might not be so… understanding.’
Amanda nodded, she understood. Alicia really did look worried, and she didn’t want to mock her by dismissing her thoughts as silly. ‘Okay, sure. I’ll have a look. Leave it with me. Where are they?’ Amanda asked.
Alicia checked the time. ‘They should be in the common room in the 6th form block.’
‘Okay, leave it with me. I’ll watch them, and see what I can find out.’
‘I can give you access to their rooms again,’ Alicia said, and passed over a key ring with four keys on it. ‘Same rooms as last time.’
‘I remember,’ Amanda said.
‘You’re sure you don’t need me?’ Alicia asked.
‘I’ll be less conspicuous alone, trust me,’ she said.
Moments later Amanda approached the sixth form block, a small building that contained a Common room where the pupils hung out and socialised with their friends between lessons.
The majority of the school sat in relative silence now, the school day had finished about an hour ago and most of the kids had either left for home, or were back in their dorm areas. There were always some after school activities and lessons though, from what she remembered, and the people in the sixth form often hung out in the common room for a while after main end to the day.
As she approached the building she let her vision expand, allowing the golden mist of Essentia swim into view. At first glance, everything here seemed in order, no unusual magical signatures. So she found a place to stand, out of the way where she would be unlikely to be disturbed and sent a second set of senses inside the common room, where, just as Alicia had predicted, the four kids, although maybe young adults might be a better term, sat in the corner away from the other pupils in the room.
She remembered their names from last time. Scott sat in a chair, his feet up on a nearby table. Tomo sat on the table next to Scott’s feet while Christina perched on the arm of Scott’s chair. Next to them, Jake sat backwards on his chair, his feet either side of the seat and his arms across the back rest. They talked easily and quietly, keeping to themselves, discussing TV shows, their fellow students and other not really very interesting things.
As Amanda watched though, she noticed that the Essentia around Christina had a very slight twist or eddy in it from time to time as she moved. Looking closer, she could see that she must have been in touch with something Magical recently, something that had marked her.
Intrigued, Amanda used her Magic once more and sent her senses plunging into Christina’s mind, and started to sift through her memories. It didn’t take long until she saw the image of a book in her mind’s eye. A book she had recently found that had really captured her interest. Looking at a memory like this, Amanda had no idea if the item might be Magical in nature, but she did find a couple of memories that showed Christina reading from the book and a few strange things happening. Such as lights flickering, a pen levitating off the floor, and seeing a few strange things that just as quickly disappeared.
Magic, Amanda felt sure of it.
Then, As Amanda watched, the four of them discussed meeting up tonight to take a look at the book.
She left her second set of senses in the Common room, watching and listening to the students and walked back to Alicia’s office.
Alicia waited inside and greeted Amanda warmly.
‘So, anything? Anything at all?’
‘They’re fine Alicia. Nothing to worry about,’ Amanda lied. She had no intentions of letting her friend become involved in the machinations of the Supernatural world. She would be chewed up and spat out in mere moments.
Amanda would deal with this and remove the book from them by herself, so that her assertion that they were fine would be true, eventually.
‘Are you sure?’
‘I am, I searched their rooms and there really is nothing to worry about. But, to be really sure, I’m going to follow them about for the rest of the evening.’
‘It’s just, I know what I saw. I know what they wrote in their note books.’
‘Trust me Alicia, they’re fine, there really is nothing to worry about.
Alicia took a breath, and tried to relax again.
‘OK Amanda. I… I trust you. I do,’ she said.
‘Good, I’ll catch up with you tomorrow. Try to get some rest and stop worrying.’
‘That’s easier said than done,’ Alicia countered.
Amanda rolled her eyes but smiled, and walked out the office as Alicia started to clear her things from her desk.
She knew she had done the right thing. Dealing with the supernatural wasn’t exactly the safest way to live your life as a Mortal. Even though this little trip had distracted Amanda from her problems at home, she knew she needed to do this, and a break from the craziness of New York might be just what the doctor ordered.
She felt sure she could handle this anyway. She smiled to herself, realising she felt quite confident looking into this all by herself. She wouldn’t be calling for help, she’d be flying solo on this one. The boys, Xain and Orion, back in Paris, would be proud of her.
She still had her second set of senses on the four kids, and it looked like they were still quite comfortable in the Common Room, so Amanda focused on her view of them and tried to see that strange swirl of energy coming off of Christina again.
