The thought came to me the moment I gained conscious thought after waking up.
Today was the day.
The day I died.
That somber thought didn’t stop me from doing anything, though. I had plenty of things to do to make sure that things went appropriately before all of that…went down. I had a checklist, a mostly mental affair which kept me from fully checking out or devolving into panicked screams. I had to do this. It was necessary.
The list was simple.
Firstly. Call my mother. If I didn’t, and I didn’t say the right things, she’d spend a lot of money to make sure that my friends got investigated for the cult theories which were currently circulating throughout law enforcement. Speaking of that, today would be the day each member of the group, including myself would be spoken with by the police, especially after the bodies of Paul and Rebecca were found along with two campus security guards. But that was filed later onto the list.
Secondly, plant a package in Dawn’s mailbox. She wouldn’t open until tomorrow, but that was good. It gave her time to realize my plan. The package contained my notebook with all of the notes on the shadows, their origins, and more importantly, what I was fairly certain Enzo was up to. She’d open it, and realize the design, and what she needed to do. She was reliable, thankfully.
Thirdly, confront Cynthia, and say what was needed to get her off her balance. In a public place, as well. Get her reeling, make her realize she wasn’t going to get what she wants. This would be important later. Doing this would likely get her to betray Enzo in the final hours.
Fourthly, speak to Professor Lanigan. Diane’s actions had thankfully gotten him to the point where something I could say could get him to intervene. But, at this stage, not even he could defeat Enzo and Evander alone. His wizardry was strong, but his knowledge of magic would be his downfall, in a confrontation with Enzo, since the shadows didn’t follow conventional rules of magic. Normally, from what I’d been able to compile, magic worked by invoking some sort of concept or idea, and forcing it to be channeled to your whims. It was ultimately more complex then that, and one could go their entire life without coming anywhere close to invoking much of anything, but knowledge of magic was limited. It didn’t matter, anyways, because shadows worked outside those rules. Which meant most tactics for fighting the supernatural wouldn’t work on them. If, however, I could get Lanigan to work with the others in the final hours, he would turn the tides.
Fifthly, get interviewed by the police detective assigned to the recent deaths, and give answers which implicate Enzo, redirecting the investigation temporarily and preventing him from taking any action tonight besides my murder.
Sixthly, attend classes as normal, but skip my last one, which I shared with Enzo, drumming up his paranoia and want to kill me more specifically.
Sevently, pay a hung over frat kid to throw a rock at Enzo from some bushes, and leading a trigger happy Enzo to crush his leg, before making a hasty escape.
Eighthly, confront Enzo late at night, and get my head removed from my body.
Easy. I thought. I hoped.
Just as I finished running through the list, it continuously began to dawn on me how stupid this all was. Why did I trust in my planning ability this much?
I’d realized it was mostly because of my shadow, in truth. No one could see them, not even me. They existed purely in my brain, purely in the back of my mind, where I could speak to them, ask them things, and use their power.
Prophecy. That was Delphi’s power. Apparently, they were where the myth came from, in some capacity. The shadows had…supposedly gotten around, back then, traveling the globe, but even Delphi wasn’t sure how much. The spirit’s memories were clouded, by some form of unknown source. Though Delphi suspected Evander was different, we couldn’t confirm anything.
Delphi could grant me visions, allowing me to see, hear, smell, touch and taste the future. It would be as if I was there, watching. These vision could be of any future event, but not the past, an unfortunate limitation. But otherwise, date, time, or even circumstance, anything would do. I would be shown the current future, what would happen if I didn’t impede or plan to impede it. If I actually changed my intentions, the future would change as a result, and I’d used this to my advantage in order to probe potential futures dozens of times over the past few weeks. The only thing the visions couldn’t see effectively were conversations between shadows and their hosts, because they were more mental, but everything else was on the table. It was how I’d put together Cynthia’s affiliation…and then told no one about it, because in every instance where I’d put forth to tell someone about it, things had gotten worse. As far as I could tell, with my vehement efforts, we were somehow in the most ideal future.
