• Chapter 4


    Amelia groaned raising her fingers tentatively to her head feeling for any bumps, she found one at the back of her head it had already swelled up. She squinted at the light coming from the small window of the basement and waited a moment for her eyes to adjust to the lighting before looking at her surroundings.

    “Ugh …,” she moaned. “What the hell happened?” She felt a slight pain on her chest, wincing she rubbed her chest absentmindedly.“Nix?” Then she paused unsure. “Arthur?”

    She looked around spotting the said bodies not far off from her. She went on her knees, starting to crawl towards the body nearest to her which was Arthur’s. She was mindful of the shattered pieces of glass, liquid, candles, and various other items as she carefully maneuvered herself around them.

    “Arthur?” she whispered lightly prodding him on the shoulder.

    She tried to remember how they got into this situation, how everything was a mess when she woke up, but came up blank. Arthur was lying on his back unmoving and clutching a clouded jar, Amelia grew concern she leaned over his chest pressing her ear to where his heart is.

    It was beating slow and even.

    “Thank god.” Amelia let out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding. “Arthur, wake up.”
    She shook him harshly and he gave out a groan his eyes opened then closed because of the offending light. Amelia watched him concern etched on her face. He opened his eyes again raising his hand to rub them.

    “Are you alright?” she asked hovering close to his face.

    He blinked inching back for space. “Y-Yeah I’m fine. Where’s your friend?”
    Amelia jerked her head towards her friend's body. “Over there…Are you sure you're okay? I don't really remember much of what happened.” She played with the hem of her dirty dress nervous.

    Arthur nodded. “I’m fine. Go check your friend.”

    Amelia gave him one last look then went off to check if Nix was still alive. Arthur watched her go then
    looked at the mess from last night feeling troubled. He held up the clouded jar studying it closely, the clouds were moving nonstop as if it was angry and annoyed.

    A pair of jaws snapped out hissing, hitting the glass with a smack before retreating back into the clouds, causing Arthur to flinch and jump almost dropping the jar from his grip in surprise.

    “You okay?” Amelia asked again looking back.

    “Hmm…O-oh yeah. I’m fine.”

    Amelia let out a hum and turned her attention to a sleeping Nix, who was sprawled out in a rather comfortable manner.

    “Nix …wake up.” Amelia knelt down pressing her ear to Nix’s heart. It was beating as well and she let herself relax.

    She shook her dear friend harshly as well earning a smack on the chin.
    “Ow! Nix!” she cried from a flying arm and an incoherent greeting. Amelia glared, rubbing her sore chin, at a groggy-eyed Nix.

    “Huh?” was the intelligent answer from Nix who blinked bleary-eyed.
    She rubbed her face with her hands yawning. “It’s morning already? Ow!” Nix winced feeling her head she felt a rather huge bump on the side of her head. She gingerly touched it, it was dry and her hair felt stiff around that area.

    Amelia hovered closer, the previous incident forgotten. “Are you okay?”
    Nix shook her head. “No … I have a bump on my head … I think it was bleeding earlier.”
    Amelia peered closely examining the bump. “Yeah it was bleeding, but now it’s dry … you have to get that clean before an infection starts.” She looked at Nix worryingly.

    Her friend smiled feeling grateful for Amelia's concern. “Yeah, I'll do that.”
    Amelia returned Nix's smile.

    Then after a moment she asked, “Do you remember last night? I don’t remember much.”
    Nix's smile disappeared and she looked at the ground biting her lip, Amelia eagerly waited for her answer.

    “N-No …” Nix scrunched up her face. “No … I can't really remember that much … All I can remember was your brother’s friend … Arty something, bursting in on us …,” she trailed off looking at her friend.
    “Oh…I see.” She said in disappointment to her friend’s answer, she was hoping Nix did remember because when she tried a headache formed.

    Then she turned to Arthur feeling hopeful. “How about you Arthur? Do you remember?” Arthur frowned wondering if he should just say, no he didn’t but he needed to know why the girls did what they did last night. So he told the truth, “Yes, I remember from the point I came in…and this was the result of the whole mess.” He held up the jar.

