A Purple World Of Mages and Magic

A Scroll from the Lords of Golredot

"What are we looking for exactly?" Frank asked.

"I asked the ones who were affected and got treated, they said the physicians at the medic center used an antidote that was prepared here. The Nummix antidote" Glenda whispered, straining her eyes to spot what they were looking for in the dark, to no avail.

"Right. And we could have just gone to the medic unit, since it's there. Logical enough. I don't see why no one thought of that"

"I think it's here. It must have been brought back obviously because what's from the Apothecary stays in the Apothecary, you should know that." Glenda said.

"So what are we looking at exactly?" Frank said

"A black glass jar like the Nummix."

Frank said."I honestly didn't sign up for this, what if we get--" .

"Being a girl again huh?"Glenda interjected.

"It's not about being a girl, I have to say what I'm feeling! " Frank retorted.

"Can you guys quiet it down and quit bickering all the time " Jodge said.

And they searched on in silence for a while, then they stopped. Footsteps were approaching the building.

They hobbled for cover in the dark recesses of the room.

When the footsteps receded they came out again.

"That was close" Jodge said.

"Let's continue search--"

The door flung open suddenly and a woman stood at the entrance, her lit torch illuminating the room, and them as well.

It was Miss. Eloise. She had changed into a cream-silk up and down and a black coat covering her.

"Well what do we have here?" She brought the torch closer to reveal the wide stare on their faces."did you guys really think I wouldn't find out?"

None of them spoke for a moment.

."Miss. Eloise.. how did you know? "Was all Glenda could say.

"Of course, I had a good and concerned student tell me about what happened" She frowned. "What were you guys thinking, do you want to kill him? Do you even know how to administer the antidote?"

"We're sorry Miss. Eloise " She replied.

"Wow. I can't believe this." Miss. Eloise retorted. "I'll handle your punishments later. For now let's go save that boy"

She walked in and went straight to a set of wooden boxes arranged on the metal block. Then she opened a black one and took out the wrapped glass jar inside.

"Right. We could have just checked the stupid block" Frank whispered to Glenda.

"Let's go " Miss. Eloise said, authoritatively when she had successfully retrieved the jar.

******

Lance's breathing had deteriorated so much that he had to make considerable noise before he could take in air. His throat felt on fire, his head dizzy with stomach cramps.

He had blacked out and came back so that Liam ran around looking for Glenda and the rest, and he kept panicking almost to the point of tears.

But Lance was relieved when he saw them come back. Even though a stranger was with them. No. It was Miss Eloise. The number one person he wouldn't have wished knew about it.

But it didn't matter now

He had hope now, and he'd get to stay here much longer without any hindrance. He felt sure of that.

She came over to his side and crouched, then opened the glass jar.

A sweet scent filled Lance's nostrils.

This was nothing like the potion they had made earlier.

What was it? But he couldn't ask, he couldn't even talk.

She mixed a little of the content in a cup of water.

"This is edible, so you should feel alright once you've drunk" Miss. Eloise said, and tilted Lance's head up so he could slug the drink she had prepared with the antidote.

Liam and the others were around him, watching keenly and hopefully that he would recover.

A few students, having changed into their brown robes with the purple belt had also come around, the news having reached them.

All his efforts to keep unnoticed kept backfiring, maybe he had to stop trying so hard.

It was even possible by now all the staff knew, including the Professor.

He was certainly screwed.

His head by now, weighed more than his body, for the effort it took him to lift it and gulp the drink.

He grimaced at the bitter taste. But a calming and numbing sensation hit him, easing the thundering headache that threatened to split his head.

But there already was impending trouble, and Miss. Eloise didn't look like she was going to go easy on him any time soon, as she maintained the frown on her face.

"You'll be fine in a few hours" She said, bottling the jar. "Now for your punishments..Lance, you are exempted from the next Fire spell lessons. Hopefully you can learn from your colleagues what was taught."

It couldn't have gotten any worse.

