Infinities' Edge

by Andrew Dobell

  Artur looked on in horror, apparently rooted to the spot. Then he looked up at Demitriov, and shifted slightly, as if to make a break for the door, only to see the huge form of the owner stood at the front door, locking it from the inside.

  ‘Thank you Ludwik,’ Demitriov said. ‘Now, Artur is it?’

  Artur nodded, a vigorous nod of someone fearing for his life and hoping that his compliance will save him.

  ‘So, tell me Artur, where could I find this, Amanda?’

  - Paris, France.

  Royston sat back in his chair and read through the note before him once more.

  He felt consternation at seeing this name, here and now. It was too early, but for the time being it was all hearsay.

  Two Arcadian Magi had disappeared in Warsaw, Poland, and the main suspect, due to the proximity of his rumoured Sepulchre, would be Demitriov, or one of his Coven.

  At this delicate time, someone like Demitriov could really mess things up. He’d pass the information on of course. She’d know what to do.

  Three’s a crowd?

  New York

  Jan 14th

  Amanda padded over her carpet towards her front door, her bare feet keeping her movements practically silent as she opened it, having heard the doorbell only moments before and knowing from the Magic cast on the house that it was Celest who stood on the opposite side.

  The door opened and Amanda gave Celest a huge smile and a hug in greeting.

  ‘It’s wonderful to see you Celest, how have you been?’ Amanda asked.

  ‘I’m great thanks, how about you, I’ve been hearing some curious rumours from some of the local Magi about you.’

  ‘’Yeah, I’m the chosen one,’ Amanda said, no longer feeling quite so shy about it. Why should she? She could pass into the Abyss for pity’s sake, who else could say they could do that? Everything that the Prophecy had said about her seemed to be coming true, all the Magi seemed to believe it, even the Council appeared to be convinced, including Forrest of the Legion from what he had said to her after the meeting.

  She hadn’t been keen on the attention at first, with all the people coming up to her and wanting to talk to her. She just didn’t like it. But they hadn’t meant any harm, they just hadn’t met anyone like her before.

  ‘The “chosen one” indeed,’ Celest said, tilting her head to one side slightly as she said it.

  ‘Yup, that's right,’ Amanda said with a smile. ‘I’ve become quite important with all this going on I think. I’ve had a few of the local Covens come round to see me, you know? I’m happy to see them of course.

  ‘And you’re dealing with this okay?’ Celest said.

  ‘Oh yeah, it’s all grand. It took a little getting used to, to be sure. But, I’m good now.’

  ‘So, what does this all mean then? What can you do?’

  Amanda went through it with Celest, happy to open up about it and tell her what had happened. They moved into the living room and sat talking for a while, Amanda going through the recent events while Celest listened and asked questions.

  By the end of it, Celest seemed a little off with her maybe? She wasn’t sure but the friendliness she had shown on first arriving here seemed to have been withdrawn a bit. Amanda didn’t know what was going on with Celest in her life, though, so it could be anything.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Amanda said.

  ‘Of course, I’m fine,’ Celest answered.

  ‘So what have you been doing recently? Anything interesting?’

  Celest smiled inwardly and let out a sigh before answering.

  ‘I’ve been volunteering actually, working at a local women’s support place called The Sanctuary. They help women who have escaped from abusive relationships and try to get them back on their feet and living their lives again.’

  ‘That sounds perfect for you,’ Amanda said, smiling. I bet you could show those men a thing or two. If you know what I mean?’

  ‘Um, yeah, sure…’ she said.

  ‘Rip some balls off, you know.’

  ‘If you say so,’ Celest said.

  They talked for a while longer, but it soon became clear that Celest didn’t want to stay and talk for too long and grew quieter as they talked. Amanda wasn’t sure why but felt sure that Celest would have her reasons. She was a werewolf after all, and she had no idea how that changed you and affected your personality.

  ‘Thanks for coming over, it's always great to see you,’ Amanda said as Celest stepped outside the front door.

