Two boys are running down a hill, along a gravel road in competition with one another to see who could make it home first.  Charleondicar was slightly ahead of his younger brother.

Talyk yelled out to him half out of breath by trying to catch up, "Hey now don't you run from me, I can catch you, you know this?"

"In due time brother, hurry now as we greet our newest brother."  Charleondicar said as he quickly moved further away from Talyk.

Charleondicar was the oldest brother of the Veldon family.  A hardy young boy he was, blond hair and deep blue eyes much like his father he was in image. Talyk was like his mother in appearance. He inherited the hazel eyes and dark hair.  He was quite the opposite of his older brother, he wasn't as buff like his older brother, but he was still strong.  They made it to their home, Grady Veldon was outside the hut waiting on them.  His appearance was that of a wise and weathered man, his hair and beard grayed from years of battle.  His blue eyes looked down at both of his boys to greet them.  Charleondicar was of course first and Talyk was not too far behind him out of breath.

"When can we see him?" both boys asked their father at the same time.

"Soon lads, soon. Let your mother rest for she is very tired."

Grady Veldon looked down upon his two boys, and grabbed them both rubbing the tops of their heads. Both boys giggled with joy.

"Pa, when will you teach us the old ways?" Charleondicar asked.

"Yes pa when?" Talyk asked.

Grady looked at both his boys. He knew that the day would come when the two would have to undergo their druidic training. It was something he was not looking forward to, the boys would be sent away from home.  Excited they were, but if they only knew.

"It is not I who will teach you lads. The druid elder Vatkir will be your instructor. He will come for you when the time is right."

Grady thought back to the day when Charleondicar was born, how Vatkir had come for the naming ceremony and read the future for the child. Vatkir had prophesized that Charleondicar would take Vatkir's place and rule the druidic council. Talyk's naming ceremony had not been the best. For Vatkir had pulled Grady aside and told him the grief news of what he had seen. Talyk would pose a problem later in life after he grew into manhood, but that was for the fates to decide and the vision he foresaw was unclear.  Grady sighed and was pulled away from his thoughts as the midwife came out of the hut.

"The babe is ready, I'll send for the elder M'lord." Both boys squealed with joy as they quickly tried to enter the hut, but their father held them tight.

"Not so fast boys, you don't want to scare your brother now do you?" Both boys shook their heads and Grady let them go. Together the three of them entered the hut.

"What's his name?" Talyk asked his mother.

"His name is Velkar." Their mother replied. Talyk peered over the cradle, for he was a bit shorter than Charliundicar by a foot.

"Hello Velkar, I'm your brother Talyk, we are going to be such close to each other." Velkar cooed at him. Charleondicar looked at both his younger brothers. Somewhere deep inside he knew one day those two would be trouble and he would be in the middle of it, but he was not quite sure why he knew this.

"M'lord, elder Vatkir is here for the reading." The nurse brought Vatkir in.

"It is time Grady."

"Yes I know I'll take the boys out."

"No, just take Talyk, Char can stay and watch." Grady looked at Char. Char had a confused look on his face and Grady smiled at his son. He bent down to look at his son.

"Now Char you behave yourself and do whatever elder Vatkir tells you to do." Char nodded his head to his father acknowledging he understood what it was he was going to do. Grady then stood up, patted Char on the head and grabbed Talyk's hand and escorted him outside.

"Pa, what is going on?" Talyk asked.

"The elder Vatkir has come for your brother. It is his turn to undergo the druidic training. He will be going with elder Vatkir this eve." Talyk looked down to the ground saddened that his older brother had to go and didn't quite understand why.

"Do not be sad Talyk. You have Velkar to play with now."

"You're right pa, and I'll teach him good." Grady smiled at Talyk, but thought back to what elder Vatkir had spoken to him six years ago.  He could only hope that Velkar's future would be better.

Inside the hut Vatkir and Charleondicar begin the workings of the naming ceremony.  Vatkir pulls out from his bag a bowl, holy water and anointing oil.  Vatkir pours the holy water into the bowl.  Vatkir motions to Char to come over.  A bit on the shy side and not understanding, he slowly walks over to Vatkir.

"Watch how I do this Char."  He pours the water into the bowl.  "This is what we call a scrying bowl, it is how we see visions when we druids carry out any ceremony.  It is how we see into the future."  he walks over to Velkar's crib with the oil and the bowl of water.  He set the bowl down on a nearby table and opened the bottle of oil and pressed his thumb onto the opening and inverted the bottle a few times, then ran a streak of the oil on his thumb onto Velkar's forehead.  He picked up the bowl and began chanting.  "Ve'sha en dos vei un du.  Ish du wen'derst ale."

