|
This is my absolut favorite story i have ever written so i decided to put it in my journal.. (WARNING REALLY LONG)
______________________________
Day two of the sixth month (midday)
Chapter 1: Jaclyn
I felt something jerk at my collar. I swung out my fist to strike him once more. I felt my knuckles hit something pointed. For a second I was confused before I realized I had hit the bull’s eye. Bang! I broke his nose. The tug on my collar grew immense then released me. Everything whirled in front of me before I found myself upon the ground.
“Jaclyn Nicole DellaRosa! I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times not to get into fights! Especially not in the dirt with a boy!” my boarding school teacher practically yelled at me.
She is very strict and has a particular way she thinks “young men and women” should act. For this reason I call her Mrs. Proper (never to her face though). She needs to realize not ALL girls are dainty and fragile. If I didn’t know better I’d say she was sexist.
Mrs. Proper collected herself and scanned my wardrobe “And what in the heavens are you wearing child?!” Mrs. Proper began. Here it comes, the lecture. “Proper women wear dresses or maybe even a blouse and skirt but never dirty peasant boy clothes!”
“Well how am I supposed to run or jump or even ride a horse in a dress?” I said quickly.
She gave me a cold stare. “Women don’t rush or leap. As for horseback riding you are to sidesaddle!” She virtually spat out at me.
Before I could say anything more she began to talk in that cold chilling voice again. Luckily her wrath was not toward me but the boy James who I had just pulverized.
“As for you, James, what ever gave you the impression it was alright to strike a woman?”
“I’d hardly call that a woman…” he began to mumble.
“That is enough from you!” Mrs. Proper began to yell. What ever happed to the “proper women don’t raise their voice” lecture? The world is filled with hypocrites.
“Both of you will be seeing me in my main classroom to write lines. James you will be writing ‘ I shall not strike women’ and Jaclyn you will be writing ‘I shall not cross dress, get into fights, or break peoples noses’ I expect five hundred repetitions from each of you.” Mrs. Proper said slickly then turned and walked away.
I watched her slight figure disappear into the darkness of the halls and when I was sure she was gone I turned toward my room.
“See ya in the mornin’.” James sneered at me.
“What ever.” I said pretending not to care. Honestly I didn’t care. I wouldn’t be there in the morning to write. I’d be long gone.
The first day of the sixth month (night)
Chapter 2: Dylan
One more loop and I was done. “There you go.” I whispered to the squirming creature. The rabbit had injured one of its paws and had broken it. I wasn’t sure how but I knew I had to help it.
Ever since Katoshi was killed I have wanted to be a healer. When I was little my father told me stories of magicians while he shaped metal. My favorite tales were the ones about the magicians with dark powers that got defeated by the good magicians (that’s the best part).
When I was about seven years old, approximately seven years ago, I was secretly watching the town healer, Katoshi, heal a dying young man. When the man fell unconscious Katoshi held his hand over the young man’s wound. To my surprise the wound began to glow and heal at an incredible speed. In my astonishment I stepped back and fell knocking over several boxes whose contents I was unsure of. Katoshi instantly found me and made me swear never to tell a soul. I wasn’t the only one in town to know but one of the few. When he walked me home that night I had trouble holding my tongue around my questioning father and brutal, persistent brother.
Then, last year, THEY came, those vicious minions of the king’s lead magician. It is a little complicated so I will break it down piece by piece. I live in the town of Golmar. There are ten major towns in Dlrow (La row. The land mass we live on.) In order from wealthiest to poor they are Clomba, Pantine, Hetining, Seline, Risa, Helsing, Thade, Ochine, Asline, and finally Golmar. The capital is the biggest and wealthiest city of all. It is called Gnirb Thead (nire-theed) and is the home of the king. Though the king no longer rules.
A few years ago the king was attacked leaving him in a coma. His “loyal” magician can supposedly “communicate” with him and relays his orders. For some reason I don’t believe this. I think it is all just a grand act so that that dumb magician can secretly rule. No one else agrees with me but someday I will prove it.
I cradled the rabbit in my arms. I think it fainted of exhaustion. I took a deep breath and began to choke and cough profusely. Chokingly thick air had suddenly surrounded me. I instantaneously knew what it was. Smoke. I looked around only to reveal my deepest fear. I began to run toward the fire that I could see from so incredibly far away. I knew what was burning. It was the city I called home, Golmar.
Day two of the sixth month (night)
Chapter 3: Jaclyn
I looked over the things I had packed once more. I ran through my list in my head.
Clothes? Check!
Flint and Steel? Check!
Food? Check!
Water? Check!
Knife? Check!
Rope? Check!
Lantern? Check!
Money? Check!
“Oh yes! My hair.” I exclaimed thinking abroad. I decided long ago that if I was to runaway I would have to dress as a guy.
