Master Alexander

Chapter Sixteen

The meeting

part 1

Sanctum Sanctorum de Harris

Sitting at the head of the table, an immaculately dressed Harris, his cape draping itself on the chair of its own volition as it got comfortable, began his opening statements.

"To my friends and guests, thank you honoring us and taking the time to come my home. I understand that some of you are suspicious and feel uncomfortable sitting next to those who are your traditional enemies. I know that several nations represented here have come to blows in the past and that these disagreements cannot be dismissed or solved at this meeting. That isn't our intention. That is something you have to do yourselves and if you are willing I and others will offer our services to become mediators of your disputes if we are successful today. However, our primary reason for this gathering is to discuss the future of the magical peoples, clans, and cultures of the world and decide if we want to unite to deal with the threat the enemy represents.

"I asked all of you here so that we can discuss and share our knowledge about what is happening in the world today. I know that trust has to be earned and even the simple act of sharing knowledge can be difficult between adversaries. Respect has to be earned and someone has to be the first to step up. Therefore, Miss. Delane and I intend to do so now.

"No lies, no half-truths, and yes a few secrets kept, but always the truths. I recognize that we Humans haven't been kind to those different from us. But none of us are perfect. None of us in this room can claim to be righteous when dealing with our own kind, or with others we don't like us. I'm not asking you to become friends, but I ask that we start with small steps. We will learn to respect each other. If we can do this, then we can start to form alliances. I'm saying this because the simple is that we need each other, we need to find common ground because we are fighting common enemies, planning to ruin this world and remake it into their own images. We can't allow them to continue unchallenged. Time is short, and our enemies, both from within and from without, are organized, well prepared and becoming bolder. The evidence we all have is pointing that fact out for all of us to see."

Alex's tone remained somber as he continued speaking. "I want to introduce you to good two friends of mine, Molly and Arthur Weasley. They're just a wizard family who heard what was happening and chose to step up of their own free will.

"Ceraine and I shared some of the information you're about to hear. They are aware of some of the dangers we face and are still willing to step up and will do what needs done to protect their family and friends. Are they afraid? Yes, they're like everyone in this room. I know because you are all here, listening to me. For those who are confused and need clarification, well, that's why we're here."

Using his wand Jessie, he conjured a detailed three-dimensional image above the table of Earth. He didn't need to use his girl, but she became irritated if he didn't use her occasionally. Jessie was like that. Besides, she served another purpose as a cover. Most people assumed he was a wizard and he didn't see a reason not to encourage this assumption.

Everyone stared intently at the image, including the British agent. Stokes was impressed by the quality of the image and at the same time curios and alarmed at the abilities shown by Alex and others in the room.

"As you look at the globe, it reveals locations of three-dimensional breeches that occurred within the last two years." There were quick images of horrifying, utterly alien entities, the same ones killed by the two sorcerers. "These entities are no longer threats. Now, as some of you know and the rest are about to find out," he said while locking eyes with a stone-faced Anthony Stokes, "the worst incident occurred in Russia.

"We were able to contain most of the damage, but a lot of people were poisoned by the entity before we could contain and eliminate it. This creature is best described as a plague entity, from one of dozens of dimensions that are the antithesis to life on this world. The beings of this dimension are not mindless beasts. They are intelligent entities whose purpose is to kill anything they come into contact with. They were bred for this purpose, being used as infiltrators to soften up their master's enemies. These entities enjoy killing and feeding off the death they cause."

"And you know this how," Stokes asked.

"Lots of reading," was Alex's unenlightening response, much to Stokes' chagrin.

"I estimated approximately eight hundred people died before we finished it and neutralized the toxins it had spread across the area. Those numbers don't include plant and animal life in the area." Alex's eyes were filled with regret for those he wasn't able to save. "Normally, word of the incident would have gotten out, but there were two factors that prevented a worldwide panic. First, we killed the thing before it could spread its poisons further than it did, so the damage was confined to a small area, no more than six square miles square.

"The second reason was that the Russians nuked the area. They were justifiably frightened, but what frightened them more was that word would have gotten out that their land was poisoned by factions unknown. The blame would have fallen on them. The Russian government doesn't do humiliation well. They didn't bother to investigate, they simply acted. The people we saved from that creature didn't live long. They were killed in the five-kiloton detonation," he added. The bitterness at the debacle was evident in his voice. "The Russians nuked the region without bothering to check the status of the people before they did it. The government was more concerned about the inconvenience than its people."

