Emotionless (The Emotionless Book 1) Page 9

  “Come on, my Mistress. Let us not worry about that and go up to Mage Academy.”

  “I want to see,” I murmured. “I want to see why it is so appealing for mages to let their beloved Guardian sacrifice their life. Can we go to see tomorrow?”

  “Whatever you desire, my Mistress.”

  There was worry plain on his face, but he did not object. Perhaps he too was interested in knowing more about this game that has been set up twice a week.

  We went up the steep slope, shops and homes slanted to one side. The brick path moved, and I knew that I was on Destination Road. Bricks rolled to the surface and up from the lush grass. The bricks turned around every corner Hopper walked up. His destination was Mage Academy, but mine differed. I wanted to look at runes. I wanted to see the purest of mages magic pulse to life and resonating off of a rune.

  I willingly let my thoughts drift, and another brick road rose from the grass and laid out before my feet. It went into a different direction. It was darker. There weren’t that many floating green and blue lights that bobbed down this path. A path not used that much from mages I presume.

  Off of the path to Mage Academy, I looked back at Hopper. Fluffy ears appeared and twitched in my direction. Turning back around, I went down the steep flight of stairs that once was a slope. Hopper tried to voice his complaints, but I ended up turning him out. Down the stairs, a dark tunnel appeared right before my eyes. Creepily mysterious.

  I took a step into the darkened tunnel and the tunnel illuminated and shined a brilliant blue in colour. It looked like I was looking at the warm, winter, blue, day sky. Runes of all different sizes lit the tunnel. Going towards the nearest one, I touched the rune, and vines coiled out, green and spiked. The vine went to twist and constrict my arm when I lifted my finger off of the rune, the vine retracted and went back into the rune.

  “At least this place is safe, my mistress,” Hopper spoke softly from behind me. “Does seeing runes make you happy?”

  “Yes,” I answered.

  “I see. You should speak up more on what you love and hate, my mistress. I didn’t know that you liked runes.”

  It wouldn’t be the first time someone has asked me to speak up and tell them what I enjoy and don’t enjoy. Even when I was a child, before the curse plagued me, not many knew what I liked to do. I had to be good at everything that mages assumed I enjoyed doing every type of magic element. I hated crystal work and potions were too messy for me. I have always consistently loved runes, but when I work with them, I kept a passive look on my face. I wasn’t allowed to show joy or happiness or even disdain and hate. And now, I still cannot if I wanted to.

  I puffed my cheeks, stepped away from the tunnel wall and looked around at the other runes. Almost all of the runes I have seen and know about. Some took me some time to figure out because of the creative drawings around the symbol I couldn’t really make out.

  I touched runes, and strange things came out. Defence runes with stone men like mine. Ice, water and fireballs clustered together on a section of the wall. Whoever done this indeed placed runes in order and in their rightful places, sectioned together. Healing runes, exotic herbs and golden auras came out with a single touch and tingled fingertips. The designs looked flawless.

  I raised my hand and knew Hopper was about to give me my books when a throaty, croaky voice came from further inside of the tunnel. “No, replicating,” he croaked.

  An elderly man came into focus wearing an oversized grey coat that had dirt stains and small holes in odd places. He was barefoot and had hairy toes. Snapping a look back up to his face, dark brown eyes narrowed, and he raised both his hands. Defence runes on the opposite side of the tunnel and Ghost Knights in black armour beamed out. They landed in a kneeled position with their swords sheathed and placed before their feet. Like something out of a dark fairy-tale, Knights one after another grabbed the hilt of their swords, unsheathed them and directed the sword at Hopper and me, the leg that they kneeled on lifted into a hunched stance.

  “If the two of ‘em take furter action, throw ‘em in a portal rune, servants,” He said, nonchalantly.

  “Wait, my good sir.” Hopper took a step forward. He had one gloved hand outstretched while the other slipped into his jacket. “We didn’t mean to offend. My mistress, Eileen Frost, was merely admiring the flawless work done to this tunnel.”

  “They are notal mine,” He responded. The elderly man nodded to the knights, and they straightened up. “This tunnel is anyone’s but dose runes argh under my protection. Mages come n time n time again to draw their favourite rune on da wall and admire it. It is art.”

