As she emerged into the daylight she crossed over another service ramp back onto the right side of the road just behind the convoy. Ahead of her, Xain approached the open back of the van, stood upon his bike’s seat using his sword to deflect the bullets being shot at him by the Nomads within.
Ahead of the van, the Nomads in their 4x4 were still in a fire fight with Orion.
She looked back into the tunnel they had just come out of to see a fire burning in the darkness on this side of the road, no doubt the other biker that had gone for Xain.
Looking ahead of her once more, Amanda watched as Xain jumped from his bike, crossed several metres of space and cut down one of the men as he landed inside the rear of the van. Instantly, he was up and fighting with the other two in there, struggling to keep their balance as the van weaved about.
It was then that Balor, who no doubt had been circling up above, chose to strike once more. The Scion came in like a rocket at a steep angle and hit the Nomad’s 4x4 from the top and side. It was instantly crushed and slammed into the side of the road in a fire ball, the elevated highway beneath it cracking and crumbling from the force of the attack.
Balor stood up amidst the burning debris spreading his bat wings like a ten foot tall stone skinned demon rising from hell as the Nomads van tried to swerve around the crash
Flipping sideways the van tumbled, rolling along the road. Xain jumped out as it started to flip, landing deftly on his feet. As the van came to a rest he moved around it to find the driver, the last man alive in the convoy.
Amanda braked hard and skidded sideways to a stop, panting with exertion as she looked upon the scene before her.
Xain hauled the van driver out of the front of the vehicle and subdued him ready for questioning later, just beyond them Balor stepped out from the fire that consumed the destroyed 4x4, his grey stone like skin apparently untouched by the raging fire he’d been stood in. Orion walked around the fire, guns in both hands and smiled as he realised they’d won this one.
She registered a familiar Magical signature snap into existence a short distance from her. Royston Kendrick, the current Head of the Legacy House appeared nearby. He immediately started working his magic to create a mirage or hologram around the scene that would hide the scenes true nature from passing cars.
Amanda pulled her helmet off and shook her long bright auburn hair free, letting it catch in the wind as she ran her fingers through it and rubbed her scalp, it always felt good to remove her lid after a bike ride. Kicking her bike-stand down and turning off the ignition she dismounted the Fire Blade, her black custom leathers creaking as she moved. She hung her helmet on the handlebar of her bike and caught a glimpse of herself in the wing mirror.
Although she never considered herself as very good looking, Amanda had a natural girl next door look to her with soft friendly features, a button nose and emerald eyes framed by her long straight red hair. Slim, Amanda worked out and kept her body in trim, although her leathers currently hid her muscle definition. She kept her feminine figure though, helped in part by her ample bosom.
Amanda moved to stand by Royston who had finished with his magic and had been looking over the spilled contents of the van. Kilos worth of Cocaine and other drugs in tightly wrapped clear plastic covered the floor.
These Nomads had been running drugs, last weeks had been lone serial killer, next weeks could be anything, but they were never very pleasant people. The Nomads served their masters, the Archons who millennia ago, so the stories went, ruled over the earth and humanity. The legends spoke of their return one day, but then didn’t all legends sound like this?
All Magi were ranked according to their skill level, their knowledge and ability to use Magic. All Magi also had a connection to Essentia, Magical energy, which determined how much power they could put behind their Magical castings. The Archons could strengthen that connection to Essentia, increase your magical power making you a stronger, more powerful Magus. But it came with certain stipulations. You had to prove yourself to the Archons, demonstrate your loyalty to the Nomad cause before they granted you that power. All the Archons were different, they all required different things, but it often required you to kill or corrupt the Riven masses of Mortals, or Arcadian magi such as herself. Either way, you were declaring your status as a Nomad and a danger to humanity.
Arcadians like Amanda and her fellow Legacy Coven mates, and Coven’s like the Legacy all around the globe, fought to protect humanity from the Nomads, and had done for millennia.
