The Order of Merlin, page 33
"I wasn't in Montanhas with you all, but didn't you figure out that Montas were really descendants from demons that had come through the barriers in previous centuries? And Invictus said that the demonic realm isn't a monolith. Did he ever say how he was going to stop the invasion when he went there?"
"He's not exactly what you'd call a sharer," said Pi, exasperated.
"If we find the prince, maybe we find an ally who can help us with Elosian, someone to stop the invasion."
"Seems a little thin," said Pi. "This prince came over a long, long time ago, gave up his power, and disappeared. For all we know he's dead and the sigil is the only thing left. Just like the Ginger Man is dead, but Moriganne has the tattoo." She frowned. "For that matter, how do we know that it's not changing your intentions? Are you sure that your thoughts are your own?"
"I'm sure," said Moriganne abruptly.
"Then what happened with the tornado?"
Moriganne touched her elbow. "It had nothing to do with the sigil. I'm a tempest. It got out of control." She inhaled, then sighed heavily. "This is great and all, but you're going to have to do this without me and Kitty. As soon as possible, I'd like to get a ride back to Thailand, and if you're not willing to let me use the portal, then we'll do it the long way even if I'm not looking forward to a day on a plane. It's not safe for me to be here."
"We need you if we're going to unravel this," said Zayn.
"I've made up my mind. I'm leaving," said Moriganne. "As soon as we get Kitty's gut patched up."
Aurie nodded. "We'll take you back to Thailand. Whenever you need."
A wistful smile broke across Moriganne's face. "Thank you, and I'm sorry."
"I'd like to go back as well," said Pax. "The work we're doing is important. Probably not as important as what you're doing here, but I'm not sure how helpful I can be." The glance at Pi suggested she hadn't forgiven her for attempting to destroy the cobra-headed creature. "I'm probably not a good fit for the Order."
The unraveling of the team was an anchor on Aurie's heart. She looked to Zayn, but his pinched lips told her that he was considering leaving too.
"I'll stay and help...after I check in with Priyanka. Just a quick stop to make sure everything is good. She might have some resources for us."
Aurie smiled at him but it was weak. She believed he wanted to stay, but he was probably hoping Priyanka would make him remain in the Eternal City. She wanted to accuse him of being disingenuous before, but realized that it was her own insecurities that were leading her to think he was lying. He'd been arguing for more investigation earlier. Why would he bail now?
Pi leaned under the table and tossed the silvery bag on top. She'd hauled it in from the trunk of the car. "Might as well grab your phones. Moriganne saw the Cybermagics mage get sucked up into the tornado, so I think we're safe from being spied on."
The phones were distributed. No one spoke. Aurie looked at their faces. For a brief moment, they'd been a team. As chaotic and almost disastrous as it was, they'd come through with everyone intact, and Andromeda rescued. A victory even if it didn't feel that way.
"I wish this wasn't the end," said Aurie, trying not to get emotional. "We did good back there. It's just been me and Pi all this time in the Order, and having the rest of you by our side has been...nothing short of wonderful. The threat isn't going away."
"Probably," said Moriganne, "but the city will be safer without me in it. That much I know for sure."
Kitty's phone rattled to life on the table, startling everyone. She stared at it suspiciously before muttering, "It's Ivan."
Aurie wasn't sure why but as soon as the phone went to Kitty's ear, a cold stone formed in her gut and she could do nothing but stare. Kitty's curious expression paled within seconds of speaking with her twin. More than paled. Devastated.
"What?" asked Andromeda, eyes wide with alarm. "What's wrong?"
The phone drifted from Kitty's ear. She could barely make eye contact with her sisters.
"Ares. Ares is..."
Kitty closed her eyes and hung her head. Tears traced a path down her cheeks.
"Dead."
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SEASON ONE
The Hundred Halls Series: Trials of Magic
The Reluctant Assassin Series: The Reluctant Assassin
Gamemakers Online Series: The Warped Forest
Animalians Hall Series: Wild Magic
Stone Singers Hall Series: Song of Siren and Blood
Hundred Halls Background Information
A Short History of the Hundred Halls
The magical university that eventually became known as the Hundred Halls started off as a small school called Invictus School of Magic in 1836. The building was an old tavern and inn called the Brownwater, named after the town it was located. Invictus purchased it because the property was attached to a large parcel of land where they could safely practice sorcery without exciting the local populous. As well, the inn had rooms for the first cadre of students, and a place they could all eat together and develop comradery.
In an interview given in the early 1980s, Invictus recounted those early years of the school. He'd recruited students from all over the country, promising them a chance to develop their powers without the threat of madness which plagued early practitioners. Even so, of the fifteen students only nine remained after the first year. Invictus has said little about the loss of his student body, insinuating they left for other professions, but rumors persisted that those students perished due to magical accidents or taking their own lives due to the faez madness they'd already developed before they'd arrived at the school. At this time, Invictus accepted all ages of students and the patron system hadn't been perfected. These early failures are said to be the reason that the cut off age for the Hundred Halls remains at twenty years old.