  “Can I?” I asked in a soft voice. The man tilted his head to the side, and it made me step back and hide behind Hopper.

  “Excuse my mistress, she is not that very vocal anymore. She wants to know if she can draw on the tunnel wall.”

  “Yer, like I said, it tis anyone’s wall.”

  I placed myself in front of a bare patch of wall that had enough space to place the rune that I wanted to draw. I raised my finger, felt veins heighten, pressed my finger against the wall and dragged a curved line across. The rune glowed blue before I could finish the drawing.

  I see it now. Even if the rune were incorrect, it would still light up a bright blue to show off.

  Now that I established that, I designed a rune that wasn’t particularly mine. I drew and concentrated on every flick, curve, line, dot and swirl that I made. I then let them join and mesh with the activation circle. Finished, I stepped back and admired the bright blue. It looked like it was alive on the wall of runes.

  “What is it, my mistress?” Hopper asked.

  “Heh. I know that cursive anywhere.” The man with the unknown name stepped forward to inspect the rune with great bobs to his greying brown head. “Gospel Frost.” My throat tightened at his words. “I used to be in his class. Ol’ mate of mine. I always wanted one of his runes on meh wall.”

  “Really? What rune is that?”

  “A storybook rune.”

  I touched the rune to activate it and the rune lit. A holographic book came forth, my grandfather with a Knight by his side. Blood, sleek, on the Knights sword. They were dominant, and they were strong and courageous. They defeated opponent after opponent just so that they could stand atop of the others proudly, worthy of being called The Master of Mages.

  “This was when he defeated Victor Malloy.” Hopper took an intake of breath as he stared with awe at the storey presented to him. “Magical.”

  I knew Hopper would love anything to do with my grandfather. He was his old Guardian, after all.

  Boots.

  The stone structure still held its place before the massive flight of stairs that led up to Mage Academy. Three figures were sprawled out on the first few steps that led up to Mage Academy. Donte lying flat, Nixon positioned himself on the stairs above, and Silas slouched and struggled to catch his breath, deep gasps heaved out of his mouth. Nixon was the first to notice us. He weakly raised his arm and waved hello to us before he tipped his head back and tried to catch his breath. They all looked as if they just ran a marathon. They were all struggling to breathe normally.

  “My masters, what happened to the three of you?” Hopper asked.

  I noticed a hint of amusement in his voice. Hopper was more than likely amused that he didn’t have to race around catching two demonic brothers that are so devious and tactful that catching them would be impossible, even for a bunny. They must have grown bored with what they were doing long enough for Silas to catch them and drag them towards Mage Academy.

  “I have to apologise to those mages in the morning,” Silas spoke hoarsely.

  “Why? We beat them. Not our fault they lost,” Nixon said, rolling his eyes.

  “You both cheated!”

  “Not once did they say that we couldn’t use a potion,” Donte retorted. “It was brilliant. Didn’t think that potion was going to work at the start.”

  “But the moves to win in
chess began to light upon the board when we thought we were fucked!” Nixon laughed.

  “Language,” Hopper drawled. He raised his hand, and their chatter turned into utter silence. All I could see was the laugh lines that creased as they spoke adamantly to each other in silence. “Shall we finally get to the place we should have been at hours ago, Masters?”

  The silence that was on Donte and Nixon wavered. They ran up the stairs with excitement plain on their faces while I stood there a little longer. There was this nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. Since we got to Sorcerer City, I have been stared at, downsized already because of who I am and what I have done. I always knew that would be the case ever since Hopper announced that we were accepted by the Headmage of Mage Academy. But knowing and seeing are two vastly different components to withstand. I got rid of the stares from Ordinary-Humans, to now have mages stare at me with nothing but the utmost hate resonating off of them. Now here I was, about to go up to the place where I summoned my very first Guardian, and eliminated Timothy and became hated by mages around the world.

  I puffed my cheeks and went up the stairs and felt my body stiffen when I took another couple of steps up the stairs and reached the top. I forgot the feeling those portal crystals make me feel when I step through them. A wave of nausea swept through me, and that ill, sick feeling gave me slight stomach cramps.

