Chapter 1 - Fire and Ice
Erin
I remember how nervous I had been. My nails were bitten to bloody stumps, I rushed to the fire at all times and I'm sure parts of my hair had started to fall out. I had been gathering my school books into my bag and was about to set off when Father called from the kitchen.
"Erin, it's here!" he called from the back of the cottage. I dropped my bag that had been halfway to my shoulder and ran down the small hallway to the old, red brick kitchen. It was a small house, only two of us lived there after all. The kitchen floor was a sandy, dusty stone and the walls were old, red bricks that had been worn away slightly. The counters were a light wood that matched the table and chairs while the back door was a reddish chestnut and was a stable door too, the top hair was open at that moment. Next door to the door was an old fireplace. It kitted from the wall slightly and it funneled as it strechted to the rafters and ceiling. At the bottom of the chimmney was a scorched iron cauldron and underneath was a pinkish fire.
Father stood up, a scroll in his hand and gave it to me.
The seal was black on the middle that faded to dark blue at the edges. The crest stamped into the wax was of a raised fist surrounded by light shares which was circled by three sparks. I barely saw this as I ripped the scroll open and was reading the contents with furocious speed.
Mistress Erin Everthought,
I am pleased to accept you as my apprentice and potential
successor. However (my eyes narrowed), in circumstances I did
not foresee, another is as qualified as yourself and has been
accepted as a second apprentice whom you will study with.
To begin your training, please travel to the Fox's head rock formation at nine o'clock.
To begin your training, please travel to the Fox's head rock formation at nine o'clock.
But I do believe congratulations are in order as you have been accepted.
Mage Ulmanoff, High Warlock of The Brotherhood
"What!!?" I exclaimed, the scroll crumpling in my hand.
"Calm down, poppet, what's wrong?" Father asked.
I whirled round and faced my father. "I'm not the only apprentice!" I screamed.
His brow creased and he gently unfolded my hand from around the paper and scanned it himself while I fumed. "You still got a position though." he said.
I sighed angrily. "That's not the point!" I snapped.
He sighed too, but wearily. "I'm sure you'll be fine. Now ho to school, you'll be late." he said, kissing my forehead.
I went back down the hall, slung my back over my shoulder and slammed the door behind me.
The weather was as far from how I felt as possible. The day was mild. The sun shone from a deep blue sky while a few slim, white clouds drifted lazily across the sky. The front garden was in full bloom. The rose bushes, that lined the front wall of the house, showed off their red and orange blossoms proudly in the sun. The old birch tree on the left of the front garden offered a little shade under its leafy arms where morning dew still lay, shining. The bird bath on my right was gleaming as three birds rested in the cool water.
I cursed it all under my breath.
I walked down the gravel path and opened the white gate and stepped out onto the 'main road' of the village, although it was little more than a two-a-breast country track.
Scott Monk walked out from his own small garden and swaggered up, sandy hair gelled into spikes, brown eyes sporting a cocky gleam and his smile showing the same air that he could do what he liked and get away with it. "Heya Erin." he said, laying an arm on my shoulder.
"Move your arm if you value the use of it." I said, not breaking step towards the town down the track and not looking at him.
"You say that every morning but you never do anything." he laughed.
In response my right elbow zipped out and caught his exposed side so he doubled up, coughing, and was half the size of me when usually his eyes looked at the top of my head. After he had caught himself from his stumble he came back and kept his arms to himself.
"Okay, that actually hurt but I know you don't mean it." he said as the trees started to thin and houses becoming more dense and we entered the outskirts of town.
I rolled my eyes.
"You okay, Ericles?" he asked. "You seem more hostile than usual."
"One; do not call me that, ever again, two; I am very, very angry." I said, we were well into the town now with the gardens growing smaller and streets wider.
"Tells me, meez wants to knows." Scott said, poking me.
I barked a laugh as we passed the Goat's Head pub. "It's nothing you would understand."
"Ah, boy trouble." he said knowingly.
My head snapped to him and I stopped walking. Scott was the only person who could be classed as my 'friend' but he knew how to wind me up. "It is not!" I screeched, giving him a slight push. However, given my annoyance and anger, what should have been a slight push sent him to the floor, with crackles of yellow bouncing round his chest where I'd touched him.
Damn magic, it took so many lies to keep it a secret.
"What was that for?!" he asked as he dusted himself off, patted his hair at the back and joined me on the pavement again.
I gave him what I hoped would be a slightly apologetic look. "Sorry, static energy must have built up."
Luckily for me, Scott wasn't too bright so he shrugged and carried on walking. "So, what is it about?" he asked as I matched his step.
I sighed, I could tell he wasn't gonna let this drop. "I, uh, applied for this course and it was meant to be one-on-one but the tutor picked another person for the same course so I'm feeling a bit... Cheated that's all."
"What course was it?"
"What is this? Twenty questions? It's, um, a chemistry course, Mr Branner suggested it." I lied.
"You must be good then, maybe you could help me with my homework sometime." he nudged me with his elbow. "Hint hint."
We both laughed as we entered through the gates of Saint Bridget High School gates. We were instantly surrounded by other teenagers in the same uniform of white shirt, burgundy blazer with the school badge and motto sown on in silver, burgundy and silver tie and black trousers or skirt, all worn in various degrees of untidy rebellion.
"Hey Scott!" a blonde-haired girl called from a near corner of the yard, I recognised her as Anna but, as usual, she ignored me.
"Catch ya later, 'kay Erin?" he called, walking backwards to Anna and some others.