No matter what I tried, no matter how I configured things, if I tried to make Enzo get beaten sooner, mass death followed. And I couldn’t do anything about it. He would always be just fast enough, just strong enough to pull off something cataclysmic. And as much as I wanted my friends to get out of this, Delphi had instilled something in me as they’d lent me their power.
Responsibility. I couldn’t trade lives. I couldn’t treat humans like a numbers game. I could only try to do what was best for everyone.
I hated it. But it was equally as necessary. I couldn’t screw around like Enzo was doing. It wouldn’t be worth it to have dozens, maybe even hundreds of people die just for the sake of sparing a few.
It was then a balancing game. How could I keep the most people alive as possible, while making sure Enzo didn’t leave this campus with all twelve spirits. It had taken me more then a few attempts, attempts which…as much as I’d hate to admit it, may have cost several people their lives thus far. I’d been devoting as much time as possible to trying new outcomes, experimenting, trying to get something ideal, or even passable…and in that time I’d spent, who knows how many of my friends could have been spared.
It haunted me. But I think I had it now. Unfortunately, it would cost three more lives. Four, if you counted Enzo, but from what I could gather, he was barely a person anymore, I barely regarded him. His death was a confirmed eventuality.
Currently, the final hours would play out relatively simply. Firstly, today, I would die. Not great. During the next twenty four hours, Delphi would act as an internal thorn in Enzo’s side, and prevent him from using Delphi’s power to rewrite the future from what was set. Then, Enzo would kill Dawn in accordance with a counter trap Cynthia would set in response to Dawn’s trap. Cynthia, as a result of this, and what I told her today, would have second thoughts, confront Enzo with Andromeda, Calypso and Maeve, ultimately failing and being killed brutally, but buying enough time and softening Enzo up for Mark and Kelly to swoop in-alongside a now willing to help Lanigan, though he’d be in the background more then anything. Together, they’d defeat Enzo, at the cost of Mark’s life, and Kelly would absorb the remaining shadows to be released to find new hosts.
Considering the power Enzo had and the lack of collateral that outcome came with-I was ready to accept it. But I’d need to complete everything on my checklist first. And I’d stalled long enough.
I pulled on a jacket, along with some shoes and socks, slid on my bag, then opened the door.
“Ready?” I asked, through the mental link.
“I am ready to see you through your path.”
The harmonious voice of Delphi responded, as always non committal in terms of judging my choices. I both appreciated and hated that with vitriol. Giving a brief sigh to myself, I exited the room, then headed down the stairs, and out the front door. Better to get some breakfast before starting on the list. Full energy would be best, before I got into this.
Returning to the dorm, I headed for the nearest phone, being one of the ones against the wall in the basement. It was around 10am, most people were at class or still asleep, which meant I had the entire area to myself, the faint thrum of cheap lights and tumbling of washing machines mixed together in an out of sync harmony. Stepping close to the wall and starting to dial, the weight in my chest began to fully make itself present. I could look at it abstractly all I wanted, but no matter how I sliced it, this was the last conversation I’d have with my own mother.
I pushed down my fear, and dialed the final number. It only had to ring twice, before I could hear her pick up.
“Hello?” Her voice sounded slightly curious, probably not recognizing the number.
“Hey, mom. It’s me.” I said, doing my best to sound normal.
“Andrew! What a surprise. How’ve you been sweetie?” She sounded positively ecstatic, which only made the weight on my seem ever heavier.
“Good, actually. Keeping up with everything, trying to meet new people…” I trailed off a bit, knowing the question that would come next. Or at least, the line of topic.
“That’s great, I couldn’t be more proud. Oh-though, I did hear from a friend whose daughter still goes to your school, and she mentioned something about…murders? I thought it was Loraine just gossiping, but apparently it’s true. Have you heard anything about it?”
“I have, yeah. Eight people are dead. Something about a cult, I think?” I hated to feed that theory, but I knew this was the path forward. Even if it made me feel more then a little scummy.
