It was Friday afternoon Nerrocean stretched as he sat down the festival food on the couch table in his Office.
Votzaak already jumped up to bounce on the fluffed pillows, "Today you'll falter. My friend, you're not the only one with new cards. I beat some Council Guard Elves. Man, they suck with the rules, I tell ya. But they have an interesting variant for mass battle, maybe we should mop the floor in a two versus two with them, what do ya say?"
A knock at the door.
"Yes?" Nerrocean sighed as he bit into his festival food of the day.
"You are actually busy this month, ha!" Votzaak laughed his ass off. But he was impressed as the people who entered were none other than the Headmasters Saladin, Griffin and Faragonda.
"Of course, I am, I am the Councillor of Magix, not some place holder, Councillor Votzaak, you should know better," Nerrocean settled down on his huge arm bench, he had swapped out that uncomfy chair, "And how can I help you esteemed three?" He leaned back.
Faragonda stepped forward, "We like to partition you, the Coucnillor of Magix, to greenlight a joined study track of our three schools," Faragonda handed over the draft.
"Hm," Nerrocean flicked through the pages quickly.
"The focus would be on combat and joined forces of all magic professions," Saladin took the word.
"Oh? You know each other since OOOOH-SO long," Votzaak chuckled, "And now you come with something like that?" He seemed somewhat surprised and amused.
"Got to agree with the Councillor here," Nerrocean let the handout fall flat on his desk and searched unimpressed in his drawer for something.
"Oh, you," Griffin growled "You know as well as any Dark magic user that THIS could change everything. Get your ass out of your-" She began to rant and quickly got interrupted by Faragonda cautioning her. "All we need is some funds, so we can get it done and you…"
"Silence!" Nerrocean demanded with a glare towards Griffin and she shut up. He finally had found what he was looking for. He pulled out some random storage crystal and with a quick rune password waved over it and a huge stack of papers appeared in its stead. "I won't greenlight any half-assed plan. You want a joined study track you'll include ALL these…" he pushed over the stack of papers, "…key points. You'll have a week to re-draft I'll bring the rest of the needed parties to sign it off." He simply stated, "Oh- and, here, Headmistress Griffin, is the budget YOU'LL make it work with." He handed her a separate sheet. Stood up and opened the door to his office.
"Eh," perplexed the Sorceress stared at the number, "TWENTY million!? Are you kidding me?! Cloud Tower doesn't even…" She hissed annoyed.
"Where, when did you…?" Saladin stared at the papers. Faragonda gave him her squinting eye gaze and made her way outside the office first as she floated the rest of the papers next to her.
Nerrocean pointed out of his office, he would not miss another round of festival food for this crap, "I AM the Councillor of Magix of course I KNOW what my planet needs and cover for the lack of common-sense others have neglected since DECADES," He stared at the three, "I am not Councillor just by the title I do WORK here." He basically shoved them out the door with words as he admonished them harshly and closed the door behind them without another word. "Okay… where are my doughnuts?"
Votzaak snorted and floated one over, "Don't go all politician on me one day, okay? On the battlefield, those die first." He smirked and earned a scorching glare himself which made him laugh wholeheartedly.
"***"
"You're under arrest," Officer Curtis smashed Vulcano against the house wall.
"And what then? You weasel, gonna break my leg? Let me bleed out in your dungeon? You nearly killed her you bastard!" Vulcano hissed enraged. She kept pocking the bear making comments about Blade's arrest, even if underhanded it was obvious that she knew Blade. "Ouch! HEY! Alright alright, I give up, chill," Vulcano felt her cheek burn as her skin scraped open at the wall. 'Gotcha you stupid cunt!' Victory at last. So often teams had failed and she had grown too impatient by chance she had seen Officer Curtis and from chat, she knew a task force team was close by.
Curtis wasn't impressed at all, he had caught her red-handed stealing something. It even made him happy that this stupid bitch dared to resist. Especially since she was a friend of that ONE Witch. He hated it oh so much. "Hold still, STOP resisting" Officer Curtis pulled his taser and rammed it into the Witch's side. 'Heh, they are way too cocky. Who do they think they are…worthless Witches...'
