"Room of No Strangers p-04''

By;fernand jiro.......


When she awoke again, she didn't bother to move, or even open her eyes. Her body simply hurt. Everywhere. She was flat on her stomach, face pressed against the mercifully cool floor. Instead of moving, she thought.




She needed to get out of here. Her mother’s words rang through her head. Time goes normal, unless you slow it down, or speed it up, consciously, or unconsciously. But usually, you don’t want to tamper with time, it can have bad consequences. She wasn’t even sure if she was in a Room - but it was the only thing that came close. Neither was she sure of how long she had been in there. To her it felt like maybe a few hours. She had no clue how long she had been knocked out. 




Twisting, as someone would do when they were asleep, she got her hands under her. She defiantly didn’t want them thinking she was awake. Her hand found her ring, and slowly, she began to fumble with it. Pull it to the finger-joint, a twisting pull, and it came off. 




Ael sighed with relief, keeping her thoughts as neutral as she could, and her ring clutched tightly in her hand. 




She had found out that she could do that, whereas no one else could. On her first night. It had only been a second, as she played with it and it came off, before she jammed it back on, and no one was the wiser. It was on the next day, had found out how Ramona had gotten out. 




The rings put a leash on your power, as Jon had said, and helped you control it. But he had never said who was in charge. And her mother’s words came to her again. Nobody can do magic here unless you want them to. The collar to her power was gone. 




Ael smiled grimly. She could feel her power buzzing somewhere in the depths of her mind, and she wished, on a happy thought, to a safe place. 




Blinking, she reached out a hand to steady herself- on a light cedar end table. She sighed with relief and let herself fall onto the soft couch, and shoved her ring back on. 




Next in line were her clothes. Their whiteness and slightly aseptic smell didn’t belong here. Her dad had said that the room would, or could provide anything she needed. 




The wall suddenly had a door, hanging slightly open, and within, Ael could see shirts hanging, jeans neatly folded on a side shelf, and shoes on the floor. 




Her first attempt to get up left her a bit woozy, and she fell back upon the soft material of the couch. On her second attempt, she braced herself with the table, and held out a hand near the wall to help her make her way to the closet. Evidently, whatever that voice had done to her that knocked her out, had taken a lot more out of her than she thought. 




She pulled out clothes from the closet, and changed. Without a thought, she set fire to the pile of white material now on her floor. She watched it burn for a moment, before a single thought sent the flames to a degree hotter than Hell; and turned the clothes to a small white pile of ash, which she shoved into the closet with her foot, and shut the door. There wasn’t even a burn mark on the soft carpet. The door slowly melted back into plain light blue wall again. 




Once more, she sat down on the couch, pulling her legs up to hug them to her chest. However much she hated to admit it, she didn’t know what to do. They had never told her how to get out of the room, once she was in. The only other way she could remember getting out, was in Westly’s, with the door. But that had been linked for marriage reasons. And he had made the door appear. She didn’t know how to do any of that. 




She sighed, her head falling back against the couch. Her last thought before she fell asleep were that she couldn’t let herself fall asleep, because time was different here. She couldn’t let it slip by unnoticed.










“Ael…Ael, wake up!” 




“Wha...?” She rolled over, and fell off the couch with a thump. Slowly she sat up, rubbing her neck, looking at all the people surrounding her. Her mother, father, and all six teenagers from the Moore’s house. 




“What? How…?” Ael started to say, but her mother shushed her, and began talking fast. 




“Good job getting out of there, but don’t talk about it. Nobody else can find out. Jon’s gone on a rampage since you disappeared. He’s really, really mad. Westly and Rob started to make plans to leave as soon as you were taken, and just yesterday, we took everyone away. We can’t risk anyone being at that house any longer. No telling what Jon might do.” 




It was then that Ael noticed the varying degrees of fright on the teenager’s faces. From Jason, who didn’t seem very phased, to Briana, whose wide blue eyes darted around. 




“We have to leave you here though; we don’t have a safer place. Wes and I are going to get updates on what’s been happening. We’ll be back as soon as possible.” 




Ael watched as Westly quickly put his hand under Ramona’s chin, and suddenly, she was a totally different person. Aged, with white in her dark brown hair, with tanned skin and light eyes. Ramona did the same thing to Westly, and suddenly, he was the small blond boy Ael had seen at the park. 




“Let’s go Jared.” Ramona said, holding up a hand to snap out. He nodded, and they were gone. 




Ael slowly looked around the room, at all the people, and created another couch, making Briana jump. Everyone sat and was silent. 




Ael looked around, before asking. “How’d you get here?” 




“We were in another room, kind of like this, but different, and we walked through a hallway.” Fran said simply if a bit confused. 




“Oh…so what’s happened?” She asked them, not bothering to explain. 




Jason was the one who replied. “Did you know you’ve been gone for two weeks?” 




“Two weeks?!” But I was only in there for like…hours, not days!” How could she have missed two weeks? It was preposterous. Well, best find out what had been going on. She picked herself up off the floor, and scooted back into her corner of the couch. 




“So how much do you guys know, about what’s going on and all?” She asked them. 




Again, it was Jason who spoke. “We weren’t sure you were gone at first. Jon told us you were sick, and that whatever you had was very contagious. We didn’t want to catch it, so we told him to just give you our regards, and didn’t come in your room.” 




Jason’s green eyes turned to Rob as he gave a disgusted sigh. “What?” 




“I’m a Healer. Don’t you remember? She would have been better in about an hour, if she had really been sick.” Rob told them. 




Jason’s brows creased and he looked slightly humiliated. “Oh…well, anyways, it was a while before anyone thought to actually look in on you. There was no sign of Westly, so Tim finally peeked in your door, but there was absolutely nothing in there. No bed, no chest, chairs, and most important, no you. So we held a ‘kid-only’ meeting, and decided something was going on that wasn’t supposed to be. 




“We weren’t really sure what to do, so we just sat tight for another week, trying to think something up. Meanwhile, Jon got worse and worse. It was kind of scary. He tried to teach a class, but he got so…frustrated at absolutely nothing, and the crate just blew up.” 




Ael noticed Dave put a hand to his cheek, underneath was a small cut, as if something had flown by in a hurry. Dave was the one who finished the story. 




“He left after that class, and hasn’t taught one since. And at mealtime, he sometimes would stand up in the middle of eating, and grab somebody, and get right up in their face shouting, ‘where is she? Where is she?’. He made Briana cry she was so frightened. Geez, we had no clue what to say! We thought he was talking about the escaped convict. We never thought it would be you. Then Westly and Rob came one night, and took us all.” He looked about, ready to say something else, but stopped and changed his words. 




“Where are we anyway? I don’t even know how we got here. We were just suddenly here.” He had a blank look on his face as he turned toward Fran, and she always seemed to have the answers to everything. But surprisingly enough, she just shrugged, and it was Ael who spoke up. 




“It’s called a Room of No Strangers.” She told him. “It’s like your own personalized room. My d- Westly told me that much anyway. “She didn’t really want to reveal who he really was yet, nor her mother. 




She sighed, and leaned back against the couch, her ears straining for sounds in the silence. She almost jumped, as Tim spoke unexpectedly. 




“So do you know who that lady is that was with Westly? I’ve never seen her before.” Tim’s green eyes watched Ael through his thin glasses, and she suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable. 




“My mother…” was all she could think of to say, and she ducked as all the eyes turned to look at her. No way was she going to say her real name. 




“But you said she was dead…” Briana’s voice came up. 




Ael shrugged, not sure how to explain it. How could she reveal that her mother was convicted of being a corrupted, and the only person ever to escape a mage’s prison, except Ael herself. 




She rested her arms on her knees, and then her forehead on that, closing her eyes and sighing. Nothing to do until her parents got back. 




They sat in silence for a few minutes, before Dave spoke again. “But how did you know she was your mother? I woulda just- oh, never mind.” Dave’s dark eyes were thoughtful as he continued. “I think we need to have a truth meeting here. Evidently, we all have to trust each other completely, if anything is going to work out at all.” He suddenly stopped, as he realized how much he had just said, or at least the impact of it. A flush came to his pallid features, as Jason nodded, agreeing. 




“I think we should as well. It would do us no good to find out something at a crucial time- if it comes to that.” Fran said, frowning. “Maybe we can even find something out on our own.” Her brown eyes usually serious were lit up, as if on the verge of discovering something, even if it was just something about somebody else. 




Ael frowned. She knew how much she would have to tell, and particularly, she didn’t want to. She needed an excuse…




“Shouldn’t we wait until Westly and my mother come back? I bet they have tons of things we’d need to know.” She prayed that it would work, or at least, give her time to find a way around the things she didn’t want to tell. 




