Stone Cold NV: World of Sin, Book 1 Read online

  The local MICAWS have reportedly brought down the CHADOC leaders and have…

  So easy to use that a human can use the spell enhanced…

  The Shifter packs finally broke away and were able to…

  Dante reached over and pulled the remote from my hand, turning the TV off.

  “Az, I know you’re already thinking of everything. But even if you don’t get a proficient rating, you do still have your family shop, and from what I keep hearing from Cory, you’re really good at what you do there.”

  I sighed, leaning forward, I put my elbows on my knees. “I know. I just really thought I’d be good at elemental. Pappy is phenomenal at it. And we usually take after our grandparents. I’m positive that Cory will follow after Grams and be amazing in Alchemy.” Slumping back, I looked at Dante. “Even you took after someone. You’re pretty good with your fire and ice.”

  Dante snorted. “That’s only because of the amulet. I’ve been able to learn the best control with that. The class here is helping only a little more, but he keeps going over stuff that I’ve already learned on my own.”

  I put a hand on his knee. “I’m sure you’ll do great with the classes here. If you were able to gain even some extra control aside from what you have on your own, you’ll go far. Especially with two pretty high-profile powers. Maybe you can ask him if he can give you different pointers, let him know what you can already do.”

  Dante smiled. “I'll see what I can do. And that’s what I’m hoping for. I have to get this thing recharged once a month, and it’s annoying. If I can just get my powers under enough control that I don’t need it, then I’ll be happy. Especially since it costs about two hundred bucks each time.”

  “Two hundred?” I sputtered. “No way… Where do you go?”

  “Well, I actually have two of them. I have to mail it to a shop over in California. So when they send it back, I just send the other one back to them. It apparently takes them almost the entire month to recharge one of them.”

  “Can I see it real quick?” I asked.

  His brow furrowed, Dante pulled the amulet out from behind his shirt, but still kept it around his neck. “I can’t remove it unless I have the other one with me to replace it right away.”

  I leaned forward and took the amulet in my hand, cupping it to stop the lights from glinting on the jewels. My light blue Madgie mist formed and enveloped the disk, soaking in and swirling around slowly.

  “Hmmm,” I murmured. “This looks like something my dad has done before. The spell isn’t complicated at all by what he says, and he’s able to do it in less than a day. But it’s only a spell that’s for a temporary hold, more of like a joke gift. There should be a way to get it fixed in a more permanent hold. At that point it would probably only need to be recharged maybe every 3 months at the worst case. Best case, I’d say every 6 months.”

  “Are you sure?” Dante breathed. “I had been calling everywhere I could and they always say that the best they could do was always more expensive than what I’m paying for now.”

  I set the amulet back against his chest. “You’ve been talking to the corporate companies, I’m sure. Small businesses like my parents’ shop are always the better option. Unless the Madgie running them aren’t able to perform something you need. Most of the time they can refer you to someone that can help if they can't. After that, then sometimes a corporation is needed.”

  “Would you be able to get it charged?” Dante asked, hope filling his eyes. “I’ll pay, of course.”

  “I would have to have my dad show me more on that particular process. If anything, I’m sure he’d do it for you.” I replied, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

  “If you’re able to do anything for it, I’d be so grateful. I hate having to be tied to these in such a strict time frame. I just got this one back last week. The day before I met you guys, actually. So if it can be done within the next three weeks then that would help so much.”

  I sat back again, thinking. “I’ll see if my dad can send an email with the details and go from there. It’ll probably have to be tomorrow morning, though. It’s getting pretty late.”

  Dante looked at the clock. “Oh crap. It’s almost midnight. I have a test on different ways steam can help or harm, and how to create it.”

  “Interesting. I wonder if that’s how steam rooms have the steam. Maybe there’s someone that’s just always there creating it.” I said, nudging him.

  Dante chuckled. “Maybe. Just look for the person that looks like a permanent prune and ask them next time you go in one.”

