Mage Story 4
When I thought about posting these, I considered the idea of posting them all at once, for reading back-to-back, where they might form a continuous narrative. They feel a little raw in hindsight.
Anyway, links to previous Stories:
Diana: Step One, Anna: Lesson One
Diana: Step Two, Anna: Lesson Two
Diana: Step Three, Anna: Lesson Three
Initiation - Step Four: Integration
I had placed my hand on the Watchtower of the Iron Gauntlet. I had begun to walk the dread path of scourging.
Within a couple of weeks of my brief insanity I had received a letter from a legal company: “Albright & Co.”, inviting me to an interview at an office in central London. It was not too far from the Houses of Parliament, a small office with a small unassuming plaque by the door. If you were not looking for this place, you were not likely to find it.
Inside there were a few people, a receptionist and a professional man and woman stood in the main reception as I entered. I was greeted by name, by the tall silver haired man who seemed to radiate charm, introducing himself by the name “Golden Albright”. The name seemed unreal, but this was the first interview that I’d had in an actual legal company, I was not going to draw attention to any ignorance I might have. I rationalised it by deciding that he had ties to a different culture where a name like ‘Golden’ would not be so strange.
He seemed incredibly astute, which I liked at first, but as time went on it became one of his more grating features. The interview was quite simple to begin with; he took up a notepad and asked me a few questions about my education and history, and the reason I decided to study law. I provided him with all the formulaic prefabricated answers that were to be what I thought he wanted to hear. All of which were absorbed by his own facade. After about forty minutes of question and answer he put down the notepad, closed, and asked me to describe the strange events that had occurred previously. I gave my rational answer that I had designed to explain it all away and leave myself looking good, but when I was done he opened up the notebook to a page that at the time was covered in incomprehensible scribbling; he put his hand on it and told me to tell him what really happened. Calmly told me to tell the truth.
And I did. Despite knowing the truth would most likely derail my plans, I still thought it a good idea to tell the truth. I would never think that. I told him everything.
Then he told me that I had passed the first test and then he apologised for the spell. I had no idea what he meant, but he went on to explain. The spell was telepathic control, and he had used it to tell me to tell the truth. He told me that he had lots of things he would teach me, and that they would let me change the world. He told me that he would even teach me how to use telepathic control myself, if I had a mind to learn.
For some reason, the revelation that magic was real was not something that caused me to run in fear. Magic was real. I knew it already.
He offered me a deal. He would teach me about magic and how to harness it, he would initiate me into an order of magi that would be a wide network of allies and resources, and he would see to it that I completed my legal studies in ‘Sleeper society’ successfully enough to found my own legal company at the end. His price would be to work for him as an assistant, as an initiate, to follow his instruction carefully and faithfully. He offered me this deal and said that I did not have to answer immediately, that he had more information should I be interested that I should rightfully hear first.
To cut a long story short, I signed up for his deal.
He taught me about the history of magic first, about an island that drew people to it that fostered a connection to the supernal realm. Atlantis. He told me how the city fell and how that placed restrictions on magic today. He also told me that whether or not the story of the city is actually true, the idea of a world or city where magic could be openly practised was nothing short of glorious for us that had ‘awakened’. The overall aim was to bring magic back to this fallen world.
It was noble and lofty. The concept was working to make the world a better place, to give everyone the chance to learn how to reshape reality. This seemed good, but something ate away at the corner of my mind. People would only abuse such power, that would be all their nature would allow. Still, the philosophy of the Silver Ladder did not seem so incoherent, and so I pledged basic allegiance so that he could begin to train me properly.
I was taught the Silver Ladder’s precepts of Diamond, Thunder, Star and Blood. That the awakened are one nation, that the Silver Ladder aims to reclaim the Imperium Mystorium, magic, for all humanity, not just those that were lucky enough to awaken. The Silver Ladder considers itself most capable of leading the awakened, and also most capable of leading sleepers to an awakening and teaching them how to use the power gained thereafter. I had been recruited to become a leader of the awakened, and to work towards the goal of restoring humanity’s capability for the magical.
The process involved more reading than my law degree did. I did not just have magic to learn, but the laws and rules of the awakened. My mentor had promised that my law degree would not impinge on my magical studies or suffer for them. Instead he took up the mantle of my professor. He produced essays and a dissertation for me that would gain me top marks, but insisted on testing my sleeper legal knowledge himself to be sure that I did deserve them.
I had to work hard to achieve my initiation into the Ladder and complete my qualifications to become a solicitor and barrister. It was nothing that I could not handle. I chose the Shadow name of ‘Ruby’, a name that would not sound so odd to sleeper ears, that reflected the precious power I had attained. I then also changed my name in the eyes of the law, concealing my true name from those who might probe my professional records.