The Weasleys and a few others were unaware of that incident. Arthur wondered what nuked meant. Whatever it was sounded bad and he resolved to look it up on his tablet when they returned home.

Anthony's eyes narrowed as he listened. MI-6 had heard rumors of a nuclear incident in Russia, but MI-6 was never able to determine exactly what happened.

Satellites were an unreliable source of information. In the last twenty years, the space program suffered a series of failures and was on the verge of stalling. Few satellites were successfully launched and in orbit. The Russians never leaked what really happened.

This was critical information. Stokes current mission was turning out to be a veritable fountain of information. Of course, everything would be cross checked and analyzed to the best of Crown's capability. However, it fit what his people had heard from various but unconfirmed rumors.

Alex looked disgusted. "Their cover story was ludicrous, but they're sticking to it. They don't want the truth getting out even though they are unsure of exactly what that truth really is. Fortunately, in this case, their obsession with secrecy worked in our favor."

One of the people, a man named Jon Petrie, began to explain to the others.

"The Russian government is obsessed with secrecy. It has to maintain absolute control of information. Without that control, their people would kick them out. For example, years ago an experiment by their government contaminated a small city with a nerve toxin, or radiation poisoning–we're not sure–killing thousands of people.

"Instead of acknowledging the accident, the next year they simply removed the name of the city off of the updated maps, Officially, it never existed. Officially, they never mentioned the city again. As we said, Russian paranoia worked in our favor and the Secrecy Acts act isn't broken. The American and British Ministries aren't aware."

"And that is good because we don't need them getting in the way," Delane added. "The Statute works in our favor for now, but it will be a hindrance when this comes out int the open. That statute was good for the times as it used as a set of guidelines. Now that it's a law, the faults are glaring. It works for the wizarding world but effectively stifles everyone else, and that's something else that will need to be addressed."

"For the future, everyone," Alex said, returning to the original subject. "We are in the process of finding exactly when and where the latest breech occurred and what came out of it."

"I only see three openings and I know you told me there were four," one of the goblins said. "Have you discovered the location of the latest breech?"

"No, Master Clawfoot. I don't have the exact location yet. We have a general location but nothing specific. We do know that the breech was opened for about four seconds. We don't know how many came through or what they are. We're searching now and will deal with it or them as soon as we identify the breech location. Whatever entered this world is keeping a low profile." Alex stared at the globe. "We will find them, identify them, ascertain their threat level and eliminate them accordingly. These invaders are from what we call hell dimensions and are rarely benign. They're also keeping a low profile and that is a bad sign.

The meeting continued for another hour with many of those present asking several questions, while others provided critical answers.

The conversation changed as James Ahija, a North American Sioux Native, began speaking.

"We, the True People of the Americas are united as we have never been before. Not since that fool Custer, are we this angry. Two months ago, my people lost contact with several villages of the Abenaki and the Dunne-Za tribes. At first, we thought nothing of it. They lived in secluded towns isolated in the mountains. It wasn't unusual for the tribes not to come to the towns to trade and get supplies, but there was nothing. We went to their small villages and found them slaughtered. Most of our magical people are not wand-users. Our magic comes from the animal spirits. We use their spirit energies, freely given, to generate our magic. Our people do not differentiate between those with the gifts passed on from our ancestors and those who do not. Both sides lived among each other without fear. This is one of the reasons why we believe that whole villages were slaughtered. A few villagers survived, the ancient and very young, but they were all obliviated. We have little hope for the old. Their memories were wiped clean." James clenched his fists in anger. "The elders are little more than newborns. They are functionally senile. The infants have no memories of their families or who and what they are. We can help them. The others we fear are lost. None of the survivors were spared. All of those with the gifts were killed. The magical inheritance of those two tribes is lost forever."

The tall, deeply tanned man clenched his teeth as he struggled to contain his anger. "The spirits of the animals great and small scream with the losses of their other halves. In spirit dreams they showed us wizards moving among the villagers, destroying any and everyone. We have had enough! I speak for the thirty-six united clans of the People, both magical and ungifted. We have lost enough!"