There are way fewer girls on the streets than boys. But a young girl traveling alone is unheard of, being the sexist place we live in.
I removed the knife from my pack and unsheathed it. I looked into the mirror to admire my hair once more. My hair was unusually long reaching beyond my waist. It was the color of tree bark on a warm summer’s day but much softer and silkier to the touch. I stared into my own eyes through the mirror and observed their color. They were an even color of hazel but the color of my eyes changed based upon my mood. If I was angry they would turn dark brown or have a bluish tint when I was sad. Most commonly though my eyes are greenish brown meaning I am happy.
I have always found my eyes and hair to be the only “girly” thing about me. I have a very gruff face (for a girl) and it is almost always caked in dirt, mud, tree sap, or what ever else I get into. With my small lanky body and absolutely NO figure it would be ever so easy for me to pass as a boy. Or at least I would look the part.
I raised the knife to the hair I gripped in my whitening fist. Swish. I could hear the knife cut though my hair. I looked down to see a curtain of hair surround my ankles. No longer did it look so beautiful. There was no turning back now. I carefully continued to cut my hair until it reached my satisfaction. I sheathed the knife and returned it to its place in my pack. After sweeping the chunks of hair into a waist basket I deemed myself ready to depart.
I quickly began my decent from the second story window in my “room”. I paused to smell the cool night air. It carried the salty, crisp smell of the ocean I loved so much. Living in Clomba did have its ups to go with its downs. Clomba is so close to the ocean that visits to the beach are quite frequent.
Retuning to my senses I continued to climb down. I could tell you it was a graceful decent. I could tell you I did not slip once. I could tell you I did not land my rump on the hard ground. If I told you that though, it would be a lie.
“This is where my story begins.” I whispered into the night.
The second day of the sixth month (morning)
Chapter 4: Dylan
I looked at the smoldering remains of Golmar. Images of the night before flashed through my head.
Fire
Booming
Smoke
Screaming
Pain
Faces
Silence
“NO! I have to push those thoughts away!” I screamed at myself. Images of the evil magician’s smirking and crackling laughter as the screams of the trapped and dieing rung out burned my hears. I was too late to save any of them. I had tried. All I succeeded in doing was burning my left arm pretty badly as part of a rafter fell. The burn wasn’t bad but I was knocked out and woke to find no one left.
I grabbed the small pack I kept around for my “excursions”. Every now and then I go into the woods and stay there for a few days. So I always kept a pack with basic supplies to survive.
Heading toward Risa I stepped into the woods. If I followed a straight path I would arrive by midday tomorrow.
Risa is a small town between Clomba and Golmar. It is one of the few cities I was able to walk to with out help. So I decided to go there and then play it by ear.
“Oh! I almost forgot!” I bent over and picked up the limping rabbit. I knew it wouldn’t survive on its own. So I decided to take it with it me. By tomorrow evening it would be able to get around well enough without its wrap. So until then, it was with me.
I began my familiar journey through the woods. Remembering my father and brother as I traveled, I remembered I still wore the charrm. When I was little I was found in the woods chasing some animals. Edward, my father, found me and brought me home. Ever since I have lived with him and his son who I consider my brother. I don’t remember anything of my life before. The only clue I have is a broken circular charm I wear on my neck. Where it was when I was found. It is a little less than half of the circle obviously broken badly; I wonder what could have broken such metal.
Day three of the sixth month (morning)
Chapter 5: Jaclyn
“I can’t believe it! I absolutely can’t believe I allowed myself to get caught so quickly! How stupid!” I mumbled to myself. I sat in the back of a creaking bumpy wagon with about a dozen others. It wasn’t hard to figure out that it was a slave cart and I had been captured by slavers. I had been so stupid to think that I could camp out in a field in plain view and not be approached by someone. I hadn’t even heard them coming! I had just suddenly seen a shadow behind me and felt a hand cover my mouth and an arm lift me by my waist. No matter how much I struggled I couldn’t break free. So now I am bound, gagged and going to be SOLD! Like a dress or a purse!
The wagon came to a stop and someone open up the back of the wagon. Light spilled upon me and many of the others in the wagon. I looked to see the people I had been tied beside and saw middle aged men and women. I was the youngest.
Everyone was pushed into what seemed to be a corral in the center of a pavilion. With this the auction began. One by one people started to be sold off. I found that the slavers had about sixty slaves gathered here ready to sell. I was sad to find I was one of them.
I sat upon the ground. It was almost midday now and about fifteen of us were left. I looked around the pavilion once more and noticed a boy about my age standing near the edge f the small pavilion. He was slightly taller than me with a thick build and dark hair.
It was not his appearance though that had caught my eye. It was the direction he was walking. He was walking straight towards me.
