Illumination

Chapter Three

Leaning on his cane Nicodemus surveyed the school campus. The barrier around it was quite impressive. It was much bigger than any other he had seen before. The stench of dark magic was intense. The strength of the barrier was remarkable.

Nicodemus was standing as far away from the campus as he could while still being able to see it. The cane he was leaning on was black and skilfully engraved with intricate runes. It was enhanced in various ways beyond the abilities of an ordinary cane. It was now resonating with the sorcery active on the campus and humming with power.

Nicodemus Montgomery was forty years old but he looked like he was twenty.

Except for his clothes. He was wearing an old fashioned suit that looked like it was from the nineteenth century and a bowler hat. His shoes were also black and old fashioned. His hair was the shade of coal. His eyes were icy blue. His skin was the pale shade of an albino. Nicodemus was surrounded by soldiers who were there to secure the area. The cover story was that there was an outbreak of a serious disease at the school and the military had been called to quarantine the area.

That story had not been his idea. While it was actually close to the truth there was the problem of what they would tell the CDC when they arrived. How long could they stop them from trying to go in? Were they hoping to solve the problem that fast? That was a level of confidence that was completely unwarranted. And how would they explain the nature and origin of the disease?

On the other hand an event like this wasn't exactly easy to cover up. There were bound to be major problems with whatever approach they took. There would always be factors that could not be controlled. That was just how life was. A good leader would understand that. Unfortunately...

Nicodemus took a pair of binoculars from a nearby soldier. The soldier did not protest. While Nicodemus had no official rank the soldiers knew him as someone that their general both feared and respected. This made them treat him like someone in command. The fact that he had arrived on board a gunship that was most likely far more advanced than others they had seen had helped. It was a war machine that did not officially exist.

Just like he himself did not officially exist. There were already many rumours spreading about him and some of them were actually true. He had even heard his code name spoken in a tone of dread and awe. They weren't entirely certain but they had correctly identified him. This did not displease Nicodemus.

He looked at the campus with the binoculars. There were no students or staff outside that he could see. They were most likely inside the various buildings that each housed a different department of the school. Were there separate barriers around the buildings as well as the one covering the entire campus?

Nicodemus closed his eyes and send his mind forward to explore the campus. As his astral self reached the barrier he recoiled for a moment from the vile taint of the sorcery that it was made from. This was not the work of amateurs who did not understand what they were doing. This was high level dark magic. There had to be at least one master of the dark arts involved.

There was an interesting scent that was coming out of the invisible barrier. It smelled of hellfire. The reek of perdition was strong here. As if things weren't bad enough already. Now he had to consider the possibility of demonic involvement.

Nicodemus pushed against the barrier.

And it pushed back.

There was a mind within the barrier. A mind consumed by rage. The barrier was alive. And its raw power was terrifying. It reached into Nicodemus's mind. Nicodemus severed the connection and fled back to his body. The soldiers around him were waiting patiently.

Waiting for orders.

Nicodemus took out his phone and send his young student a message telling her that there was a demon inside the barrier surrounding the campus. Annabelle responded by asking if the barrier keeping her inside the language building would be the same. So there were multiple barriers. Nicodemus told himself to tell Annabelle to be more specific in the future at some point when that talk would be more appropriate.

For now he replied saying that it was possible. He added that it was best to assume that that was the case. Not one but several demons then. How had such a total disaster been allowed to happen? Nicodemus had known that there was a coven on the campus. He had heard the reports that this coven was breaking the rules. He had thought that this coven would be a minor problem easily dealt with. Unfortunately his information had been woefully incomplete.

What this suggested was alarming.

The truth had been deliberately hidden. Someone had wanted this to happen. Someone among the masters had to have allowed this to happen. It had been a while since one of their own had turned on them. The common practitioners of the dark arts were, well common. But true masters of dark magic were rare. The idea that one would be working among them to subvert the council...

The people inside the campus would soon be either dead or corrupted. Could they be saved? Nicodemus ordered the soldiers to stay where they were and focus on their task. He told them to take any measures needed to prevent the contamination from spreading. Nicodemus then started walking towards the barrier.

Foolish. This was foolish.

But it was time to act. And he was the only one present who could do something. When he reached the barrier Nicodemus placed his hands on it and unleashed his full magical might against the demon. Sorcery exploded out of him in a burst of radiant power.