Chapter 5

 

After setting up my plan, I allowed myself to be ‘captured’ by the traffickers. Soon the police and the media will find this place. I decided that I needed to change some birth certificates to make my story a bit more believable. That of myself and my ‘parents’.

 

My hands and feet were bound by duct tape, and someone had come by and injected me with something. I felt woozy. Trying to distract myself, I turned my head to look at my ‘captors’. There were three of them. One was an old lady covered in wrinkles. The other two were twins. They seemed to be about thirty years old.

 

While shifting my body, I turned my human head and saw the ‘prisoners’. They were either sleeping or staring listlessly at nothing. They had duct tape and zip ties restraining their limbs, and cuts and bruises covering their bodies. The injuries seem to have not been treated. A couple of the women were clearly pregnant.

 

I hope my plan will be successful. If not, I will free them myself.

 

A few hours later, someone began to knock on the cellar door. The old lady went to answer it. She seemed to have a pistol on her, which she drew as she approached the door.

 

*knock knock knock knock*

 

I heard a door creak open.

 

"Ms. Thave, are they ready?" A man's voice asked.

 

"Yes, Cedric, are you ready to transport them?" The old lady answered with a shaky, raspy voice answered.

 

The two of them talked with each other as they entered the room again. ‘Cederic’ and one of the twins started moving the captured humans. They did so callously, as if moving a box of paper. They carried one person after another up the stairs.

 

*CraBunch*

 

 

 

A loud noise sounded above us, there were many voices talking and shouting. The old lady and the remaining twin ran to the door in a panic.

 

*bang bang bang bang*

 

The noise of gunshots intertwined in the cacophony above me. The shots seemed to play a game of call and response, drowning the noise of the shouts, screams, and items falling to the ground. I looked around me. The captives were in a mixed state of panic and listlessness. A couple were trying to break free.

 

The gunshots stopped as a series of muffled footsteps became clearer and clearer. The cellar door swung open as 5 people dressed in police uniforms came in. They started freeing some of the captives.

 

*knock knock knock*

 

Someone tapped on the open door before strolling in. It was a lanky, clean-shaven middle-aged man. He wore a brown suit and slacks, with a green tie. He had blond hair and was balding in a horseshoe shape. But, as if trying to hide his hair loss, he had grown the remaining hair to his shoulders. 

 

I whistled to myself in awe when I looked at the mana coming from his body. It was strange compared to everyone else I have seen. Instead of randomly flickering about, his mana seemed to swirl around his body.

 

"So, which one of you is the magician that made these?" 

 

He said this while snapping his left hand. Three birth certificates appeared in his hands, which he proceeded to hold up.

 

I think he is talking about me… This is not what I planned. I didn't expect anyone to find out that those were fake, especially so soon. I did not even think that anyone could figure out that I can use magic. I guess it will be fine to answer him. On another note, he is the first human to speak to me. 

 

"Me! I was the magician that made those. How did you find out? Do you also know magic? Do you want to be friends?" I said.

 

The middle-aged man briefly looked surprised, before he squinted his eyes at me. Wait, why is he looking at me like that, and why is he shaking his head?

 

"So you are the magician who tried to alter government documents? The one who sent the names and the info on this place to the police and reporters? Do you even know what you did?"

 

"No? I saw some bad humans and people in need of help, and thought that that would help. So, will you be my friend?"

 

His left hand flashed green when I answered. 

 

"No, so you don’t know?! Really? Come up with a better lie. Nowadays, all academies and licensed magicians are required to tell their students that using magic around a population of mortals is illegal. If you don’t know, then who the hell taught you magic? Was it a rock? *sigh* Now, this is a truth spell. Don’t resist."

 

While talking, it seemed like he had created a spell. His mana rushed at me, and before I could react. It forced me to speak.

 

"I taught myself."

 

What was that? Is that the truth spell? 

 

Ha, that look serves him right. I am no liar. Now that I think about it, I did teach myself. Jiom’s memories did help me, but those are now my memories. 

