The Ragnix Circle

The snow in our little outlander village can get knee high this time of the year. We are not helped by the fact that the large forest on the outskirts is always full of undergrowth and snow. At this time of year animals tend to be hidden and the illegal hunting most plebs do goes dormant. The only good thing about the snow season is the fact that it limits the night patrols. At this time of year, the guardians find it hard to keep the peace at night.

Our village is one of the hundreds sprouting round our zone and it is among the furthest from the zone capital. The numerous and organized modern huts line most streets that lead up to the village square, where the guardian outpost center towers gloomily over us. The Ragnix Bank branch and many small alchemist union shops are found round the large square. Lucky for me, my mum managed to get a hut far away from all this chaos, one without distractions of the guardians and alchemists.

My name is Tyler Bennett and I live with my single mom in a two bed-roomed hut right on the outskirts of the village. I know life here is better than in most pleb villages, but it still does not make me feel any better about the new order. Sure, the guardians are not as brutal with us and they tend to keep to their own business apart from when crimes such as theft from the state granaries or banks come up, which is common these days. I have been on the end of some grueling punishments, thanks to participating in this.

Year after year kids get taken away by the Guardian authorities and sent to the capital of my zone. We never hear from most of them until maybe graduation when we are granted the chance to see it live on the televisions. Only a few trickle in during the annual weekend holiday set aside for such trips. I hate the Ragnix council and the new order for breaking up a lot of families in my village. Most of whom, do their best to try and avoid getting in trouble for the deep ill feelings they hold towards the ruling council.

What angers me the most is the fact that I was supposed to have left almost a year ago, but somehow I got ignored! Most of my friends had left and were off suffering in the big capital fending against the others. The ‘others,’ which is what, I call the other races in the world. The true and pure blooded magic families which if I recall correctly are no more than fifteen.

The magical families who are weakened bloodlines. There are the alchemists and their Alchemist Union that runs every piece of commerce that they think is legal. Not forgetting the charmed ones who only come out when the council has actual need of them, wielding their powers over nature in violent and creepy fashion. But worst of all, the guardians. They are the private army of the pure blood council that rules the new world and set this ugly set of laws. They are little better than us but they will do anything to help magic. As a group we are able to try and withstand the insults thrown at our race.

I was walking on the small track marked out by Mr. Hunter our neighbor when I bumped into one of them. His blue overcoat covers the small canteens of magic around his waist. His black semi automatic gun is slung over his shoulder as if in anticipation of some trouble. I delay to pick myself up hoping he will not turn the snow sprayed gun on me. He picks himself up before turning on me.

“Watch it kid,” the guardian looked at me menacingly.

“Sorry sir,” I replied in a calm tone. In my head I am wondering what a guardian is doing all the way out here. Captain Onek keeps them close to the village square. Right next to the bank to prevent us stealing some more to spend at the market.

“Good,” the guardian said pointing his gun at my jacket covered chest, “get a move on then.”

I eyed his state issued gun as I walked past him. He did not seem to want to turn it away from my chest. I notice the small medals made of green ornate jade and silver flits, shinning on his shoulder. He’s no zonal guardian. He must have been a capital guardian. They were the only ones that had such medals. But all the same, most guardians, be they zonal or capital stationed, are known to pull those things out if they want to threaten a pleb. Other times they resort to the magic they usually buy from the alchemists in the cities. Thank luck this is not one of those times.

I continued walking in the snow hoping there are no other guardians near home. To my horror, as I round the bend to the track that leads to my house, my eyes catch sight of three Guardian rovers in the tree line and another right at the steps leading to our front door. In front of it a state of the art electric car is humming. The sigil of Ragnix, a phoenix and dragon entwined is visible in the late evening sun.

My heart begun to race as I quickened my pace wondering what could be going on. This is not how we get taken off to schools, I think rushing past the guardian standing in the doorway. He made no move to bar my entry.

“Mum,” I cry looking round the sitting room.

There is no reply but I can hear voices in the back rooms of the hut. They seem to be coming from my room. I walked in to find my mother staring out of the window. A tall man in a dark finely cut suit is sitting on my bed.

“Emily,” he was saying as I budged in. He turns to look at me and I can’t believe what my eyes are seeing. It as if time has been forwarded and I am looking at an older version of myself.

“Mum,” I walk to her side giving the stranger a conspicuously menacing look. “What’s up?”

She did not look at me but continued staring at the trees which are not so far off from my window. I looked back at the older guy; very sure he was the cause of my mother’s problems.

“What the hell have you done?” I snarled.

“So Emily,” he got up and dusted himself. “Should I tell him or you want that honor?” I dint like his clearly pompous tone. He must be from the capital, only they can speak like that.

“It is not something you just throw on a sixteen year old boy Sam,” my mother’s tone was almost sad.

“Throw what on me?”

“He is more than a year due Em,” the man said.

“I know that,” my mother replied turning to look at him. Her eyes were burning with a silent rage as she stared at him. I had never seen her this angry before and it bothered me. “That does not change the fact that he is still just a boy. My son and yours.”