Coming closer and closer I could not take my eyes off him. What did he want? Why was he coming my way? Did he know I was a girl? When he finally reached me he did something I had not expected.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. Before I could react he grabbed my shoulder turned me round and cut my bonds. Without a second thought he grabbed my wrist and began to run.
He half led half dragged me along while I did my best to keep up. I am normally quite fast but I was totally surprised by what he had done. Voices behind us yelled. I think we were being chased. I don’t remember very well though because as we were reaching the edge of the woods by the forest I blacked out.
The third day of the sixth month (late morning)
Chapter 6: Dylan
I could see the town through the thick wall of trees ahead of me. I decided it was best if I left my things here so I didn’t have to lug them through Risa. I pulled a towel from my pack and placed the rabbit upon it. With the rest of my things and a fallen tree I made a little pen to contain the rabbit in my absence. I pulled some money from my pack and headed toward town.
I wondered around town eating some bread I had bought. There were many shops but what caught my eye was the slave auction in the center of the pavilion. I did all I could to avoid looking at it directly. I hated those things. They were shameful, horrendous trades. After a while I gave up and peeked.
What I saw disgusted me. Women in ragged clothes and men half naked, being sold off one by one or in sets of two. I looked at the corral of people waiting to be sold and saw a boy about my age. He was small and he looked scared.
I felt my pocket to realize I still had the knife I had used to cut the rabbit’s bandage. Without thinking I approached the boy, cut his bonds, grabbed him, and ran. I don’t know why I did it but I did.
As we reached the woods he stumbled and fell. For the first time I heard the voices of our pursuers. I picked up the surprisingly light boy and ran to my stuff in the woods. I placed him down and tried to get my breath. He was out cold and I was unsure of what to do. No one had followed us this far so I went out in search of a safe stream to get water from.
I returned with a canteen full of water and a cleaner face. The boy was still asleep so I set about to seeing if I could release the rabbit yet. Unwrapping its bandages I found the cut to be healing well. So decided to take them off and set the rabbit loose.
I turned round to discover the boy staring at me. At lose of words I started with a simple “Hello.”
He looked at me with a puzzled expression. “Uh... Hi?” was his barely audible response. Apparently he was as wordless as I.
Day three of the sixth month (afternoon)
Chapter 7: Jaclyn
I awoke on the forest floor. I knew I wasn’t very deep in the forest because the trees weren’t very dense. But it was obvious I was deep enough that if something happened no one would hear me scream. Wow. That’s a scary thought.
I began to sit and turn. I saw the boy who dragged me off. For the first time I got a good look at the boy. I quickly realized I was wrong. The guy wasn’t thick. He was plain muscular! It wasn’t quite the “I’m so buff!” look. More of the “I’ve been workin’ all my life. Look what I got in return!” look.
I looked at him even more closely to realize that his body was a perfect contradiction to his actions. He was sitting facing the opposite direction unwrapping a rabbit’s wound. You would imagine a huge buff guy to hurt creatures, not heal. Well that’s what I usually expect at least so it took me by surprise.
He turned around and stared right at me. My thoughts seemed to attack me in my head. What should I do? Does he know I’m a girl? If he does will he take advantage of me?! What should I say? Or should I be silent?
“Hello?” a voice broke through my thoughts. It was a second before I realized that it was the boy.
“Uh… Hi?” was my echoing reply. I was clueless as to what to say.
“I’m Dylan. You?” he replied. It was obvious he was as uncomfortable as I.
“I’m Jackl… Jack! Yeah! My name’s Jack!” I said covering quickly. How stupid! If I told him my name was Jaclyn he would have know for sure I was a girl. Well, Jack isn’t all that bad! Jack and the bean stalk. Jack be nimble. Even that Jack from Neverland! Or is that Peter?
“So… how’d ya get with the slavers?” he questioned.
Here it comes. The big lie. But first I’ve got to come up with it. And fast!
“Well, I used to live alone with my Pa but he died recently. So I had to sell the house to afford a funeral and pay off the taxes. Since I had no where else to go for the past week I’ve been roaming around until those slavers caught me last night.” I said. Hmmm. Not a bad story… “How about you?” I asked finishing off my tale.
The third day of the sixth month (afternoon)
Chapter 8: Dylan
After telling Jack of how my town was burned down by the magicians I found Jack and I had two things in common. First we had no family and no place to live. Second we both couldn’t stick around Risa for long. So we headed out toward Thade.
We headed on through the evening traveling through lots of brush and trees. We soon reached an opening and I decided it would be a good place to stop for the night.
“Hey. Let’s stop here. Okay?” I said turning to Jack.
“Okay. Sure.” He said. Though I was very used to extensive travel I wasn’t so sure that he was. He looked absolutely pooped.
I dug a small pit surrounded by rocks and started up a fire. I pulled two potatoes out of my pack and placed them under some of the heated stones near the fire to cook. I also pulled out some dried meat and was about to offer half to Jack when I looked to see half a loaf of bread beside me.