The town of Brownwater, which existed on the northwestern side of Pennsylvania, became a hot bed of rumors and claims of witchcraft. But Invictus had cultivated the local politicians, either through gifts of sorcery, or outright bribery, keeping the threats coming from outside the boundaries of Brownwater. During the years 1840 to 1858, there were three recorded major attacks on the school. The first claimed the life of Robert Madison when he was caught riding his horse in the countryside, charming birds to land on his hand. A musket shot took him in the head when the ambush surprised him. Four more students perished in the first attack, but all the men that invaded the school were never seen again. Requests to return their bodies were denied by Headmaster Invictus. By the time the second and third attacks occurred, the school had established safety procedures and no more lives of the students were lost. The same cannot be said of the attackers.
When the Civil War broke out in 1861, there were requests from both sides to join the fight. At first, Invictus resisted the requests, not wanting to spotlight the fledgling school and get noticed by the greater powers of the country, but his hand was forced as the war's toll created a rift in the student body which had come from all over the nation. A group of Southern students, led by Conroy Rutherford, left the school and joined the Confederacy. Invictus kicked them out of the school, then allowed those that wished to join the fight on the Union side to leave without concern for their position within the academy. Notable of this time was Evelyn Grace, a blue-eyed beauty that single handedly turned the Battle of Hoke's Run by defeating Conroy Rutherford in a duel of sorcery before routing the southern troops.
By the time the war was over, the Invictus School of Magic had few students and its reputation either tarnished or venerated based on which side it was being viewed from. During the year of 1866, little happened at the Brownwater Inn, and the students that stayed were said to have rarely seen Invictus.
On October 22nd, 1867, the charter for a new school called the Hundred Halls, which incorporated the new and improved Patron structure, was signed. The original signers included Invictus, Semyon Gray, Bannon Creed, Celesse D'Agastine, Priyanka Sai, and Malden Anterist. The history of some of these mages can be traced through the history of the country, while others arrived in the New World seemingly out of the blue. The first five Halls of the original charter were Arcanium, Protectors, Alchemists, Assassins, and Coterie of Mages.
With Invictus removed from direct interaction with the students, the new academy flourished. The Head Patron was able to focus on recruiting new students and growing the school, while the new Patrons taught their specific specialties. Additionally, double Patron system seemed to reduce the problems with faez madness that had plagued the early years.
The first Hall to open after the original charter was the Holistic Institute, also known as Aura Healers, in 1875, followed by the Royal Society of Illustrious Artificers in 1891. Three other Halls started in the years before the turn of the century—Tenebris Hall, The Equus Society, and The Gunpowder Club—but disappeared before the first world war. This became a common occurrence during the century and three-quarters existence of the university, either because of the changing needs of society, the death of the patron, or other Halls incorporating their teachings and making them obsolete.
The two world wars brought the existence of magic into focus for the entire world. Invictus threw the weight of the school behind the Allies, which helped tipped the final result to victory. While the Central Powers, and then Axis, both had mages in their regiments, they were prone to faez madness and there were numerous examples of destructive sorceries impacting their own troops unexpectedly.
It was the success of magic in the World Wars that led to the passing of laws that codified the Hundred Halls supremacy and forbid the opening of rival schools in other parts of the world. To facilitate these laws, Invictus promised to open up the school to the entire world and the American government, keen to keep the school on their territory, agreed. This paved the way for the Sorcerous Education Act of 1951 which allowed the school to make major land grabs in the region north of Philadelphia and west of New York, creating the structure that would become the city of Invictus.
In the years after the second World War, the Hundred Halls flourished. Before then, there'd only been about thirty different halls at the university, but they swelled to a number over eighty (no one knows for sure). Researchers have suggested that the number has been oscillating between sixty and seventy-five since, though others have argued that the true number is north of a hundred because Invictus does not publish the list of Halls and some form without ever taking a student. These "Ghost Halls" are sometimes created by ambitious mages that wish to use the association with the school for research, or other purposes.
Wards in the City of Sorcery
First – The ward is considered to be the financial home of sorcery related businesses worldwide and many of the wealthiest mages live in its boundaries.
The Order of Honorable Alchemists [Hall] – This school is the premiere place in the world to learn the arts of alchemy. Celesse D'Agastine, its patron, uses it as a place to recruit its future products.
Second – Known as the other entertainment capital of the world, this ward receives the majority of tourists.
The Academy of the Subtle Arts [Hall] – No one knows exactly where the hall is located, but in official literature of the school, its home is noted as the second.
Glitterdome – A massive stadium dedicated to music, big events, and the occasional sporting match.
Ashnod's Theater – The premiere theater for students of the Dramatics Hall.
Herald of the Halls – The newspaper wholly devoted to reporting on the Hundred Halls, the city of Invictus, and related subjects.
Third – Adjacent to the second, this ward receives its fair share of visitors intent on leaving the city of sorcery with a bit of magic to make their personal lives a little bit better—or more interesting.
