Emotionless: (Prototype: Zero book 1)

  Emotionless.

  Prototype:Zero.

  I was surrounded by a roomful of mages in formal attire. It made me realise how uncomfortable I become around so many great adults. I had to touch the tie Mum done for me every time an adult greeted my parents. I lost count how many times I counted the black spots on my tie.

  I doubt I was the only one that was nervous. Mum touched Dad's arm whenever he strayed back to the bar, and whenever someone came to talk to her about potions, she felt her swelling belly and darted a look at me, her protégé.

  ‘We want your son to work with us once he has become of age’. They would all say to my mum. Never to me.

  “He’s still a child,” Mum would say with a smile. “He may have developed at a younger age than most mages, and his intelligence is at an older teenage level, but he is still eleven and nowhere near accepting any form of work.”

  They would then turn to me, but I would quickly gaze at my tie, so they never tried to talk to me personally. The Lowborn mages would then walk away to find someone else to harass whenever my mum rejected them. I knew the look of displeasure too well. They curled their lip, and their eyes dilated. I wouldn’t work with any of them because none of them spoke to me first.

  Mum was growing tired. She looked at the large clock in the centre hall that hovered down and sagged her shoulders.

  It was my first time going to a conference dinner party. Every other year Mum would hire a babysitter, and I would sit at home and draw runes. I wish I were there now. It was boring being here. I haven’t even met the Head Mage yet. I haven’t seen anyone that I’m used to seeing whenever I went to Mage Academy.

  “Maybe we should leave early and let your father talk to the teachers about your sister.” Mum touched my shoulder and searched for the exit. “Now, where could he be?”

  “Behind you,” I answered with a tweak of a smile.

  Dad was intoxicated. He had more than enough, but he wasn’t the only one. Most Highborn mages stumbled around the room and slurred their words. They were the only ones that made a fool of themselves. At least the Lowborn mages were modest enough to know their limits.

  “Oh! Honey, I think Mika and I are going to go home –”

  Before she finished her sentence, the essence that shined around the room dulled and everything blinked into darkness. Tense, my veins glowed. I waited for someone to appear in the hall or that something amazing was going to happen, but when it never came, and a high-pitched gargled screech echoed through the room, I knew something bad happened.

  “Honey! Mase? Mase, wake up!” Mum’s voice was from below me. I could see the outline of her arms that shook in the darkness from her veins and could only assume that it was Dad unconscious on the floor. “Shit, the drinks –” A firm grip grabbed my shoulders and Mum’s face came into focus. “Find your sister and get out now, Mika!”

  Her voice triggered me to move. I ran to the exit and away from the magic that swirled violently behind me. I pushed open the large doors and slipped. My hands landed in warmth, and what splattered across my white veins was red crimson. Horrified, I looked up to mages and sparks of magic swirling ferociously in the air. Screams tore through the hallways as well as confusion and despair. A teenager ran past muttering, ‘what the fuck is happening?’ as she tried to escape the chaos.

  It made me realise that I was spending too much time on the floor of Mage Academy instead of finding my sister. Shakily, I stood and moved just in time before mages that didn’t have an overly friendly appearance walked past. I clutched my tie, smearing it with blood.

  I needed to find the spiral staircase that leads to the Highborn hangout. That was where I expected my sister to be.

  Down on the first floor, I went through the hall when a group of mages caught my attention in Head Mage's office. I abruptly stopped and peeked into the room to see the Head Mage surrounded by an adult and teenage Lowborn mages. The runes on their arms and hands were activated, and they had the look of anger and disgust. They pinned him against the back wall, yet, he seemed unconcerned of their presence.

  “Why do you always show favouritism towards them?” one demanded. “You should be on our side. You’re a Lowborn like us! You disgust me, and you should die just like them.”

  “What do you have against them? What will you gain by killing me?”

  “Shut up!” A blinding light flashed out of his palm and directed itself at Head Mage.