  “Ugh, I am going to barf,” Nixon groaned. “Do you have any more potions, Hopper?”

  “Yes, but none for you. That sick feeling will go away in a moment. Perhaps we should head inside and into the warmth. There’s a bite to the air. It will start snowing very soon.”

  “Book, please,” I murmured. I then heard the exaggerated sighs from behind while I stared at the unusual rune that was on the stone steps.

  “My mistress,” Hopper sighed. I felt myself being lifted up into a stance. He steered me towards the doors to Mage Academy and didn’t release his hold on my shoulders until he knew I wasn’t going to turn back around. “Right now, we are untimely. Your parents, as well as the Headmage, will be disappointed. Can we please get introductions out of the way? Afterwards, I promise that you can roam around and draw as many runes as possible.”

  “Okay,” I agreed.

  At the massive doors to Mage Academy that looked bolted shut for a reason, I stared at the rune and crystal designs that encased the door. I reached for the door, fingertips close to touching when the doors creaked inwards and lit blue and green lanterns bobbed up and down near the interior walls. The doors clanked on either side of the long strip of the hallway and then midnight blue carpet rolled over the brown and grey stone flooring. Walls hung strange concept pieces of abstract art that moved, and one painting swirled so much that it felt like I was going to warp inside of the picture. Apart of me believed that would have happened. Hopper had to touch my shoulder and steer me away.

  “I wonder why the Headmage decided to accept us back to the mage world and to this prestige school,” Donte mused.

  “Maybe the mages decided that they were too harsh to judge us and are sympathising,” Silas suggested.

  I doubt that. If anything, I believe that perhaps they accepted us to ridicule us and make us feel uninvited and unwelcome. That or they were trying to make us part of the mage’s world once again. I wasn’t sure, but so suddenly, it sets me on edge a little.

  Down the trail rug, I noticed gargoyles hiding in the darkness in the gap along with the ceiling. Their heads turned, and darkened eyes watched us with curiosity as we walked down the hallway. Not only them, but armour engraved with runes stood as statues against the wall with lancers in their hands. I can feel the magic throb inside of the armour as if there was a human inside of them, but they were empty.

  Before we could go around the corner, a young lady appeared. She looked to be in her late twenties. Blond hair twisted into a tightly knotted bun atop of her head, a blue blouse with a button-up black cotton shirt underneath and a blue pencil skirt, skin tone stockings and thick, heeled shoes. She dressed in something that resembled a flight attendant outfit. The lady looked like she was expecting us.

  Hopper stepped before her, placed one hand around the front of his body and bowed to her. “Good evening. I am the escort of Silas and the triplets, Donte, Nixon and Eileen Frost.” The woman darted a look at me for a moment and then back at Hopper. Hopper straightened up from his bow and smiled. “I apologise for coming so late. I hope we haven’t inconvenienced you at all.”

  “Not at all,” she disagreed. “The Headmage has told me to show you to your room. He will have introductions with you when the other new students arrive in three weeks.” She swayed her arm outwards, clicked her heels and said, “If you all could follow me.”

  She whirled on her heels and waltzed off. In the corner of my eye, I noticed Donte and Nixon snickering at her. They are finding everything hilarious like they used to when we lived here before. Ever since we got to the train, all they seemed to do is laugh at the other mages. Are they utterly oblivious to the fact that we are outcasts and every wrong move we make we are degrading our family even more?

  Irritated, I looked away from them and tried to distract myself with the rune work that was on the walls and floors of Mage Academy. Some were hidden in small cracks, or there was a hint of a glow underneath the blue carpet that I walked on. It took me longer to follow others. Hopper had to pinch the back of my collar and steer me in the right direction and away from runes.

  Then the flight attendant lady steered down this small corridor that was right before the large doors to the hall. Tearing my eyes away from those doors, I ignored the imaginary fire that sparked and glowed through the gaps of the closed door and looked up a massive flight of stairs instead.

