Hale Academy: University of Sui Generis (Vol. I)

Chapter 4 (c): The Avatar & the Talismans (... Contd.)

"I don't suppose we can transfer him to a bed or something?" Zee asked quietly.

Marcia stepped forward, "I could just go meet his folks, get his stuff and—"

James shook his head, "I'm afraid that would earn you nothing but his resentment", he warned, "Also his room is warded and you will need him to enter the room regardless of the risk", he informed her simply.

"Zee Hunter you're up and after that Ash and Bell Ookami", he ordered and waited as Zee stepped up, "Place your hand over the tray and let's see which talisman chooses you", he informed Zee.

Zee nodded and placed their hand over the talismans, that barely took a second as a keychain with an inverted hand as thing flew into their hand, turning it over thy blinked at it confused, "What is it?" Zee asked James.

James hummed, and "It's a Hamsa Amulet on a key chain", he answered.

"Hamsa?" Zee asked confused. "It is a hand, right?" they asked.

Jasmine hummed, "Kind of", she answered, at Zee's questioning look, she sighed, "Well it is a hand, no doubt there, but a Hamsa is a popular hand-shaped amulet from the ancient Middle East and North African countries. It's usually a handcrafted carpet or wall hanging and jewelry. I've never seen a keychain but its 2113 humans have evolved and so have our tastes in things apparently", she muttered. "The Hamsa is believed by some, predominantly Muslims and Jews, to provide defense against the evil eye", she explained as clearly as she could.

"Evil eye… is it like that blue and white Turkish stone?" Zee asked curiously.

"Not exactly but at the same time, yes", she answered cryptically.

Zee frowned perplexed, "Explain, please", they demanded.

Jasmine hummed "Well first of all The Evil Eye, capital letters and everything is a curse or so legend believed to be cast by a malevolent glare, usually given to a person when they are unaware. Many cultures believe that receiving the evil eye will cause misfortune, injury, or worse", she stated simply, "While others believed it to be a kind of supernatural force that casts or reflects a malevolent gaze back-upon those who wish harm on others. Talismans created to protect against the evil eye are also frequently called "evil eyes", that's the bluestone you're talking about, and in India we usually have lemons and green chilies strung together and tied at the entrance of a house or shop or business proprietary, hanging down, kind of like mistletoe, except under ours you don't kiss", she snarked amused, "We also usually put up a black mask of a demon-ish looking creature. it's like a self-explanatory device which loudly states: 'He who looks upon me with the intent of greed and darkness, shall be cursed with a face black as their sin'", she paused, "I said that in my Hindi, it would have made more sense, carry more weight you know", she hummed curiously. "I guess the translation spell didn't allow for it", she mumbled that looking up she turned back to Zee, "Bottom line, the Hamsa is a hand that is said to ward of those who cast an evil eye, it's a protection thing. But you said your family is a very loving if the overly dramatic type, I'm sure you'll be fine with the Hamsa", she stated and then promptly stopped talking.

Zee nodded wordlessly after that explosion of words and took the keychain, clipping it to a set of keys she'd retrieved from her pocket.

"Bell Ookami", James called quietly.

Bell nodded and stepped up to the tray, "I feel like this is the part where a magical talking tool is going to decide my future for me", she murmured nervously.

James snorted, "Wrong fairytale, the girl that lives with wolves", he cheeked, "It will be okay", he assured amused.

Bell barely raised her hand when an item flew off of the tray and she caught it, fumbling slightly she blinked up at him baffled.

"Or not", James stared at her, "Well aren't you full of surprises", he laughed.

Zee grinned, "What did you get?" they asked amused.

"Uh…" Bell shrugged, "No idea", she answered lifting the amulet up for all to see, a sterling silver bracelet, with a design in its middle.

Rinzen jerked awake, "The eye of Horus", he answered blinking startled.

He looked up at Ray, blinked at him, and swallowed awkwardly.

"Sorry", he apologized sitting back up, he stretched, "I'm gonna walk over here, back and forth, if I don't I'm probably going to fall asleep on you again", he muttered moving around as he walked up the corridor and down, climbing the spiral staircase and back down as soon as he reached the landing.

*

"What's the eye of Horus?" Zee asked, "I so wish I had my SkyBell with me", she grumbled.

"Or at least my SkyPad", Ash grumbled, "I could connect to the worldNet figure out what half these symbols mean in detail", he groused petulantly.

*

"The Eye of Horus", Rinzen's voice came from somewhere up above, and when had he even climbed back up, "Is similar to the Hamsa", he answered from deeper inside the mansion, his voice carrying. "It's an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection, royal power, and good health. It was believed by the Greeks and Romans that an evil heart could get to the eye. The thought to be powerful effects of eyes and optics created the myth that the energy-producing power of the eye had the ability to cast evil spells with just a glance. Because the ancients believed the evil eye could be counteracted with a 'good eye'", he answered, over a sharp sound.

"Don't touch anything!" James called up.

"Too late", Rinzen sang, "Nifty", he said before a swishing sound overtook him.

"Zen!!!" James growled.

"This is an awesome basket-sword, I want it", he stated, "To be or Not to be", he called, "En guard!" he exclaimed mid-phrase.

"Is it the lack of sleep or the crazy day that's turned him into that?" Ray asked curiously.

"Both", Red and Ash answered in unison.

"Plus I think its partly just him", Zee interjected amused.

James sighed heavily, "Ash Roiz-Wolfe", he called, "Let's get this over with so we can bundle him up like a burrito and end this day before he takes out someone's eye—Fiona watch out!!" he yelled as Zen, sliding down the banister—because of course, he was—with a sword in his hand cackling madly landed where she stood, as she dived and took cover, crashing hard into one other person and taking him down with her.

