Chapter Five

Nahmeh stood patiently as he waited for a response. The last time the Council had requested him to come to their headquarters was when he had been asked to fill the postion Freesha now occupied. Of course he had refused.

Each member was carefully selected by the previous holder of their seat. Every two hundred years was the limit for each seat member, even for humans who had just recently entered the pact a little over one hundred years ago. Every seat on the council was a representative for their affiliate clan : Wiccans, Wizards, Warlocks, Demons, Devils, Cestials, the Weres, Fey, Humans, and the Oracles.

The first three were just varient human tribes but they quickly became a problem and a threat to the pact. Since the humans didn't acknowledge them as apart of the human race, the varients were at the center of a power struggle between the rest if the clans as they tried to claim the tribes as their own.

Nahmeh himself was originally from the wiccan varients who made pacts with fey familiars from the Shroud, but there were some that used demonic possession and others that used their blood lines as a means of attaining magic and power. Those were, respectively, the warlock and wizard tribes.

Things like the lineage and magic practices of the varients were used by the clans as rights to claim the tribes as their own but when it got to point that the feuding almost caused a complete collaspe of the pact, the council members granted the tribes a place in the pact with complete independence from the other clans.

Of course it wasnt a unanimous decision, but it was the only way to avoid a massive war and most were in favor if it meant no one could have the varients and thus make all the struggling to keep the power balance in check worth the loss.

Since then the peace had been kept, but it was still a tense subject when brought up amongst certain individuals. Especially among a few council members.

Nahmeh smiled at each the council seats before slightly tilting his head. His patience was beginning to wear down.

Finally someone began to speak.

"Yes, that is correct. We have recieved information that the Black Circle plans on revealing themselves soon." The man that spoke was Ezramen the Bloody Devil King.

He ruled his own kingdom in Hazz'ar, a firey wasteland in the lower levels of the Otherworld. Many of the devils lived there with Ezramen as their king, and they all respected him, so it made sense that his predecessor would have chosen him. He had been elected onto the Council more than a hundred and fifty years ago, although Ezramen himself was at least fifteen times older than that.

"Do you know where and when?" Nahmeh asked slowly. He was skeptical, but the Council wouldn't trust the word of just anyone, so he wanted to see what he could learn while he was here. Maybe he would go and seek out the person himself.

"Yes," Ezramen said smoothly, his deep voice rich and alluring as he continued, "They are appearing at the next Arcane Crest Tournament."

"That's in three years." Nahmeh had a feeling and his eyes flicked over to his former student. "And I take it you want something from me."

Freesha's face was expressionless as stone, but his eyes were full of what Nahmeh knew was schadenfreude.

"Yes, correct again," Ezramen confirmed. "We know what they are after, but you are the only one we trust enough to teach and keep the children we entrust to you safe until then."

Nahmeh groaned to himself and Croix. That was what Fressha meant earlier when he had said Nahmeh would be changing his mind.

"And why am I your only option?" he dared to ask.

Ezramen's smoldering scarlet eyes glared him. "Because Councilman Freesha recommended you and, also, it is known that you were his teacher, Sigil Sage."

A weird smile settled itself on Nahmeh's face at the name.

"Councilman Ezramen, I went into reclusion many years ago as you and rest of the esteemed councilmembers are aware of. Councilman Freesha was my first and last student, so I don't have any intention of taking others or being a babysitter. In fact, I don't see how I am a better candidate then, say, you, your honor."

"By you training the children for the tournament you are ensuring their safety. Not only do you know the tournament better then anyone else since you have entered it yourself and have a student who won it under your influence," Ezramen countered. "You are also the only one the Black Circle isnt expecting to have the children. Of course we can't force you, but I am strongly suggesting you work with us. Even the smallest fault in our preparations could mean disaster for the children."

Even though he said that, Nahmeh knew he did not have a much of a choice. He absolutely did not like being forced into things but his hands were tied, but he couldn't risk offending so many powerful people and the children were innocent in all this. Whatever the Black Circle needed them for must be important and thats why the council intervened.

