Samantha

"Remember the book! Dream! Imagine! Focus!" screeched the old man.
I was beginning to grow impatient. I was tired, hungry, and anxious, and this old wizard was wasting my time.
"Hey! Stop thinking and focus!" The grouchy old man yelled at me.

"Fine." I replied, regretting everything I had done up to this point.

I found him in a library, reading two books at one time. He was dressed like a truck driver, with one leg crossed over the other. He had both books open and propped up against his leg. It didn't look like he was reading them. In fact, he seemed asleep.

"It's impolite to stare at people. If you're going to say something say it now, or get away from me."
I didn't mind his snarky attitude because I desperately needed help, and he was the first mage I had sensed in the area. The first one that was living, at least.

"I've come to relearn magic, and become a better mage. There's things that have happened because of my family, and I have to stop it before it gets worse."

He closed the first book but kept it on his leg.
"I didn't ask you all that."
He still hadn't looked at me.
"Will you teach me?" I asked.
He closed the second book and picked it up.
For a quick second, I was actually hopeful.
Then he threw it on the floor.

"Pick that up."
I gawked at him.
"What?"
"I said pick that up. Your training begins now."

I wasn't sure if I should've been happy he accepted me or mad he just told me to fetch.

I decided to let it go and started to walk over to the book. The moment I took a step forward, the whole library rumbled. I looked around, bewildered.

"What's that?"
I turned to look at him, and his clothes had changed. He was wearing a nice black suit, with a red shirt instead of a white one underneath, black and red striped tie.
"That, is the book. You have sixty seconds to pick up the book and read the first page. While you do this, several things in this library will levitate and come after you. If you are capable of learning magic, you will finish the page right before they attack you, and you will know enough magic to prevent it from happening. If not, You will literally get stoned by non-fiction books."

"Was it like this when you first learned?" I asked.
"No. My father sat me on the countertop in the kitchen. I was attacked by knives."
"Ouch."

He smiled. "I beat the time, obviously. I'd be dead if I didn't. Death is still a possibility for you too, so don't take this lightly just because it's books."
I nodded. "I understand."

I took more steps forward and the rumbling got louder, but nothing attacked yet.
I got closer to the book, and dropped down.
The book wasn't very impressive. It was kind of small, and completely gray, with black words on the top and little red designs all over. When I picked it up, I got all warm inside, and instantly felt happy for no reason. Waves of different colors floated Sund my face like the aurora borealis, and it took me a second to realize the mage was screaming at me.

"IDIOT! Open it! Read it! Now!"
The lights shut off and glass broke everywhere. I don't work well under pressure. That's part of the reason I hid inside Allen when those fake guards showed up at the hotel. didn't have time to think fast. I barely opened up the book when I could feel the wind from all the books rushing at me. I couldn't help it. I gave up, threw my hands up to shield myself​, and screamed.

Gabriel

I was on my way out the door when I saw the mob outside. Dozens of zombified vampires were screaming and banging on the doors. I knew good and well that if they wanted to come back in, they easily could. The only problem would be the other mages and their fire.
London tapped my shoulder.
"Are you about to head out there? We could clear them out if you want us to."
I could see the fire blazing in his eyes already.

"No thanks, I'm fine. I could teleport if I wanted to leave."
He looked at the mob of revenants, and back at me. That's exhausting no matter what magic you practice, isn't it?"
I nodded.
"Well then... I have lots of questions about Avery I was hoping you could answer."

I didn't respond immediately, unsure if I could discuss anything with him. I imagined I could, since the majority of her workforce is outside this door.
"Okay, go ahead."
He looked around, then back at the mob.
"Wait a second."
He opened his hand and let out a baseball shaped ball of flame. It proceeded slowly, with a tail forming behind it like a comet.
The doors flew open, but no revenant dared to enter. Even the ones talking the most had went silent. As it approached, they all started taking steps back, like cavemen afraid of fire.

Suddenly, the ball of fire changed dramatically. It moved twice as fast and smacked a revenant dead in the chest. He was swept off his feet and even knocked over a couple of revenants behind him. It went inside him, and didn't come out. He started screaming before anyone could see any physical thing happening to him. All of the revenants stared in confusion and shock as the man screamed his head off.

