Forbidden Magic

 

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Prologue

 

Magic

Noun, 

   The power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.

 

 

  Magic. It's not simply a description that one reads. It's not as simple as the words you see on paper, nor is it truly understood by our human minds. Magic is something that binds people, whether they know it or not, it is something that not all can see. By the definition, magic is simply influence, but I don't believe that.

  Magic is everything. It is in our lives everyday. All around you. Some call it a miracle. Others call it fate. Overall, it cannot be defined. Stop with the thinking. Stop with the images that flash through your head when you think of the word 'magic'.

  Though this may confuse you now, before I start I must say one thing. Not everything you know about magic is false and it is wondrous, beautiful and magnificent but it is also destructive, devastating and horrifying. Magic creates and destroys and can't have one without the other. I have learned that there is war along with peace but there can't only be one.

   Mankind tries to get rid of one but you can't do that without getting rid of the other and that means... Total and utter destruction. I've seen it. The horrible things that magic does in the wrong hands, but we don't know whose hands deserve to hold such power. In all the time I've watched over people, I understand that we can't choose a single person without corrupting them too, but if you let it run wild then it destroys all. We can't control what we don't understand, and we can't stop what can't be stopped. So I've come to the conclusion that it must be let it go. It must be freed. It must destroy. 

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As the Rain Falls

 

    Linor City, 

   I ran down the crowed street skillfully dodging the people around me as I chased my younger brother, Luka. He giggled as he ran with his blond curls flowing with the wind. We ended up running as far as the market place before I finally caught up to the giggling child. Shane, the shop keep, noticed me having a hard time keeping Luka at bay so he quickly arrived at my side to pick up the boy. 

   Luka whined in protest as he was lifted of the stone and into the air. I sighed in frustration, mama is going to be so mad. She had asked me to look after my younger brother while she went out. With my father at the tavern and my brother with the knights, there was no time for anyone but me to take care of Luka, our youngest child. Shane turned to me and patted me on the head while adjusting Luka on his shoulders.

"Rough day?" I nodded in response. 

"I understand why I have to take care of Luka but it's just a hassle! There are things I have to do too!" Shane gave me a pointed look as if to ask what I do all day but that isn't something I tell everyone. No way! There is no chance I could possibly tell my family I run off into the woods to shoot a bow and arrow with my brother all day. 

"Fine! I get it! What does a seventeen year old girl have to do all day besides cook and clean!" Shane shook his head.

"You know that's not what I meant. I just want you to know that others work hard as well. You shouldn't hold it against your brother or mom, they work all day" I nodded in agreement as he continued. "Though, you could probably hold it against your father, after all he spends all his money at the tavern." 

  The air shifted into an awkward silence as I reached out my arms to Luka. Noting the sudden change, Luka leaped from Shane's shoulders and climbed into my arms. I gave a nod to Shane before saying goodbye. 

"I'm sorry. I have to leave now, my mother is probably wondering where we are." Shane nodded sadly before heading back to his shop. With Luka on the ground holding my hand, we walked silently. With his big green eyes, he watched me. Though I tried to wipe any trace of disappointment, of my father, off my face, kids seemed to be able to see right through you. Without any hassle, we made it back home in record time. 

   I knocked on the wooden door of our older town home. Mama's angry face came to greet us at the steps. 

"You should know by now not to go around outside!" I shrugged and nudged Luka up the stairs. He ran up the creaky stair case in a hurry to get away from the argument. I looked at my mother and nodded. 

"You told me plenty of times, you don't have to remind me another." With a tired sigh, she said, "Then why don't you listen. Even when there are people around it's truly dangerous." 

   I understood what she was talking about. They're wanted criminals. A danger to society. But somehow I seem to think other wise. Maybe it's because I feel like I knew one. The magicians. Or witches, as people tend to call them. We fear their powers because we do not understand them! So instead of pushing these extraordinary people away, we should be asking questions! Though many seem to think it's best to capture and kill them all before they pose a threat. 

"Mother. You must understand that I am seventeen! I can't be cooped up in the house all day!" 

"You are a seventeen year old female, soon to be eighteen. You are naive! You have yet to learn anything about the world!" She shouted. 

