It’s not every day a Majik crosses your path when you’re coming home from finals, followed by a late-night shift at the Waffle House. But that’s what happened to Nadia Verina that fateful night.
Thick clouds obscured the moon and stars, making the park she liked to walk through as a shortcut to her house even darker than usual. The sole light by the War Memorial Statue illuminated a young woman with red hair and a lilac-colored robe, running at full speed. Less obvious were three hooded figures pursuing her, shadows framed only briefly by the light.
The purple-robed girl tripped on a tree root and fell onto the grassy field. In a flash, the three hooded figures pounced on their quarry.
Without a second thought, Nadia pulled an item from her purse and sprayed a substance into the hooded figure as it knelt next to the woman. Shockingly, the hooded figure didn’t have eyes, nose, or a mouth, just an oval where a head should be, resembling a large egg. Thankfully, the pepper spray did seem to affect the creature, as it rolled away, screaming like a dolphin, clutching the spot where its face would have been.
Nadia looked over. One of the other hooded figures broke off its attack to focus on Nadia, while the other clamped a hand over the woman’s mouth, wrestling one arm behind her back. But Nadia was ready for them. As the hooded figure pounced, Nadia grasped and then spun its hands around, using the figure’s momentum against it. A second later, the attacker crashed into the third figure on the ground, who had pinned the lady.
As all three took a tumble, the redhead squirmed free and scooped up some dirt. After a brief chant, she blew the dust over all three hooded figures. They slowly froze, then hardened, turning into stone. They now resembled statues.
“Thanks for saving me from them,” the redhead gasped.
Nadia looked stunned. “Who are you, and what are they?” She indicated the petrified figures.
“I’m Lyra, a Majik.” the purple-robed young woman began. “Well, at least I’m a Majik in training. I’m on an errand from my academy. That was an impressive move. What is it?”
“It’s Aikido,” Nadia explained. “I learned it in a self-defense class.”
Lyra pointed to the statues. “They’re ‘No Faces,’ evil emissaries of The Twins.”
“Twins?”
“I don’t have much time,” Lyra spoke rapidly. “What do you want for your reward?”
“Reward?” Nadia gasped. “I was just helping someone in need. I’m sure you would do the same for me.”
The Majik regarded her rescuer curiously. Nadia noticed the silver headband that Lyra was wearing. It caught the dim light, with symbols that seemed to radiate more than a reflection.
“Well, whoever you are, I appreciate you coming to my aid. If you will not take a reward, at least accept this.”
Lyra handed Nadia a thin wooden card, with a strange language and symbols.
Nadia looked at it. “Thanks! I’m Nadia by the way. And if you ever…”
But when she looked up, Lyra had disappeared.
Shrugging at the strange encounter, Nadia took a second glance at the card. It had something resembling a QR Code. She held her phone up to it, but nothing happened. She could kick herself. Of course someone calling themself a Majik wouldn’t have one of those.
Instead, Nadia put her index finger over the spot. The park dissolved into a dark hall, with torches along the walls. In the center of the room was a heavy wooden table, with high-back wooden chairs on both sides. Candles on the table provided additional lighting. There were two doors, one to her right and one to the left, the latter being larger. On one side of the table were men and women in robes, though one clearly looked like it was smaller, wearing a fox mask.
No, wait a second, Nadia thought. It is a fox in robes! It gave what looked like a grin.
On the side of the table where she approached were four chairs. One was empty while the other three were occupied by what looked like teenagers her age.
“What is this place?” Nadia asked.
A bald man with a thick black beard cleared his throat. “Please join us at the table, Miss Verina.” His robe was dark red, the color of blood. He wore a white collar.
She took a few nervous steps toward the table. In addition to the man was a veiled woman…she could tell it was a woman because of her eyes and the few tresses of light-colored hair loose under a head-covering. She was clad in a dark blue robe. The third human figure seemed to be neither man nor woman, olive-skin contrasted by a white robe.
Windows outside indicated it was night, just as the park was when she was somehow transported to this hall, though the stars’ position indicated it was north of where she lived.