Luckily, it did. Fran wrinkled her nose, but agreed. “It seems to be the smart thing to do…”




Tim looked up, “How long have they been gone anyway?” He looked to Ael, since she seemed to know the most about the room. 




Ael judged it had been about half an hour since they left, and her mother had told her not to stay in the Room for more than an hour. Unless somebody was checking up on them. She guessed that meant her parents wouldn’t be gone any longer than that. “Maybe twenty more minutes, and they should be back.”




They sat for a few more minutes, idly talking, when a door formed itself in her wall and there was a soft tap on it before it was pushed upon, and Ramona and Westly stepped in. They were both back in their normal appearances and neither looked like the news had been too good. 




Westly went to the couch and collapsed next to Ael. He scrubbed at his face with his hands and blew out his breath. “Nothing good has happened that I know of. Jon has completely torn the house apart looking for you. He’s got Michael and Jessica out looking for any traces of any of you. Don’t think you’re completely safe though. I know they can’t get here on their own, but if they catch any of us going to and from a room, they can ‘hitch a ride’ so to speak, and if they’re coming to this room, we won’t know until it’s too late.” 




“What’s wrong with my room?” Ael asked, looking over at him. 




“It’s not completely guarded. My Box, and your mother’s have many safe guards, and spells on them, so nobody can do magic unless we let them. It would be very hard to get into them, but I wouldn’t put it past Jon. We have a smart enemy. But anyway, I talked to my brother, and he’s leading Jon and the Moore’s around on a wild goose chase since our magic’s feel somewhat the same - “




“Feel the same?” Fran interjected. 




“Every magic has its own feel, like… with your mind. Family’s magic tend to be more similar, than two strangers. Miles is trying to get Michael to think that he is Wes, so he’ll leave us alone, and let us do what we need to get done with out Michael bothering us.” Ramona told them, leaning backwards on the wall where the door had melted away. 




“So why doesn’t my room have all those…protections on it, like yours do?” Ael asked, crossing her arms over her stomach. 




“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re not advanced enough. As you learn more about your magic, your ability to resist will grow stronger, and you will be able to set spells on your room. Didn’t you ever notice that Wes and I can do magic in here? It’s because you aren’t strong enough to resist his or my will. But give it a few months, and you’ll get up there. Your will’s strength usually fully develops about a year after your magic shows itself. But don’t worry, we’ll teach you plenty of tricks.” She smiled, lighting up her features as she spoke the last words. 




Ael nodded, commenting. “You seem to know a lot about magic - I mean, for…” she trailed off, unsure how to end it without telling everyone that Ramona had been convicted. Luckily, Dave stepped smoothly in, his shy voice speaking up. 




His dark eyes darted around as he spoke. “We-" he motioned to the other teenagers, “want to have a…truth meeting. Between all nine of us. Maybe we can find something out, or help somehow. We need to know at least what’s going on.” Dave sank his lean form down in the chair he sat in, waiting for someone to say something. 




“Well, I think it’s a good idea. We do know things they need to know.” Ramona said, pushing her wisps of chestnut-red hair away from her face. 




Westly looked thoughtful, and nodded. “I know where we can go too. Do you want to do this now?” 




Ramona nodded, and Westly snapped. 






A dry breeze that smelt of grass wafted toward the group, who were now standing in what seemed an endless plain. The only thing breaking the horizon was a few brushy, scraggly trees, and a few very distant mountains on one side. The grass was dry, a yellowy-green color, and the temperature much warmer than what it had been at home. The sky was a vast dome of powder blue that Ael had to squint at from the sun’s basking glow. 




“Ah, here we are. Inside now.” Westly’s voice ushered them. 




Ael turned around to see a white tent. Not particularly clean, it was about seven feet high, with a roof sloping on either side to the walls, which were only tied down flaps. It was about eight feet wide and maybe ten feet long. The only thing that encouraged Ael to enter was the cooling splash of shadow on the ground. 




Inside, was a completely different scenario. A low six inch high table, with thick cushions surrounding it was most of the décor. A pleasant breeze wafted through and there were packs in the corner, obviously food and drink. 




“Westly, where did you take us?” It was Ramona’s voice that cut through the silence. 




Westly grinned. “Tibetan Plateau.” He said, “Home to some of the greatest mages in the world, surprisingly enough. Even if we do magic, they won’t notice till we’re gone.” He looked pleased with himself. 




Ramona sighed exasperatedly, but smiled and went to the table to sink into one of the plush ground cushions. Everyone else followed, and they were soon all seated. 




“Ok then, who wants to start?” Westly asked cheerfully. Nobody spoke. Until finally, Ramona started to speak. 




“I will, but nobody can leave while I speak. Even if it scares you.” Her brown eyes were serious, as she sat cross-legged and rested her elbows on her knees. 




“Let’s see, I guess I’ll start with my family. As you probably know, Ael is my daughter, and Westly, is my husband. I have a non-magic sister, named Amy Alacon, and she is just your normal non-magic person. I don’t think she likes me very much though. My dad has magic, my mom didn’t. Both of them died, when I was young.” She paused for breath, before going on. “I worked for the magical-government as a corrupt catcher, and Jon became Head during this time. He convicted me of being corrupted. Yes, I am Ramona Larcin. But he had no clue. He couldn’t detect a person if his life depended on it. And I was no way a corrupt. I’m still not. I’m as sane, and uncorrupted as any of you. I promise. 




“I was in a cell for sixteen years, and if you want to know how I got out, it’s this.” She held up her hand, and pulled her ring off. 




Surprisingly enough, there wasn’t much of a reaction. A sharp intake of breath, and startled twitch maybe. Ramona’s eyes were blank, and as she put the ring back on, she blinked, and they came back into focus. 




“I’ll explain why that is, in a moment, after everyone has spoken. I guess that’s enough for me, next?” She looked around. 




Jason smiled, always the positive attitude. “I’ll go. Well, my name is Jason Neil. There’s not much to my story. I’m the middle of four sisters, Dad and Mom had magic, but I’m the first to have it of my siblings. Um…we lived on the beach my whole life. Jon came and took me. That’s about it, nothing special’s happened to me.” He shrugged, and looked to Briana beside him. “Your turn.” 




She nodded, and sighed. “My name is Briana Corely. I’ve got a sister, but she’s really young, like…about a year old. My parent’s were good friends with Jon, and told me about the school a few years ago. I couldn’t wait to get in, but now I’m not so sure it was that great of an id - “Her blue eyes got wide, “What was that?” Her eyes followed something across the tent, something only her eyes saw. 




Westly and Ramona were on guard, they were both tensed, eyes scanning opposite sides of the tent as if they had done it many times before. 
“What did you see?” Ramona asked softly, still watching the tent. 




“It was…a person, I think…it was different though.” Briana sounded a bit scared, and very unsure of herself. 




Ramona was staring at her, as if she had forgotten about the rest of them. Her brown eyes were intent. “What was it doing?” 




“I - I don’t know…just moving across the tent…”




“Walking?” 




“No - well…it wasn’t taking steps.” She sounded scared. “Am I going crazy?” 




“No, can you remember anything else?” 




“It was a woman, she…looked at me, but she didn’t have any eyes, and she smiled.” Her voice shook slightly. “And she was sad…very sad.” Briana’s hands were clenched together. “Please don’t let me be crazy.” The words were half to herself. 




“You’re not crazy. I can promise you that. But what you saw, I’m not that sure about. You’re the first person I’ve ever met that can see them. Only the third person in the world.” 




“What was she?” Briana asked. 




“It was a spirit. I’ve never, and will never see one, neither will anyone of you. It’s a special talent, like healing, only much rarer.” Ramona explained “I don’t know very much about the spirits, only that they’re here to live out their guilt. They did something horrible, when they were alive, and never had time afterwards to fix it, or be forgiven for what they did. And so they are sentenced to stay on Earth until what they did has been forgotten by mortal people.” 




“So what happens then?” Briana asked, a little more steadily. 




“Nobody knows. You can’t come back once you’re dead.” Ramona’s voice was quiet. 




Briana was silent, her head turned to look next to her at Fran. “You go.” She obviously didn’t want to talk about the spirits anymore. 




Fran nodded, and took a deep breath. “My name is Fran Nicholes. I’m an only child, my parents were both good mages, and taught me a lot of what they knew. They told me about the school a year before I got in, and I guess that’s all…I don’t know, nothing has ever happened to me.” She looked around, her gaze settling on Westly, across the table from Ramona. 




