The Mage’s War (Crescent Moon Academy Book 1)

by CY Jones

  Calling Razz to me, he slowly slithers over before materializing on my skin. It may be cool to watch him swallow a person whole, but the downside to him having such a big meal is having him out of commission for the next forty-eight hours so he can digest and will have to remain in his hibernation state on my skin. I won’t be able to use him in a fight until then, but that shouldn’t be a problem. My Champion can watch my back. At least when the mage is fully digested, I’ll absorb a shit ton of power, which makes the inconvenience of me not having my familiar worth it.

  “I’m going to search for her brother and find out why he’s really in hiding.” Nobody tries to stop me. Not like they could. I’m stubborn once my mind is made up and right now, I’m out to find answers. Quinn Boudreaux will tell me all his secrets.

  I spent the rest of the day and the next looking for Quinn and still couldn’t find a trace of him. My informants on that side could only tell me he left on a trip and wasn’t sure when he was coming back. He left his giant of a second in charge, who was keeping order while Quinn was away, but he’s way too loyal to Quinn to give up any information. Zion also did not come back when he said he would, and if it weren’t for his Champion still being here, watching over Angelica, I’d think he was dead. Whatever is delaying him must be bad if he hasn’t been able to contact us, and I actually feel bad about being pissed with him. I hate to admit the others are right. He’s out risking his neck for Angelica and she doesn’t even know. I should tell her. She needs a reason to trust us. Maybe if she knew how much danger Zion has put himself in for her, she’d forgive us.

  Since what went down in the meadow, we only had one other mage attack us from one of the three remaining academies. Ryker’s Champion was easily able to dispose of him without much trouble. We’ve been lucky so far. Because of who we are, we're considered a threat, but our reputation can only delay the inevitable for so long. Others will come for us soon, which means we need all our players on the board. Without an Archer and Berserker, we’re operating at a disadvantage. Our skill level as mages is helpful, but it won’t save our asses or give us the win. We need Archer and we need Zion to get his ass back here.

  The sound of something sliding under my door catches my attention and I glance down at the note on the floor. Going corporal, Assassin picks it up and examines it. “I don’t detect any poisons.” Taking the note from him, I sniff the paper before opening it. It smells like my kitten and I hum in appreciation. She had to have left her Champion behind to deliver this note to me without Assassin detecting her. Clever. I should call her sly fox instead of kitten, but my nickname suits her well, especially the noises she makes when my dick slides deep inside her. Hopefully, this is a peace offering and she has forgiven me. Just her scent on the note is making me hard. I need to be inside her again.

  Opening the letter, there’s only a couple words scribbled on the paper. Words no one wants to hear.

  We need to talk

  Our meadow 9PM

  This could be good or bad. Depends on what she wants to talk about or how pissed at me she still is. She’s had a couple of days to cool down, but females are always tricky when it comes to their emotions. If she gives me another chance, I’ll claim her as my mate right here and now. There’s no one else for me but her.

  Glancing at my clock, I see it’s a little after eight so I take a quick shower and quickly get dressed. Leaving the dorm, Assassin stays in his invisible form and follows. It’s not like I don’t trust Angelica, but I have been groomed since birth to always be ready and expect the unexpected. The Choi family line is a dynasty of great warriors that can be traced back to the beginning of the creation of mages. My father never misses an opportunity to lecture me about our family and how important it is for me to do my duty and continue our family line with a well respected, yet powerful mage. He does not care about mixing the bloodlines as long as that child’s last name is Choi and preferably a boy. I’ve lost count of how many respectable female mages my mother tried to marry me off to before she finally realized I will not marry anyone I did not choose for myself, no matter how powerful they are. It’s the only thing in my life I have any say over. I’m my father’s only heir. After I was born, my mother wasn’t able to have any more children, with two never making it to term and one stillborn.

