"Damn, where to start? I'm Roger. Until now I was at Axis, learning... look, to understand this you're going to have to realize that magic exists. Not stage magic, the real thing."
"Is this an underground marketing gimmick?" Keisha folded her arms. "I followed the whole issue with the fey, and I suspect I know more about the legal side than you do. There are natural characteristics that might be called magic by some, and since then there have been countless scams targeting gullible people that want to believe in a secret magical society. Don't try it with me."
"That's just what the government said - dammit, I'm not helping myself." Roger clutched his forehead with one hand and let out his breath slowly. "This isn't some big secret, like aliens or something. People know, they just don't care. But the magic is around. You don't know, but it is. It's like, I don't know, how you listen to music without knowing how an iPod works."
"A capacitor stores two levels of electrical charge that encode increasingly complicated-"
"Gah!" Roger threw up his hands and took a few steps away. Though he seemed to be muttering to himself, she was just able to make out his words. "Why can't you just accept the physical control? I wouldn't have to explain if I could just pull you along."
Her eyebrows immediately rose. "What exactly do you mean by that?"
"Nothing, I was - screw it, we don't have time for this. I was trying to make you come along. I don't know how you're resisting. Have you had any aethomancy training? No, that makes no sense if you don't believe me. Some minds can be hard to crack, but you shouldn't be able to... unless you're mocking me, but no..."
Without warning he straightened his shoulders. Keisha took a step back, but he only raised empty palms.
Suddenly light flared, fragments whirling around him. For a moment they looked like a flock of birds taking flight, but they quickly merged into a solid glow. It began to spin, a wobbling shape that slowly became spherical. For a moment it was still, and within she could see Roger, visible only because he was even brighter.
Then it was gone, and he sagged to his knees. She tried to keep her face expressionless, but when he looked at her he smirked. "How is that for proof that magic is real?"
"It's... I'll acknowledge you can do something I doubt can be explained with simple tricks. It doesn't prove anything else you said." Keisha folded her arms. "But I'm more willing to hear you out. What were you saying about the effects of magic in normal life?"
"Oh, it's all over the place. Every toy company has at least one aethomancer - we really don't have time for this. I only escaped by pretending I wanted to help recruit you. I got here before them, but not by much."
Though she wasn't sure to what extent she believed him, Keisha had seen enough to think there might be an actual threat. Recruit her? That had ominous undertones even without his warning. "Who? The Axis place you mentioned earlier? Why are they after me?"
"I know, I thought the same thing. But they use different standards than most places. You have the potential for the same kind of power I have - actually, I've never seen anyone as well-attuned to light as you are.
"But listen, it's all a lie. They start by telling you that you can fulfill all your dreams, have anything you want, play the hero, all of that. But it's not true. Maybe some of them believe it, but not the ones that matter. It's... it's like a farm for - no, we're just fuel." Roger massaged his temples with both hands. "Is this making any sense?"
"Not much."
"They promise everything and then take everything. We need to get out of here before they show up. Maybe you could reject them when I didn't... anything is better than going to that place."
"You think your life is actually in danger?" He might simply be unbalanced, but part of her was starting to believe him. She glanced around the still-empty park. "Where would you go that would be a safe place? I assume you wouldn't have come to me if-"
"No." His eyes shot upward and his face turned ashen. "Too late. But there's only one. One man is nothing to me. Hide for now and I'll find you later."
One invitation to leave was plenty. If what he said was true, it would soon be unsafe here. If it was all a delusion, better to put some distance between them. Keisha headed for the closest set of trees that could provide cover, yet found herself glancing over her shoulder.
Nothing had happened by the time she was at the edge of the park, so she looked back. Just as she was considering who to call about a madman with potential super powers, a door opened.
Keisha blinked. A door of dark wood was standing in the park, looking natural except for the obvious absurdity. Someone stepped through and it vanished. From her angle, she could only see it was a tall man in a suit with a bowler hat. Roger faced him and she had to strain to hear what was said.
"...already here."
"So it was only an excuse to flee." The man's voice was soft. "Disappointing, but you have always been a disappointment."
"How did you find me so quickly?"
"We thought you might run. You didn't think we would be suspicious when a lazy oaf like yourself abruptly volunteered for more work? If you had shown this much ambition in your studies, perhaps this would not have become necessary."
Roger laughed bitterly. "So now what? Going to pull out a stick and wipe my memory? Or maybe just go for your little Vorpal Gun? You think you have a chance against me? I'm one of Light's champions! Destiny won't let you stop me here!"
"A destined champion from an ancient time would be little more than a club-wielding savage today. This war is obsolete, Roger, and because you've never understood that, so are you. You have three seconds to surrender the Essence."
"You'll have to take it from me, you-"
In one swift movement the man raised a pistol. When it fired there was only a sound like a gust of wind, yet Roger was gone. With barely a pause, the man summoned another door and vanished into it.
Keisha released the breath she had been holding. It was a weak, shuddering sound, but she could forgive herself after what she had seen. She began to walk away, forcing herself to keep a natural pace. The man had seemed to confirm Roger's story, and that left her to face the consequences.