I could not believe my ears. If there was any beverage in my mouth I am sure it would have been out by now like one of the metal fountains I had seen in the capital of capitals, Nodrid, on the state television channel.

“Did you say son?” I asked, looking from my mother to the man.

“I take it I should tell him then,” the man said sighing.

“Sit down Ty,” my mother said to me. “It’s time you get to know some rather sad details of your life.”

“Well it is not all that sad,” the guy said patting the bed next him.

What the hell could be going on?

I sat down with my mind trying to connect all the dots. I look at the man full in the face. His brown eyes draw me in as I look at him. There is a lot of power hidden within him and this frightened me to shreds. I swear I could feel my insides quivering as I looked at him.

“Don’t be scared Tyler, I am only your father.”

“Whoa!” I exclaimed. “How did you know that?”

“That is Samuel Michaels,” my mother said quickly. “He is your father and my husband.”

“Husband? How? You told me my father died before I was born.” The questions are too many to control my mouth. It is almost as if my brain and mouth are working together for a change.

“Slow down lad,” his slim fingers gripped my shoulder. I look down and see the gigantic ring of a dragon on his little finger. I knew that ring or rather I knew that dragon. It dawns on me as I place where I had seen this guy and his ring.

“It’s impossible mum…” I stuttered.

“You’re not plebs,” Mr. Michaels completed for me. “You never were and you never will be Tyler.”

“We’ve lived with plebs all my life,” I countered.

“Just tell him Sam,” my mother snapped.

“Still got a temper Em,” Mr. Michaels laughed.

“Don’t forget I am the only survivor of the Aperdians,” my mother said in a low voice. I had never seen her like this.

“Sure. Sure,” Mr. Michaels said turning to me, “pull up your left sleeve Tyler.”

I remove the heavy winter jacket before pulling up sleeve of my grey cotton shirt to reveal my tattoo, a golden dragon with blazing green eyes angling towards some unseen prey. I hated that tattoo and most people had never seen it unless you would count my mum. She had claimed it was a birth mark similar to the one she had on her upper right arm. The difference was that her tattoo was of a black dragon, wings spread and bright red eyes.

“Do you know what that is?” Mr. Michaels asked.

“A tattoo I never asked to get.”

“Indeed it is,” Mr. Michaels removed his jacket carefully placing it on the bed post. He unbuttoned his left sleeve and pulled it up revealing a similar tattoo. He fingered it gingerly. “This is the tattoo of the house Merlin, the most powerful core family alive.”

“You’re saying I am one of you,” I could not believe it.

“I will ignore the venom in that comment Tyler,” Mr. Michaels’ eyes flashed and I felt a cold whip kiss my arm. “Pull up your right sleeve now.”

I was beyond confused now as I followed his orders. I dint expect to see anything, so you understand how I almost yelled in frustration as another tattoo, same as my mum’s, had miraculously appeared on my arm. I looked at my mother with shock and only found a queer smile waiting for me.

“That is the black dragon of the Aperdians.”

“Aperdian what?”

“You’re sure this is our boy Em?”

“I am Samuel,” my mother said coming to sit on my other side.

“Ok Tyler long story short,” Mr. Michaels smiled at me. “We are going back to Nodrid.”

“Nodrid!” I exclaimed for the second time this day, “I thought I was supposed to go to the zonal capital not the world capital.”

“As my son,” Mr. Michaels got up and looked at me. “I want you to be schooled in Nodrid. Don’t worry your mother is coming back as well.” I could not help cringing at the happiness in his tone.

“Why after all this time?” the question was bugging me.

“I’ll explain in time Tyler.”

Mr. Michaels picked up his jacket and headed towards the door. He suddenly stopped and picked up my sketch book. “Your grandfather loved art Tyler. I’ll be waiting for you in the morning Em.”

“Wait,” my mother was off the bed and walked towards Mr. Michaels. “If what you said was true Sam, I think it is safer that we come on our own.”

“You shall not use the train.”

“No one in the council or elsewhere knows about him,” my mother glared at him. “Plus, they think I’m dead just like the rest of my family if what you’ve told me is true. The tattoo on Ty’s other hand seems to be proof enough for me. Think of the boy’s safety. Those that want power will use him to do what they’ve done to my family Sam, please.”

Mr. Michaels looked at my mother firmly. I could see the muscles in his face fighting to smile but he controlled them. He bent and kissed my mother on the fore head. “As you wish, I think I’ve missed you and so as the house.”

“I too have missed you Sam.”

I watched in horror. Here was a guy claiming to be my father and my mum was falling all over him. He had abandoned us for sixteen years. Years in which I had come up with some totally complicated story and history on my dad. I had always imagined him to be one of the only few plebs that had stood up to the council and its representatives and he had paid for it with his life. How wrong could I have been.

“Tell him everything,” Mr. Michaels pulled away from my mother. “Not the whole complicated story Emily. But tell him just enough to stop him judging me so harshly.”