Chapter 4

 

At the Australian Nocturnal Academy it was now after eleven in the evening and everyone was up and about. Because it was Sunday night there were no classes scheduled, and those students who’d helped out at the Old Cider Factory were wandering around in a daze, wondering what to do with themselves. Alice Dibble, Toby Thompson and Carla Hightower dithered in the corridor outside Madam Nocturna’s office, waiting for further instructions.

Toby, of course, was raring to charge into the Immaterium and wail on some demons. He paced rather impatiently up and down the corridor, occasionally chewing his nails and saying things like “come on, we’re waiting here! What’s the hold up?”

Carla was considerably calmer, but still nervous. After all, the battle to end all battles was approaching and she really wasn’t looking forward to it. But it had to be done.

Alice was leaning against a wall, actually the most patient. She clearly remembered everything that had happened during the previous night’s battle, including Andre’s abduction, but instead of the hysteria she’d experienced, she just felt numb. She supposed the pain would soon return, but right now she seemed to be floating high above herself, looking down on upon a stranger.

“What’s wrong, Alice?” Carla asked. “You look totally out of it. Did you sleep alright?”

“Actually I did!” she gasped. “I slept right through! I fell rather refreshed actually – not nearly as bad as I did last night. I can’t think why. I even ate an enormous breakfast.” She pulled her hands through her long dark hair. “I should be screaming and running around in circles, panicking about Andre. I must still be in a state of shock.”

“Maybe. Or perhaps you’ve gone beyond hysteria. After all, we are going to do something. It’s just a matter of when the teachers get their butts into gear.”

“Well, I wish they’d hurry up!” cried Toby, and suddenly he shifted to the form of a massive wolf. He continued to pace up and down.

“That’s enough, Mr Thompson!” shouted Madam Nocturna as she emerged from her office with a strange young woman in tow. “Your massive claws are tearing up my nicely polished woodwork!”

Somewhat shamefacedly, Toby shifted back to human form. “Sorry Ma’am!”

Madam Nocturna brought the woman forward. She was tall and willowy with long black hair, and looked about thirty years old. She was wearing one of Madam Nocturna’s long lacy gowns and looked a little uncomfortable in the deep purple velvet that wafted around her, seeming like all of the headmistress’ clothes to have a life of its own. “This is Kim Long, a student from the Nocturnal University. I brought her back with me this morning from our dawn patrol. There was a little … debacle.”

Kim Long? Alice wondered. Why is that name familiar?

Kim had big dark eyes that looked like they had peered a little too deeply into darkness. But she appeared upbeat and gave the three children a warm smile and a little wave.

“A debacle? And we missed it?” cried Toby in dismay.

“I’ll debrief you as soon as Professor Abbacus and the others return, which they will be very shortly. And then, after a short meeting, we can be on our way.”

“Awesome!” Toby rubbed his hands together.

At that moment Professor Abbacus appeared in the main corridor, looking a little worse for wear, with dirt and grass all over his coat, and a couple of pointy splinters of wood stuck in his joins of his head that he didn’t appear to notice. Behind him was Rhys Kelly, also looking scruffy with his clothes ripped. Then came Lord Eldritch and two people Alice had never seen before; a small wererat in half-human form, wearing John Lennon spectacles, a bow tie and a grubby lab-coat, and a tall, beautiful woman with thick curly brown hair that shifted restlessly around her head like one of Madam Nocturna’s gowns. She too was wearing a long lab coat. Alice thought she looked a little like Madam Nocturna. She had the principal’s impressive height, colour and face-shape.

Then a familiar figure raced out from behind them. Alice gaped at the sight of Malcolm McAllister, her own big brother. He darted up to the tall black-haired woman with a shriek of joy and flung his arms around her. “Kim! Oh my God! You’re alright!”

“Ah,” said Alice, realising who the woman was. She expected to feel a stab in her chest like a knife through the heart. Why did Malcolm get his beloved back when her own boyfriend was still trapped and at the mercy of his vile father?