Vulcano's legs gave in yet she was somewhat held up, 'That damned! I'll kill that son of a-, that assshole! He'll pay…' She flared up her dark magic to brake the stun. She hadn't spotted the task force team, but they had to be around.
Curtis instantly drew his gun as he kicked away her feet and nailed her to the ground, "Russel, cuffs."
"Hey, you, urgh-" Vulcano bitched around. 'Fuck where is that team?! He's-' Another taser shock hit her. The longer this arrest went on the more scared she got and now her survival instincts kicked in. 'Wait if no one comes!? But the bracelet showed, damn it.' She couldn't even check if the silent watch mode from the bracelet was on or not, anymore, since everything got so hectic.
Curtis with his gun pressed at her back clicked around the first green jade cuff and the Dark magic already ebbed down. "You want it the hard way I can work with that." He tasered her again a few more times. He was a cautious man after all not to mention the satisfaction when the Witch's face turned to an expression of pain.
"Don't overdo it," Officer Russel was on the lookout but no one was really interested in a Witch getting arrested by some Policemen in a back alley.
"***"
"We got to help her! He'll kill her!" Rise feared the worst. Finally, someone had managed to catch Curtis off guard and yet she wished they never had. This was scaring the shit out of her.
But the Paladin shook his head, "Vulcano already broke the rules. No one with personal interest was to engage the Officers in question."
"You don't know that," Lion next to them protested.
"Really? That handbag is from that store fifty feet to the east on the plaza. The price tag is still on it. She forced this WITHOUT PERMISSION." Daeleth sighed running scenarios in his head, how to salvage this and keep the girl safe.
Rise balled her fists, "So you let her- AT LEAST WE GOT PROOF NOW. We are WITNESSES."
"That's not how the Council does things!" Daeleth admonished her. "Results do NOT sanction methods. I get it, some more personal and aggressive methods get results faster. But THIS wasn't sanctioned! She'll get a court hearing for stealing at least. She also resisted arrest, slandered…argh," Daeleth wasn't happy at all. "That will end in a hefty fine and prison time for breaking task force rules. I can promise you that. Vulcano will get punished according to the law. Being part of a task force is not a free pass to do whatever you want." Daeleth already had called for backup of the grown-ups.
So close to this year's annual executive departments meeting the kids got more and more eager to get it all done. To catch EVERYONE, but that was a pipedream. It already was clear that bad guys slipped through the cracks because not everyone let themselves be baited as hoped or accumulated proof was too thin. It was vexing for the kids. The youngsters hadn't given it too much thought at the start. And besides the constant reminding by the Council guards only now on the last meters, this came apparently clear. And most catastrophic for the kids was, that besides all their efforts the task force still hadn't enough proof for all the four Officers that had nearly killed Blade with their actions, which had started all of this in the first place. Officer Russell had gotten Blade drunk. Officer Gary had been caught being biased several times. Yet Clayton and Curtis still had a clean slate, they were too cautious, spooked by the hearing which had ended in a draw, they had faded into the background and had been picture perfect.
Iolas suddenly landed next to them inside the barrier, "What did we tell you?!" He admonished the students. He was super pissed.
"Was she alone," Daeleth nodded towards Vulcano. "Grasped at an opportunity…"
Iolas signed to the other guards to go on ahead to the station as Vulcano got dragged into the police gravity car.
"What are you doing? You got to get her out!" Marble had finished saving the camera footage from the stoor and street surveillance. "Go down there!"
"That will tipp them of to the whole operation; everything not in the bag or fully uncovered is at stake because of that stunt," Iolas harshly rejected, "Why do you think we put so much preparation into all the ops beforehand or take a team of GROWN-UPS to the RED-FLAGGED targets. We don't keep you out of stuff for fun!" He nodded to Daeleth and his Paladin dashed off with the other Council guards. "We could have another Blade situation at hand, here." He checked his bracelet pressed for time and opened the map feature for GPS locations.
