Nocturnal Academy 4 - The Supernatural Circus

Nocturnal Academy students Alice, Toby and Carla have just finished their first hectic year at the exclusive school for Supernaturals, and just want to enjoy their summer holidays like normal thirteen year-olds. They decide to visit an exciting new circus that has just set up in their home town of Appleton.

However, they soon discover that this circus is not the ordinary travelling carnival they expected. The ringmaster, a mysterious character named Darmin Gallis, is actually a powerful mage who has managed to capture and hypnotise numerous shape-shifters so he can use them his bizarre acts. He coerces Toby into joining him, and Alice and Carla must turn to the Nocturnal Academy for help to rescue him from the ringmaster’s evil clutches.

They return the next day with the werewolf professor Albrecht Longenfang, but Darmin Gallis proves a far more formidable opponent than any of them expected. Alice finds herself riding a bus home alone, her memory wiped and replaced by an irrational fear of circuses.

How can Alice save Toby, Carla and Professor Longenfang when she doesn’t even remember what happened to them?

Important Characters

 * Alice Dibble
 * Toby Thompson
 * Carla Hightower
 * Professor Longenfang
 * Professor Abbacus
 * Professor Florana
 * Darmin Gallis (The Ringmaster)

Chapter-by-Chapter
"This section contains spoilers."

Chapter 1

 * Alice, Toby, and Carla visit the Supernatural Circus
 * First go to the haunted house, which is more real than they expected.
 * They also see Stan, who is still picking on other people.
 * They next went into the mirror maze through a mirror. They are immediately separated once inside.
 * None of them can exit when they reach the end of the maze.
 * Things - such as gremlins - come out of the mirror.

Chapter 2

 * When the door finally opens, Toby has already turned into a wolf. The Ringmaster, Darmin Gallis, immediately douses him with wolfsbane, while others take him away.
 * Alice and Carla learn that the maze is a Magick maze. They also realize that Stan had barred the door, making it so that they couldn't escape.
 * The Ringmaster offers them free tickets to the next show, which they accept.
 * The show features a series of acrobats, feats of strength, clowns, weres, and ends with The Ringmaster doing some (simple) Magick.
 * After leaving, they go to find Toby. He says that he has decided to join the circus.

Chapter 3

 * Carla, Toby, and Alice talk.
 * Carla is worried.
 * Toby points out how good life at the circus will be, and invites Carla to join. She rejects the offer.
 * Alice and Carla leave. They talk about meeting different teachers at the school to figure out what to do, including Professor Abbacus and Professor Longenfang.
 * A while after Alice gets home, Carla shows up as a weretiger. They climb over a wall to get into the Nocturnal Academy, and encounter Roger, a custodian who can take them to see Professor Longenfang.
 * Professor Abbacus is teaching in the Northern Hemisphere.
 * They also encounter Professor Falkenstein and Professor Florana.
 * After explaining the situation to Professor Longenfang, he decides that they will check out the circus tomorrow.

Chapter 4

 * Professor Longenfang picks up Alice and Carla.
 * He notes that he's helped Janice get a flat and a job.
 * They also visit Toby's house, which is in poor condition. His mother has been paid well for Toby's joining the circus. Professor Longenfang realizes that Darmin Gallis must have tampered with her mind.

Chapter 5

 * Alice, Carla, and Professor Longenfang visit the circus, and go to see the show.
 * Professor Longenfang is displeased with what is going on. He realizes that weres are being treated like circus animals.
 * Professor Longenfang intimidates one of the workers so that he can meet Darmin Gallis.
 * Gallis takes control over both of the weres, and makes Alice forget the day's events.