 

"No way, you mean to say that someone can teach themselves to manipulate documents in a safe box, remotely, without ever seeing them? How can you even use magic if you have not been taught? Was it a book of some sort?"

 

"No."

 

I don’t like this guy.

 

"What was it then?"

 

"I mean, everything emits mana. It is hard to miss." 

 

"Miss, may I know your name?"

 

"I am Bloody."

 

"Well then Bloody, the Federal Academy of Magic and Psychic Youths hereby arrests you for using magic without a license, and attempting to forge government documents. You will be tried by an unbiased group of peers."

 

Wait, what!?

 

The middle-aged man snapped his fingers and I passed out. 

 

…

 

When I woke up, I found that I was in a small prison cell. It had a bed, a sink, and a toilet. A couple of minutes passed by. I heard a door open.

 

"Young miss, it seems you are awake." A woman called out to me. She unlocked my cell and motioned for me to follow her. We went down a small hallway before we got to an elevator.

 

*Ding* 

 

The elevator doors opened and we entered.

 

"Where am I?" I asked as she hit a button.

 

"We are in the Academy’ Detention Center. You will soon be questioned about your involvement and actions. Tell them everything, it will make the trial easier." She said 

 

*Ding*

 

When the elevator doors opened, we left. We passed many office doors with frosted windows. When we reached the end of the hall, she opened a door and beckoned me in.

 

"Wait here for a bit." She said before leaving.

 

…

 

One hour later, a man and a woman entered what I presumed to be the interrogation room. They asked me many questions which I answered.

They were rude, the woman kept asking if I was human, and the man ignored me. I asked if they wanted to be friends and they ignored me. They clearly did not want to be there.

 

After 6 hours of questioning, I was escorted back to my cell. I was tired. I found a bed and fell asleep. I hope the trial will go smoothly…

 

MEANWHILE 

 

A screen flickered on.

 

…

 

"What is your name?"

 

"Bloody!"

 

"I am Ruc and he is Depv. We will be asking you some questions. Before we do so, please sign this form. It states that everything that happens in this room will be recorded, and you agree to let us do so."

 

"Okay, hand me the pen!"

 

"First off, where are your parents?"

 

"I don’t have any…"

 

"How old are you?"

 

"I don’t know?"

 

"Why did you use magic without a license?"

 

"For two reasons, I didn’t know it was illegal to use magic without one, and because people were in danger."    
Depv’s hand glowed yellow.

 

"What else?"

 

"I wanted to find a home."

 

“Is that why you forged the birth certificates?”

 

“Yes…”

 

"Why?"

 

"Because humans don’t like homeless people and undocumented people. If I was both I would not be able to make friends."

 

"Are you human?"

 

"Not completely…”

 

…

 

The video was paused.

 

Seven people were sitting at a conference table. They were discussing what they had just seen. The two interrogators were at opposite sides of a screen which was showing the recording of Bloody’s interrogation. 

 

"Elders, we have gathered you here to talk about her. She was able to send detailed information to various media sources without being detected. While being able to send that information to the police and manipulate old government  documents to forge an identity. She left little to no mana on the information, and  faint traces of mana on the birth certificate." Ruc said.

”She almost went free, when she manipulated the documents, the fifteenth alarm, of sixteen, was triggered.” Depv continued while some elders furrowed their brows.

 

"While that is impressive and all, why did you pause that there? Is her not being human such a big deal?" A elder asked listlessly.

 

“We have called you here because she is a spirit-human hybrid.” Depv said while pointing his thumb at Bloody.

"Why did you call us? Is she part of the Purple Brotherhood?" A very old voice asked as if they hadn’t been paying attention."

 

"No, she is not part of the Brotherhood, Hozfedge, she is unaffiliated and only at the second rank.”

 

“Interesting, she was almost able to hide her magic from our sensors, yet to be only at the second rank…” An elder mumbled under her breath.