The Dark Order 1.5: The Godrick Square Incident

Begin with Chapter 1.1

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It's late. The street was deserted outside the boutique. The road is dreary, transformed by murky streetlights that hardly cut through the haze.

Inside, the back house hallway is lightless except for the faint glow under the door leading to the kitchen.

Flossie's washing dishes while having a cigarette. She's listening to a soulful record, swaying to the music, a tune that's got her lost in memories.

With her mind preoccupied, the plate she was holding shattered in the sink before she became completely aware of the startlement from an aggressive and unexpected knock on the back door. She peers back. "Who is it?" Her answer is silence before another hard knock, that pisses her off.

"Stop playin' at my damn door!"

The silhouettes of two figures appear behind the curtained glass of the door.

"Where is-" An overbearing, baritone male voice.

"The girl?" A delicate, monotone female voice.

Maggie's in bed. She's a side sleeper, lying facing the door to the bedroom. It had been so long since she'd experienced peace and comfort. She needed this and wished it would never end. A heavy bang jerks her awake in a heavy breath.

She peers around as she cautiously exits the bed, her face full of unease, retrieving her dagger from her bag before heading out into the hallway.

It's eerily dark. Quiet.

Maggie's heart beats out of her chest. "Nana...?"

She's pressed firmly against the wall as she descends the staircase. The scent of unease lingers in the air. Her eyes attempt to cut through the darkness. "Nana... Where are you?"

At the bottom of the stairs, stalking toward the swinging door ahead, reaching out and fearfully pushing it open. Her eyes widen as she rushes over and collapses next to her grandmother, who is lying on the floor, covered in blood.

The kitchen sink has been smashed in by Flossie being launched back against it, and she's been stabbed. "Nana! Wha- Who did this to you?!?"

Flossie is struggling to remain conscious, with blood-filled words barely escaping her lips. "R... Run."

A noise spins her around with eyes filled with tears. Her left arm shields her grandmother. She has her blade centered on the two knights chasing her.

"How could you?!?"

The female knight steps into the kitchen. "She told you..."

The male knight follows. "There's no escaping."

Maggie stands to her feet, squeezing the handle of her dagger. Her eyes GLOW ORANGE as she slashes her blade, hurling a mana blade at them. He dodges, and the female knight coats herself in mana. The pressure propelling the blade forward grows, pushing the knight back.

Another blade is hurled toward the woman, connecting with the first, blasting her and the entire back portion of the house away. The male backpedals out into the street.

Running over to his partner as she struggled to her feet after breaking through the asphalt, rolling violently, only stopped when she slammed into a parked car. Maggie exits the hole in the house, engulfed by orange-pillowed mana. Without hesitation, she sends three slashes toward the knights.

The female knight -- User of Suture Magic.

The male knight -- User of Glass Magic.

Her eyes GLOW PINK. His eyes GLOW WHITE.

The suture knight throws multiple mana needles into the air, she has complete control, capable of controlling their trajectory, speed, and size with her fingers.

The glass knight conjures several mirrors, he has complete control over reflection, brightness, size, and density. He smashes all the mirrors, creating hundreds of shards of glass.

Maggie's not waiting anymore, she rushes them as she slices the air, her blade shredding through the ground. Sutures wrap around shards of glass, creating a vortex that the glass knight uses to mold a glass arrow.

The arrow and blade CLASH. Sparks spit in various directions before the magic mixes and combusts. Maggie's acrobatics help her retreat behind a car as glass explodes like a bomb, destroying the surrounding area.

Together with their magic, the two knights force her from her hiding spot. She must sidestep needles as they are thrust at her; in the same motion, she bends back into a backflip as an axe of glass is swung at her neck.

Using the momentum in her hand, she launched herself into the air, only able to send one blade before she shielded her face with her dagger, barely stopping a needle from piercing her.

With maximum strength, Maggie can deflect the needle but is soon overwhelmed by others and knocked back into a brick building. The needles and glass blend for another arrow attack. She must leap to her left as the arrow destroys a portion of the building.

There's a mad scramble as she races down the street, barely escaping several attacks, closely pursued. In mid-stride, she cuts left into an alley. Breaking into a FULL SPRINT to the other side... People. Lights. Her escape. She's nearly there...

Before she slams into a glass barrier that knocks her on her ass. The knights close in. With a brush of his hand, the glass barrier is overtaken with cracks before it crumbles. "Return to the compound..."

"And all will be forgiven."

Maggie rises.

"To hell with her forgiveness! I'd rather die. “

The needles warp together into one large one. "Very well... You shall..."

"…Be made an example of." Glass wraps around the arrow.