  My eyes widened in horror. I took a breath and stepped back when the one who killed Head Mage turned around and noticed me. Afraid, I drew a rune while I ran. Activating it, I touched the centre and felt the pull. I compressed the air and was spat back out the other side and down the hall. With a heavy sigh, I went up the stairs.

  I tried to ignore what was happening around me, but it was difficult when all I could see were white veins and cries for mercy. I occasionally tripped over bodies, and every time my hands ended up in sticky warmth. I cringed, struggled not to blanch and moved on.

  Inside the east tower, I slammed the door shut and leant against it. Empty. My sister was not here. Where would she be if she wasn’t here? Would it be possible that she was one of the dead mages I tripped over? Did some murderous mage find her before she could escape and kill her in cold blood?

  Before I could think further on it, the door flew open and shoved me away. Afraid, I crawled along the ground and hid behind one of the toppled over tables. Concentrating hard enough, I was able to diminish the stress and let my veins dull down to normal. A struggled muffled girlish voice made me peek above the desk to see a teenage girl and boy I know.

  “Orjan, please,” she cried out when he threw her onto the ground. The green and blue orbs that surrounded the room showed me the face of a frightened, tear-stricken girl. Emma rubbed her eyes and croaked, “You know me. I would never hurt you.”

  “You’re hurting us. If you’re around, soon enough, we will cease to exist. It’s our time to shine.” Orjan grabbed Emma by the scruff of the shirt and lifted her up. “Just fucking die!”

  Both hands wrapped around her neck. She kicked at him and used her hands to claw at Orjan’s face, but her life was ending right before my eyes. I knew I had to stop it. I ran out from behind the table, felt my veins pulse to life, raise a hand and let lightning strike right beside him. He loosened his grip and turned his eyes around to me.

  “Stop!” my lip trembled. “Why has everyone gone crazy?”

  “They are filthy,” he spat. “We need to kill them all. Classmates, friendships, it’s all fake.”

  “Orjan, I am your friend!”

  “No, you aren’t.” He shook her neck, and she winced in pain. “You pretended. All you Highborn mongrels pretended to be our friends, but deep down, you wanted us eliminated. I will not watch a world of mages fall beneath your kind, and I will kill anyone that gets in my way.” He raised his arm towards me, and his veins glowed to life. He drew in the air, a rune I had never seen before and said, “Activate, the curse of life.”

  A shot of pain hit my forehead, and I stumbled back. Warmth seeped down the ridge of my nose. I touched where it hurt and looked up only to look in horror at Emma falling towards the ground. She gave me a dull, lifeless expression. Her neck crushed. She landed without a sound at Orjan’s feet, and he didn’t seem to care. It hurt me. I remember seeing all my sister’s friends together, and they were always happy.

  There was some emotion I had never felt before work its way up as I stared at all the blood and bruises on my hands.

  Anger.

  I was angry at mages who turned on each other. I was upset that I watched my sister’s best friend die of that fear of being weaker than another m
age. A massacre bestowed on a night that should have ended with my mum helping an overly intoxicated laughing Dad walk down the steps of Mage Academy. How were we supposed to defend ourselves? Am I expected to believe that this all started all because Lowborn mages didn’t want to be below Highborn?

  Sickening.

  Thunder rumbled, and the windows flew in. The wind gushed and whirled around the room. Orjan raised both arms and tried to keep himself stable, but the wind was too strong and ferocious. He tried to talk to me, to say something, but his words before were enough to make me realise that he was a threat to Highborn mages. That Lowborn mutts hated noble mages so much that they thought to eliminate us.

  He took a step forward, and I blinked. The wind that pushed in gust out so suddenly that Orjan had no time to think. He flew with the wind that pushed outwards and the windows slammed shut. I stood now in the silence, and for the first time tonight, I relaxed.

  “Hey, Mika.” A soft hand touched my cheek, and I looked down at silver orbs that swirled with power. I fluttered my eyes and came out of my comatose state. “Hey, buddy. Are you ok? Hurt anywhere?”