  ‘Yeah, sure. Thanks for the chat,’ Celest said.

  ‘I’ll see you around,’ Amanda offered.

  Celest just waved as she reached the bottom of the steps and continued down the street, barely even looking back at her.

  Amanda frowned, wondering what was up with Celest today. It seemed strange to her that she would come over voluntarily, entirely of her own volition, and then seem to be in a rush to leave. She also seemed a little dismissive about her new status as the chosen one, like she didn’t believe it or something.

  She closed the door and turned to see Liz stood over by the bottom of the stairs watching her. She didn’t say anything, she just watched and waited.

  ‘Are you alright?’ Amanda asked.

  ‘Everything’s alright with me,’ she said, putting some emphasis on the last word.

  ‘Did you see that? Did she seem a little, off with me somehow?’ Amanda asked. It did seem off to her that Celest would act like that and just couldn’t really see what the issue might be.

  ‘A little yes. I couldn’t think what the issue could be.’

  The sarcasm in that last sentence came through clearly enough for her to pick up on, making Amanda frown and wonder if Liz had a problem as well.

  ‘I not sure I like that tone, Liz,’ Amanda said.

  ‘Oh really? You don’t like my tone?’

  ‘No, I don’t, what is wrong with you?’ Amanda said, feeling a little lost.

  ‘Nothing is wrong with me.’ Liz said, anger in her voice.

  ‘Well clearly there is, and I don’t like how you’re talking to me, so I’ll see you later,’ Amanda said, deciding she didn’t like this conversation anymore and stalked off down the corridor away from Liz who watched her go.

  What had gotten into people today? First, it was Celest and now Liz, both of them seemed to be having some kind of issue or problem today. It was probably nothing and she felt sure that they would be fine later. She hoped so anyway as she had Howie coming over tonight and felt sure he wouldn’t want to deal with a stroppy teenager in the house with them.

  Later on that afternoon, Maria arrived unexpectedly and after Liz had put her in a bad mood, it had been just what she had needed to lift her spirits and put her in a better frame of mind. She had been itching to tell her about Howie anyway. After all the encouragement to try new things and find someone that she could be with as well as her, she hoped that Maria would approve.

  ‘So, I’ve got something to tell you,’ Amanda said.

  ‘Oh really, go on,’ Maria said as she adjusted her sitting position on one of the stools at the breakfast bar in the kitchen where they had been talking.

  ‘Yeah, well, I took your advice, finally, and I’ve started seeing someone else, besides you.’

  ‘Oooh, that’s great, well done. So he’s okay with us being together as well? It is a “he” right’

  ‘It is, and yeah, we talked a bit, I said I wanted to keep it as an open relationship for the moment, and he agreed, he seemed to like the idea.’

  ‘So, don’t keep me in suspense, who is he?’

  ‘His name's Howie, he’s, an old friend of mine, and a newly turned Initiated.’

  ‘Oh, I see, excellent. An old friend? From before you became a Magus?’

  ‘That’s right, it kind of happened after Nymira attacked me while in his presence and introducing him to the world of Magic.’

  ‘What? When did this happen?’

  ‘Oh, only yesterday. Don’t worry, we sur
vived just fine,’ Amanda said.

  ‘Well obviously, but jeez Amanda. I had no idea, and you move fast if you only got together with him yesterday.’

  ‘Grab the bull by the horns you said, live your life every single day. So when that Nomad attacked, your words made more sense to me then than at any other time.’

  Maria smiled. ‘You know what, you’re right, and you did exactly that. Good for you!’

  ‘Thank you,’ Amanda said.

  ‘I can’t wait to meet him,’ Maria said.

  ‘I bet you can’t.’

  ‘What has your life become hey?’ Maria said, listening to her and Howie talk about the fight in the Club. That had been one hell of a day, and it felt like it had happened ages ago, even though it was only really yesterday.

  Also, her getting together with Howie seemed like a natural progression, the next logical step in their friendship.

