The Ragnix Circle

I dint see my mother for most of Sunday. It seemed like she had gone missing inside the house. Not that it was hard to hide away in such an enormous house. But that meant I had to spend my Sunday sitting in my dad’s library trying to gather any knowledge that was there on blood magic. Much to my shock, there was literally nothing on the subject.

So it’s right for me to say that as I sat on the bus heading towards the school, I was in a terrible mood. There seemed to be a kind of bad vibe going through the pleb bus. Ash, who was usually playing loud music and talking to me in whispers, was awfully quiet. It seemed like we both had a lot on our minds and we both dint want to open up about what we saw on the research center trip. Oh well, it aint like I don’t want to talk about it, I thought half turning my back to her and staring out at the complex city.

As we neared the school fence, I felt the bus slowing. I dint look up thinking it was our driver trying to give us time to prepare for hell. Suddenly, Ash tapped me on the shoulder. I turned to her ready to say something, but my eyes caught sight of the guardian rovers and a few sleek cars at the gate. Of course the students were still walking in like there was no problem, but the tension was there. It touched every sense that was in my body and somehow I knew this was going to be a terrible Monday.

My jaw dropped open as I watched a guardian rover pull up followed by a sleek red car. Alex and his father both got out and headed through the gates. That left me wondering what could have happened to bring all the unexpected display of automation and Ragnix invasion of our school. Aside from the magic users and their fancy cars that drop them off daily, this really aint new, I thought sarcastically.

“What do you think they want?” Ash asked quietly.

“I don’t know.”

“Do you think they have come to get more lab rats?” Ash continued to whisper.

“I hope not.”

“You heard them like I did on Saturday.”

I dint get time to reply as a guardian came onto our bus. It was the same one that had been in the research center and had hurt me. He walked through the bus and stopped in the middle. He held his semi automatic gun menacingly as he looked round haughtily. “Welcome to school plebs,” he coughed at us. “We have to search all of you, before you enter your school today. The council is in attendance today.”

“Why?” I looked at Ash with a scared look in my eyes. Why in the world would she question a guardian?

“It is none of your concern girl.”

“She’s just asking.” Someone said from among the front seats.

“We’d like to know, seeing as our friend Norbert went missing recently.” Another person spoke up.

“Your friend probably got lost and landed in the wrong crowd,” the guardian spat at us.

“I’m sure you’d be searching for him, if he had magic,” Ash said.

“Ash calm down,” I said through my teeth.

“Watch your tone…”

“Why?” Ash snapped. “So you can mistreat us. This shit aint fair and if your ego was not so inflated and bullish, maybe you’d tell us why those flipping arrogant tight assed idiots are in this hell hole. Have they come to make it a worse experience for us?”

The entire bus held their breath. The tension was electric as the guardian’s eyes narrowed into small slits as he stared at Ash. I could feel the power inside of me getting on edge as I watched the guardian. All the boundaries I had set seemed to weaken as the threads to the numerous minds begun to call to my mind.

“You silly little rebel,” he roared. “You’re the people we need to get rid of.”

“Come try fatty. I don’t fear any of you.” You just had to say that Ash.

“Ash,” I snarled.

“That’s it.” The guardian pointed his gun at Ash and was about to spray us with bullets when one of the other pleb kids tackled him to the floor. It was as if something had entered all the plebs because the moment the gun went off spraying the floor with the deadly bullets, all the plebs were on the guardian, lashing out with their feet, arms and anything they could get their hands on.

It was about a few minutes before other guardians were on board the bus pulling us off their friend. Shockingly, we fought back; shoving, punching and even slamming heads into windows. Ash did the most work making sure to hit any guardian that came near her with her heavy bag. Even old Stan joined in the foray. I tried my best to use no magic, though I could feel it clawing at me underneath my skin, begging for release. It took the entrance of one of the magic users to turn the tide of the little standoff in our bus.

Damian Le Fay walked onto the bus, flanked by two guardians. It seemed all the commotion on the bus had attracted a large crowd. He dint raise a finger or even speak, but we were all suddenly suspended between the bus floor and its roof. I tried to move but could not. I looked at him clearly for the first time. His high cheek bones and finely refined nose hid the darkness in his eyes. His cold and arrogant hazelnut eyes stared at each pleb before lingering on me and Ash.

