Page 2 of Overwhelmed By Magic

Dmitri has never enjoyed the mundane administrative tasks, leaving them to the likes of me, Eugene, and a few of the other council members he deems less important. After all, vampires form from the blood element rather rarely. There’s probably five or six in existence at any given moment and contrary to popular belief and entertainment, they aren’t immortal.

When Eugene taps the folder, pushing the vampire to look through its contents, Dmitri merely tsks at the request. “Perform or fail. I’m not sure why you need my approval. There are no gray areas. The ones meant for Grimrose Academy should be sent there immediately. It would be better for society never to deal with them. Conformity is required for this system to work.”

“Dmitri-” Eugene begins.

Dmitri pushes to his feet, hands slamming down on the desk. Red eyes flash a deep crimson as his fangs make an appearance, a low growl tearing from his throat. “No! Did you not just see the disaster that we just avoided? A student finding the Book of Old is nothing to scoff at! Some see untapped essence or new abilities or whatever else. I see destruction. Our world falling apart. I see selfishness and greed. What we do not understand must be locked away until it conforms. That is what has been agreed by the council and that is what we will stick to.”

I see a man terrified of a world he doesn’t understand. I see a man who seeks to control that world by locking away what he can’t control. I keep my mouth shut, however, if just to preserve my life a little bit longer.

Eugene lets out a ragged sigh, hardly phased by Dmitri’s anger. Their essence swirls around them, this fierce pulsating frequency emanating from the both of them. Where Dmitri’s is this wild scarlet mist, Eugene’s is a much softer ombre but no less powerful. The coyote drags a hand down his face as he plops into the seat facing the desk. “And when new essence is revealed that doesn’t fit the seven elements at all?”

“It won’t. Those are the only options. That or nothing. Everything else must be rejected. Each student is given four years to prove themselves. To find where they belong. It is not too much to ask. We have no room for error when humanity is in such a delicate balance.”

All of that is bullshit. Dmitri’s archaic traditions have hindered any progress that this world of ours could have had. The council doesn’t just run this academy but each and every other learning facility that determines if a Magila is able to graduate and assimilate with the human world. Dmitri and his friends are the judge, the jury, and the executioner.

The envelope is rudely shoved toward the corner of the desk, a sign for me to retrieve what Dmitri perceives as trash. I swiftly slide it toward me, unable to help my curiosity as I pull out several sheets and sift through them. My eyes widen as they fall on a young man that I know all too well. A gasp tears from my throat as I run a finger over the smiling face of a Magila who has his entire life ahead of him.

His gorgeous white hair piled on top of his head, those intricate amber ornaments he likes to call earrings, and the nearly golden brown skin that radiates so much happiness, I can’t imagine this man being sent to Grimrose Academy.

That’s not even the worst part. “Dmitri, your nephew is in here.

The vampire laughs, a cackle that sends shivers down my spine. “Do you expect me to feel for him or shed a tear? He failed. There is no favoritism in this system.”

Eugene’s frown deepens, “But he’s-”

“I do not claim him and neither will my brother when I relay that boy’s results.”

Dmitri moves too fast for me to see, ripping the papers from my hands, and lands a stamp across the boy’s face.

Rejected.

“Make sure he’s on the next bus to Grimrose Academy or it’s your life on the fucking line and I’m not sure how I’ll tell your pretty little wife that her husband is gone because he couldn’t follow simple directions.”

The threat of his words has me cowering as I bow in half. “Yessir.” Delicately, I slip the papers from beneath his hands and return to my desk. This is just another part of my job that I despise, carting these hopeful individuals to their demise. As much as I want to believe that Grimrose Academy is for remediation to help them embrace their unique essence, I know that it is essentially their end.

I stare at the smiling boy one more time, a single tear falling to the paper as I fear what tomorrow will bring. His soul will be crushed, by his own uncle no less. Saying that I tried my hardest to protect him will mean nothing in the long run. I just hope that one day someone will be able to make the council see reason.

Until then, I will deliver this boy and all others safely.

Rumi, I’m so sorry.

2

SKYE

PRESENT DAY

The murky liquid swirls in rapid motion, twirling until it begins to drag down, a small opening forming in what was once just a normal backyard pool. I can’t tear my eyes from the odd sighting, no doubt the work of a young mage who isn’t in control of their essence. The lingering effects of their spells are still present, playing along the water’s surface to create a veil between this plane and the dead.

A ghastly hand reaches upward followed by another, hallowed screams bursting into the open space. I can feel their pain and sorrow, their need to right the wrongs of their deaths but they have already crossed over. Still, they reach for another chance, nearly invisible fingers wiggling and stretching for anything to latch onto as more hands appear.

Their wretched song holds me still, those hands grabbing for me until I feel the wisps of bitter cold sliding across my skin. I should have never been out here but the summer air was too hard to pass up and now I’m frozen, caressed by the dead. A slow whine peels from my lips as I try and fail to free myself.

Fingers curl around my wrists, slowly dragging me forward into the swirling depths of the murky abyss. “No,” I whimper. “I’m not ready to die.” I’ll never forgive the bastard who abandoned his essence out here without cleaning up. Hell, I’ll never forgive myself for attending a party where Magila so freely whip out their abilities with no regard for the humans in the midst. High school graduation party, my ass. The essence sears into my flesh, tearing a deep-bellied cry from me as tears stream down my cheeks.

This isn’t just death I’m about to face. It’s pain. Torture.

“Get the fuck off him, you little shits!”

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