The witch rubbed his face with his hand. "May I know why these children are in the targets of the Circle?"

"Not unless you accept taking this assignment. We can't take any risks," Ezramen replied firmly.

Nahmeh took a deep breath and said slowly, "Alright. I will do what you ask."

Ezramen's expressionless face finally produced a forced smile. "Excellent. I'm glad that you are on board, Sigil Sage. Please listen carefully to what I am going to explain because I am not going to repeat it..."

****

Airis was slightly out of breath when he finally made it to his destination. Why someone in their right mind would live at the top of such a steep moutain so far from the village was astonishing to him.

The house before him was modest and weathered. The windows were dark but a thick cloud of smoke wafted from the chimney let him know that the owner was home.

After he caught his breath, Airis straightened himself and politely knocked on the door.

A frail woman answered it.

"Yes, how may I help you?"

"I was told by the villagers that you might be able to answer some of my questions," he said politely. He was raised to treat his elders with respect after all.

She grinned. "I might. My, you are a handsome young man. Its been awhile since I've seen one of those in this house. Come in, come in," she encouraged.

Airis nodded and followed her into the home. He sat down in a chair. "Ma'am -"

"Now now, there are no ma'am 's here. Im Gloria and that pretty thing by the fire is Alana," she chided Airis and gestured toward the fire place.

Inside a basket of yarn was a mancoon cat with amber fur. She was curled up and enjoying the warmth of the fire.

At Airis' gaze she cracked open an eye and glared at him before closing it and seemingly going back to sleep.

He looked back at the woman who took a seat herself next to the creature.

"You're here about the Orion family, correct?" She asked, getting down to business.

Airis was a little taken back. "Yes. I am."

She bobbed her head and smiled while petting the cat.

"I knew you were coming sometime, but I didn't expect it so soon. I'm afraid I can't help you though. Although I'm old, I'm not that old. The Orion's existed before my time."

Airis was confused. He adjusted his glasses, gathering his thoughts.

"But the villagers told me that Elder Gloria has been alive for hundreds of years. If thats true, Elder should know all about the family lines presiding here."

Gloria laughed. "Well you're not wrong. I'm aproaching two hundred and fifty years old and have seen my fair share of families come and go. Unfortunately the Orion family died long before I was even a thought, so I can't tell you anything," she explained calmly. She started to poke the cat beside her, "But you can, can't you, Alana? Stop acting like you are oblivious when you're the one who told me he'd be coming."

To some it might sound like the old lady was crazy, but to Airis it meant this woman was a witch and that the cat was her familiar.

The mancoon stretch with a yawn and jumped up and out of the basket. Before she hit the floor the cats body shimmered and its limbs lengthened, its fur retracted and in its place was a woman of incredible beauty.

Her hair was long and wavy, the color of dark cinnamon. It framed her round face and her ice blue eyes. Her curvaceous figure was clothed in a human world inspired dress, the form fitting black evening gown's swooping collar accenting her slender ivory neck and breasts.

Airis could feel himself staring. He looked away while clearing his throat. It was just a lowly familiar, he reminded himself. It wouldnt do for himself to get caught up on it.

When he looked back, he saw there was a smirk twisting her black painted lips. She raised an elegant eyebrow.

"Well?"

"Well?" He repeated, his voice cracking.

"Is there an echo in here?" She scoffed, crossing her arms and sat down in another chair across from him. "What do you want to know, boy?"

He coughed again and straightened himself subconciously .

"Um, Miss Alana," he began nervously, "I was wondering if you could tell me about the Orion family. What kind of people are they?"

Alana leaned forward and crossed her legs.

"You want to know about the Orion family?" She asked with fake bewilderment but after seeing his stony expression, continued, "Well, the Orion clan were all born and raised here, and each one was an accomplished witch. They were well known around the area as experts in... experiments."

Airis caught the tone and decided to press.

"Experiments?"

"Yes. On my people. The Fey," she specified with disdain in her voice. " I hid for years as a house cat waiting, watching them disect my friends and preform horrible experiments on them. I thought they were all the same, but the youngest son was different."

