Looking at clothes I couldn't afford had kept me busy for a while, but I couldn't spend all day doing it like some girls my age. I ended up wandering through Downtown while trying to think of some way to explain why I had left school so early to my dad. He'd taken being unable to do anything about my bullying bad enough, I didn't want to make him think that it was so bad I couldn't attend school when there wasn't a thing either of us could do to change it. It was still early enough that most of the streets were rather empty, although there was an unusual lack of cars on the road, that I passed off the group of people gathered outside the Bay Central Bank as being part of some event.
I moved around the outer edges of the crowd and went to head down the street without much thought.I passed a small crowd of people standing off to the side of the Bay Central Bank without much thought. I paused as I caught sight of another group at the other corner of the bank, all of whom had nervous or frightened expressions.
Distracted as I was with my musings on school and how I was going to explain the afternoon's absence to my dad, I hadn't payed nearly as much attention to my surroundings as I should have. By the time I realized that something was going on, I had already come to stop right in front of the Bank's main entrance. A split second later a trio of men in suits burst out of the bank. just as a big van with blacked out windows slid to a screeching halt next to me. their faces obscured with latex masks of the Triumvirate, and each carrying guns and large duffle bags slung over their shoulders.
Yeah, silly little me, I run from my bullies and wind up right in the middle of bank robbery.
In retrospect, although screaming in a combination of shock and honest fear might have been a natural and common response for anyone in such a situation, if I had kept my mouth shut and ran for it I probably wouldn't have caught the thieves notice and my life would have been magnitudes easier.
The one in front, Alexandria of course, grabbed me roughly by the shoulder as he passed me by and dragged me along with them, the feeling of a barrel pressed against the bottom of my chin an obvious indicator of what they wanted from me. I could hear sirens in the distance, but they were too far away to do me any good. There was a loud blast and the van rocked on its wheels as the pain disintegrated and metal cratered. My kidnapper whirled around, jabbing his gun against my chin, blonde haired mountain came out of the bank with a massive shotgun in his hands. He paused for a moment on seeing me, but gave the smallest of shrugs and began to raise the shotgun instead of stopping. The gun came away from my chin and I screamed again as the blonde's head was rocked back and the glass behind him painted with red. I was still screaming as my captor tossed me roughly into the van before getting in himself.
I was dumped next to an overweight man with thick glasses and short brown hair, who didn't look up as the door slammed closed and the van shot into motion. His eyes stayed glued to the screen of the laptop in front of him, the computer connected to a tangle of cords that disappeared into the mess of bags and crates on the floor. The last of the masked thieves, the tallest of the three and solidly built, grabbed a spot on a crate next to me. He peeled his Legend mask just past his mouth as he reached into a crate and grabbed a beer.
My eyes kept flicking from kidnapper to kidnapper in a cold, and a somewhat oxymoronic, calm sense of panic. A part of me was screaming and railing away, but it had been pushed off to side for the rest of me to figure out how the hell I was going to get out of this unscathed. And where was that damned whispering coming from?
"We got company," the robber in the passenger seat announced calmly as he stared pointedly at his side mirror.
The thin one grunted and leaned towards the back windows. " 'S just that Tinker brat. Bruno, take care of him. Non lethally."
The last masked man grunted sourly as he popped open the latches of one of the cases before lifting the lid and removing a what looked to be a bizarre hybrid of a rocket launcher and a weighted net. The thief opened the van's back doors and knelt down on the floor as he settled the net launcher on his shoulder and sighted his target.
He pulled the trigger and there was a whoosh of air and a smell of burning plastic as the projectile ripped its way through the air. I could see Kid Win, he was the only young Tinker I knew of and his hoverboard was unique, through the open doors as he suddenly swerved to avoid the surprise middle, only for the net to open up and wrap around the rear of his board. He had begun to spin and falter in his flight as the weight of the net dragged him down, but I didn't see what happened to him after Bruno closed the door. He was chuckling softly as he returned the launcher to its case and closed the latches again.
"Heh, perfect shot. Hey Glasses, we got any more trouble heading our way?"
The man at the computer turned and raised an eyebrow and the man next to me, evidently the one in charge, sighed. He leaned forwards and addressed the man with the glasses. "Hawke?"
"Streets are all on lockdown, except our exit route, and the Protectorate have been delivered multiple reports of Lung getting into a rumble with the Merchants on their territories' border. Once we get past the city limits, we're clear."
"Good. And our former comrades?"
Hawke typed a command into his computer and gave the screen a quick glance. "Tied up with several fires in various Medhall buildings."
"Wonderful," the leader said with a smile as he rested his head against the side of the van.
Bruno grunted and shifted around so that he was fully facing me, and I tensed up slightly. "Hey Ellis, Boss," he corrected quickly at his boss' glare, "what are gonna do about her?"
"Not sure yet. Hawke?"
"Taylor Hebert," Hawke stated and I jumped off of the crate. Bruno glared at me until I shrunk back down into my seat while Hawke continued on unmindful of the interruption.
"Age fifteen. Grades fair bit below average. A look at long term records indicates a sudden and abrupt decline. Not listed as anyone's friend on any of the main social networking sites." I made a soft sound of protest at the invasion of my privacy, but another glare from Bruno shut me up. "No major online presence beyond a single account on the PHO forums. Father sole guardian. Mother died several years ago in a car accident. Forensics notes suspicious circumstances revolving around the accident but the case was closed after no worthwhile lead emerged."
That actually surprised me and I gave Hawke a curious look. I had listened in on the police chief's meetings with my dad after the accident, Mr. Dubois was an old friend of my dad's, and he hadn't mentioned there being anything suspicious. Although, it was a couple years ago, but... No I could ask that later once I wasn't being kidnapped.
Bruno grunted and gave me a look. "Hey Boss, she look Jewish to you?"