‘Congratulations. You did well today. You should be pleased,’ said Royston.
‘A few more Nomads out of the picture is always worth it. Do you know who they were?’ Amanda asked as her breathing started to return to normal and she caught her breath.
‘Drug runners with connections to Haitian Nomads. They won’t be pleased about this.’
‘Will they know who did it?’
‘I’m sure they could take a wild guess. This is Legacy territory and they should expect us to protect it.’ Royston turned to Amanda. ‘I take it you’d like to return to Gentle Water and Elizabeth now?’
‘To be sure, to be sure, once this is all cleared up.’
‘The clean-up crew will be here momentarily, head back with Xain and the others, we’ll deal with this.’
Amanda Smiled. ‘Thank you Roy.’ She said, and kissed him on the cheek.
‘Good luck with your move, let us know if you need anything won’t you,’ he said.
‘I will, and thanks. I’ll see you around,’ she answered.
Royston watched her walk away towards Xain, Orion, Balor and the waiting portal. She had come a long way these past few months. Her Magical ability advancing at an alarming rate and she was now a very active member of the Legacy Coven House. This was only the latest of a string of missions she had taken on with the boys and she had proved herself to be a very competent Magus. The innocent young girl, well, as innocent as a former New York Prostitute could be, that Gentle Water had taken on in Ireland was now a much more confident young woman, and Royston felt somewhat proud of her. He had never had children of his own, instead he considered these young Magi to be his children, and he wondered if this might be how fatherhood felt. He took a deep breath and turned back to the mess before him. There looked to be a lot to clean up and he knew the authorities would be on their way. But they had done this a thousand times before, and no one would be the wiser.
In a darkened room of a Haitian Garrison, the Dreadlocked Nomad sank to one knee before his Master. She turned slightly to look upon him, the bones draped about her ebony skin rattled as she moved.
Lucian did not relish reporting the loss of such a big shipment of drugs to his master but it had to be done. He would suffer the pain of her displeasure for it, he knew, but it would not last forever, and once it was over, he would find those responsible and flay the flesh from their bones.
‘My Master, Baal Nymira, I have news for you…’
Amanda snapped into existence outside the gates to the Himalayan monastery that had been her home for several months now. Gentle Water had brought her and Liz here to help with Liz’s recovery after the events on the train. She was doing well and seemed much better these days. She’d been enjoying learning Magic and could now talk about the events that had changed her life. She cried when she thought about it too much, but then, who wouldn’t. That scar would be with her for the rest of her life.
The snow fell and the bitterly cold air pulled at her hair. Amanda walked up to the gates that were guarded by two deceptively still stone Temple Dogs that sat on either side of the entrance to this hidden place. She stepped up to the door, took hold of the huge metal ring that hung in the centre of it and slammed it home. The boom that sounded echoed off the valley behind her as she waited for the doors to open. Even though it felt cold out here, Amanda’s magic kept her toasty and warm, immune to the effects of the biting wind.
Seconds later the locks opened on the other side of the door
and swung wide to reveal a short arched passage way and a square courtyard beyond. Within that open space, the snow fell lazily to the floor, over a tree that sat in the centre of the open space. The courtyard was ringed by a balcony on the floor above, and as Amanda stepped into the space she looked up and nodded to the bald monk that looked down at her.
‘Good morning Little Phoenix,’ he said, ‘welcome back.’ It seemed to be their nick name for her.
‘To be sure, it’s good to be back,’ she answered.
‘Go on through,’ he said, and gestured to the door below, which also opened of its own accord like the main gates.
Through these next gates, she passed through another short passage into the temple proper, where the scene changed dramatically.
The air here felt dramatically warmer and more comfortable and no snow lay on the floor. Within the walls of this monastery, a Coven of Magi Monks lived and made their home. Gentle Water had been one such apprentice who had trained here in his early years as a Magi. As she had understood it, his master had been a western woman who had been called Graceful Phoenix, and given that Amanda and Liz were the only western people here, and she happened to be Gentle Waters apprentice, the link as to why they called her Little Phoenix seemed clear.