Someone would be coming for her soon, and considering they used magic she doubted she could escape. Roger had said they started easily, presenting an offer without explaining the strings attached. But if they knew what she had been told, suspected that she had seen, then she was in real danger.
As she slowly accepted the insanity of what was happening to her, her mind re-engaged. So far she had only heard one side of the story. Since the man had killed Roger she couldn't trust him, but he had spoken as if it was unnecessary. What reason would he have to lie to a man he was going to kill? Best to reserve judgment until she fully understood her situation.
The man walked from an alleyway in front of her. It took all her self-control not to flinch or move in the opposite direction. Up closer, she could see that his three-piece suit looked old, and he had large sideburns that hadn't been in style for decades. She had to remember how fast he had pulled his gun to avoid thinking of him as absurd.
"Good day to you, Miss Davis." He stopped at a safe distance away and tipped his hat. "May I have a moment of your time?"
What would she have thought if she hadn't seen everything else? Keisha gave him a polite smile. "What is it?"
"I hope you have received a letter from Axis University and at least considered our offer. I represent that organization, and I would be happy to answer any questions you might have."
"I don't recall..." When she searched her memory, she realized that the name had been on the packet she discarded. "I'm afraid I saw your letter but haven't opened it. What is this about?"
"Forgive me for not introducing myself. My name is Mr. Fredrick Hall." He extended his hand and out of habit she shook it. His grip was firm and the hand didn't feel like a murderer's. "One might say I am assisting the university admissions department. I hope you will not be disturbed that we have been watchin
g your academic career. I assume that became routine once you began standardized testing."
"Then you're probably aware I intend to study law. While I'm sure Axis is a lovely institution, I'm afraid it isn't listed among the top schools."
Mr. Hall removed his hat slowly. There was no trace of grey in his dark brown hair, yet his face and eyes looked much older. "The legal profession is of course a worthy occupation. However, we believe your talent for other fields may be even greater, and would like to encourage you to consider all available options. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for you, considering NYU's recent rejection letter."
This time she couldn't prevent herself from stiffening. It had been said so casually, yet the implications were utterly sinister. She forced another smile. "I didn't realize I'd mentioned which schools I'd applied for."
"What are you implying?" As he placed his bowler back on his head, his hand covered his face.
"Is competition between universities really that intense?" She smiled as if it was a joke, and after a moment Mr. Hall chuckled.
"We simply pay very close attention, Miss Davis. I assure you we are an institute of higher learning, not some grand conspiracy that has fingers in other admissions departments. While our field of study may be unorthodox from your perspective, we are in the end only a university."
"That's reassuring." She turned her back to him and stared up into the sky. It was still pure blue, threatening to swallow her as quickly as her life had been consumed. Perhaps she was still numb, but she found herself considering the options dispassionately. While she had made difficult academic decisions before, she had never done so with so little information.
"Admissions staff would be pleased if I could get a clear answer from you. Nothing binding, of course, but if you agree we could prepare your scholarship fully covering tuition."
Was it really a choice? His hands were always close to his coat, and she wondered if he would really use the unnatural weapon on her. She felt a mix of pity and gratitude for Roger. Whatever his failings, he had actually tried to help her. On her own, she would have declined and potentially put herself in danger.
There was a choice: she could panic, or she could control her situation. It was not so different, in the end. As sinister as it might be, it was still a university. From what she had heard, her future would be determined by her performance. And though she had no idea what arcane arts they might try to teach, she thought she could excel at them. That was what she'd spent her entire life doing, after all.
"Thank you for your offer, Mr. Hall. We obviously need to discuss the details, but..." She turned and gave him her best admissions handshake and smile. "I'm grateful to be given this opportunity."
Chapter 4
Yet again Aki wondered if she had somehow cast Protection Against Society on herself. The sounds of soft conversation murmured throughout the room, but not where she stood. Or where she stood earlier, or the place before that.
It didn't help that they hadn't explained this was going to be a semi-formal event. She had on a decent blouse and jeans, but some of the other women were in evening gowns. Her only comfort was that they seemed out of place as well, compared to the faculty's relaxed dress. Still, she wasn't making much of a first impression and it looked as though she might be entirely ignored.
Well, not ignored. A few guys had talked to her and she had been glad for company until she realized they didn't have much on their minds except yellow fever. The room was sterile and empty except for a few chairs and tables, but some seemed to think it was a singles bar.
Like some random douchebag who always seemed to be talking to several women at once. He wasn't bad-looking, which made the fact that everyone left after talking to him even worse.
What she should do was go talk to the faculty. Aki admitted to herself that she was terrified of the thought. She might be ignorant, but she would seem a thousand times worse compared to them. Even the financial meeting had been dizzying, the admissions staff starting with something called crence before converting to dollars as if she was a dim-witted child. What she got out of the meeting was that even if she performed well she was probably going to go into a lot of debt, and right now it seemed like she would fail miserably.
"You don't seem to be enjoying yourself."