Then it finally kicked in. Like a delayed firework, his body steamed and the smell of burning flesh filled the air. Tendrils and flares of flame erupted from his body, causing a widespread panic among the revenants.
They all ran for their lives, leaving that man to burn at the company's doorstep.

"Now, I can speak."
I pried my eyes off the man in agony and long back at him.
"Shoot."
He still looked around before speaking, probably, paranoid.
"Is Avery... was she... replaced or something? They told us she would treat us like dirt, that she would show no emotion and be a cold blooded killer. She's, she..." He through his hands up on exasperation. "She's nothing like that!"

"It's because she wants to live. You saw that mark on her neck. She started becoming a revenant a while ago, but thanks to our research team, we found out how to halt the process."

Gabriel looked astonished. "So why haven't you helped anyone?"
"Because it's impossible. The vampire would have to stop drinking human blood. They would have to drink animal blood, and to a revenant, animal blood tastes like vomit, making it extremely hard to keep down. Avery has used several mages to take away her taste buds and most of her impulses, making her less vampire, and more human. But the process is so draining, even for the mages, that there's no way we could treat all the vampires here. Plus, mages are having problems too. Has it happened to you yet?"
He nodded grimly.

"That's why I've only been using fire. Anything else and I'd-"

The burning man still had some strength left. He was banging his head on the glass, baring his rotten, yellowed fangs.
"I knew it! You mages are demons, you and your puppet master!"

I was surprised when the man actually got to his feet, even thought they were shaking. London closed his hand into a fist and turned it over. A massive hole formed in the revenant​'s chest, and his voice trailed off as he looked at it.

"Demons." He snarled, dropping to the ground in a heap.
"If I used anything other than fire, my organs would start to shut down. Including my heart."

"Is anyone investigating this?" I asked him. "Most of this while building has been researching the vampire disease. That's why Avery is wondering what happens when you let the disease run it's course."

"You haven't figured it out yet?" He asked.
"No. People were being cast out from their families and friends. Nobody has been able to this, not without support. They began to hate their families, friends, and themselves the most. That's when they end up committing suicide."

London was about to say something when we both heard water and a bubbly sound.
He told me to hold on, them pulled out a black vial. He poured the liquid onto his hands and it looked like a metallic rainbow. He threw it onto the floor and it created a sizzling sound with smoke rising from it.

"What's happening?" He asked the smoke.
"It's Barnes. We don't know. Just get back to the top floor."
We both ran as fast we could towards the steps. We could move way faster than the elevator, even though we weren't vampires.
When we reached there top, one mage was on the ground, probably the one that was bitten. The other five of the mages were surrounding Avery, pulsating with light.  She was kneeling on the ground, holding her mouth. Blood was dripping from the right side of her neck.

"What did you do?!" I demanded.
One of the guards looked at me.
"It was him, sir." He pointed to the one on the ground. Something happened to him after he was bit by that thing."

I approached the man, ignoring London pulling me back. I crouched down and looked in his eyes. They were milky gray again, but he looked dazed.

"They knocked him out." London told me.
I went over to Avery, and the guards reacted instantly.
"No!"

"Stop!"

"GET BACK!"

I looked at them, and this time, I was too slow to react. I looked back and Avery was gone.

The mages stopped their spell at once.
"Where did she go?" One asked.
"Don't know, but I know what she's after. Everyone, get away from Gabriel now!"
They all backed away from me, raising their arms chanting different spells.
"Wait, is she back to norm-"
"DON'T MOVE."

A shape loomed over my head, and I saw fear in their eyes.
"Wait till she appears. Don't give her a chance to bite him. Strike as fast as possible."
They all spread out, keeping their eyes trained on me.
"We said don't move!" The one in front yelled.
I hadn't moved, but then I saw they were looking at my left side. My arm was moving, and I couldn't feel it at all.

London spoke from behind me.
"Mr.Gabriel, if you are moving your arm, please stop."