I nodded slightly then continued on towards the main school building.
I still don't know why you talk to her, is it pity?" Anna asked loudly gaining laughs from the others around her. She'd always disliked me, simply because I was nothing like her. In fact, I was as different from her as actually possible.
She had long, bleached blonde hair while mine was just above my elbows and was chocolate brown with a reddish tint; her eyes were a sparkling, dark green like light through a canopy of leaves and mine were a dark reddish-brown; her face was light, tanned thoroughly and round while mine was high cheek-boned, prominent chin and pale but still a bit of colour and as for her taste in music... Well, she likes One Direction and JLS while I'm more of a Simple Plan and Celldweller girl. Given all this, she made my school life Hell and threw it right back at her, but in secret of course.
I love magic sometimes!
Myles
"Myles, honey, can you come down here a minute?" Mum called up the stairs. I tightened my tie up once more and, grabbed my bag and hopped downstairs. Our new house was modern in design but simple in structure. The hall and landing had laminated light wood flooring and white painted walls with a sand coloured skirting. The lights all had spherical covers and floated like orbs. The bathroom was a dazzling white and tiled symmetrically. The living room was light with varying cream colours and art on the walls. The kitchen was white too with dark wood cabinets and dining table and chairs.
"Yup?" I asked, slinging my bag over my shoulder.
Mum came through from the living room and handed me a scroll. "Your father would be very proud." she said.
I looked at the scroll. An unfamiliar symbol was etched into the dark blue wax - it was a raised fist with three stars and bursts of light.
"I don't understand, why would he be proud?" I asked, confused.
She tapped the scroll. "Read."
I scanned the letter.
Master Myles Bailey
You have been chosen as one of my apprentices and I hope you will accept this invitation as I believe you have great potential given who your father was, and I'm sure you will get along well with the other apprentice.
If you do accept, please journey to the Fox's head rock formation, north of town this evening at nine o'clock to begin training.
Mage Ulmanoff, High Warlock of The Brotherhood
"Mum, what did Dad do." I asked.
She sighed. "I think that is best for him to explain." she said, eyes rimmed with tears but a smile on her face. She reached into a small pot for keys on the side table and withdrew a dark blue coin with a symbol that matched the wax on the scroll. Around the edge were the words 'hold between thumb and forefinger'. I did so and and image of dad flickered to life in the room.
"Hello son." he said. He wore long blue robes, his brown-blonde hair receding and his grey eyes slightly dull. "If you're seeing this then you have been accepted into The Brotherhood. This is a group of Sorcerers and they can help you learn magic. I know by the time you see this I will have died as I recorded this before my last job. Whatever you heard about my death was a cover, I actually died trying to contain and Elder Dragon. Don't blame your mother for not telling you, I made her promise and she only found out before I went away. I decided it was best to keep you and everyone else from magic as it can be dangerous and if you were hurt it would be unbearable. But congratulations. I'm so proud of you. Again, don't blame your mother and keep it from Kane. He doesn't need to know." the image faded and Mum wrapped me in a hug.
"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you. Charles made me promise." she said.
"I know, he just said." I pointed to where he had been.
She shook her head. "I didn't understand that, just like I can' t read the writing. Your father said it was in something called Magorca, the language of magic and you can speak it naturally if you have magic in your blood. But I have to go, have fun at school and," she sighed "I know this is all so strange but please concentrate at your new school, don't let this get in your way. But I have to go, can you take Kane for me? Thank you." she kissed my forehead, grabbed her bag and hurried out. I saw the car move from through the window and went out back to get Kane. Kane sat on the bench in the small garden. It had a high wood panelled fence, a square bit of grass. A small tree grew in the middle which the bench sat under. Kane had brown-blonde hair like me and Dad but while my eyes were blue his were dark like Mum's. Our face shapes were similar too; small chin, broad nose and sunken cheek bones. He was drawing again. Kane was a fantastic artist and could draw perfectly from memory and could play anything on the piano after hearing it once. But despite his abilities he only spoke when he had something worthwhile to say. Never asked questions or wondered out loud. He kept to himself.
"Kane," He looked up. "Time to go." He nodded, put his notepad in his bag and walked over. He was two years younger than me and was nearing the end of his first year at high school. I looked at him and wondered, was he a Sorcerer too?
"Myles?" he asked. his voice was quiet but commanded your attention. "What's wrong?
I shook my head. "Nothing, just new school and stuff." I closed and locked the front door then walked down the suburban road towards the school. Kane didn't press the matter although he didn't seem satisfied.
We only lived a few roads from the school so after a few turns we were passing through the gates. Kane waved slightly and headed for a door marked 'Art Department'. I knew he'd fit in there.
"Hey Scott!" a blonde-haired girl called from the edge of the yard to a sandy haired boy in front of me. A dark haired girl stood next to him and she seemed to radiate anger. I made a mental not to keep away.
The boy said something to her then walked over to the other girl while the dark haired girl gave the blonde glares.
"I still don't know why you talk to her, is it pity?" the blonde said loudly, gathering laughs from the group.
The girl in front stormed away towards the school and I was thankful that anger wasn't aimed at me.
Well, what do you think?
Lynxia x
Original stuff!
ReplyDeleteI'm on the comp so I can comment . . . :)
ReplyDeleteLove this story! If I could vote for it on the voting thingy I would right now, before, y'know, I read your newer posts and change my mind . . .
I don't mind repeated speech. Helps my mind absorb it better, right?