To her left was a blond boy, who was so muscular you could see his six-pack even beneath his shirt. His jaw tightened as she sat in the chair, revealing nothing. Air exhaled through his nostrils as he regarded Nadia.
On his left was a girl in an expensive dress, hair pulled back into a severe bun. Jewelry adorned her wrists, neck and head above her eyebrows. She sniffed indignantly at the new arrival, as if Nadia was little more than dirt below her feet.
To Nadia’s right was a boy with thick glasses and dark skin. His robe and mortarboard were light green. Around his neck were medals and cords. Her entrance only led to an eyeroll from this third teen.
The black-bearded bald man made an announcement. “Let the initiation ceremony commence!”
“Initiation?” Nadia gasped. “What for?”
The athlete groaned. Rich girl gave her a pitying look. Scholar ignored her.
“To be admitted to The Academy, so you may train to perhaps become a Majik, of course,” the man explained, looking across at the four teens. “You may start by stating your qualifications for acceptance.”
The Scholar rattled off his I.Q. score, academic achievements, spelling and history awards, as well as acceptance to every Ivy League college.
“And why do you want to be a Majik?” the olive-skinned character asked.
“I want to know everything about your world. Once I learn every spell, my knowledge will then be complete.”
Rich girl went next, relating the story of how she inherited her first company at age 14, and turned it into a Fortune 500 corporation in just two years. She noted that she was on the cover of Forbes, Money Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal, even TIME Magazine.
When the black-bearded bald man asked why she wanted to be a Majik, the young CEO replied “I may be rich, but with your spells, I would be powerful as well, helping your realm dominate others, including mine.”
The athlete jumped in, describing how he was a five-star recruit in football, basketball, and baseball, and the odds-on favorite to win the decathlon at the next Summer Olympics. He repeatedly flexed his muscles as he listed each accomplishment. When the veiled woman asked why he wanted to be a Majik, he explained how he wanted to channel those spells into becoming the most powerful warrior in history.
Every eye focused on Nadia. “Uh…I don’t have any of those skills, money or accomplishments that the others at the table have,” she admitted.
“Nothing?” The black-bearded bald man asked.
“Well, I do gymnastics, and I got second place in a running race once,” she began nervously. “I usually make the honor roll at school, when I don’t have to take French.”
Rich girl sneered. “What about your parents? Do you come from wealth?”
Nadia shook her head. “My dad works cybersecurity against hackers who attack banks. My brother’s studying to be a history teacher. And my mom’s an astronomer.”
“She worships Zodiac signs?” the athlete laughed.
“No,” Nadia politely corrected him. “She studies the stars, so we can apply what we learn up there to help us understand more about our planet.”
“Whatever…” he snorted.
“And what else have you done?” the olive-skinned person asked.
“Well,” Nadia laughed nervously. “I did get Waffle House Employee of the Month in December.”
At that, the other three teens cackled with laughter. “How did you manage that,” olive-skin persisted.
“Cleaned up lots of syrup spills and bacon bits,” Nadia noted. “And I had to scrub the toilets too. Customers wrote on comment cards that I was nice, and one old man left me a ten-dollar tip once.”
Her competitors continued to laugh.
“And there’s my Scout project,” Nadia offered. She went on to explain how she enlisted fellow scouts into finding out where turtles were crossing the road the most often and mapped them out. Then she convinced the county commission to approve four small tunnel crossings under the highways. “My cameras showed the turtles used the tunnels each time.”
“Why turtles?” The black-bearded bald man asked.
“They’re slow, and despite their hard shell, they’re no match for a pickup truck, or even a Kia,” Nadia replied. “I just wanted to help. And we saved a lot of turtle lives in our county.”
It was the veiled woman’s turn. “What would you do if you became a Majik?”
While the others had given their answers, Nadia thankfully had time to consider a response. “There are a lot of people targeted by hate in our world,” she began. “I’d like to learn some spells so I can protect them if they are ever threatened.”
Her competitors’ reactions ranged from boredom to disdain.
“Well,” the veiled woman began as she rose. “Sorry to excuse you from this group, Miss Verina. Please exit the room.”
