Summoner school 3, p.9
Summoner School 3, page 9
“Kruwyn was a human,” she said slowly, like she had to pick each word carefully. “And his followers have all been disbanded. But… it’s possible that there is a small sect of them left. And if they’re recruiting people as powerful as the headmaster, then we have a real problem.”
I noticed Ira’s hand twitch toward her back before she caught herself, and I thought of the silver lines that I’d seen there. They were almost completely healed, so it was hard to notice them, but the beautiful woman had shifted just right in the moonlight during our last night together, and I hadn’t had the heart to bring it up. I knew that she’d gone through something horrible during her youth, something to do with mages that wanted more power, and it wasn’t exactly an easy topic to talk about.
“Okay,” I said and leaned forward to take her hand in mine. “So, we know that the shadow creatures are probably being hidden by the headmaster’s illusions. And that the hooded mage is in charge of the underground arena. That they use it to collect the mana of the mages that die in the ring. But we still don’t know what their end goal is. Do you think that they’re using that mana to enhance their own powers?”
I hated to bring it up, and Ira flinched as soon as I said it and then squeezed my hand for comfort. My heart ached at the sight of fear and worry in the strong woman’s eyes, but there was nothing that the dragon-woman couldn’t overcome, and I would walk through fire to help her do just that.
“It’s possible,” she said and then pulled away to look through her books. “I used to have a book about stealing powers, but it’s illegal, and I think I put it in the house. That spell I used to help siphon your powers into me was in there, and it was the same one those bastards used on me… It’s not important. If I can find that book, then we might be able to find the spell that they’re using. I just don’t know how the shadow creatures would help them with that. And how they managed to discover them in the first place since the monsters are from the purgatory realm.”
“Maybe someone got out,” I said with a shrug. “Every prison has a weak point, and there have been some mages sent there with very long lifespans.”
“If someone got out, then they can all get out,” she said and started to pull up her hair. “This could be much worse than we thought.”
“Especially if the technomages are involved,” I said and pointed to the gun.
“Let’s leave them be for now,” Ira said. “They’re just a small sect. Your grandmother is in the elven nursing home now, and you rarely go back to the human realm. Let them watch your house.”
“I’m not going to be run out of my home,” I said. “And they clearly know about the shadow creatures. Maybe we can use their developments to fight against the headmaster and the hooded mage.”
“That’s a dangerous game to play,” the dragon-woman said and tapped her foot. “But it might be helpful. We can’t just break in like you did before. We’ll have to be careful.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Mike will have to go over those notes. And we’ll have to prepare for a stronger security system. What I need is more intel on the technomages. Do you know anything that could help?”
Ira pushed up her silver-rimmed glasses and sighed. It was obvious that the dragon-woman wasn’t interested in getting anywhere near the technomages, but their ability to mix magic and technology might be exactly what we needed, and she knew it. Professor Lovelace rolled her purple and yellow eyes and then pushed off the desk.
“I think I know someone who could help,” she said and started toward the door. “And he’ll be happy to help us with technomages.”
“Oh?” I asked and followed after the tall woman. “And who might that be?”
I followed Ira with ease since we were about the same height, but she walked faster than usual. It was like the dragon-woman couldn’t get away from her office fast enough, and soon, we were already halfway across campus. I nodded to the ogres at the gate and then let out a sigh of relief when we finally slowed to a decent walk.
“Any reason for practically running across campus?” I chuckled as we strolled through the streets surrounding the campus.
The small town around Magia Schola was filled with cozy homes and shops that offered everything that the students would need. Snow covered the rooftops and cobblestone streets, and a group of children were in the middle of an epic snowball fight complete with barricades. Their shouts rang through the otherwise empty town, and I waved at a group of fairies that watched with hot apple cider in their hands.
“There are too many ears there,” Ira said as she pulled the hood of her robes up. “My office is one thing. I’ve put up enough barriers that no one can listen in, but the open areas are free for listening, and we don’t know if any of the other teachers are working with the headmaster.”
Tin’s shop was just up ahead on the left, and someone had etched snowy scenes in the frost that covered the windows. There was just enough of the icy images to make it hard to see what was inside, and I grinned at the brilliant privacy tactic of the gnome. Of course, most of the sales were above board, but there were more than a few that were on the more illegal side.
“Welcome to my shop!” Tins said as we walked in.
The bell above the door rang through the entire shop, and the gnome hobbled out from the back with a bright grin. His artificial leg was like something from a steampunk convention with gold and copper gears that spun and cranked out puffs of white steam. Tins flashed a smile that showed a row of sharp teeth, and a shiver ran through me at the reminder that gnomes weren’t all as amiable as the shop owner.
“Hey,” I said with a wave. “How’s your winter break?”
“Uneventful,” the old gnome said and leaned against the counter that towered over his short head. “But you never fail to bring me something interesting. Going on another hunt? Let me guess… you’re going after a full-blooded dragon this time? One of the ancients that Ira’s descended from?”
“Not yet,” I chuckled.