Chapter 6

 * Alice finds herself on a bus going home. She can't remember what's happened, but figures out that she must be coming home from the circus. She only vaguely remembers the events of her first trip there.
 * Still, she feels like she's missing something. She keeps thinking that it is Thursday, not Friday.
 * At home, her mom is worried about her.
 * She's dropped off at her dad's flat. He complains about his new routine (to recover from his heart attack).
 * He grumbles about food. Alice suggests they go to a different restaurant, where Janice works.
 * On the way there, they discuss going clothes shopping, skating, and swimming tomorrow. Her dad also suggests that they could go to the circus, but Alice is resistant to that idea.
 * They arrive at Dan's Takeaway.
 * Alice's dad recognizes Janice, but she doesn't recognize him. They talk when she finishes her shift.

Chapter 7

 * At home, Alice has a dream where Professor Longenfang asks for her help.
 * Alice and her dad go shopping, then go to the pool.
 * There, Professor Abbacus calls her dad. He first freaks out (thinking he's a pervert), then hands over the phone, where Alice learns that she has to go back to the school.
 * They go back home. Professor Abbacus shows up and uses a glamour so that Alice's dad won't disturb them. They go to the school.
 * At his office
 * Alice sees footage from yesterday, but she doesn't remember anything.
 * Someone must have messed with her mind.
 * He straps her into an alternative actuality machine so that he can look at her mind.
 * He freaks out when he realizes that he recognizes the circus, and reveals that it was the one he once worked at.

Chapter 8

 * Professor Abbacus uses the machine to temporarily make her fearless.
 * They go to the circus. On the way there, Alice asks many questions. He talks about the Circus Infinitus, Technomancy, and the Omniportallis
 * Professor Abbacus communicates with the entrance to the mirror maze, while Alice fights off multiple weres, including Toby.

Chapter 9

 * The mirror maze
 * Inside, Professor Abbacus sees terrifying reflections, while Alice sees everything normally.
 * They can't exit.
 * He sees gremlins, and begins to freak out.
 * When Alice calls him Icarus, he begins to calm down and contacts the machine spirit. They are eventually able to exit the maze, and enter the Immaterium.
 * In the Immaterium, they talk.
 * Alice feels a lack of energy.
 * Both of them hurt many imps.
 * Alice asks about Technomancy.

Chapter 10

 * Professor Abbacus shoots her with energy. After attacking a multitude of demons, they get through the Omniportallis and get back to the Academy.
 * Professor Florana is there, and asks them if they're friend or foe.
 * Professor Abbacus explains that he blocked her fear impulses. They also explain what happened at the circus.
 * Professor Florana takes Alice home in ent-form. She explains what has happened at the circus.

Chapter 11

 * Alice's dad wakes her up. They're going to Kyangalla National Park with Janice.
 * They pass by the Supernatural Circus. Janice can see Professor Abbacus' car that was left there previously. She is immune to glamours.
 * Alice returns to her mom's house.
 * Professor Florana and Professor Abbacus glamour her mom and take her to the circus.
 * Alice is still scared of the circus, but Professor Abbacus reassures her.

Chapter 12

 * Professor Abbacus gets the maze to cooperate as a bolt-hole.
 * Weres begin to gather around the professors and Alice.
 * Alice turns into a wolf
 * Gallis shows up, pointing out that the weres are happy and under his control.
 * They learn that Darmin Gallis is an exiled Vrill-ya.

Chapter 13

 * Battle. Gradually, the weres are de-hypnotized.
 * Professor Abbacus snaps The Ringmaster's staff, and the Vrill-ya retake him.

Chapter 14

 * Carla is in a coma.
 * Professor Abbacus uses monetary bribes on the weres who weren't under mind control.
 * They return to the Nocturnal Academy and debrief.
 * Professor Abbacus has to talk about Hollow Earth, the Stigmata, and his time in the circus. He is not happy to reveal so much about his personal life.
 * Professor Longenfang says this is necessary for him to be VP.
 * Baron Falkenstein retaliates, saying he is the VP.
 * Professor Florana claims this can't happen, as the Baron is dead. The Baron points out that Professor Abbacus is also (un)dead. Professor Florana leaves, as he refuses to teach with dead men.
 * Alice and Toby leave, but Toby goes to see Carla first.
 * Alice realizes that Toby loves Carla.