"But! No way I leave her behind!" Marble bit her lip and was about to dash off, "If you won't break her out I'll-"
"Cancel," Iolas grabbed her and summoned some green jade cuffs and before the young Sorceress even knew what had happened he had her in custody. He held her tide at her arm. "With every week that passed the chances and chatter grow that something is up. We use magic to block memories, in the high-risk cases, so we can continue this operation, but those precautions can fail. Why do you think Master Nerrocean agreed to end this whole thing at the annual executive departments meeting? And not endlessly continue until we are one hundred per cent sure with every single one of them? Come on, you, kids made research beforehand or did Amal just tell you to use that date?" He sighed deeply as he saw their reactions, "Never mind…"
"Eques!" A few Black magic Hunters landed on the rooftop. "What's the emergency?"
"You," Iolas stared at the Sorceress in the hunter team, "transform into that Cloud Tower student," He showed the Witch a file picture quickly on the bracelet, "We need a swap out. Rest of your Dark magic users transform into some random Sorceresses and attack this police ride." He pointed the vehicle out on the city map screen. "Use a smoke screen and make the swap happen. Get as many of you arrested within reason, don't make it too easy. We need to force them to call the Council asap for backup. So, none lands in their prison cell. My guys already are delaying the Officers. You got five minutes tops. And IF necessary, use of force in custody is permitted." Iolas sent the Hunters off. The group of Dark magic users did as Ordered and rushed off, while the Light magic Hunters stayed put. Iolas turned to the students who were completely overwhelmed. "And WE are going back to the Headquarters this instant."
Okay guys everyone has a Luna Vindex Blade? ~BladeMaster
Yup ~Nebula
Yes ~Roar
Of course ~BossMan
Let's do this ~Marble
Michael turned his crossbow scope wheel, "Ouch, they are at it again…"
Kai snorted, "That is one beast of a mother-in-law."
"Still, no excuse to be an ass…" Dusk growled they thought this to be the last quick checkup of their night shift, but the Officer had fallen for the bait, which was uncharacteristic so they dug deeper. Dusk sat down on the rooftop they were camping out on she just wanted this to be over and, on her way, to Cloud Tower already.
"Yeah…" Polarissa tugged on her shirt she was short of falling asleep, "But- YIKES." She even flinched for a second as another fight broke out between the mother-in-law and the Officer clashed once again.
"Hmm…" Rise paced a bit forth and back as she rubbed her eyes. "Shouldn't we help him?" That mother-in-law just had thrown a plate across the room at the Officer.
Sienna lowered her hand and her magic subsided exhausted she yawned, "Boy, she doesn't believe that it was her daughter that cheated on him not the other way around…"
"Nice ability," Virion commented as he was considering helping out the Officer in question. But how?
Dusk nodded, "If I were you, I would use that ability way more often. Would work wonders with the police stations…"
"No can do, sadly. This only works now, because for one, they are shouting and there are no measures to cancel the vibration of the glass windows like in official buildings or castles. Not to mention none of the two uses magic beyond the utter basics. Anyone with some knowledge of magic would instantly notice the runes I placed to track the vibrations of the glass from afar. I wouldn't even be able to spy on you in the forest, Dusk," Sienna explained shortly.
"Mmmh, too bad," Polarissa replied annoyed. "So, that guy just has a really bad week and that's why he is so agitated, right? We had no prior reports about him."
"Most likely after all he was supposed to be a quick tick on the list," Michael lowered his crossbow and stood up with Kai.
"Well, enough for today. It's already four a.m. and you have school in three hours," Virion smiled at them. 'If I keep them any longer they'll fall asleep on the rooftop. They'll all push really hard with only a few days to go.'
"Charmix!" Rise transformed quickly to power up, "BURSTING LIGHT!" Rise had a hard time concentrating she was so exhausted just like the rest.
"Woah!" Dahlia avoided the spell just by a hair. She had not watched out and nearly flown into it as she was so focused on hitting Professor Avalon.
Birdy was not fast enough to get out of the way and they both crashed into each other, "Watch out!"