The man nodded. He had everything recording into a special vibration crystal, so he wanted to know everything she could tell him. He wanted to know why there wasn't much information in the book of the families history other than a name and the place of residence which was this run down village.

Airis didn't dismay over the deaths of the fey though, since he was of the option the Shroud was filled with beasts and that most of the fey were sensless and of a lower class then himself. It was a common option and one that was taught in most beginner's magic theories of summoning magical creatures: A witch was only as good as the familiar he summoned and anything lower then mid rank were used as reasearch material or kept as slaves.

Alana began to speak again after a long moment.

" He was tall and skinny as a bean pole; always kept to himself. He was also a naive child and always had a kind disposition," she added. "Completely opposite of the previous generation. He would care for the familiars that the family caught and used for guinea pigs."

Alana placed her delicate hands in her lap. "It gave my kin hope that the hell could be over if they persuaded him to let them go. And they did by promising to bring him to the Shroud with them. It was a false promise, though, because noone can enter the Shroud except my kin. Im ashamed to say that they left him there to face the horrible wrath of his family. When they found out what he did, they beat him within an inch of killing him. It might have been better if they had though," she said with some reflection in her voice.

Airis was listening attentively. "I understand. But what happened next? I would think that they could have caught more familiars and-" he caught his words just in time. He had almost forgotten the woman infront of him was a familiar herself.

Alana glared at him. "Well, as a matter of fact they did manage to get one more. A man came to the village one day and said he needed help figuring out properties of healing from the fey he brought with him. The Orion's obliged and got a heafty price for their trouble."

"What do you mean?"

Alana raised a slender eyebrow. "What I mean is that they were burned alive in their beds and the fey they had locked up escaped. They were in over their heads and it finally caught up to them," she finished with a self satisfied smirk.

Airis frowned. "So they are all dead? Are you certainof this?"

The cat familiar nodded and leaned back in her chair and recrossed her legs in the other direction. "Yes. The boy killed every one of them and let my kin go as his last act of defiance."

Her wide grin was unnerving to Airis.

"Miss Alana, what about the boy?" He asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

"He died too- allegedly. The bones were burned to ash, so all they had to go on was cinder and soot."

"So, a murder-suicide?"

Airis racked his brain. That didn't make sense. If that was indeed the case, then who was Nahmeh Orion?

"Is it possible that there were other Orion's outside the village?" He inquired.

Alana shrugged her delicate shoulders. "It's possible. Why do you ask?"

Airis nervously scratched his cheek. "Well, no reason, really. It's just a shame..."

A scoff from the familiar indirectly contradicted his statement. "Well, I'm not shedding any tears," she added in retort as she stood up. "Well, Mr. Airis, as much as I would like to say that it was a pleasure, it wasn't." She turned to her master. "Please don't wake me for awhile, Gloria."

The old lady bobbed her head with a smile.

Airis watched as Alana gave her a soft smile in return before she was suddenly a cat again, hopping back up into the basket by the fire.

Gloria chuckled. "She's not half bad," she said. "Young man, why don't I see you out?"

The secretary stood up and grabbed the few things he brought with him. As the older lady walked him to the door, she said with an apologetic tone, "Im sorry talking to Alana wasn't much help. I can tell by your face you didn't get the answer you came for."

Airis dipped his head after he stepped through the doorway. "I at least have a direction to go in now. Thank you for allowing Alana to speak to me."

"Alana spoke to you of her own free will, so thank her yourself," Gloria replied pleasantly. "She is especially fond of Rosebud wine from the Shroud." With one last chuckle and a wink, Gloria closed the door in Airis' confused face.

The man pushed up his glasses as he began his trek back to the village. The story Alana told him left him with more questions than answers but he was sure with some more digging something was bound to come up.

He decided to start with the most simple thing: if the Orion's really had been experts in familiar experimentation then there were bound to be records of it somewhere. After all, if there was one thing Airis could pride himself in, it was his tenacity- and he would find the answers that were lurking just beyond his reach.