“Hm, danger no more. How fun. Makes us want to want to hunt something, Darling.” Dysphoria murmured into Finley’s ear as they made their way over to Sariel, a tendril caressing Finley’s back.
“Yes, we do not care much for metals. You also have drawn the one that smells like an angry beehive. Do you do things with wood like with metal? Oh, Darling, maybe we will make a metal box thing but with wood. We could give it to our Dewdrop! Another little trinket thingy they care for so much.” ✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩
“Marcus.” Nicholas watched the thing go on about it’s broach from around the corner of the statue, bumbling its way around like a bee without a hive.
“Or at least the semblance of him. This doppelganger wandered in without nary a notice. A descendant with a reasonable grasp of magic, a hunter with the right connections, or something else altogether – our options are unpleasant at best and quitting this place before the bloodbath begins benefits our continued survival.” Old emotions stirred in his heart – deep, deep,
deep in his heart – but Nicholas let himself be fooled once before by the blood of Raleigh once before and he had no intention of doing so again. It’d been fun – a dragon, a fey, and a symbiote a pleasurable diversion from the mundanity of existence – but Nicholas would trade every head in this room for Barty’s and his without a second thought.
Barty followed his brother's eyes, looking towards the man he watched with such ire. His lips twitched, unable to decide if it should smile or scowl, unable to discern the future on if this new haven should be nothing more than another sham they must vacate once more. His gaze locked onto his twin's eyes.
”If you have concerns then best we address them now. No need to throw everything we have away over a simpleton who appears to be…I won't even utter his name and give him the pleasure. Let me enchant him, beguile his tongue so that we may know the truth of it all. And if he seems to be a threat and who you believe him to be, we can either run or dispatch of him on the spot. But if he is truly as airheaded as his appearance should deem, we stay. Maybe even work out some frustrations of our past with him.” A cruel smile twisting onto Barty’s face.
Nicholas sent a long mental sigh back to his twin. Of course. Why did he expect anything else?
“Fine. Have your fun. But if even a silver of that man in there, we leave.”Barty looked back past the statue they hid behind, making sure to find his prey once more. The second Jake was in his sights, he turned on his heel and set off towards him with a determined march. Barty didn’t care who was around him, he didn't even care if anyone saw, all he wanted was answers and closure. For him, and for Nicky. As he made his way through, the same mixture he'd used before was broken out and applied with more fervor. Once he reached his subject, he allowed the spell to take place before speaking.
”You, there, you will answer my questions and answer them honestly. Is that understood?” Jake had been about to go eagerly join the other members of the Red Coven, having been beckoned by the orange headed girl to follow, when someone new approached him - and spoke to him more directly than anyone else had in his short life.
There wasn’t much of a noticeable change in Jake’s expression, still the same dumbfounded awe as he took in a brand new world. At the newcomer’s arrival, he couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t know what made someone pretty or not, but he could immediately tell that this boy was beautiful. He liked him very much,
”Yes! Hi, I’m Jake!” he then added, staring mesmerized.
Well he was under the spell alright, but giving his name before asked was a red flag. So to ensure he wasn't lying, he asked
”What is your name?””Jake!” he responded cheerfully.
”Are you a hunter?”Jake’s eyebrows furrowed, as he tried to remember. What was a hunter? It was painfully evident on his face as the cogs turned, as he struggled to call that information to mind. And then there was a sudden spark of connection, as the image of a shadowy figure, hot in pursuit with a weapon came to mind. Jake’s eyes widened and he felt very cold for the first time. Was that what he was here to protect people from?
”No!” he shook his head vehemently.
”I think I’m a protector.”Barty’s eyebrow raised. Such a strong reaction to such a simple question. A part of him wondered if perhaps this Jake's family was also hunted by others. Persecuted as his kind so often has been. Perhaps that was why he was so small minded. He never got the chance to grow and develop. But the second portion of his answer left Barty wanting more. A protector? Of what? A simple answer would be of magic or witchkind so that no others had to face what he faced. An answer the twins had long since turned away from.
”What are you protecting from?”What was he protecting them from?
He opened his mouth, trying to form the words, but they wouldn’t come. Thinking about it more just made his head begin to ache and throb. Was it from the hunters? From the cold? He wished that he knew. He wanted so badly to please this boy and tell him. It felt like the most important thing in the world to do, to tell him anything he wanted to know.
And the information was there, just out of reach. He could feel it, his skin was hot and the pain in his head was becoming more and more, the pressure increasing as pinpricks of water appeared at the corners of his eyes and then…
”The dark.”Jake had no idea what that meant.
But it felt true.
”What do you think? There's clearly something wrong with him. But it feels more like unprocessed trauma than malicious intent. Anything else you wish me to ask or clarify?” Barty asked within Nicky's mind.
Nicholas did not wave the cover of his spell as Barty stepped beyond his protection in pursuit of his answers. This “Jake” left Nicholas more on edge than not. He certainly played the part of a village idiot well enough. Still, he left too many things to chance for Nicholas's taste and the urge to run was barely fuelled.
“Ask it what it wants to learn.””What do you want to learn?” Barty asked as he took a step towards the side, examining him further.
What did he want to learn? Jake didn’t know very many things. Would it be helpful for everyone else if he learned things? He frowned slightly. Maybe he couldn’t protect them if he didn’t know things.
”Magic?” he said, as if asking permission. Should he have wanted to learn who he was, where he came from?
”I don’t remember. So maybe… maybe I want to learn everything?”Nicholas started as the confusion played across his face. Thinking was clearly terribly difficult for him.