“Dreadful business. You’re staying far away, I hope?” She sounded so sure that she already knew the answer.
“Oh, yeah. The students involved…they aren’t my type of crowd. I used to sit with them, for meals, but got out of dodge once all of this started.” I kept my voice level, despite my heart racing, and my throat drying.
“Good boy. Just as long as you’re safe…”
“I will be. Don’t worry.” There it was. The prevailing lie. The necessary one for the future to be safe.
“Well alright-“ The faint sound of some sort of appliance ringing echoed in the background “-darn, those are the cookies. Gotta run! Stay safe Andrew!”
The line went dead. I just stood there, for about twenty seconds, before hanging the phone back up, and heading for the stairs to head back upstairs. Other items on my list waited, but I was far less enthusiastic to do them now.
Back in my room, I was preparing item two, that being the package for Dawn to pick up tomorrow. It contained four items.
Firstly, a notebook, one I’d cultivated since I’d been in sixth grade. The front cover had been labeled with an old label maker, and read ‘Andrew’s Notes of Magic and Weird Stuff’. I’d been a lot less organized then. I’d actually filled this notebook, with the final thirty pages just being a ramble about how much I hated how little information we had. Idly thumbing through, there was a sizeable section devoted to the Crescent Moon Cape, otherwise known as Lunara, otherwise known as Lunaria, otherwise known as Lunarialana. Or, as my twelve year old self had so elegantly called her ‘Nuke catcher’. She was a real life superman, shooting lasers from her eyes, flight, the strength to lift buildings…she was someone that at the very least had public information available on her, considering she flew around the world saving people, casting judgement on world governments on live T.V, and vanishing into the night. The notebook was plastered with photos of her and her purple costume, that I’d cut out of magazines, newspapers, whoever printed them. Other then her, though, there was a section on wizards, most of it gathered from the trials four years ago. The leveled cities, including a photograph I’d snagged of one of the cities in flames. The vanished ships from the Atlantic were another, though I was pretty sure that was a hoax. Then a few other small things, like conspiracies, weird displays of magic, and mutants.
I’d debated whether to give it to Dawn or not. But I decided to do it, after getting slightly better results from Delphi after resolving to do so, and it’s not like I could be embarrassed about my old middle school writings most mortem. I felt they provided some good context, at least, for the shadows. Mostly in that that they clearly weren’t the only things like this out there.
The second thing was another notebook, this one smaller, incomplete, and unlabeled. All of my notes on the shadows, their origins, their purposes, and everything else was in it. This would be what would turn the tides, in the end, for Dawn. It would help her figure out Andromeda. Not in time to save her, but…
I sighed. I tried not to think about it. I really tried not to think about it.
Thirdly, a letter from me, explaining things. Explaining Delphi. Explaining almost everything that was to come. The only thing left out was the nature of who was going to die. She would follow the instructions, I knew. And it would send her to the grave.
Once more, the weight returned. But I pressed on, and enclosed the final item.
A handgun. I’d stolen it, with help from Delphi, from another student who’d smuggled it in. Good thing too, because in four months, he’d have blown his own brains out with it. Now? After his room had been broken into, he’d use it as something of a wake up call. At least one positive thing to come from it. The gun was loaded, with a few shots in it. Enough for Dawn’s purposes. She’d never hit anyone with it, in fact she’d only shoot it once, as a warning. But it’s presence here would make everything else more serious. It would hit home for Dawn, which is what I needed.
Once the final item was deposited, I closed the relatively small box I was using, sealed it with some packing tape, and grabbed a marker, filling out the needed information on the front. I then tucked the box under my arm, and headed out of my dorm once more.
I strode across campus in silence, a few students getting out early of their classes being the only other signs of movement in the quiet area. However, I wasn’t inhibited, and reached the mailroom, handing it to the attendant, who nodded, and would place it with Dawn’s mail. I smiled to them, nodded, then departed the building. Next came a confrontation.