  Father has not been happy that at the ripe age of twenty I have yet to choose a wife or fertilize my seed, as he puts it, before the start of the Mage War. It may seem like an easy task, but to me, it’s all a huge burden. I know if I die without an heir, our family line cannot carry on, but I cannot marry and have a child with someone I’m not in love with. Divorce does not exist in the mage community nor do I believe in keeping mistresses. Hearing the same old thing gets exhausting, which is why I’m the happiest in school and away from them. If Angelica agrees, I’ll have good news to tell them soon.

  “I sense a mage and Champion nearby,” Assassin warns about a mile into the meadow. Taking another step, a brush of magic caresses my skin from some kind of barrier and I realize too late this is a trap.

  “Hello, Kirito. I heard you were looking for me,” Quinn greets me with a sadistic smile on his face as he steps out of the shadows. Standing beside him is a real life jester, dressed to the nines in clown wear, hat and all, juggling ten glowing spotted spears with an insane look on his painted face. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the missing Berserker.

  Normally, Berserkers are huge, but this one is tall and lanky and it moves as such, almost primally, but what stays the same is the insane look in its eyes like it’s barely holding onto its sanity. All Berserkers are nothing but psychotic beasts, driven to madness from whatever pain they endured while dying in their past life. Their craziness is what gives them their strength because their mind doesn’t work on rhyme or reason and they defy the rules of logic. They literally are capable of the impossible, which is what makes their class very dangerous. I’m not surprised this is the Champion Quinn was given. They’re the perfect match, feeding off each other’s craziness. I call Assassin forth and he materializes beside me, evening out the playing field. Razz is still hibernating, so I’ll have to fight without him. I wish the others were here, but this bound field will keep them from sensing I’m in trouble, which is why Quinn had someone construct it and lured me here.

  “Ooh scary,” Quinn retorts theatrically as he looks my Champion up and down, sizing him up. From what I learned so far about him, everything he does is theatrical.

  “If you knew I was looking for you, why did you go to so much trouble to lure me out? Using your sister’s scent. You could have not hid from me in the first place,” I state the obvious.

  “And what fun is that? Plus, I would have missed the look on your face when you saw it was me here and not my sister. Very entertaining by the way. Bravo,” he claps enthusiastically.

  “What is it you want?” I growl through clenched teeth.

  A taunting smile forms on his face, wide and blatantly clear of his intentions. “Why isn’t it obvious? I’m going to kill you.” With those damning words, he calls forth his staff and runs straight for me.

  Master on master. Champion on Champion. We’re a blur of movement; magic and explosions. Those glowing spears Berserker was juggling, he now hurdles them at my Champion and they explode on the grass like bombs, sending bits of grass and dirt flying up in the air, creating deep gouges in the earth. He has the same movements of a harlequin and he dances around my Champion like a gymnast dodging his attacks. Much like his master is doing to me.

  Quinn’s movements are quick and percise. All along I thought his fighting style was reckless, but I see now I was wrong. As his long ass hair whips around me, I block out the chime of his alluring bells, taunting me and singing to me to stop fighting. Those damn jingle bells, I hate them. They’re nasty little tricks and took me years to master the ability to block them out, but I have my own tricks up my sleeve. Using magic over the darkness, I bend the dark shadows around us, making myself invisible.


  “Boo, what a cheat. Come on, Kirito; come play with me, I’m bored. Come out, come out, wherever you are,” he sings.

  Stepping behind him, I lash out with my fist, but he somehow senses me and blocks the blow with his staff. Circling him, I strike again and this time, I connect with his shoulder. Left right, spin, kick; I go at him with all I have. He’s agile, but I’ve been training in mixed martial arts since I was a child and have mastered many styles. A spinning kick sends him flying across the field, and I run after him so that I don’t give up my advantage. I’m on him again and he somehow grabs my foot and throws me to the ground. Grappling with one another, we roll along the grass, both fighting for the edge. Keeping my shadow form drains my magic, so I release it and put more strength into trying to pin him down.

