Modern Mage – Chapter 12

For those who are still reading the series I appreciate the following and will continue writing it as it comes to me. It has a slow progression as that I how I feel it needs to be written. While the tale could continue forever i will end this portion on the story when the time comes. It’s still got at least a few more chapters to it, maybe more.




I decided that I needed to find an Elysium like it would be simple. The world Elysium was taken from Greek Mythology referring to the Elysian Fields or their version of paradise. In the supernatural communities it refers to sanctuaries and neutral territories. Most of these places only cater to one kind of supernatural and their locations are a guarded secret among them. On a few rare occasions, mostly in large cities with a diverse population of supernatural races, you’ll find one or two that act as a Sanctuary and Meeting ground to settle disputes where all are welcome. Those places are usually run by very powerful individuals who can keep the peace even if the clientele can’t. Violating an Elysium usually means your life is forfeit, and you’ll get no support from your faction or race’s leadership.

I knew that I could probably locate one of the locations owned by the Vampires but there was little chance of me finding the Tremere that way without leaving a trail of bodies. While that would be effective, it would also make me a target for all of the Vampires in the city. While they fight and kill amongst their own, they will band together to kill a threat to all of them. What I needed to find was one of those location where I could get the information I needed. That meant hoping that a city as large as Vegas had a true Elysium. I figured it would, but I also accepted two simple facts. The first being that it was possible it didn’t exist and second was that there was no guarantee I’d get the information I was looking for if I did find one.

I decided to start off by checking out the city nightlife. When you consider that while most supernatural beings are able to move about in the open during the daylight, the largest population of supernatural creature was Vampires. I figured that working with that in mind would help me find an Elysium easier at night. Another piece of information for those of you who are interested, all of the supernatural races try to blend in with everyone else and most of the individuals tend to be sociable. Human aren’t a food source for all of the races, only a few of them. Of those few, Vampires are the only group that actually feeds directly from the body.

Sindee and I spent the evening with her parents, taking in a show with them on their first visit to Las Vegas. After the show we headed back to her house to get dressed for a night out clubbing. We almost didn’t leave the house once I saw her in the dress she had chosen for the night, thank the world for self-control. She was wearing a Sapphire Blue dress that followed her body as though it were a second skin, the skirt ended around mid-thigh, sheer stockings of the same color sheathed her legs and she wore a pair of six inch stiletto heels. The neckline was cut deep down the center ending between her breasts displaying her Infinity Loop pendant framed perfectly between them. I dressed in black slacks and once I saw her dress a Sapphire Blue silk shirt to match hers. I wore my boots to allow me to carry a couple of knives in them; I wasn’t willing to go around unarmed when Sindee was with me. We headed out for a night of music, fun and searching for the elusive.

I’ll admit that during the first half of the night I was completely distracted by dancing and spending time out with Sindee. I’ve told you in the past how beautiful she is and I’ve gone on about her heart and we all know she’s intelligent or she wouldn’t be a doctor. What made tonight special is the look on her face as she relaxed and let the walls down. When Sindee was out dancing and the music really got her going, looking at her was like seeing an angel made flesh. Her smile was infection and you couldn’t help but have fun and enjoy your life with her around. We had hit three clubs off the strip that night before deciding to head in. The reason I wasn’t looking on the strip is they were to exposed to be an Elysium as the only people that found a club like we were looking for were awakened. In an Elysium vampires would feed in the open on those who were willing and other supernatural beings didn’t need to hide. Most mages still hid what they were or at least the amount of power they could wield because once you left the place all bets were off concerning neutrality.

I was driving us home through an industrial area behind the strip when I passed a place I’d not noticed earlier when we headed out. It looked like a small bar from the front, but the line outside the door suggested otherwise. I pointed the place out to Sindee as I pulled over across the street from it. “You ever see or hear about that place before?”

Sindee looked it over for a minute before replying. “No, the girls and I have been to pretty much all the clubs in town over the last few years and I’ve never heard of a club in this area.”

I was looking the place over more carefully when felt something from my avatar, there was magick in use at the place. Wards and other passive magick can be sensed if you are looking using your mage senses, on the other hand all Mages as well as a few other races are capable of sensing the active use of magick. “I’m going to stop; we should check this place out.” I suited action to words as I pulled into the parking structure next to it.

“You know I’m always up for new places and tonight has been fun.” She gave me her wicked little smile, “besides it’s too early to go home to bed.” I felt another burst, stronger this time through my avatar and Sindee’s look changes to one of concern, “What was that?” Her tone was excited and confused at the same time. This was the first time she had sensed active magick that she wasn’t involved in.