    Nix flinched looking at it fearfully, Amelia on the other hand was curious and in awe. “What is it?” she asked ignoring the pain on her chest, her blue-green eyes fixated on the jar.

    “It’s a demon, that’s what.” Arthur sat up straighter running his free hand through his brown hair “What I want to know is why you guys were trying to do a summoning.” He gave them a sharp glare.
    Amelia scowled, angry. “Why should you be concern about what we do? In fact, how come you seem as if you’ve been in these situations before? And how come—wait what? A demon?”

    It hit her like a ton of bricks finally sinking in.

    Arthur sighed irritable. “Yes a demon. Didn’t I make it clear earlier? Anyways tell me how you came across that book.”

    Amelia glared. “Why should I tell you?”

    Nix gave a gasp. “Amelia!” She tugged on Amelia's sleeve in urgency.

    “What?” Amelia snapped. “Y-Your h-hair! Its changing colors!”

    Amelia gave Nix a look of disbelief. “That’s ridiculous, Nix. Nobody can change hair colors unless they used dye.”

    Arthur looked at her eyes widening. “No, your friend’s right. Wasn’t your hair some type of brown before?”

    “It’s called auburn idiot.” She sneered the pain on her chest worsening.

    “Well whatever it’s called it’s going away. Shouldn’t you have a mirror somewhere?”

    Nix and Arthur started looking around for one, Amelia just sat crossed legged getting angrier for some reason, a reason she didn’t know of and didn’t understand.

    “Here! I found one!” Nix shouted holding up a hand held mirror that she found on one of the shelves.

    “Give me that. You guys are going crazy from whatever happened last night.” She snatched the mirror from Nix’s hand and held it up to examine her hair that she had put into a bun the day before.
    She went into shock; the hair that she prided in was now changing before her eyes becoming platinum blond that almost looked white. She began to hyperventilate dropping the mirror, Arthur watched slightly awkward as Nix tried to comfort her panic-stricken friend.

    “Oh my god! Oh my god! What’s happening to me!”

    Nix took Amelia in her arms rocking her back and forth whispering words of comfort. Arthur moved away from the scene checking his watch—it wasn't even seven thirty yet.
    He picked up the book dropping it when he felt his hand burn. Hissing softly he took his dirty white shirt off and wrapped it around his hand using it as a glove to pick the book up. He frowned; his mind working a mile per second.

    Nix was watching him at the corner of her eye, blushing a little when he took off his shirt revealing a smooth tan torso with some muscle definition. She continued her comfort to Amelia with some embarrassment.

    After a few minutes Amelia finally grew calm, her creamy skin was flushed from the blood going to her head and embarrassment of the scene she caused. She let go of Nix’s hold smoothing out her dress, her previous anger forgotten she tried to regain some of her dignity.

    She turned to Arthur her face set and serious a question bugging her mind and hoping to be answered. “Arthur…who are you exactly? You seem far to calm in this situation and I believe you know more than you let on.”

    Nix nodded in agreement.

    Arthur sighed placing the jar on the floor next to them and then sitting across so he can look at them both, he rubbed his face stalling for time.

    Nix scooted closer to Amelia, so close that it can be considered as almost sitting on top of her. Amelia rubbed her chest the pain still lingered but it wasn’t hurting as much.

    “Well?” she prompted then sighed also seeing as he wasn’t going to speak first. “Fine, I’ll go first…I was practically given this book from a weird bookseller. He was talking about bosses and how the people were asking for this book and willing to pay a lot of money. I don’t know why but he thought I worked for one of them and now that I think about it he seemed pretty desperate to get it off his hands…and you know what I paid him? Five dollars! I still can’t believe it. But that’s what happened…now tell us what just happened?”


    Kathy Woods was not having a good morning so far, but then again, she thought to herself as she flicked off the stray bits of food that came from Olga as she was talking enthusiastically with her mouth full; when did I ever have a good morning so much as a day?

    A light voice came from behind her, “Olga, please can't you wait until after you swallow your food to talk.”