"Yes! How do you expect me to learn anything my sitting in my room?!" She stayed silent. "Mother, I understand the magi-" She cut me off with a look. Oh, did I mention any word of them is bad luck? "I mean, I understand that those people are dangerous but I can't stay hidden away in my room forever. I and Luka need to go outside once in awhile! That's what dragged us outside in the first place." 

  She waved her hand as shook her head. "You know what! I can't talk about this anymore. It's been a tiring day, I'm going to cook dinner and go to bed." She walked away and disappeared into the kitchen. 

 

    

     I sat silently in my room reading a book when I heard a soft knock on my door. I looked up to see Noah, my eldest brother. Wearing a loose lime green shirt and dark brown pants, he shuffled through the door seeing as I haven't told him to leave yet. 

"You shouldn't fight with mom you know...." I nodded sadly. "She has a hard time keeping her job and with dad constantly spending time at the bars, it's difficult." Again, I nodded. 

"I know but why does she think it's so dangerous for me to go outside?" Noah fell silent for a second before scratching his head. 

"To be honest, she's just worried that you'll get kidnapped by a stranger." I turned my head to the window as I watched newly formed rain drops run down the glass. 

   Noah sat down beside me on my bed and we both silently stared out the window into the darkness that was night. I quietly asked a question. "Where do you think dad is at this time?" He still hadn't come home yet. 

"Truthfully I don't know. I just really don't know..." 

*******

   At some point I ended up falling asleep on my bed. Noah must have tucked me in as I am under my blankets. I had been awoken by the sound of my father yelling. 

"Cindy! For god sakes! I am not drunk." His words slurred. He was drunk no matter how many times he denied it. 

"Honey, please. Just go to bed." I heard a slap and a small cry. "Shut up, don't tell me what to do."

   I sprang out of bed to find Noah also outside his door with wide eyes. We shuffled towards our parents room cautiously. The mood changed swiftly, a complete turn around. 

"Cindy, my wife. How have you not come to hate me yet?" I heard my mother sniffle. "I could never hate you. I love you." 

"I'm so sorry. I've caused you so much trouble. I'm so glad that Noah didn't inherit my curse and you don't have to worry about Luka or Scarlet getting it either." At the mention of my name, I shuffled forward to the door. I saw my father holding a knife in his hand and my mother holding a hand over her mouth and stomach. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed. 

"I'm sorry Cindy. I leave everything to our children. It's all in the letter." Noah moved quickly across the room that I almost didn't see him because my eyes were fixed on my father as he slit his own throat. 

   Blood rushed into his hands as he dropped the knife and choked. Noah's hands were firmly covering our mother's eyes as she sobbed into Noah's shirt. His eyes flickered to me as I was fixated on our father, dead, on the floor.

   Dead. Such a cold word. For something not to be breathing anymore seems strange. I've never seen anyone die in front of me before. My father always looked so youthful even if he went to a tavern almost every day. 

   With my hands clenched at my sides and my eyes staring at his body, wide open. I slowly turned around to see Luka rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 

"What's going on?" My heart stopped in my chest for a second before. Grabbing his hand and bringing him back to his room. 

   I tucked him in and pulled the covers over him. He quickly fell into a deep sleep with me beside him. I watched as the rain hit the window even harder. The clouds were dark to the point where it made everything even darker outside. The moon was nowhere to be seen tonight making it even more solemn then it already was. A single tear rolled down my face as I stared blankly ahead. My father is gone. 

 

 

    Not an hour later, knights were stomping around in our house asking us questions and taking the body away. Hearing the commotion, this whole part of town was wide awake. Shane had come and went when the knights had went passed his house. 

   Noah was holding our mother as she cried silently into his shirt. I guess I was still in shock as I stared blankly at the same wall I was looking at half an hour ago. I just don't know how to react. Should I cry? Scream? Yell? I can't. I can't because I didn't know him that well. Sure he was my father but he wasn't always there.

   My mind became foggy as the night drifted onward. The knights left and my mother slept in the guest room as Noah and I cleaned up the mess. We stayed silent for the rest of the night. With the pitter pattering rain outside, as it washed away the remnants of what happened here.

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