Mundane Magics

“Welcome, students, to Magic 1.0.1, please be seated the lecture is about to begin. Today’s topic is once again the five pillars of magic and their most basic relations to the forms of magicalconduct. Because as the last exam suggested, most of you are severely lacking on this subject. Earth, Mind, Soul, Will, and the least of them Body. All of them focus different aspects or origin points of the power. The most powerful and dangerous being?”

A young woman with well styled brown hair and flashy make-up quickly raised her hand, answering before the professor could even raise his gaze to meet hers.

“Body, Sir, as it is the primary force that fuels Blood-magic, a practice that is outlawed in most states and city-states because of its use of human bodyparts!”

“Yes, Miss Sherman, that is correct, next time though please wait, until I call you up, understood? Blood-magic and Necromancy, which our dear Miss Sherman forgot to mention, are indeed a highly controversial Subject, as . . .”

Miranda only half listened to the lecture of the professor, as her fingers absentmindedly traced the faint outline of dozen of linear scars hidden beneath the sleeve of her Synthleather-Jacket. Each scar a reminder of the cold steel or glass cutting through skin and flesh; and each had healed faster than the one before. Her lips cracking into a smile at the memory of the pain, she rolled her up sleeves and leaned back on the cheap plastic chair, proudly displaying her achievements.

Most of the lesson went by in a boring stretch, a recollection of ideas and memories already relived; it was only interrupted when a particularly chubby arm repeatedly tabbed her on the shoulder trying to get her attention.

“Mira, Miranda, listen!”

With a swish of dirty blonde hair and an inquisitive look later Miranda turned around to see who was disturbing her during this very interesting lesson. Tobias was an overweight young man in his early twenties, with a stubby beard and short messy hair, dressed in questionably distasteful clothing worn at least for a few days.

“Yes, Tobias?”

Looking at her from the higher row of seats a nervous smile spread on his face, he realized that she had actually responded.

“Um, you know there is this party today. A couple of friends of mine, in the dorms, like around 10?”

“You want to invite me to a party!?”

“Uh, yeah, that. You don’t really hang around much with the others but, I thought.” Mira’s eyes stared of into the distance for a short time focusing on nothing, before her attention snapped back to Tobias.

“Yes. I think I will come by. What is the harm done, right?”

A smile on his face he called out just a little too loud. “That’s great!”

The whole hall went silent as Professor Kleijn looked up from his notes and fixed his gaze on the two of them.

“Mister Mulder and Miss van der Vald, if you think this poorly of my lessons I suggest you find another place to hang out.” While Tobias shrank down on his seat immediately, Miranda perked up almost as if insulted and stood up straight. Smiling she walked out of her row and trough the doors, waving the Professor goodbye.

. . .

The night descended over the Amsterdam-Megacomplex the way it so often did, sounds of gunshot, cars and the noise of a million people on the background of the ever-present ocean tides. On this night though Miranda’s thoughts, were not with the city, but only with her goal.

Once she had left the university grounds, in Amsterdam Centrum, she quickly made her way towards the old Westport waterfront. The recent years had turned several of Amsterdam’s once more prominent districts into hotspots for unchecked crime and gang violence, whilst others had clearly profited from the influx of new industries and corporations free to do whatever they wanted. Westport once the country’s second largest industrial-centre was now segmented into four areas.

The Nationals, remnants of the now dismantled army turned mercenaries, claimed two industrial sites as their base of operations and since then protected them furiously even from the corpos.

Knight Errand who had a few years back decided to bring in aircraft carrier an trying to put the City into a strangle hold, soon found them self with a run aground boat thanks to nationals’ sea mines, they also were making clear they are here to stay for better or worse.

One of the more elusive players is Arcana Future Industries, beginning as a start-up; the company quickly gained power and now provide things ranging from glimmer over magical weapons up to hired mages.

The last and likely most important District was made up out of six Megabuildings which were simultaneously used as controlled living environments for people of low income, low wage corpos and anyone in dept to one of the corporations in the Region. The rule for these apartments was pretty simple; either you work for one of the big players or you are in training to work for them.

