Mike

10 years ago

        "Come back here you runt!" One of the grunts yelled. I had five running after me 'cause I tried to up sell their boss dangerous and in some circles illegal potion ingredients. But what was I to expect being an I-runner, I-runner is the short version of Ingredients runner. Those of us who don't have a family and can't go into mundane human child's care usually get picked up by lackeys of Coven leaders and the like. If you weren't picked up by; witches, wizards, warlocks, mages or psychics then you were the unlucky ones. Not that casters were any better, but vampire seethes, necromancers and rogue werewolves, those meant death.

        I lost those burly idiots a block back and I'd stopped running and just sort of roamed around for the time being. Everyone knows when a deal goes bad, even if you got some of the money, you don't immediately go home or back to your watcher/supplier. If they're mad enough they'll go to those places first and wait to get you. My watcher/supplier was one of the top coven leaders and if she found out that the deal went bad even if you got the money you'd still get punished.

    Thinking I'd wasted enough time I started walking toward the coven house to deal with my predicament. Unfortunately I was stopped two blocks from the house by a cop.

        He rolled his window down as he drove slowly beside me. "Hey kid!" I turned to look at him because I hadn't seen him in this area before and assumed he must be new. "What's a twelve year old kid like you doing out so late?" He genuinely sounded concerned which sorta surprised me. "Just walking home sir." I replied.

        The cop looked at me then around at the neighborhood and sighed. Shaking his head he bid me goodnight and told me to be careful before driving away. As I began walking again a hand shot out from the darkened opening that led to the lavish garden. The lackeys had waited for me and had barely gotten me into the garden before they started wailing on me. I don't know how long it went on for because after a little bit my vision started to go fuzzy, when they stopped. A hand was still gripping my shirt holding me up for the beating I was getting, I let my head roll to the side and I saw the fuzzy shape of a person standing a few steps away, but I blacked out a second later.

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Luka

        Man I don't have time to go investigate some random bedraggled kid, but Brian seemed adamant that the kid was in trouble and had called me to find out. Brian was one of the few humans I trusted with the information of what I am and I owed him a favor because he helped me make bail a few years back when he was still a rookie cop. I appeared exactly where he told me the kid should have been, but I didn't see him though I did hear some guys laughing at something and then a groan.

        Even though I didn't think it was anything other than a grown man brawl I still walked over to see what was going on. Of course there was the kid I was looking for unconscious and dangling from a guy's fist. They saw me and let the kid fall to the ground.

        "Hey there pretty lady" One Blithely leered. "You shouldn't be here right now, but if you want you can wait and we can have some fun after we're done with this cheeky kid." They dismissed me as if they assumed I would just happily skip back to the sidewalk and wait patiently for them.

What morons.

        "Nah I think I'll just take the kid and leave." I languid. In that moment of their confusion, I took the initiative to act. First I took out the two lackeys off to the side by turning them into eternal statues. Next I materialized in front of the two behind the lead lackey and hit their chests having them fly backwards into some bushes. I whirled around to face the last man standing, and by this point I was very amped up, so without a second thought my hand shot out and went through his chest.

        As I pulled my arm out of the guy I looked down at myself and heaved a sigh. I really have to stop getting so bloody. Bending down next to the kid I made sure he was still breathing and didn't need extreme medical attention. When I'd made sure he would be okay to move I picked him up turned and let the shadows consume us.

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Mike

        Ugh. My head. Slowly I tried to open them by blinking a few times, but it hurt so much I just decided to let them stay closed for a bit longer. Also when did my cubby get so soft? Serin, the Coven leader that watches me and quite a few other kids, had built large rectangular boxes that we would have to share with another kid. No blankets, no mattress', no cardboard, nothing that would make sleeping on concrete feel any better.

        Then images from last night flashed through my head and I immediately tried to sit up. I had to get to the coven house, I had to plead my case in front of Serin or else she'll send someone to find me and it was never the nice ones she sent. Probably the sadist twins who get off on hurting us, each other and anything they could get their hands on. I shivered at the thought. The door creaked open and I jumped fearing the worst, but when nothing happened I relaxed a little.

        "Hey kid can you hear me?" That voice. I know that gruff voice it's just like the one the cop had last night. When I went to speak my voice croaked but that was it so instead I shook my head yes.

        "Good. I'm glad you're okay and I'm glad Luka found you before those guys could do anything else." The Officer hoarsley replied. I could tell he'd been worried but I couldn't understand why and who was Luka? He must have sensed that I had lots of questions because he cleared his throat and started talking.