The monastery housed a fair number of Monks, Amanda hadn’t counted them, but they were all initiated and they walked around the complex going about their business taking little notice of her arrival.
Set into the side of a mountain, this large Temple, known as The Red Temple, mainly due to the red brick buildings that made up the complex, had been set out over numerous levels, with buildings perched on the side of the steep incline, around a central open communal area that allowed access to the whole Temple.
To her left buildings rose above her up the steep incline of the mountain side, walkways and steps carved in the rock meandered between the buildings, all of them eventually leading back down to the area Amanda had walked into. These buildings continued around in front of her, partially ringing the open space, but stopping before the huge open space to her right, opening up to a shear drop down the side of the mountain.
A couple of trees and ornate Temple Dogs sat on stone plinths were the only obstructions to the huge vista of magnificent snow-capped mountains that stretched off into the distance before her. The temple sat high up on the slope of the mountain above the snow line, allowing the clouds to drift in below the level of the temple. Amanda had often sat here and stared out upon the view, taking in the vast awesomeness of the whole thing. But Amanda couldn’t waste too much of her time on it today, they had a lot to prepare in order to be ready for their trip in a few days’ time. Along with the continuing mentoring that Gentle Water gave to Amanda, and Amanda in turn gave to Liz, Amanda never felt bored.
Later that same day, after spending a few hours with Liz training her in the magical arts, Amanda sat with her apprentice on the edge of the communal area, their legs dangling over the side above a drop of a few thousand feet.
Amanda leant back, propped up by her hands and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of the Temple grounds while Liz sat forward, her hands in her lap. Both wore casual clothing from their training session, leggings and fitted tops. Amanda’s red hair fell loosely about her shoulders while Liz kept her blonde tresses tied up in a ponytail.
Liz was a slim, slight seventeen year old girl who had suffered more than her fair share at the hands of the Nomads and Inquisition already, having lost her family and friends to them. Amanda didn’t really know her before the events on the train over a year and a half ago, but these days she seemed quiet and shy. She’d been really withdrawn straight after the events on the train, and hadn’t spoken barely at all for a couple of months. But’s she’d come a long way and Amanda had grown very fond of Liz, thinking of her like a little sister as she taught her Magic.
‘So the Coven we’ll be visiting in the States, they’re called ‘Liberties Children?’ Liz asked.
‘To be sure, they’re a Magi House, the most influential of the US Houses.’
‘I don’t think we’ve gone into the whole, House, Coven, thing. I’ve heard you mention it though, and, I guess they’re a bigger version of a Coven?’
‘In basic terms yes. The Arcadian Magi are for the most part, formed into groups, known as Covens, a few of these Covens are known as Houses. The Arcadians have a Council, they have the final say on matters of policy and they help to guide the general direction of the Arcadian group. The Houses themselves are informally known as either High or Low Houses. The difference being that the High Houses are the ones that originally formed the first Council after the fall of the Magi Senate in Rome about two thousand years ago. The Low Houses are usually large Covens who have become big enough to hold territory and the Council has granted them House status, which means as the Magi Council rotates its officials they have the opportunity to have members of their House on the Council.’
‘Our Coven is a House right? The Legacy?’
‘Yup, it’s one of the High Houses, it’s been a round a while.’
‘Oh, I remember now, I have another question. I was wondering why are we called Arcadians?’ Liz asked.
‘As I understand it from what Gentle Water has told me, back in prehistory, Magi could travel freely between the material world, and the Aetheric Realm, the Spirit world, which these days we refer to as Arcadia. We used it extensively as a hiding place and a staging point in the fight against the Archons, and so we became known as Arcadians. The name stuck.’
‘Do you mean the Abyss?’ Liz asked.
