// THE MARSCAPONE SCHOOL OF MAGIC //


A cloud of uncertainty hangs over the school in Astoria, Queens. Inside the house is a cluster of orphans, sleeping, none-the-wiser about the missing boy. But the Headmistress and her husband hang their heads in sorrow, knowing that this theft will not resolve itself. This wrong cannot be righted without action.

They’ve turned to the only help they can think of in this unaware world: the Count Vladislaus Straud IV.


It is late, very late night when I find myself sitting on the front stoop of the school.

For decades we’ve lived here, my wife and I. For decades my wife has brought in children of Talent and tutored them through misaimed static and smoking flame. For decades I have slumbered beneath the ground waiting for a sign.

Waiting. Watching.

VINCENT

HOW WAS YOUR LECTURE TODAY?


The Count sits on the stoop opposite myself. Every so often a Mortal walks by but pays us no mind. Nothing we would say makes any sense to their ears.

STRAUD

MY LECTURE WAS WELL-RECEIVED.

THE CHILDREN ARE WELL-VERSED IN CONJURING LIGHT BUT I DO NOT THINK THEY OFTEN REFLECT ON HOW OR WHY IT WORKS FOR THEM.

A COMMON AFFLICTION OF THE YOUNG.

I WISH MYRTLE WOULD LECTURE WITH LESS FOCUS ON THE PRACTICAL.

THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR PHILOSOPHY.

VINCENT

PHILOSOPHY HAS NEVER BEEN A PARTICULAR STRENGTH OF HERS.

SHE’S A STRONG WOMAN. BUT SHE IS STEEPED IN THE REAL.

STRAUD

SHOULD THE CHILDREN FIND THEMSELVES IN A STRANGE PLACE WITH STRANGE RULES, A PRIMER ON THE DIVINE MIGHT SERVE THEM WELL.

VINCENT

MY WIFE IS A WITCH, AND YOU EXPECT HER TO SPEAK OF THE GODS?


I laugh lightly, without true amusement, betraying the exhaustion that gripped my every cell.

VINCENT

I DID NOT MARRY HER BECAUSE I EXPECTED HER TO CRACK OPEN A BIBLE.

SHE WENT TO A RELIGIOUS SCHOOL, YOU KNOW.

STRAUD

DID SHE?

YOU KNOW, NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT, I MIGHT HAVE HEARD SUCH A RUMOR.

IF THE DIVINE IS FORBIDDEN TO THEM THEY WILL FIND SOME FEATS IMPOSSIBLE.

VINCENT

WE DO NOT FORBID ANY SUBJECTS SO LONG AS THE STUDENTS ARE NOT EXPRESSLY ENDANGERING THEMSELVES OR OTHERS.

STRAUD

ABSENCE OF PUNISHMENT IS NOT THE SAME AS AN ENDORSEMENT.

AGAIN, I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW TO RUN YOUR SCHOOL, BUT…

VINCENT

YOUR CRITICISM DOES NOT FALL ON DEAF EARS.

I HAVE OFTEN WISHED THE CURRICULUM INCLUDED MORE HISTORY.

STRAUD

YOU CAN MAKE THAT CHANGE.

VINCENT

THE NOSFERATU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE TAX OF ELYSION.

MY WIFE IS THE ONLY ONE WITH BOTH HER FEET ON THE GROUND.

WHO AM I TO TELL HER ON WHICH TOPICS TO SPEAK?

STRAUD

YOU NEED THEIR HELP.

YOU NEED TO SPEAK THEIR NAMES.


I look up to see a waning crescent moon just trying to peek out from the edges of the skyline.

VINCENT

…

I DON’T REMEMBER THEIR NAMES ANYMORE.

STRAUD

IT WILL COME TO YOU.


I have nothing to say so I allow the conversation to fall to a temporary silence.

VINCENT

YOU KNOW, I CAN STILL SMELL IT.

THE MACE.

STRAUD

IT IS TERRIBLE, THE ATROCITIES THEY ARE WILLING TO INFLICT UPON ANOTHER.

VINCENT

I CAN ONLY HOPE THE PAIN –


I stumble on my words, my face seizing as I try to speak.

VINCENT

I CAN ONLY HOPE HE WAS ABLE TO RESIST THE POISON.

STRAUD

HE CARRIES YOUR BLOOD WITHIN HIM, DOES HE NOT?

MORTAL WEAPONS SHOULD BE OF REDUCED EFFECT.

VINCENT

BUT IT DOES NOT CHANGE THE ELEMENT OF TIME.

HOW MANY DAYS HAS HE BEEN GONE FROM HIS HOME?

THREE? FOUR?

AND I HAVE DONE NOTHING.

STRAUD

NOW THAT IS NOT TRUE.

YOU CALLED IN SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO HELP YOU TRACK HIM DOWN.


Straud’s attempt at humor succeeds.

VINCENT

AND SO FAR ALL HE’S DONE IS INSIST MY CHILDREN ATTEND SUNDAY SCHOOL.

STRAUD

I THOUGHT THEY WERE YOUR WIFE’S CHILDREN.

VINCENT

I HAVE ONE SON BUT MANY CHILDREN.

STRAUD

MAYBE THAT IS YOUR –


I interrupt him.

VINCENT

I’VE THOUGHT OF THAT.

I’M NOT IN GOOD STANDING WITH –


And he pays me back two-fold.

STRAUD

SOMETIMES THE VERY ACTION OF ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE CAN MARK A FRIEND.

YOU SHOULD NOT SO EASILY ABANDON YOUR OLD ALLIES.