He nodded, and began talking. “My name is Westly Larcin. Wife, daughter.” He nodded at Ramona and Ael as he spoke. “Both my parents are dead. I’ve got a brother, and sister. My brother’s name is Miles. He’s a good guy, the one leading Jon around right now. He’s good at hiding, and get-aways. My sister is Julie, Rob’s mother. I don’t know why she corrupted; she was one of the sweetest people before she married Michael. Jessica and Rob are my nephew and niece.” 




Ael frowned upon hearing this news. It seemed her whole family was tied up with corruption. 




“Let’s see, I was trained in magic by my parents, before they died, and I have a sort of…specialty with Rooms - those are the rooms you were in before we came here.” He explained to the others, who had blank looks. 




“When Ramona was taken, I well…did some things I should have and was put in jail - a regular, normal jail. Jon bailed me out, and offered to help. I went with him, hoping he could lead to where Ramona and Ael were. Ael had been taken away by social services, prompted by Jon, which I later found out. But then Ael came to the school, and Jon trusted me even more, and I found out what he was up to - I’ll tell you when everyone’s done. So, who’s next?” He looked next to him. 




Dave, who was sitting there, looked up, and began talking, his voice quiet at first. “My name is Dave Wolf. I was born in, and lived in a forest. I’d tell you where, but even I didn’t know. My dad, well…I think he’s a wolf.” He looked around, as is expecting them to laugh. When nobody did, he kept going. “My mom transformed into a wolf, I’m not sure why, maybe to hunt or something, but she was raped, I guess, by a male, and we never found out which one. See, there’s a pack that ran through the area that we lived in, but they won’t ever talk to me. 




“That’s another thing that resulted from it. I can talk to animals, and transform into them. Most people have to learn how, but I’ve been able to since I was born. I just think, and it happens. 




“I lived in that forest until Jon came and got me. My mom wouldn’t even let me go to the village that was near by. I think she was ashamed of me, or scared.” He looked down, before finished. “That’s all I’ve got to say…”




His dark eyes flickered over to Tim, who shrugged, and began to speak. “My name is Tim Johnson. Umm…I grew up in the South. Neither of my parents knew, or had magic. I’ve got a sister, she’s a year older than me, but she doesn’t’ have magic. I only learned about it when they brought me to that school.” He shrugged. “That’s all there is to my story, Ael, your turn.” His green eyes turned in her direction. 




She began to speak, wondering if everyone felt unsure of what they had said as she did. “My name is Ael Alac- Larcin.” She had to correct herself. “My parents are Ramona and Westly. From what I know, I was taken from them when I was about six months old. They took me to live with my aunt and uncle. I lived there for about sixteen years, before Jon took me to the school. That’s when I found out who my parents were. I can do the same thing as my mother, for some reason.” She twisted her ring, and pulled it off her finger, before jamming it back on. She still didn’t like the feel of it not being there. Blue met blue as her eyes met Rob’s as she turned to him. 




“My name is Robert Moore, I grew up in the house that all of you call the school. My parents, and sister, sadly enough are all corrupted. I’m not though, thank God. I think I never corrupted, because I was always with Josh-" He nodded toward Ael, “her cousin. He was only thirteen, but he was a jerk. No offense meant to anyone. Josh showed me the wrong, every time I was with him, he tormented, and ridiculed others. And, I think it’s because I’m a Healer. Being corrupted has been considered ‘ripping your soul’, and I naturally resist anything that you would normally Heal. I naturally heal, where some people learn it. I just do it. Like Dave and transforming. I can Heal. I became friends with Westly when I was about ten, and I guess that’s how I came to be part of this little group.” Rob leaned back on his hands, and sighed, finishing his speech. 




It was silent a moment, before he spoke up again. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m kind of thirsty.” He swung his legs around, so he could stand up, and walk over to the few khaki colored packs that were in a corner. He pulled out a few bottles of water, which were surprisingly cold, and passed them around. 




Westly’s eyes suddenly grew unfocused, and he didn’t take the water passed to him. Ramona hissed at Rob to leave him alone when he tried to touch him. Then suddenly, Westly twitched, and seemed to come back to himself. “Nobody’s there yet.” He said with a relieved sigh. Glancing at the water as if he just realized it was there, he took it. “Thanks.” 




After everyone was settled again, Ramona began speaking. “I suppose everyone wants to know why we are here. Since we’ve got the time, I’ll tell you the story. 




It starts out about nineteen years ago. I had just become one of the world’s top cc’s, or corrupt-catchers. Jon Burken was working his way toward becoming Head. Everybody liked him, he was obviously going to get it. So after about a year passed, and elections were held, Westly and I got married, and then Jon became Head. I started noticing people close to Jon being charged for corruption – not people he openly associated with, but people he talked to behind closed doors, like the Smiths; they were a big family who were all caught on charge of being corrupted, and a few of the cc’s as well. 




Surprisingly enough, the cc’s we took in had been the ones who caught these already corrupted people, the Smiths’, the Starres’, the Woods’, all those families. Something was obviously going on. Nobody could put their finger on it though, and then one day, I just stumbled upon the answer while talking to my best friend, Julie Moore.” 




“But she’s an enemy! Why would she be your best friend?” Briana butted in. 




“It was years ago, before she was corrupted. Anyway, I came upon the solution that Jon was the one who was actually corrupted. I made her promise not to tell anyone.” 




“Why not though? Wouldn’t it be easier to have taken him in then, before he had all this power?” Briana asked again. 




“No, Jon was just as powerful then; he was probably one of the most, if not the most powerful mage in the world during that time. If someone would even dare accuse him of doing the smallest wrong, they would find themselves in jail, for the stupidest things, before they could get their accusation out. And once they had been in jail, nobody would believe them anyway. So no one could accuse him of being corrupt. 




Little did I know, Julie told him my suspicions as he grew closer and closer to her. He only needed a reason to get me out of his way, and he would do it. About that time, I became pregnant with Ael. That gave me about a three-month leave from work. Jon waited for that chance, and when I came back, he convicted me of plotting for power against him, the stupid...” She trailed off muttering angrily to herself and then shook her head. 




“Sorry, it just makes me so mad that everyone was so blind! And no one would say otherwise, even if they were my friends – they didn’t want to get blamed either.” She said her voice slightly bitter. “From there, Wes’ll have to tell you, I became a bit occupied with four white walls.” She shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest, her eyes hollow. 




“Right then...” Westly gave her a careful look before starting to talk. “Let me start with when Ramona was pregnant. I worked in the same part if government, but I wasn’t a cc, I had the boring part, files, desk work. I hated it, so of course I was always talking to people in other departments. One of my best friends was Jack Nicholes,” He nodded toward Fran. “Your dad, he worked with Creation Boxes, which are the white boxes that the rings came out of. He helped to create those. He was telling me about Jon, how he had started to come in everyday, and asking to help create the boxes. Jack told me one day, how the boxes that Jon helped to create always seemed to be plain white, whereas the one’s he didn’t touch, were a more, iridescent color, a mother-of-pearl-ish color.




The boxes all worked the same, so people just shrugged it off. Funny enough, the off-white boxes tended to break easier, so Jon’s boxes went more and more in circulation. I told this to Ramona since she was trying to figure out what was wrong with Jon, but then, Ael came, and she was convicted by Jon six months later and we never had the chance to figure anything else out. 




Ael was taken by social services after Jon hinted to them I was an unfit parent, and I was told to forget about her, and I would never see her again. I did some things I probably shouldn’t have, and went to jail, and Jon bailed me out, acting as if he didn’t know anything about it. He convinced me to join him in helping this school by saying he would help me get Ael and Ramona out. I was desperate by then, and I didn’t get any information, so I took his offer. 




Sixteen years passed, I never heard anything, of either of them, and he never said anything about them. He was too busy trying to keep his office. He wasn’t doing bad, it’s just that people wanted something new. Nothing big was happening in the world, and even though he was still the most powerful mage, people still didn’t realize he was corrupted. I began to get letters from old friends, telling me what had happened while I was gone, and together, we formed our own little ‘good side’. 




Then, the group of students I had been waiting for came. Ael would have been sixteen, and if she would have had magic, it would be my last chance to find her. In the group was a student named Ael. I thought it was a weird name, and then I saw how it was spelt, and I became suspicious. The only problem was, Ramona had never told me her middle name. Before you ask why I didn’t know, it was a game we used to play, me trying to guess. Then Ramona escaped, and found me, and I asked her, and she said it really was you. 




Your real name is Allison Ellen Larcin. A.E.L. is your initials, and Jon gave that name to the social workers so that’s what was you were known by. See, he wanted to remember you, out of everyone, so he could make sure I would never find you. 