But the pain and the tears never came. She was still numb. In fact, as she watched their tearful reunion she actually felt happy for them, and warmth spread through her.

Carla misinterpreted Alice’s stillness as shock, and slipped an arm around her shoulder. “It’s okay Alice – we’ll get Andre back, don’t worry.”

Alice gulped. “It’s – it’s not that. I should be jealous and upset, but I’m not! I … I can’t describe it! It’s – it’s as though my grief has been … turned off. Or at least turned down so it doesn’t worry me as much.”

“Maybe Madam Nocturna did it,” Carla suggested. “After all you had been through a lot yesterday.”

Alice lifted a hand to her forehead in horror. “But she wouldn’t meddle with my head without permission, would she?”

Carla stared at her in surprise. “I don’t know!”

“Alright, alright!” Professor Abbacus clapped his hands at the cuddling couple. “That’s enough tearful reunion! We have some planning to do, and I for one would like to get this circus on the road as quickly as possible!”

“Tactful as ever!” said Madam Nocturna ruefully as Malcolm and Kim sprang apart. “Alright people – into my office. Star Fang, Father Lost and Marco will be here shortly to join us, but in the meantime we can go over what happened at the Old Cider Factory early this morning. I think it might be relevant to what we’re about to face.”

Just then Rhys’ stomach gave a very loud and mournful growl. “Um … is it possible we could get something to eat before we leave?” he asked hopefully. “Metabolic comas always make me ravenous.”

“Of course, Rhys. I’ll arrange for some food to be brought to my office.” Madam Nocturna directed her attention to Dr Primus. “How are you, dear? I haven’t seen you in ages!”

Dr Primus smiled. “I’m perfectly fine, Aunt Elliana!”

Alice stared. No wonder they look similar! she thought.

Everyone assembled around Madam Nocturna’s enormous desk. Her air elemental assistants had made sure enough chairs had been set out for everyone. Madam Nocturna contacted the kitchen for refreshments, and then directed her attention at the newcomers from the Nocturnal University. “Now, if you’d be so kind, Lord Eldritch – please explain why the University is here.”

“Ah yes.” Lord Eldritch gave a brief rundown of the adventure he, Dr Ashe and Dr Primus had been through, just before the flying college’s arrival. He described how the Lonely House had been set up as the Gatehouse Café on University property to recruit and convert tree-spirits.

“Surely someone noticed that abominable dwelling and realised what it was up to!” cried Professor Abbacus.

Dr Ashe lifted a paw. “Not at first. It was very unobtrusive. Malcolm and Kim only realised something was up after they both ate there and became horribly ill afterwards. Because they’d both encountered and defeated Necronites before, their bodies were strong enough to reject the Unmaker’s poisoned food. Then I went to check the place out and detected the unique smell of Necronis around the place’s owner. I reported it to the Dean, and he went down there with a squad of cops. I understand there was a horrible fight. Piskine was killed in the process.”

Professor Abbacus didn’t look the slightest bit saddened by the news. In fact his single blue eye gleamed. “Dean Piskine is gone?”

“We think he was sacrificed, body and soul, to the Unmaker,” declared Eldritch.

At least now Abbacus had the good grace to look uncomfortable. “Ah. Well, that is unfortunate.”

“Unfortunate?!” Rhys exclaimed.

Breakfast arrived for everyone who wanted it, and as some ate Lord Eldritch described the battle he, Dr Ashe, Dr Primus, Malcolm and Kim had been through with the Lonely House, deep within the bowels of the University. The House and its custodian, the metal elemental mage Elias DeRange were defeated, but managed to escape.

“What the heck is this Lonely House?” asked Rhys.

“The Lonely Houses are permanent intelligent portals to the Pit of Dark Flame,” answered Professor Abbacus. “Older than time itself.”

“There is more than one?” gasped Rhys.

“There are two. A male and a female. Gates, they call themselves. First mentioned in the Noble Grimoire by Mariah Noble, a spellbook that was destroyed in the late 1800s.”

Alice lifted a hand. “I don’t think it was destroyed, sir. Andre mentioned that his grandfather had it.”

