The Ragnix Circle

The next eight months were rather eventful for me as I settled down to life in Nodrid. I saw a lot of my parents whenever I was home and that meant a whole load of magic. With Anne at school and them at home, I was constantly practicing my magic but never giving in to the voice of power inside of me that begged to come out and be used. I knew I would never be the same if I let the magic and power in me out. But with their help, I managed to avoid snapping at Alex and his friends who had seemed to take it upon themselves to be my tormentors daily at school.

When I was not practicing magic, which was once in a blue moon, I wandered round the city. I had convinced my old man to get me a bike so my journeys were faster, easier and less costly. I was lucky to chance on the one of the few natural belts left in the city. I spent a few minutes in the nearest one to my dad’s house each day before going to school, letting myself be included in the greenery and fountains. It was not like the forest back at home, but it was pretty much the closest thing to it. What made it more spectacular was the fact that it had a tower of alabaster, almost as high as the clouds built into its center and from there you could see most of the business districts of Nodrid. It was a massive climb, but always worth it once you glimpsed the view. I think I knew the city in and out now thanks to my wanderings and this tower.

School was more mechanical these days and I always looked forward to the few moments I had with the pleb girl Ashlan. Few moments because we were constantly in different classes only sharing about four lessons of the ten we studied. Most times she was not around to help against Alex but whenever she was I always admired her bravery. Other than that we mostly met in the mess where we sat at a table so far away from the others and talked of our zones.

I told her all about my zone and how we defied the guardians there. She always laughed at these stories but never told me any of hers. All I managed to get out of her was a simple fact that she had one parent, her mother, and this bothered her. She had never seen her mother for two years and when she thought that the weekend holiday had arrived, she had been transferred to Nodrid. She never knew whether the other plebs had gone home as she was sucked into the capital of capitals and its dangers.

So aside from those moments I learnt a lot about Ragnix and everything it offered. But after months of blending in and being called a pleb, I got used to Alex and his jibes and just when I thought he would give it a rest, he cornered me on the day before the annual weekend trip was supposed to be scheduled.

I had just finished meeting Kasiman, and my magic was still at the fore of my very being. I knew they were coming before they had rounded the corner. I begun to run, hoping I was not too drained to outpace them. I was thrown off my legs into one of the lockers as I tried to avoid them.

“It’s useless to run,” Alex said walking round the corner.

I looked round to see where I was and it was not the best place to be. We were at the back of the campus, too far away from any view to shout for help. Remember you’re supposed to be a pleb Ty, a pleb. I picked myself up and hoped it was just one of his usual things, bully me and walk away but I was earth shatteringly wrong.

“Tomorrow is the weekend Bennett,” Alex said. He had cut his hair to a constant level. “What you going to do?”

“What I do every weekend, hang out in our dormitories.”

“He’s lying,” Ariel said. “Aren’t you from some zone out there?”

“Yes I am.”

“Then don’t lie to us,” Alex said.

“Come on Alex,” Catrick said moving threateningly in my face. “Let us try it.”

“I saw my dad and mum do it to some pleb maid we bought some time back,” Nina said. I had done extensive reading about all these families. “They were with your parents and Ariel’s, so it only fits that we have to try it together.”

“Damn right it is,” Alex gashed. “It won’t be long before we have to be the council.”

“Practice makes perfect then,” I said.

“Shut it filth,” Catrick said, flashing his palm in my face. I felt small pins pinch my insides as he held his arm over my face.

“Give it a rest Cat,” Kaitin said in slow drawl. “Let Nina show us what she saw happening.”

I wandered what they meant by that. The true blooded families of Ragnix were the leaders of magic’s rise to power all those years ago. Of the remaining nine recognized families, eight were a piece of work, if their kids were anything to go by. My mind could not help going back to the books I had read from my dad’s library about the twelve families.

My family, the Michaels, was descended from Merlin. The guy who helped King Arthur rule Britain long ago. I always thought that was just some kid’s fairy tale. His was magic from dragons and made the most powerful. Funny how I can think of us as ‘we’ now? I laughed at my weird joke inside as they crowded round me. My family had the most powerful magic and the head of it always was the most powerful magic user in the world. My mum’s family, the Aperdians, was the second most powerful and darkest. Thay originated from Persia and up until the times of the magical revolution, they were masters of darkness.

I looked at Alex trying to see the connection he had with his long lost ancestor Morgana la Fey. She was my ancestor Merlin’s most mortal enemy and she did her best to destroy him. How ironic that her descendants were responsible for the evil that was brewing in the world today. His girlfriend, Ariel was descended from Nimuue, the lady of the lake, so it did not make sense that she was evil. They were supposed to be good, but power corrupts everyone. Catrick Mayfair had a long confused family. From what my mum told me, some of the Mayfairs are good and others are bad. But most of them are in the evil, and those are the only ones left.

