Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #17 August 2015 | Page 43

lifespan unless you believe the rumours of demonic
pacts. Two hundred years ago was the dark times, long
before the five laws had bought peace to the magical
world. Yes, back then she could believe it, back then.
She was suddenly exhausted: her buoyant mood was
long gone, her new job and her new home had lost the
bright shine, and seeing the truth behind the curtain
had shocked her and chased away her earlier happiness. “I should go, things to do, get ready for my first
classes tomorrow. Well, it was nice meeting, that is,
goodbye doctor.” She turned and walked back into the
great hall, not running, just walking a little bit faster
than normal, not running at all.
Symonds chuckled, the sound deep and hidden
under his beard so no one heard it.
New teachers, like new students. So bright and
shiny and happy. Most of them could spend an entire
life at the university and never learn the truth, never
lose that image that life was kind and friendly and
safe.
He tilted his head and looked up, the gargoyle
peered over the gutter as if sensing the gaze of its
master. The stone was spotted with lichen but was
still strong, less than a century old, it wouldn’t need
replacing for years yet. Unlike the one that sat on the
south tower. That was one of his first and was badly
cracked now, it would need replacing.

again as the common mages took up spells against
their own revered council, the arch mages that ruled
the magical world, but who had once been the warlords and tyrants that controlled it through fear.
Marketing and PR, such a wonderful idea those
humans had come up with. The most evil of mages
hiding in plain sight but still running the world.
Doctor Marcus Edward Symonds laughed
again, this time the sound was loud and bounced from
the walls around him. Passing students stopped as
they heard the sound and felt the power within the
voice. Older students were shocked. They all knew the
rumours. Doctor Symonds, master of Albany house,
he kept the trouble makers under control. So many
rumours, so much gossip, so many stories shared after
a few drinks. They couldn’t be true, all the stories. No
they couldn’t be true.
But the laughter spread, and the power spread,
and many a young man or woman shivered under the
hot summer sun before laughing and shouting as the
excitement of start of term filled them.

Still that shouldn’t be a problem, five sorcerers was more than usual and it wasn’t every year they
got a necromancer. The necromancer looked weak, he
probably couldn’t control himself. Or the sorcerers,
they were young, arrogant. They would fight against
his authority. One of them would challenge him,
someone did, every year, someone would try to use
their power to hurt others. That was his job, the chancellor understood, the high council understood, every
single user of magic had to be taught or they had to
be, dealt with.
Someone had to remove all the little problems
to make sure the society of mages was kept safe, and
if they didn’t know, well that was for the best. After
all, if they knew the truth, the mage wars would start

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