Several people representing enclaves from across the world told similar stories.

In every case, small and relatively isolated enclaves non-wand using magicals were attacked and either killed or obliviated. So far, only small groups were targeted, but soon that would change.

What was just as disturbing were the reports coming from the United States.

The Americans noticed a distinct lack of television and movies having anything to do with magic, or magical-based themes. Shows that had such content were drastically altered with the magical content removed, or the programs were canceled. Shows and movies in production suggesting such themes were halted and shut down and their money shunted to other more acceptable programming. Supernatural based horror movies were removed from public viewership and older movies suddenly disappeared.

Christian programming was curtailed, with broadcast stations refusing to broadcast and sponsors suddenly withdrawing their support. Anything having to do with supernatural, miracles, or magic of any kind was being systematically suppressed or attacked.

And that wasn't all.

Science-based programming was being suppressed. There were no sci-fi programs left on televisions and very few movies in production.

There would be no Star Trek, Star Wars, etc., on this world. This hadn't gone unnoticed by the general population and tensions were increasing across America as conspiracy theories were thrown out left and right.

America, to put it mildly, was upset

The space program suffered and was virtually shut down until the issues were resolved. Something was wrong. The American people and others across the world didn't have any answers and they didn't like it. Whatever this organization was, they were well-funded, well-organized and getting bolder and appeared intent on causing unrest, as well as suppressing certain elements across the world.

Yuriko Tanaga raised her hand. She was of the Kikan clan located near the city of Hokkaido, Japan. The fortyish year-old woman was a high-ranking member of an extended family that accessed magic from the forces of nature. Their magical cores functioned in a completely different (and therefore unacceptable according to some) manner.

"These assassins knew who are and where we lived although our enclaves are hidden from the outside world. My people were attacked by dozens of wand wizards. We fought them off and killed several of them, but not without casualties. The dead carried no identification, nothing that could lead back to their origin. Their wands were made in such a way that we could not trace them back to their creators. But this enemy made a mistake," Yuriko snarled. "Our two magics are similar, but there are differences in application. These differences allowed us to identify them and find their general location given time. We know that the organization bases are located in America and England. But our attackers were Japanese, so we know that there are enemy forces established in our country. How many bases there are, we do not know. But we have discovered their names. They call themselves the inheritors."

They now had a name to go with their faceless enemies.

The Jaish Fae clan originated in Germany. These small being's average size, about one inch in height, looked less human than many others. They possessed long, curved antennae, very angular faces and three pairs of curved wings. They were shy creatures with the ability to compress their sizes to less than an eighth of an inch and possessed the ability to become transparent. During this world's second world war, Thousands of their kind were killed by a wizard cabal from Bulgaria who used their remains as a source for potions and life-extending power enhancements. They were hunted by wizards and others and came close to extinction. Refining their talents, the Jarish used their abilities to remain unseen for decades.

Until recently, they were safe.

Tea of the Jarish clan was the next to speak. The female fairy had enlarged herself to the size of about four feet and the strain was obvious. She couldn't maintain that size for long. In an act of generosity two other fae of different species added a bit of power to her, and she smiled gratefully at them for the generosity. The gesture was a small one, but one that would be remembered.

Her black hair sparkled in the room's light and her triple pairs of wings, characteristic of her species, were folded around her body. Like many of her kind, she had antennae which moved in response to her mood. Arthur thought she was one of the most beautiful female creatures he had ever seen. When she spoke, musical tone filled the air.

"The evil wizards came after us. They discovered a way to detect us but could not see through our transparency magic. In spite, they burned much of the forest that is-was are our home. They cursed the forest for our kind, they claimed us to be an affront to nature. We fled the forests of our births. The pixies of our land, our wayward friends, were killed. The pixies fled but could not understand what was happening and were hunted down." The young fae began to cry. "The magic in their bodies is coveted by many magic users. We were forced to flee to the foreign land of our cousins for safety. We have no home. But now we must fight so that we may live."

Several of the Fae of different species rose into the air, all of them glowing with power.

"Beware!" they said in unison. "When we find them, there will be war. We will kill them all. The united fae have spoken!"

TBC