Looking Back
Chapter 1
Leviticus was a despised wizard of my century. I never thought of living up to him, mainly because he was evil and I was not, but he definitely had an edge. His magic, some say, was gathered from various magical objects. Some even say he found the white wood, which is the most magical place in the world, lost after some dark time or something like that. I hated his guts. He really got on my nerves, especially when he invaded my woods. Being a talented witch, this was like trespassing in the palace gardens, although it's not really trespassing if you're the king, but still he was stealing my magic source! I was in need of help if I was going to get rid of him.
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-Melody
"Mary! Mary! Where are you Mary?" yelled a frantic voice on the edge of the woods.
I woke up covered in sweat. It was the same dream I had been having for weeks, ever since Leviticus decided to invade my forest. I hated him so much.
"Mistress Melody?" I heard my apprentice, Caroline, say from the other side of my door.
"Yes?" I asked in an annoyed tone in order to show her it had better be important.
"Gabriel is here to see you." She said in a weakened tone, and I had wondered if I had been too hard on her, but hay, you would be grumpy too if some dictator was trying to steal your home!
"Oh yes, the elf, tell him I'll be there in a minute. Have him wait in the kitchen will you?" I asked. That elf Gabriel was an ambassador from the local elves in my forest. I've been asking them for help for some time, but the truth is elves are wimps. They always move away from a fight. I was hoping this elfin queen would be different though.
I quickly put my brown hair up in an intricate bun, with the help of magic of course, and put on a simple white tunic and a pair of trousers. I definitely didn't look my best, but I really didn't care about what this elf thought about me, and with that I walk out into the kitchen.
He was just sitting there staring at me, probably waiting for me to say something first. His big black eyes and long brown hair didn't get to me. I wasn't in need of a boy friend right now. I was in need of an army.
"Hello Gabriel. I have been waiting for your response for some time now." I said in a mock manner of a tone. He just raised his eye brows at me in a curious and probably annoyed look.
"I have an answer. The queen herself is willing to give up any volunteers for your cause." he said calmly and smoothly. I sighed in relief.
"Oh good. How many is that?" I asked suddenly aware that there weren't many elves interested in fighting.
"Well let's see… There is me and I and oh and me as well!" he said sarcastically.
"Alright I get it. You are the only elf with a hint of bravery for hundreds of miles." I retorted back. This was getting to be a problem. No one wanted to help out anymore, except maybe Gabriel, but I believe he's just trying to make a name for himself as queen's son.
"Guess so. Hay do I get a badge or something?" he asked with the same amount of retort. He was definitely sleeping in the shed tonight.
"No, but you get to help a pitiful witch and her apprentice for free! This is a one of a kind offer so take it now or never." Our exchange of funny banner was getting kind of old.
"Why not, I have nothing else to do." I was pretty sure he was serious this time.
"Just for that you get to sleep in the guest room." I replied then went to my study to look up some spells to try to grow foreign herbs in my garden. This had always been an odd hobby of mine.
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"No, no, here repeat after me, fioriana casana." I said trying to teach Carolina how to make fire. She held up her torch and tried again.
"Fioriona casanin." The torch sparked then blew out instantly. They had been going on like this for hours and Carol still couldn't get it right.
"Uhhh, let's do some more tomorrow it's getting late. Please practice in the morning." I said relieved to be able to go to bed at last. It had been a long day of spell searching and trying to get Carolina to pay attention.
I shooed her out the door and started to change into my night gown when there was a knock on my door. I quickly finished dressing and headed for the knob. Carolina was standing in the hall out of breath and trying to keep steady.
"A man just knocked and fell on the doorstep. He's hurt badly and has no provisions!" She spoke between breaths so it was hard to understand her, but I got the point. Someone was hurt and abandoned on my doorstep. I'm sure your starting to get the point that my life is not at all normal.
I ran to the front door, only to discover the man. He had short black hair that spiked up a bit, a scabbard on his belt, and, most importantly, an arrow in his back. I reached down in the well of magic that seemed to rest near my heart and pulled out a strand. Then, I took the strand and entered it into the man's back.
