“And I don’t remember you being so adept.”
“I’m hurt,” I reply, clutching an invisible necklace.“You don’t remember all the high marks I used to get?”
“And yet you didn’t make it to graduation.”He finally turns to look at me, and anxiety shivers up my spine.In a sincere tone, he asks, “What happened, Taz?”
Breaking his gaze, I look away and push back my bangs.“Life…happened,” I mutter.“So, hey, why haven’t you opened the gate yet?You out of juice?Need my magic?I could go out into the sun and charge some?”
“I’m waiting for Girish.Don’t want to waste magic if I don’t need to.”
“Oh, Gear is here?”I shoot him another smile.“It really is a school reunion.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t answer my?”
“Sorry, sorry!”We turn to Girish dashing down the stairs.He hasn’t changed one bit; he’s still that skinny dude from sorcery protection school, except now with dark stubble and less baby fat.
“Gear!As I live and breathe!”I put my hand out, and he gives me a bro hug while I pat his back.“How are you?”
“Taz.Good to see you.I’m well.”He turns to Luther and adds, “Sorry I’m late.”
“You’re not late.”Luther raises his palm, and an orange glow illuminates the room.In moments, the dark stone archway before us is filled with energy, and I visualize the Union lobby.
“We got a meeting to attend,” Luther says, marching forward.
I turn back to Girish.“Are you not surprised to see me?”
“Well…” He pushes up his glasses and looks away.
“Let me guess?you saw it with your clairvoyance?”
He taps his nose, and we both laugh.With that, the two of us follow Luther into the Union.
“This debrief is of utmost importance.”The chief leans on the podium as his voice fills the room.“I’ve called you all in here to discuss what we’ve learned in the past forty-eight hours.As always, nothing leaves this room.We don’t need all of the Union to panic.This info is for the High Council and select agents of SPELL only.”
I turn to see the High Council sitting across the wooden table.They are three older people in robes, the same triumvirate that ran the show when I was a kid.One of them is Luther’s dad, and one of them is Girish’s mom?the third councilman has no children, I don’t think?but their respective kids sit on my side of the table.Other folks, presumably agents, are sprinkled around the room as well.
When I make eye contact with Chief Tuttle, he nods and says, “As well as specific consultants for this case.We’ve never witnessed hexes of this potency or frequency before.Our very own Agent Toll was affected by what we perceive to be a looming threat to all of the magical community.”He points to Max who gives a feeble wave.He looks healthier now, so that’s a relief.“With his health recuperated, I’d like to allow Agent Toll to debrief us with his intel.”
Max takes the podium, and the room falls quieter than it already was.“Thank you, Chief Tuttle.As you may have heard, I was sent undercover to investigate a group of potential dark mages.We had heard rumors of people using magic for chaotic purposes.But since we had no proof, I was sent to acquire intel by becoming one of them.What on the surface appears to be a community support group in the Midwest is actually a conglomeration of wizards and non-magical folk that are indeed casting hexes and curses for unknown reasons.They take pride in their abilities to use magic for violent, chaotic purposes.They’re organized, and they call themselves…the Unheard.”
A chill goes up my spine, and everyone in the room seems fearful.I briefly exchange a look with Girish before turning back to the podium.
Max clears his throat and continues, “It’s not a diverse cult by any means.The leaders prey upon a specific profile; it’s primarily White American men, with some exceptions.But these people seem jaded and claim to be rejected by society.The recurring theme of each person I chatted with was dissatisfaction in life, be it low-paying jobs or lack of romantic prospects.They felt they deserved more money, more power, and that their prayers had gone unanswered, hence the name of the cult.”
I cringe at the thought of Midwest Americans who joined a violent cult simply because they’re not billionaires.
Max continues, “I was able to join the first rank of the initiation ceremony where they not only showed mortals about sorcery, but claimed a higher purpose was coming.”
Murmurs of controversy fill room.Mortals are being exposed to magic?“What kind of higher purpose?”Necia asks.
Max shakes his head.“I wasn’t able to gather that intel.In one of their bases, I snuck into their library.Some of the cult’s reference books had magical locks, so I tried to open them up to get answers.One cultist caught me, and then…I blanked out.”
“Oh, Max,” Necia says with earnest sympathy.
“Obviously, this is a serious threat,” Chief Tuttle says after Max steps down from the podium.
“If this Cult of the Unheard is casting hexes on mortals and has access to magical tomes…” Councilwoman Shah says.
“Then we need to continue our investigations, but in a safe manner,” Councilman O’Toole adds.