  ‘Feckin’ weird is what it’s become.’ Amanda said to Maria. She sat at the kitchen table with Maria to her left, Howie to her right and Liz opposite to her. She had appeared a short time ago and as yet had not mentioned the little terse exchange they’d had earlier. Amanda felt that Liz had acted like a child and was showing her age a bit. She felt that it really should be up to Liz to come to her and say sorry, rather than the other way around.

  As such, they had barely said two words to each other, but she had joined in with the general chat with all four of them sat at the table.

  ‘And dangerous. I’m still not sure who that scary witch woman was at the club.’ Howie said.

  ‘Nymira?’ Amanda asked.

  ‘Aaah, the Voodoo Queen, she’s a very powerful Magus, very well-known and very dangerous.’ Maria said.

  ‘Not someone to get into a fight with then?’ Howie said.

  ‘No, she has a habit of killing anyone who doesn’t agree with her,’ Maria commented.

  ‘She hasn’t met me yet,’ Amanda said, somewhat deadpan.

  ‘’Oooh, well, get you!’ Maria said in mock outrage. ‘That’s big talk from someone who ran away by the sounds of things,’ she said smiling.

  ‘You think you could take her?’ Howie asked Amanda.

  ‘Hello? Chosen one here?!’ Amanda said.

  ‘Get over yourself,’ Maria said laughing.

  Howie also smiled, but Liz didn’t, and gave her a very funny look. But she ignored it.

  ‘Hey,’ Amanda said to Maria, ‘even Forrest Ward seemed convinced I was the Chosen one, what does that tell you?’

  ‘Who’s Forrest Ward?’ Howie asked.

  ‘The leader of a right-wing Coven over in Texas, and someone who’s… um…’ Maria faltered.

  ‘…been a feckin’ eejit is what he’s been.’ Amanda interjected. ‘At least this Prophecy seems to have made him see the light at last. About feckin’ time if you ask me.’

  ‘This was at the council meeting you went too?’ Maria asked.

  ‘Yeah, I think I did well, showed them what I can do. I think most of them will be on-side,’ she said.

  Liz stood up from the table, a look of disgust on her face as she turned and walked out of the kitchen.

  Amanda watched her go, a frown on her face. After a moment, she looked at Maria and Howie.

  ‘I don’t know what’s got into her at the moment, she’s just really emotional and seems to take issue with everything I say.’

  ‘Are you going to go after her?’ Maria said.

  ‘You think I should?’

  ‘Yeah, I would if it were me.’

  ‘Okay,’ Amanda said and followed Liz out of the kitchen. She caught up with her upstairs close to her room. ‘Hey, Liz, wait up,’ she said and closed the gap between them as Liz waited in her doorway, her face stern.

  ‘What,’ Liz said.

  ‘What’s going on with you, why are you acting like this?’

  ‘What’s going on with me? Jeez. This is the problem Mandy, you can’t see it can you?’

  ‘See what?’

  ‘I mean, do you even hear yourself at the moment? What you sound like?’

  ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about I’m sure. But this attitude of yours, these teenage hormonal outbursts, they’re getting a little out of control.’

  ‘Oh my god. Are you being real right now? You’re trying to pin this one me?’

  ‘You’re the one with the problem,’ Amanda said, feeling confused by the way Liz was speaking to her.

  ‘No! You’re the one with the problem, not me. You need to listen to yourself sometime. You’re being a self-entitled, stuck up bitch that I just don’t have any time for right now,’ she raged, before backing into her room and slamming the door in Amanda’s face.

  Amanda stood in the same spot for a while, feeling shocked and surprised by this outburst from her apprentice.

  After a moment, she stepped up to the door and knocked on it. ‘Liz, I’m not sure what that was about, but I think maybe we need to talk about it?’

  ‘Piss off, there’s nothing to talk about, go away.’