“What to do with you?”

His voice scared me. It had lost the coldness I heard on Saturday, taking a much rather sinister and darker tone. Every syllable seemed to be punctuated with violent intent as he spoke.

“Kill us like you killed Norbert,” Ash whispered.

“Silence,” Le Fay snarled. “Commander,” he looked over the disoriented guardians, “how is it that these rowdy teenagers,” he looked round at us suspended in the air, “managed to out muscle you and your guns?”

“It was the g…”

“Shut up you incompetent wretch,” Le Fay snapped. “You’re the lowest of the esteemed races and you failed to handle these stupid youth. If you dint trust the little magic that you had in your diluted blood, why not use the Alchemists’ potions?”

“Sir…”

“Shot them perhaps?”

“Its…”

“Shut up already fool,” Le Fay’s voice grew colder and more threatening. “Take them to the principal’s office. I shall deal with them there.”

We sat outside in the main sanitarium. All the other students stared at us wondering what could possibly have entered us. Alex and his friends passed by and laughed at us through the windows as we awaited our punishments. The council came out once and looked at us, questioning a few and for the first time I was proud of the plebs. They all stared back at the evil and mean looking old people with utter defiance in their eyes.

“This is insufferable Damien,” one of the women said.

“We must make an example of these children.” I think it was Nina’s mother that said that as she looked at Ash.

“If we don’t put out these small pockets of rebellion,” Le Fay said rubbing his chin, “we shall have a war on our hands.”

“All a rebellion needs is somewhere to start,” Nina’s mum smiled cruelly. “Best we weed out these potential disasters.”

“Let us go to Turner’s office and discuss it from there.”

They had left us close to an hour ago, heading to Turner’s office. A battalion of guardians had been called in from the barracks to watch us. We were not even allowed to talk amongst ourselves. I had no way to try and use magic without giving myself away.

After a short while, they begun taking us one by one to the office. It dint take long before it was just me and Ash left. The good news was that they appeared to be letting us off with a warning. I had seen most of the other plebs heading towards their various classes through the gigantic windows. Thank God this will end here.

“Pleb,” a guardian spat poking Ash with the point of his gun in her back. “You’re up.”

I watched her go and gave her a small smile when she turned to look at me.

It seemed to take forever, before they came back for me. I walked to the principal’s office, happy that it was class time and new students were about in the halls. As my escort and I neared the door, it burst open. Ash was being shoved between two guardians with another at her back. She kept looking down and I could see a cut on her neck.

“Ash?”

She looked up at me and for the first time I saw fear in her eyes. “I’m sorry Ty, I wish it dint…”

“Move on rebel scum.” They pushed her forward after smacking her hard on the back of the head. I knew I was out of reach of my escort so I lunged at the guardian on the left.

“Leave her alone,” I screamed, but sadly my voice was drowned out by the bell declaring lunch time. I tried again but my guardian escort grabbed my collar and threw me forward as I struggled to look back at Ash. They pushed her on this time hitting her hard in the back. I saw her land on her knees before a wave of rushing students swallowed her up. I was disgusted by the way they all seemed to ignore Ash and the guardians. It was as if they were blind.

I ran through the door to Turner’s office confused. “What’s happening sir? Where’re they taking her?” The questions all just tumbled out.

“You’re free to go to class boy,” Le Fay’s voice startled me. “We got the ring leader of today’s unfortunate scuffle between the guardians and the filthy plebs.” I turned round and realized all the core family heads that made up the Ragnix council were in the room, surrounding Turner like a pack of wolves. They must have pushed him into a corner.

“She’s a girl Mr. Le Fay,” Turner said coldly.

“A potential treasonous rebel if we let her go without punishment.” Le Fay moved forward and stood at my side. I could smell his strong perfume from where I stood. “The plebs will learn from her example what happens to those that defy their station and rank.”

“She’s barely an adult,” Turner said.

“Those laws of having to be eighteen passed away with the old world run by your kind,” Nina’s mother snarled.

“My kind,” Turner said standing up and staring into Damien Le Fay’s eyes, “were kind leaders, Mr. Michaels knows all this and he tries to be a better…”

“You’re a pleb Turner,” Le Fay smiled as he cut the principal midsentence, “your patron can’t protect you for much longer.”