"I'm not doing it." I whispered back. I had flashbacks to the way Avery used to be when are father was alive. I used to be her only guard. I knew the way she hunted, understood the way she fought vampires and werewolves differently. I knew exactly what was going to happen.

"There she is! Now!"
They shot blasts light and one sent his own shadow to attack her.

I went blind with pain and shock. My left arm cracked at the shoulder, snapped at the elbow and my wrist twisted the wrong way. I sorted I'm agony and feel to my knees as the guards rushed me.
They pounced her and held her down with magic. But Avery was erratic, an enigma, a phantom. Her shape changed, she disappeared again and lunged after me.
London grabbed me, threw me backwards, and  braced himself. Right before she sunk her teeth into him, he shouted something I couldn't understand, and suddenly, a giant wolf appeared in his arms.

Avery bit into the big beast, and the guards regrouped and surrounded her. This time the pressure from their magic was so strong it almost suffocated me for the first few seconds.
The magic stabilized and it became easier to breathe.

Avery let go of the wolf, and London dropped it.
I wanted to move, but I saw lights in my eyes, and not the ones I could conjure myself.
I tried to keep my eyes open as everything faded to black around me.
She didn't mean to. I kept thinking in my head. She didn't do it on purpose.

Samantha

I heard the sound of all the books falling, but nothing touched me. I opened my eyes and saw that all of the books had changed direction, and they were flying straight towards the old man. He shielded himself and let them all drop to his feet.
His eyes narrowed. "What did you do?"
"Nothing, I... I did what you told me."
"Really? Then tell me everything that the first page says."

"I, uh, it was a really quick glimpse, I didn't get a good-"

"Look at it, now."
I raised the book up, watching to see if I would get attacked again, but nothing happened.
I opened it up and looked at the page. It was filled with nonsensical symbols, and the only actual word on the page was, "Stop."

"Yes, stop. That's all you had to read, that's all you had to think about, because most spells are written in languages you can't begin to comprehend. And instead, you deflected the books. Even thought you claim to have no magic. In fact, I don't even sense any magic around you, except from that book."

I tried to sound modest. "I've always been good with magic, I guess touching an actual spell book reminded me of my skill."
He didn't seem convinced.
"Or... You somehow stole magic from it."

I could tell from his expression that he wasn't joking.
"Are you serious? I would never and I don't even know how!"
He held out his hand. "Give me the book. We'll try a different method."

I started to hand it over and suddenly, my bracelet flashed.
I was so stunned, I forgot the old man for a second. I tried to look at the small shape, but couldn't make anything out. I looked at the book, and had an idea.

"What are you doing? I said give me the book."
I turned the next page, and I was barked in golden light, filling me with joy again for no reason.

I don't even need to read the book! The spells were probably convoluted anyways, the way I learn is much easier. I wondered if I could take the book from him...

"That's enough." the man told me. 

I looked around to find shadows staring at me from both sides.
"I can glean your mind, ignorant girl. Your true purpose was to come and steal my magic, wasn't it?"

"No, not at all! I wanted to learn the natural way."
There's hardly any magic around ​in this whole region. Most mages have either left for a more plentiful region or does from unnatural circumstances. You are either an assassin, seeking to purify this region of magic, or an actual idiot, with dumb luck and no magical skill."

I had heard enough. I stood up. "You don't know much anyways​. I had a stronger magical aura than you when I was seven. My whole family learned magic without ever needing a book, so I'm sure I can take the very, very, very little I learned here, and turn it into something useful."

He glared at me. "You have practiced magic outside the book?"
I rolled my eyes and flicked my wrist. I conjured a purse out of thin air, a clear sign that I was on my way back to the top. I threw his magical book on the ground to his feet, and to my disappointment, the happy feeling vanished.

"I've been practicing magic before I could read chapter books. I've always done my own thing. I'm leaving."
I tried to walk past him, and he blocked me.
"Excuse you?"
"You can't leave. You've broken the rules of magic."

I almost slapped the old man, but the bracelet flashed again. Samirah must been close by. "Lots of people break the rules of magic. There's always consequences, always problems. I'm trying to fix one right now."

I took another step forward and he blocked me again. "Oh, no. I'm about to fix one."