Tag: curse of the magi

curse of the magi 4

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Lois followed Gligor through the maze of passages that lead from the Wizard world to the human world. Lois would have opposed such language, but it was true.

“Now,” Gligor started, squeezing sideways through the dark musty halls, “in case you’re not familiar, this is where most Wizards live when they don’t have external jobs, but there are plenty of internal jobs to keep them busy. They buy their own food with their own
credits, but they live here.

“Some of the Low-Ranking Wizards like Violeta and Elia, 29’s and 30’s, stay here
most of the time, but pet Wizards like Gerhardt just come here to play poker.”

“Poker?” Lois asked.

“Yes, poker. Wizards take it pretty seriously, not sure why, but it’s a big deal.

Don’t interrupt a poker game unless you want your head fried. That’s tip number one. Rule number one is stay out of their business, but tip number two is to break that rule. You’ll get some overseers that don’t care about wizards; that’s a mistake. Get to know your Wizards
and they’ll be more willing to work with you.” They reached the reception area, the human world. “In fact, you will be living in wizard quarters. His key, Joe.

The receptionist, Joe, handed Lois a tarnished gold-colored key.

“218; Your bags are in your room,” Joe yawned and turned back to his computer. Gligor slapped Lois on the back. I’ll take you up there; I’m 220.

curse of the magi 3

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The two young wizards stared at each other, bags with their sparse belongings clutched to their chests. The younger wizard bit her lip, feeling like she should say something but too nervous to open her lips. The other wizard’s stony blue eyes didn’t move from her own. He was
trying to pin down what color they were. Every time he felt like he had decided, they shifted again. He gave up and stuck out his hand.

“Hovsep,” he greeted bluntly. She took his hand.

“Elia.” Their hands dropped to their sides, and, again, they stared.

curse of the magi 2

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Gordan Gligor stepped tentatively into the wizard lounge. He had no problem with the Wizards, but some of them took issue with their overseer. He turned to his new apprentice as he stepped through the door.

“Here it is, the Wizard Lounge. If you’re good at your job, you’ll be here a lot.” His
apprentice nodded, but didn’t shy away from the Wizards around him or the thought of meeting them. Gligor was impressed, but he supposed someone who wanted to become a Wizard overseer couldn’t be squeamish about Wizards.

“Hello, Mr. Gligor,” greeted a brown-haired wizard barely over five feet. Gligor smiled back at her.

“Hello, Elia. I want you to meet my new apprentice, Lois. Lois, this is Eris Athena.”

“But I go by Elia,” she butted in. Lois smiled and shook Elia’s hand. Her eyes were a stark, startling green, like they were trying their hardest to convince you that they weren’t any other color.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Lois said in a smooth baritone. Elia hesitated, then
smiled.

“I’m glad you feel that way.”

curse of the magi 1

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The cards flew around the poker table as the Wizards silently reveled in their minds, darkened by years of maltreatment and oppression. Nobody talked. Nobody wanted to. But the cards were dealt, and they were ready to play poker.

Violeta was first. She glanced at her cards, but before she could bet, Thor gave her a double push. He had pocket aces, could she really have better? She didn’t; she had a 2 and a 7 of different suits: not good enough for a shield, and Violeta was a 29, not strong enough
for a bluff like that.

She folded.

Thor was next. His pocket aces gave him a double shield: not even Rei’s two spades could get him to fold, but he would wait for the flop to raise. Gerhardt had a 3 and an 8 but enough brute strength to bluff, and foolishly, he did. Elia hardly used any shield or push
with her king and queen of hearts, but despite Thor’s pocket aces and Gerhardt’s unrefined bluff, she called Gerhardt’s raise and made it to the flop. As she dealt the flop, Gerhardt shook his head.

“I could really use a smoke,” he remarked. Elia laughed.

“Shit, Gerhardt, only rich people smoke.” He shrugged.

“I’m rich enough.” The poker table lapsed into a stony, cavernous silence. The words in every downcast eye seemed to scream, don’t make me say it! But Gerhardt foolishly waited for an answer. Elia smoothed over the silence with a rough compromise.

“But you’re a wizard,” she answered, yet the dreaded words still rung in the
cavernous silence: You’re not a person.

xavier 1

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Xavier watched the new girl carefully. She was hiding something. That’s all he knew, but everybody who walked nervously though his door was hiding something, and his employer had made it clear that she had a secret, a secret that mysterious man wanted his hands on.

Xavier questioned this man’s motives, but who was he to refuse cold, hard cash? Not credits, real money. Real money that could buy real food and real clothes. Money that even a human couldn’t refuse. And all for one secret off this girl, this small, nervous girl who looked no older than sixteen.

The man had assured him that she was a 30, nothing he couldn’t handle, but she was hiding something, something that meant real money to a hooded figure with a raspy voice. Xavier smiled at the girl and stuck out his hand.

“Welcome, I’m Xavier.” The girl bit her lip and shook the offered hand.

“Elia.” He glanced at her report. Eris Athena, it said. This was the one. Her file was small and insignificant as she looked. An uneventful Sigma training and the early dismissal that so many unremarkable wizards received. He couldn’t say he was jealous.

Elia knew he wouldn’t be, but she didn’t care what he thought. Right now, she was
occupied with another thought: How would she hide who she really was? It was easy around humans. For all they knew, if you scored a 30 on the WAP, you were a 30, and that was that, but this kid was a wizard, a seer at that. Only Pi’s became seers. He would be powerful and would have no problem dealing with her tricks.