"Desist!" Palladium had more than enough time to catch the spell and throw it right back at Rise, "Release!"
Rise wide-eyed and dashed upwards to escape her own spell, "Oh SHIT!"
"Sound scythe!" Sienna just had a clear shot at Avalon, but no more, "RISE!"
Just in time, Rise managed to duck away. However, the two spells clashed with each other and enhanced the power of the normally manageable spells into a massive explosion.
"Barrier of light!" Professor Palladium hastened cast to shield Sienna since she was the further away to give her enough time to cast her own shield.
Professor Avalon darted upwards as he flung his loaded Jian downwards, the sword burrowed into the ground and ice spiked up and shielded Birdy and Dahlia, while the Professor quickly grabbed Rise, who was closer to him, pulled her in and turned his back towards the explosion as he flared up magic. The two got blasted towards the ground. Avalon had a hard time to hold before they hit the ground.
"By the Great Dragon! Are you all blind!? Get your heads into the game!" Palladium had the scare of a lifetime. Besides the fact that Dahlia and Birdy had been protected by the ice flare-up, the explosion was strong enough to turn their belts red and they just shut off. Palladium's shield around Sienna had broken with ease and even her own shield had cracks and just dispersed.
Professor Avalon's wings shattered yet besides some soot on his back he was fine. Rise hadn't even been hit. 'So close…' He breathed out and let Rise go. He sternly nodded to the sidelines and the Fairy class lined up. "The belt shields are not unbreakable you still can get hurt. I had about enough of this!" Avalon crossed his arms disapprovingly. "First it was your concern for Blade, then the study group, after that some misguided overtime in research. And yet despite all our NICE talks you are STILL constantly TIRED. This isn't about bad grades anymore. You are endangering yourselves with this sloppiness!" He watched the students flinch as his voice thundered. "You might be able to hide your dark eye rings with make up. But your attention span is one big mess as is your reaction time and awareness. You do REMEMBER that I can read your AURAS?"
Professor Palladium stopped right next to his friend, "Until further notice you are all banned from battle class. Inside! You'll write a report of THIRTY pages about the repercussions of sleep deprivation. Prolonged meditation and trance are no substitute for real good sleep. You are on no such level to do so and neither there should be a reason. You have till dinner to explain yourselves. We've been patiently enough with you!"
"So, to summarize the joined study track will have fourteen classes at Alfea, eleven classes in Red Foutain of which three are just for the Specialists and well Blade. We also have seven classes covered about Dark magic in Cloud Tower," Faragonda summarized.
"And twelve additional classes covered by Hoggar," Councillor Nerrocean looked at Headmaster Hagen. "The Council guard," Master Aithlin nodded, "The Head Hunters," Apex Itzcali, the Wereaardwolf Lady, grunted a bit restless. "Nearly done, my Lady," Nerrocean smirked. "We also have White Jade."
Master Morgan smiled, "But of course." She sat right next to Avalon her subordinate.
"Black magic Hunter Division will get your runts in shape not to worry," Grandmaster Votzaak grinned mischievously.
Nerrocean gave him a sideglance, "And we are graced by Ms Shanna for mental classes and support," Nerrocean gave a nod to the old elven Lady. "Any more questions?" Everyone was happy with what they had come up with. "Well then, Headmaster Griffin all that is left is for you to convince your students to actually partake, the other parents and Crown houses already have agreed for their kids to take part."
"Oh, they will, not to worry, Sorceresses know when to jump an opportunity they never will get again," Griffin answered without a doubt. "Even if they'll have to start from scratch and the track takes five years to complete."
"Great," Apex Itzcali stood up, "As much as I like to mingle I do have two criminals to catch. One serial killer in a trafficking ring," she still found it somewhat confusing, "and that supplier Vulmaro…so annoying."
"Wait what?!" Aithlin and Votzaak called out in synch. "We've been trying to nail that guy for months now."
"Guy? It's a woman," Itzcali crossed her arms. "I smelled it, there's no mistake."
