Magi and Djinn World Tour! Student of the Dark Arts –

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Chapter 7: Whom it was that I Couldn't Spare to Lose

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Flashback telling where Chas tells Raku about Astra and John's inner fear of losing those he cares about, and also what he's currently facing to help Raku to find his full potential and a new home on Earth. If he takes that chance to never become a full-fledged demi god.

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The music pounded the roof off of the ratty club floor. Beats rippled off of mortal skin, as dozen of bodies stayed cramped in a dingy, run of the mill underground stage. A place for rebels to frolic and find all wrongdoings in their society. To sing their hearts out; the beaten and baited into this trap.

A trap, of a new life.

( As much as a love the premise, it's going to be much darker. So, don't hate me for rearranging this flashback.)

"To our very lives we hold so reached and dear, here we are, loves? Mates and the underdogs – we have the right to fight and scream at the establishment for turning their backs!"

Chas stood with his matted, longer hair dropping as the drums he sounded, resounded. People cheered for the name, "Mucus Membrane." The glop that lived inside and polluted the senses. Such a poetic riot that the front man wasn't John, nay. It was actually a neo – pagan and mentor to the magi in the band. On the side, they wanted to strengthen their magic after college was almost up.

John had been told to keep studying, to never dream outside of that stage. He did it anyway, here. Here, he and this man raging against a violent mass was hoping to drag them all in as the kraken to a pile of wayward sailors.

"We are staying all night if we have to, so join us. Join us and recognize, greatness!"

It sounded too pompous, though the aspirations were lofty enough to make the rabid crowd listen. Had no one said magic was a work.

A dark, dangerous art form as John walked off the stage, Chas watching from the side as things did die down.

He wasn't too fond of his college roommate palling with a fellow dark magician. In fact, Chas had known much longer than John's new mentor what that rogue was capable of.

He had inherited a cult following and John wasn't aware of how close he was to being the slaughtered lambs beside anyone that his mentor needed to be successful. Demons took, sometimes only taking for a price. Other times, they had been greedy enough to come after others. One by one, John could be the last to become enslaved in this deadly game.

He was favored, thus protected.

It wasn't until his mentor took the man

back, Chas tagging along later to the "den" or underground space that the make had. Candles and floor sigils; John took a good look, recognizing methods only of the dark arts

His fingers twitched as he turned to his old pal. His dear companion only smiled and ushered John follow to the great surprise he had waiting.

Through doors to another chamber of black, was a red blood drawn summoning circle and a large iron cage.

Humans stayed inside, weeping and coming to the bars to scream out. The circle preventing them from fighting back. John didn't like it. These, were the sheep as he growled out with a shout to his partner. Just as Chas too saw a child come from another hidden door to see what was the matter. She was half black African American and British. Chas recognized the kid as the child of their main singer.

"John! This is going too far, mate! We can't call the police??"

"If you did, it wouldn't be quick enough, Johnny. You made it possible. You sang like me, and we used our voices to do something incredibl-

"Bloody dense are you, mate??" John sneered. "This is madness! These are human lives in captivity for what?? Fame? Killing them –

"Is the way to contracting with a king of demons. That book you left me was, interesting….where did it come from?"

"Am old professor. He thought it would come in handy, but to control-

"John! M" Chas pointed as the little girl ran up to her father, the blood circle starting to glow.

"Astra!!" Her father ran, yet the glowing circle was full. Full if souls as her last echoing cry into the field of red, was too late to counter. John changed, the other vortex that opened too large to shut "Help them!!" John couldn't do it all alone. He was rusty and Chas didn't know magic, he wasn't his friend or the other.

"Astra….no….give…give her back!!"

The stomping and snort of a demon so gargantuan had the other sikenced as his nose started to bleeding. He convulsed, choking on his blood as the long haired front man dropped dead. More blood pooled into the circle while a cackle and red eyes…

John was thrown back, his eyes gazing upon one menace that has branded him to never ever raise his book foolishly again.

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Fast forwards to Ravenscar Asylum, after the incident. A year in this trench of death and more death, Neral eating them all while John watched. He was scared, because John was seen as "useful" in the future. Should he ever wish to ask again, the demon Lord Nergal would do so for a minor payment of one person per wish. A modest discount that drove John over the edge.

Chas got him home, saved him at the cost of his engagement, his kid was on the way and he had two now. A washed up magi, until…

John met once more, Atticus Grey. Grey offered so many answers. Magic, being the cause and solution. He even gave John a gruesome option to break the contract with Nergal.

John didn't take it. He refused at first, until Chas called. His daughter's soul was trapped. Taken, like Astra by Nergal's dark curse unto him for not making a monthly offering.

John fought and finally the Cadaver curse was made clearly – clearly, as Chas's wife and child no longer remembered him. He was still there in the world, yet after that …

John got his mate killed, so he tried a new curse. Asking Atticus again.

How do you keep your mate from Death's door.

Chas cane back after every hit, immortal or a zombie. Either way, it worked. Now, Atticus predicted that John would be in debt to another demon. The book he'd given his old mentor, reclaimed and buried inside of the house of mystery.

Raku would be curious as a young owl, and also cautious as a doe.

He didn't know why John was so willing to try but pulled back from getting close. Just as Chas was his support, not a shoulder to cry on. Just as Raku saw John haul himself from those late night stops at the pub to forget and unwind. The fear that he wasn't well, that something was still possessing the man that had promised to help Raku find his place in the world.