Aki turned to see who had spoken. It was a young woman who looked like she wanted a career in modeling: blond hair, blue eyes, makeup that made her seem just a little unreal. And of course, she had on a white dress more expensive than everything Aki owned.
"I guess I'm not a very sociable person." She gave what she hoped was a friendly smile and glanced at the other woman's nametag. Bianca Manunta. It wasn't even the same kind of nametag: hers was golden letters against silver.
"How does going to social events work out for you?"
"You're seeing the results, right?" Aki almost felt comfortable for a moment before realizing that Bianca wasn't smiling with her. There was a smile, but it was an empty and soulless thing.
"I'm just trying to figure out why you're here." Bianca smoothed back a lock of hair. "Usually people have talent, or charisma, or at least money, but you have me puzzled."
"Are you trying out for the role of mean cheerleader?" Aki's insult dissipated against the plaster smile. Sarcasm was useless against someone like Bianca.
"As it happens, I'm looking for promising students. Do you even know why we're here? Disadvantaged students like you have no chance of succeeding unless you find a professor or advanced student willing to sponsor you."
Damn. That meant Bianca was probably a dozen times more powerful than her. But condescending explanations were better than no explanations at all, so she fished further. "Is that what the fancy nametags mean, then?"
Bianca laughed sharply. "Could you be any more hopeless? The colors represent potential, and they're given to practically anyone. I didn't think they let anyone in here without it, but I suppose we need someone to fill out the bell curve."
"How else would you feel good about yourself?" Aki resisted the urge to look down at her own nametag and hoped she looked more confident than she felt. Bianca shook her head scornfully and moved away.
Soon she was with a group of friends, saying something in a low voice that made them laugh. They all looked similar except for hair color. Now that she thought about it, Aki realized the group was unusual. The student body represented the entire world and some other places, but Bianca's cluster was all American and all white. But it was better not to look at them and add any more fuel to the mockery.
"That wasn't exactly true." A soft voice made her turn.
It was the douchebag. Thoughts crowded for her attention, a mix of apprehension and confusion. All she managed to say was, "What?"
"The nametags represent alignment, candidates with a particularly strong inclination toward Light or Darkness. They don't really measure potential beyond that. Also, I noticed all the other advanced students have grey nametags, so I guess she made hers to match the outfit."
There was a slight edge of scorn in his voice and it left Aki more bewildered. She was forced to reanalyze him. His nametag was pure black with "Blake Prieto" in red letters. Though his hair was only a little long for a guy, it had a black shine she envied. He wore trim slacks and a dress shirt, both black of course. Only his eyes didn't seem to match, dark blue and thoughtful.
"Blake, is it?" She raised an eyebrow. "Are you obligated to badmouth Miss Light over there since you're on opposite sides?"
"I can't let such a performance go unnoted. All she didn't do was tell you that you'll never make the cheerleading squad."
"Sorry, I already did that joke."
"I heard, I was just hoping to trick you into thinking we thought along the same lines."
Despite herself, she smiled. Blake leaned back against the nearest table and folded his arms. His gaze had shifted from the cheerleaders to the circles of professors.
"To answer your question more seriously, I don't think we sh
ould put too much stock into light and dark here. All the faculty's nametags are blue."
It was true, she realized only then. Apparently he was paying more attention than she was, despite all his failed conversations. Why had all the other girls tried to escape him, anyway? She doubted they were too stupid to understand him - well, she doubted it a little.
"Do you mind if I ask your name?"
"Seriously?" That almost made her reconsider him again. "We're wearing nametags, dude."
"Yes, but you seem to have written Inigo Montoya on yours."
Against her will she looked down, which fortunately partially hid her embarrassment. She had entirely forgotten about that. It had been a whim when she saw the cards read "Hello, my name is..." back when she had thought the event had been more casual. While thanking fate she hadn't tried to talk to any of the professors, she quietly flipped the card around and wrote her real name.
"Aki Ishikawa, then. I didn't kill your father." He held up his hands for inspection and she felt the beginnings of a grin.
"So did you actually apply to go to this place or did they just show up without warning?"
"Came out of the ground in flames."
"Wait, are you serious? My guy just knocked on the door. What was the deal with that?"
"It's less interesting than it sounds, actually..."
~ ~ ~
"Isn't it all so disturbing?"
"That's one word for it." Keisha took another sip of water and avoided making eye contact with Lysa. Whenever she had, the other woman had seemed to lock onto her and get emotional. Though Keisha understood her apprehension, she didn't want to wallow in it.
Truthfully, she was the least uncomfortable she had been since things started going wrong. A meet and greet like this was a little unusual, but it was something she understood. Seeing the professors, some of them even in tweed jackets, made the idea of magic less overwhelming. Frederick Hall had ignored her at the event, but he'd been straightforward in telling her what to expect.
"It's easier for you to be calm about this." Lysa twisted a strand of pale hair around her fingers. "You're apparently attuned to light, the good guys, the heroes. I haven't slept well since they tested me. It's been all darkness and evil since then."