I looked up to see Jack eating half a loaf as well. When he saw me staring he said simply “I’m not completely helpless out here.” I could have sworn he smiled.
I passed him a potato and some meat then we ate in silence. After the food was gone the silence was broken. We talked of all kinds of things from farming to politics, and magic to animals. It was odd. I usually don’t talk with people much but I felt perfectly at easy with Jack. It got to a point where we were betting who could take out the other fastest and we were yelling loud enough to scare everything in a mile radius.
“Hey I’m going to sleep. You got a mat?” I asked him.
“A mat?” he echoed questioningly.
“Round here the smoke’ll keep the bugs off but the temperature drops at night and you can get pneumonia.” I replied.
“Oh.” was his hollow response.
“No problem. We can share mine.” I said pulling out my mat. “Me and my friends used to go and sleep out once every two months and double up on the mats when there weren’t enough. No big deal.”
Day three of the sixth month (night)
Chapter 9: Jaclyn
Share a mat? He really did think I was guy. What should I do? So I did the only thing I could do. I lay down on the mat next to him turned my back to him and prayed I didn’t move in my sleep.
I tried to go to sleep but I lay there for a long time trying to instead. His presence was uncomfortably strong. I finally couldn’t handle it any more.
“Are you asleep? I questioned
All I heard in reply was a snore. I turned and looked at him. He was fast asleep. He looked like a small boy stuck in a big world with his simple blank expression. I watched his chest rise and fall before I myself fell asleep.
I awoke sprawled out in a weird position on the mat. I blushed and paused for a second before it hit me. Dylan was nowhere to be seen. I looked around in a sudden panic and saw Dylan walking through the edge of the woods holing a clump of clothes and a canteen of water.
“Hey! Your up!” he called to me and flashed me a smile. “Did you know you turn and mumble in your sleep?” he asked humorously. All I could do was blush.
“There’s a stream a little ways down there if ya want to wash up and change.” He said before I was forced to reply to his comment.
I snatched up my pack and headed toward the direction he had come from. I quickly found the stream and washed up. After returning we packed upon and continued our trek. It was very long and eventless. Dylan seemed to enjoy it though. Every now and then he would point out a certain animal or plant to me that I had over looked and explained what it was. The most beautiful thing he pointed out to me was a white bud. It was part of a midnight flower that only bloomed at night. But even as just a bud it was extremely beautiful.
As we walked through a clearing I forgot to watch my step and tripped. I tumbled in to the tall grass. As I stood up my chain around my neck broke. I had always carried it around. It was a broken charm with a little more than a half circle on it.
“Hey! What’s that?” Dylan said starring at my necklace.
“It’s… I… Oh…” I began to stutter. He gave me no chance to even try to continue. He grabbed the charm from my hand and pulled a rope from around his neck. Upon it was a charm similar to mine. He placed them together. They fit like pieces to a puzzle.
Suddenly the now whole circle glowed and a symbol appeared upon it. Dylan dropped it startled. It began to float rising slowly until it was above our heads. I took a step away from it and bumped into Dylan. I couldn’t take my eyes off the glowing golden circle.
Suddenly with a flash of light a woman appeared but I don’t think she was really there. It was kind of like a moving memory seen by all. She began to speak.
The fourth day of the sixth month (midday)
Chapter 10: Dylan
“You probably don’t remember me.” She began. “My name is Krystal. I am your mother. I have preserved this message in your necklaces so when you find each other you can find me as well. I am now unable to help you except with this message. A prophecy I have foreseen about you.
Brother, Sister be together.
Together you must bring him to her.
Bring him to the only one with a heart colder.
The one who has given many gifts to her.
For all the ones he has slayed.
For his deeds he must pay.
With the gifts unsealed.
With wounds yet to heal.
With no time to spare.
There is one to take you there.
A banished one forgotten to most.
Destined is she to be your host.
Brother, Sister be together.
With each other you are to stand forever.”
With this she disappeared and the circle dropped to the ground without a sound. I quickly grabbed some paper and pen and began to write down what I had heard. Jack simply stood there in a daze. I began to read over it again. I think there were lots of double meanings. It would take a while to piece it all together.
“Uh… I don’t think we should stay here much longer. When she came out it was bright enough for any one to see.” Jack said in a monotone way. He was still recovering from what he had seen. He was right though we couldn’t stay here for much longer.
We headed farther ahead after grabbing the circle and placing it in a cloth. We walked on until night fell. We stopped at a twenty by ten foot clearing so as not to be in plain sight.
We sat there for what felt like hours in complete silence before I pulled out the “prophecy” again. I read over it once more. Many parts of it confused me but the “Brother, Sister” part that was repeated caught my eye.
“What do you think it means by brother, sister?” I asked Jack without even looking at him.