"Jodge, Glenda, Frank, and Liam, you are to clean out the Apothecary tomorrow, and make sure you do not miss lectures."

She finished, and clutched her coat tighter to her body, as it was starting to get colder. "You guys should hurry to the Lyceum for your dinners, especially you Lance, you'll need to eat up."

The hall was already filled and bustling with clanging of spoons and forks on plates, and rambling students.

Liam and Lance sat by their usual corner, a plate of tenderloin and Tacos in their hands. Jodge and the others had gone to their own spots.

So far as they were concerned, their businesses together had ended.

The large front door to the Lyceum opened and Professor Trevor strode into the hall, and everywhere became quiet. He was dressed in a dark-purple robe, and held a packaged scroll.

"Good evening to you all. I'm sure you've all had a hectic day, especially for our level-Two students who had to deal with poison of a certain sort, and word came there was almost a casualty" He waited, for the murmurs that had sprung to die down.

Had Miss. Eloise already told the professor what happened?

"Do you think he knows?" Lance whispered to Liam.

"Relax. I don't think so " Liam responded.

The professor continued."I would like to apologize, as I always do, for what you students have to go through here. We admit some of the exercises are dangerous, but we assure you we have control measures and remedies for every hazardous lecture you'll receive, even for the most extreme cases and casualties. Our school wouldn't have had the prestigious name it has now, and it wouldn't have been known far and wide if we did not produce excellent and impeccable magicians, tried through fire, and ready to combat and take over the world "

Here goes the speech. Lance thought, and rolled his eyes.

Who in the world would be close enough to death and be punished for it?

"But I'm not here to explain the core values of Wiccan as a magic school, or to waste your time, as I'd very much like to leave you to your meals." He tore out the wrapped scroll and spread it out, reviewing it, a serious expression on his face.

Then he looked up and smiled, and the students began murmuring, in anticipation.

"As I've said earlier, this school is known for producing the best, and only the best. This scroll was collectively compiled and received from the 7 Lords of Golredot and in it are the names of the chosen students who will serve in the office of Mages, in the different counties and districts of this great nation. From the first batch, the selected students are: Robert Rodgers from Fort A"

The hall erupted in a thunderous applause as Robert stood in his brown robe,an air of majesty about him, his fair skin, and sleek black hair and then he bowed with dignity and sat back down as his friends tapped him and hailed him with loud voices.

When the noise had organically died down the professor continued, apparently sharing in the students joy. "Frost McCarthy from Fort D" The students applauded and the recognition process repeated itself.

"Kristen Barbara from Fort A"

Barbara? Wasn't that Glenda's surname? Were they perhaps related?

As Lance expected, Kristen stood and received the usual honorarium from the students, along with Glenda who sprang from her seat and ran up to her sister, hugging her tightly with smiles and tears on both their faces.

The moment was touching, epic, and emotional for Lance, and for a minute he fantasized about the things he could accomplish being a mage, the nations he could conquer, all the things he'd have, the life he never had.

Then he heard it.

"Lancccceeee"

He turned to Liam."Did you call me?"

Liam frowned, looking at him like he was still suffering from the side effects of the deadly flower."No, I didn't call you"

"Did you hear that?...did you hear anything?"

"Are you sure you're okay?. Maybe you're not fully recovered from the poison "

"I'm not insane"

"I'm not saying you are. But we don't need to hide anything now, Miss. Eloise knows, and probably the professor. So just tell them if you're feeling worse"

"Lanccccceeee "

The voice came again. It sounded ethereal, like it was from a distant source, a celestial body. Silent and sentient, the ambient sound of strings and many waters, steady but fading, a systemic pulse"

But he couldn't tell Liam, or anyone. He wouldn't understand, they wouldn't, because he himself didn't know what he was hearing.

Was he really being affected by the poison?

He tried to control himself from panicking.

Then it stopped abruptly.

Jodge stood up from his seat, and walked out of the Lyceum, amid the boisterous applauses and cheers filling the hall as the selected students were called upon and celebrated.