  Up and along the staircase that spiralled upwards, arched windows with no glass appeared after the fifth wrap around. I am assuming we were going up the tower and have now detached ourselves from the massive structure that was Mage Academy. I looked out of one of the windows, and there was a very steep drop that would kill an Ordinary-Human – Or an idiotic mage. Hopper, frantic, must have noticed how far I leant out the window and gave a strangled cry. Annoyed, I looked back up the stairs and puffed my cheeks. I dislike stairs. Probably as much as I don’t like the rabbit hole. Why wasn’t there a portal crystal?

  Once we got up the flight of insufferable stairs, my legs ached. Against the wall of the tower, I touched my chest and could feel my heartbeat rapidly. It was the only part of my body that shows how ragged and exhausted I was. Unlike my brothers that heaved and gasped, I looked particularly normal. My knees didn’t buckle, I didn’t double over in pain, nor could feel a cold sweat accumulate on my skin. I look like I always do. Blank.

  In the tower, there were only two doors shown. One door was open, and the flight attendant woman stood before that door with a tight-lipped smile that looked forced. The other door was closed, and there was a large rune that was active and illuminated the door. It was a lock rune. No one but the mage themselves could open that door unless it was a mighty Master Mage. Compelling magic resonated off of the rune.

  That pulsing thump on my temple and aching feeling vanished immediately. I mechanically walked over to the rune, raised my hand and expected my book to be within my grasp.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I was you,” Flight attendant lady said. I went to tell her to not tell me what to do when she spoke again. “A half mage half Guardian lives there. He is very persistent with his privacy. I would leave that door be.”

  “Wait!” Nixon shouted. He probably even woke the mage that lives in that door up. Wouldn’t surprise me. “Does that mean a mage and a Guardian, you know… done the deed? Is that legal?”

  “Nixon, please,” Hopped said, sighing.

  “That’s weird,” Donte admitted.

  “It’s illegal,” Silas said. I turned away from the door and watched them bicker about a mage that could probably hear this very conversation. “A Guardian is a protector, not a lover.”
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  “Yes. They are our laws,” Flight attendant woman agreed. “We are not allowed to bond with any Guardian. It causes a type of conflict.”

  Fascinating. But not as charming like the rune that was on the door.

  Beside Hopper, I went into his suit pocket, took out my scrapbook and went back so that I could draw the unique rune. The rune is very dominant, and I don’t see that many dominant runes that stand out and glow with such purity that it could burn the moon. The rune had a lot of time to design before it went on the door. No one would be breaking that door anytime soon. Not even a fire breathing dragon. Any threat to this half-blood mage will be melted alive before they could step through the other side of this door. There are so many layers of defence. Incredible.

  “I wonder if they are as hated as we are?” Donte and Nixon muttered.

  “Masters, express yourselves privately, please,” Hopper replied, grimacing.

  “Forgive my brothers,” Silas stared. “But since stepping out of that train and into Sorcerer City, we have been degraded and looked upon with hate by other mages. It’s intimidating.”

  “I can assure you that Headmage’s standards of Mage Academy are held high. Any form of discrimination is not tolerated at Mage Academy. Punishment will be awarded to anyone that tries or says anything to – Can you please remove Eileen Frost from that door, it is highly dangerous!”

  Hopper clasped his hand on my shoulder and tugged me away from the rune on the door and towards the one that would more than likely be our new home. Disappointed, I went inside while Hopper spoke a few more words to the lady before she left.

  I took everything in. After I kicked off my shoes at the entrance, I stepped onto a deep red carpet to wall living room. A chocolate coloured couch and a single sofa on the side overlooked the fireplace and burned orange and flames flickered away, giving this home a sense of warmth that I wasn’t really used to. An eighty-inch television stood atop of the fireplace, mounted on the wall and a shaggy brown rug underneath the oak wood coffee table before the five-seater couch. On the other side of the room, forming an invisible divider, was a small kitchen, finishing touches all a dark, warm oak colour. There was also a fridge and dishwasher already installed. Beside the kitchen was a short hallway. Down the hall, I opened the first door and noticed that it was the laundry. On the other side was the bathroom, reasonably sized, and a dark red colour. The other three rooms were bedrooms, and one already looked claimed, having two beds in it. Donte and Nixon will have that one, they enjoy sharing and being diabolical together.