Once I found out who you really were, Jon knew I somehow had contacted Ramona, and took Ael away to a mage’s cell – luckily, she got out the same way Ramona did and that’s pretty much how we all ended up here.” Westly sighed and shifted in his seat, rubbing at his tired face with a hand. 




“But Jon doesn’t seem that dangerous, does he?” Dave asked quietly, looking toward Westly and then Ramona. 




“Remember those boxes I told you about? We found out, that every box he made, he has a bit of power over whoever gets a ring from them. Including the six of you, but not Ael.” 




“Me? Why not? I got my ring from the same box as everyone else did.” Ael asked, confused. 




Westly shrugged, and was silent. Ael turned to her mother, repeating her question. 




She too shrugged, “I’m not really sure yet. I’m guessing it has something to do with you being related to me, but then I’m not even sure what it is with me. It can’t be my ring, since all old rings were replaced with one’s from Jon’s boxes. Now, all the rings are on a person’s middle finger.” She held up a hand showing a pale strip of skin on one of her fingers, evidence of the ring that used to be there. 




Briana stiffened her eyes once again following something across the tent that nobody else could see. She blinked, shaking her head and rubbed at her eyes. Nobody said anything about her actions. 




“So what’re we going-” Fran’s voice spoke up, but was cut off by somebody storming into the tent. 




He was extremely tall and wore white. They weren’t robes exactly, but neither were they pants and a shirt, Ael couldn’t tell exactly what manner of clothing it was. It did however, contrast vividly with his brown skin and black eyes. His hair was white; there were only a few wisps of it that lifted in the breeze coming through the tent flaps. He spoke loudly in a language none of them understood, his face a mix of concern, anger and confusion. 




Westly stared at him, flabbergasted for a moment, before standing quickly, making motions with his hands. They didn’t seem to have any effect on the man, who was now trying to urge Westly out of the tent with urgent, foreign words. 




“”Ramona?” Westly held his ground easily. The tall man was obviously unused to physically having to move someone. “Any help?” 




Romana stared just as Westly had done, before standing as well. The rest of them began to stand as well, everyone slightly concerned. 




Still rambling on in his tongue, he motioned toward the door hurriedly. It was clearly a gesture to leave, but before they could try and respond, another figure came hurtling through the tent flap. 




He was a tall man, much on the same build as Westly. He had light brown hair, board straight, which hung to just below his ears. He had sky blue eyes, and an easy smile, but at the moment, his mouth was grim, and he looked for Westly. 




“Wes! They know it’s not me! They’re coming this way! I didn’t know what to do but some and get you.” He said, walking toward Westly all the while. 

"Room of No Strangers p-03''

By;fernand jiro.............

Ael looked around. They were in a softly lit, yet cheery room. Dark oak finished white walls were decorated with many, many pictures, and a deep cracked leather couch was along one wall, almost inviting her to sink into its depths. A matching chair with an ottoman and a table were on the other. There were standing lamps in each corner.


The first thing Ael noticed was that somehow, there was no door. She glanced around at the many pictures, noticing many people she knew, such as Rob, the Alacon's, a few relatives she wasn’t sure of, and then many, many people she didn’t know. Then, the single picture on the table caught her attention, and held her.


It was of a beautiful woman, with soft, just slightly wispy brown hair, fair skin, and warm loving brown eyes. Her form was slender and slightly short, and wearing a cream sweater. A soft smile played along her rosy lips as she looked down at the small child in her arms. The pair of them leaned into the arms of a tall, broad man – a younger Westly – who had his arms wrapped around both of them, and didn’t seem to ever want to let go. His chin rested on the woman’s head, and his blue eyes had just caught the camera, and were full of love. A barely-there smile ghosted at his features, almost putting the laugh lines into relief.


Ael knew who it was, and because of it, she wanted to cry. Her voice was shaky as she whispered,”Is that my mom?”


Westly nodded, his blue eyes lost in thought as he made his was to the chair, and sat silently in it.


Slowly Ael turned, taking in the pictures on the wall again, now seeing the woman in many of them, usually smiling, or laughing, happy as ever. She even saw herself, usually in the woman’s arms, in a few.


A tear threatened at the corner of her eye and took its plunge, followed by more. Unconsciously she felt Westly’s arms go around her, and she turned to cry into his chest.


“How could...” She tried to speak her words around the choked feeling in the throat, “How could she just…go bad?” The woman in all the pictures was so happy, and her face so full of love and laughter. How could her mother, be a corrupted, insane mad-woman. Judging by the face in the picture, they had gotten that all wrong. What she would give to have seen her, even once. She couldn’t stop the tears as they came for her loss.


Westly led her to the couch, where he held her as if she were no longer sixteen years old, but his little baby he had lost sixteen years ago. He didn’t say anything, just held her, shushing her tears.


It was awhile before she realized that the tears would no longer come, and she sniffed, wiping a hand at her dry eyes. Westly stood up, and produced a tissue out of nowhere and handed it to her, before sitting at the other end of the couch.


She blew her nose, looking around again. “Where are we?”


“In a ‘Room of No Strangers’ if you want the proper name. I call it my Box.” He replied, looking around himself.


She gave him an odd look. “Room of No Strangers? What the heck is that?”


“Everyone has one, everyone’s is different. You’d learn about it in a year at school. Consider it your…sanctuary. The only people who can come here have to be invited, and brought by you. Also, it has anything in it you’d need. Food?” He snapped his fingers, and a small refrigerator appeared on one side of the room. Another snap and it disappeared.” Closets?” Snap. A door appeared in the wall, and another took it away. Westly looked at her.


“So why are we here then?” She asked him, curiously.


Westly sighed. “It’s a long story, but first, you have to trust me that what I tell you is the truth.” His blue eyes were serious as he judged her.


She nodded.


“I’m also going to ask that you don’t interrupt me, it’s kind of a long story, and we don’t have all that much time.” He resettled in his chair, and began to speak.


“Jon Burken is…evil, if you think that way. He is wrong, bad, and even corrupt. As are the Moore's, Jessica, Julie, and Michael. Robert, for some reason, had stayed un-corrupted. Don’t trust them, and don’t talk around them unless you must, and then, never talk about anything important.


“Jon taught you about corruption, correct? And how hard it is to detect the ones who are? Well, that was partly right. Some of them you can’t even tell when they do perform magic. I think Jon is one of these. He’s oh…an evil genius, however stupid that sounds... He’s been able to stay away from the corrupt-catchers for many years, we’re not sure how, but he has been. He even got this school of his started. The real reason behind all of this is to corrupt all of you kids, and us adults, to join ‘his side’.


“And your mother, well, she’s not…corrupted. She was the closest, to ever discovering what Jon was doing, before she was captured. We still aren’t sure how she escaped, she won’t tell anyone.”


Ael nodded, not looking Westly in the eye. She knew, how her mother had done it, but she couldn’t tell either. It was just so abnormal, that she wouldn’t tell. Maybe she wasn’t supposed to know, or maybe it was just a ‘family’ thing. She looked up, to speak, as what Weslty had said hit her. “So you know where she is?”


Westly surprised her again, by nodding and saying, “She’s in her Room, do you want to see her?”


Ael nodded silently, hoping she could trust this ma- her father, she told herself. He wasn’t just a random person anymore he was her father.


Westly stood up and gave a soft snap as Ael followed him, and a door appeared, which he pulled open to reveal a corridor.


It was about twenty yards long and softly lit by the light coming from the partly open door at the far end of the hall.


Westly knocked softly, when they reached the door, but didn’t bother to wait for a reply as he pushed it open, with a quick explanation that the hallway was a “marriage courtesy of sorts.” He stepped inside, and stepped to the side so Ael could walk in next to him.


The room was a pale, soft rose, with a light cream trim. A squishy leather sofa was next to a light oak end table with a cream-shaded gold lamp. The room had a soft, calming quality about it, but Ael’s attention was held by the figure curled up on the couch.


Her silky, slightly wispy hair was a light brown, with a reddish tint. She had a perfectly featured barely tanned face, a straight nose, even, big eyes, and soft lips. Her figure was thin, curled up on the couch as it was, but as she stood up to greet them, she didn’t rise very high. She brushed the hair away from her face with a delicately slim hand, her brown eyes were level and serious, yet warm and so full of love that it was little Ael could do but run to her and wrap her arms around her mother, once more the tears flowing down her cheeks as she heard her mother’s voice in her ears.


“Ael, oh, my baby…” Was repeated over and over by the soft voice, also choked with tears.


Once they had let go, Weslty came over, and gave the woman a hug, and a kiss. He smiled, and Ael could almost forget the lines of pain and suffering on his face. “Ael, meet your mother…” He said needlessly.