  Sneaking behind me, his Berserker grabs me and sends me flying through the air, throwing one of his deadly bombs after me. I barely roll out the way from the blast, but still take damage to my side. Capitalizing on my injury, Quinn jabs my side, smiling at my blood coating his fist.

  “So red. I wonder if your blood tastes like my sister since you fucked her,” the crazy lunatic taunts before licking his fist. “Ummm, yummy,” he murmurs.

  “She’s what all this is about, isn’t it? Are you jealous I fucked her? Do you wish it was you in between her thighs instead?” I taunt. A dark look covers his face, giving me my answer. He’s practically green with jealousy.

  “She’ll be mine soon enough. I bet she won’t even bat an eye once you’re dead.”

  “You’re delusional. You’ve had years to get Angelica to fall in love with you, and yet she still only sees you as her brother. No matter what you do, she’ll never love you that way.” My words are true, not taunting this time, but he doesn’t see it that way when he charges me with an angry growl.

  Back flipping out the way, I throw darts full of poison at him, which he dodges effortlessly. Like the wind, I move, never staying in the same spot too long before I strike, moving onto the next. Calling on the shadows, I use them to hold him still just long enough to land a hit with my dart. The poison inside them will numb his body, incapacitating his limbs. When one finally hits home, I flip out the way before his staff could connect with my midsection. He’s weakened now, but not out and he comes at me again as we continue to dance around one another. Dagger in hand, he slices my side and I reply by stabbing him in the chest with my own blade. His roar of pain is music to my ears, but the cocky bastard keeps coming at me like he has all the pain tolerance in the world. We’re both a bloody mess. Both breathing hard with exertion, but we keep moving like our lives depend on it, and it does. At this point, both of us are out for blood.

  In the distance, a roar of pain and a sickly snapping sound catches my attention and I turn my head to see my Assassin laying on the ground with Berserker smiling over his prone body. Moving out of the way, he drops one of his bombs and watches in sick satisfaction as pieces of Assassin’s body explode and scatter across the grass before disappearing in sparkling blue light. Shit, this is bad. I’ve lost my Champion and have both Quinn and his Champion to contend with. Inside me, I can feel Razz, pushing himself out of his slumber, but it’s a slow process and both enemies are currently stalking toward me.

  At least my poison dart is working. Quinn’s left arm is now hanging useless at his side. One handed, he uses his staff and swings it at me and I duck, sweeping his feet like a whirlwind. When Quinn falls, Berserker is there and despite his size, he picks me up like a rag doll and tosses me to the ground. Straddling my body, he rains blows down on me as he laughs insanely. In this position, I can only defend and try to shield myself the best I can. Getting to his feet, Quinn kicks me and then stomps on my body like he’s trying to make me one with the earth.

  “Look who’s jealous now,” he taunts. “You no longer have a Champion. You’ve been weakened and soon, you won’t have my sister because you’ll be dead,” he laughs. “Dead. Dead. Dead,” he stomps with each word.

  The pain is unbearable. He’s right, I’m going to die. I’ve let my family down by not producing an heir. I’ve let my friends down by getting my Champion killed, and now, I’m letting myself down by dying to this murderous prick. Hands grip me, pulling down my jeans, and I feel something cold against my cock.

  “A little souvenir for my Master,” Berserker speaks in a raucous tone before the pain of something sharp slicing my cock hits me. It’s then when Razz moves and ripples against my skin before wrapping around me and a warm tingling feeling caresses and soothes my pain.

  “You get back here,” being roared by Quinn is the last thing I hear before I finally blackout.

  Chapter 19

  Angelica

  Zion wasn’t in class today. The asshole probably knew I had an earful and possibly fistful for him. The others, on the other hand, did come to class, and just like Kirito told me, at least one of them is in all my classes. I avoided talking to Kirito all day, even when he was clearly trying to speak to me. I just can’t right now. I’m not ready to forgive him. Unlike last time, this time, he is at fault. He went along with his friend’s stupid plan to get me to join them. Their test, I think with disgust.