He looks into the bowl and sees a gray fog.  Char walks over to peer into the bowl.  What he saw was something totally different.  A scene of confusion, sort of a turning point in his life, one where he is forced to make a decision, he sees his younger brother with a book, and then Velkar murdered, but he does not see who kills Velkar.  Char steps away from the bowl.

"What is it boy, what did you see?"  Vatkir asked.

Char shook his head no as to mean nothing, but he understood.  One day he would have to make a decision and thus be a turning point within his family.

 "Come now what did you see?" Vatkir asked again of him.

"A turning point in our family, a decision I must make when the time comes."

"I see. Come let us leave your mother to rest.  I will inform your father of what I saw."  They both leave the hut.  Vatkir pulls Grady aside while Talyk runs up to his brother.

"So what did he go over?" Talyk's eyes brightened up, but Char could not look his brother in the same way as he did after seeing what he saw.

"Just how to see into the future during ceremonies that are conducted."  Talyk didn't seem convinced, he noticed a change in how his brother acted towards him and he didn't like the cold feelings he was getting down his spine.  Char and Talyk both turn to face their father and Vatkir as Vatkir delivers the naming ceremony news to their father.

"I am sorry Grady, I did not see much to really tell you about Velkar.  It was a haze of gray for me, however your son Char did see something, but hew will not tell me what he saw, except that it would be a turning point for the family."

"It's ok Vatkir, I understand.  Char come here boy!"

Char went to him and gave his father a big hug.  Grady bent down to his level, for Grady was a rather tall man.

"It's ok Char, you have been chosen to see what you saw.  No matter the outcome, you will know the right thing to do.  Now go on boy and do your family proud."  He smiled at Char and gave him one last hug, for it would be the last time he would see him again.

**************************************

Seven years have passed since Char had left with elder Vatkir.  Talyk now a teen grew up hating his younger brother Velkar.  After the birth of Velkar, his mother had passed away three years later, since that day Talyk hated Velkar.  It was on his thirteenth birthday when it was explained to him what happened.  Velkar's birth had been hard on his mother, and she almost died during the birthing process from blood loss.  He tried very hard to accept the loss of his mother, but when he and Velkar played, Talyk would see Velkar do things that only his mother would do, which instilled more anger and hatred into him.

One day an elder came for Talyk.  Talyk had been summoned to the temple to meet the elder.  He showed Talyk a book and allowed him to read just a few pages as a test of his loyalty.  When Talyk would not stop reading the book, the elder closed it and refused to allow him to read any further. Talyk grew angry.

"Why do you not allow me to read this book?"

The elder looked him over and could see within his soul. "You are not ready for the power that lies within this particular book, nor are you like your older brother; you are still filled with emotion of the loss of your mother.  This is not the right time for you to learn the old ways of magic."

Talyk grew impatient and walked out of the temple.  The draw of the book and what was written in those few pages was enough for him to think of only of what that book could do and the things to even possibly resurrect his mother that the depths of his soul slowly grew dark.  Months had passed and Talyk could not sleep or eat anything else without thinking of what knowledge he might gain from that book, or the paths it could open for him.

His impatience grew and temptation began to settle in his mind to which it overtook his thoughts and began to get angry at anyone including his own brother.  Soon his soul grew even darker and Talyk knew he had to find the one with the book once again for he believed he would perish without it.  He sent a message to the elder who was the caretaker of the book to ask for a meeting, that he had changed and want to start his training the proper way.   He called to a boy that was nearby. “Laddie, come here.”

“Yes Sir?”

“Would you like to do a favor for me?”  The boy nodded.  "Deliver this letter to the temple elder for me." He handed the boy the letter he had written and then pulled out his purse and handed the boy a gold coin.  "Hurry off now."

That very evening Talyk went to the temple, to meet the one that showed him the book.

"So you have reconsidered my offer to begin your training have you?"  The elders back was turned to him.

"Why yes I have master."  Talyk then stabbed the elder in the back with a knife.  It was the only way for him to gain possession of the book that called out to him.   Quickly, he got rid of the evidence and began to search for the book.

