The Magister stormed in, slamming his door behind him. Rage and unaccustomed humility coursed through him. Never, not once in all his years, had the magic failed him. And why? He checked his staff for perhaps the hundredth time - yes, the crystal still glowed. So why? What had changed? And why did that question terrify him so much?
- Start -
It was true. Taurus, Second Mage of the Twelve, Magister of the College - Weaver of Emotion, who could both calm a riot or cause one with the crystal embedded in his staff, was terrified.
He threw his staff away from him. In its fall the raw branch of oak crashed into his research table, throwing papers all about and sending many vials and bottles filled with strange liquids tumbling to the floor. The shattering of glass added to the cacophony of anger that was slowly filling the room.
He couldn't even bare to look at his former source of power. Without it he was weak, not a mage, not even a scholar. Barely a man. A castrated bull, more like. He left it lying where it fell, and walked to the window of his Study.
As he stared out onto the quiet town below the College, he tried to make any sense of the last hour. It wouldn't be easy.
He had been performing a lecture, for the 6th Years. There were some promising students in that bunch - he could see the ambition burning in their eyes. He remembered thinking about how even still, most would never make it beyond the level of Magician's Assistant. A high honor, for most families, but no - there were a few who wanted even more: to become one of the Twelve.
He remembered catching the eye of one particular go-getter, who had taken very easily to the subject of the lecture: Advanced Calculations - the very building blocks of Magic. Infinitely abstract and almost impossible to hold in your head - even more difficult to Master, but a requirement for anyone to even consider becoming a Mage's Pupil.
The boy had fiery, red hair - not unlike Taurus in his youth. Red hair, blue eyes - the build of someone who had spent their life with their head in books. It was as though Taurus was looking into the past, at his old self - playing to the ego of his Mentor, always asking questions. Never wavering in the burning need to hold more power...
And then he remembered the feeling of that power fading away.
It wasn't instant, but the effect on both the Mage and his students was. It fell over them like a wave. Some cried out in fear - all the comfort and energy that filled the room was sucked out of it, and from themselves as well. Panic crept into the Mage's face - it felt as though something, or someone, had just devoured the emotions of everyone in the lecture hall. For only a moment, they all experienced true emptiness. Pure, unadulterated apathy. If they hadn't had some training in magic, the existential shock might have killed them.
The students looked to the Mage, to help, to explain - to write it off as a demonstration of his overwhelming Power.
What they saw was uncertainty, fear, and weakness.
He had ran from the lecture hall, from their looks of disgust, of instant hatred of a Man who could be robbed of his Power so easily. he couldn't bear it. He was no longer their Mage, both in his eyes and theirs.
He turned from the window and looked back at his crystal. It still held its glow, but was it dimmer? Or were his eyes playing tricks on him, trying to make sense of something that had none.
Why? He thought. Without the ability to feel the Magic, all he had to go on were his mundane senses - and they all showed that nothing was amiss. Was this somehow related to Virgo's death? His magic hadn't yet been recovered, but Gemini always took their time.
There was a knock on the door.
"What?!" The venom thrown from the Magister's reply could have eroded metal, and would have, if were still a Mage.
"l-l-l-letter for you, s-s-sir?" It was one of the assistant's. Most likely one of the younger ones - they always got the trivial tasks. "C-came by raven, from G-g-gemini, your Arcane."
Why would Gemini send by raven? Why not send it by Magic? Unless...
"Bring it here, boy!" Taurus demanded. The assistant - couldn't have been more than 10 - moved with a haste only known by those people running from a bull. He rushed the letter into the Magister's hand and was gone only a moment later, though you could here the pitter-patter of feet down the stone steps.
What a novel way to communicate. Taurus thought as he examined the letter. It was small - rolled tight so as to fit around the ankle of a bird. He slipped off the red ribbon that was holding its form, and unfurled the parchment. After some fumbling with a candle and some matches he was able to read it:
Taurus,
It is with both sincerity and urgency that We write you. We arrived in the Sixth Kingdom not five days ago, and quickly made our way to Virgo's tower. Did you know he allowed a town to be founded around it? In absolute disregard of his assignment?
Oh, if that had been his only offense.
More has happened in these last five days than We had ever hoped to experience in the rest of our long lifetimes. Though We wish we might one day get to tell you - by the time you are reading this we will most likely be dead. In that regard, We will have to summarize.
On the first day We found her. She reeked of sulfur and heresy. She knew we were coming.
On the second day We lost our Magic.
On the third day she began her hunt.
On the fourth day We lost our twin.
and on this day We watch her consume him, crystal and all.
We got away, but she knows us now. She has our Magic. Stole it. She says she will find Virgo, and bring him back. She uses his Magic, too. There is so much We don't know. We fear she is coming for us all. We fear she will succeed.
Taurus' hands were shaking. His brain attempted to process the words, but found itself unable. The Master of Emotion was held hostage by his own. His body stood frozen, filled with questions. Was Gemini truly dead? Who was this woman, this creature They spoke of? What did They mean, consumed him?
"They meant I ate Their brother." A woman's voice spoke from behind him. He felt a fist press into his ribs. "and then I finished my meal."
"WYTCH" Even without his Magic, Taurus still knew the words.
"Yes"
He heard the woman speak the word, closer to him now. The room filled with the smell of sulfur. The candlelight seemed to dim, and changed color. A deep, purplish black. His ribs felt warm, and wet. He could feel her breath on the back of his neck, it was bated.
"Why?" He asked, voice trembling - knowing the answer but needing to ask. "Why me?"
The woman cackled, just as they did in the stories.
"I'm still hungry."
- End -
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