Dark Magic

Disclaimer: I don't own the twilight series or the dark mages series but I do own my twisted mind ;P

Chapter 2: New Home

Alice looked in wonder at the clean streets and brightly coloured buildings of the royal district. She had heard stories about how the streets were clean enough to eat off of and the buildings so tall they almost arched inward enclosing the streets. Alice was walking behind the mage, as she followed him she saw people staring from windows and street corners at her and the tall mage in front her.

"Why are they staring at us?" Alice whispered to the mage as she hurried to walk alongside him.

"They are staring because I usually don't venture outside the Guild." The mage stated matter-of-factly.

"I thought members of the GE were always out in the streets?" The small girl questioned.

"Haha they are but I am not a member of the GE."

"Wait? You're not a member?"

"No I moved on from that when I was given this sash." He stated while pointing at the black silk sash hung from his left shoulder and draped across his chest.

"What does the sash have to do with anything?" The small girl asked now confused.

"Do you not know who I am young miss Brandon?" The tall man asked with a light chuckle.

"No for a matter of fact I don't!" Alice almost snarled back, the mage's words and tone starting to grate at her control.

"My name young miss, is Jasper Hale I am the head Warrior at the guild." Jasper answered.

Holy Shit! He is the head warrior! Alice looked shocked at the man and suddenly felt waves of fear flow through her. Wait the head warrior is taking me to the Guild. Shit how could I be so stupid.

Jasper turned to face the small girl and smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry Alice I am not taking you to the Guild because you are in trouble, in fact I am taking you there to hopefully get you enrolled in some of the classes as a student."

"Me? a student?" The little girl bounced in excitement.

Jasper chuckled at the young girl's excitement. Apart from her clothing this girl seems to look better than most of the children that are at the Guild, how when living in the slums has she remained so healthy. Suddenly a man wearing a tall helmet and velvet green uniform marched up to the young mage, his gold plated sword glinting in the new morning sun. Alice slowly hid behind Jasper as the imposing soldier made his way across the street.

Jasper looked over the soldier in questioned and realised it was young Henry, a small boy who had failed to enter the Guild as he didn't have enough magical potential. He remembered that this young man, since failing, had always hated mages. He obviously didn't voice this in public but his manners and tone when talking to a mage were insulting.

"How may I help yo…?" Jasper began before being interrupted by the soldier.

"What is 'she' doing here?" Henry snapped while glaring daggers at the girl.

"She is coming with me to the Guild? And as she is in my care I would kindly remind you that you have no jurisdiction when it comes to Guild matters."

Jasper walked past the soldier with Alice on his heels. Alice glanced behind her, seeing the look of disgust on the soldiers face, she thought. What's eating him? Henry was a cruel little man that hated mages as he couldn't become one himself but what he hated more was the slums filth of a people. To him Alice's very presence was an insult to his guard role, he wanted nothing more than to arrest her and put her through a public display of obedience just to prove to the slum filth that they were not part of his city.

Alice stood staring wide eyed at the sight in front of her, she was staring so hard that she noticed her control on her eye colour slipping and quickly concentrated on making them green again before Jasper noticed. Before Alice stood the Guild's grand gates, these gates symbolised the entrance into the teachings of magic. The gates themselves were crafted out of pure crystals that had been deformed and manipulated by the arcane forces of magic. The gates depicted a scene of wizards casting spells and of great battles fought with magic.

As Alice and Jasper entered through the gates, the raven haired girl couldn't but gasp as the site of the Guilds Grand Hall came into view. Just as the gates were made this building was crafted with magic and huge spiral columns held up an enormous roof blazoned with all manner of gargoyles and statues. The entrance to this hall was a large Iron door with an ancient script scrawled across it reading; 'Enter thee who seek guidance in the Arcane Arts', Alice looked up at the great Iron doors and heard a soft chuckle break her ogling of the gate.

"What's so funny?"

"You look like a child in a candy store. If I didn't know better I would even dare to say you look excited." The tall man teased.

"Well maybe I am," Alice said sticking her tongue out, "So when can I start learning magic?"

"Haha, as soon as I have enrolled you and you have proven you have enough magic ability."