“I think it means us.” was his toneless reply.
“What?” I looked up at him in surprise.
“I think it means us.” He repeated.
“If it meant us it would say “Brother, Brother” not brother sister. Were both guys!” I said thinking I was pointing out the obvious. I was wrong.
“Actually Brother, Sister is correct. If it is referring to us that is.” He said. He seemed to slump a little as he said it. I paused for a few minutes to put it together.
“You’re a girl?” I said finally figuring it out. He… I mean SHE didn’t reply.
“You said your name was Jack!” I exclaimed. I was starting to get mad. “You lied to me!”
She finally looked up to me. “Not completely” she said softly. “My real name is Jaclyn.”
“Am I supposed to believe that?! How do I know your not lying to me now too?” I yelled at her. I instantly regretted it. She began to cry.
She looked up t me and I began to wonder how I ever believed she was a guy. “I didn’t have to tell you. I could’ve kept on lying.” she sobbed.
She was right, and now I felt like a real jerk. She was sobbing; her back was shaking, tears running down her face. I sat be side her and put my arm on her shoulder. She leaned against me and continued to cry. Then she told me everything from the very beginning and I understood why my yelling had scared her so much.
Day four of the sixth month (night)
Chapter 11: Jaclyn
I couldn’t help it I began to cry. Images of HIM flashed through my head. Go away. Just go away. I felt a hand on my shoulder I turned to see Dylan beside me. I leaned on to him and he held me, as I cried. I told him everything.
Of how I was found when I was little by the woods. Of how I was raised by a rich family. Of how the man I was raised to call father beat me and my mother. Of how he yelled and kicked and threw bottles at us. Of how he eventually killed her and fell on his own broken bottle and died. Of how I lived in a boarding school ever since.
Dylan sat there and listened to it all patiently never saying a word. And when I was done he held me even tighter. I felt some drops fall upon my head and I realized he was crying too.
Never before had I told anyone about this. Never. Not my friends at school, or my teachers, no one. Yet here I was spilling it all out to a guy I barely knew. For some reason it felt alright though. I felt safe. I felt as if there was finally someone I could trust.
The tears slowed and dried upon my face. I fell asleep there in his arms. It was the safest I had felt in a long time.
I felt someone shake me. I turned to see Dylan standing beside the bed I lay in. It clicked. Wait. Why am I in a bed? I looked around. I’m in a house!
“Hey! Jack! Oh I mean Jaclyn. Wake up.” Dylan stammered.
I looked around startled. “Were am I?... How did I get here?” I looked around in a daze.
“We’re in a cottage in the woods. A woman found us last night and guided me here. You wouldn’t wake up so I carried you.” He replied matter-of-factly.
“Oh.” Was all I could think to say. I looked around the small room. All it contained was a small table, a few drawers and to hay cots. One of which I now sat upon. I looked down only to realize I was wearing a clean tunic and trousers, the extras from my bag.
“You dressed me you sicko!” I began to yell. “How dare you! You...” Dylan cut me off.
“I didn’t I swear.” He began to blush. “It was the woman who owns this house, Mrs. Catelli.” He said quickly.
I then began to blush. I really need to stop being so rash. “Sorry” I stammered out completely embarrassed.
Just then the door swung open and a woman walked into the room.
“Ah. I see you have awoken.” said the woman. She had deep auburn hair that fell half way down her back. Her green eyes had a kind motherly look to them which seemed odd to me since she was only about in her twenties. Her tall figure stepped into the room as she started to speak again. “I am Amy Catelli, but you can just call me Amy.” She said with a smile.
“You must be the destined two.” She stated almost as a question.
“Destined two?” Dylan echoed questioningly. I was just as lost as him.
“There is a prophecy of two young magicians, sister and brother. Who are trained by an exiled magician and defeat the leader of the Ancient Guild.” She replied promptly.
The fifth day of the sixth month (morning)
Chapter 12: Dylan
I am sure my jaw dropped at that moment. Siblings? Magicians? Ancient Guild? What did it all mean?
“But we don’t have any powers.” I heard Jaclyn stutter.
“That is my job to teach you.” Amy smiled as she said this.
All day Jaclyn and I listened to Amy explain what the Ancient Guild was and what they were doing, why she was exiled, and what she had deciphered of the prophecy.
She thought that “brother, sister” meant us. “Bring him to her.” Him, means the king’s lead magician who is also the leader of the Ancient Guild, and “her” meant the goddess of death. “With the gifts unsealed” supposedly means our powers. “A banished one” is Amy. Finally “host” is supposed to be another word for teacher. So the prophecy goes like this.
Brother, Sister be together.
Together you must bring him to her.
Bring him to the only one with a heart colder.
The one who has given many gifts to her.
For all the ones he has slayed.
For his deeds he must pay.