Amanda wasn’t multitasking, she hadn’t split her mind for this, she just placed a set of senses, vision and hearing, close to the kids and, much in the same way that in a crowded room you could focus in on one conversation to the exclusion of the rest, she could focus in on either set of senses – her own in her body or the magical ones – and push the other set into the background.
If she closed her eyes, her magical senses filled her vision, or, she could take the input from this magical
set of senses and, much like on a computer, have a window open in her field of vision which she could look at when she needed too.
The school corridors were empty, and the chances of her running onto anyone were slim, so she just focused in on her magical senses and just walked on autopilot through the school, slowly and surely. There wasn’t any rush after all.
A few corridors away from Alicia’s office, but still a distance from the Sixth Form common room, Amanda rounded a corner and walked straight into someone coming the other way.
They bumped into each other with some force, so that it took Amanda a couple of backward steps to regain her balance. She banished her magical senses to a tiny window in the corner of her vision and looked about her.
Paper spilled everywhere, files were all over the floor, and the man who had been carrying them hopped over them to Amanda’s side to help her.
‘Whoa there young one, I’ve got you, are you ok-so?’ the man asked.
Amanda caught her balance easily, even in her stiletto heels, and didn’t really need the teachers help, but she let him think he helped her.
‘Mr Croft?’ Amanda said, looking up.
‘Amanda. How lovely to see you again, it’s been a while,’ he said.
‘Nearly two years I think, and you’re still here,’ she said.
‘I am, for my sins,’ he smiled.
‘Sorry to bump into you like that.’
‘Away with the fairies so ya were,’ he offered.
‘Yeah…’ Amanda admitted.
‘That’s ok. It’s lovely to see you back here again, can I help you with anything?’
‘No, no I’m good. I’m helping Alicia with something.’
‘Is she worrying after her students again?’
‘Something like that,’ Amanda answered.
‘I do keep telling her that she needs to back off a bit, let those kids find their own way. They’re all perfectly alright.’
‘I know, I’ve told her that as well. She does seem to worry though.’
‘And she always will,’ he answered as he crouched down to gather up his things.
Suddenly remembering what she’d done, she immediately got down on her hands and knees and helped him pick up his stuff, feeling embarrassed once again.
‘Here you go,’ she offered as she handed him the last of the documents that she had picked up.
‘Now, the least you can do is come and have a quick drink with me Amanda, I’d love to hear a bit more about your travels, about New York. You disappeared so quickly last time you were here.’
Amanda looked up at her former teacher and felt taken aback by the offer. Had he just asked her out on a date?
‘What? To the Pub?’ she asked.
‘No, not the pub. Just come to the Staff Room. Some of your other teachers might be there and I’m sure they’d be interested in catching up.’
Amanda relaxed, he hadn’t asked her out as she had feared for a moment, he just wanted to catch up. She glanced at the little window in her vision showing the kids in the common room. Everything seemed ok, and she could excuse herself any time she wanted.
‘Oh!’ Mr Croft said suddenly, ‘you thought I’d asked you out on a date.’
‘Well…’ Amanda said.
‘I’m flattered, but no,’ he smiled.
‘Sorry,’ Amanda said, feeling a little stupid. She walked with him the short distance to the staff room, helping him carry his stuff and followed him inside. Only a couple of teachers were in here now, it being the end of the day, and she actually only recognised one of them, but not from her days as a student here.
William, the teaching assistant who had greeted her and shown her around the school when she had arrived on her last visit pottered about at the back of the room. He looked up when they entered the room and she noticed his expression go from confusion to recognition over the space of a few seconds.
Amanda placed the files she carried for Mr Croft down where he indicated and stood back.
‘Wait there a moment,’ he said as he stepped up to the nearby cupboards and pulled out a few mugs.
William skittered over, a large smile on his face.
‘Hi, err… wait, I know this…’ he said, as she looked on. She couldn’t help but smile at his attempt to impress her by remembering her name.
‘It’s Amanda.’ Mr Croft said, no doubt rolling his eyes while he stood with his back to them, preparing their drinks.
‘I knew that,’ grumbled William. ‘It’s lovely to see you again.’
‘And you,’ Amanda obliged. ‘How’s the training going?’ she asked. He’d been here on placement, learning the job last time she had visited.
‘I passed,’ he said.
‘Will here is a fully qualified teacher now Miss Page,’ Mr Croft said, ‘it seems that they let any young fool through these days.’
‘And they don’t kick out the old farts either,’ Will countered.