  We started walking down the hall toward the elevators.

  “Did you ever get a room figured out? Or are you and Grimby still bunking in a guest suite?” I asked him as I pushed the button.

  “We were bunking together, but that man could wake the dead with his snoring. Not to mention when he sneezes at night, those flashes of fire coming out make it hard to get a solid night of sleep. They gave me my own room.” He replied, leaning against the side while we waited for the elevator.

  “Lucky you. I’m stuck with nine others, and most of them snore as well. And with no windows to open, it gets pretty ripe in there. Not only because it’s a bunch of young men. Some of the Shifter pups have that wet dog smell after they go running, and they refuse to shower until the next day.” I said, making a face.

  Dante chuckled. “Well, I don’t mind if you sleep with me. It’s pretty empty with just me there.”

  “That would be awesome. I’ll get my stuff and be there in a few minutes.” I replied. “I seriously need to have just one night to just relax.”

  Az

  “You do realize that transfiguring a boulder into a bed is not, in fact, still supposed to feel like you’re laying on a giant rock, right?” Professor Metten asked, rubbing his back.

  “I’m sorry, sir. I guess transfiguration isn’t for me either. There’s three whole weeks of camp wasted.” I said forlornly.

  Professor Metten sighed and put a hand on my shoulder.

  “Don’t worry too much, Mr. Stone. You’ll find what you’re good at soon enough. Not everyone takes after their ancestors. You may be the first of your kind in your family tree.” He said while popping his back. “Have you thought of your next class?”

  I slumped in a nearby chair. “Well, my sister is going to hate me for it. But alchemy is my next step. I’ve tried elemental and ya, sure, I’m able to create storms, but nowhere near as big or long enough as they’re supposed to be. Mental was alright, but I basically am only able to do harmonizing, which is useless to get an actual position anywhere. And now, of course, transfiguration is beyond my skills. Hopefully alchemy will be different.”

  Professor Metten stood, nodding.

  “Alchemy is a good field. My father was pretty decent with it. He became an electrician and wired skyscrapers for a living.”

  I picked up my bag and stood, swinging it over my shoulder.

  “Thank you for trying, professor. Hopefully, you have better results with other students.”

  “You’re not the worst student I’ve had, Az. But good luck.”

  I waved goodbye as I walked out the door, running into Cory who was waiting for me.

  “Well, that took long enough. Did you have to clear the cobwebs from your troll brain before you could do it?” She asked, handing me a cardboard cup of coffee.

  “My trollness prevailed here as well, hag. I got another defunct mark. Please don’t hate me, Cory, but I’m going to try alchemy next.” I replied, slumping my shoulders and taking a sip of coffee.

  “I won’t hate you. I got a mediocre rating there for the first couple of weeks. This week I tried mental and got a promising mark. So I think I’m going to keep up with that. I’m sure you’ll do great in alchemy, though.” She said, giving me a shoulder bump.

  “I hope so. Dad sent an email the other day explaining that spell I’m trying to help Dante with, and it sounds like it’s an alchemy based spell. I really want to help h
im get that fixed since he’s being charged way too much, not to mention they make the spell last a lot less time than normal.” I said, shaking my head. “You’d think that pharmaceuticals would actually want to help people, not drag them through the mud even more and force them to pay an arm and a leg for something that they actually need.”

  Cory fiddled with the lid to her coffee, “Possibly. You have to remember though Az, we can’t help everyone with everything.”

  I scoffed. “Ya, but I have to try. Nobody should have to be yanked around and taken advantage of simply because of something that they need.”

  “Well, I agree. But sometimes the only way a Madgie can help is to dip a little into the black side of things. At least that’s how it is in some of the books I’ve read.”

  “Dip a little in the black?” Az asked, facing her squarely. “How does that help? Someone always gets hurt when black magic is used.”

