Ascension

1

The thunder boomed as lightning flashed. Phoenix watched as two women walked up the steps of the house, heard the doorbell ring. "Witches, Nix, I suggest you don't keep them waiting, they're only here because your mother was a very well known, very powerful witch." The white cat said.

"I know, Cherokee. I know," Phoenix said as he scooped the white cat up. The cat's one black paw rested on Nix's chest, the other white one on his arm.

Phoenix opened the front door after rushing down the stairs. He was perfectly content to stay in this old house by himself, not move on to some huge school for witches. Not to mention, there's never been a male witch, yet his mother had seemed so sure in him leading up to her losing her battle with cancer.

Nix was tempted to just let the witches stand out in the rain because they showed up so late at night, but at Cherokee's insistence, he scratched the door frame, allowing the two of them to pass the threshold. The two witches stepped in and pushed their hoods back. He watched as the older, blonde one looked around. She grunted and turned to look at Nix.

Lazarus had not been looking forward to this meeting, but Marian Gray had been a witch of high status, it didn't matter if the fact she had been on her deathbed meant she was most likely delusional was true, Marian had called about her son, Phoenix, claiming he was a witch. Now Lazarus and Jessie were here to test the young man. "Phoenix Gray?" Lazarus asked as she flicked her graying blonde hair over her shoulder.

"That's me," Nix said. "Don't worry, I'm just as thrilled as you are, my mother's last delusional wish was for me to be accepted into the academy." He said, reading the woman's thoughts.

He saw her look of surprise before it melted into a face of unamusement. "Ha, so you can read minds. Doesn't make you a witch." She said.

"Lazarus, enough. You are supposed to be our leader, yet you act foolish." Jessie said.

"Forgive me, where are my manners? I'm Lazarus Golde, get me some wine while me and my girl get things set up. Where's the sitting room?" Lazarus snapped.

"Over there," Nix said, flicking his fingers, the door to the left swinging open with a gust of wind. Cherokee purred and rubbed her head against his chest, trying to draw his attention to her and off Lazarus.

"Don't do anything stupid, Nix." She said.

Lazarus heard the meow and seemed to finally notice the white and black fur ball he held. "A familiar? Was she your mother's?" Lazarus asked. "She always did favor cats."

"She's mine," Nix said. "She says 'don't mistake me for that stuck up prick in the windowsill.'" Nix said.

"It's true, she did say that," Jessie said.

"So you can read minds, open doors and speak to cats, what a surprise, my grandson can too." Lazarus said as she and Jessie made their way to the sitting room.

"Nix..." Cherokee warned as she climbed up onto his shoulder, his fists clenching.

"I don't even want this," Phoenix told her.

"I know, but it was your mother's wish for you to go. Not to mention, you have things you need to learn to control. A witch who cannot control their magic is dangerous and could result in your death or another's." Cherokee reminded him.

Phoenix sighed as he entered the kitchen, grabbing the bottle of wine and some wine glasses. "I guess we really gotta impress them then," Phoenix said.

"Indeed," Cherokee agreed.

When Phoenix joined the witches inside the sitting room, he set the glasses down and poured them all wine. "Thank you, dear, it was quite a long journey here," Lazarus said. "She truly was a magnificent woman," Lazarus said as she tipped her glass towards the painted portrait of his mother in her prime.

"No need to remind me." Phoenix said as Cherokee jumped off him and perched herself in the window behind the witches.

"Now, shall we get to business or keep this chitchat up?" Jessie asked.

"I suggest we move along," Phoenix said.

"Well, usually to test a witch, we first ask them to demonstrate their natural abilities unless they are dangerous. We will start with that, then move on to spells. You will perform a spell of our choosing, your success or failure will determine if you have a place inside our school." Jessie said, resting an old, leatherbound book on the coffee table.

Phoenix stood and closed his eyes, focusing on the magic, like his mother taught him. It was in his veins, he just needed to open himself to it. "Diotz, noil em pleh flesym otni a noil..." He whispered under his breath. Phoenix felt a soft brush of air and what sounded like a chuckle. His blood seemed to vibrate, he opened his eyes to see black mist swirling around his body.

Within seconds Lazarus watched as the boy stood on four paws, a black mane standing against dark reddish brown fur. The boy's gray eyes stared back at her, flecked with blue. Lazarus bit the inside of her cheek, no male has ever done what he just did. There was no denying him, based only on him shapeshifting, Phoenix Gray was a natural born witch through and through.

After a few minutes, the black mist surrounded Phoenix once more and when it dissipated Lazarus once more saw all 6 feet one inch of him. She knew everything about him, it was her job to. Next, she observed as the boy once again sat down and gestured to the white and black cat he had been holding earlier. Here, she sat up straighter, what could he possibly be doing with the cat? Surely he couldn't be using her for...

