Monday, May 14, 2007

Episode 42

"Oh, you're awake."

Ceri sat up slowly, a mild headache throbbing between his temples. He looked up to see Gillian encasing the Janus in a small blue tube, filled with the strange ice on the pedestal.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Gillian didn't stop, nor did he look back. "Student casualties are climbing too high," he replied, with professional detachment, "I figured I'd bring the seal to another place to take the heat off the academy."

He turned to face Ceri, resolve burning in his eyes. "How're you?" he asked, offering a hand.

Ceri took it and Gillian pulled him up.

"Cutting it pretty nicely." Ceri lied. He felt Gillian shouldn't have to deal with his problems - especially since the school was barely holding out around them.

A blast shook the entire dojo. Gillian threw a concerned look at the walls and slung the tube over his shoulder.

"Where're you heading?" Ceri asked.

Gillian double checked the straps as he replied, "There's a safehouse some 40 miles from here. On the outskirts of Paen - an old manastery."

He looked up at Ceri, satisfied with the security of the seal - "Magic and Oragi abilities don't work around that area. So I can use whatever dirty tricks I know on an even playing field. You coming with me?"

Ceri looked around the dojo and thought of the choice he made. Swallowing hard, he nodded.

*

Gillian continued with his chatter as they sneaked from corridor to corridor. "Sorry about sending you guys -" he said, peering around a corner, " - I had to make sure another generation became Oragi, and the best way to do it was real life testing."

Ceri didn't answer immediately. They darted through a gallery where magisters were battling low-level Nobu. Nobody paid them any attention - Ceri saw a prefect dangerously waving a magical kris, and then they turned down another corridor and he lost sight of them.

"Gillian," he said, breathlessly, "What surveillance mission were the four shinobi doing in Horean?"

"Surveillance?" exclaimed Gillian in surprise. "That was no surveillance! It was pure provocation!"

Ceri shot him a quizzical stare, but they had to dart across a garden before Gillian could explain properly.

"I wanted them to start a war."

"What?!" Ceri said, and nearly tripped.

Gilliant tutted and picked up the pace. "For reasons you won't understand, my boy."

A flash of light, an chilling wail. Both Gillian and Ceri turned to see two cloaked figures leaping towards them; touching ground only rarely.

"Hold this," Gillian said, firmly, passing the tube to Ceri.

He took out two daggers; closing his eyes he swung around and threw both at the same time. It hit dead centre, but the hoods merely fell back to reveal rotting flesh.

"Ugh." said Gillian, and both daggers exploded in a flare of red.

"A good two lives wasted," he said, tutting, and taking the tube from Ceri they set off again. "My collections not going to last long ..."

Ceri decided not to question that statement. Instead - "Aren't you scared you'd be overpowered and the Janus taken from you?"

Gillian laughed. "It would take a large taskforce to stop me." he said, winking. "And even if I fail there are three other guardians that are summoned whehenver the Janus is directly threatened."

"From the school - ?"

"Yeah. Students. Siris, Jorasu, Mya. Seniors in the top form, I believe."

They reached one of the school's exits. Two huge oak doors barred their way - this Gillian swept aside with one hand.

"Oh dear me." he said, under his breath.

Outside, squinting in the glowing afternoon sun was the rest of Bishop's unit. Only neither Ceri or Gillian knew that - both of them just saw a spark and the erruption of a fireball from Baldur's fingers.

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