“I am satisfied for now. Since it's in your coven, find a favor for it to owe us. We can hold it against it if its true colors show.” Nicholas stepped away from the pair. He was thoroughly confused and concern threatened a stomach cramp. It had barely been a century and a half. Why would his face show up now? It was not nearly random enough for this face to appear in this city, where they felt safe again. If Barty wanted to play with this thing, Nicholas would drown it in debt that its spawn would be paying for millennia.
His invisibility drifted off a second before he fell in line with Callaghan, the same pin on his chest.
“The village idiot.” Nicholas offered Cal as a way of explanation, a brief touch on the arm an apology for vanishing earlier. He fished out his flask, unscrewed it, and took a swig.
Barty smiled, though he didn't mean it. He looked down at the pin that was on his coat's lapel and then pointed towards the one Jake had. A snap of his fingers breaking the enchantment so that he had a willing participant.
”Well why didn't you say that sooner. I know tons about magic, and the world too. I can show you the ropes, teach you how to cast, and in turn you'll just owe me a favor. Everytime you need my help, all you need to do is ask and if I agree a favor will be owed beyond the first. Deal?” Barty said as he held out his hand for Jake to shake.
Jake tilted his head slightly. That seemed incredibly fair! He just didn’t know what he was supposed to do with the hand. Was Barty asking him to examine it? Nothing looked wrong with it to him. It seemed like a hand. Jake glanced down at his own hands for comparison. And then a sudden idea hit him. He
did know what he was supposed to do with a hand! He was so incredibly proud of himself, as he bent down and kissed Barty’s knuckles.
”That sounds great to me! What’s your name? Can I know it? If it costs a favor to know it, that’s okay! I don’t know what favors you want from me because I don’t know what I can do, but if that’s okay with you then let’s do it!”As Jake lifted his lips off of Barty's knuckles, a token would appear in its place. Barty allowed it to roll off before he caught it and pocketed it into his coat for safe keeping.
”Such a clever boy already. It does cost a favor to know my name, and since you're glad to pay it –” Barty took Jake's hand in his, pulling him closer until they were chest to chest, leaning forward ever so slightly so that he could whisper into Jake's ear.
”The name's Bartholomew Hammish Macleod, but you can call me Barty.” With the last word spoken, Barty nibbled on Jake's earlobe before something solid appeared quickly. As he pulled back, another token of the same variety was now placed between his teeth. He pocketed that one quickly as well before motioning for the boy toy to press on.
”Come, Jake, we are to meet with the rest of our Coven.”Even without the spell, Jake was mesmerized. Barty was even prettier up close. He almost whined slightly as the other boy pulled away, motioning for him to follow after.
”Barty for short, Bartholomew Hammish Macleod for long,” Jake whispered to himself, repeating it a few times so he wouldn’t forget, as he too made his way on over to the Red Coven.
✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩
“You just don’t have the perspective yet, Finley. And no, I will not be teaching you to make a wooden car, Dysphoria. We must set our sights on greater goals! The point of a coven here at Strange Academy is to explore a mystery. A puzzling tasking that drove more powerful, more patient, and wiser sorcerers than you to the brink of madness. It’s only at that point you will overcome the walls that hold you, break the chains that restrict you, overcome the flimsy trappings of morality, and revel in the renown your discoveries and deeds brought you.” Sariel replied passionately. She opened her book and plucked out three pieces of parchment stuck haphazardly in the back. She handed one to Finley, Rohan, and Annika with one still sticking out.
“Of course, grand discoveries don’t happen without the right equipment and the right equipment doesn’t just make itself so you’ll find the instructions to one of our restricted labs on these pages. Understand that myself or another researcher must be present for you to access this space so make good use of the time both inside and out of it. I will be waiting for you tomorrow. Please be sure to wear closed toed shoes and skip anything excessively loose. We don’t want a misplaced sleeve ruining your efforts.” Sariel paused for a moment. “Or amputating your arm, I suppose. At least that’s replaceable.”
✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩
Mikkail beamed at Callaghan as he made his way over, Mikkail’s pin on his chest. “Teaching? No, no, no my dear boy!
Guiding!” Mikkail corrected, peering over his glasses as Nicholas stepped out of thin air. “Though there is some element of randomness to the covens, your Mystery will be truly that: a mystery! One that, when you solve, will reveal an entirely new branch of magic henceforth undiscovered on this planet. There is some evidence that it was wielded for a short century before vanishing into obscurity, rather violent in truth but most of this planet’s history was written in red well before my arrival, and our responsibilities as keepers of magic, knowledge, and wisdom is to document it before it has fully died.”
“I was thinking of hosting our introductory session in my sitting room here. I recently had the couches upholstered, you know. The pink I think was well enough, but this purple? Delightful. The texture? Dramatic. The ambiance? Perfection!” Mikkail toasted. “Yes, I think that works well. I’ll simply requisition a chalkboard - that squeaky one on wheels, yes - and we’ll feel right at home. Now where are our other two students?”
✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩
Croan watched the parade of his Coven approach with obvious distaste. “Wonderful. A collection of simpletons and jesters. Blessed am I who watches such a flock.” Professor Croan sighed. “The Coven level is meant for those mature, independent, and trusted enough with their magic to explore its means and nuances independently with limited structure and direction. Unlike your peers, you have the honor to be under my tutelage and you will be held to
my standards. They are exacting, demanding, and exhausting, but should you find yourself meeting them - I do not dare dream of one of you exceeding them - then you will find aspects of your magic that you could have never dreamed of.”
“The principle behind this system is that any progress is success. Disavow yourself of such a notion. Your challenge, your Mystery, is your success, your competency, and your future here at Strange Academy. Fail to solve it and you will fail this year. Solve it and you pass. I think the expectation simple.” Croan leveled a blank look at his students. “We will meet behind door 12 in the archives on the morrow. I recommend you spend this evening learning what is behind it.”
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