The Mantle Passes (Archmage Book One)

5. Daywalkers

S1E5 Daywalkers

COLD OPEN

ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA

As evening fell upon the city, focus shifted. Certain businesses closed, others opened, but most stayed the same. And as most of its residents turned in, one woke up.

Bill just considered it another night job, just a little less... normal. He assured himself as he slowly got himself out of his pile of sheets he called a bed and put on some clothes before putting on some sort of ceremonial collar. And after grabbing some keys, a jacket, and a pair of gloves; he headed off.

The sun was beginning to set as he entered Tolomato Cemetery. Keys in hand, he unlocked a small building and descended a spiral staircase. There, he entered a stone cavern lined with coffins. He opened the one nearest him, revealing a sleeping vampire.

"Wake up, it's night." Bill smacked the coffin side and its undead resident stirred and awoken. He then began doing the same to the others, before arriving at a finely ornated coffin resting on a platform.

Bill approached the coffin slowly. This one was different. He donned a pair of thick leather gloves before opening to be graced with a large chomp on his hand.

"You done?" The vampire yawned and looked up at Bill, unamused.

"Yes," the vampire rose dramatically from his coffin while Bill rolled his eyes. "Now go forth, my Daywalker, and bring your master his sustenance;" he said in a dramatic flair that showed that he was trying way too hard to seem intimidating.

"As you wish, Aelfric West." Bill gave a noticeably shallow bow and headed off. On his way out, muttering to himself:

"I swear to Jesus, one day I'm gonna stake everyone on this hole."

The Theme Song, a glorious merging of John Williams and Ron Wasserman, plays.

ARCHMAGE
Created by Seth Campbell

DAYWALKERS
Written by Seth Campbell

PART ONE

Once again, Amos was taking an exam. Even after studying like crazy, he found that fighting ghosts was easier than Algebra.

But in all seriousness, Amos felt assured that he knew what he was doing. And while he <i>did</i> find that magic came more easily to him, at least math followed a strict set of rules. He could at least appreciate that.

After a few headache-worthy problems, he gave the professor his test and headed off, not really looking forward to the break. Maybe he would take a few jobs to take his mind off it.

Back beneath the cemetery, Aelfric, now donned in a black and red smoking jacket, read the previous day's newspaper as Bill entered with a big rusty chalice filled with blood. He kept a straight face as he put it on the table next to Aelfric. It wasn't easy.

"Ah," the vainly spoony vampire put the paper down before taking a large sip, overdramatically as usual.

Bill didn't know how much more of this he could take.

"You know Bill," Aelfric turned to face his Daywalker, swearing and face-palming in his head. "I have not had a formidable opponent in many years." Bill regretted the pact he made. (More than usual) "I feel that I have found one."

Bill looked back as Aelfric threw his paper down on the table. On its cover was a picture of a man in a cloak and goggles. The headline read Mysterious Archmage Seen.

"There," he tapped the page. "Here is my opponent; truly a worthy foe."

Amos took it back. He may suck at math, but failure didn't result in being dragged bodily down St. George Street by a poltergeist. No amount of cramming could prepare him for this.