  Cory lifted a shoulder, “It’s not like they die or are permanently hurt. Some may not even know. I’ve seen it explained that if you were to do a black spell of luck for you to win the lottery, then that pushes the imbalance too far and it actually steals from a lot of people to accommodate your wish and the one that would have been the sole winner of the lottery had you not done that spell would just have lost a tiny portion of money. However, if you were to do a spell such as to help someone with a problem they are having and it’s something that doesn’t create too much of an imbalance, then the bad thing that happens from there is more along the lines of a stubbed toe.”

  “This is theoretical in discussion… Right, Cory?” I intoned.

  “Of course it is, troll breath. I’m not performing black magic. I’m not stupid. I’m simply saying that is what a lot of them do to fix an issue like what you’re facing.”

  “Well, I will be trying every way possible that’s not black.”

  We walked in silence for a few minutes until we get to the common rooms before the elevators.

  “Oh, Conner was asking about you. He said you just randomly disappeared the other day.” Cory said.

  “Oh crap. I must have forgotten to leave him a note. Dante got a private room since Grimby is a loud sleeper and I asked if I could bunk with him until camp was over. Being in the same room with nine other guys at night sucks.” I said.

  “You should probably go see him and have lunch with him or something. He feels like you’re pushing him away.” Cory said.

  “Ya, I’ll find him at lunch later. But for now, I need to talk to Professor Daro and see about getting in her class. Any suggestions?” I asked.

  Cory shrugged, “Just own up to what you do. If you do something by accident, acknowledge it, learn from it, and move on.”

  I slumped, “Oh, I think I’ll be doing a lot of that, if the last three classes are anything to go off of.”

  “Don’t worry yourself over that. I’m sure you’ll do great. Oh, you’ll probably need some supplies though. I have the cauldron and Blackwood wand for the stirring. No sense in you buying new ones when these will be good for more spells for a long time.”

  “Thanks. I still need to go check out that herb shop as well. I hope their Goji berries are decently priced. And maybe see about some caraway seeds, Mrs. Cleese has been getting bronchitis real bad the last few years.”

  “Well, we still have a little time for all that. For now, go get Professor Daro to let you in her class. I’ll see you for dinner tonight. I need to go prep for next week’s mental work.” Cory said.

  She walked off as I started heading to the alchemy lab.

  When I turn the corner leading to the classroom and reach for the door handle, an enormous cloud of yellowish, brown gas rushes out along with a few students coughing.

  “What type of idiot mixes Dichlorine monoxide in an enclosed space? It’s a good thing we have vents down here or you’d be very sorry. Get out of my classroom before I do more to you than that gas ever could!” A voice shouted from inside.

  A frightened Madgie ran out as the door almost slammed on his heels, tears leaking down his face. Not paying attention or his sight compromised, he ran into a wall and fell, landing on his back.

  “Are you ok?” I asked, leaning down to offer a hand.

  “Don’t!” The kid cried, scrambling away. “Just leave me alone.”

  I backed away, fanning the last of the ugly cloud away to get sucked into the vents.

  “I was just trying to help.” I said calmly, “You may want to get a shower soon… And burn those clothes.”

  “Go bathe with a swamp hag!” the kid muttered and ran off.

  “Well, ok then.” I said, walking to the door and knocking with evil thoughts of how that kid would have spots everywhere.

  “That better not be you, Gerald. I’m having a hard enough time cleaning up your mess. If I even have to look at your-” The door swung open and a short woman with bright neon green hair peered up at me. “Oh, good. I was ready to boil the iron in that boy’s blood. Such an imbecile… Well, what do you want?” She asked while eying me up and down.

  “Um, I was hoping to speak to Professor Daro about getting into her class next week.” I stammered.

  “My class is full of enough idiots to last me an entire lifetime. Go harass the mental or transfiguration teachers, they could use more.”

  “I just got a defunct mark from both of them. Alchemy is my last chance. Please, Professor Daro, my sister said she’d even give me her supplies since she got a mediocre rating and switched to mental.” I rushed out before she could slam the door in my face.