    Kathy turned her head to see who the newcomer was and frowned slightly at the sight of a timid mousy looking girl, she turned around to resume eating her breakfast.

    Olga grinned. “Morning brat, come sit next to us.” She motioned to a sit next to her.
    The newcomer smiled nervously sitting next to Kathy, her tray making only a small sound as she gently put it down in front of her.

    Kathy eyed the other components of the cafeteria scanning to see if there were other people she knew and actually liked. There was none grimacing she picked at her scrambled eggs.

    “Brat this is Kathy Woods, Kathy this is one of my students I was telling you about, this is Jane Swane.” Jane visibly brightened up at the mention of Kathy's name.

    “I know you!” she blurted blushing. “Err—I meant that I heard about you from the others and before I joined. You’re one of my idols!” By the time she finished she was red as a tomato and she was shaking in excitement muttering things about sitting next to her idol.

    Kathy blinked surprised and honestly flattered if not a bit put out by this one girl. “Oh…well thanks?” She looked at Olga who grinned manically at her, Kathy glared.

    “I can’t believe you got yourself a fan Kat.” Olga laughed using the nickname she had for Kathy. That only fueled Kathy’s annoyance further and she stabbed her pancakes with her fork.

    “It’s Kathy not Kat,” she muttered angry, stuffing the food in her mouth and chewing quickly.
    Olga ignored her comment putting her attention on Jane. “So, are you ready for today’s battle practice?”

    Jane nodded excited. “Yeah, I can’t wait I hope I get to fight with Brian ‘cause after what he said the other day I’m totally going to kick his a** this time!” Her blue eyes glowed with anticipation.
    Kathy snorted swallowing her food. “This time? Seems to me like you’ve lost a lot.”
    Jane only smiled. “Yeah, but I’m improving a lot, this time I will beat him!”
    Suddenly it hit Kathy like a ton of bricks Jane was another optimistic person probably not like Olga, but still happy and go-lucky. She shuddered why oh why am I surrounded by optimistic fiends? It’s not natural!

    She stood up empty tray in hand and turned on her heel not bothering to say her goodbyes.
    “Come during the afternoon for my class Kat!” Olga all but shouted from where she sat smiling like usual.

    Kathy grunted throwing the tray on top of the others and then with finality said. “No way in hell.”
    Olga just smiled wider looking at Jane’s disappointed face. “Don't worry she’ll be there.”
    Jane gave her a doubtful look. “Really? I don’t think she will.”

    Olga scooped up some eggs with her spoon. “Oh trust me she’ll be there.”
    Jane turned her head watching Kathy’s back disappear behind doors still very much doubtful.
    If Kathy had believed in any god she would be cursing at them for practically laughing at the irony of her life. But since she did not she kept her cursing and inner thoughts privy to herself, so instead of resting like she wanted to she found herself in Olga’s class watching her students do some battle training in teams.

    Kathy told herself and Olga that she only came to relieve herself of boredom, unfortunately for her Olga had smiled a knowing smile not believing Kathy for a second. Which of course irritated Kathy to know end, she was tempted to leave very tempted but she didn't—couldn’t her body wouldn’t listen to her mind it was like her body had a different mind of its own.

    “Kathy! Kathy! Did you see my attack just now?” Jane had spotted her and was shouting to her from the battle ground waving her arms in triumph.

    Kathy leaned on the railing eying the destruction of the practice room, she didn’t answer. Jane was mauled down by a fireball from behind ending her shouts of trying to gain Kathy’s attention. Jane’s other classmates finally noticed that there was another presence in the room and they gave her looks of confusion and curiousness. But they were back to fighting by Olga’s bark.
    “So this is what you meant by a rowdy bunch this year,” Kathy mused feeling a sense of superiority surge within her when she saw how much the students lacked in talent.
    Olga sighed. “Yeah, they really are, I’m not quite sure how to put up with them anymore. They fight like…how do the humans put it…oh right like cats and dogs.” She grinned at the simile she made.
    “They’re terrible; they lack finesse. Their attacks and defenses are sloppy…really Olga have you been teaching them anything?” She looked at her frowning.