Her mother gave her a sad smile, “I missed you so much…I’m sorry I couldn’t be there, but it was better you weren’t with me, or Westly. Jon did our side a favor doing that one thing, though I don’t think he realized it. “


Ael suddenly could see through the small lines, of pain, and of horror, or terrible things on Ramona’s face, and the haunted look in her eyes as she spoke.


“Sixteen years….” Her mother softly said, sinking back on the couch, and snapping up a matching chair for Weslty as Ael sat at the other end of the couch.


As she fell against the soft leather, Ael realized how long they had been gone from the park, and almost got up again but her mother motioned her to sit, with a knowing smile.


“Don’t worry, time can be different here. Everyone is completely in charge of their room. Time goes normal, unless you slow it down, or speed it up, consciously, or unconsciously. But usually, you don’t want to tamper with time, it can have bad consequences.” Ramona looked serious.


“Do I have a room?” Ael asked curiously.


“Yes. Everybody has one; it’s just a matter of knowing how to use it. Did you want to know how to use yours?” Her mother asked, smiling.


Ael nodded. She supposed this was the “other way” in which her mother had been smart in: magic.


“Ok, the first thing you need to do is concentrate on a happy thought.”


That was easy, when she knew she had parents and she actually got to meet her mother.


“Alright, now concentrate on that, and then think of your most favorite place in the world. Somewhere you feel safe.”


It took awhile to decide that, she didn’t really feel safe anywhere. Finally, she decided on the room that she was in: her mother’s Room. Slowly she nodded.


“Ok, now picture a room with both these feelings and qualities in it, and picture Wes and me there with you.”


Ael nodded again, clenching a fist, and staring blankly at nothing. A sense of power made her palm tickle.


“Now, snap.”


Instantly, they were in Ael’s Room. A pale, icy blue room, with an almost white trim. A corner couch was along most of two walls, made of tan, light blue, and light pink material. It looked scratchy, but Ael knew it would be soft. Two light cedar end tables were at the ends of the couch. Each held a bright lamp, and in the far corner was a plain standing lamp. On one table, she noticed, was the same picture that had been in Westly’s room, of her and her mother and father.


Westly chuckled and went to pick it up. “I always liked this one too.” He set it back down, looking around her room. “Nice, you even have carpet.” He commented with raised eyebrows, eyeing the floor.


And she did, a light tan color that sank where you walked on it. Ramona took a seat on the couch, and began to speak. “So, now you know how to get to your Room. There are only a few things I have to tell you about it. First off, don’t bring anybody here unless you’re absolutely sure you can trust them. It makes it easier for them to make themselves be pulled along in if they’re near. And by near, I don’t mean the same room, I mean the same city, or state. Second, never stay in your Room too long. Things might happen outside that you are unaware of. Time is different and until you know how to control the Room time and the outside time, don’t stay very long. So unless you have a wonderful human news resource," She looked to Westly. “Don’t stay more than an hour of Room time. Third, Remember. You make the rules here. If you wanted to turn this into a volcano, you could, and you would die, and no one would be wiser. That also means you can control others within it somewhat. Usually, the creator of the Room is the one in charge, and can do magic in it. Unless the Creator doesn’t care if the others are doing magic, then others would be able to. Anyone who tired to do magic against the Creator’s will, would be hurt, knocked unconscious, or something along those lines.”


Ael nodded, settling herself in a corner of the couch as her mother spoke.


“So will you tell me what happened? Like, why you were convicted, and how you were caught?”


Her mother gave a sad smile, and curled her legs around beside her, and leaned on Westly as he sat beside her, and it was he who spoke.


“Well, I told you most of it, but I think only she can tell you the why behind everything that happened.”


Her mother’s voice was soft, and at times, she looked or leaned into Westly. “It was two years before you were born, that most of this started…


Jon Burken had just become Head of the magic world, government I suppose you would call it. Back then, he was considered the greatest mage. Extremely gifted, and very, very well schooled. I had just become one of the highest corrupt catchers. Seems I had a gift for detecting them. Sure did backfire.


See, I was the first to notice Jon’s turning. I didn’t want to say anything though. Do you know how bad it would look, if I convicted him of being corrupt? Anyway, I told Julie Moore, who back then was one of my best friends. The only other person I trusted as much was Westly. Julie was in a different, undercover type of job, so I thought she wouldn’t tell. Obviously, that was my big mistake. She didn’t tell them, but waited until right after I knew for sure I was pregnant with you.


Once you were born, Jon used my absence to convict me of plotting for power against him. He convicted me of being corrupt, so there was no way anyone would listen to anything I would say, and I would be put away. Out of his way. That’s when I realized that my suspicions had been right. Why else would such a man put away his best cc in a cell?


So he accused me, and no one dared defy him, for fear of being convicted themselves. Anyone who would say something about him, or anybody who was close to him would just be thrown in themselves. And they came and got me. They were horrible. People and friends I had known my whole life knocked me out, with such horrid looks on their face. As if, I don’t know, I was a monster or something.


When I woke, it was in a white box, with no color, no anything. No doors, windows, ventilation, furniture, nothing. And I had been changed into these white clothes, stiff, starched, itchy. There was only a white bucket in one corner. That’s it.”


Her eyes were haunted as she remembered, hollow and bleak. “My first thought was to leave. I tried to transport myself from there. I woke up five days later. That’s what happened anytime I tried to do any magic. And then, they would question me. I can’t…I don’t….” She shivered, drawing in on herself as she closed her eyes. The horror was evident on her face. Westly put an arm around her, as if protecting her. Slowly, she began to speak again.


“They wanted to know how the cells worked. The guards aren’t allowed to tell. They take a vow of silence, and if they try to communicate in anyway, nothing would be seen, or heard, or whatever. They figured that since I was in the department, I would know. I told them what I did know, but it was only the common knowledge. That went on for so long, I started to think about the cells more, and I figured the whole thing out. I don’t even know how much time passed while they left me alone, and then I escaped.” She shrugged. “You know everything that happened once I got out.”


Westly looked to Ael, “After they took your mother, they took you. They told me I wasn’t a ‘fit’ parent. I did some things I probably shouldn’t have, and then after I got out of jail, Jon Burken found me, and offered to help me-“ He was about to continue when Ael stopped him.


“You were in jail?”


He nodded, “Not a mage’s cell, just normal, boring real jail. But anyway, you mother had told me about Jon, and her suspicions at what he was, so I jumped at the chance to get close to Jon, thinking that since he had convicted her and ordered you to be taken, he knew about it, and maybe I could sort it out or something and get you back. He had been released from his position as Head around this time. Then, I learned that what he wanted was you, Ael, he had taken you somewhere, but hadn’t told me, and wouldn’t. He wanted you, so he could maybe torture you into getting your mother to talk. He still thought she knew things that she wasn’t telling. But she escaped before he had a chance. Step quiet around him.”


Ael was quiet for a moment, she couldn’t really think up anything to say. “So why did Jon get fired? You both say that everyone seemed to like him.” She asked.


Her mother’s eyebrows creased, and she looked to Westly. “I couldn’t say, I was still committed at the time…”


“Rumors were going around about corruption. Rumors like, if you caught the corrupted, or accused someone of it, you yourself would become one. Almost disease-like. And Jon had never caught or accused someone before. He was the first Head to do it I think. Also, his time was just over. Nothing spectacular was or had occurred during his time, so people were just looking for something new. Normal course of politics I suppose.” Westly yawned over the last words.


“So do you just stay in your Room all the time then?” Ael asked her mother.


Ramona frowned, “Sometimes I stay in there, other times, I let Wes Illusion me, and I go out, to listen to what people are saying. Maybe stir up a few rumors of my own.” She smiled almost mischievously, and Ael couldn’t help but smile back.


She still couldn’t understand how somebody could think Ramona as a corrupted mage. She was so…full of life. Even after sixteen years of living in a box, she could act normal, as if she had forgotten.


Westly rose, stretching. “I think it’s time we were back. I’ve been judging our time here and the time there in reality. It’s been about a half hour, any longer they’ll start to think that Ael’s been kidnapped or something.”


Ael nodded, and stood up, followed by her mother, whose brown eyes were slightly sad. Her wispy hair hung forgotten around her shoulders, and she reached out to hug Ael tightly. “I’ll be seeing you as soon as we can manage it.” Her mother’s voice told her with promise.


Ael’s words were simple. “I love you.” Her eyes wished to cry again, but she didn’t let them. Ramona said something, but it was lost in a rush of air, that left Ael clutching at the chain-linked swing dizzily.


“I said, ‘are you done yet?’ It’s my turn!” The slight obnoxious tone of the blond boy’s voice made her look up.


“Westly?” She said softly.