"The arrow is poisoned. Hurry and go get Gabriele, I'll need help lifting the man." I had never seen Carolina run as fast as I said these words. She was yelling Gabriele all the way down the hall, and knocking on his door. I started to lift the man as Gabriele ran full speed over to help me. His brown hair was fully let down and he did not have a shirt on. Guess he caught the urgency in Carol's voice.
We moved the mystery guy on the kitchen table. Without hesitation, I entered my magic threw him and started to fix his anatomy and eliminate the poison. It took me hours to get every bit out, but I never gave up. Finally when the last bit of poison was out I fell to the floor in exhaustion.
I thought I heard myself say, "He's well." before I nodded off. It was hard to tell.
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-
"Listen kid, I don't know your name and that hit on the head must mean you don't either so I'm gonna call you…"
I woke up. I was dreaming of the last memory I have ever had. It was the day Luna found me. She was the woman who taught me everything I know; unfortunately she died while experimenting in the dark arts. I never touched those books afterward. They were locked up a long time ago.
I was suddenly aware that I was in bed, and then I remembered last night and jumped out of bed and ran into the kitchen in my night robe. I was really panicking when I saw the man wasn't on the table any more.
"Where is he? What happened? Where did he go?" I wasn't really making much since after that, until the man walked right in the kitchen his self.
"Calm down woman, by the looks of it you're about to have a heart attack." He said in a very sarcastic tone. Nobody talks to me like that.
"Excuse me? I just saved your life; maybe you should be a little more grateful?" I said with as much attitude as possible. If he talked back I had plenty of painful spells to deliver.
"Oh, then you must be Melody the local witch around here if I'm correct?" Yes I was the local witch, but no fool as to not respond to that little comment. The heavy books on the table gave me an idea. I entered my magic into them then pulled the thread up then right back down on his toe.
"Oops, did I do that? I am soooo clumsy." I was feeling pretty proud until Gabe came in.
"You mortals are the most immature creatures on this planet." was his response. "Oh yeah fairy boy? Want to go?" was the man's response.
"You know; if we lived a few hundred more years maybe we wouldn't be so immature!" was mine. The tension was really building now. If Carolina hadn't come in there might have been a much bruised elf in the house.
"What are you all doing? I thought we were planning the destruction of Leviticus, not each other." She had a point, so we all backed down.
"I going to suggest that anyway, by the way my name's Zydin." said our mystery guy at last revealed. About time was all I could think.
"Well Zydin, interested in our little war party?" said I.
"I've got nothing better to do than chase the guy who tried to kill me, so… Sure." was all he said. I was really dizzy from using too much energy at once, so I excused myself, so I could lie down.
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-Gabriele
As soon as Melody went to lie down, I decided to ask some questions. Melody, probably to tired to care, forgot to ask why Zydin was wanted by Leviticus.
"So, Zydin, exactly why is Leviticus is after you?" I gave him a suspicious look, actually there wasn't really a need for that look to get answers, when I could tell if he was lying anyways, but it never hurts to show a little back bone.
"That's a long story; then again you have forever to hear it, don't you?" I gave him another look just for emphasis.
"I'm what you might call a pirate of a sort. I sort of been plundering Leviticus' ships lately just because I hate his guts, plus he has some pretty interesting stuff on board. Would you have guessed that the next time I land my ship, that there are a few mercenaries waiting for me? I was sort of hiding out around this area when one found me and, well you know the story from there." I had to admit, Zydin had no issues when it came to telling a good tale, all though the telling needed some work. At this moment I actually noticed how young he was. If I had a guess I would say Carolina's age.
"Are you not a bit young to be a pirate?" I asked even more suspicious then before.
"Yes, well my father died a bit young, I kind of had to take over from there at the age of twelve. I coped pretty well at least." Twelve! Elf wise that was practically still a baby! I was pretty much done from there, so I went to lie down as well. It had been a very long night.