    Olga had the decency to look ashamed. “Well it’s my first time having students you know that Kathy. I just wanted to test them out and gather information about them so I can prepare myself.”
    Kathy noted that what Olga said was logical but it didn't mean that she had to agree with it. “Still by making them fight each other weather it’s individually or in teams does not give you a lot of information. Whoever wins in those battles has inflated egos and will think they are better than the others and hell hey might even start picking fights with other students out of class.” Kathy frown deepen and Olga avoid eye contact with her ashamed that she didn’t think that far ahead.

    “Well at least they're having fun,” Olga weakly protested.

    Kathy’s frown turned into a glare she looked at the students then at Olga and then at railing underneath her. She was mad, mad at the students she didn’t even know because they were weak and probably cocky. Mad at Olga for being stupid and for letting them continue on being weak and cocky, and at last mad at herself for telling Olga the faults in her plan of gathering information, a plan Olga thought was pretty smart and seemed proud of it because not only was Olga having fun watching her students fight and getting to know them but her students themselves seemed to have fun as well.
    She felt bitter and felt an urge to apologize but she didn’t her pride wouldn’t allow her to apologize for something that she was obviously right about. So instead the glare on her face cleared and she calmly turned to Olga. “Don’t you think they should take a break now? They have been fighting for over an hour after all.” Kathy winced inwardly that came out a bit harsher then she expected it to, but Olga perked up and she was back to her happy self.

    “Okay brats!” Olga yelled her voice echoing throughout the room “Break time!”
    There was a mixture of responses some annoyed that they didn’t get to finish attacking, others relived to be able to catch their breaths. Olga jumped over the railing landing with a heavy thud on the ground.
    Kathy watched her interact with her students before starting to gesture towards Kathy. “Students this is a dear friend of mine who you hear about quite infamously around here, Kathy Woods. She just got back from her travels a few days ago.”

    Olga beamed at Kathy proud to have her as a friend. Kathy pushed herself off the railing and jumped as well landing lightly on her feet. She looked at the faces around her and mentally groaned, she was right—she was always right. The kids were too cocky and full of themselves; well, she thought to herself, it’s time to kick them down a notch or two…heh maybe all of them.

    A grin split her face, feeling unnatural and unfamiliar. Olga didn’t notice either too busy introducing them to her or because she didn't want to say anything that would cause Kathy to lose the grin so she kept quiet about it. The students meanwhile noticed the obvious unnatural stiffness and the creepy look in Kathy’s eyes; they became wary of her possibly close to fearing and dreading her.
    “Miss Woods.” The door of the practice room slammed opened alerting the others of another presence.
    Kathy looked up the grin gone replaced by her usual frown. “What do you want Chris?” She crossed her arms facing where he was standing, with his usual expressionless face.
    “Meeting in ten, the usual place.” Chris turned not waiting for Kathy’s answer and left.
    She sighed. “Well Olga, the Lady calls.” She patted Olga’s shoulder at her disappointed look.

    “Oh, okay. There's always next time.”

    Kathy nodded. “Yes, I'm sure.” Though in her mind there wasn't going to be a next time any time soon and she too left.

    The meeting room was dim and fairly spacious. There were no windows and the only exit and entrance was a heavy metal door with a code lock outside the room. Kathy quickly typed the pass code that she had gotten from Chris earlier, and stepped in exactly on the dot. She was greeted with familiar faces some she liked and others she disliked. She gave a small nod to Medusa who sat at the top of the long rectangular table her face serious.

    Once settled in everyone looked expectantly at Medusa, curious as to why she called an emergency meeting. She looked at each of her ten advisors, laying her palms on the table she then looked down trying to figure out how to what she needed to say.

    Suddenly the silence was broken by a loud irritable sigh. “Well, what did you call us for?” It was from an aging old female with her head like that of a hawk, arms like wings with claws for hands at the tip, and body hunched over with wrinkles that seem to overlap each other. Her wise beady eyes pierced through Medusa demanding an answer.