        "I'm Officer Brian from last night. I could sort of tell you were in some kind of trouble, but I didn't think it would be this bad. After I left I phoned my boss and asked her to make sure you got where you were headed safely, but she says that when she got there they had been beating you up pretty bad. You've got two swollen shut eyes, a broken left arm, five broken ribs, a displaced jaw and severe internal and external bruises." Officer Brian sighed "After Luka took care of those guys she brought you here." I had listened to everything Officer Brian had just said but it didn't make any sense so of course, I passed back out.

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        It's been a week since I was brought to wherever I am by that Luka person and Officer Brian is helping a lot with my rehabilitation. Plus today was the day I get to take this stinkin' wrap off my eyes. I was practically vibrating with anticipation.

        "Okay Mike lets get that wrap off, hm?" The doctor mused then after a few pulls and tugs the wrapping was finally off. "Now Mike I need you to slowly blink and if it hurts give it a minute or two and try again." So as slowly as I could I cracked my eyes open a sliver to be blinded by white which had me blinking faster to get it to go away. At last the white cleared and the room came into view and I could see in color and everything!

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        It's been a few months now and I still haven't met Luka, but I had gotten to explore this community nestled in the woods off some dirt road. I met a mage here and he said he could help me with understanding my visions and help me develop my magic so I can protect myself better. I was currently practicing conjuring a shield when the sky darkened with swirling black clouds. My teacher pushed me behind him as some of the black clouds broke away from swirling to plummet to the ground in the middle of the community.

        As the black faded away a tall stern woman stepped forward from where the black had hit the ground. Short white hair clashed against coffee skin and grey business suit that was tailored to her slim figure. Aside from her sharp chin and what captivated most people was her long sharp nose that did nothing for her thin lips, but make them even thinner. What could have been a soft sophisticated features were marred by her usual scowl. Madam Serin had arrived.

        While she gazed around at the place she scoffed. Strangely, it felt as if someone was standing right behind me looking around my teacher to see what was going on as well. "What's all the fuss about?" Was whispered in my ear and I jumped so high that I brought Serin's attention to myself, not that I noticed right then and I grumbled about how my butt hurt now and scaring people wasn't nice. The girl laughed loudly as she pointed to me and my sore butt. Serin swivelled her gaze away from me and to the girl and paled considerably.

        "So Serin" The girls gaze cut over to look at the now very scared Serin. "I didn't know you branded and tagged your I-runners." Her voice as jagged as a knife as she spit every word out of clenched teeth. "I mean, if I remember correctly you even swore that your coven had stopped that practice a few centuries ago."

        Serin was now visibly shaken by the girls words. "Ah.. Yes I did say that Luka." Serin flinched and shrunk into herself with her eyes cast down. Who was this lady that could make a high coven official shrink and cower before her?

        Luka reached back and grabbed my arm and pulled me forward and around while pulling my shirt up exposing my back. "Then tell me" Luka seethed "What exactly are these?" She was referring to the knife marks carved into my back in the symbol of the covens crest. Serin was crying and shaking her head as if this was all a bad dream. Luka scoffed "I revoke your I-runners and will make sure the others will know you broke the rules." As she said that I felt pain radiate across my back, but it was Serin who screamed as Luka brought her hand up and black wisps licked off her hand. "I charge you with these crimes and sentence you to live with your own mark on your back as well as the rest of your coven." She spit out.

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Mike

Present

        The Boss had just floored the room with her revelation of just how old she is. Yeah we knew she was older than her teenage appearance, but we didn't think she was that old. Suddenly the old brand on my back started to sting. After Luka had cut a line across the brand it had cut the connection between myself and Serins' coven, but it still stung a little whenever she was around. A minute later thirteen hooded figures walked into the living room where we were. They formed a loose circle around the room and one by one removed their hoods.

        My eyes widened slightly at all the coven leaders gathered all in one room and being so cordial with each other. I shrunk against Trey but it was more for his protection than for my own. Chazz gripped his bat a bit tighter patiently watching to make sure he was ready if he might need to intervene if something were to change. Luka smiled at each leader in welcome and motioned toward Mrs. Hardins' bodyguards to put their weapons away.

        "Ah! Good evening to all I am elated that you could all meet here tonight." She formally greeted with a bow to show them her thanks. Chairs materialized behind each leader and they bowed to Luka to show her it was their honor. Which I knew they never did for anyone else, not even each other. Mr. Rubin, Duane, and Ailith took in what just happened and their jaws dropped because even they knew that the coven leaders don't bow to anyone and if they did it was begrudgingly done. Four more hooded people came in and sat just inside the loose circle of the thirteen. Luka bowed once more and they bowed back then took their seats but kept their hoods up.