With the gifts unsealed.
With wounds yet to heal.
With no time to spare.
There is one to take you there.
A banished one forgotten to most.
Destined is she to be your host.
Brother, Sister be together.
With each other you are to stand forever.”
“Now you must understand the fundamentals of wielding magic and magic its self.” Amy began. “Magic is inside every living thing. All people, creatures, objects and elements bare magic. But not all can wield it. You can’t summon or create magic. Magic is everywhere and it can’t be used up nor destroyed. The only way to be rid of it is to overpower it. But before you can over power someone with magic you must learn to wield it.” She paused. “To wield magic you must control it. The easiest way to do so is by containing it. It can be contained in powders, potions or even objects. A strong magician can pull it right out of air though. To draw it out you must see the magic, tug on it and form it into what you want it to be. The most common way to see magic is in threads.” Amy continued to explain.
She talked so much it seemed to just bumble around in my head. It got to a point where is sounded like Amy was just repeating “Blah, blah, blah.” Over and over again just at different paces. Jaclyn seemed to be taking it al in though.
When I was about to finally fall asleep I heard the words I had been waiting to hear all day. “Why don’t we step out side and let you try it out for yourself?” Amy said to my deep delight.
As a stepped out in the warm summer’s air I looked into the sky to realize that not only had it felt like hours that Amy had talked it had actually been hours. The sky was already beginning to darken.
We entered a circle that was designed to “contain” magic incase “something were to happen”. In other words in case we screw up. As I walked over the line that marked the circle a tingling sensation enveloped my body and slowly disappeared. I turned to Jaclyn with a questioningly look that she could only return.
Then we had our first chance to test out our “Powers”. It wasn’t quite what I expected.
Day five of the sixth month (night)
Chapter 13: Jaclyn
I saw them the threads that made magic. I reached out my mind to grasp the objects I knew only I could see, strings floating all around me. All were either light green or sky blue. I reached out and tugged a blue thread. It was cold to the touch. A sudden wave of coolness surrounded me and jolted me from my unseen realm.
Dylan was starring at me in awe. The ground around me was a layer of ice. I looked around and hovering all around me were crystals of ice. I gasped bringing my hands to my face. The crystals dropped to the ground shattering upon the ice rink that surrounded my feet.
In my surprise I stepped back and slipped upon the ice. Cutting my knee upon the broken crystals, I was oblivious to my pain in my amazement of what I had made.
“So you have the power of ice?” Amy remarked with a cool smile. In my frustration I quickly began to pull again into my private realm of serenity and power. This time as I approached the threads I pulled upon one of the green threads. For some reason I had an incredible urge to wrap the thread around my bloody knee. As I did so the cut disappeared.
When I pulled once again out of my realm I turned to sneer at Amy but she wasn’t focusing on me but Dylan. I turned to look at him only to see him up in the air with a circle of flaming balls slowly circling him. When he awoke he saw is height off the ground panicked and fell.
After he rose from the ground Amy explained our “powers”. “Dylan you wield the powers of fire and air. Jaclyn you wield the powers of ice and earth. Each of you wields an offensive and defensive power. Ice and fire are offensive were as air (most commonly flying) and earth (most commonly healing) are defensive.
That night Dylan and I talked a lot. We spoke of my revelation the night before. We spoke of our new found powers. We spoke of how they were the exact opposite our personalities. We spoke of how we would stay here for almost a month to train. But we didn’t speak of what we knew we would have to do. We didn’t speak of how we would have to kill the leader of the Ancient Guild.
It would be many more weeks before we were ready to take on this task.
The twenty-third day of the seventh month (morning)
Chapter 14: Dylan
I turned back to the old house and waved once more to the woman whom I had learned to respect. Jaclyn and I had lived with her for longer than we had planed. For two months we trained with Amy until she had none left to teach. So now we are headed to Gnirb Thead, where the leader of the Ancient Guild is to be found.
With only the clothes on our backs and the small packs we carried we were out into Dlrow. Jaclyn was once again dressed as a guy (for reasons unknown) and seeing as she never acted as a girl it seemed to suit her. Never would I dare say it to her face though.
We had decided that I should fly us to the woods bordering Gnirb Thead. I loved to fly it was second nature to me now. Soaring through the air, brushing against clouds, watching the landscape shift beneath me it was all part of the ride.
I had taken Jaclyn with me once before but she had hated it. It was a while back so I wasn’t sure if it was because her uncertainty of me dropping her or actually not enjoying it. It didn’t matter though because she was stuck with it now.
The problem wasn’t going to be keeping her up but getting her up. I still have trouble with take offs and the added weight wasn’t going to help. She didn’t weigh much but she sure was wiggly.
We had gotten so far. We had gone from not knowing to each other to friends to being like brothers in a matter of months. (Yes she is my sister but she feels more like a little brother. At times she reminded me of my Pa and brother which unsettled me. I would get rid of that retched magician for them).