Amanda laughed.
‘It’s great to see you again Will. Congratulations are in order I think,’ she said.
‘You’re damn right young one,’ Mr Croft said as he turned round and offered Will and Amanda a Mug each. She could smell the distinct whiff of Alcohol quite clearly before she even got hold of it. She took a proper sniff and recoiled from the burning smell that filled her nose.
‘Are you trying to get me drunk sir!’ she said in mock horror.
‘And if I were,’ he said with a wry smile.
‘Tally-ho I say old chap,’ Amanda said and took a sip of the amber liquid in the bottom of the mug.
The guys smiled and sipped their own Whisky. Mr Croft clearly enjoying his, while Will struggled to get any of his down his throat.
Amanda enjoyed the taste, even if it did burn her throat a touch.
Mr Croft led them over to the sofas and they all sat down, Mr Croft ensuring that Will ended up sat next to her. She found his feeble attempts at matchmaking amusing, and went with it.
Will still seemed to like her and she’d already caught him looking at her a few times. It made her smile and took her mind off things, it felt nice to be appreciated.
Mr Croft started to ask her questions about her travels and she enjoyed telling them about some of the places she had visited, leaving out all the Magic and monsters she had encountered along the way while she enjoyed the drink that Mr Croft kept topping up.
Amanda soon found herself deep in conversation with Mr Croft and Will as the Whisky made her relax a bit. She ended up sat pressed up next to Will, teasing him with the odd playful touch on the leg or arm. She enjoyed listening to his thoughts occasionally as well, as he got slightly flustered over her latest tap of his knee. She found it cute and endearing, even if she had no intention of taking it any further.
She enjoyed their company so much and talking at length about her travels felt so great that when she suddenly remembered to check on the kids, she realised they were gone from the common room.
Realising her mistake, she quickly made her excuses and left Will and Mr Croft in the staff room claiming that time had got away from her and she had somewhere to be.
Once outside, she checked to make sure no one would see her, and Ported upstairs, appearing outside Christina’s room. She placed her senses inside the room and could quickly see that no one looked to be in. So she Ported inside the room and took a quick look around. Using her magic, she looked for links, items that had a strong emotional investment in them from Christina, and after a few moments, found a necklace that would work perfectly. She could see the feint aura about it that indicated that Christina clearly invested heavily in this item.
Amanda picked it up from its stand on her dressing table and held it in her hand, concentrating.
She focused on Christina, and used her Magic to reach out to her, to find her, and as she worked the Magic, she soon found the direction and distance, and over the next few seconds, she started to get an idea in her mind of where she might be. So she concentrated and placed her se
nses in that area and quickly scanned around.
It turned out that she’d sent her Magical senses to Donegal, and they seemed focused on a gap between some buildings in the town where she could see some commercial units on the other side. They looked somewhat overgrown and disused, which to Amanda’s mind made them a perfect place for kids to get up to mischief.
The area seemed clear so Amanda Ported from the room after returning the necklace to the stand and appeared between the two buildings just off a passing road.
In the twilight, the area beyond the road towards the disused buildings took on an ominous and creepy vibe, but Amanda could see better than usual with her enhanced senses and could see the golden mist of Essentia as well by using her Magic.
She walked forward along the track of hard packed earth and stone, but as she moved away from the road, it became steadily more overgrown with weeds, nettles and thorn bushes. Several paths through the foliage led off to the various buildings, but she could already see that the Essentia around one of them seemed to be acting strangely, moving about in ways that only Magic would cause.
She picked her way through the bushes and sent her senses ahead of her, but this time she used her Multitasking to split her mind, allowing her to concentrate on 2 things at once.
She felt she had been progressing well recently and splitting her mind once seemed fairly straight forward now, and she wondered if she could now split her mind into three or four parts.
Now wasn’t a good time to be messing about though, so she stuck with the two and sent her senses into the building.
The Magic wouldn’t work though, as she tried to scry into the building her Magic hit an Aegis of some kind that seemed to prevent anyone looking too close or maybe Porting in.
Feeling frustrated she moved forward more quickly and after a few minutes found herself beside the building. She could see a fairly clear path around the sides, but had no idea which way to go. Both looked well used.
Using her Magic once more she augmented her sight and suddenly she could see heat, in much the same way as a thermal camera. But it didn’t help as much as she would have liked as both paths had residual heat signatures, which she found confusing.
Magi Saga 2: Shadows of Darkness Page 18