The Alphabet Superset: Week 10: Jerk with a Heart of Gold

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    "The school wants to suspend you from classes until this investigation is concluded." Preacher Martin, or Mr. Martin as the students called him, was the leader of the Paladin Order at Myer's High School. In fact, he only answered to the school and the church. Everyone else in the program answered to him. This meant David was in serious trouble.

    "What? But I know what I felt. Sir Marshall and Joshuah both said they sensed it." David barked defensively before catching himself. Mr. Martin kept a calm face, but David didn't want to push his luck with the man who could literally decide his entire future.

    

    "Yes, son, I have read the reports and so has the school. Additionally, we are all aware that your Oaths remain intact, meaning none of you are lying. But the school believes that there are things still unknown about the situation. For example, just because you sensed evil, doesn't mean it was that specific student. There is also the possibility that you could've been mistaken."

    "But, I would never..."

    "I know that." Mr. Martin spoke over David, a subtle reminder of the current situation. "Which brings us to the greater problem. Many students at this school could have ties of some sort to the vilest of magics. For example, the boy who saved Joshuah is necromancer. The school board believes that the origins of the students powers do not matter as long as the students themselves cause no harm."

    "Then how is the Order supposed to protect the school?"

    "That is a good question, son. Regardless, the decision has been made. You are suspended from classes until the investigation is complete. But don't lose faith. We in the Order will not abandon you, even if the school does." With that, David could tell the discussion was over.

    "Yes sir." He answered dutifully, suppressing his emotions.

    "You are free to go, my son." The Preacher said calmly.

    David turned to leave the room. But as he reached for the door,  he looked back one last time. "Sir, what about Joshuah?"

    "Yes, son, I have heard your concerns before and we are keeping an eye on him just like you asked. If something comes up, we will intervene."

    "Thank you sir." David said finally before leaving the room.

    David couldn't say he was surprised about the situation, but that made it no less frustrating. He needed a place to take his mind off things and be alone. The first place to come to mind was the school sanctuary.

    "No place more empty then a church during the week."

    As David entered the sanctuary of the church the Order ran, he was surprised to find Gabriella sitting in the front row. While they were close friends, he hadn't had a chance to see her much since the school year had kicked off. The only thing he had heard about was a rumor that she and Miguel, another friend of his, had started dating recently.

    "So, when did you and Miguel become a thing?" He asked awkwardly, letting her know he was there in case she wanted to be alone.

    "Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be training with the Order right now." David winced at the question.

    "It's complicated."

    "Same here."

    "Our usual deal then?" David asked cautiously. Their usual deal was that they would never lie to each in a church. It meant one of two things, either they would talk about their problems or leave the church. Neither had ever chosen to leave.

    "Yeah, our usual deal. Well, if you ask Miguel, we never were a thing." Gabriella responded. She seemed uneasy about the conversation about to take place.

    "And if I ask you?" David gently prompted, taking a seat on the altar in front of her.

    Gabriella smirked. "Okay, smart alec, about six months ago."

    David face lit up with realization. "The camping trip prank war you two had?"

    Gabriella laughed. "Yeah, though we weren't a thing when we did that. He stole my phone and told me he would spam my phone if he lost. Not that it mattered cause we spent a week arguing on and off about who won and lost anyway."

    David laughed as he recalled Miguel and Gabriella arguing in the mall as everyone just stared at them. "I remember. That was all you two talked about whenever I got you together."

    "So, uh, what changed?"

    "I don't know. We had different schedules this semester and wouldn't be able to hang out. He told me he changed his schedule so we could hang out. We got into an argument three weeks ago because I found out he lied and was skipping classes to hang out with me. I didn't want to break up or anything, I just didn't want him to fail out of school."

    "So he broke up with you?"

    "No. He just told me he promised to not skip classes anymore. He got transferred to the Barrymore Dorm and then completed ghosted me. I couldn't find him anywhere. I found out the kids in that dorm have to go to lunch together as part of their schedule, so a couple of days ago I went to the cafeteria while they were there."