Professor Abbacus turned to stare intently at her. Then he swore and turned away. “It figures. That Christophe Sauvage had a sneaky streak a mile wide.”

Rhys lifted his hands. “You mean there are two permanent portals to the Pit of Dark Flame creeping around Earth even as we speak, corrupting people into Necronites and sending sacrifices to the Unmaker?” No wonder a copy of the Necroniad managed to make it here, he thought darkly.

“Yes. But usually they keep very much to themselves. It’s only recently they’ve started becoming more active. Probably because they’d received premonitions about the Wall of Fire rupturing.”

It was Rhys’ turn to swear.

“This brings us to our arrival here,” Lord Eldritch declared. “Which I now understand was orchestrated by Dr Bristlecone, also a Necronite, and a whole lot of her possessed plant spirits.”

“Yes,” answered Madam Nocturna. “We had a bit of a demon incursion the previous evening, after a group of Necronites managed to rip open a portal to the Immaterium. With the help of Rhys Kelly here we prevailed and closed the hole. It was fortunate Rhys, Professor Abbacus and I decided to come back tonight and check for new breaches, otherwise that doctor would have succeeded in opening her portal without anyone’s knowledge! Necronis would have been able to pass through right here.” She stabbed a finger down on the table in front of her.

Rhys swore again, feeling a little ill. He put down the third cheese and bacon roll he’d been eating, and it was immediately snatched up by Toby.

Carla rolled her eyes at him.

Madam Nocturna gave a brief run-down of the morning’s fight and finished with; “which brings us here, to this meeting. We are about to embark on a mission into the Immaterium itself to close the rift in the Wall of Fire. We will be leaving as soon as Star Fang, Father Lost and Marco arrive. Would you like to come with us?” She directed her attention to Lord Eldritch and the teachers and students from the Nocturnal University. “We need all the power we can get.”

Lord Eldritch exchanged glances with Drs Ashe and Primus, and Malcolm and Kim.

“I’m in,” Malcolm said almost immediately.

“Me too. I’m sick of always being the sacrifice!” added Kim passionately.

“You can count me in too,” said Dr Ashe. “I’m a Seventh Circle mage.” He glanced at Dr Primus, who looked a little pale and ill, her hair curled up extremely tightly.

“Oh fine!” she grumbled. “I’m in too.”

“Harmon?” Madam Nocturna prompted.

“Professor Abbacus mentioned something about Rhys having a plan to close the rift. I’d like to hear it first.”

“Rhys?” Madam Nocturna prompted.

Rhys, who’d been looking for the roll he’d put down, lifted his head. “What?”

“Could you please explain to Lord Eldritch your plan for closing the breach in the Wall of Fire?”

“Sure. We make a focal pentagram of our toughest with me at the middle, willing the hole to close. With psionic enhancers – I mean Magick enhancers - we should be able to generate enough power to shut that thing. Meanwhile everyone else will be working to keep the demons and other riff-raff at bay so we can concentrate.” He looked around again. “I swear I put my roll down here somewhere … blast this carbon-based food – it takes so much of it to fill me up!”

Madam Nocturna nudged a plate of spare rolls over to him. He scooped one up. “Thanks!”

“Is that it?” Lord Eldritch asked sceptically. “It sounds far too simple.”

“It is pretty simple,” Rhys answered with his mouth full. “I don’t do complicated. So long as all the toughest mages are with me. It may be a breach to the Pit of Dark Flame, but it’s still a breach. I’ll have the enhancer Professor Abbacus gave me. Do you guys have any?”

“Yes,” said Madam Nocturna and Lord Eldritch lifted his staff with the skull head, but the others all shook their heads.

“I have a couple I can loan you,” said Madam Nocturna.

“And I have some you don’t need to attach to yourselves directly,” added Abbacus.

“So who will make up the pentagram?” asked Lord Eldritch.

“Me,” declared Madam Nocturna.

“Me too,” said Abbacus.