Ira shifted from foot to foot like the thought of hunting a full-blooded dragon was tough for her to think about. The dragon-woman’s lineage was far from the beasts that Tins suggested that we hunt, but I still wouldn’t go after one if it was going to be a problem for her. Besides, most of them were harder to find than the will-o’-wisp that we’d managed to find a few weeks ago, and I would need a lot more mana to fight one of the ancients, so that discussion could wait for a little while longer.
“So, what brings you to my shop?” Tins asked as the silence grew.
“Technomages,” I said.
“What?” the gnome asked and looked at Ira.
The dragon-woman nodded in confirmation and then pulled down her hood. The look in her purple and yellow eyes was almost unreadable, but I knew the professor well enough to know that she was apprehensive. It showed in the tension in her shoulders and the corners of her mouth, and it took all of my self-control not to reach over and lace my fingers through hers.
“There’s a group of technomages that are living across the street from me,” I said and brought the attention back to me. “They tried to kill me last night.”
A string of curses flew out of Tins like bullets from a gun. Most of them were said in gnomish, but the sentiment was obvious, and I’d never seen the salesman’s face turn so red. His bulbous nose was as red as Rudolph’s, and the short man stomped around his store like he was about to lead a revolution.
“Are you okay, now?” Ira asked when the tirade ended.
“How long have you known about this?” Tins asked the dragon-woman.
“Not long,” she said and pulled the gun from a pocket in her robes.
I’d noticed that she’d grabbed it from the desk but was a little surprised that the dragon-woman would share the laser gun with Tins. The gnome was a great salesman and was trustworthy enough to help us out with hunts, but this was bigger than trying to find a will-o’-wisp. I watched the short man take the weapon and then glower at the sigil on the barrel.
“You’re lucky that this didn’t go off in your pocket,” the gnome grunted and then walked around the counter, climbed the stepladder, and then gently put the gun down on a red velvet cloth. “The technomages play fast and loose with their magic. Of course, those ridiculous people think that they’re not even using magic. It used to be that they knew what they were doing, but the newer generations are morons. They’ve lost what used to make them great.”
“How long have they been around?” I asked and glanced at Ira. “I thought there weren’t a lot of them.”
“There aren’t,” he said with a shrug. “But they’re fierce. They helped the gnomes and centaurs to create some of the most wonderful inventions, but that was before modern technology. Then they started to think that electricity was king and that the supernatural powers that we used were evil. It was ridiculous. Now they’re nothing more than homicidal maniacs. You know that they killed my cousin? He was a nymph with the most wonderful farm in the human realm. They found out and burned the whole thing down. He was in the barn and couldn’t get out. They say that we’re the monsters, but they hold that title firmly in their murderous hands.”
“That’s the cell that I’ve been tracking,” Ira said with a sympathetic look at Tins. “It’s been years, but they haven’t done anything like that in all that time, so I can’t bring them to the magical council.”
“And the great Lord Kaylen won’t see them as a threat as long as they’re in the human realm,” I said. “Because he only cares about the supernatural creatures.”
Sarya’s father was a great leader to the magical realms, but his opinion of humans was the same as the other elves. I’d only been invited to the solstice dinner party at his house because I was the top student at Magia Schola. He wouldn’t care about a bunch of technomages unless they became a threat to all of the other realms.
“If they live in the human realm, then they’ve abandoned their people,” Professor Lovelace sighed and shook her head. “It’s the same sentiment that’s been spread throughout the realms for centuries. Ever since the humans turned on us and kicked us out.”
I tapped my fingers on the counter and processed everything. Joe had said something about my amulet, and that would allow them to come through into whatever realm they wanted. It would be pandemonium, especially if they’re able to use technology and magic together, and it would be far worse than what the shadow creatures were doing.
“How’s the gun?” I asked as Tins pushed it away.
“It’s basically a wand,” he huffed. “This sigil here works to concentrate their energy. If you two weren’t summoners, then it probably would’ve drawn out your magic and fired. Could’ve done a lot of damage.”
“Good thing we’re summoners,” I said. “We’re not actually here to find out about the gun. I need help getting into my neighbors’ house, and that means getting past their security system. Do you know enough about the technomages to help me?”
Tins looked at me like I’d just grown a second head. The gnome clearly didn’t think it was a good idea to go against the technomages, but the shock was quickly replaced with mischief. His sharp teeth glinted in the light from a wall sconce, and I was glad that I wasn’t one of the technomages.
“I might be able to talk to someone,” he said. “But I have to admit that this is probably suicide. They’ll kill you if they find you. They think that everyone who isn’t human is a demon and that they’re protecting the other humans from us evil creatures.”
“I figured,” I said. “At least, I figured that they thought we were evil when they called my girlfriend a hostile and said that I was a traitor to the human race. But we need to know what they know.”
“I’m not going to ask why,” he said with a shake of his head. “But I’ll help you get in there. Any reason to be a thorn in those bastards’ sides. You take this thing and keep it with you. The last thing I need is for it to go off in my shop. It’s safer with summoners.”