"Damnit, I should of asked where he kept that book hidden, but then he would have become suspicious.  Where have you hidden it old man?  Ahh lets see."  He walked over to a bookcase and started feeling some of the books and felt a switch, then pulled it.  A door slid open that led downstairs.  Talyk grabbed a nearby lit torch and walked down the stairs. The air had a moldy and dusty smell to it the further he descended.  He could feel the draw of the book even more.  As he made it to the end of the stairwell, in the middle of the room laid the book upon a table used for sacrifices.  Talyk quickly grabbed the book and ascended up into the chamber and out of the temple with the book under his cloak.  Talyk made it home and entered his room.  Velkar was still sleeping; quietly he slipped the book under his bed.  For now, he thought the book would be safe, as long a Velkar did not become suspicious.  He would read the book when Velkar fell asleep. Talyk had changed that night.

The next morning came and the circle gathered only to find that one was missing, they arrived at the temple only to find that he was dead.  Everyone gathered at the temple to see what had transpired.  Everyone was astonished to find out that last night the temple elder was murdered.  Both boys rushed to the scene to meet with their father to morn the loss.  Talyk hid his feelings very well but one could tell he was not who he once was, and Velkar knew this, but couldn't prove it..yet.

**********************************************

It was early morning, the first snow had just fallen over the evening hours and Grady woke his sons up to go hunting.  Velkar really did not want to go because he knew Talyk did it for fun more than anything, and not what it was intended for, food.  Velkar yawned and slowly got out of his bedroll, and quickly dressed in warm clothing of furs.  Velkar came out of the hut and saw Talyk waiting.  Velkar shook his head.  It was the same routine every time they went hunting.  Talyk was awake before him, wide eyed and sharpening the tip of his spear, eagerly waiting for Velkar.  He too was dressed warm, wearing a wolf fur coat.  it was a black wolf he had killed and skinned the winter before and he treasured it and wore it every time they went hunting.

"Are you ready yet?" Talyk asked.

Velkar grabbed his bow. "Let's get this done and over with shall we?"  Velkar rolled his eyes as they began their trek into the woods.  This was why Velkar preferred to hunt on his own.  He thought back and remembered briefly his first hunt with Talyk.  They closed in on a deer and Talyk had told him to wait as he tried to draw the deer closer to them.  Velkar being as stubborn as he was had told Talyk he had the shot with his bow.  Something startled him from behind and the arrow went flying into the air and in the trees.   The deer hearing Talyk cursing at him ran off.  That was five years ago, and here they were again in the same situation.

Velkar spotted a deer and motioned to Talyk.  Talyk nodded back and walked quietly to flush the deer closer towards Velkar.  The black wolf furs that Talyk wore drew the deer's attention.  Talyk crouched down as if he were a wolf himself.  The deer seeing this began to move away from him, pacing towards Velkar's direction, just as they had planned.  Velkar made the shot with his bow, but missed hitting the heart.  The deer bounded off.  Velkar cursed at himself for missing and jumped over a log in persuit.  Talyk was ahead of him.  Velkar was wondering how Talyk had gotten so far ahead of him.  Velkar finally saw Talyk from a short distance with the deer, the blood oozing from its wound from where Talyk had pulled the arrow out.  Talyk is staring at the deer.  Velkar did not understand why Talyk did not use his spear to end the deer's pain and suffering.  As Velkar neared Talyk, he noticed that his brother has a smirk on his face and did not even notice that Velkar had arrived.  His eyes focused on the deer as if he were watching its life pass away.

"What are you doing Talyk!!?"

Velkar pushed Talyk away from the deer and onto the ground.  Sitting in the snow, Talyk shifted his gaze towards Velkar, his eyes black as night.  The grin he once had had now turned sour as Velkar ended the deer's life with his spear.  Talyk gets up off the ground as if nothing happened and grabbed his spear from Velkar, walking away from him.  He was by himself to clean the deer and drag it back home.  Velkar shook his head while watching his brother walk away.  Something was not right.  Talyk had changed.  It was not like him to act they way that he did.  To Velkar it seemed as if Talyk had been possessed.

Velkar began to split open the deer, removing the organs to cut the meat.  Talyk watched from a distance enjoying the blood pour out of the deer, the organs removed, and the skin being removed little by little to expose the meat.  He knew his brother had seen the darkness within him, but also knew he needed to keep the book hidden from Velkar.  Velkar must not learn of what he had done or what he was learning.  The stealing of a soul was only the beginning of what he had learned from the book.  He turned and walked back towards their home, leaving Velkar behind.