    "What happened?"

    "Miguel was completely different. It was like he didn't even recognize me. I asked him why he was ghosting me and he just said he wanted to break up."

    "What, just like that?"

    "Yeah. He said he wanted to focus on his classes and didn't have time for me anymore."

    "That's rough, I'm sorry."

    "Anyway, your turn. What leads the ever righteous David to skip a training?" Gabriella teased, trying to lighten the situation. It was David's turn to get uneasy. He looked down at the floor as he mustered the strength to tell her.

    "Getting suspended." 

    "The fight?"

    "How did..." David asked, looking up in surprise.

    "You know everyone in the school knows about that fight right? You had it in one of the most crowded places in school and nearly killed someone." David thought back to his memories of the fight. He had seen the crowds and the phones, but had been distracted by the fight itself at the time. It suddenly occurred to him how public the entire thing actually was.

    David runs a hand through his hair and groaned. "Don't remind me. The school is investigating the whole fight and asked the Order to suspend me from trainings until they can get to the bottom of it."

    "Sorry to hear that." Gabriella replied simply.

    The two sat awkwardly for a few moments. They each felt they should do something, but weren't sure what. Finally, David spoke up.

    "Well, we can't do anything about my problem, but maybe we can do something about yours?" He wondered optimistically.

    "Like what?" Gabriella asked.

    "Well, if we can find him, we can at least figure out why he had a sudden change of heart. Maybe even get him to change his mind. It's not like Miguel to do something like this without any reason, especially when he just got in trouble for skipping classes to be with you." David reasoned out. He wanted to help out his friends. If he was honest with himself, his motivations weren't totally pure. Some small part of him wanted a distraction from his personal stuff. Another part of him wanted this to work out so he could have some kind of win after the past couple of weeks.

    Gabriella hesitated for a second before sighing. "Alright. We can catch him after he does lunch with the Barrymore kids. That's the only time of day where I know where he will be.

    "Sounds like a plan."

    The next day, the two waited outside the cafeteria. They wanted confront Miguel in some place private so that they could avoid making a scene. Gabriella wasn't sure she could handle that kind of exposure again. 

    They were both caught off guard when, as the Barrymore students left the cafeteria, Miguel broke away from the group. They quietly followed Miguel from a distance as he made his way to an isolated area of the school. He dipped into a small alleyway between two school buildings. When they peaked around the corner, they saw holding a paintbrush and a small can of gold paint. He seemed to be painting some kind of symbol on the wall

    "What's that symbol?" David whispered to Gabriella, motioning to the it. It looked like an eye ball, but the lines in the symbol were replaced with some kind of writing that Gabriella couldn't make out from their position.

    "I don't know. It's not anything I have seen taught in the Magic Program."

    David nodded before walking around the corner, leaving Gabriella in hiding. "Hey, Miguel. Lets talk buddy."

    Miguel turned to David a little surprised. David watched as Miguel seemed to process who he was before responding. "Oh, hey David. I'm a little busy right now. Can we talk later?" With that, Miguel turned back to his work.

    "Well, normally I would say yes, but you know defacing school property is against the rules right?" David teased.

    Miguel froze and turned to David again. Then he sighed. "It's fine. It's part of my punishment for skipping classes. I have to do community service."

    "So the school asked you to draw an eye in an alley where no one can see it. Look I don't know who you are, but Miguel would never do something like this. He got in trouble for skipping classes and bad grades, not doing graphitti."

    "I'm sorry David, but I really wish you would've just dropped it." He set down the can of paint slowly and turned to David, small bolts of electricity beginning to pop around his arm.

    "Oh, Heavenly Father, grant me protection from the forces of evil." As David talks a shield made of fire forms around his arm. He raises the shield in front of him, readying for Miguel's attack. He watches as Miguel's hand fills with electricity. Miguel raises his hand, throwing the electricity at David's shield. David is literally shocked as the attack hits him, completely ignoring the fiery shield he had raised. David is knocked on his butt by the pain as the shield disappears. 