“Are you ready Jack?” I asked teasingly. I stuck out my hand.
“I... um…” She began to stutter.
“Okay then!” I said quickly grabbing her around the waist and ascending into the air. She screamed and grabbed onto what she could of my arm. All I could do was laugh.
“So still don’t like it up here?” I asked her.
“Humph” she replied trying to turn way from me.
She pulled out a map of Gnirb Thead and went over our plans again. After a while of silence she began to speak again.
“Hey! Do you notice any thing about the spelling of Gnirb Thead?”
I shook my head not noticing anything wrong.
“G-N-I-R-B spelled back ward is B-R-I-N-G bring and Thead, T-H-E-A-D is D-E-A-T-H is death. Bring death.” She said softening her voice as she said death.
I looked at the map she held and saw she was right. I looked down upon the passing landscape and realized it was almost night fall and we were almost to Gnirb Thead, now known to me as Bring Death.
I swooped down by the edge of the forest near the city. The only thing I had on my mind was not being seen and not crashing. I was only half successful. I landed with a thump on something soft.
“Good thing the ground’s soft.” I said cheerily. I looked down to see I hadn’t landed on the ground but upon Jaclyn.
“Ha. Ha.” She said sarcastically. “What a soft landing! For you…” She added on half mumbling.
We entered the main gate of the city and were amazed at what we saw. The city was huge! Buildings made of stone towered above our heads. Smells of breads, flowers, sweet meats and other treats assaulted our noses. The city truly was the place to be.
After exploring the town we found a cheap inn and decided we would spend the night there. We stayed up late finalizing the details of our plan. Tomorrow was to be a long day.
Day twenty-four of the seventh month (midday)
Chapter 15: Jaclyn
I strolled through the town waiting for the time to come. I had about an hour more before I had to arrive at the assigned place. Maybe someday I could live here. The city was so exciting. There were so many different people, places, things to do, foods to try, games to play, you would never be bored! As I strolled around I observed the center building. It was the castle our target lived in. The leader of the Ancient Guild resided in this castle that also bore the presence of the king. So it was heavily guarded and would be hard to sneak in.
The time had come. We met with a group of children that were to take a tour in the castle. Pretending to be with the group we entered and followed around for part of the tour. When we passed a dark corridor we slipped in.
Pulling out the map I had stolen from one of the guards (that’s what he gets for sleeping on duty). I found our location in the southern left wing and found the path we should follow to get to the basement of the Northern left wing. That were we were to handle the leader of the Ancient Guild.
When we finally reached the door to the basement someone opened the door for us. I felt my self being sucked into the room and suspended in the air. Oh how I hated all this flying and floating stuff. It was a wonder I hadn’t barfed on our trip to the city.
“So you’re the ones sneaking around. I expected something a little more impressive.” A cold voice said in an almost sneering yet disappointed tone. I turned to see in the corner of the dark room a small figure.
Looking around the room I saw a bookshelf over flowing with books. There was a desk and an assortment of strange objects that lay around the room. Besides these things and the man the room was very bare.
“I assume you were looking for me?” The man stated almost as a question as he stepped into the light cast by a torch on the wall. He was tall but thin. He was beautiful yet horrifying at the same time. His face had perfect shape, color and form yet his eyes seemed to be a warning of death. I suppressed a scream. I turned to see Dylan begin to sweat in panic. I didn’t know what to do.
“Put me down.” I demanded through clenched teeth.
“Why?” he said pretending to be sincere, tilting his head to one side. “You came here to kill me yet I did nothing to you! I think I deserve my fun.”
“How did you…” Dylan began.
“I can read minds you dope. I have numerous powers all stronger than yours! I don’t have to remain that way though.” He said lowering his voice. “I can teach you to be stronger, to control more magic. Let me teach you.” He said stepping closer to where we hung in the air. I felt my feet slowly come to the ground. “I know you love the feeling.
The incredible sensation. All the power in the world at your finger tips. I can teach you to control it.”
Now he looked at me and I began to feel it, that incredible yearning to be stronger. To have more power and never be helpless again. That’s what I wanted. That’s what I needed.
That’s when I felt someone take my hand. I turned to see Dylan beside me. I looked into his eyes only to see great pain. I remembered this was the man who had his home destroyed and family killed. I never wanted to hurt someone like that. But is that what power is for?
The twenty-fourth day of the seventh month (afternoon)
Chapter 16: Dylan
I reached down and took Jaclyn's hand. She had a look of deep hunger in her eyes. When she looked up at me the look disappeared. Replaced by a look of confusion then understanding she gripped my hand tighter. I tried to hold back the pain of the memories that flashed through my head.