Protectors [Hall] – A functional looking building where mages are taught to become future law enforcement members, or the military. The most advanced members have often been recruited to other realms as mercenaries.
Left Tower Books – A mainstay of the literary circuit. Authors of books about magic must always make a stop at this wonderful depository of literature.
Fourth – This ward has no singular identity but given its location in the inner ring of the city, it has similar functions to the first three wards.
Coterie of Mages [Hall] – Along with the Statue of Invictus, the Spire, and the Stone Flower of Stone Singers, the Obelisk is one of the most recognizable architectural wonders of the city. A towering structure of pure obsidian, the school provides its home to the most elite of mages.
Statue of Invictus – An enormous statue of the founder of the city. It was gifted by an unknown benefactor. Invictus is said to hate the replication.
City Library – The massive library is a place of scholarship for mundane and sorcerous topics.
Fifth – Many businesses make their home on the eastern half of the ward while the western section that borders the thirteenth is mostly residential.
Arcanium [Hall] – The academy focused on the study of truth and knowledge, this medieval castle supposedly contains more books than all the libraries and bookstores of the city combined.
Acoustic Architectural Institute of Design [Hall] – Commonly known as Stone Singers, the giant stone flower that makes up the building opens and closes daily with the shining of the sun.
Sixth – Has the highest concentration of banks in the city, but also maintains a large residential area.
Holistic Institute [Hall] – This school contains a teaching hospital that is frequently used by the poor and non-humans of the city.
Museum of Magical Artifacts – A world famous museum dedicated to the display of historically significant artifacts.
Seventh – A mix of residential, restaurants, and bars make this a great place for the recently graduated to enjoy their time.
Canal District – A series of canals, modeled after Venice, snake through this area filled with restaurants and bars.
Eighth – A mix of residential and businesses.
Society for the Understanding of Animals [Hall] – This hall has the largest campus in the city and is tightly interwoven with the zoo, which it helps maintain.
Oestomancium [Hall] – Known as the Weird Circus to most, this halls dedication to exploring the possibilities of transhumanity makes it unique at the school. Their yearly Carnival held each Halloween is a delight and horror to those that attend.
Invictus Menagerie and Cryptozoo – The second largest cryptozoo in the country holds a wide variety of supernatural creatures, but unlike the larger zoo in Portland, this one specializes in the less dangerous kinds.
Ninth – A mix of residential and businesses.
Freeport Games – A quaint gaming shop that has existed in the city since the 1970s.
Tenth – A mix of residential and businesses.
Metallum Nocturne [Hall] – Steam and the stench of burning metal rises frequently from this hall as they are the arcane metallurgists of the wizard world.
Wizard's Wax Museum – A wax museum dedicated to showcasing the history of wizards and mages. True historians find this place rather sketchy on details.
Eleventh – A mostly residential area that has seen better days.
Enochian District – One of the earliest settlements of the city, this district has been forgotten in recent times. It's one of the few places that non-humans dare to live in the light.
Twelfth – This area has the few industries left in the city, though most have left due to the laws passed restricting their operation. Tends towards cracked concrete and rusted out buildings.
Thirteenth – This ward has been partially reclaimed by nature. Few visit this part of the city, despite its border with the prosperous fifth.
The Spire – The tallest building and/or structure in the world. Serves as the administrative home of the Hundred Halls. The top section is the home of Invictus. The enormous tower serves many functions including the Merlin Trials, and the Second Year Games.
Undercity – The region beneath the city stretches as wide as the confines of the outer wards, but moving around is fraught with supernatural danger. A vast majority of this area is unmapped due to the heavy influence of faez, the paranoia of its residence, and the dangers posed to explorers. There are a few known settlements within the Undercity that tend to be the home of non-humans that are unwelcome on the surface.
Big Dave's Town – The largest and most well-known settlement in the Undercity, this kidney-shaped cavern has a population in the thousands. The Devil's Lipstick or the open air market are the most frequently visited. Undercity gangs keep the peace.
Voodoo Land – A village deep in the Undercity populated by a people infected by a sentient fungus.
Wells of Power – Known or seen by few, the four wells are places that faez leaks through the barrier between realms. Each one is protected by a guardian that was placed there by the Patrons.
Other Realms
The Hundred Halls is not just a magical school. The magic of portals creates a network of realms where mages with access can move about freely. Realms do not exist at fixed positions to each other, but move in relation to each other for unknown reasons, creating unusual and sometimes unexpected connections. The Academy of the Subtle Arts is the Hall most connected to the multi-realms, but others such as Coterie of Mages for the Infernal realm are known experts.
The Eternal City – The home of the maetrie, sometimes called city elves, is a place of high magic and high danger that doesn't follow all the rules of more stable realms. In the Eternal City, locations don't always remain in the same place, and even those are ruled by the various courts: Jade, Diamond, and Ruby. Only the most brave (or foolish) mages visit this realm, and of those that do, most never return.