‘Same place. Before the Archons were banished there it was referred to as Arcadia, after their banishment, and after their influence corrupted the landscape, it became known as the Abyss. I know, it’s confusing, there’s a lot to take in. You’ll get there, don’t worry. Anyway, we have other things to worry about at the moment anyway.’
‘Yeah I know. So we’re visiting the Liberties Children House in a few days, right?’ Liz asked.
‘That’s right, I’m looking forward to it. You?’ Amanda smiled.
‘Of course.’
- The Red Monastery, Tibet.
Chodak smiled, but kept his eyes shut and waited as he listened to the footsteps that approached and stopped a few feet away from him. He heard the sounds of movement as the person sat themselves down next to him.
Certain they were settled, he opened his eyes and looked over to Graceful Phoenix.
‘Welcome, it’s been a long time.’
‘Too long,’ the woman answered.
‘To what do I owe this visit?’ he asked, although he thought he knew the answer to that question.
‘Amanda, she’s gone?’
‘She has.’
‘Then my memories were right. Tell me, how was she?’ she asked.
The Monk smiled, he’d expected Graceful Phoenix to visit now that Amanda had left the monastery.
‘She’s on the next leg of her journey, she’s moving to New York.’
Arrival
Washington DC
May 7th
Amanda, Gentle Water and Liz popped into existence inside a good sized and well-appointed room with a set of double doors before them. The room felt warm with a plush red carpet and wooden panelling on the walls, potted plants sat in the corner, but otherwise the room appeared empty. Amanda's immediate thought being that this rooms express purpose would be for anyone porting in from a distance. Her magical senses lit up with powerful and extensive weavings of Essentia all about her, this place looked well protected. A single person stood waiting in the room, she had short hair and wore a business suit, she smiled at the 3 Magi before her.
'Welcome, you must be Amanda-Jane Page?' Asked the dark haired woman.
'I am, and this is Gentle Water and Elizabeth Fox.' She shook the hand of the woman as she spoke and noted the lack of a strong connection to the surrounding Essentia, she must be an Initiated rather than a Magus, Amanda mused.
They’d
all worn some of their nicer clothing for this visit, wanting to make a good impression on the Americans. Amanda wore her long dark trousers that hugged her hips and rear but fell to a loose fit about her strappy high heels, she also wore a white blouse tucked into her trousers. Gentle Water had on a pair of tan chino’s, a white shirt and shoes while Liz opted for a long dark skirt and grey jumper also over a white blouse.
'Hi' said Liz, and she gave a quick wave, Gentle Water nodded his greeting in his typically stoic way.
'You may call me Miss Evans, I am to take you straight through to Victoria, she’s expecting you'.
‘Of course, lead the way.’
They walked briskly from the room, moving through a powerful Aegis as they did so, and down a corridor, passing offices and meeting rooms as they went. All about them there were people going about their business, it looked like any well-appointed government building, but Amanda could feel the Magic here, this was a Magi House, and most of the people here were probably Initiated, people with no Magical ability of their own, even though they knew all about Magic and the Magi hidden in the world at large. This wasn't just any Magi house though, this was the house of Liberties Children, the biggest American Coven and one of only three North American Magi Houses. Although she couldn't tell from this corridor, as there were no windows looking outside the walls of this building here, Amanda knew they were in Washington DC, but she wasn't sure where in that city they were exactly.
After a short walk they turned through another set of double doors into what looked like a waiting room, a secretary sat behind a desk and comfortable looking chairs around a couple of tables on either side of the room were nearby. Their guide motioned for them to wait while she approached the desk of the secretary, allowing Amanda to get a look around.
The only other people in the room were 3 young women, all of them Magi judging from their Essentia signature. Surprisingly Amanda recognized one of them as a Hollywood celebrity, her name was Melissa Gemelle-Rowe and Amanda has seen her in a few films. Amanda felt somewhat shocked that someone with such a high profile could be a Magi and couldn't help but stare for a moment as she looked upon the group.
Magi Saga 2: Shadows of Darkness Page 2