“Get out while you can and retire to a village.” Nina’s mother added. “For the time being at least.”

“Mr. Michaels believes this school is better suited for my ways of administration,” Turner spat back.

“Too bad,” Le Fay said. “He might not be around for much longer.”

“What do you mean by that?” Turner said alarmed. “Don’t forget his blood is the head of Ragnix.”

“Unless he has a child soon I think,” Le Fay paused and looked at me.

“Where are you taking her?” I asked interrupting their conversation.

“Give it a rest pleb,” Le Fay smiled. “Just go to class already.” He turned back to Nina’s mother and the other council members, “we should leave and go see to the arrangements. No need to let these plebs know of the plans for the future of the world.”

I watched them leave the room in utter shock.

“They are taking her to the research center,” Turner said suddenly.

It all clicked into place with that one sentence. I knew what they were going to do to Ashlan. The exact same thing that they did to Norbert. They were going to literally kill Ashlan and leave behind her body as an empty shell that could be controlled by any of them, for whatever purpose they desired.

The power inside of me fought harder this time as I thought about Ash and all my feelings. Even if I could not be with her, I had to save her. Turner must have seen the set expression on my face.

“What are you going to do Tyler?”

“Save her.”

“You can’t Tyler,” the principal sighed. “Let me call your father.”

“I can and I will,” I snapped. “I have had enough of Ragnix and the stupid council. All Ash did was ask why they were here, how come they are going to kill her?”

“You’re joking,” Turner said. “They can’t.”

“They already killed Norbert who was not a threat,” I growled. “Ash is more of a threat. I am going after her. With or without your help, I am going to save her.” The power inside of me doubled its efforts to fully come out and become one with me. I nearly lost out but I managed to hold it off. Damn you Ash, I thought angrily as I stared at the man behind the desk.

The principal looked at me, while he battled with a lot of emotions inside. I could feel them all around him as if they were in me. Maybe they are in me. I could feel his urge to protect me as strongly as his desire for revenge on most of the Ragnix council, but most of all, I felt his anguish and despair that Ash was dragged away and there was nothing he could do. I waited patiently for his answer or whatever was on the tip of his tongue.

“All I can tell you Ty,” the principal looked at me sadly. “You must stop fighting. You want to get her, accept what and who you are.”

I understood what he meant and this time when the wave of power came over me, I dint fight it. It felt like a giant ocean wave washing me from the inside. I felt so alive and for the first time everything actually made more sense. I closed my eyes and was shocked at how all my senses were aware of the moving magical threads around me. I opened my eyes and was not shocked to see the principal’s office ablaze with glowing fireflies which I had somehow conjured.

“Go,” Turner said quickly. “Use the power well, it corrupts.”

I walked out of the office, ignoring the students that had filled the hallways again. It must have been around lunchtime because of the crowds. I shoved past them ignoring the angry and unpleasant looks.

“Where’s your girlfriend pleb?” Alex was in front of me, blocking my way.

“Move out of my way Le Fay.”

“Address your superiors appropriately.” Catrick was behind me.

“I think not.” I shoved Alex aside and begun walking at a brisk pace. I felt him try to use magic on me and I checked my steps, slowly turning to him. I let the power highlight my eyes for a few moments.

“Come here pleb,” Alex dint seem to see it.

I walked to him and grabbed him by his neck, slamming him into the lockers. I waved my hand and stopped the rest of his gang in the process.

“Firstly Alex,” I said. “Your father probably killed mine and I will get revenge. Secondly, I am actually Tyler Bennett Michaels Aperdian, so the next time you think your weak power is as great as mine, I will kill you.”

I felt them coming towards me, without even looking in their direction. I imagined an invisible rope just paces from their feet and smiled when they tripped landing at my feet. I looked down and saw the fear deeply rooted.

“You don’t know how long I have wanted to do that.”

I let go of Alex and headed out of the doors. I knew it would not take him a long time to let his parents know that their arch nemesis had had a son. I pushed open the doors of the school and made my way across the courtyard. I could feel all the eyes in the school burning through my back through the glass walls. I knew only one thing.

I had to get to Ash.