I took the laser gun and tucked it into the back of my pants. It felt like a grenade that might go off any second, but I trusted the gnome when he said that it acted like a wand, and my magic didn’t need one to work. Summoners used spells and stones with creatures trapped inside, and most of the students on campus wouldn’t need a wand until they were seniors and were working with higher level spells, so even if someone found it and picked it up, it would still be okay.
“We’ll be back soon,” I said and then glanced over my shoulder as the door opened.
The bell sang through the shop as an elf with silver hair came through the door. Her blue eyes landed on me, and I could see the recognition as the young woman realized who I was. She tucked a stray hair behind pointed ears and then glanced over at Ira, stood up straighter, and then flashed a nervous smile.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said in a soft voice.
“We’re just buying supplies,” I said and pointed to the wasp parts that Tins had snuck onto the counter.
“Miss Olra,” Professor Lovelace said with a nod. “How are your summoning puzzles going?”
“They’re fine,” the elf said and avoided eye contact.
“Good,” my teacher said and then motioned for me to lead the way back to campus. “You’ll have to excuse us. Mr. Hall is going to try a new spell for the opening ceremony. We need to test it.”
“That should be amazing,” the young woman said. “I can’t wait to see it.”
“Me, too. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything about that special item, Mr. Hall,” Tins said and then waved the elf over. “Now, what can I get for you?”
I let the salesman take over while Ira and I ducked through the door. A chilly breeze wound through the town and sent a shiver down my spine. I could feel the heat from Ira as the dragon-woman warmed herself from within, and it washed over me like a blanket.
“Nice cover,” I said with a smile.
“You’re welcome,” she said with the hint of a grin.
The tall woman didn’t show as much emotion when we were in public, but I could read it in her purple and yellow eyes. It wasn’t against school policy for us to date, and no one would be shocked that the head student and the best teacher were together, but it would add more attention than we needed while we were trying to figure out what the headmaster was up to.
“Do you think that Tins is going to be able to help us with the security system?” I asked as we neared the archway into the campus.
“I have no doubt in my mind,” the dragon-woman said and nodded to the ogre guard.
There were more students on campus now, but not enough to overhear our conversation. Most of them were headed straight to the library or the arena, and not one of them gave us more than a quick glance.
“Andrew,” Sarya said as she stepped through a portal. “And Professor Lovelace. It’s so good to see you.”
The redheaded elf stole a quick kiss and then nodded in respect to Ira. The gauzy dark blue dress she wore did nothing to keep out the bitter cold, but Sarya was a fire mage, and she could be warm in the middle of the arctic. The elf’s long hair was pulled into a high ponytail with pleated braids that formed a crown, and her silver eyes were lit with happiness.
“It’s good to see you, too,” Ira said and then glanced around. “Should we go to my apartment? I can cook us lunch.”
The quad was completely empty, and even the ogres had moved toward the edges of the campus to look for intruders. Still, there might be people around that could overhear our conversation. It was better to talk in Ira’s apartment in the teachers’ wing, and she had enough wards that no one would be able to get through them.
“That sounds amazing,” I said and motioned for her to lead the way. “I wanted to talk to you about the will-o’-wisp that I caught. It’s harder for me to control than I thought.”
“Of course,” the dragon-woman went along with the conversation like she was just a professor helping a student who’d bit off more than he could chew. “You are a talented student, but you’re still young.”
“But I have been able to hang onto it for a few seconds,” I said and forced myself to look worried.
“What is that?” Sarya asked and reached for the gun sticking out of the back of my pants.
“Wait!” I said, but it was already too late.
The elf had tugged the laser gun free, and the blue lights along the barrel lit up like it was a Christmas tree.
Sarya’s magic pulsed through it.
And a fireball shot out of the end of the barrel toward the greenhouse.
Chapter 7
“Fuck!” I shouted as the fireball careened toward the greenhouse
The orange and yellow flames spiraled to become the size of a basketball, and the glass walls of the building wouldn’t stand a chance. Sarya dropped the laser gun immediately, and it sank into the six inches of snow on the quad. There was no way for her to stop the projectile once it had been launched, and we both watched with gaping mouths as it slammed into the greenhouse.
Sea-green light rippled over the large windows as if it was made out of river water, and previously invisible sigils revealed themselves. The flames were forced backwards while a gust of icy wind put them out, and the fireball disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. There wasn’t even a scorch mark on the window that had been impacted, and I sighed from the depths of my soul.
Most of the nymphs had plants in that greenhouse that they were growing for their senior projects. It had taken them all of their college lives to create the seeds, and one wayward fireball could destroy it all. Atlesia had some rare plants stored inside as well, and the lavender-haired woman would’ve been pissed if they’d gone up in smoke.
“The greenhouse is protected from accidents,” Ira said as Sarya and I looked at each other in shock. “It’s too close to the quad to be without at least a few spells. Especially since students have a tendency to test their magic out in the open. I believe it’s one of the things that the headmaster implemented after a particularly chaotic incident with a lightning bolt.”