“Father Lost and Star Fang will also be with us,” Madam Nocturna continued. “Our fifth was going to be Professor Darkchilde, but he … well, he turned from us to Necronis and had to be dealt with.” The headmistress lowered her head and her dark green eyes slipped into shadow. “The next powerful person in line was Alice, but since you fine folks from the University have shown up, I think her place should be taken by you, Harmon. You’re by far the next most powerful.”

Lord Eldritch sighed. He really didn’t want to do this, but choice did he have? It was either take his place in the pentagram and or wait in a drunken stupor for the end of the world up in the Dean’s office at the Nocturnal University. At least this way he would die trying. And besides, Madam Nocturna had him between a rock and a hard place. He couldn’t let a student be part of something so monumental, not when he had the power she was looking for. He sighed. “Very well,” he said at least.”

“Excellent.” Madam Nocturna rubbed her hands together. “That will free up the rest of you, plus Longenfang, McDingley and Vixen, to face off against all the imps and demons I guarantee will be hovering around the breach. Of course you won’t be fighting them alone – Hyperion Stargazer and all his celestials are still there, as they have been since the barrier was first broken.”

Suddenly, Madam Nocturna’s air elemental assistant solidified beside her. “Star Fang, Father Lost and Marco the Hunter have arrived, Ma’am, and are waiting in the foyer.”

Madam Nocturna pushed herself back from the desk and stood up. “On that note I think we should make preparations to leave. Professor Abbacus, have you decided how will we be travelling? Through the astral plane like you did when you journeyed to the lost Siberian Academy?”

Professor Abbacus sighed. “That’s probably the safest method, but I don’t want to waste any more time. We’ve dawdled enough already and journeying through the astral plane will add at least two more days onto the trip. If we want to dive straight into the fight we’ll need to travel through the Omniportallis.”

Madam Nocturna gaped at him. “Won’t that alert Necronis?”

“Probably, but not immediately. Don’t forget he’s still preoccupied with opening the breach and surrounded by all those celestials blocking his view. We will have enough time to get into position.” He got up. “If you don’t need me for anything else, I need to gather up those enhancers and prepare and power up the device. It’s been shut down since Necronis broke through. It’ll take me half an hour to get it up and running. But I want everyone ready to go as soon as I punch the coordinates in.”

“Yes, of course.”

Professor Abbacus picked his way out through all the chairs and departed. “Alright people, you heard the man,” Madam Nocturna said solemnly. “Half an hour and then we go through. Get everything together you’ll need for the biggest fight of your lives.”

Toby bared wolf fangs and popped out claws on both hands. “Got everything I need right here, Miss!”

Carla groaned.

Everyone began to file out. Alice wanted to talk to Malcolm as she hadn’t seen him since the Nightmare Games, but she needed to speak to Madam Nocturna first. So she waited until everyone was gone and Madam Nocturna was rummaging for something in one of her desk drawers.

“Alice?” she queried as she hung a large, old-fashioned medallion around her neck. “What’s up?”

Alice gulped. “I … I well, I haven’t been feeling right since last night.” She lifted a hand to her head. “I know I should be feeling more grief about the loss of Andre, but I don’t feel much of anything. Did … did you do something to me?”

Madam Nocturna stared at her, considering a lie, but then she sighed. “Yes Alice, I’m sorry. But I had to.

“You went into my head without permission?”

Madam Nocturna gathered a handful of more amulets from her drawer and slipped them into a pocket. Then she walked over to a shadow corner and removed something from it. It was a tall staff with a crystal on the end, remarkably like the one that had been destroyed during Vladrakov’s attempt to take over Janice, all those years ago at the Old Cider Factory. “You were completely hysterical, and unless I intervened you would not have been able to come with us today,” she said firmly. “You needed to be rested and focussed. It’s only a suggestion, Alice. It will wear off.”

Alice stared miserably at her, understanding the principal’s reasoning, but still feeling … betrayed. “You … you should have still asked me first,” she whispered. To her acute dismay, tears stung her eyes. She turned with a curse and ran from the office.

Madam Nocturna sighed again.

 

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