    "David!" Gabriella shouts, rushing forward into the alleyway from her hiding place. She waves a hand up and a wall of earth rises between them and Miguel. David grunts as he gets back to his feet shakily.

    "I'm okay, but we got a problem."

    "Why did that go through your shield? I thought Paladin shields could block all evil attacks?"

    "They can, yes. Which is why we have a problem. Whatever is controlling Miguel isn't malicious."

    "It took over his mind."

    "I can see that, but the fact remains that whatever it is doesn't think its doing anything wrong. Which means my powers are practically useless."

    "Oh no." Gabriella thought for a second. "Do you think you can get him against a wall?"

    

    "Maybe." Then, as if an idea dawned on him, he looked down at his shirt. "Yeah, yeah, I can do that." David pulled off his shirt and wadded it into a ball in one hand.

    "Ready?"

    

    "Ready."

    Gabriella dropped the wall as David rushed forward. As soon as David and Miguel saw each other, David threw his shirt straight into Miguel's face, effectively blinding him for just a moment. Miguel didn't see David get low and body slam Miguel into one of the walls of the alleyway.

    "David move!" Gabriella shouted. David quickly backed off to one side. Miguel pulled away David's shirt just in time to get hit with a white ball in his chest. A ball which splattered outwards into a web that pinned him to the wall.

    As Miguel struggled against the webbing, Gabriella walked up to him slowly. She put her hands on either side of his face and forced him to look her way. "Miguel, please, you have to fight it. Whatever is controlling you, you have to fight it. I know you in there. I know you have been trapped with it for three weeks and I haven't been here to help you. I'm sorry. I should've known better. Should've seen it sooner. But I am here now and I promise I won't leave without you again. Even if we have to be here all day, I will stay with you."

    David was disheartened at first when Miguel didn't seem to change, instead locking eyes with Gabriella as if they were having a staring competition. Then suddenly, he lurched.

"Get off me." He screamed.

    "Miguel?" Gabriella's voice was no longer distant, but close. David looked away in frustration.

    "I... Fine, I'll just go." Gabriella sounded so defeated and drained. David turned to look as the webbing faded away. Miguel slumped for a second as Gabriella turned away. David got ready to say something when Miguel grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a hug, crying.

    "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I tried so hard to get back. But it wouldn't let me. I'm so sorry. Please don't leave." Miguel pleaded desperately.

    David watched as the two melted down and cried in each others arms. He didn't want to ruin the moment, so he remained as quiet as possible. Then Miguel spoke again.

    "Gabriella, we don't have much time. Professor Barrymore is planning something."

    The moment was over and Miguel's voice put everyone on high alert.

    "What do you mean?" David asked. Miguel turned to him. 

    "Professor Barrymore is a warlock and he is using his position as a dorm supervisor to give students to whatever he has made a pact with. The entire dorm has been enthralled and the place is like a magical fortress."

    "What has he made a pact with?" David was all business now as Gabriella face grew more and more concerned with each new revelation.

    "Professor Barrymore calls it the Million Eyes. Says the entity is composed of them and they all look in different directions. Until recently that is." Miguel spoke fast, as if scared that something would stop him at any moment.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Professor Barrymore says that every thrall the creature gains has an eye lock onto it. The more people it focuses on in our world, the weaker the barrier between our realms gets. I think he has a pact with it. I am not sure what the details of that pact are, but all of the enthralled students have been going around the school grounds and posting these symbols in specific locations. I guess once all the symbols are in place, then the spell he is working on will be ready and the pact will be fulfilled." As he spoke, Gabriella got to her feet, moving slowly so Miguel could rise with her. Miguel was a little unsteady and used her as support while he seemed to be trying to figure out his body again.

    "Then we need to hurry." David said, grabbing the can of paint from the ground and splattering it over the symbol.