NOW IS THE TIME TO THROW OUT YOUR PRIDE AND SHAME.

THEY WILL SERVE ONLY TO HINDER YOUR PROGRESS.

VINCENT

WHAT DO I HAVE TO OFFER THEM IN MY CURRENT STATE?

I HAVE NOTHING.

I AM NOTHING.

STRAUD

YOU HAVE BEEN STOLEN FROM.

YOUR PAST SINS DO NOT ENTER IN HERE.

VINCENT

BUT THAT IS WHERE YOU ARE MISTAKEN.

MY PAST SINS ARE MY PRESENT SINS.

WHY WOULD THE WOLVES RISK ASSOCIATING WITH A KNOWN CRIMINAL?

STRAUD

BECAUSE THEY ARE ON THE SIDE OF JUSTICE.

BECAUSE THEY ARE NO FRIEND OF TRELAINE.

TRELAINE DOES NOT BELIEVE IN THE NECESSITY OF THE NEUTRAL SECTS.

IT IS UNFORTUNATELY ALL TOO EASY TO DOWNPLAY THEIR PRESENCE WHEN ONE LIVES WITHIN THE WALLS OF A CITY.

MY FRIEND HAS A SHORT MEMORY AND LITTLE AFFECTION FOR THE NEW WORLD.

VINCENT

I DO NOT KNOW IF I AM READY TO MAKE AMENDS.

STRAUD

I DO NOT KNOW IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE.


His words are accurate. What choice did I have? The wolves were my friends in the old days. But I had not called on them in many years, since my marriage, since my relocation.

Since my imprisonment.

VINCENT

MY WIFE WILL NOT LIKE IT.

STRAUD

AND YET SHE WANTS TO SEE HER SON RETURNED, DOES SHE NOT?

SHE THINKS I CAN WALK THE PLANES AT THE WHIM OF MY DESIRES BUT THERE ARE ONLY A HANDFUL OF BEINGS CAPABLE OF SUCH FREEDOM. AND OF COURSE, I AM NOT ONE OF THEM.

YOU MIGHT SEE THAT SHE UNDERSTANDS THIS AT SOME POINT.

VINCENT

I APOLOGIZE FOR HER BOLDNESS.

SHE IS DUTIFUL TO A FAULT.

SHE MAY NOT PREACH OF THE GODS BUT SHE DOES BELIEVE IN THE UNKNOWABLE MYSTERY.

STRAUD

WELL THERE IS NOTHING MYSTERIOUS ABOUT WHERE I AM AND AM NOT ABLE TO GO. IF I WERE ABLE TO STEP UPON THE GROUNDS OF THE CRIMSON TOWER, I WOULD.

VINCENT

YOU HAVE NO FRIENDSHIP LEFT FOR HIM?

STRAUD

I HAVE NO PROOF OF HIS WRONGDOING BUT I HAVE GREAT SUSPICION.

I MAY KNOW SOMEDAY BUT THAT DAY IS NOT TODAY.

BUT I HAVE GREAT SUSPICION THAT HE HAS LET LONELINESS CLOUD HIS PERSPECTIVE.

WE WERE NOT LIKE THAT, IN TIMES PAST.

THERE WERE NO SECRET CRUELTIES. NO HIDDEN MOTIVES.

WE DID NOT KILL BECAUSE WE HAD NO NEED.

WE DID NOT TORTURE BECAUSE WE HAD COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING.

HOW FAR MY OLD FRIEND HAS FALLEN FROM WHAT WE ONCE WERE.

BUT ONE CANNOT EXPECT THE REED TO HOLD UNDERNEATH THE WEIGHT OF THE MOON.


I cannot speak with authority on the Blood Mage. I change the topic.

VINCENT

WILL YOU SUPPORT ME?


But he seems taken aback with my frank question.

STRAUD

WILL I SUPPORT YOU?

SURELY THE PRINCE OF ELYSION CAN COURT MORE VALUABLE SOLDIERS.

YOU ARE IN NEED OF BEASTS OF BURDEN, NOT OLD TRUMPET BOYS.

VINCENT

YOU ARE TOO MODEST.

STRAUD

I KNOW INNATELY WHO AND WHAT I AM.

I KNOW WHAT I AM CAPABLE OF.

IT IS THIS COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS. DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IT CAN DO.

VINCENT

PERHAPS THAT IS JUST WHAT THE PEOPLE NEED:

AN OLD TRUMPET BOY.

STRAUD

I AM NOT SO SURE.

I WILL DO WHAT I CAN, FOR A TIME.

BUT FEWER AND FEWER ARE EVEN CAPABLE OF SORTING THROUGH THE MELODY.

VINCENT

THAT WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT ADDITION TO OUR SUBJECT MATTER.

MUSIC THEORY.

WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO A COLLABORATION?

STRAUD

YOU HONOR ME.

BUT I DO NOT THINK I AM CURRENTLY ABLE TO GIVE INTELLIGIBLE ADVICE.

I AM TOO MIRED IN MY OWN LOCALITY.

VINCENT

IT IS TOO BAD.

WELL, IF YOU EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND, YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND ME.

STRAUD

TRACING NEBULAE FROM BEHIND THE CLOUDS.

VINCENT

THE DAY WILL COME WHEN I MAY RISE UP AND TAKE MY KINGDOM BY THE REINS.

STRAUD

IT WILL NEVER COME IF YOU SPEND ALL NIGHT HERE BLATHERING AT ME.

VINCENT

OH, DON’T BE LIKE THAT.


In an instant, I leave Straud sitting by himself on the stoop, my only goodbye the shriek of a bat echoing into an empty sky.