Fire
Booming
Smoke
Screaming
Pain
Faces
Silence
Then I made the connection. This was the man that had ordered my town burned and my family slayed. He would regret that choice. An angry fire burned inside me.
“No!” I turned in surprise at Jaclyn’s out burst.
“No, no, no! I will not be taught by you and neither will Dylan, you murderer!” She shrieked.
I drew forth the fire I felt burning inside me. In a flash it made a circle around me and Jaclyn. I saw the threads. The white of air and red of fire. I shot forth gusts of wind, balls of fire, and even winds of fire. But the magician easily evaded them. Instead of using all physical attacks he attacked our minds and bodies at the same time.
I wasn’t sure how but every time I was hit by one of those swirling black balls he threw I felt like there was a axe hacking at my skin and a volcano went off in my head. As I looked down at my body though there were no marks or cuts upon my skin I was in incredible pain.
Jaclyn was throwing ice spears and trying to block as many blows a possible from hitting us with shields of ice. But it wasn’t enough.
As I hunched over ready to pass out, Jaclyn appeared at my side. She held me up and began to whisper to me.
“We can’t beat him alone. We have to work together.” She said quickly
“We are working together.” I said frustrated.
“No. We have to combine our powers.” She said staring into my eyes with a serious look. She took my hands and stood me up. Still holding my hands she closed her eyes and I felt her healing my wounds with magic. I felt the cold of ice wrap around me, in a dome around us. I suddenly got it. I closed my eyes and began to pull the white strings
of air around us lifting the dome Jaclyn had made into the air. Pulling the red strings of fire I spun it around the ice dome.
I opened my eyes to see nothing but ice with glowing red lights circling the out side. Dark balls crashed upon the out side of our floating dome but couldn’t penetrate through. Jaclyn reached out and made a ball of ice in her hand. I reached out as she had and made a ball of fire. Putting them together a circle of water floated between us.
Jaclyn began to smile.
Day twenty-four of the seventh month (evening)
Chapter 17: Jaclyn
I saw the water we had made and realized that unlike my ice and Dylan’s fire the magician couldn’t destroy it with his black magic. Dylan lifted the ball higher and sent it hurling through the small hole I had left in the dome and straight at the magician. It landed on the magician’s leg.
He began to laugh a sickening laugh that churned my stomach. “Is that the best you can do? Splash me with water?” he chuckled.
In my furry at this I froze the water upon his leg. He looked down in shock. He was now trying to break the ice so he could move freely but I kept enforcing it so he couldn’t break free.
While he struggled Dylan lifted the magician up, ice and all, and placed him against the wall. Suddenly understanding what he had planned to do I made balls of ice as fast as I could. Dylan quickly melted them all and poured the water upon the magician. I began to freeze him. Unlike my healing or Dylan’s fire it took longer for me to make or freeze large bodies of ice so I slowly froze his hands, arm, feet, legs waist, and chest, leaving only his head out.
“Stop!” Dylan demanded. “I want him to have to explain this all to the king. What he has done, who he has hurt, all the people he’s killed, and the guild he leads”
All I could do was nod. After reinforcing the ice we began our accent up the stairs that the magician had sucked us down. It was a long walk and I realized no one could possibly have heard what had happened down there. No one would have a clue.
Slowly crossing the building to where the King’s Chambers the minutes felt like hours. When we finally reached the door we had to stop to control our nerves. We pushed open the door to see the king lying upon his bed. I had forgotten for a minute. He was still in a coma.
“Wake him up.” Dylan whispered to me. “You’re the healer right?”
I walked across the room to the bed and lay my hand across the king’s forehead. He looked so peaceful. For a second I was nervous. How would he react when he woke up? Would he be mad? Would he order us killed?
I felt a hand upon my shoulder and turned to see Dylan. I saw the silent promise he carried in his eyes. It’ll be just fine. Just wake Him up. They seemed to whisper. With my hand still upon his brow I pulled the green strings and wrapped them around the king’s head. He awoke with a start.
“Your highness...” Dylan said kneeling. “There is something we must speak to you of.” And with that we told him. We told him our stories, what we knew of what the magician had done, what we had been told he did, of the prophecy, and of how the magician stood frozen in the basement.
The king arose and ordered the magician be turned to stone by another magician. The stone magician stood in front of the castle from then on as a cold hard warning that the use of power for evil won’t be tolerated in Dlorw.
The king had a room prepare for us the stay in inside the castle and sent us there for the night. In my relief and exhaustion I fell asleep almost immediately. Not yet was I to know I would live in the castle from that day on. Not yet was I to know Dylan and I would be as close as siblings could be. Not yet was I to know that Dylan and I would become the most powerful and kind magicians in Dlrow. Not yet was I to know that our true mother was to come. Not yet was I to know the quest to come.
 Jackie_Duh · Wed Jul 25, 2007 @ 06:54pm · 1 Comments |
