Global Gargoyle Editorial

Headline: Acts of Terrorism in the Englaria Mage Markets

In an unfortunate development, crime rates have seen an alarming surge in the Englaria Mage Markets, according to recent police reports. The perpetrators, showing no discernible pattern in their selection of victims, seem to strike at random, causing widespread concern among regular visitors and shopkeepers.

Authorities have urged the public to exercise caution around individuals sporting white cloaks adorned with concentric upside-down gold triangles. This peculiar sartorial choice has become associated with the culprits. Furthermore, they've suggested avoiding wearing white clothes altogether so as not to attract unwarranted suspicion.

This rogue faction is known to unleash elemental bolts, topple the weak, and snatch possessions from unsuspecting victims. What's striking is their brazenness, operating most actively in broad daylight and often engaging in high-speed chases with the Mage Force.

Their places of assembly, living quarters, and escape routes remain shrouded in mystery, further complicating the efforts to apprehend them. This tight-knit group seems to thrive on causing inconvenience and, at times, harm to others. The authorities are intensifying their efforts to curtail these criminal activities and restore safety in the Englaria Mage Markets.

We've spoken with a few people who have been victims of their attacks. One such person has gone out of their way to learn what they are doing and what they are about.

"Well, it's a complicated history, I think," an elder mage, Brianna, said. "I firmly believe these people are trying to learn a different type of elemental magic. Something beyond the fire, ice, wind, and, you know, the rest of them. Its history has been buried, and much of it is unknown. We don't have any books out or anything available. I'm 92 years old, and I've seen people behave this way all through the decades, but it seems they are getting careless and more obnoxious these days. Perhaps their parents have told them rumors of a different elemental magic. I remember the robbery last year in Hartsera in the Amerzia Islands. People were talking about how magic was used that was like white beams. That's not normal. In fact, I believe that's an old magic that our mage society has tried cleansing itself of. I'm thankful the gargoyle press is willing to discuss and publicize it because this won't reach the general mage populace. But people need to be on the lookout. I understand wanting to hide this special magic, it seems to be more powerful than our own elemental abilities, but we need to know as much as we can about this magic so we can protect ourselves and make rules against it. Power washing it from all the history books and textbooks seems to have worked for a while, but now we are dealing with the issue of what finally happens when someone slips through the crack and discovers this unspoken magic. I'm worried about our future, but hopefully, this gets contained soon. Until then, I hope there's a collaboration with mages and gargoyles. To the few mages reading this newspaper, please try and connect with a gargoyle you might know. You don't have to be friends with them but perhaps become an acquaintance. If they're willing to converse with you, ask about mythology. While our mythology seems to have many of the same stories, the gargoyles seem to know more. Anyways, thank you for speaking with me about this."

While it's a refrain we often avoid, it seems fitting to say, "You heard it here first." As readers of this publication, you're privy to exclusive insights. The mainstream mage press may chatter about the white-cloaked rogues, but they barely scratch the surface of a deeper, more intricate story. We're delving into a realm the others dare not touch – the clandestine world of secret magic. Our commitment is to bring you the truth, no matter how covert or concealed. Stay with us as this intriguing story unravels, as we promise to bring you the latest and most groundbreaking developments.

***

Sitting in the front row of this giant hall that could've passed for some old-timey European church, I was surrounded by a bunch of faces my age. We were all lumped together for these group therapy sessions. And I didn't mind them. Even though I was the one with the distinct Amerzian accent, we all sorta clicked. Respect was the common ground we stood on, a silent agreement that made us look past our differences. They were more than just a bunch of strangers; they were my crew on this weird, messed-up journey.

Our therapy guide stood at the audience's podium, front and center. She was an older mage with a circular frame of gray hair but a warm smile with the kindest eyes. Cute as a button.

"Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Aunt Gail, and I'm the lead counselor at Mage Emotional Therapy. I want to thank all of you for attending our graduation. Every year I know some people may find it a little extreme that we have this event for your child. It's just therapy, why should they have a graduation? Well, we think it's great to commemorate their experience and celebrate how well they've overcome their challenges. Every year people come with challenges of depression, rage, or any number of emotional ailments. And although we can't get rid of those feelings completely, we can manage them and keep them in a place where it's not our first go-to response. It's an intensive program. For 3 months, we rehabilitated behaviors that caused us distress. Instead, we are now stronger and able to better respond to certain situations that would have upset us before. It's important to know that therapy doesn't end here. Even though we are holding this small graduation ceremony, we are not 'cured.' In fact, we should always be growing and learning about ourselves. For now, these pupils have shown mastery over their emotions, and they have the tools that they need to handle future obstacles. But as I said, this isn't the end of the journey. Which is why every person in our program is always welcome to come back and meet with us whenever they need and whenever we can help them. It's one of the biggest benefits of the therapy we offer. Many alumni come to me with their current stressors or unique challenges that push them to an emotional limit. You will always have refuge here. We will never solve your problems with the wave of our hands, but we will help you solve them yourself. With all that said, let's not forget why we're here. To congratulate our youth for coming to us for help and guidance. It takes a lot of bravery and courage to do what they did, and it's something all of us need, but we're still getting there as a society."