  Because of them, I’ve been in a foul mood, that and I still can’t find my brother. I swear, when I find Quinn I’m going to tie him to a chair and keep him there. He’s seriously neglecting his twin duties. I need to speak to him about this Mage War business. Maybe Dad or Leslie informed him more than they did me. I refuse to go crawling back to those assholes who put me in danger for answers.

  Stressed out and exhausted, I lay back on my bed staring at the ceiling. Most of the cards Quinn left, I took down, wanting the warding of my room to be my own. In their places, I added bones and tarot cards. Sprinkled in the corner is dirt from sacred ground and a cursed tree I made myself, compiled from a bunch of skulls I was collecting. My room is the stuff of nightmares and I love it.

  Closing my eyes, I meant to take a short nap, but I don’t wake until hours later when my room starts to tremble and shake. What the hell? Is this an earthquake? “Archer. do you know what’s going on?” I shout around the noise as I look around terrified. Earthquakes aren’t common in Louisiana.

  “I’m not sure, but I’m sensing a huge amount of magical energy,” he answers, appearing beside me.

  Books fall off my shelves, jars of my supplies shatter onto the floor, sprinkling sharp shards of glass everywhere. My coat rack slides over, blocking the door, and dirt and powder from the raptors rain down on me. “Is this some kind of attack?” I question. Besides ruining my stuff, I don’t see the point of this. I can feel Archer’s confusion and just when he goes to answer, a badly beaten Kirito appears out of thin air and lands beside me on the bed at the same time the shaking stops. What the fuck?

  “Kirito,” I cry, shaking him. “Kirito,” I try again when he doesn’t respond. “No, no, no, Kirito, what happened?” I’m in hysterics. His beautiful face is nearly unrecognizable. And there’s so much blood. My eyes drift down to his unzipped jeans and I almost hurl at the deep gash on his cock. Whoever attacked him, tried to cut his dick off.

  “Archer,” I cry out and immediately he’s beside me. “Find Saber and her Master. Tell them what happened and bring them here immediately.” Without question, he disappears.

  Bending my head, I listen for his breathing, but I can barely hear anything. I pray to the Goddess that Zion will get here in time with some kind miracle healer. “Please, baby. Please, don’t die on me, please,” I wail. “I’m so sorry. I fucking forgive you for everything. Please, don’t die on me.” Tears drip down my face, splashing on his skin and I kiss his bloody lips like I can breathe the gift of life into him. This can’t be happening. Who the hell would do this?

  Zion is all alpha. Everything he does is to the extreme, so I’m not surprised when he doesn’t bother to knock and slams my door open, sending the coat rack my Dad made through the air where it rolls under my bed. His eyes zooms in on his fr
iend laying beaten in my bed before they turn to me with fierce intensity. The twins are with him and one of them steps around him to get to Kirito. Dropping to his knees, he hovers his hands over Kirito’s body and they start to glow a light blue. Thank fuck, he’s a healer.

  “What happened?” Zion growls.

  “I don’t know. My room started shaking and then he appeared out of thin air, just like this.”

  “Saber, do you sense his Champion?” Zion asks.

  “Champion Assassin class is dead,” she answers and we all look at her, shocked.

  “No way,” the other twin murmurs, sinking to the floor.

  “Saber, take Archer with you and see if you can trace the magical energy. I want to know what the hell happened.” Archer looks to me to see if that’s alright and I nod, giving him my permission. I should be angry at Zion for ordering my Champion around, but all I can think about right now is Kirito.

  Ripping Kirito’s shirt out of the way, I think it’s Oliver’s hands that move up and down Kirito’s chest frantically. Like his cock, there’s a deep gash on his side from being stabbed. The psycho dragged the dagger downward, inflicting as much damage as possible. Whoever he fought was furious with him. Across his torso is a peppering of red and purple bruises and blotches of blood. More blood leaks onto my sheets, but I don’t care. I wish my sheets would absorb the blood and push it back into his body.