Mage Chapter 1

Mage Chapter 1

When Athril woke up the sun was hadn’t risen yet. He peered into his father’s room to see that he was still asleep. Then he crept out of the room deciding to go and ponder over some thoughts. He headed towards a large hill a bit south of Kilton. Every morning he came here to ponder his thoughts, to imagine himself being a hero, a guardian, watching over his town. He looked towards the east and waited for the eyes of world to open to start yet another day.

First it was only a glint, a spark of light. Then gradually it formed into a small fire, then the burning amber that kept us warm. Athril turned his north, slanting his eyes to look at the town and waited for the town’s eyes to open. It did. As if it were a sun itself, first it was a spark, smoke started coming out of chimneys. Then the fire, children set off to find something to do for the day. Then the burning amber, adults, mothers and fathers, each heading out to work, shop, or find friends to gossip with. Athril spotted his father immediately. He was the biggest among everyone, like a bear in a crowd of humans.

“New you would be here.” Athril jumped in surprise by the sudden voice behind him. “Ha-ha! Scared ya!”

“Shut it Norman.” Athril said realizing that it was only his friend. Norman was the same age as Athirl yet was very small. However his size may be small but his heart was big. He always was laughing and was so cheery that it made everyone around him smile.

“Sorry… Anyway I needed to talk to you about something.” Normans voice changed suddenly from an apology to a happy it made Athril wonder if he actually meant the apology.

“What is it?” Athril asked, now curious about what he had to say.

“Our scouts report there are knights coming this way.” Norman deepened his voice and pretended to be a military commander by standing up and saluting. Athril and Norman always pretended to be knights and had many members who also enjoyed it. They were the leaders and assigned the scouts, soldiers, and archers. The scouts usually wake up before anyone in the whole town and take posts by every road leading towards Kilton.

“What would knights want in a place as small and run down as here?” Athril thought out loud. “Norman we are going to investigate. Maybe the spies might have something to tell us.” By saying spies Athril meant the woman and their gossip.

The two of them headed down the hill towards the town center where the gossip usually spread. They split up and started shoving through the crowds of people. Athril found a group of woman standing in a circle whispering and looking around nervously. Bingo He thought and stood casually in earshot of their conversation.

“Did you hear that the kingdom is in trouble again?” One of the women whispered.

“Yes I heard it was about a man with a diamond shaped pupil wasn’t it.” Another woman asked.

“Yes that was it,” the one who spoke before, answered. “They say that he is another one of…” Here she stopped and looked around nervously. Then bent down again assured that no one was listening. “Them… the mages.” As soon as Athril heard that his eyes went wide. He remembered the story that Garren had told him. His favorite one. But mages are only in the stories! Athril thought to himself and quickly ran off to find Garren and ask him a question or two.

When he found him Garren was telling a story that Athril hadn’t heard before so he sat down and listened.

“On the tablet that came assure was written this…

Born from light
Wielding the power of shadow
Defeating the dark knight
Carried through the great meadow
To get away from the blight

Restoring the land shall be part of his Fate
The other is to destroy the great hate
He will fight in fury
Until the time to call to a distant land
And reach out to the long lost power

The past will become the present
And the land will fall to shadow
The only source of light he is
Lighter of shadows
Talker of spirits”

Athril noticed that Garren's eyes were on him the whole time. “Now children go get something to eat. I have some business to attend to. The children stood up and started to run towards their own homes to eat. “Now what may be your question young Athril.”

Athril taken by surprise stumbled over his words. “W-well a-I was thinking th-that maybe the mages really did exist.” Athirl relived that he didn't run waited for a response.

Garren stood their looking at him up and down then said “No, young boy they are only a myth, a mere story.” With that Garren started to walk hobble away. Athril turned his back and ran to his house, not because he was hungry because he was scared. He new now that mages exist and Garren was lying. Because Garren's green eyes had a diamond shape pupil.