Lainey and the Magicians (First Draft)

Chapter 11

 They sat together, huddled around the oak carved table in the middle of the estate, contemplating what to do with the failures permeating the magician ranks. Everyone was absolutely silent. They didn't know what to expect from Pumpkin' Lieutenant general, Xrious. His actions could be wacky and bipolar. Xrious was far from the typical normal. Some days, he would be carefree and understanding, but he would be rowdy and strict on certain other days. If someone was direlect, Xrious would make an example of them.

 Many of them were binge-drinkers who played games all day and went to go see R-rated movies. They would not make for good magician leaders, if they couldn't even manage their easy college homework that their rich parents somehow wanted to pay for. If they weren't able to balance work and home life, they wouldn't be able to affect the world on a wide scale. However, Xrious partially saw all of these magician failures as great puppets as fodder for a master plan that stretched over all the fields of all things.

 Things had changed in the last few months. Many magicians were more derelict and were percussions inside the organization, but these were small percussions. However, there were more activities to manage since the magicians had gathered recruits from all over the world. Their recruitment methods varied on the person and the chosen recruitment methods also varied on the person's species. Species was a major factor because the magicians sometimes needed to derail or modify certain other methods that they used with other species, and this had affected many of their recruitment cases. 

 If someone was a full-blooded Rider, the magicians had to tempt them with the allure of the darkness, playing at the strings of their typically carnal nature, but some Riders declined. Riders were one of the most important species to recruit into the magician fold. "Alright, failures," Xrious belted. "I can see how some of you haven't arrived at this meeting yet. Have you decided that the latest Keeping up with the Redmaces episode is more important than our endeavors to make the world a better place?" Beside Xrious, there lied a few empty chairs of magicians who were supposed to have arrived at the meeting, but a few of them didn't bother to come. 

 Novice and experienced magicians alike all sat up straighter in their seats, hiding their worry at what Xrious might do. Piopold wasn't worried. He was confident. He was glad that he made it to the meeting right on time to maintain his cover, and this meeting would prove to his supporters that the magicians had vulnerable weak spots. From across the table, Xrious looked in Piopold's direction, nodding at him. "Piopold has actually been a good example for many of your failures to follow. To the first order of business, first off, Joe is more concerned with his favorite entertainment news and he's also more concerned with how much alcohol that he consumes," Xrious pointed at the man sitting across from Piopold. "He came from a very strict home and he wants to rebel in the craziest ways possible. None of you should be like Joe. If you're like Joe, you will not focus on your studies and you will not be able to become good magician leaders one day. If you are not good leaders, our entire organization will crumble apart like crackers from the inside. Many great empires such as the Roman Empire fell because of this sort of incompetence. They allowed themselves to become too big with too little good soldiers. 

 "We will not suffer the same fate. If we do, I will personally destroy you all for the greater good," Xrious shouted, his voice bouncing off the walls of the entire room inside this beautiful estate. Piopold grunted. Why did people fall for the lies of magicians such as the likes of Xrious? Hopefully, Lainey Paris had found his contact Nathan in the past now, and Piopold also hoped that he would be able to join Lainey. If Lainey would not join the magicians to reform them, Piopold would have to lead the charge. Soon enough, his incompetence to catch Lainey would be challenged, and thoughts rushed through his energy brain. Shadows rushed out of Lainey without control during their staged fight.