Cynthia was walking through a crowd, alone. Bag slung over her shoulder, and calm demeanor put together. I didn’t know how she could be so calm, considering what had happened only a night before. But…then again, I think I understood, somewhat. Having seen how she acted around Enzo.
Andromeda hovered behind her, the bird creature a few inches off the ground and gliding seamlessly behind her host. At least, that was the name she was going by now. Delphi spoke of her going by a different one, once, but not being able to remember it.
Taking a deep breath, I realized it was now or never, pushing my way through the small crowd easily enough with my thin frame and relative dexterity. Once I was within a few feet of Cynthia, and confirmed she hadn’t seen me just yet, I called out at reasonable volume.
“Cynthia. Headed to class?”
She turned her head over, looking at me with a measure of annoyance. But not saying anything outwardly hostile due to the presence of others.
“Yeah. Spodford’s class.” She said with a flat tone of voice. I just nodded.
“I’m heading that way anyhow. I’ll walk with you.”
She glared, but said nothing. After about a minute, the crowd had thinned out enough for me to make my move.
“Enzo is using you.” I said in a harsh tone of voice. Cynthia just let out a huff in reply. “It’s true. He’s going to betray you. You won’t get what you want out of this.”
“If by betray, you mean he’s going to kill me, yes, that’s apart of the collective plan.” She said coldly.
“He’s going to kill you, but he has no intention of remaking you, or anyone else for that matter. He wants all the power for himself.” I gave my retort as calmly as I could.
“How do you know, exactly?” She replied, demanding.
I tapped the side of my head. “My shadow’s good at deduction. All in my head, actually.”
That got her to stop. I kept walking, moving to depart the conversation. “A final word of advice. If you want to get what I think you do, you’ll want to move against Enzo sooner rather then later.”
She didn’t give any further reply, as I turned the corner out of sight, moving onto my next task.
I closed the door to Professor Lanigan’s office, the man himself sitting at his desk.
“So good of you to drop by, Andrew. Do you have more questions about the coursework?” He said with the same friendly demeanor he’d always had. If not for the knowledge Delphi gave me, I wouldn’t believe this guy was a wizard.
This wasn’t the first time I’d met with him one on one, I’d talked with him on dozen of occasions just about the course, and his thoughts on certain things regarding the supernatural. He’d always been insightful about it, and I suppose it made sense why.
“Not today sir. I have something pretty quick to say”
He nodded, motioning for me to continue. “Go right ahead, I’m listening.”
I cleared my throat, then said what I meant to. “Tomorrow night, convene with Mark and Kelly. If you do, you’ll defeat Enzo with certainty.”
After I finished, we sat in silence for about thirty seconds, before Lanigan hung his head.
“I really shouldn’t be doing this. My mentors would flay me alive.” He said with a long sigh.
“And you’re content to let Enzo walk free from this place with all of the powers of the shadows?” I said, accusingly.
Lanigan chuckled.
“Enzo won’t get far, trust me. There are plenty of things lurking which…well, they’d eat him for breakfast. There’s a reason that most people know very little about all of this.”
My brow furrowed. I’d known about this of course, but I let my curiosity show…then shift to visible anger. “So what, you’re just going to wait? Everyone’s lives meant nothing to you?”
I stirred something in him. Memories of a panicked shadow bursting into his home in the middle of the night, informing him of Diane’s message. I’d struck home, and I knew it.
We sat in silence another two minutes. Before I could tell he caved.
“Fine. I’ll be there. I’ll see you there as well, I assume?” He raised an eyebrow
“…no. I’ll be dead, I’m afraid.”
His face fell. “How can you be certain…unless…”
He takes another pause. Remembering.
“…Delphi, yes? That is their name.”
I nodded, silent.
“…I’ll trust your judgement then, Oracle. Good luck…and…avoid death if possible.”
He hung his head one more time, before I left the office. I knew by the time I was out of the building, he’d already have poured himself an unreasonable amount of whisky.
