TWO

Oh Shit What?

From the nod of the enforcer in charge, one of the other figures, an apprentice, as could be derived by the two white lines running the length on her completely black cloak, moved forward towards Argus, the others still kept their distance, but remained in the tight circular formation.

The female apprentice bent down and took Argus’ head on her lap, the type of touch that showed a familiarity between her and Argus. She gently shook Argus’ shoulders to bring him back to consciousness. Argus’ clothes were badly shredded, his shirt taking the worst of it, making his chest visible. On the pale lean muscles were three swirls all intersecting in the middle, the Triskelion, glowing in alternating hues and colors, always moving around the symbol. In the middle of the three swirls, in ancient Geasian was a symbol for S, M and W.

After another gentle shack of Argus’ shoulders, he suddenly opened his eyes, much to the rapt attention of The Order’s enforcers and the university student and staff, who were now peering in from windows and entrances, the whole school having been alerted to some sort of event happening in the exam hall. With many phones, up and pointing at Argus, with many live streams going to the elders of councils the students belong to.

Drawing a deep breath as he bolted up right, his shirt completely disintegrated, putting the mark on full display in all its multi-coloured animate glory.

“ORAM’S ASS CHEEKS”, Argus blurted. Feeling really drained and like he was used as a battering ram against an elephant shifter. Also, why was it cold? Looking down, where the hell was my shirt and what the hell is that on my chest? Looking up, he could see what was a contingent of Enforcers of The Order, everyone knew of the Heralia’s Enforcers, they made up what is called The Order, the body that polices Geas. But what were they doing here? Did someone attack him? Or was it a prank? Looking past the Enforcers’ menacing looks, Argus could see half the university crowded around the entrances and windows of the hall looking at him. Turning around to whose lap he been on, “Zoe?”.

Head Enforcer Malec winced at the abrupt and he must say very unusual curse. Oh well, Heralia Watson did say that the next what be young and what was it he said, ‘quirky’? Thinking about him was still a sore subject for Malec so he turned back to the Heralia at hand. He knelt down on one knee with his arm across his chest, the rest of the Enforcers doing the same.

“Heralia Argus”, Malec said. He could see some Enforcers and every other freaking person present including himself gawk at the enforcer’s statement. The greeting was also said by all Enforcers present, even Zoe, though she did have a look on her face that said, ‘shits serious’, which earned a corresponding look from me that said, ‘Oh Shit What?’.

“Heralia Argus, we are here to escort you to your estate, you have just been through the awakening and must rest, this was part of your predecessor’s instructions in the event of his passing”, Malec said gravely.

Argus’ mind what spinning. He was the Heralia? Is this some joke? Looking around Zoe was there kneeling and he knew Zoe took her apprenticeship at the order very seriously and wouldn’t abuse her uniform in that way, even apprentice Enforcers held quite a bit of power and sway with the citizens. But Argus’ mind was still exploding with questions, some he could quite hold back, “My estate? Heralia? My predecessor? What are you talking about? I think you got the wrong guy, I mean I am thoroughly fabulous, so I get your mistake, but I don’t even have any powers”, trying to make sense of the situation

“Heralia Argus, The Order does not make mistakes, we were told by Heralia Watson just before his passing that the next would be young, that and Oram decreed it so just a few moments ago, further proof is that mark on your chest, the triskelion”. Malec explained, as if to an impatient child, in a sense he was and got the feeling that this would be his life for the foreseeable future, Malec though this whilst mentally sighing.

Everyone gasped at hearing the word triskelion, it only appeared on the chest of the Heralia is was a blessing from Oram. The mark is a mark of possession of his herald, the Heralia. No one had the triskelion as Herald Watson was centuries old and only got involved in serious matters and also never took his shirt off, but that’s beside the point.

“The Heralia estate is inherited from one Heralia to another and as for powers, as per our records Heralias can only successfully complete an awakening if they have blood from the three separate branches of bloodlines Mana, Spectra and Were. A Heralia can use all factions of the bloodline. What species’ powers will you inherent depends on your parentage or ancestors, for example if you one of your parents was a wizard, you would be able to use a wizard’s powers, not those of a mage, warlock or jinn, you get to use these three branches of power simultaneously and create divine power, with a Heralia can achieve with the combination of the three”. Malec explained, not wanting to continue to have an audience for other discussions, he started to give the orders for the escort to the estate, after the assassination, he will need to be extra vigilant, that means smothering the young Heralia with a contingent of guards even when he goes to the toilet, at least until he fully comes into his powers.

“Heralia Argus, just come with us we will explain more on the way to the estate”, Zoe said softly behind him. Argus turned, with one violet eyebrow arched, arms crossed he said, “Fine I’ll come with you, but seriously, Heralia Argus? Zee, I have cleaned your puke off the floor and myself when you got drunk after you broke up with your girlfriend, you then proceeded to cry and then puke some more then I had to strip you out of your puke clothes, after which you used me as a pillow-blankey for the rest of the night, stinky breath and all, need I g-”, Argus stopped, as his mouth was covered by a gloved hand belonging to a now blushing apprentice Enforcer, surrounded by a very awkward looking contingent of Enforcers, with some snickers that could be herd here and there, “Okay, okay, point made Ary let’s go now”, she hissed.

Satisfied by that retort, I said “Good, let’s go”, Argus yawned, finally out of energy, proceeded to drop to the floor again, into oblivion, still shirtless.