The needles spin, and the velocity increases until it resembles a drill. It's a Western standoff. The arrow is launched at great speed. Maggie swings her dagger, creating a blade so wide that it breaks through and slices the brick buildings on the sides as it collides with the arrow.

Their mana weaves together, causing the ground beneath to crumble away from the magical pressure. The brick begins to crack and burst. With growing force, Maggie is slowly pushed back, her magic blade starting to crack until she's sent crashing backward.

The woman approaches, using her magic to force Maggie to her feet. She's cuffed as the mana thread begins to wrap around her neck. She immediately gasped for air as the threads tightened to strangle her.

"Your struggle..."

"Is all but futile- And now..."

"You will die."

Maggie stares at the knights, helpless, and she drops her blade. Her vision begins to blur as she starts to lose consciousness.

Out of nowhere, the suture knight is grabbed by DENSE, OVERGROWN ROOTS, AND HURLED INTO THE AIR BY HER ANKLES BEFORE SHE'S SMASHED INTO THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING...

IMPALED BY DOZENS OF JAGGED WOODEN SPEARS... INSTANT KILL.

The glass knight turns, and his gaze lands on that of a smiling Jubilee. "Now, we've even the odds of the game."

He leans against the brick building to his right, removing his flask from his pocket. Maggie has collapsed to the ground, coughing, desperately gasping for air.

Through her unbearable trembling, she reaches out for her blade. Her eyes GLOW ORANGE. Her mana pours onto the road like a mist over water as she wobbles to her feet.

The glass knight creates a glass spear. "Jubilee!"

Jubilee is unbothered. "You might want to focus on the threat at hand."

A MANA WHIP HURLS THE KNIGHT INTO THE SIDE OF THE OPPOSITE BUILDING. BEFORE HE'S ABLE TO RETALIATE, A DENSE MAGICAL BLAST HITS HIM LIKE A SHOTGUN... ANOTHER...

ANOTHER...

ANOTHER...

Now, on his HANDS and KNEES, the bloodied knight is the one struggling for oxygen. The white glow in his eyes FADES IN and OUT. He peers up to a DEMON LIKE Maggie.

It's almost too painful for him to speak. "She will--"

Maggie's mana LATCHES ONTO THE KNIGHT. HIS LIMBS ARE BROKEN, AND HIS BODY IS FOLDED INTO ITSELF WITH THE TWIST OF HER BLADE.

HE'S COMPACTED UNTIL HE IMPLODES. A POOL OF BLOOD AND HIS SSA EMBLEM ARE ALL THAT REMAIN.

Exhausted from overexertion, Maggie stumbles into the wall for support. Jubilee moves toward her with extreme caution, still sipping from his flask.

"I couldn't understand why a child would be wanted..."

She stares at him with a crazed look in her eyes.

"But that was quite a display of power, Ms. Barker... And you're a witch." He nods his head, repeatedly, "That's rare these days."

She raises her blade, unsure of him.

Throwing his hands in the air, he said, "I assure you, my dear, I am not your ene-"

A sudden episode of pain pins him against the wall beside her. Immediately breaking into a sweat, he takes a long sip from his flask before he offers it to Maggie.

She side-eyes him. "I'm eighteen."

He shrugs and takes one final sip before he puts his flask away.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here." He chuckles, "Which is hilarious- Given I'm wondering the same thing... Why would someone wanted for mass murder be wandering around in the open?" He shrugs again. "It's beyond me."

She holds onto the wall and goes to walk away. "I don't know what you're talking about- I need to get home."

"Your grandmother's going to be okay. She's safe, I made sure of it, but if you go back there, she won't be."

She stops in her tracks.

He winces as he tries to follow, "Look kid--"

She turns and says, "My name is Magnolia! And who the hell are you anyway?! “

"My name is Alexis Jubilee, mage retainer, something of a PI... That's a Private Investi--"

"I know what PI stands for, asshole."

"But I'm a man slowly running out of time, and you- rre in the same boat."

"Whatever you're going to suggest, the answer is no!"

He scoffs. "I don't think you grasp the severity of your situation. “

"I'm well aware."

"Are you...?"

He removes her wanted poster from his jacket and holds it up. "So, you're aware of this?"

"What is that?"

"What's it look like?"

She SNATCHES it.

"There has to be some sort of mistake." She looks at him angrily, "What is this?!"

"A target on your back that isn't going to do you any favors, but I'm sure you're aware of that... I don't know how you became a target of the World Government." He motions, "But this little mess of ours will get us both executed."

"Your point?"

He shakes his head. "The point is you're considered a major threat to the World Government, and their only resolution is to kill you and anyone stupid enough to help you… That would be me, by the way. So, you can't go home, and you can't stay here." He throws up his hands. "Whatdya do?"