Atticus was a deal maker and immortal by the kindness of vampires. By creatures that Raku had not known could inhibit life that way.

If he could as Lord Roku, it was possible with enough manna, energy. Stolen, from the living.

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Raku rested his hands onto his knees and wet his lips as Chas sat across, his own eyes furrowed onto the rug below their feet in the living room of Chas's apartment. "I think he needs time, lad. John and that criminal are not the same person, yet they had a mutual trust. Now, if John has a new contract to sever, he'll need to concentrate on that. I have every desire to get up and take you to class. There is not a trouble in doing so. My other job is from home. I, work a website. Editing."

"Oh, interesting…" Raku bit the inside of his cheek. "He , he was happy for me? I…I didn't put you both out?"

"We told you before, lad. It's wasn't a bother. You simply need to stay in school. All that matters here, got it?"

Raku nodded. "Sure. I, wanted to see if I can help around the house. Shopping fir dinner? Maybe learning to make a m –

"Have you been allowed to by your family, before?"

"Yes!" Raku nodded. "I made a few options, meatless…it make me a bit –

"It's safe to say, I can cook that part. John can't crack two eggs together."

They both chucked as the knob turned to the House of Mystery on the other side of the world, it seemed. Or universe.

John looked in with a messy bed head and a cig between his lips, his eyes glazed over from a bad night and no new leads.

"JOHN!" Raku hopped up and ran to hug the man. "I…see you found a place to hide."

"Hide? I was –

"I'm glad, actually. How was the meal tonight?" It was after they'd come home that Chas had sat that boy down to talk about his friend's past.

Raku was sidetracked on how to answer, yet it came less than naturally on how he kept his words. "It, was very wonderful. The food, the people. You are fortu…it was a lot of fun!" Raku grinned up to the man, letting him have his space. John nodded, grumbling something before twisting the knob, possibly to go back to his work. "Do you need me for anything?"

He, ok…so. He was trying?

Raku bit his lip and trued to think. "We, wwre hoping you'll let yourself rest tonight, knowing that I'm happy to be a part of, what you've provided. So, thank you both." The boy bowed a slight as John sighed through his nose.

"The case picked up speed. I'm going to bed once I have a pin in it."

"John."

Chas pulled the door hog to listen, the worried brunette staring the blonde vagabond down.

"Promise that you'll stay in tonight. The boy is going onto his second day tomorrow. I need you to drive him home later. Won't be free."

"What?" Raku tirbed to Chas. "You said –

"Interview for a potential client. Will run a bit late, you can watch each other." Chas told the two men. "Move in front if the tele, rest. Tomorrow is Saturday."

"That doesn't mean much for the tireless, working class." John grumbled.

"Will it be fine if I made supper then?" Raku blurted out the question. John and I could pick up some ingredients. And…and –

"Wait a day, Raku." John told the boy. "Friday you will have a possible pop quiz."

With that, he shut the door.

"You, did that ..he was –

"He likes to be inside if a bubble at times." Chas chuckled as he got up to pick up a mug he'd gotten for the boy earlier. "I just succeeded in popping that wall of it to let you in closer. He cares , so this could help you both see each other's side of the argument."

"What argument?" Raku quizzed.

"Didn't you hear the story enough, lad? John is a chicken, but a softie under that gruff exterior. You might learn to steel yourself best with his guidance."

"The school would do that, not –

"The give you the knowledge, yet your mentor is strict. You saw that he made you shiver from casting on command. That will give you a silent edge over your classmates. It's all about precision, timed exactly long enough to do what the caster wants."

"Wow…so, my confidence is not enough?"

"No. Magic… is only a part of the puzzle. Yet, the longer you bunk with a sorcerer, the worse it is to forget how the process goes. I can recite it in seconds, word for word."

"What about your family?" Raku tilted his eyes to the older adult. "Do you still see them. Or, was all of that true? That they can't remember…"

"It is, but John is my shoulder. He needs me, so I have some purpose in that." Chas smiled weakly as the boy might have looked apologetically up. "I'm sorry –

"Don't be, lad. I told you the full story. In fact, I should be." He was a genuine friend. The fact he could never die…well, John didn't see him either a person or he was traumatized by loss, like Raku was with not knowing how to open up and trust others that would hopefully never hurt him. Not like his past self, or the red lord…

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The next day by his lunch time, Raku met up with his new supposed friend and she introduced the young demi god to her twin in spirit.

Raku saw their eyes, face and how they even smiled at him. The boy, looked at Raku until the child left his tray and excused himself to use the toilet.

Raku, with his breath shallow and hoarse, ran right to the toilet and didn't come out until Zee had to call for his guardian to come pick the boy up. Chas put a hand over Raku's back as John stood by with a cig between his lips as before. He didn't look happy to see Raku shaking like a leaf, like a true parent might question what went on while out of their realm of protection.

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Raku had a mug of tea in hand as he didn't seem to move. White blonde hair, snakelike eyes as far as their cunningness and, and….

He brought himself to tears as John looked over the details while Raku sobbed about the boy's dopple that he had killed off.

"Marcus….he, was a bully; that one that Lilith manipulated to take me away…I'm …I can't-

"Could be a soul, reincarnated." John tapped his chin. "That is, why at the same school Raku was slated to attend?"

They didn't think too much on it as John went down to the street and left Raku and Chas with him number. Chas decided to have Raku stay in the kitchen while they made supper together. John had no choice. He was going to see if she might have seen anything strange by tonight.

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So, Raku saw a ghost from his past?? Find out!