  Amanda sighed and backed off from the door. She felt at a total loss as to what the problem was and why Liz was acting like this. It was totally out of character for her, Amanda had never seen her act out like that before. She was still young and she supposed it wasn’t all that long ago that she had basically lost everything.

  Was it just some teenage hormones or some kind of stage she was going through? She didn’t know, but for tonight at least she decided that she would give Liz some time and space in case she had some stuff she needed to work through.

  She’d make sure that Liz knew she was available for a chat if she wanted to talk about all this, but for now, she felt that Liz would appreciate some space and time.

  Her choice made, she walked away from her room and back through the house and downstairs once more.

  Walking into the kitchen she found Maria and Howie chatting and laughing and enjoying each other’s company.

  ‘Getting on well?’ Amanda asked.

  Maria looked up at her and winked. ‘You’ll have to let me know where you found this one,’ she said.

  ‘I’m one of a kind I’m afraid,’ Howie said.

  ‘Then we’ll just have to share, you don’t mind do you, Mandy?’ Maria said.

  ‘Join in any time you like,’ Amanda joked.

  ‘Phew, I’m getting a little hot under the collar here,’ Howie said, laughing.

  Amanda quickly forgot the little altercation she had with Liz upstairs as the drinks flowed. She chatted and laughed with Maria and Howie and had a great evening with them.

  They soon retired from the kitchen to the lounge and continued to drink the wine that she conjured, much to Howie’s fascination.

  She wasn’t sure what it was, maybe it was the alcohol taking away her inhibitions while also emboldening her, maybe it was her new found self-confidence or her new outlook on life, but later on in the evening, she ended up snuggled up with Maria, with Howie apparently enjoying the view. A gentle glance at his surface thoughts confirmed that he was indeed having a few naughty thoughts looking over at Amanda and Maria getting a little friendly, so she chose to take things a step further and see where this might lead.

  She always enjoyed touching and kissing her lover, but doing it in front of Howie, almost making a show of it for him, gave her a thrill that felt new and exciting.

  She had a few doubts pass through her mind, wondering what might be going through Howie’s head as they created this little show for him, but Maria’s words to her just a couple of days ago came back to her again and again. Enjoy life, make the most of it, for tomorrow you could be dead.

  Yesterday’s attack only served to reinforce the idea, solidifying it, making it real.

  Giving him some knowing looks as she kissed Maria and reached under Maria’s top to caress her breasts, she couldn’t help the giddy smile that spread over her face.

  It wasn’t long before both of them were half naked and Maria whispered into her ear.
‘Shall we invite him over maybe?’ she asked with her hand stuffed down into Amanda’s knickers, her fingers sliding into her. Amanda gasped at the thrill of it all.

  ‘Absolutely,’ she said, and they smiled at Howie from across the room, his arousal at the performance clear to see.

  ‘Let's take this upstairs,’ Amanda said, and with a quick working of Magic, Ported them all up into her room where they beckoned Howie over to them.

  The sense of power that she seemed to have over him in that moment thrilled her, she felt like she could have asked him to do whatever she wanted, and with the promise of him joining them both in bed, he would have done literally anything for her.

  Mary has left the Vatican today on another of her personal missions, heading who knows where. If I had to guess, I would say it’s another mission related to that female Witch in New York she seems so fixated on.

  I worry that this might become an issue and bring weakness to the Inquisition. But I have plans in place, so I must be patient and wait for the right time.

  - Diary of Marcus, Grand Inquisitor

  Strategy

  The Atoll, the Pacific

  Jan 16th

  Assunta stood on the beach of the Atoll, her feet planted firmly in the shallow water as it lapped against her ankles. With her hands behind her back, she watched the Sea Plane taxi over the waves and come to a stop close to the shore, but not close enough to become beached.

  The side door opened and, proceeded by a couple of crusader knights, Mary Damask stepped down from the plane and walked through the waters towards her.

  In this intense heat, she wore a long white dress and a light shawl over her shoulders. Sunglasses hid her eyes while her bob-cut black hair glistened in the light of the sun.