“No, I’m Jared. Now get off, it’s my turn!” The boy said, hand on his thin hips, blue eyes glaring.


“Sure…” Ael replied, getting up, but she swore the boy winked to her as he stalked over on his way to the swing, which he promptly set into motion.


She shook her head, setting her feet in the direction of the Moore’s house.


The whole trip had been about an hour of ordinary time, but to Ael, it felt like three, and she was tired.


Her feet carried her unconsciously home, as she tried to remember everything that had happened. She slipped in the front door, and up to her room, intent on taking a nap.


Before walking across her room, she took off her shoes, and then fell on her bed, almost immediately asleep. Little did she see the shadow that crossed her room, nor was anyone witness to the flare of translucent blue flame that encompassed her momentarily, before she, the flame, and the shadowed figure disappeared.


* * * * *




Groggily, she came to, her head pounding. She opened her eyes, and immediately forgot the pain in her head. The reality was much, much worse.


White was everywhere. Six seamless sides fused her prison, a single plastic bucket of the same white in one corner. She wasn’t sure where the light came from, perhaps it was the walls, but she couldn’t be sure; for she cast no shadow anywhere.


Looking down at herself, she found her clothes completely white. Also seamless, and starched to perfection. She started to shake as the reality of where she was hit home. A mage’s cell, the place no one ever left. She fumbled her hands together as if for comfort.


It was the voice however, that made her cower. Her blue eyes were wide as she gazed around, almost expecting to see someone looking in from the ceiling, or somewhere.


The voice was so pleasant, so kind, and yet so deadly poisonous. Like a snake, slithering along, until its split second strike left you bleeding and pale from its bite.


“Ah, Ael, welcome.” The sexless voice purred. There was no way to tell whether it was male of female. “I hope you’re enjoying your new arrangements. Don’t worry, you’re in safe hands here. No more magic. Now, why don’t you answer one simple question for me?” The silky voice spoke.


What to say, what to say…her mind raced, no way was she going to give away anything her parents had told her. Her thoughts went back to the cell. Mage’s cell. Then it hit her. They thought she was one of the corrupt. Just like her mother. Or what was it Westly had said? He wanted you, so he could maybe torture you into getting your mother to talk. She shivered, and didn’t reply to the question, instead, she chose her own words, carefully. Hiding the fact that she was afraid, and keeping her voice calm and emotionless.


“Aren’t you afraid?” She asked it. Maybe she could toy with it long enough for somebody to figure out where she was.


“Me? Afraid of nothing I am.” The voice laughed, and Ael shrank from the horrible sound. It seemed to come from the very air itself.


“Not even of corruption?” She could play this game too. “I heard it was like a disease. You catch one, you catch It.” She spoke the capital letter with emphasis.


The voice was quiet a moment before its sinister laugh was heard again. “You stupid, stupid little girl. Speak not of what you don’t understand. Answer me now, Where is your mother?”


Ael surprised herself by laughing. “You think I don’t know myself?” She still didn’t answer its question. “The little I know of the magical world is small compared to what I know of corruption. And now it’s your turn. The disease is yours.” She stared at a wall, as if she were talking to it. It was really uncomfortable talking to nothing.


“Dammit girl, I don’t care about corruption. Where is your mother? Answer me!”


“My mother is dead.” She answered finally, flat and emotionless.


“You and I both know very well the truth.” It once again purred. It was like velvet as it spoke.


Ael was silent. How much did this thing know? How much didn’t it know, maybe that was the question? And who was the voice?


The sound of the voice gave an agitated noise when she didn’t answer, it was almost a snarl.


Suddenly, pain arched through her body, and her scream of pain quickly died as she fainted into unconsciousness. The words remained in her head however, all through her unremembered dreams. “Answer me, or they’ll be hurting, Oh yes…very badly.” The voice once more was soft and purring, like sugar, gone rotten.

"Room of No Strangers p-02''

By;fernand jiro......

hey obediently got up, and followed, Briana in the lead, and Ael in the rear. She followed them through the door, down a corridor, and up a flight of stairs, another hallway and into an empty room.


The only furnishings were eight chairs, and beside them, stood Jon. He motioned for them all to sit, as he himself did.


Ael went to a chair, Jason sitting on one side of her, Fran on the other. Dave sat uneasily on Jason’s other side, Tim and Briana on the other side of Fran. Rob took the seat beside Tim.


Jon Burken smiled as he sat in his chair in front of them all. His voice was soft, but it caught their attention, and they listened to every word.


“As you all know, you each posses magic. Some stronger than others, some more natural than others. But all of this is to be expected. Now, as to why you posses it. Magic posses only good souls, not ones corrupt by bad thoughts or wrong ways of thinking. Each of you I promise should be able to have full confidence in each other, for each of your soul’s are still pure, unlike that of a grown person.


“Now, do not get me wrong, each of you has your own personality, your own opinion, your own quirks, but they will only help you learn, and you will each learn in your own way, whereas one might sit in a corner and think it out, another would be out, trying it, experimenting, learning by mistakes rather than his mind.


“None of you will leave here, without enough knowledge of your magic that you cannot live safely. Those rings help protect, but sometimes, even they are not enough. I think some of you might know the minor things that could happen…”


Ael looked down, remembering what had happened to Josh.


“Magic only chooses a few to live in. You six are the only ones chosen on that day. Most peoples sixteenth birthdays go by, with a celebration, and little else. Your birthdays were different because your magic chose to show itself. It gave us a good chase, trying to find all of you. Most of you know what happens, you probably heard it from your parents, and you were warned to what would happen. Others didn’t, so we had to go find them first incase something drastic happened.


“You see, a mage can tell when magic shows itself, for the first time, unheeding its channeler’s thoughts. And that is dangerous, we don’t’ know yet, the extent of what could happen.”


He cleared his throat, and allowed them a moment to resettle.


“But anyway, onto the rings. Each and every mage has one. Every ring is different, attuned to its bearer. It is impossible to take off, mar, scratch, or tarnish, or anything. It will never become too tight, not too loose. To say in short, you will never be rid of it. Until death, and then, even some do not go away. The few ghosts people see, wear one of these, but if you do not….become, for lack of better word, a ghost, they turn black, decay, loose all power, and disintegrate.”


“The ring will help you channel your power, so it doesn’t fly out at mere thought. Now, to actually perform magic, you must focus all your thought into one thing, and depending on how bad you want it, it will happen. Some tasks, such as heating things, creating fire, calling things, simple tasks, will come easier with time. Others, such as healing, transforming, or illusions, will always be hard, unless that is your niche. Such as Healing is Rob’s niche. He doesn’t need instruction in it; it comes to him by instinct.”


He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it, as the pleasant chime ran through the house again. He smiled, and stood. “Lunch time.”


Ael found herself surprisingly hungry, and as she stood up, she found her legs and back stiff. She wordlessly followed the group back to the kitchen, fingering her ring.


Lunch, as was all the food she had eaten there, was good, and she ate her fill, before following them back to the bare room.


The adults came this time, each creating their own chair out of thin air, much more comfortable looking chairs than the teenagers.


Before Jon could even start talking, Fran raised her hand, eyes questioning.


Almost as if he was expecting something, Jon raised his eyebrows, waiting for her question.


“Sir, you say, that magic only enters one who has a pure soul, correct?”


At his nod, she continued. “So you are saying that everyone magic enters is a ‘good’ person, a ‘good’ mage? But aren’t there ‘bad’ ones? One’s who aren’t good? How do they get their magic..?” Her eyebrows were creased her mind rapidly thinking.


Jon however replied without a thought. “You see, a person can…go bad. They take the magic, and abuse it, therefore, the magic corrupts the person. Any power can be wrongly used and for every good there is an evil.”


Fran nodded, opening her mouth again. “But is there no way to fix that? You say for every good there is an evil, so for every evil, there must be a good. Isn’t there a way to…” She searched for a word. “…convert them back to being good?” She rubbed her nose, looking back to Jon.


Ael heard Mr. Moore mutter, “So there is a smart one in the bunch after all.” But his smile showed he meant no harm.


Jon thoughtfully rested his chin on his hand as he made a table appear in front of him to lean on. His green eyes pierced Fran’s brown ones, which stared back unblinking.


“There probably is, but it has certain side effects that make one leery to even try that. You see, the magic and soul of a mage are very deeply intertwined, and the thoughts run through both. Suddenly removing the total thought of the bad from the person would make them go completely insane. It would be like taking half your mind, and leaving you helpless. There’s not telling what would happen, though there are science-mages who attempt to try and fix these problems.


I think the last person they tried to…convert, killed themselves before they finished.”


Westly suddenly stood up, his face slightly haggard. “Excuse me.” He said, and quickly left the room, with no explanation.