There was not much information about Connor’s family. The only information available on the Chulains in the history holograms and books was that they were descended from fairies in the dugout mounds of the north. Maybe a lot of dark fairy blood was in him. Horas Georgian was the first born of Bridgette Pelio. They were descended from the oracle of ancient Rome. Caesar Lagba on the other hand was just as cruel as his younger brother Peul. Though Peul dint hang out with Alex, he was very much the heir in waiting once Alex graduated. Peul and Caesar came from the Lagbas, a family from the Haitian dark priest Papa Lagba. They were cruel and enjoyed violence mostly to those they felt were useless to the world, like the plebs.

The remaining two members of Alex’s group were Nina Ming and Kaitin Haka. Kaitin was a tall elegant dark skinned girl descended from some African witch and Nina was descended from the first mage to come out of ancient China, Xiao. The other two families, the Delphins, descended from the Greek oracle of Delphi and the Lantins, descended from the lost island of Atlantis had been wiped out because of their opposition to whatever it was these other families were doing. Of those that opposed them, the entire world believed that my father was all that was left.

“Hey pleb,” Alex snapped his fingers in my face. This brought me back to my present predicament.

The true blood group was watching me as Nina cut herself with some sort of knife. Her red blood made a small trail following the tip of the knife. I watched her blood as it trickled to her fingers staining her pale white skin. She dropped the knife to the floor and held my hand. I looked at the disgusted look on her face and knew she was in agony as she held my hand.

“Are you alright touching me Nina?” I asked trying to make them stop whatever it is they were doing. She looked at me and her usually mean eyes were hollow. I looked down at my hand and so her holding her uninjured hand over the spot where her bleeding hand was clutching onto me.

“She’s fine,” Caesar laughed.

“Guys her eyes, look,” Ariel said pointing at her eyes.

“She’s cool Ariel sweetheart,” Alex said angrily. “She told us how she saw it happen. She’s sure of what she’s doing.”

“I aint sure Mrs. Ming would like knowing Ariel spied on her.”

“Go join Michaels then if you think what we’re working towards is wrong,” Horas snarled.

“Shut up all of you,” Nina said. Her voice had taken on a weird empty tone, but I could hear some dark power in it.

I felt myself growing weak as if something was being taken away from me. I closed my eyes and was shocked to feel Nina inside of me. She was sipping at my energy, drawing it into herself. I had to fight this. She was getting closer to my core. We all have a core somewhere in our bodies and mine was near my heart. I knew what was in my core and I felt it stirring as Nina moved towards it.

“What is going on here?” I heard Ashlan’s voice as if it was she was several yards away from me.

“None of your business pleb,” Alex snapped.

“What you doing to him?” I felt her hands get hold of me and sever Nina’s grip. “Let go of him, you witch.”

Nina screamed in anger. “I almost had him, I could feel his core man, but this bitch cut me off.” I think she knew my secret but she dint tell the others. She snarled as Ariel dragged her away from me.

“Leave us alone, you right foul pots of piss.” I could almost feel the anger in her words.

“You don’t swear at the pure families fool,” Kaitin’s voice was like a whip. Ash’s scream of pain jolted me back into my body. My eyes opened to a ghastly scene. Ash’s fingers were clasping at her scar which had just reopened, bleeding profusely covering her cheek with blood and Kaitin towered over her, but she still stood in front of me. Ariel had healed Nina’s cut and was glaring down at me.

“Open it Kait,” Ariel snarled. “Make it hurt worse than the last time.”

“No Xander to die for you today Ash,” Alex laughed. “Too bad your twin was killed in that last incident.”

I looked into Ashlan’s eyes at that moment as she turned to see if I had come round. The pain and fear was visible. On seeing her like that, the power in me violently raged and I could feel my eyes changing as the tattoos burnt as they never had before.

“Leave her alone.” My voice was cold and harsh.

“Shut it pleb.” Catrick held his hand over my face shoving Ash away before he did anything. I felt the pins hammer away inside of me and I nearly lost my control, but at that moment Kasiman appeared in the hallway. I knew the sound of her boots after all these months.

“That is enough Mayfair,” she said. “Run away before I call the principal.”

“Sorry ma’am,” Catrick could not hide his hatred for the older woman.

“Just so you know mentor,” Alex said. “They started it.”

“All I can see are two plebs up and eight pure bloods,” Kasiman was not at all impressed. The look she gave me, begged me to calm down. For the first time since I met you, she said to me telepathically, I’m encouraging you to fight that power inside of you Tyler. Remember it is about secrecy.

I’m trying.

Try harder, she implored. I can almost see the light from your tattoos burning to be one with you. I’m shocked these fools are too blind to see them.

“When that Michaels guy dies and my dad becomes the Ragnix head,” Alex said pompously, “all people that feel sorry for plebs will die. All of them.”

“Until that time Mr. Le Fay,” Kasiman said breaking the circle up, “I would rather have no blood in the hallways of this institution.”