"But our people smelled a guy…and they aren't wrong either…" Votzaak frowned. "Don't tell me…"
"There are TWO of them…" Master Aithlin sighed deeply. "If not more…wonderful…I sent you some Guards to back you up."
"Ha! You wish, I'll manage I have my own crew besides you Elves stick out like sore thumbs with all that shiny armour," Itzcali declined promptly even a bit insulted.
"Why am I the one to do it?" Blade complained silently all of her friends were hanging around the sandbox. They all were indeed tired but this had to be done. There was no way they could avoid it any longer.
"Because you have the pity card. If one of us does it we're doomed," Gilliana nagged.
"Fine, fine, but you all need to be ready and in formation otherwise they'll not believe the ruse," Blade made herself clear, "It's not best Witch present day. There won't be any running and leaving me behind." She glared at the other Fairies.
Nebula snorted, "Nooo, never," she stuck her tongue out. "We're counting on you, make it a good one."
"Guys," Kai waved to them, "It's time let's move!" Everyone breathed in deeply and moved to position.
The Professors of Alfea escorted all their high-ranking guests and friends out of their school all was set and the last tasks were distributed.
"Are you sure Apex Itzcali you don't want any backup?" Grandmaster Votzaak asked again as they all passed Alfea's gates.
'Ah, the kids. Out that late when they have no missions today?' Nerrocean spotted them easily. They weren't hiding per se but they were scattered throughout.
"Oh, Professor Palladium quick question," Blade approached her Professor as she yawned, her heart was pounding a bit. "We couldn't come to a consensus are Pudina Berries or Hare's Birch the stronger antidote for sleeping poison. We gathered some samples," Blade pulled out the herbs.
Palladium a bit irritated took the herbs the whole group of officials held as they caught a few quick glances at the students in question for their plans, "That depends. Birch bark has the same potency all year. The berries are stronger if ripe you can see it by the lumenacy in moonlight," Palladium turned his back to Blade to hold the berries into the moonlight. "But that won't be tested Bla-" A sudden tingle. A shockwave of magic rushed through his system. Wide-eyed Avalon stared at him as did the rest of the grown-ups. Palldium's gaze wandered to his stomach and he noticed a sword stuck right there, light magic still pulsated heavily through the sword and flooded his system.
"Guys…" Blade swallowed deeply. 'I'm so screwed, we're so screwed… dumbest plan ever…' She already regretted it but there was no turning back now.
"How is it not working!?" Kitty blurted out and summoned her own glimmering transparent ritual sword, another Luna Vindex. Everyone of the students in fact had drawn one. Pretending to be utterly confused she flared up her magic like the rest and the Fairies transformed. "You said it would work! Fuck."
"IT SHOULD!" Nebula joined in the theatrics. They were all scared now which helped their believability greatly. "Did we get the ritual wrong!?"
Their teachers sighed deeply unable to even reprimand them, they were speechless. While the other elders hadn't moved an inch so far but they eyed the students intensely and even more so Palladium.
"Concentrate! Formation!" Julius and Lion called out as the students regrouped into new positions. 'They just have to buy this, they just got to.'
Votzaak was ready to fight not the kids though, but Palladium, his magic presence filled the air, he would not take this lightly and one could see some shimmering runes flare up on the ground around them all, "Dear Ms Ashfallow, why exactly are you poking a ritual cleansing sword into your Professor?"
Master Morgan's eyes were ablaze staring at the Elf to read his aura.
Apex Itzcali had her daggers ready to hit Palladium's vital spots to uncompassionate him.
'That is their grand plan to hide our operation and explain their tiredness? Smart choice to go with those swords. They're really pushing that black mage angle, though…takes ages to build those swords when did they even find the time?' Nerrocean a bit amused summoned his scythe as well and sternly looked at Palladium, who didn't dare to move an inch. The Luna Vindex swords were well-known cleansing weapons crafted in the light of a full moon and imbued with light convergence magic. One could sever a control curse by stabbing each victim or the caster to free all affected. When it took effect, it would disperse to glittering dust. It was harmless to the stabbed since it only focused on destroying the curse in question, hence the reason no one moved in on the students but focused on the Professor.