  “Gospel,” I murmured weakly. “My head hurts.” I went to touch where it hurt, but Gospel grabbed both hands and flashed pearly white teeth. At least he wasn’t an enemy. “Are you with my sister?”

  “No, I went to find her, but it was – It’s rough out there. I thought she would have hidden in here, but I saw –” Gospel looked at Emma that was lying still on the ground. Her eyes were still open. I had to look away. “Look, buddy. I am going to find your sister, don’t you worry – Elijah, take Mika out of the academy and somewhere safe.” Gospel stood from his crouched position and looked back to where Elijah was standing stiffly at the door.

  “But, my Master.” Gospel’s servant stepped forward and rubbed gloved hands together. He looked worried. “My Master, the Lowborn mages will harm you if you stay here any longer.”

  “I will not leave without her,” Gospel snapped. “That was an order, Elijah. Take Mika and get out of here.”

  “At least take this.” Elijah handed him a crystal bound with grey hair. “When you find her, use it. You will immediately come to where I’m located.”

  “I know how they work,” Gospel chuckled. “I did master all my classes.”

  “Stay safe.”

  And with their parting words, Gospel slipped out of the room with his concealed veins. He’s strong. I wish I were as courageous as Gospel. I wouldn’t be here cowering in a room.

  “You’re not afraid of rabbit holes, are you, my dear friend, Mika?” Elijah asked as he picked me up in his arms.

  “No, but my head still hurts. Is something wrong with it?” I asked. “It feels like I was tattooed right here.” I pressed fingers to my temple and winced.

  His expression softened, but he didn’t say anything as we slipped down the rabbit hole.

  Chapter 1.

  Eileen Frost.

  The curved, glowing lines dully lit up the wooden, smooth, thin-layered table. The smooth textured surface was the only spot on the table that was away from the pencil scratches of carved names. Absorbed, flicking a finger up, the lines for the rune came to life and joined. Four of the lines connected to the outer circle with small dots, flicks and the activation symbol in the centre.

  I was completely oblivious to the calling of my name. The teacher must have been calling it for a while because upon finishing the rune, my name was bellowed. It instantly made me look up from my seat at the annoyance disturbing me.

  The finger I was using to draw released from the rune created, and as soon as that happened, loud popping and crackling sounds came from it. Tiny fireworks in various vibrant colours shot up from the rune. They exploded into small slithers of streaming smoke clouds that curled in the thinned cold classroom. Averting my eyes away from what I had done, I noticed my classmates gape in awe, embarrassing me further, as my cheeks became heated from their open-mouthed stares.

  The snappy voiced teacher turned wide-eyed, and her face changed from angry to deathly pale. With a shaky hand, she pointed to the door. I slumped my shoulders, grabbed my bag from beside the chair and stood. Sidestepping out of the sectioned tables that were empty besides me, I walked down the aisle under those watchful stares.

  Outside of the classroom, I flexed my fingers with irritation on my way to the vice principal’s office. It always did seem like a short walk from the clustered building of classes to the main building separated from the front of the school. Maybe it was due to the familiarity of doing these countless times.

  As soon as I walked into the office, I silently pushed the glass door open. The office woman knew why I was there. Steering towards the seat with the small glass table with old magazines in the waiting area, the office woman with her hair in a tightly knotted bun, making her brows seem as if she was always surprised, picked up the phone. She pressed her ear against the receiver and spoke in whispers through the line.

  I tapped my foot against the greying carpet. Carpet strewed with muddy footprints from the continuous rain that lingered outside. I rubbed my thumb over my wrist where a tiny defence rune throbbed dully. They joined with the white veins that always glow when I use magic. I settled my thoughts, and let the veins stop glowing. I pulled down my sleeve to hide the blue defence tattoo.

  After around fifteen minutes, the door to the vice principal’s office opened, and Mrs Morgan waddled out. Her tiny leering eyes sought me out. She wiggled a sausage-like finger towards me. I stood to follow her into her small tissue box-shaped room.