    Medusa looked up and glared, her lips tightening she looked around again. “If you will let me precede Elga, then I will explain…on the twenty-fourth of December, a few days ago, our teams—from the many locations we have—located and pinpointed a source of high energy levels—”
    She was interrupted by a loud voice. “And what does that have to do with us?”
    Medusa glared at the interrupter, a cocky young male that was too full of himself. “As I was saying it was pinpointed that it was coming from America. The teams have reported that they don't know the exact location but they do vaguely know the area which is in the Arizona desert.”
    She paused. “I trust that most of you remember the second Great War.”
    Some nodded remembering it unkindly and the ones who didn't were interested and listened closely.

    “Well, we have reason to believe the energy belongs to Lucille.”

    There were many protests, outrage, and disbelief.

    Kathy stayed silent a bit of dread rising in her. She watched Medusa try calming them down before at last snapping. “SHUT UP! All of you! You are acting like children! Calm down and act your age!” Her voice loud and strong echoed in the room forcing everyone to become silent.

    After a moment Elga spoke, her voice confused but holding chaos, “Is this a joke?!” Her voice went steely, “I refuse to be made a fool of. Lucille is dead and has been dead for sixty-four years. Kathy was even there to witness her death; she backed your claims of killing Lucille. So enough of this foolishness, what's done is done.” By the time she was done with her rant she was breathing heavily.
    A male beside her patted her shoulder, he was old as well even older than Elga. He stood up and all eyes were on him. “Dear Elga don’t speak so soon yet. We have yet to hear the reasons from young Medusa about her belief.”

    When he spoke the double chin he had wobbled and his voice shook—not out of fear but from old age.
    “Now Medusa, tell us your reasons. Speak loud and clear so I may hear, you know I am old and not fit as I once was.” He sat down slowly gripping on his cane; his bright blue eyes looking at her patiently.
    Medusa tore her eyes away. “Thank you Thaddeus.” She cleared her throat seeking Kathy’s eyes.
    Kathy rubbed her face warily, looking anywhere but Medusa’s face. After a moment Kathy spoke her voice heavy. “It’s probably true. The energy our Lady is talking about, it’s probably from Lucille. After all Medusa never did actually kill her.”

    The atmosphere in the room turned freezing cold. Broken whispers and mutterings broke out; suspicious eyes were casted upon her. Kathy placed her hands on her lap so no one would see them tightening up.

    Medusa finally spoke after a while. “It’s true. I never actually killed Lucille…I did believe that when our magic had clashed she had was killed because of the force it. Unfortunately it didn’t…in the end though Kathy managed to kill the traitor only to have her use her powers to give him back life by using a forbidden spell.

    “Kathy at the point was already heavily wounded and I also hesitated when I had the perfect chance to kill Lucille, she was too weak and wounded as well. But she took advantage of my pause and escaped with the traitor. They disappeared after that and I don't know what happened to them afterwards…,” she trailed off.

    The advisors were shocked, some lost in their own thoughts and memories, and others talking quietly amongst themselves.

    Kathy finally looked up eyes slightly narrowed, she opened her mouth to speak but Thaddeus beat her to it. “And so you have reason to believe the energy is Lucille’s?”

    Medusa nodded. “Yes, I am positive that the energy belongs to her. She does have a rather unique energy pattern and even though it’s been decades I still remember it clearly.”
    Thaddeus sighed rubbing his arm with his bony hand, thinking.
    Tense, everyone waited for his final decision even though ultimately it was Medusa’s choice that was final in the end.

    “I think,” he started “That is it your choice to be made. But I will make it known that Elga and I are not taking part in this. If you want to go ahead and track her down and kill her once and for all then go do so, just don’t be foolish and stupid while doing so.”

    A look of relief flashed through Medusa’s eyes and she nodded suddenly feeling light as if her burden was lifted up and taken away, even if it was only for a little while.
    She turned her gaze onto Kathy then onto the rest. “Okay, here’s what I what done. Kathy will go to Moscow, while the rest…”

    Kathy leaned back in her chair listening attentively with the rest of the members.