The latter of them was the case for Mira. Her parents had not been wealthy enough to pay her way into university and without the necessary qualifications to apply for a scholarship her only way had been to sign under A.F.I. as a sponsor. This of course meant that once her education was finished her ass belonged to them until her dept was paid, plus rates of course.

But to be fair Mira had exploited this new form of slavery to its extend, being constantly late to her classes or missing them entirely and barley passing the exams she kept the company on the brink of happiness while most of the time tending to her own hobbies.

Most of the Rooms in Miranda’s building were very monotonous, and so was it her room too had the same layout, with the same grey concrete walls. The most that was to be found of any personal touch was a heap of clothing strewn about. Making her way in she quickly turned around and locked the door, first with the lock and then with a deadbolt, before she removed a small magical fetish from her wall.

With a flash of dim light the glimmer over her room disappeared and instead of the uniform look, revealing the actual appearance of her apartment. The walls turned a dark shade of grey with red letters and symbols all over; a large beautiful mirror in one corner was smeared with a detailed deep red pentagram, while opposite of it a small make-up table occupied he room, on it several fetishes made from bone and feathers. Even the bed looked more like bondage equipment than a comfortable piece of furniture. All in all it fit not well with the image of a bored mage student but more with a deranged witch mistress, which might actually be closer to the truth than most people who knew Miranda would think.

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With a short flick of her wrist the stereo came to life and a soft haunting beat penetrated the air. Mira lips cracked into a devilish smile and she began to dace while stripping out of her clothing, with each piece discarded new scars became visible. A few twirling steps carried her into the small kitchen she called her own, dried herbs, several odd trinkets and a still live chicken gave of the feeling of well, a witch kitchen.

After sorting through a collection of rather nasty looking knives made from various materials and shaped in forms one more horrifying than the next, she settle on a 13 centimetre armament made from industrial diamond with a straight narrow triangular blade.

“This should probably do, right? Not to excessive and easy to hide. Also so pretty~!”

Having made her choice of murdertool, she turned to one of the many lumps of cloth, which were strewn about on the floor, bed chair, and basically any free surface that didn’t need to be used.

“I am so happy that after tonight’s ritual I will never again be plagued with not having a proper closet! You hear that Bjiornj and Smörum! Screw you for betraying my trust in your weak bolts and hinges! Ähem. Once again I am going of topic.”

Miranda shot a venomous glance to a pile of collapsed furniture.

“Anyway, dress, dress, oho dress found!” Rummaging trough one of the piles Mira quickly pulled out a piece of fabric that could only be described as adventurous. The vermillion colour dress barely covered the naughty parts on top, while the lose bottom playfully clung to her every curve, with a slit on the left side giving way to a pale well toned leg.

“If I’m not stunning than I don’t know anymore. Hehehe.” After dressing up she quickly did her hair and make-up,, both being way over the top from her usual style, in the end it was hard to say that the Punk-Rock chick, and this beautifull woman were one and the same. With a last check on her apartments mirage Mira grabbed a clutch and headed towards the so called party.

. . .

The party was already going on for a while when Miranda arrived on the scene. Despite the fair amount of people around in various stages being drunk, several of them stared at Mira almost as if in confusion. Being severely overdress she stuck ou like a sore thumb, but having planned this the few people that actually looked her in the face didn’t seem to be able to connect this radiating woman with the grumpy girl from their university. Sticking with the act, instead of greeting anyone she just smiled and went into the Apartment as if she owned the place. After a few shallow conversations and asking around she finally found what she was looking for; mid-twenty, overly chubby and neck beard.

“Well hello to you, Tobias!” Before she realized she had voiced her thoughts once more out loud. Tobias already approached her with an insecure smile.

“Hey, t-there. Heard you were asking around for me?”

“What if I did? You interested?”

Mira pulled her lips into a cute smirk and closed the distance between them.

Once more pushing herself to action she wrapped one hand around his neck, trying to ignore his stench she whispered into his ear.

“Why don’t we go somewhere more . . . private?”

“Wah!? I, I don’t know how to . . .” He quickly turned to one of his friends. “Dude, what do I do!?”

