symbol."
"What about this one?"
"Ah, the Babylonian symbol represents Marduk. He is featured prominently in Enuma Elish , the Babylonian Epic of Creation, which interestingly is written on seven tablets."
"Interesting?"
"Yes, many scholars have noted the similarity between the seven tablets of Enuma Elish and the seven days of creation in the torah which became part of the bible. One follows the other. Of course the Babylonian came first."
"Of course." Madeline rolled her eyes before she continued to inscribe the pentacle, using up three pieces of chalk in the process.
She stood to admire her handiwork and re-check the symbols. She then checked them again. Satisfied, she looked around for the Dark Mage. He was nowhere to be seen so she entered the pentacle, held up the papers and began chanting the words at the end.
As she finished the chant, he came through the door and looked at her with a sly smile.
She smiled back at him in triumph as smoke began to rise from a point in the middle of her masterpiece. The smoke thickened and seemed to solidify.
She first made out the form of a bear. Astride the great bear, a form solidified into a huge beast. The beast's head trifurcated. It formed into three heads, first of a man, then of a bull, and finally the head of a ram formed.
The Dark Mage raised a hand. "Did I forget to mention that it's best if you don't occupy the same pentacle in which you summon the demon?"
She looked to the demon. All three heads swung toward her. The human head smiled. It resembled the smile of a wolf contemplating dinner.
She screamed. The scream abruptly cut off. Blood splattered across the pentacle, but never left its confines.
The Black Mage looked away with a grimace.
After a few minutes of growling, smacking, and crunching, the demon stood and turned to the Mage. The bear it rode in on reared up, placed its paws on the invisible wall inscribed by the summoning circle, and roared. Bloody smudges seemed to float in the air where its claws contacted the barrier.
The Mage looked at it calmly. "It appears your summoner has left the room. You are free to go."
The bear and the beast began to fade and disperse. Smoke filled the circle before it too evaporated leaving an empty space on the floor.
"Now I'm the only one who knows of his grave." He frowned. "Who will bring him flowers?" The Dark Mage tsk-tsked, shrugged, and walked out the door again.
Thor walked up as Captain Dahman shut and locked the door to his office. He straightened and turned. "Let's get over to the school. They're pulling her papers for us to look at."
"Lead the way." Thor said.
†††
The school principle flashed an irritated look at them as they entered the school office. Drumming her fingers on the counter, she turned angrily back to a clerk. "Not there? How can her records not be in the file?"
"Is there a problem?" Dahman asked.
The clerk glanced at him in exasperation. "All her transfer papers, previous school records, guardian documents, everything that she gave me when she registered is gone."
"How did you get the address?"
The principle waved toward a desk. "That was on the computer. I accessed it from home last night." She turned to Dahman. "You say no one was at her home last night?"
"Not just last night. Nobody has been there in a long time." Thor said.
The principle walked over to the desk and bent to type. After a pause, she pointed at the monitor and read off an address.
"That's where we went," Dahman said after glancing at the address scribbled in his notebook.
The principle looked at Thor. "And you are…?"
Grampa Thor stepped forward and extended his hand. "Thor Arnsohn, Sig Stromgard's grandfather."
She looked to Captain Dahman. "This involves Sig?"
"He's missing and the girl is the last known contact. We thought she could provide information on his whereabouts or planned movements."
"She's a very attractive girl," the principle said.
"So I've heard, but it isn't like Sig not
"What about this one?"
"Ah, the Babylonian symbol represents Marduk. He is featured prominently in Enuma Elish , the Babylonian Epic of Creation, which interestingly is written on seven tablets."
"Interesting?"
"Yes, many scholars have noted the similarity between the seven tablets of Enuma Elish and the seven days of creation in the torah which became part of the bible. One follows the other. Of course the Babylonian came first."
"Of course." Madeline rolled her eyes before she continued to inscribe the pentacle, using up three pieces of chalk in the process.
She stood to admire her handiwork and re-check the symbols. She then checked them again. Satisfied, she looked around for the Dark Mage. He was nowhere to be seen so she entered the pentacle, held up the papers and began chanting the words at the end.
As she finished the chant, he came through the door and looked at her with a sly smile.
She smiled back at him in triumph as smoke began to rise from a point in the middle of her masterpiece. The smoke thickened and seemed to solidify.
She first made out the form of a bear. Astride the great bear, a form solidified into a huge beast. The beast's head trifurcated. It formed into three heads, first of a man, then of a bull, and finally the head of a ram formed.
The Dark Mage raised a hand. "Did I forget to mention that it's best if you don't occupy the same pentacle in which you summon the demon?"
She looked to the demon. All three heads swung toward her. The human head smiled. It resembled the smile of a wolf contemplating dinner.
She screamed. The scream abruptly cut off. Blood splattered across the pentacle, but never left its confines.
The Black Mage looked away with a grimace.
After a few minutes of growling, smacking, and crunching, the demon stood and turned to the Mage. The bear it rode in on reared up, placed its paws on the invisible wall inscribed by the summoning circle, and roared. Bloody smudges seemed to float in the air where its claws contacted the barrier.
The Mage looked at it calmly. "It appears your summoner has left the room. You are free to go."
The bear and the beast began to fade and disperse. Smoke filled the circle before it too evaporated leaving an empty space on the floor.
"Now I'm the only one who knows of his grave." He frowned. "Who will bring him flowers?" The Dark Mage tsk-tsked, shrugged, and walked out the door again.
Thor walked up as Captain Dahman shut and locked the door to his office. He straightened and turned. "Let's get over to the school. They're pulling her papers for us to look at."
"Lead the way." Thor said.
†††
The school principle flashed an irritated look at them as they entered the school office. Drumming her fingers on the counter, she turned angrily back to a clerk. "Not there? How can her records not be in the file?"
"Is there a problem?" Dahman asked.
The clerk glanced at him in exasperation. "All her transfer papers, previous school records, guardian documents, everything that she gave me when she registered is gone."
"How did you get the address?"
The principle waved toward a desk. "That was on the computer. I accessed it from home last night." She turned to Dahman. "You say no one was at her home last night?"
"Not just last night. Nobody has been there in a long time." Thor said.
The principle walked over to the desk and bent to type. After a pause, she pointed at the monitor and read off an address.
"That's where we went," Dahman said after glancing at the address scribbled in his notebook.
The principle looked at Thor. "And you are…?"
Grampa Thor stepped forward and extended his hand. "Thor Arnsohn, Sig Stromgard's grandfather."
She looked to Captain Dahman. "This involves Sig?"
"He's missing and the girl is the last known contact. We thought she could provide information on his whereabouts or planned movements."
"She's a very attractive girl," the principle said.
"So I've heard, but it isn't like Sig not
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