Jesir

I.- The beggining of Change

Sun was rising and the first tracks of light shined upon Masady town. City of cast- aways, as some would call it. It consisted mostly from people that were banished in supsicion of using magic. King's accusations were wrong...most of the time. Most families have been innocent, but in time they had accepted magic to live among them.

" I still remember the first time we got here"

"Me too Henry."- His mother replied. She glanced down on her wedding ring.

" I still think of my father you know. How it would be if he decieded to stay with us that night." -He said grabbing his mother by the arm.

" He was king's right hand, he had to go." She sobbed.

" You would have everything you need if it wasn't for me...I'm sorry mother."- Henry replied and went back to his room.

His father was very dear to the king, but not dear enough when they accused an eight year old boy of using magic. Nothing compared with kings hatred towards sorcery . Most of suspected people were not lucky enough to be banished... Some would be burnt at the stake while the others watched and threw anything they could grab at them. Any kind of magic was considered betrayal and conspiracy against kingdom and king himself.

His father's lines were easy recognisable on Henry's face. Driven by self guilt and a good heart, he often dreamed of his father, alive, somewhere. He turned his head to his window and saw Tom entering the priest's temple.

"Dammit, Im gonna be late again!"- He thought and rushed accross a couple of stairs from his room.

"I'm sorry..I have to go" - Henry said as he turned towards the door.

"Already? But I made your favourite." Mother replied lowering the bowl on the table.

" Save me some for later" -He replied and rushed to the temple.

The glittery dew drops soaked Henry's feet at the moment he stepped on the grass. He had to make it before first track's of light have struck the temple's flag. He rushed because he didn't want to spend another evening with ms. Luna, studying about herbs that nobody saw for decades, but not today.

"Well, well, well, somebody decided to join..." -a male voice spoke in the corner.

"Oh...it's you" -Henry sighs in relief. " You scared me"

"Oh don't worry, he's not here yet" says Tom.

Tom was a boy his age, sixteen years old, with a crooked nose and curly brown hair. They first met seven years ago when his village was attacked by king's Cerit search party, he lost both of his parents If it wasn't for the priest Athelstan, he wouldn't be here either.

Some time passed and their conversation got interrupted. The priest entered the room with his brown robe and a long drawn face.

Everybody in town respected Athelstan for everything he has done for his people. His deep old voice poured trust and hope in people. It's not just the fact that he was one of the few that practiced the old relligion, he was also teaching it to those born with magic in the ways of using it right.

"Allright. Who can tell me what was the last lession?" Tom glances at Henry's sweaty face, then quickly looks back to the flower on a mozaic window.

"Potions." Henry answers." We talked about the potions and their effects"

"Correct." -Blankly says priest." Do you remember any of them?

"Thamonus, the potion for defence against dark forces." -Tom prompted.

The priest sighs, moves to the flower on the window and nods his head.

" Thamonus is a rare potion. His purpose was to not only be used for defence. Such power was wielded by the creator's intention." He pauses and waters the flower. He turns towards them and slowly starts walking until he stops between Tom and Henry.

"Ancient religion taught us magic, therefore, separated us from regular people. They considered it to be a force for evil and, unfortunately, we've shown it that way. Everlasting war against dark forces tore down, not only kingdoms, but the entire world. The war was lost, and the brighter side of magic fell beneath a dark cape.

Outcomes planted the seeds of hatred in people, therefore divided us even more. How wouldn't it, poor people lost everything and certanly got nothing from it."- He glanced down as everything was his fault.

Henry kinda empathized with him. He felt guilty for using magic too.

He got lost in his thoughts and let the priest continue with his story.

"Capio...capio.."- Henry heard the whispers. He could swear he heard it from the shelf. Suddenly he felt really drawn to it, and the urge to check it out was irresistible.

"Henry!" The priest yelled.

"Is there something that sparks your interest perhaps?"

"No...no I'm sorry." -He answered. " But there is one question that has been raveling my mind sir."

The priest stared at him and noded. "Let's hear it than"

In the moment Henry finally decided to open his mouth, a loud knock disrupted him.

"Im very sorry" -Nervously and nearly out of breath, said a tall man with sweat drops pouring down his face. " It's the matter of urgency sir!"

Robes and his staff unmasked his profile. It was one of guardians near border patrol.

"Fine, you two wait for me here.. I'll be back soon. The priest replied and went with the guard.

They sat there in aggitation, looking at each other, but than it began once more

"Capio...capio.." The whispers got louder.

Henry stood up and stormed towards the shelf.

"What on earth are you doing?" -Tom asked. " You're gonna get us in trouble."

"I have to see what's in there" -Henry answered.

"I don't think you should do it."

"Oh, don't worry, it seems like they have bigger problems now."

He put the book on the table and started listing it. The whispers stoped.

"What are those?" -Tom asked

" Those are the cratures that died in the war."

"A lot of nasty ones if you ask me." -Tom promted. "Wait! Look, these are the spells Athelstan thought us."

"Yes, you're right, that's the leviation spell."

After a while the exploring had to end. The priest entered the room and Henry jumps. Without much thinking, he places the book in his bag. "Ooh boy, here it comes." Henry thought. Expected yelling was non-exstant this time. Priest's face was pale and worried. The shock on his face was too obvious.

"You are dissmissed...tomorrow, me and the rest of the sorceres will gather in front of the citadel. We have a very important message to declare."

"Is everything allright sir?"-Tom asked with a stutter in his voice.

"We will discuss it tomorrow. What's important now is that you get back to your homes and show up at the citadel tomorrow morning."

They walked to the front door and Henry stopped.

"Everything will be allright sir." -He said and then left.

Thoughts in his mind dwelled so hard, that he almost started talking out loud. "What message? What happend?"

They never saw much expressions on priest's face till now, especially to see him that devastated.

"He didn't even notice...that's right, the book!"- He screamed in his head.

Just few steps ahead, he saw his mother through the kitchen window, sitting with a stranger in a robe with strange markings. He approached the door and gently pushed them.

"Mom" he said as he slowly snuck through the door. He starteld. She was crying.

"No honey!"- She sobbed. "Run!"

It was too late. The stranger stood up and faced Henry. His eyes revealed a golden glow. He started choking them with their feet above ground.

"You, you are comming with me." Stranger smiled at him and, with a c***k, he threw them to the wall. Henry's body laid still without a twitch.

"We've waited long enough...son of Jesir."

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