"Close enough, why?"
"Well, the Empire's already on the hook for the bank, so why not carve their little swastikas into her and dump the body? Consider it payback for not letting me ice that little snot with the hoverboard." Bruno grinned and flexed his fingers, his knuckles popping loudly.
I turned to Ellis with a pleading look, but I could see him staring at me consideringly.
I was going to die then. Tossed aside like so much trash, and the only one who'd even care would be my father. I knew I shouldn't have been so calm, so resigned to it. It was all just so surreal though. Then again, maybe I wasn't so calm, as I felt myself begin to rail against the injustice, the small flame of anger that followed me every day through school growing larger and larger. It wasn't fair, nothing in my life was. I'd lost my mother, my best friend, my chances at getting into a good college or university after school, and now I was about to lose my life to a few arrogant pieces of trash who didn't even really know who I was.
I saw Bruno begin to move, using his arms to pushing himself up from his seat, only for the world to dim and freeze; except it wasn't frozen as I could see Bruno still moving ridiculously slowly, like he was pushing his way through molasses instead of air. It was then that I heard it, the same voice I thought I had only imagined once before.
Why am I not surprised. Like mother like daughter I suppose. Always getting into trouble. Hello again little one.
The voice echoed from the air all around me, a multitude that sounded almost amused at my predicament with an undercurrent of concern hidden so well I was almost sure I was imagining it. Part of me wanted to ask what she meant about my mother, but I had no idea how long whoever it was could keep things slowed down.
"You were the one that helped me out of the locker, right? Can you help me get out of here?"
I am bound by Laws that were ancient when mankind had yet to be granted Prometheus' gift. Acting in such a manner is beyond even my power.
I gave Bruno a quick glance. Good, he'd only just let go of the box he'd been sitting on.
"But you helped before right?" I asked, confused.
There are some compacts that are greater than any Law, and I invoked one in order to aid you the last time. In exchange I came away the lesser for it.
I felt my eyes widen and licked my lips almost unconsciously. "Why would you do that for me?"
Ah, you are mistaken young one. The loss was acceptable and my power will return in time, but saving you was merely part of the debt I owe your family.
"What kind of debt?" I asked nervously.
One of which I dare not share lest one of my foes be listening to us. Even my own sister would rush to take advantage of us at this moment should she discover what I am doing. So I can only advise and offer my knowledge to you.
"But you slowed everything down didn't you?"
Her laughter, loud, light and warm, was not the answer I expected for my question. No little one. That is no doing of mine. It is as it ever was a part of your cursed heritage. Oh young Umbra Witch.
I opened my mouth to ask a question before I fell to the ground, a spike of blinding agony driving its way through my brain. Fragments of pages, of my mother's whispered words of histories and fairy tales, of other things that I'd long forgotten flashed before my mind's eye. By the end of it I was panting, one last memory lingering, my mother smiling as she handed me my necklace.
Suffocated as I was by the crushing silence, the sound of the red gem on my necklace shattering was louder than a firecracker to my ears. For the first time in ages I felt a sense of calm and clarity.
I licked my lips as I drew on the words my mother had warned me never to say, though I couldn't have if I had wanted to with them forgotten, unless I was in mortal danger. If there was any time for them, this was it.
"As a Daughter of the First Witch I call upon the Compact of Lilith." I tried to avoid shuddering as I feel the air inside the van become electrified. "I beseech the spirits of darkness that dwell within Pandaemonium, grant me your power."
This spirit of Pandaemonium answers the ancient call. All of the warmth was gone from the voice, the demon's voice, as she answered me. As set down by the Compact, I offer the Daughter of the First Witch my power, my wisdom, and my knowledge.
There was a pause and then the demon spoke again, this time the concern in her voice clear, although mystifying to me.
This gift comes with a most terrible price. If you accept, you shall forever be barred from the Fields of Elysium and the Halls of Valhalla. The Gates of Paradise will shut for you forever more and your eternal soul shall never know peace.
I looked at Bruno, most of the way through his first step towards me; Hawke, still poring over his computer; the two silent thieves in the front seats, uncaring of my fate; and the leader, his hand hovering over his gun. I looked at them and I closed my eyes as I made my choice. I only hoped that it was worth it.
"I don't care what the cost is. Whatever it is I'll pay it."
Very well then my child. Knowledge and power shall be yours, you need only say the magic words .
My eyes snapped open and darted about wildly in shock.
Because you already know them, my dear child. I'd hurry by the way, time is almost up.
I tried to calm myself, closing my eyes as I drew up as many of my of once forgotten memories as possible, searching for the words I needed. In a dream of butterfly wings and starlight kisses I find them.
"Lonsaniis..." I start, only to get jolted out of my trance by a large hand clamping down on my shoulder and lifting me into the air.
"Did you say something bitch?" Bruno's breath is hot and rotten on my face, and I have to blink my eyes clear as they start to water. I'm so close, there's no stopping anymore.
"Lonsaniis, coronzon," I grin widely as I finish the contract. "AMIKETH!
I felt something inside me snap and then a feeling of energy rushed through my body, greater than any sugar high. I took that energy and instinctively gave it form, pouring it out of my body, like electricity completing a circuit. I feel an arctic breeze against my back and hear the sound of quiet screams in my ear.
"What the fuck!" The driver shouted as the van suddenly swerved to the side. Bruno reflexively lets go and I tumble to the ground.
He and I look over together, just in time to catch a glimpse of the giant fist that had appeared out of nowhere and passed to the side of the van. I'm still grinning as I feel a second burst of energy flow through my body and out through my hair, of all places. What little of my physics class I could remember at that moment had me lifting my arms to cover my head and bracing myself as best I could. I close my eyes just as a second portal opened directly in front of the van.
This was going to hurt.