The Harbinger's Children (Guardians Of The Arcane Chronicles Vol. 2)

Chapter 8: Separate Ways

Fun Fact: Wands were the first type of ranged weapons to be constructed, long before technomagick was born. Initially meant as an offensive weapon, the magis quickly found out that this simple combination of materials was capable of much more than mindless violence.

Wands hold arcani within themselves and can be primed to perform fixed magical actions, ranging from detecting denatured arcani to firing rather painful bolts of energy.

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Dawn breaks as buses trundle through the now open gates that guarded the Guardian Council Headquarters. Felix watched as people stepped off the vehicle with all the enthusiasm of convicts being dragged to the gallows. The eyes were bleary, body heavy, and their limbs filled with a tiredness that went beyond the mere physical. Some were crying while others stared blankly into space, and children were held close to their loved ones with all the strength the adults still had left.

Felix turned back groggily, walking past the crowded entrance filled with refugees receiving everyday supplies from the public servants. He stole a glance at the supply crates. It had barely been a day into this crisis, and less than half their supplies were remaining. Though there were more well on their way here, he knew that the Guardian Council's resources were far from infinite. They had to solve this crisis, and do it fast.

Light footsteps trudged towards him.

"Hey Aglaia, what're you doing here?" Felix asked the girl. "It's been a long night; get some rest with your family."

"My parents have already settled in," she said. "I want to help."

"Good thing the Guardians tracked me down when they did." He smiled. "It would have been several times more dangerous for me to transport your family here by myself."

A sharp finger snap butted in rudely. He turned his attention to his Council leader, who was motioning impatiently for him to enter the meeting room.

Aglaia locked eyes with Cybele for a moment, before nodding meekly and running off back into the tents. Felix resisted the urge to roll his eyes, not even wanting to imagine the contents of their telepathic conversation. He followed his leader into the room.

"Guardians, thank you for being present," a familiar voice said.

Felix looked around. Less than half of the Guardian Council remained, but at least Gaius and Kleopatra were present. He continued looking, and his gaze fell onto Mage Palladius Severan. The man was still clutching a bloodstained soft toy in his hand tightly.

A toy that belonged to his daughter. A keepsake that she brought along even to the Council's family beach outing.

The slight scowl on Felix's face quickly gave way to pity. As foul as that magi may have been, he did not deserve this.

No one did.

Felix muttered a silent prayer of condolences for his fallen colleagues, before turning his attention back to Sirius City's President standing in front of the group.

"Full glad am I to see you returned here despite these dire conditions," Warlock Alcaeus Vulcan continued. "As of twenty-two hours last night, an unknown phenomenon has occurred. Preliminary investigations reveal that the arcani in our very air itself has somehow been supernaturally corrupted. As far as we know, any attempts to synthesise magic from our surroundings have only resulted in a transformation into abominations."

The crowd remained silent, clearly unsurprised by that information.

"We are still investigating the cause of the occurrence, but I have just put up a nationwide notice for all magis to refrain from casting magic. Metas are also encouraged to share their internal arcani with magis in case of medical emergencies. As for law enforcers such as yourself, all operation tactics will be modified to include our arsenal of technomagick weapons as well as close combat."