  She paused, looking at me for a moment.

  “And who is your sister? Hopefully not Leslie. She couldn’t change iron into copper or even mercury into a solid to save her life. I only gave her a mediocre to get her out of my hair. She won’t be able to find a job anyway with that snooty attitude.”

  “Oh, no ma’am. My sister is Corsanna Stone.” I said.

  “Ah, Cory. Yes, yes. That’s a sad case there. She was just a hair off of getting a potential rating. But at the last moment, she slipped into mediocre. If you’re anything like her, I most certainly have a spot for you. But only on one condition.” She said with a smirk in her eye.

  “What’s that?” I asked, wanting to run for the hills.

  “I need someone to help clean this mess up if you don’t mind.”

  ◆◆◆

  “Well, that spell doesn’t look too hard.” Dante said, looking over my shoulder. “You’d only need to put a few drops of potion on the amulet. Doesn’t look like I’d have to take it off.”

  Az smiled. “And another good perk is that this spell is one of the accepted levels that I can do for my final in Alchemy class. It can serve a double purpose.”

  “See, I knew you could figure out what to do.” Dante said. “I’m glad that by helping me, it helps you too.”

  “Well, I would have still helped you. Even if it didn’t help me at the same time.” I told him.

  “I just feel bad that you’re focusing on something that’s not affecting you.” Dante said and sighed.

  “You’re my friend. It affects me enough.”

  Dante laughed, “Well, I’m not really used to having friends stick around after they find out I’m a mutant. Even other mutants don’t stay. I think for them, it’s mostly that they only have one power. Sometimes an almost useless power at that. Others just think that I’m a freak just because of how I was born.”

  “Well, they’re all wrong. There’s nothing wrong with you.” I said sternly.

  “Thanks, Az. That really means a lot.” Dante said and put a hand on my shoulder.

  I closed the lid of my laptop and pushed it away.

  “Alright, I think that’s enough prep work for tonight. Are you sure you’ll be ok to come to the lab tomorrow and have it applied there instead of tonight?” I asked him.

  Dante looked at me for a moment.

  “Of course. You’re tired, so you’ll need all the rest you can get tonight
. How about you jump in the shower and I’ll create a bit of steam for you?” Dante asked.

  “That sounds awesome. Should help get rid of the tension.” I said as I got up, pulling my shirt off as I walked to the bathroom door

  ◆◆◆

  Professor Daro was leaning over the short table scrutinizing the items I had put together.

  “While I agree that this is a good spell to know, I’m just worried that you may not be able to keep the proper temperature. It’s going to need to be at a consistent 700 degrees until the very last moment and then chilled to a more pliable 60 degrees.” She said as she nudged the bowl of sugar and flour. “What is this for? You’re not planning on making cookies with it, are you?”

  Eyebrows crinkled, I looked hesitantly at Cory. Proudly sporting a ribbon for her skills in passing mental magic with a potential rating. She nodded encouragingly. Clearing my throat, I said.

  “It’s for the natural adhesive factor to attach the spell into the amulet or other object that you want to bind a spell into, so that it can renew itself for however long that particular item is able to store energy for.”

  Professor Daro raised her head and gave me a narrow-eyed look.

  “I’ve never heard of something like this before. The longest any item like that amulet of his that I have ever worked with could hold a spell is a month, maybe 2 of it’s stretched.”

  “I think that’s because nobody has ever tried to add a natural adhesive along with their Madgie mist to include a way that the spell could self-replicate until it couldn’t any longer. I really do think that this will help to keep Dante’s dampener control inside his amulet for at least 3 months.” I told her, squaring off my shoulders.

  “Interesting theory. Of course, we won’t know just how long it will truly last until it fades from the amulet. If, and only if, it adheres today to at least restart the spell for him, I will pass you with a promising mark.” She held a hand up to stall Cory’s protest. “BUT… If you can bring this back to me before the three months is over and it is still working as it should, then I will change it to a potential mark.”