The Ivy Cottage Inn

Chapter Four: John the Seer

John stifled his urge to run out of the room, and slowly calmed himself down.

Then Grandma Angela walked in, and she freaked.

In three seconds she had summoned the form of a bear, and had pinned Ivy beneath her large form. The bear growled, "WHAT IS THIS?"

Ivy scowled, and spoke a quick incantation. Ivy disappeared in a puff of smoke, and reappeared on the other side of the room. Ivy spoke a second incantation, and the area in front of her filled with a strange green light. Then the light disappeared, but the air still rippled and waved. John assumed it was a shield against Grandma.

Ivy said, haltingly, "This was not my doing. I was going out to the spell cellar to experiment a touch, where i found the body at the door, with this note attached to his head by a nail."

The note was handed over to me, and i in turn showed it to Grandma, and we both silently read it.

It said:

Dear Residents and Owners of Ivy Cottage Inn,

By the order of Duke Drimveir, we have taken action to begin cleansing this province of all witchcraft and dark arts, starting with the Ivy Cottage Inn. We shall mercilessly kill all at the inn, whether or not they have dabbled in the black arts or not. We fear the normal ones there have been infected as well, so we cannot take the risk of keeping them alive.

All shall be killed unless they allow the Imperial Doctor to cut out there tongues, to prevent them from using magic again, as well as cut off their hands and feet, to prevent them from making magical gestures, or to run away and attempt to learn more magic.

Looking forward to meeting you all,

                                                           Mercenaries of the Hills

John paled. The letter clearly stated that they were going to kill them all, and it stated it so politely, almost as if they were trying to be nice about it.

Grandma Angela was paler than John was, and that was saying something. She managed to murmur, "Ivy, I'm s-s-sorry I attacked you. I-I-I had no idea th-th-that you had discovered this all by y-y-yourself."

Then John experienced the worst moment of his life. He had to stand by, as his grandmother, the woman in his life who never crumbled, and always had everything under control, began to cry. She wept for a full five minutes, comforted and hugged by Ivy, when she abruptly stopped. she asked, "Why was this man killed?"

Ivy straightened, and said smoothly, "I have done some tests, and found out that though I do not know his name or occupation, this man was a pyromancer of the highest degree. So they must be killing all unnaturals, "Ivy spat bitterly on this slang term for magic-users," and they started with him. we must show this to everybody. Have a meeting."

Grandma Angela said, "I agree. Summon all of the guests to the lobby. We must discuss this. John, have you finished giving all the guests their breakfast?"

"No, I still have Nova and Nathan Smith, Annalyn Grace, and Bethany Woodrich."

"Well, they can do without. Go to their doors, and bring them down to the lobby. This is much too important to waste time telling people about."

John nodded, and flew out of the room. He went next door to room number six. It was a dark blue, and that was it. Pretty plain compared to the others. John knocked, and the door flew open. It was Nova who had answered. Nova had blond hair, and grey, almost silver, eyes. She was short and petite, but was wiry and lean. She was John's best friend, as she was twelve, his own age. And if you wanted to know something about anything, even about the other guests, she was your guy. Or, girl, really. She was great at ferreting out information and secrets. Plus, she could turn invisible at will, so that helped a tad.

She said,  "I was listening at the wall, I'll get Nathan, meet you down there in five minutes." She slammed the door shut.

John just shook his head. Nova, Nova, Nova.

Then John raced to door number seven, upstairs. He knocked. This door was chocolate brown, streaked with green moss. The door was opened by its resident, Annalyn Grace. Annalyn was slender, had a dainty nose, porcelain features, and bright emerald green eyes. She had blond hair as well. She was a healer, and could make many potions and cure almost anything, but she had been known to cast spells in emergencies. She was only sixteen years old.

Annalyn said, "What is it?"

"Gram called a meeting. Meet her in the lobby. Sorry, but you'll have to skip breakfast."

Annalyn nodded, and closed her door behind her as she walked to the lobby.  

John knocked on the next door, number eight. It was home to Gram's best friend, Bethany Woodrich. Bethany's door was just plain, but it looked old, and thick. John knocked.

Bethany opened the door. Bethany had short, curly blond hair. She had warm brown eyes, and was small and delicate. She wore large, red rimmed spectacles. She was seventy-two, and could speak with and understand animals. No where near gram's powers, but close enough for them to like each other.

Bethany asked calmly, "Yes, what is it?"

"Meeting. In the lobby. Gram called it. No breakfast. Sorry."

"That's quite all right, dear. Now scootch along, I suppose that you should be there as well." John nodded, and they walked down the stairs and into the lobby, where Ivy, Grandma Angela, Annalyn, Cloud, Claudette, Chevalier, and Ittia were already waiting. Then down came Nova, and Nathan, her brother. Nathan was  scrawny and tall, and had blond hair and the same grey eyes as his sister. He had brief glimpses of the future, and was sixteen years old. Then Katt came down. everyone was gathered.

Gram stepped forward, and called for silence. Then she explained why everyone was here, and read the note. Everyone was reacting, shouting, weeping, angrily clenching their fists, but then John decided he felt exactly like these people, but he would refuse to show it. So John stepped forward, and shouted, "EVERYBODY SHUT IT!"

Everyone shut it.

John continued.

"I'm scared and angry too. But we can't just sit here and wait for these mercenaries to get here and kill us all. We have to prepare. And everyone here, though I can't force you to stay, please don't leave. Then you will simply be chased down and slaughtered, but all alone, and by yourself, with no one to try and protect you. everyone should stay, because we are all involved with magic. Except for one of us here. Katt, please, gather your stuff and take the horse in the shed out back, and leave. Save yourself, for you are not involved. Please, go."

Katt looked down, and then looked at John, and smiled, eyes shimmering with tears. She mouthed, Thank you. Then she ran up the stairs to prepare.

Gram  stepped forward then, and said, "I agree with all John said, except for one thing. John, you have no magic in you. Therefore, you should leave with Katt." There was a murmur fo general agreement from the others in the room.

John's mouth opened and closed soundlessly for a few seconds, when Ivy stepped forward, head lowered. She said quietly, "Actually Gram. You're- you're wrong.' There was a scowl on Gram's face, but ivy pushed forward. "i have done tests, and cast spells. John is not free from magic, but his magic is not the kind he can physically wield. For John is- John is a seer, and of large proportions, too."

Everyone gasped aside from Nova and John. John said, "What's a seer?"

 Ivy answered, "A seer is someone who can call upon his abilities to look forward into the future. But instead of glimpses, they can wade through endless possibilities and destinies. Nathan has a touch of the seer's gift, but that is all. And in battle, a seer can turn on his ability, and can see a few seconds ahead to counter and block every move someone makes before it happens, before they have even begun to make the move."

Gram was now the one with the silent moving mouth. But then she just said, "Okay. If you say it, I believe it."

Ivy nodded, and then she said, "John, the mercenaries shouldn't be here for two days. I'll try to train you with help from Nathan, so you'll be prepared by the time that they are here."