Magi Saga 1: Epic Calling (35 page)

Stephan smiled and turned into a nearby aisle, while the elderly gentleman, Edwin, Travers, returned to his book.

Stephan felt a little flustered now he had arrived, and thinking about it, he hadn’t really thought through how he was going to broach the topic with Mr Travers once he got here. So he wandered down the aisle and casually looked at the books on the shelves and thought about his next move.

First off, he thought, was the need for secrecy. He needed to be as sure as he could be that no one would take much interest in his questions to the shop keeper. But he also knew he couldn’t take forever over this, he didn’t have long to do what he needed to do here and then head off to Forbidden Planet before making his way back home so that his mom didn’t become upset.

So Stephan turned around to look into the shop and out over the endless bookcases that stood haphazardly across the floor. There seemed to be no one in the shop, just him and Mr Travers at his desk, but Stephan knew there were a few nooks and crannies here and there that would be out of sight to him where he stood, so he waited for a moment to see if anyone else popped out from anywhere.

The seconds passed, and things looked good, until a head suddenly appeared, raising up from behind a bookcase.

Stephan grimaced at this development and moved to get a better look, and saw a woman, in her mid to late twenties he guessed, and she stood reading some book she had just pulled from a shelf. She was blonde and wore a thin blouse, business skirt, and, to Stephan’s eyes, couldn’t have looked much more out of place in this shop if she tried. The woman adjusted the designer glasses that were on the end of her nose and looked up at Stephan for a moment before returning to her book without any kind of reaction at all. Her face remained neutral and she continued to ignore Stephan and concentrate on her reading.

Stephan felt in a quandary, should he go to Edwin now with her in the shop, or wait, hoping she would leave before anyone else came in. It was a risk that might just backfire on him if he did wait and more people came in.

After a moment, he came to the conclusion that this secretary must have some kind of infatuation with her boss and was here to look up some kind of love spell or love potion.

As he looked over at her, she looked like she had just found something amusing in her book as she giggled to herself.

Stephan had made up his mind, she was harmless, and this might be the best chance he would get to talk to Edwin. After all, there were usually a few people in here at once when he and his friends had visited. There was only one at the moment though, so he should take this chance while he could.

So Stephan gathered himself together and braced himself for the conversation ahead before walking purposefully along the aisles and up to Mr Travers where he was sat at his desk.

Stephan waited, and after a moment, Mr Travers raised his head and looked up into Stephan’s eyes over the top of his glasses.

‘Good morning young man, what is it I can do for you this fine day?’

‘Erm, well I’ve been in this shop a few times recently, my names Stephan.’

‘Oh, of course, I knew I recognised you from somewhere. The face was familiar but I couldn’t put a name to you for a moment. I do apologise, the old grey matter isn’t what is used to be.’

‘Oh, it’s no problem sir, but we’ve bought a few books off you before, me and my friends, and you have always been very helpful to us.’

‘Heh heh, it’s no trouble young man, I do what I can. After all, some of this stuff can be dangerous.’

‘Well, yes, we know.’

‘Ho, you sound like you speak from experience.’

‘Oh, no, I didn’t mean…’

‘It’s no trouble laddie, you don’t need to explain yourself to me.’

Stephan nodded, going quiet.

‘And where are your friends today Stephan?’

‘Oh, they couldn’t make it, busy with other things, so I’m here alone.’

‘Busy? At your age? My god, it’s all so different now. Not like it was when I was a boy.’

‘I’m sure it isn’t sir.’

‘But anyway, I’m sure you don’t want to hear all about that, so why don’t you tell me why you’re here.’

‘Well, I was wondering if you could help me out with something?’

‘Help you out? Well, I will do what I can for you my boy, but I’m not sure if I will be of much help to you.’

‘Okay, well I was wondering if you could have a look at something for me? Some ancient writings I have copied from something.’

‘Writings is it? Well, let’s see it then, pop it on the table.’

Stephan pulled his backpack off his shoulder and had a glance round at where the woman had been earlier, and saw that she had not moved at all, she was still standing there having a flick though some old tome. Stephan felt emboldened and pulled the papers from his bag, and after swinging his pack onto his back again, he held the papers before him so that Mr Travers couldn’t see the writing.

‘These, well, can I ask you to keep this a secret please Mr Travers?’

‘What? Oh, of course my boy, I wouldn’t dream of telling people, not without your permission.

Stephan smiled. ‘Okay, it’s just, it’s important to us, alright?’

‘I understand, I’ll keep quiet about it, okay?’ he said patiently.

‘Alright, here you go then.’

Mollified, Stephan passed the first sheet of paper over to Mr Travers and gulped, waiting to see what he would say.

Mr Travers took the sheet in his hands and slid it under his glasses to get a good look at it. He looked like he was studying it intently, his eyes darting about the page.

‘Tell me my lad, what do you know of this script yourself?’

‘Well, it’s a Cuneiform text, wedge shaped, so I was guessing it was some sort of ancient Sumerian or Babylonian.’

‘Well, your right about the type of text and the period, but I can already see some subtle differences with examples of that text I have seen, but that could just be a different area or time period or something else.’

‘Would you be able to decipher it? Translate it?’

‘Hmmm, I’m not really sure. Possibly, but it would take some time to do. Have you had no luck doing that yourselves?’

‘Not really. Like you said, we have found similar text, and can place the odd word, but we’re not sure about those translations.’

‘Well, it’s something I can probably have a look for, for you. Would you like that?’

‘Well, maybe, I’d have to ask the others. It’s got to be a group choice.’