She clenches the poster as tears roll down her cheeks.

"This can't be right..." Her eyes dart back and forth. "What did I do?"

"Not trying to be an asshole but can we pause the breakdown for now? We need to leave before the police arrive." He grabs her. "Let's go."

She's taken by surprise. "Hey! Get the hell off of me!" She attempts to jerk away, but her efforts fail. "Where are you taking me?"

"The train station."

Her struggle continues. He's had enough. He turns unexpectedly and grabs her by the arms. He bends down to her level.

"Goddammit, kid! You haven't the slightest idea what's about to happen! Because those aren't the scary ones. It's just getting started, and against my better judgment, I am trying to help you, so will you please stop the fighting?!”

She rapidly nods, yes.

"Good. Now, let's go... And for free! I might add."

He's already walking away. She looks around before quickly catching up, walking beside him.

"Why are the Holy Knights after you?"

"I don't know."

She answered too quickly. He just laughs and has a Do you think I'm fucking stupid? grin on his face.

"I guess you should start working on remembering."

They step out into the street.

FEAR.

Consumes all the civilians as they watch the duo exit the alley.

He must pull her along as she gets caught up in the stares. "Ignore them. We must hurry; the last train to Tramble leaves in twenty minutes."

There's a look of confusion on her face. "Doesn't that village belong to the beasts?" She inquires.

"Last I checked, yes."

"What reason do we have to go there?"

"Will you look around? Does it matter? We need to leave before--"

RED, WHITE, AND BLUE MAGIC BURSTS ABOVE THE CROWD.

Jubilee looks back. Four Mage Police Officers are running toward them.

A tall, heavy-built Asian male officer leads the pursuit. "Stop right there!"

"Shit, come on." Pulling her along.

"HEY!"

The chase is on.

The duo moves through the crowd at Jubilee's pace, and he's nonchalant as Maggie panics, continuing to look back.

"Shouldn't we be going a little faster? I think they're getting closer!"

"We're fine... We need to talk."

"Will you look around? Does it matter?" She mocks.

"Ha-ha, that's funny, kid."

"Stop calling me kid!"

"Maybe I will, as soon as you answer one question... Why were those knights trying to kill you? And don't lie to me!"

There's a moment of hesitation before a heavy exhale, "It's because of the shitty Sorcerer Sovereign Authority, specifically, one of their Commanders, Serenity Pyfir."

That's puzzling. "Wait... You're telling me the SSA is sending Holy Knights after you?"

"Yes."

"You're just a kid. There's no way she'd be able to get away with targeting a child, the SSA wouldn't allow that."

"That's bullshit. They already do, more than you know- I've been running and fighting for my life for the past three months. She's evil and I don't mean that shit lightly. She's killed everyone that's tried to help me..."

He peers at her, which makes her defensive. "I have no reason to lie, okay? But you can believe what you want. You have no idea what type of monster you're dealing with."

"I guess you'll have to enlighten me on--"

He grits his teeth as pain from his bite radiates through his entire body, causing him to hunch over.

"Hey! Are you okay?!?"

Through heavy breathing, "Yep- Never better."

RED, WHITE, AND BLUE MAGIC BURSTS ABOVE AGAIN.

A Black female officer swiftly cuts through the crowd. "We said stop!" Her maneuvers had almost paid off, she was right up on them, less than five people away.

"They're right there!"

Four...

Jubilee forces himself upright.

"Alexis!"

Three...

He grabs hold of her.

Two...

"Leon!"

One...

The female officer reaches out to grab the terrified Maggie.

Leon has exited Jubilee's pocket. His body GLOWS DIFFERENT COLORS.

They VANISH.

The female officer stumbles forward, catching her balance. She frantically searches the crowd for any sign of the duo, but they've vanished. The other officers arrive seconds later. They're looking around in confusion.

Just down the street...

JUBILEE AND MAGGIE APPEAR OUT OF THIN AIR.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!” She feels gross. Shaking and shuddering, she notices Leon on his shoulder. "You have a familiar?... I thought those were illegal to own."

"His name is Leon."

She laughs, "Oh! I get it. Because he's a chameleon, right?"

"Because it suits him well."

She can't help but roll her eyes, "Yeah- Whatever you say."

"More walking, less talking." He pushes her along. "Let's go before we're noticed."

"Okay, Dad, geez! I'm going."

He quits pushing. Maggie moves ahead a little faster out of spite. Jubilee continued forward at his pace, keeping a close eye on her. Soon, the duo disappeared into the crowd.

.

..

...

.... To be continued.

Jump straight into the next chapter:

Chapter Six