I was taught more about the world in these years than I’d ever learned from my parents or aunt and uncle.
Anyway, links to previous Stories:
Diana: Step One, Anna: Lesson One
Diana: Step Two, Anna: Lesson Two
Diana: Step Three, Anna: Lesson Three
Initiation - Step Four: Integration
I had placed my hand on the Watchtower of the Iron Gauntlet. I had begun to walk the dread path of scourging.
Within a couple of weeks of my brief insanity I had received a letter from a legal company: “Albright & Co.”, inviting me to an interview at an office in central London. It was not too far from the Houses of Parliament, a small office with a small unassuming plaque by the door. If you were not looking for this place, you were not likely to find it.
Inside there were a few people, a receptionist and a professional man and woman stood in the main reception as I entered. I was greeted by name, by the tall silver haired man who seemed to radiate charm, introducing himself by the name “Golden Albright”. The name seemed unreal, but this was the first interview that I’d had in an actual legal company, I was not going to draw attention to any ignorance I might have. I rationalised it by deciding that he had ties to a different culture where a name like ‘Golden’ would not be so strange.
He seemed incredibly astute, which I liked at first, but as time went on it became one of his more grating features. The interview was quite simple to begin with; he took up a notepad and asked me a few questions about my education and history, and the reason I decided to study law. I provided him with all the formulaic prefabricated answers that were to be what I thought he wanted to hear. All of which were absorbed by his own facade. After about forty minutes of question and answer he put down the notepad, closed, and asked me to describe the strange events that had occurred previously. I gave my rational answer that I had designed to explain it all away and leave myself looking good, but when I was done he opened up the notebook to a page that at the time was covered in incomprehensible scribbling; he put his hand on it and told me to tell him what really happened. Calmly told me to tell the truth.
And I did. Despite knowing the truth would most likely derail my plans, I still thought it a good idea to tell the truth. I would never think that. I told him everything.
Then he told me that I had passed the first test and then he apologised for the spell. I had no idea what he meant, but he went on to explain. The spell was telepathic control, and he had used it to tell me to tell the truth. He told me that he had lots of things he would teach me, and that they would let me change the world. He told me that he would even teach me how to use telepathic control myself, if I had a mind to learn.
For some reason, the revelation that magic was real was not something that caused me to run in fear. Magic was real. I knew it already.
He offered me a deal. He would teach me about magic and how to harness it, he would initiate me into an order of magi that would be a wide network of allies and resources, and he would see to it that I completed my legal studies in ‘Sleeper society’ successfully enough to found my own legal company at the end. His price would be to work for him as an assistant, as an initiate, to follow his instruction carefully and faithfully. He offered me this deal and said that I did not have to answer immediately, that he had more information should I be interested that I should rightfully hear first.
To cut a long story short, I signed up for his deal.
He taught me about the history of magic first, about an island that drew people to it that fostered a connection to the supernal realm. Atlantis. He told me how the city fell and how that placed restrictions on magic today. He also told me that whether or not the story of the city is actually true, the idea of a world or city where magic could be openly practised was nothing short of glorious for us that had ‘awakened’. The overall aim was to bring magic back to this fallen world.
It was noble and lofty. The concept was working to make the world a better place, to give everyone the chance to learn how to reshape reality. This seemed good, but something ate away at the corner of my mind. People would only abuse such power, that would be all their nature would allow. Still, the philosophy of the Silver Ladder did not seem so incoherent, and so I pledged basic allegiance so that he could begin to train me properly.
I was taught the Silver Ladder’s precepts of Diamond, Thunder, Star and Blood. That the awakened are one nation, that the Silver Ladder aims to reclaim the Imperium Mystorium, magic, for all humanity, not just those that were lucky enough to awaken. The Silver Ladder considers itself most capable of leading the awakened, and also most capable of leading sleepers to an awakening and teaching them how to use the power gained thereafter. I had been recruited to become a leader of the awakened, and to work towards the goal of restoring humanity’s capability for the magical.
The process involved more reading than my law degree did. I did not just have magic to learn, but the laws and rules of the awakened. My mentor had promised that my law degree would not impinge on my magical studies or suffer for them. Instead he took up the mantle of my professor. He produced essays and a dissertation for me that would gain me top marks, but insisted on testing my sleeper legal knowledge himself to be sure that I did deserve them.
I had to work hard to achieve my initiation into the Ladder and complete my qualifications to become a solicitor and barrister. It was nothing that I could not handle. I chose the Shadow name of ‘Ruby’, a name that would not sound so odd to sleeper ears, that reflected the precious power I had attained. I then also changed my name in the eyes of the law, concealing my true name from those who might probe my professional records.
I was taught more about the world in these years than I’d ever learned from my parents or aunt and uncle.