"There is no such thing as a teacher transformation. And while a bet is a good explanation. Noone can fake a shy character that good. We searched for video footage. There's no way he is who he says. He has bewitched them all, there is no other explanation," Blade continued to infuse her light magic into the sword but she was running out faster than expected that sword required a lot of magic.
"Blade…get that toothpick out of my stomach," Professor Palladium tempered himself greatly. 'ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!? They didn't drop this Black magic bullshit at all! No wonder they are still tired. To gather the amount of materials for so many swords alone…' He glanced over his shoulder and spotted that EVERYONE had one of those.
"You wish," Blade hissed as she breathed heavier. "Release them!" She demanded agitated. Sweat dripped down her face, 'Is it working? Fuck…'
"All of you calm down, put away your weapons and spells. If he had bewitched us the curse would already be broken by now, Blade. The sword would be no more. Whatever footage you saw, I asure you the Professor is himself, always was," Headmistress Faragonda stepped forward. "Now please…"
Aithlin himself now flared up his magic and checked if the students were enchanted themselves. He rose is sword as it lit up in the brightest light, "Nothing…"
"Well, then you're all under arrest, till we are absolutely sure," Master Nerrocean declared and gave his Grandmaster a sideglance for a tiny bit of help. Votzaak smirked and snipped with his fingers to activate the portal runes he had placed.
"What?! This is ridic-" Palladium and the students vanished.
"Grandmaster Votzaak," Faragonda turned to him angered, "What-"
"I'll send them back once I AM SURE, good hunting," He gave his goodbyes to Itzcali and vanished with another teleport spell and took Nerrocean with him as well. 'What a fun night…'
"Those kids…" Griffin growled deeply.
Itzcali relaxed, "Are at least eager, can't wait to sick my Predators on them." She pressed a button on her belt and her customized Owl decloaked as it powered down it's canons and jumped up into the open loading ramp.
"But there was no Black magic aura…" Master Morgan shook her head. "Curate Avalon are you sure they are stable enough for such intense training, they…"
"-ulous," Palladium barely finished his complaint as they all found themselves in a magic circle in the Black Magic Hunter Division Headquarters and magic sparked up and hit them all, a bunch of Division Hunters around them moved in as his sight darkened and he sank to the floor.
The Black Magic Hunter yawned tonight's cell shift was rather quiet, luckily. "Hmm, I hope we have fries this week in the cantina…"
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?"
The guard snorted and sent a quick note to his Grandmaster, 'And they are awake what fun. Can't believe the Dark Fairy stabbed her Professor with a Luna Vindex.' He had to snort again.
"This isn't funny! We TOLD YOU…" Palladium ranted on in the background. They had stuck them all into the same cell after it was more than clear that there was no magic curse or enchantment in use on any of them.
The guard straightened out, "Grandmaster." He nodded to the Leprechaun, who had suddenly appeared and followed him into the cellblock in question.
"…you. How much time did you WASTE on this ridiculous plan?" Palladium admonished the students.
"Now, now," Votzaak smirked as he halted before the magic shield. "It's as much their fault as it is yours. Teacher Transformation, really? That's the best cover-up you could come up with?"
"It worked for over twenty years…" Professor Palladium countered.
"Yeah, with little snobby brats. You got one person digging deeper than surface level and see what happened, Professor. If you even bother to cover up, do it right," Votzaak superiorly admonished the Elf.
Steela asked straight forward, "SO, he is not a Black mage? Are you sure?" She really wanted to rub it in, they needed this to work.
"Of course not, I don't stick babies with brats if I am not sure," Votzaak sounded a bit offended by the question. "Well then, you're free to leave in the morning. Make sure to get them out in time so they can be punctual." Votzaak ordered his guard.
"What?!" Palladium couldn't believe it. "There is no need to wait this long-."
"Paperwork's a bitch, Professor. And you could spend your time teaching your wards something about the NATURE of Black magic for once. Or maybe THEY can teach you how to avoid getting STABBED." He snorted turned on his heels and left besides the Professor's further protests.