The teenagers looked after him curiously, and the adults just shrugged, but Jon had a slightly sad look on his face, as if he knew something the rest did not.


The adults stood, as Jon announced a short break and the kids left to mill around in the hallway for a few minutes, before Jon called them back in.


Westly was still missing as they all took a seat. Jon stood, speaking. “Now, I suppose since all of you are tired listening to lectures, we’ll practice. Most things you won’t need a teacher for, since it is simply a matter of the mind. Some spells need to be done in a certain order, some things need a word, motion, etc.”


He looked to each of them with a hard eye, making what he said stick. “Never blink. That is the easiest way to loose control of your spell, and loose track of what you are doing. Now, I would like each of you to hold out your palm, and concentrate on creating fire over it. Think fire, heat, compactness.” He told them himself holding out a palm, and almost instantly, a small flame licked the air. He closed his fingers, and is disappeared.


“Now, you.”


The five adults each stepped toward a person, evidently, there in case something went wrong. Nobody came near Ael, she supposed it was Westly’s spot, so she tried by herself.


Nothing happened.


Only Fran, seemed to be having any luck, her tiny flame flickering in and out.


Again, Ael, thought, this time remembering the flames in her room, trying to bring that to her palm.


She felt a small flare of heat, and was surprised to see a small ball of flame suspended above her palm. It didn’t hurt, as it grazed her skin, she just felt a little tickle.


“Nice job Ael.” Jessica told her, she was helping Briana a few chairs away.


Ael nodded her concentration on her fire. No one else seemed to notice her, so she experimented a little on her own. Concentrating on the flame, she thought to enlarge it, just a little, so she could work with it better.


It complied, growing the size of a baseball. She then thought of winter cold, and chilling. She thought of snow and ice, deep freezing rivers, and the flame went out.


Frowning, she brought it back. This time she thought of air of winter, chilling drafts, and freezers. Suddenly, the heat of her fire disappeared leaving only a small flame, a small cold flame. She smiled, moving her other hand over the flame, letting it lick through her fingers. The flame tickled, but she didn’t feel any heat.


Maybe this magic thing wouldn’t be so bad after all.


Jon Burken looked over from where he was helping Fran, and smiled. “Good job, but next time, wait until one of us can help you, we don’t want any accidents.”


Ael frowned, but nodded. Didn’t they want them to learn and experiment? She sighed, but did as she was told, and didn’t experiment. She just played with the small ball of fire, pushing it through her fingers and let it dance and bounce off them.


They soon stopped, allowing the kids an hour break, to go do whatever they wanted.


Ael went to her room, as she had no place else to go, and she almost wasn’t surprised to see Westly sitting in the chair staring into the fire, his blue eyes lost and sad. She didn’t know what to say, so she silently took the other chair, sat cross-legged, and looked at him, studying his facial features.


They were sad, all joy gone from his face, his blue eyes fathomless, devoid of emotion. The lines of pain and agony were strong, the laugh lines near disappeared. He blinked once, a heavy sigh escaped the big man, before he spoke, his voice just above a whisper.


“They took my wide. She was one of the greatest mages, magic just came so easy to her, and she was one of the strongest people I knew. One day, thought, something went wrong, and she claimed, ‘I don’t know enough!’ but it was too late. They had already noticed. I couldn’t do anything. I didn’t tell anyone, but it was obvious, once she was gone. They had taken her. They didn’t tell me when, or how, or even why, but she was gone.”


The man’s voice was pained, as he spoke, but he plowed on. “Then they came, and they took my little girl. They didn’t even ask! They told me I was irresponsible, and that I didn’t deserve her. I never saw her again. Jon found me, months later, and I hoped he could help, but he didn’t know anything, or didn’t think I deserved to know, or he was on their side.


“Today he told me. Not personally, but in front of everyone. They didn’t even realize it. You probably didn’t realize.” He grew silent, and his cheeks had an odd shine on them.


Ael herself felt pity for the man. She now knew why the lines were on his face, under his smiling mask. Once that was gone, he was just human, heartbroken and at a loss.


‘I’m sorry…” She whispered into the silence. She wasn’t sure what to do, or say. A voice called down the hall, for them to go back to class, and she slowly stood up. She was leaving when Westly spoke.


“It’s alright, don’t feel sorry for me, it just came as a shock, finding out about somebody after so many years. Well, you better go on back to class, don’t be late.” He shooed her out the door.


When she reached the classroom, she found all the adults there, including Westly. She gave him a smile, as he came to help her.


Jon, once again went to the center, and instructed them. “Now, I would like each of you to practice doing different things with your flame. Use your imagination, but nothing to big.” He cautioned.


Ael smiled to herself, holding out her flame again, easily turning it cold. Then, she made it change colors, and got the small licking flames at the top to all sway the same way at the same time.


Westly grinned, his large hand held out, a small flame over it. “Try this.” He told her. His fire began to writhe, becoming first a cube, then a pyramid, and other shapes.


After a moment’s concentration, Ael got hers to do that as well. It was just easy. Jon had talked like it would be hard, but it wasn’t.


A sudden flare erupted at her left, and she turned to see Jason, a guilty look on his face.


“Oops...” he muttered.


Jon stepped back from where he was helping Fran, and said, “And that, it why you cannot close your eyes. I know it helps some concentrate, but it’s also away for magic to get away from you.


“Now, to do something different.” As he spoke, he went to a cabinet embedded in the wall and took out a crate.


Out of the crate, he took candles, and wood. He gave one of each to each student. “Now, try and light each. It is different than making raw fire, because it will feed on something.”


Ael held her candle, concentrating on the fire, and it appeared - above the wick. She frowned, her eyes following it, as she moved the fire downwards, onto the wick.


Westly blew it out. “You gotta light the wick - on the wick. Look, it’s not even burning.”


And Ael looked, and indeed, the wick did not burn. The fire danced around it, but it did not catch. She frowned again, forehead creasing. She brought fire again, but it still, appeared above, or around, on even on it, but the wick would not burn. She kept at this, for a half hour.


“Would you like a suggestion?” Westly asked.


She scowled at him, but nodded.


“Try lighting the wick.” He said with a grin.


“That’s what I’ve been doing!” She replied, exasperated.


“No, you have been creating fire. Creating and placing are different things. “Now, concentrate on the wick, and think of fire and heat.” He explained.


She did so, concentrating on the wick thinking of heat, and fire, and the wick began to smolder, before bursting into flame.


“See?” Westly joked, “That wasn’t so hard.” He blew it out, there was no need to let it burn.


“You could’ve told me that thirty minutes ago.” She accused him irritably. Magic took more concentration that usual, and her head hurt.


Westly grinned, “But that would have been no fun!”


She glared at him, and the small piece of wood he was holding burst into flame, ash falling to his fingers.


He yelped, dusting his hands off before holding them up. “Alright, point taken.”


The other kids soon got the hang of it, and the whole group went down to dinner.


Dinner was a quiet affair, as everyone was tired, even the adults. They were sitting around the table, the adults talking among themselves, as well as a few of the teenagers. Tim had gone as far as to put his head on his arm, and was suspiciously quiet.


Ael herself was sufficiently tired, but she forced herself to stay away, grunting when Jason elbowed her, cheery as ever.


“So, do you think you’ll like this place, and all this stuff?” He asked.


She didn’t bother to reply. “Don’t you ever get tired?” She asked him, putting a hand to her head.


He gave her a sarcastic grin. “Nope!” He replied, continuing to ask her questions, which she replied to with noncommittal noises.


Ael was relieved when Jon finally stood up, and bade them goodnight. She half stumbled to her room, and was asleep before she hit the pillow.



* * * * *




Over the next few weeks, Ael got used to their routine, breakfast around seven thirty, then they were lectured on various subjects by different people until lunch, then practical magic, until dinner around 6, with an hour break in the middle. After dinner was their time.


She found she liked the place, and the people in it too. Westly became somewhat a father-figure, Julie maybe a mother, Michael an uncle, the rest brothers and sisters she never had.


They were discussing magic one day, with Jessica Moore, when Jon came in. His voice was calm, but urgent.


“Jessica, take them to the kitchen, they can stay there. She escaped, we have to find her.” His lips were tight.


Jessica looking slightly stunned, ushered them all to the kitchen, and before she left, she said, “Stay here. Don’t do magic, don’t leave, and don’t cook anything.” Before quickly exiting and they heard the adults leave.


The six were sitting at the table, when the door opened, and Rob slipped in, his face grim.


He sat down heavily at the table. “She got out and they went to find her. They don’t know where she went, of how she got away…”


Ael was very confused. “Who got out? Of where?” She asked.