"What kind of test is it?"

"A simple test, one of the instructors like myself simply finds the power within the participants mind and judges it on size, colour and shape."

"The size, colour and shape of what?" The small girl looked confused at the man's words.

"Just wait and see, the instructor will explain."

Jasper quickly hurried the small girl into the Grand hall of the Guild; the grand hall was the main building of learning within the Guild. It held all the classrooms and offices as well as held the Guild's council chambers. The Guild council was made up of 4 mages, the first three being the head of the three schools of magic, and the other position was held by the Guild Master. Alice was lead into an office on the 4 floor of the south wing. Jasper asked her to take a seat and disappeared into one of the rooms adjacent rooms. Alice's keen hearing could hear Jasper explaining to another man what he wanted to happen.

Alice slowly lost interest in the men's conversation and started to look around the room, she saw that it was a nice warm cream colour that made you feel comfortable. The doors were all simple oak but had intricate carvings of animals in the door frames. Other than the doors the room itself was very dull, so dull that it could be considered boring. Alice let out a haggard breath and then inhaled deeply. Lice smelled the scents of the room, Wood, paint, soft flowery scent… Wait is that cinnamon and a faint scent of roses. A small movement caught the small vampire's attention.

Sitting across from her, huddled onto a chair and buried in a brown set of robes was a brown haired girl. At Alice's haggard breath the brown haired girl looked up, Alice's dead heart skipped a beat, a pair of chocolate brown eyes bore into Alice's cat green eyes. The girl looked straight into Alice's eyes without blinking, Alice herself couldn't look away. The small girl felt like she was naked in front of this girl's intense but gentle stare. An audible click broke Alice's concentration on the girl, the door Jasper had gone into opened to reveal the man himself.

"Alice everything is sorted I just need to find you a room in the novice quarters and you start lessons on Monday. Ah Miss Swan what are you doing in the office again?"

"I am sorry m..m..mister Hale, I was wondering if I could get a new basic charms book as I have seemed to have lost mine." The brown haired girl said.

Alice heard her dead heart almost beat at the sound of the girls beautiful voice. She stared captivated at the brunette girl curled up opposite her. Her eyes scanned the girl's features in a frantic attempt at memorizing them. She had long brown hair that flowed down past her shoulders and had a slight red tint to its colour. Her eyes were the beautiful chocolate brown that she had lost herself in just moments before, and she had soft pink lips that seemed full and kissable. Wait kissable? Why did I think kissable?

Alice's time with the girl was cut shorter than she liked and Jasper led her out of the room to go to the living quarters of the novices. On the way Alice saw the gardens of the Guild, they were beautiful with all manner of exotic and magical plants. The grounds themselves were quite large and held enough living and working space for the near 500 mages who occupied the space. Alice was led into the living quarters, which was a simple hall building in the back of the grounds.

"This is your room young miss Brandon. Everything you need is in there and your test is tomorrow at 7. Is there anything you need?" Jasper spoke while opening the door to the room.

"Nothing Sir thank you."

"Good, well I must be off I have to get on with my duties. Goodbye Alice and good luck." With his farewell the tall man walked down the corridor and out of sight.

Alice walked into her new home, it was a simple room but still looked like a palace compared to the slums. It had a simple and sturdy bed in the middle of the room, the wardrobe was large and made of birch it sat against the right hand wall and was open to show several brown robes hanging inside. The only other piece of furniture in the room was a desk and chair for her to work on; the desk was piled with books and a note. Alice approached the desk and picked up the note, 'Dear young trainee, this is a starter set of books and should cover all the books you need. If any other books are need you may take them out of the library. Welcome to the Guild we hope you prosper. CC.'.

Alice jumped onto her bed and let her mind wonder to the events of the day. I can't believe that I am in the mages Guild. This place is amazing and I get to learn magic. What is they find out what you are? They won't its fine. But what if they do? Alice, left with the thought of discovery, laid back onto the mattress and decided to go to sleep early. As sleep was about to take over she remembered the brown haired girls beautiful voice and drifted off with the memories of this voice washing over her as she slept.

End of Chapter 2.

A/N As always please review if you can. :]