"O-O-Oi…" she huffed her hand shook as she pointed at him warily.

Someone groaned and gently pushed Fiona off of themselves, stood up, and then cursed in a language no one understood, the translation spell obviously not working against it.

"Calling me a 's**t-face' in Dovahzul is ridiculously cool of you", Rinzen said grinning at a man with one green eye one purple eye, and his face largely obscured by the shaggy yet well-groomed beard he sported. He was shorter than Ash by an inch and built stockier than all of the men comparatively, he had startling two-colored hair, his nape with black hair, and the top of his head with ginger-red.

"You understood what I said?" the man gruffed in English.

"Clearly", he scoffed and brandished the sword at him, "What are you?" he demanded to know.

The man growled sub-vocally, "I think you know", he answered without answering.

A feral grin had nearly all of them take a step back and Rinzen sheathed the sword, at his hip, pushing it through a belt loop and then closing the space between him and the man. He clapped the man on his shoulder, "Good", he said, tone biting and powerful, "You'll be Ash's guardian", he ordered sharply.

The man frowned, "Oh, will I now?" he asked sarcastically.

Rinzen leaned in close and whispered, "You will", he promised.

The man paled dramatically and nodded, "I will", he promised effectively pushing himself away from Rinzen and turning to face Ash.

"My name is Bartimaeus", he greeted him, "As long as you under my protection, no harm will come to you", he promised.

Ash turned to Rinzen rather than answering Bartimaeus, "Him?" he asked baffled.

"Him", he smirked sharply, and "He pairs well with the Pentacle in your hand", he promised, grinning at Bartimaeus vindictively.

The man scowled at him and Rinzen hummed simply, "I assure you, no harm will come to you", he repeated.

Ash shrugged, "Fine", he pouted, "But there's only James left, who gets you?" he asked curiously.

Bell and Jasmine looked at each other, the latter shrugged.

James hummed, "I don't know yet", he answered, "Maya and Edwards will be arriving on the third", he answered, "One of them will be going to you one of you", he answered.

"Weren't you supposed to be a mentor to someone?" Rinzen recalled confused.

"Mentor yes, but the chances of me guiding an Ascendant were slim", he answered, "Personally I'd rather not", he grumbled, "Of the many people that have walked through these doors—"

"You mean teleported without consent", Rinzen corrected.

James rolled his eyes and continued, "—none of them have been as opinionated, as difficult, sassy and just plain mysterious as you lot", he sighed wearily.

"True", Marcia agreed, "I've met plenty of Ascendants in my forty years being a part of this secret society and we are all a f****d up bunch, no questions about that", she stated simply, "But what I can guarantee is that despite that, despite meeting all kinds of people. I have been a part of one Ascendant group and have mentored ten batches, believe me, I have met them all! Man, we are really f****d up", she exalted amused.

"Yet you guys take the cake", she laughed amused.

Rinzen snorted, "Well that's a matter to figure out later, so how do we go back?" he asked gently handing Ms. Harris the sword he picked up from upstairs. "It's around breakfast time in my household", he hummed, "That means everyone is at home", he stated simply.

Zee checked her watch, "For Ash and I, it's around four in the evening", they said.

Ash nodded, and "France and Germany are really close to each other", he stated confirming the statement.

Ray hummed looking down at his right wrist, and "It's 3 in the afternoon in England", he informed Fiona.

"Likewise", Red added quietly.

"It's practically midnight for me, it's a good thing I live alone", Bell piped up.

"It's seven-thirty at night for me, my curfew is at eight, it would be better we left soon, but given I don't have a guardian? What do I do?" she asked quietly.

"I'll go with you", James answered, "For now Bell is in the least amount of danger, she'll stay here until Red or Ray's guardian returns, since it's still afternoon for them", he turned to the two.

"I can wait here till Fiona deals with her family. I live alone as well", Ray informed, "Heck I can go home easily, pack and return here all within a few hours", he informed them.

"Hell No!" Rinzen ordered causing everyone to stop moving, something about his voice always seemed to carry a certain tinge of power.

"Jasmine and James will go now, and Bell can borrow Fiona", he hummed, "Marcia and I can go with you", he hummed, "Beside the need to sleep, I don't particularly have any need or want to go home", he hummed, "I don't mind delaying the inevitable", he stated simply.

Marcia nodded, "That works, then boy", she said over-enunciating the letter 'y' a little more than she was before, "Let's be off, we'll tackle your folks first and then help this ray of sunshine with his–"

"No", he answered, "Ray first and his puppy", he stated. "So how do we do this?" he asked curiously.

"The envelopes have the answer", James teased smug.

*Envelope? Why that cheeky asshole…*

Rinzen narrowed his gaze and opened the envelope again; blinking in surprise he found the same words that were written on the envelope.

*I'll tackle that asshole later.*

Before reading him he turned to Ray and Marcia, "Do we hold hands?" he asked confused, "How does having extra people work with this?" he asked confused.

Marcia hummed, "Holding hands works, or any body part", she advised.

"But the spells are keyed to one person, so Ray if you say yours first, then we will need to hold your hands or something", she stated.

"Okay", Ray agreed, he let Marcia hold his hand and Rinzen grasped his shoulder, "Please don't throw up on me", he muttered warily.

Rinzen nodded, "I'll try not", he inhaled bracing himself, and Ray nodded opening the envelope, "Return home", he said out loud.

Rinzen whined already feeling that tug;

*Ugh… here we go again*

xXxXx

(End of Chapter 4)