Last Day of School

Jordan grabbed the last of her belongings out of her locker and stuffed them into her bookbag.  She hefted the bag onto her back and began to walk for the school's exit, still angry she had to stay after on the last day of school.  As she neared the doors, a hand grabbed her shoulder.  "You need to come with me."  A familiar voice said.  "It's a matter of life and death."

She turned, but didn't see anyone there.  "Is that you, Connor?  Why are you invisible?"  Connor's face appeared in front of her, but the rest of him stayed invisible.

"The Church of the First is here, and they're patrolling the school, holding anyone they find hostage in the cafeteria.  Miles and Lilith are on their way, but they won't keep the hostages alive for much longer."  His face disappeared in a light glow.  The glow extended to his arm and to her, concealing her as well.  He started guiding her to the cafeteria, maintaining physical contact to keep them both invisible.  

"So, what's the plan?  How many hostages are there?  How many from the First?  Are they armed?"  As they neared the double doors to the cafeteria, the only answer Connor offered was a droning "Uuuh..."

"Did you think this through at all?"  Jordan asked, not waiting for an answer.  "We should just wait for Lilith."

"She is the fastest flyer around," Connor conceded.  "But this is looking like one of the Church of the First's 'send a message' kind of deal."  They got to the double doors and peered through the windows.  Guards armed with handguns stood at regular intervals, all of them behind someone who was standing on top of a table, talking to a group of people grouped up inside an intricate circle drawn on the floor with chalk.  None of them were handcuffed or restrained in any other way, but they didn't need to be.  Binding circles were one of the most effective means of detainment, keeping people still and cutting off their powers.  Connor saw the binding circle and cursed.

"I won't be able to get any where near them while they're that circle."  Jordan could practically hear the gears turning in his head and see the smoke coming out of his ears.  More so than she could see his ears, anyway.

"I think we need to fight."  She started, cutting Connor off when he started to argue.  "You can drop me off between the hostages and that guy talking, and I can make a distraction while you go around and take out all the guards."

"Take them out?  How?"  Jordan pulled off her bookbag, careful not to break their contact.  She felt around for the side pocket, unzipped it, and pulled out a glove dotted with tiny metal components.  

"I still have Glyph's stun glove.  Just turn them invisible, touch them with this, and drag them somewhere they won't be found."  A few hesitant seconds passed before she felt the glove being taken.  

"And what about that guy on the table?  He doesn't look normal."  Jordan saw what he was saying.  The person standing on the table had the look of someone in their twenties, but his hands were glowing with some kind of energy, and his hair was slightly haloing around his head.

"He's definitely gifted."  Jordan agreed.  "Just make sure there's nobody left to shoot me or the hostages, and I’ll keep him talking."  Connor still didn't seem sure, but Jordan walked ahead of him, slightly opening the door and squeezing through, forcing him to follow.  She kept her footsteps light and slow, and started to creep into place.

They went  around the edge of the cafeteria, walking slowly toward the hostages.  The person in front of them was speaking with a kind of regal arrogance.  If Jordan didn't know any better, she'd think this guy was in some kind of play, or giving a really messed up sermon.  His five bodyguards behind him looked uninterested in what he was saying, like they'd heard it time and time again.  "His conquest shall not be impeded by mere whelps, for as sure as the North Star guides us through the desolate night, he will see his divine mission to the end.  On this I, Polaris, solemnly swear."

They circled the group while Polaris kept talking.  Connor stopped walking when they were in front of the group, between them and Polaris.

"You sure about this?"  He asked.

"Not at all."  Jordan replied, taking his hand in hers and letting go.  A wave washed over her, spreading from her hand up her arm and all around her body.  When it was done, she was completely visible, and staring down six people, five of which had guns trained on her.  Some guards stayed back while others walked forward, but Polaris held up a hand, signalling them to stop.

“And who might you be?” He asked, stepping down from the table.  Jordan took another look at the guards behind him.  She briefly saw a camouflaged hand slap over his mouth, before he disappeared entirely.  Polaris started walking towards her, and she touched the mark on the palms of her hands.

Get ready to fight.  She told him.  His response was immediate, almost cocky.

I’m always ready.  With a summoner like you, I need to be.

“Nobody really.”  Jordan answered Polaris’ question, trying to slow him down.  She counted guards again, and only saw three.  The hostages starting stirring, hopeful that this might be the rescue they were hoping for.  “Just trying to help a couple of friends.”  Polaris kept coming closer, and another guard disappeared.  Jordan thought she could see two figures slumped over near the back wall, but she didn’t dare break eye contact with Polaris with him so close.

“You aren’t the first to wander too close to the binding circle.”  He was just under a foot away when the fourth guard disappeared.  “You had every opportunity to run away… why didn’t you?”

“Because I like helping people and I like seeing bad guys like you get what’s coming to them.”  As the last guard disappeared, Polaris took another step towards Jordan.  

“Do you know who you’re talking to?”  He asked, bearing down on her.  His fists glowed more brightly now, and his irises illuminated with the same light.

“Polaris, I’m guessing.  That’s kind of obnoxious, don’t you think?  Naming yourself after the North Star just because you have the functionality of a glow stick.”  His frown turned savage, and his pupils disappeared as light enveloped them.  As he was about to make a move, a gloved hand reached from behind, lunging two diodes on the tips of the fingers into his neck.  Polaris jerked and convulsed, and Jordan rammed her shoulder into his chest, sending him over his heels.  Connor materialized beside her as she clapped her palms together, sending shadowy tendrils trickling down from her marks.  They coalesced, condensed, and started forming a shape.  A tail here, a couple paws there, and two eye sockets burning with yellow fire.

Orion, The Black Dog, stood up, staring at Polaris as he righted himself.  Polaris looked back at him, and for a moment, his light dimmed, flickering as if unsure.  There weren’t many people in town that hadn’t heard of the Black Dog, and it looked like Polaris was just as spooked of the urban legend as everyone else.  He looked around at his fallen comrades, holding up fists of light, as if to tell them to keep their distance

"This isn't over, Perverter of Shadows."  Polaris said, the light in his hands growing bigger, brighter.  His eyes were shining so bright it was hard to make him out as more than a silhouette.  "The path of our conquest is foretold in the stars, and their decree cannot be ignored."  The light extended all at once, glowing brighter than ever.  It bathed the room in its incandescence and flooded Jordan's eyes until all she could see was a large, dark silhouette lunging for Polaris, who was becoming completely absorbed in the light.  Then, everything went white.

Her vision returned in reluctant spots, spreading and darkening over time.  Eventually, she could make out the table she'd stumbled into.  Then the floor, and the ceiling.  Through squinted eyes, she peered around the cafeteria.  Polaris was gone, Orion was standing where he had been, looking down at his paws in confusion.  All his lackeys that were knocked out on the floor were missing as well.  Connor had stumbled to the ground, blinking and rubbing his eyes.  

"What happened?  You there Jordan?"  He called out, looking around the room blindly.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Did we win?"

"I think so."

Connor yanked off the stun glove and flopped onto his back. "Looks like it'll be one hell of a summer."