“That time is close,” Ariel smiled as they all walked away.

“What happened here?” Kasiman asked once the eight bullies had left the hallway.

“I found them doing something to Tyler ma’am,” Ash was crying. “I tried to stop them but they wouldn’t let up.”

“There. There, girl,” Kasiman healed the opened cut on Ash’s face. “They are just a bunch of spoilt brats and we’re unlucky they will rule us someday.”

“Not if I have something to say about it.”

“Whose blood is that Tyler?” Kasiman’s voice took on a surprised and worried tenor.

“Nina’s,” I pulled myself up not sure I had enough energy after what Ming had done to me.

“Are you sure?” Kasiman’s eyes looked scared as I told her what Nina had done to me.

“Get home both of you,” she said when I had finished the tale. “School is just about done and you best avoid that group.”

“They’ll be punished right?” I asked hopefully.

“Not unless Turner wants his head on a silver platter,” Kasiman got up quickly. “Go on now Tyler.” She looked at Ash who was still flustered and hurt. “Come on Ms. Naira, up you get.” I could feel her using magic to make Ash a little less sad.

“Come on,” I said swaying as I got to my feet. Ash took my hand and got up. She still looked haunted as she held my hand. I gave her hand a squeeze. She steadied me before I fell to the ground.

“See you Monday,” Kasiman said. She walked away from us, a little too quickly if you asked me. I watched her scamper away like a little child chasing after her mother. The hallway begun to fill as couples came running this side of the campus. A few spared as shocked glances. Not that we could help it.

Ash’s clothes were somewhat of a mess now. The white cardigan she had put on was blotched with blood from the wounds. Her blue jeans were that messy colors of copper having have knelt at my side. I on the other hand, my forearm was covered in Nina’s blood as well the white T-shirt being bloodied too.

“Come on Ash,” I said giving her hand another squeeze. “Let me take you somewhere.”

“We have curfew at the dorm, you know that?” she said in a small voice.

“Yeah I know that,” trying to play down my error. “It won’t take long. Besides, it might help take your mind off things.”

“Fine,” she said.

The haunted look never left her face as we entered one of the pleb buses. Everyone gave us weary and scared looks as we passed through the corridor. We sat in the corner at the back. Ash looked out the window, her face withdrawn.

Psssttt

I looked round and saw a fair haired boy looking at me. Norbert. That was his name. I looked at him.

“What’s up?”

“If you want to survive at this school,” he said gravely. “Ditch her.”

“Why would I ditch her man?”

“She’s bad news,” he said. “A pure magnet, if you know what I mean. She just attracts all the pure bloods and come on, you must have noticed it. You’ve become the second punching bag since you hang out with her. Just ask her brother.”

“Shut up Norbert,” Ash screamed. I had not realized she had turned her attention to us a while back. “If you all weren’t such cowards, those freaks would not treat us like dirt.”

“Calm down,” I tried to touch her shoulder.

Ashlan slapped my hand away. “So go ahead Tyler, go fucking right ahead and ditch me just like they say. I hate them and I’m not afraid to show it. If that makes you feel unsafe around me, buzz off.”

“Your funeral Ash,” Norbert shrugged turning in his seat. “Don’t say we dint try to warn you Bennett. That girl is a bomb waiting to explode.”

I held Ashlan back firmly. She thrashed in my arms before giving in to the tears she wanted to let out.

“I aint ditching you Ash,” I soothed her. Her tears dampened my shirt making it hug my skin. As we neared the pleb dorms that were opposite the guardian official central training yard, Ashlan had stopped crying. She just held onto me looking lost and confused.

The bus stopped at the entrance of the dorm. I looked out of the window and spied the mysterious building of the guardian’s central training center. Why have the military opposite a bunch of helpless twins unless they were hiding some deep secret. I looked up as the sound of shuffling feet and dragged bags hit my ears. Everyone looked at me with pity in their eyes as they got off.

Your funeral, Norbert mouthed at me as he stepped off.

“I don’t want to go in there,” she said as the rest begun filing away.

“I told you,” I said, “I’m taking you to some place.”

“How Tyler?” she asked pushing herself up. “We’re not allowed to move out of this bloody place. I really hate it here.”

“Trust me I can.”

We got up and disembarked from the bus. As we were just about to step off, the driver turned and gave us a weak smile. “I know the feeling, just give it time. Look forward to the life out of the city. That’s what I’ve done. In a few months, I’ll be allowed to leave and go to any zone away from magic and its servants.”

“Thanks Stan,” I said as we stepped onto the glass pavement.

“Anytime kid,” the driver said. “Ms. Naira don’t dwell on what they have said, Norbert has no idea what he is saying.”

“I know.” Ash said stepping off the bus. I followed her off and stood beside her.

“So Tyler,” Ash looked at me calmly. “How do we get to this place you’re taking me?”

“Wait here for me.”