  Inside the office room, there was a small glass table with an old box computer propped up in the centre. A folder of papers was beside it, and various types of pens were oddly lined up and colour coordinated.

  Dragging out the small chair from the opposite side of the desk from her office chair, I stared down at my thick slab boots. The tips of the toes dragged along the floor while she fidgeted with random objects on her table before speaking to me.

  “This is the third incident within two weeks that you have been involved in with, uh . . .” she swallowed hard, “magic.”

  That word was so difficult for her to get out. It’s obvious to me that mere humans get queasy around anything different. They accepted us into their community. However, even just hearing about those they called witches and wizards doing magic made them cringe. Teenagers and children are more accepting because they absolutely love everything extraordinary. However, adults aren’t as willing to accept us.

  “I know that the anniversary of the failed rebellion of your kind against the Academy is coming up soon. Would that be the reason you’re using so much of your power that –”

  “No,” I responded while keeping my eyes cast down at my shoes. “It just happens when I get distracted in class.”

  “I understand that the magical drawings –”

  “Runes,” I stated.

  “Right, runes,” she sighed. “The runes you draw are harmless. However, they disrupt the class too much that there is no technique to calm them down. It is tough to teach when you have fireworks or coloured bubbles floating in the air of the classroom. Do you understand what I am saying?”

  “Obviously.” I looked up and thinned my lips in a small line while mumbling, “I shouldn’t use mage magic inside of school hours. It distracts not only me but the class from learning.”

  “Your brothers seem fine in their classes.”

  Puffing cheeks, I averted my eyes with the dissatisfaction of her bringing up those diabolical brothers of mine. She only talks about Nixon and Donte proudly because she doesn’t know what they’re really up to when her back is turned. Runes aren’t the only thing we specialise in. They’re just some of the dominant magic used that humans know about. My brothers instead sell small doses of love potions or energy potions at lunchtime in the boys’ bathrooms. They’re weak and are only meant to last a couple of hours, but human teenagers go crazy over them. The teachers don’t know because teena
gers are such hormonal creatures that they brush it under the rug as a ‘puberty thing’.

  “– Considering going to the Academy offshore of Maple City?”

  I didn’t notice the change in conversation at first. I was too busy staring back down at my shoes that dragged along the greying carpet. My ears pricked up at the mention of the Mage Academy. Narrowing eyes slightly, I shook my head, and she sighed.

  “Eileen, you’re the quietest of your family, but sometimes speaking to someone about the distress of what happened –”

  “Nothing happened as far as I am concerned,” I mumbled. “That betrayal happened before I was born and only lasted a few hours. It doesn’t concern me.”

  “I wasn’t talking about the Rebellion, but I know that may also be a key to the reason of why you and your family are adamant on not going there. I am talking about the absence of your parents.”

  “I see.”

  “Would you like me to refer you to a psychiatrist or a counsellor?”

  “No,” I responded shortly. “Can I go home early?” I asked, and she signed a permission slip excusing me from class for the rest of the day.

  Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I thanked her and walked out of the office right as the bell to recess rang. I flinched at the sound. The art, woodwork, and metalwork room was connected to the office building. I had to sidestep when the classroom door nearest to me flew open, and students burst out in groups. They held large art books, and umbrellas popped open in a synchronised style as they went. Waiting for them to pass, I bowed my head and ducked past a few stragglers. That’s when I noticed a familiar face walk out of the door next to the one I had just passed. Isilies, my older brother and teacher, walked out with his black leather briefcase. I am sure he only chose to work at this school to keep an eye on me.

  His silver coloured eyes connected with mine. I shrunk lower and tugged the sleeve of my top down over my hand so that I could hide the distressed veins that were glowing again.

  “You ok?” he asked, and I nodded. I tried to weave around him, but he pinched his finger along the back collar of my uniform. “Did you do something in class again?”