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Everyone in the crowd clapped and cheered. I turned around to look for my grandpa and saw him in one of the middle rows smiling as he stared at Aunt Gail.

They read off the names of the 50 students in the program. Aunt Gail led many group sessions, but Aunt Josephine was the therapist I saw one-on-one. As I walked on the stage, I shook hands with the counselors. I didn't know most of them, but they weren't part of my group. Aunt Josephine was at the end, and we shook hands and smiled at each other.

"Congratulations Rollie!" Aunt Josephine said. She was a shorter mage with long brown hair and a bright smile that could light up a room. "I couldn't be happier for you. You've grown so much in these 3 months. You should be very proud."

"Trust me, I'm very excited," I said. I shook her hand and then shook hands with Aunt Gail, returned to my seat, and waited for the rest of the names of my peers to get called out to receive their certificates.

At the end of the ceremony, the rows of benches cleared away with a few hand moves thanks to their arcane magic pushing everything against the wall. Aunt Gail held out her palms and brought circular tables from a storage balcony above.

"Watch your head, everyone," Aunt Gail politely said as she positioned the circular tables throughout the hall.

As they rolled out tables stacked with grub and drinks, everyone snagged a plate and dipped a cup into the punch bowl before wandering around. Soft, classy tunes filled the air, making the whole place feel kinda special. I spotted my grandpa and made a beeline for him. We didn't say much, just shared one of those solid hugs that said everything without words.

"Rollie, I'm so proud of you. I can finally ask, how did therapy go? But first, I want to offer my congratulations to you. I know you did this against your will, but it's remarkable that you passed through the program and agreed to do it."

"Well, it wasn't that bad, to be honest. In fact, I really enjoyed it, much to my surprise."

My grandpa's smile grew even wider. "That's wonderful news! Again, I'm so proud of you, and congratulations."

Some of my peers in the row behind me waved and said hello since we didn't have a chance to greet each other before the ceremony. My grandpa and I stood at a table, munching on a vegetable dumpling and saving a peanut butter chip cookie for dessert.

Aunt Josephine came strolling by. "Hello Rollie, congratulations again. Is this your grandfather?"

"It is. I'm pleased to meet you." My grandpa shook her hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." Aunt Josephine bowed her head.

"Honestly, if anyone should be congratulating anyone, it's me to Aunt Josephine. I was a tough cookie to crack, and she was there for me the entire way," I said.

Aunt Josephine's lip curled up. "Rollie, I prefer to look at it as taking time to grow and become comfortable. There's nothing wrong with that, a lot of people go through our program the same way. All that matters is you know how to manage your emotions better, and you have tools to help you become a happier person."

"Well put," I said. "I just hope I can go to Oxford this fall. I plan on messaging Zita, the Principal at Oxford, as soon as I get home."

"I don't think you have to worry about that too much." Aunt Josephine winked. "I'll send her a letter for you as well, but I've known her for quite a while, and she's a very understanding individual."

A wave of relief went through me, and my shoulders felt a little lighter.

"That's excellent news," my grandpa said.

"Knowing your situation and everything that's happened to you, I don't think you have anything to worry about," Aunt Josephine nodded. "Especially with the letter of recommendation from us. Although I don't like talking and absolutes, I guess there's always a slight chance something could go wrong, but knowing what I know, I can't imagine that happening. I think you're going to like Oxford a lot more."

"I hope so. I feel ready, and I'm excited."

"I can't wait to hear all about it. Write to us if you need anything. We're always here." Aunt Josephine waved goodbye and greeted other people at tables nearby.

Grandpa and I polished off our snacks and drained our cups before deciding to make a move. Outside, the city was all hustle and bustle - typical for Bexleyford. This place wasn't just another city - it was one of the biggest spots on the Englaria island.

The therapy joint was perched just in front of a park. Now, this park was an odd one, all wrapped up in a square of buildings, like a patch of green caught in a grey jungle. Grandpa and I decided to take a stroll, making a beeline from one corner to another. But something made me halt right in my tracks.

"Everything all right, Rollie?" my grandpa asked.

"Yeah, I've just never seen that gargoyle in the park before. I've been coming here for 3 months, and I just think it's strange, that's all," I said.

"Yeah, I suppose that is a little bit peculiar. But it looks like he's just selling newspapers I've seen -Hey wait, Rollie, where are you going?"

"I'll be right back," I said as I approached the gargoyle at the newsstand.