Nadia’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as the other three teens smirked. She was the first to be eliminated. Even though just an hour before, she had never heard of a Majik, she now really wanted to be one. She wished for another chance. Out of a door to her left came a large praying mantis, at least two feet taller than her. Would they feed her to the creature?
But the giant insect seemed strangely friendly, making clicking sounds. It extended one of its “praying” limbs and escorted her to a door to the right of where she was sitting, then backed away. Only Rich Girl gave any acknowledgement, with an insincere “sorry.”
On the other side of the door where she exited, Nadia was shocked to see Lyra standing there. “Oh good!” Nadia began. “I’m glad I get to see you before I go.”
“Go where?” the redhead asked.
“I guess back to the park where we met,” Nadia noted. “I didn’t have what it took.”
Lyra made her repeat what was said, then made a statement. “How do you know you didn’t make it?”
Nadia sighed. “It’s because I’ve often been told at school that I’m not one of the best.”
Lyra smiled and gave her what looked like a small lozenge. “Put this on your tongue. Then we’ll ask the elders what their decision is.”
Nadia shrugged, but complied as Lyra opened the door. All of the “Elders” were now walking toward her, though the chairs where her fellow teens sat were now empty.
“You did it!” The black-bearded bald man clapped her on the back. “You passed!
In response to Nadia’s curious look, the veiled woman added. “My words of dismissal were meant for the others, which is why I sent you off to see Lyra. You passed the initiation.”
“B-but how,” Nadia replied, stunned.
The fox laughed and said in a British accent. “It was your ‘Employee of the Month Award’ from Waffle House that did it!”
“What?”
“Just kidding,” the fox added. “It was all of your answers.”
“And the fact that you risked your life to save Lyra,” the olive-skinned person added.
The large Praying Mantis made clicking sounds with its mandibles, but somehow Nadia seemed to know the creature was congratulating her. “How…am I able to understand both of you?” She indicated the mantis and fox.
“It’s the candy,” Lyra admitted. “It helps you communicate with animals.”
“Not many initiates have ever taken on three No-Faces and lived to tell about it,” the black-bearded bald man explained. He extended his hand. “Call me Rigel.”
“And in the initiation, your responses showed compassion for humans and animals alike,” the veiled woman added. “And that’s what our realm teaches with our spells, defense of those less fortunate. We use the Earth’s elements against the forces of evil.” With one hand, she stroked the fox’s ears. She extended her other hand to Nadia. “I’m Jessel, by the way.”
Nadia shook her hand, which had a grip as firm as Rigel’s.
The Praying Mantis clicked again. Nadia understood it to mean its name: “Carolina.”
The olive-skinned human clasped hands and bowed. “Epcyn is my name.”
The fox extended a paw, which she took. “I’m Kit. I wish to know more about…waffles.”
Nadia broke the Elders’ laughter with a question. “Where are the others?”
“Back in their beds, sound asleep,” Lyra promised. “They’ll have no memory of it, except the sensation of a very strange dream. You were dismissed so your mind wasn’t cleared of this evening’s initiation.”
Rigel was all business. “It takes years of training to become a Majik. You have to master the four elements. And you have a very important task, protecting the Earth…”
“…And its people,” Jessel added.
“…And its creatures,” Carolina clicked.
“I am interested,” Nadia promised. “Who are ‘The Twins’ that Lyra mentioned earlier?”
The Elders exchanged glances. “You’ll learn about them during your apprenticeship,” Epcyn promised. “It’s why we have an initiation for applicants now, to screen out those with ill motives, who want to manipulate our elemental spells to dominate others.”
“I can assist you at The Academy by being your mentor,” Lyra offered.
“Will you join us?” Rigel asked, extending a piece of parchment.
Nadia smiled.
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John A. Tures has worked for newspapers, radio, symphony, and a defense contractor. Now a professor, he publishes news columns and short stories. His book Branded was just published by Huntsville Independent Press (see free chapters here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/nfdmpqmn91) He thanks family and friends for listening to his stories. His author site is here: https://www.johntures.com/about-the-author/
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