Conveniently enough for Detective Hawke, he found his next interrogation target in plain sight, sitting on a bench right off to the side of one of the larger walkways on campus. In plainclothes, he approached me, hands in his pocket, before taking a seat on the bench beside me without any prompt. I didn’t visibly react, turning another page.
“Andrew Moore?” He said, inquisitively.
“That’s me.” I said, without looking up.
“Detective Hawke, FCPD. I have a few questions” He showed a badge from within his coat, subtly.
I nodded, now folding the book across my lap and giving him full attention, like I was shocked by it. “Yes sir. How can I help?”
“I’ve been looking into the killings on campus. I’ve been told that all of the victims so far with the exception of the two campus security were apart of one friend group, initially, yes? Sat together at lunch almost every day?”
I nodded.
“And you were apart of that group, yes?”
I nodded again “I was.”
He took some notes on a notepad. A man after my own heart.
“Did you hear any word of any cult activity in that group? Or anything suspicious at all prior to this?” His question was loaded. But I knew my response, practiced via Delphi.
“No, none…I’ve been hearing that go around, and it’s honestly disrespectful to my friends memories…” I trailed off, the Detective hinging on my words. “…this all did start, though, when a new student started sitting with us and talking to some of the others. His name is Enzo, and he’s…well, he doesn’t seem very normal.”
The Detective frowned “I hadn’t heard about this guy…outside of in passing…” He noted something down, before reaching into his paper, and pulling out a small slip of paper, pushing it into my palm. “If you have any more information, feel free to call. I’m going to shift my focus a bit. Thanks.”
The detective stood, and walked off with a wave over his shoulder. I followed suit a few minutes later.
I stood alone, in the night. Night chill biting at my exposed face slightly, but I could barely feel it beneath the feeling of weight in my body. I was just waiting now. Waiting for my murderer to arrive.
I was cold. Unmoving. Delphi buzzed in the back of my brain, but I ignored them, affixing my eyes forward, peering through the gloom only pierced by the nearby streetlamps.
I heard the shout, a little ways away. Like someone getting their legs crushed after throwing rocks at Enzo.
I felt bad, for that. But at the very least that guy would survive. He wouldn’t walk again…but he’d have his life.
I’d spent the rest of my afternoon in my dorm. Not doing anything. Just using Delphi, absorbing information, going one last screen to be absolutely certain this was the path forward. It had honestly just been depressing. But…it had cemented me on this path. In every other path, Enzo either escaped, won, or killed too many people to consider it a victory. At least…at least this way no one would die who didn’t have to. I convinced myself of the ideas as I waited.
By now, though, I could hear the heavy footsteps of Evander approaching. Now that the shadow had absorbed Atlas, it just looked bigger, now wearing armor, and adding and axe to it’s arsenal of weapons. Juno and Iris’s masks still rested atop it’s shoulders, and Arthur’s tendrils still stuck out of it’s neck, with Zephyr’s quirks shifting armor pieces around rather then anything else.
The merged form approached me, at a relatively quick pace, distancing from the recent crime scene. I took a deep breath, and stepped out into the light to face it.
“Enzo, Evander.” I said, calm.
They stopped, across me.
“Andrew. Is this another trap?” Their merged voice was mocking.
“Nope. I’m alone. I’m putting a stop to you. Once and for all.” The courage in my voice was fake, but real enough to pass for it.
“Oh? And how do you intend to do that, boy without a shadow?” They loomed over me, withdrawing Atlas’s axe.
“By telling you this. You’re going to fail. Your plans will be for naught. This is your last chance to turn back, and maybe live.”
They simply pulled the axe out to the side.
“I think I’ll take my chances.”
They swung with the strength of Atlas, the speed of Zephyr, and the accuracy of Arthur.
Delphi entered my mind, one last time.
“It was a pleasure learning alongside you, Andrew.” They said, melancholic.
“The pleasure was mine.” I replied, in the same tone.
The blade hit my neck, and it was over and done.
Kindling And Miscellany 