Phoenix hated this gift of his. His mother called it the most powerful gift any witch could possess. Only, she didn't know about the other one, even though he used it all the time around her. Although, because of what it was she had no clue he had it...

As Phoenix slowly released the deep breath he had been holding, he opened his eyes and stared into Cherokee's golden eyes. Phoenix's vision began to narrow, blurring until it was only Cherokee's golden eyes he could see.

Lazarus gasped as Phoenix went from still and motionless, only the ticking of the clock making sound, to his head snapping back, his eyes had turned white. The lights dimmed and flickered as he cried out before his head snapped forward once more, the cat cried out before clawing his hands, forcing him to release her. When he sat up once more, the blue flecks in his eyes were bright, unnatural. Always a sign of a powerful witch. Blood leaked from his nose and his tears were bloody. "Oh my," Jessie said as she dug out a handkerchief.

When Phoenix reached his hand out to take it, he looked ten shades lighter, his hand trembling. "You s-said demonstrate my n-natural abilities, there you h-have it. Usually, it isn't this bad, only when I f-force it or if what I see is r-really bad," he stuttered.

"What did you see?" Lazarus asked, she may not be happy with the outcome of this visit, but now she knew why Marian wanted him accepted so badly.

"The future, don't step outside on December twenty-first. He'll be waiting, there's nothing you'll be able to stop Vance other than to hide under the bed on the fourth floor of the school, in Yvette and Kelly's room. Wait there, wait there until your muscles start to cramp, by then the police will have arrived because the neighbors around the block will have heard him shouting. By then you'll be safe, but only if you count to ten and crawl out slowly. Give the officers time to get to him, to subdue Vance." Phoenix said.

"You saw all that in just that short time?" Lazarus asked.

"Time slows for me when I see things." He said.

"Take a minute to collect yourself while Jessie and I discuss what we have learned about you," Lazarus said as Phoenix held the handkerchief to his nose.

Nix watched them leave. "I didn't mean to squeeze you like that, usually the terror doesn't take hold of me like that," he told Cherokee.

"I know Nix, it wasn't your fault. Go, clean yourself up." She told him.

***

"I don't want to, but we have no choice but to accept him," Lazarus said.

"You could always kill him and put his soul in a girl. I'm sure Dhalia wouldn't mind." Jessie said.

"My days of bringing people back to life are over. I may have been born with Death's mark, but I'm too old for that s**t now. Not to mention, Marian would roll over in her grave and make all our future endeavors fail if we did that. We can't change the fact he is a witch...but we can make him see he is not superior, no matter how strong he is compared to the girls, he still has to pass the Culling anyway. The amount of power one has will not determine whether they survive, rather their strength of character. I read him, he doesn't give a s**t, he doesn't even believe in himself. He'll do our job for us, we just need to give an extra push." Lazarus said.

"Alright, start messaging Rhabia, tell her to prepare a room, as well as the girls," Jessie said.

"Ha! Those girls won't know what to do with him, the real mean ones will fight over him. I'll be sure to talk with him while you get in touch with Rhabia." Lazarus said.

Lazarus was fishing out her pack of cigarettes when Phoenix stepped out onto the porch with her. "Want one?" She asked him.

Wordlessly he took her offer. "Here," she said as she lit it with a match.

"Thanks, needed this," he said.

"You're not the only one kid," she said with a snort.

"I'm 21, don't think I'm a kid anymore." He said as he blew smoke out lazily.

"I'm over a hundred and fifty years old, not quite yet two hundred, you're a kid to me, dear. Surprised? I know, I don't look a day over seventy." Lazarus said.

"So, what did you want to talk about, Lazarus?" Phoenix asked.

"I want you to understand the exact situation you will be in at my school. There are no men around, other than a few who come and go, but they're usually older gentlemen, not the fine, young stud you are. Those girls? They'll tear you apart within your first week if you aren't careful, not to mention, I don't want anything happening with my girls that may cause a rift, and you being there will cause such a mess. Don't make it worse or I'll cut your d**k off myself." Lazarus warned him.

Phoenix chuckled. "You have no need to worry, I'm not really into girls, or guys. Sure, s*x is nice, but you don't have to worry about that, I only do things for love, and love is not an easy thing for me to find." He told her.

"Good, pack your things, grab your familiar and your mother's, we'll make sure he is taken care of. Just like all the other familiars who lose their witch, they'll live the rest of their days happily and lazily."

Phoenix began to turn to open the door, "oh, and Phoenix Gray? Welcome, to the Lazarus Academy." Lazarus said.

Phoenix nodded his head before heading inside. He really was not looking forward to the Academy, but he made a promise to his mother, and he was going to keep it...