Rob looked at her. “The latest corrupted. Her name was…um….Ramona, I think…. She got out of the mage’s cell she was in.”


Ael looked to her friends for more details. Fran, seeing her lost look, began to explain.


“A corrupted can only discovered, if they are doing magic. And even then, the one has to know what to look for. People have said, it is almost as if there were a taint on the magic.


“The mages cell,” She continued, lowering her voice slightly. “is a place that….cancels magic, I suppose. No one has ever been able to perform magic in one, without fainting. And the mages who guard it are some of the most powerful in the world. It’s considered impossible to escape.” She paused. “Until now.” She crossed her arms, and shivered.


Ael herself shivered, and stared at the scrubbed surface of the table, fingering her ring.


A place that cancels magic? She shuddered at the thought of it. It would like…know how much more you could do, and not be able to do it. Her blue eyes slowly blinked as she thought of Westly. Wouldn’t he want his wife to escape? He certainly acted like he wanted to catch her, but then, wouldn’t he have to go through all that pain again? She certainly wouldn’t want to.


“So where do they have these cells…?” She found herself asking.


Fran gave her an odd look. “Nobody knows where they are. The only ones who know, are the ones that are the keepers, and they never leave, and only are replaced when they pass.” She spoke the last part quietly.


“So how can they…cancel magic? Isn’t that near impossible?” Dave asked, lifting his head and looking to Fran. “I mean, how can it do that, magic is a part of you. It’s as if…oh…denying your existence.”


Fran shook her head. “I don’t know. Nobody knows. It just…does.”


They were quiet for a few moments, each pondering their own thoughts. Something even Fran didn’t know was something to think about. Ael rested her chin in her hand, letting her hair fall forward to shade her face.


She felt bad for Westly, she knew how hard it was to loose someone. She had never even known her mother, or father. All she remembered where a pair of blue eyes, and a reddish chestnut glow of hair. But then, for all that, she could have been remembering her own reflection.


Absent mindedly, she twisted her ring around and around her finger, her mind on her parents now. A thought came to her suddenly; did they have to have had magic, for her to have it also? Raising her blue eyes she sought out Fran.


Luckily enough, Fran’s own eyes were wandering the room. She raised her eyebrows as she caught Ael’s eyes.


Softly Ael spoke, not wanting to bring the attention to herself, thought it came anyway.


“Do your parents have to have magic, both of them, for you to have it as well?”


Fran was quiet a minute, before responding. “Usually. Sometimes, if only one parent has it, the child will have it, but usually, that doesn’t happen, because then you would have to reveal the magical world to a non-magical person. Which as you can see, we try not to do.” She rubbed her nose, before asking, “Why do you ask?”


Ael shrugged, and didn’t respond. She still didn’t want to talk about her past. “Isn’t there a record of everyone who’s ever gotten a ring then?” She continued to question.


“Yeah, but it’s miles long, plus, it’s not that easy to access. It’s high security.” Frans’ eyes seemed to bore into Ael’s mind, and Ael looked down, letting her hair hide her face again.


Briana suddenly looked up from her study of the table. “Anybody else hungry?”


Everyone looked at her, and Jason nodded. “Yeah, but we aren’t allowed to cook.”


“There’s a fridge,” Dave’s shy voice spoke up. His pale features were stark in the dim light of the kitchen.


“Right-ho then!” Jason stood up, always the enthusiast. He turned to Rob, who nodded agreement. “Ok then, let’s see what we got here…”


He opened the refrigerator, and began pulling out random jars and packages. Fifteen minutes later, he stood back, “A sandwich buffet!” He proclaimed, flourishing his arm.


Ael smiled in spite of herself, and got in the line. Her sandwich was turkey, mustard and bread. By far, it was the least on anyone’s, but it was enough for her.


Once back at the table, it was quiet again, until the food was gone, then Briana and Jason began a talk about their families, and Fran pulled a book out of some random place. Tim turned to Dave, and they began to softly talk. Ael sighed, and put her head on her arms. Everyone else had something to do. She was tired anyway, soon she was slumbering.


She awoke to silence, and found herself in her own bed. She heard footsteps as she turned over, and saw somebody softly shut her door. Rolling back over, she couldn’t sleep, too many thoughts were going through her head. Had they caught her? Why were they back? She knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep, so she got up and went to one of the chairs before the fire, pulling a blanket around her shoulders.


Staring into the flames, it was awhile before she realized she was hearing voices. They were faint, and she could barely hear them. She glanced at the wall they seemed to be coming from, and slowly walked toward it, keeping quiet. She pressed an ear against the wall and the voices came somewhat louder.


“How the hell did she get out then?” It was Jon, and he sounded annoyed.


“I dunno, we’ve been over it time and time again.” That was Mr. Moore’s voice.


Maybe she…oh, I don’t know, had outside help? But…there’s no possible way…” Jessica’s voice could be heard as well.


“But the guards didn’t even know! They just said she was gone, suddenly, just like that!” Mr. Moore sounded tired.


Ael began to wonder where Westly was, when she heard Jon’s voice say, “Westly?"


“I don’t see why we can’t tell her!” He sounded annoyed as well.


“We’ll only let you tell her, if you tell us how she got out.” Jon’s voice came again.


Ael pressed her ear even harder against the wall, with no need, as Westly began shouting.


“But dammit! She’s my daughter, she had a right to know! And I told you, I don’t know anything! To me she was normal, nothing stuck out special.” Westly sounded almost desperate.


The room grew quiet again. So he did know his daughter? Ael thought they had never told him what happened to her. Ael soon grew tired, leaning against the wall, and she slowly slid down it to a sitting position, straining to hear voices, but sleep over came her.


She woke like that, back sore, as she had slid down to see Weslty there, a pained look on his face.


He noted her position, “So you heard?” he commented quietly. He didn’t look very happy.


Ael gulped, and nodded, slowly standing. "But that means…” She stumbled over her words.


Westly’s wife. The escaped convict woman. That was her mother? How could it be though? A man like Westly, and such an obviously dangerous, power hungry woman? It just didn’t make sense. Why her? Her life had actually seemed normal, under the circumstances, but now, everything had blown up again. Why couldn’t she just stay away from all this?


She could feel her eyes well up with tears, but she blinked them away, absent-mindedly twisting her ring on her finger. Maybe she should just leave this world to it’s magic, and the other to its own devices, and start off on her own.


She looked to Westly, a question on her tongue. “What would you do if she were caught again?”


Westly frowned, looking at her before he closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair, running his hands over his face. ”I don’t know…I suppose I would find someway to help her back out if I could.”


It was Ael’s turn to frown. Escape again? What? She was about to speak when he changed the subject. “Today’s your day off, right?”
She nodded, not really comprehending what he was saying.


“Meet me at the park after lunch then. I have to go do something, see you then.” And sighing, he got up, and left, leaving Ael to her very confused thoughts.


She sat in the chair all morning, since no bell for breakfast or class rang. Her mind sank into a deep stupor, as she thought, not even noticing when her eyes grew dry and blurred out her vision.


The lunch bell had gone unnoticed, until a hand touched her shoulder, making her jump. “Lunch rang five minutes ago…” It was Jason, and he looked concerned. His green eyes searched hers, “You okay…? You look terrible.” There wasn’t a joke in his voice.


Ael was silent, before she replied. “No, I’m not.” She didn’t give an explanation, and was thankful when he didn’t ask for one. Slowly she unfolded her legs from their cramped position, almost falling over as she attempted to stand up.


It was Jason’s arm that steadied her. “Anything I can do?” He asked, helping her toward the door.


She leaned on his large form thankfully, before she shook her head. Her legs burned and prickled, as the life came back into them.
Jason was quiet, and as they reached the door, she was able to walk unaided.


Lunch was a quiet affair, nobody seemed to want to talk much, and nothing that was said was irrelevant. It was only as she was taking her plate to the counter, that she remembered her appointment with Westly.


Announcing that she was going for a walk, she found her way to the front door, and escaped out of it with no one following.


At the park, she went and sat on one of the metal swings, watching the other little kids play as she waited for Westly. She kicked the dirt idly, setting the swing into motion, swaying slightly as it swung.


She gave an absent smile to a little blond kid who took the swing next to her, and began to slowly swing on it.


“Hey Ael.”


“Westly?” She looked around for the man, but he was nowhere to be found.


The blond kid on the swing next to her poked her grinned mischievously. “It’s me.”


She gave him the raised eyebrow, before she half smiled. “Oh. Hi. What did you want to meet me here for?” She leaned against the swing rope, watching the young kid.


He shook his tousled head, “Not here.” And he snapped his fingers and suddenly, they weren’t anywhere.