His friend only snorted and clapped Tobias shoulder when he walked away. The chubby guy only stood there confused not sure what to do. Even after a minute of Mira enticing him he was still as useful and proactive as a wet noodle. Realizing this she instead decided to just drop the facade, she didn’t have all night and parties were still fucking boring.

“Ugh, screw this. You Tobias through that door now! Move it!” Mira’s face came closer to a snarl than a smile in this moment and it actually seemed to work. After only a second and a kick in the ass he actually moved.

“Now than, lay down on the bed! This is very comfortable, right?”

“Wait what do you want to do? Who even are you!” Tobias seemed to more than confused now, but Mira didn’t even regard this with a single thought.

“Shush now, I cannot have you disturb me, after all it would be tremendous if this were to fail, right?” While she said that she slowly but methodically began to remove his clothing. Yet as she did so Tobias’ eyes slowly regained their focus and the drunken haze was replaced by an inquisitive glance.

“Wait a fucking minute is that you Mira? I mean holy cow! You look so different I almost hadn’t . . .” Before he could even finish this train of thoughts Mira only sighed. With surprising fluidity she slid the knife from its holster and went for his skull. The brass-kuckle like butt-end connected with enough force to knock the obese man right out.

“Now then with me having taken care of the trash part, the true work can begin.”

And begining she did, after having now cut away the remaining pieces of fabric she she sliced into her own forearm and after a second or two blood began to well out. She had noticed a few days ago already, that her blood was beginning to become darker than the blood of other humans; most likely these were the beginning stages of magical corruption. She had always thought that this stage wouldn’t come as quickly, for only her Professor had shown signs of it with his blue glowing eyes and perfect skin and handsome rugged looks, but maybe body magic progressed faster? It would make sense as she was purposely using her own life-force to fuel her magic and bringing it back in basically soaked with magic.

“Well, I hope I will at least have time to graduate before any of this will be visible on the outside. Okay, I shouldn’t have said that, that’s like a total disaster flag, right? Anyway back to work. Also thank you so much for helping me out with this spell Tobias, I don’t know what else I could have done.”

Whilst she was talking to the downed Tobias or rather herself, she had begun to use her blood to draw a large circular pattern on the guy’s chest, that slowly but surely became more detailed and in a way more sinister looking. After she had drawn for at least five minutes to bring her work to perfection, she once more cut into her flesh this time into the palm of her hand and pressed it onto a smaller marked section in the centre of the magical circle. Focusing on her own mana-well she pushed her power into the runes, and like blood flowing, from the centre outwards the pattern began to glow in an eerie light.

“Good, you will indeed make a fine vassal, and if all goes well you will never find out. Ha!” She gave him another pummelling to the temple just to make sure, because the next part would be pain full.

“You know, there is a thing you should never forget Tobias, never and I mean never be unconscious in front of someone practicing blood magic, it is the nature of the spells that makes vassals so useful and one can never have enough, right? Hehe, you might feel a little prick~!”

The so called prick turned out to be a diamante blade being pushed into one of Tobias’ veins. After she had made the opening, his blood began to flow out, bubbling and steaming due to the foreign magic within. Mira reached over his limp body grabbing a half full vodka bottle; after looking it over for a second she took a swig and proceeded to pour the rest of it into Tobias’ mouth. Once empty she unceremoniously shook the bottle dry and placed it beneath the cut in his arm. Waiting for excruciating five minutes, the bottle was finally half full with the steaming red liquid.

“Thank you very much for the donation, I’ll make sure it will be put to good use. Good by now Tobias.”

With a grin on her face she left the apartment and made her way across too her own building. It didn’t take her long make it into her apartment and away from prying eyes. Once inside she put down the still churning bottle of magic vita and began to jump up and down while trying desperately to stop herself from crying out loud.

“Yes! My first time actually using another human’s blood and creating a vassal, oh man! And he doesn’t even know it, he he. Any way! Now to turn to the true work! After tonight I will never again need to rely on faulty IKEA furniture, Dimensional closet mirror here I come!!!”