‘Of course, you go and talk to your friends and come back to me, if you want me to have a look, I can do.’

‘Would it cost us anything?’

‘No, I don’t think so, puzzles and languages are a hobby of mine anyway, but it would be done in my own time, I won’t be rushed.’

‘I understand.’

Mr Travers looked down at the paper again, digesting the lettering once more. ‘Is there anything else you wanted to ask me?’

‘Well, I have another sheet here with a different script on it which we have had no luck finding anything about at all.’

‘Indeed?’ Mr Travers looked at the other sheet of paper in Stephan’s hands, looking intrigued by what might be on it. ‘Shall I have a look at that one too?’

Stephan hesitated for a moment, before handing the paper to the old man, who grasped it in a spindly hand that shook slightly.

‘Let’s see now,’ he said to himself. ‘Well, this is different again, my word, it’s unlike anything else I have ever seen.’ Mr Travers looked befuddled by the sinuous curvy text before him. ‘I have no idea about this one I’m afraid.’

‘Well, that is interesting,’ said a silky female voice from slightly behind Stephan.

He spun his head round and saw the business woman stood just behind him and to one side who was craning her neck to look at the sheet of paper Mr Travers held in his hand.

‘What!’ Stephan cried, shocked that she could have sneaked right up behind him without him hearing her. ‘No, this is private!’ He yelped.

‘Really?’ she replied.

It might have been enough to just pull the papers to his chest under normal circumstances, but Stephan had seen something in her face, in her eyes, a look, a hungry and knowing look that struck terror into his heart, as if she had looked and recognised the text on the sheets of paper. He didn’t know why that terrified him, but it did.

It was pure instinct that defined Stephan’s actions right then, very little thought went into it at all, he just knew that letting this strange woman see this script was not a good move and that he had to get out of there right that instant with the two sheets of paper as well.

Stephan lunged across the desk and grabbed at the papers and withdrew them from the table in one quick fluid motion. No sooner had he done that then he took to his heels and ran from the shop, leaving the woman and Mr Travers stood there in a state of shock.

Barrelling out of the front door, Stephan ran out into the alleyway and headed out and away, risking one last glance at the two rather bewildered looking people back inside the shop.

He didn’t know why he did what he had just done, it was something about that woman, something unwholesome that had made him panic and made him want to be out of there as quickly as possible with the two sheets of paper he had brought with him.

Stephan rounded the first corner and then the second, running straight into someone coming the opposite way.

Stephan clipped and spun past the pedestrian, tumbling to the floor unhurt apart from a couple of scratches and a bruised ego. The other person had been so immovable and solid it felt like he had run into a body builder, or a brick wall. Stephan looked up expecting to see some huge weight lifter stood there about to hit him right in the face, but the slim figure looked very feminine and as she stepped forward, towards Stephan, her high heels clicking on the pavement, offering him a hand up, he realised he recognised her.

It was the woman from the shop, and she smiled sweetly at him as he lay there on his side a little dumbstruck at what he was seeing. He had left her in the shop not twenty seconds ago and yet here she stood, in front of him.

‘You took a nasty fall there, are you okay? I didn’t mean to startle you.’ She purred.

Her voice sounded melodic and soft, and it seemed to have a hypnotic quality to it as he gazed at the perfectly manicured and delicate hand she was extending to him. Her nails gleamed in the late morning light and her gentle face oozed comfort to him from every pore.

Without really thinking, Stephan raised his hand to hers and placed it in her grip. Her hand felt warm, smooth, and small in his. She pulled him to his knees and then his feet, holding onto his hand with a strength which was surprising and that didn’t fit with her slight frame.

He noticed that her blouse had only been buttoned up to just below her bra, its white lacy middle visible between the swell of her cleavage. Stephan couldn’t help it, it was right there in front of him, daring him to look into the gaping neck line. This woman, who had only a second ago scared him so profoundly, now looked so inviting and so appealing, that his mind raced with thoughts that should have been furthest from his mind at that point.

But she moved so gracefully, the way the stockings on her legs rubbed together making that silky sound, and the way her chest moved with each breath.

As he stood, she threw her hair behind her shoulders in a flick of her head, her long, feather light, straight blonde hair sweeping sensuously through the air and behind her shoulders.

Stephan stood there dumbly, looking at her, somehow slightly hypnotised by her demeanour and her presence. He couldn’t think straight, he knew there was something he should be doing at that point in time, but he couldn’t do it, he remained fascinated as she stooped once more to reach for something on the floor, her skirt riding up and the black lace stocking tops showing for a moment, her blouse gaping open even further giving him and unobstructed view of her breasts, pulled in and pushed together as they were by her bra.

Suddenly she was rising from her stooped position once more to stand in front of him as she settled her weight onto one leg and looked down at something in her hands.

Stephan found himself gazing at her beauty and sensuality and imagining wonderful nights of passion and carnality, his mind racing with thoughts of ravishing her there and then on the street, but his body wouldn’t move to let him try it.

He wanted nothing more than to rip those clothes off, bend her over and have his way with her, his girlfriend be damned. She would understand if she saw this creature’s beauty for herself. He felt sure that she would feel the same in fact and want to suddenly try being a lesbian for a night. It would be worth it, after all, how often do you get the chance to be with an angel.

But as he stood there, fascinated by the woman before him, there was a doubt in his mind, a niggling point that he couldn’t help returning to, a feeling that something was wrong with this, something he had forgotten about, something that had been pushed from his thoughts and replaced by the angel that stood before him.

She looked like she glowed, softly like a soft focus wedding photo, golden light from all around turning her into a thing of unmatched beauty.