Chapter 1
Arturo "Art" Gleeson slept peacefully, oblivious to the world around him save for the dreamworld he was visiting at the moment. The sun worked its way up, casting its warming light over the lands as if sending a silent signal to start to day. in the various cities people awoke and began their day like any other. Scholars moved about in their Purple Robes, muttering as they always did as they passed those on the streets much like Art, they to were Oblivious to the goings on around them. The White Robed people took great care to know the world and area around them as they walked, no sign of emotion shown to those they passed, but that was to be expected a Magic user didn't converse with one that was normal. Art was startled from sleep at the soft knock that came to his door. groaning to himself, hand running over his face he stood. Arturo Gleeson was the oldest of four children. Standing at around 6 ft, Art was built for his age. Broad shoulders, muscular arms and the determination to use them made him feared among the others of his age for that and his temper, which was legendary among the small settlements around Nord's Glen. being the oldest and first born he was forced by his step-father (who never liked Art) to leave and make it on his own much to his mother's displeasure. Art had enjoyed the day he had built his home with his own hands, and gotten a handful of small animals to help make ends meat, something his no good step-father could ever manage to do. it was a kick in the face to the man that hated him, a way of proving that Art wasn't worthless after all. Grabbing the strip off the bedside table, he would tie back his hair as he moved toward the door. another difference that marked that he had a different father then his other siblings, Art's hair was stark white in color, while his other siblings hair was blonde. opening the door and catching the glimpse of who was knocking, he smiled. "Isabella" he said staring at his his youngest sister, who stared up at him, smiling. she was a cute girl his sister. golden blonde curls that fell to her cheeks and a smile that lit up a room. when they still lived under the same roof, Art had taken to looking out for her, figuring no one else was going to. after the moment of surprise, he found out the reason for her visit and it made him smile more as he pulled her up and in for a hug, her head barely reaching his stomach. "you made it into the Magic School" he said and she just giggled, hugging him back.
"Thats Great news" he said as he let her go, realizing he was probably crushing her. stepping back into the house, he motioned for her to enter as he would move to collect the tin of biscuits and some cups, having nothing but water for the moment he filled them both to the max, before carrying them over. Isabella would sit at his two person table. "they had me tested yesterday" she said, taking a biscuit from the tin after he sat it and the cups of water down and took the other seat. "since Lishea is in the order, they thought i might be able to manifest too, and i did" she said, proudly, eating first one then the other biscuit, and moving to the third and last one.. Art hid it well, be he knew that his siblings weren't being fed properly and it always sent his rage and anger bubbling, hoping to catch his no account step-father out on the roads and force the man to take better care of his family. "thats great" he said, fighting the urges that welled up inside of him. "whats your power?" he asked, remembering when the second oldest child, his sister Lishea showed promise for Magic, she had done some sort of levitation and sent the family cat, much to its displeasure flying around the room, though afterwards she barely had enough strength to stand it had drained her that much. at that question, Isabella straightened up, puffing her chest out proudly. "i can heal things" she said, smiling. Art was taken aback by that.. healing another was both dangerous and powerful, knowing that his little sister was a healer, made his heart swell with pride. "they brought over a little dog, who's leg was broken" she began, explaining in detail for Art of how she had healed the dog's leg. he just smiled and listened, waiting til she was finished. "a healer in the family.. that is something else.. now the roles are reversed huh" he said, causing Isabella to look at him with a confused look, which made him laugh. "i only meant that Lishea is probably now jealous of you instead of you being jealous of her.. she can only move things" he said, making it sound like it wasn't a big deal, when any kind of magic made a person something more, something special in the eyes of everyone.. since he never knew his father, and his mother refused to speak about him Art accepted that he was forever going to be ordinary. Isabella would just laugh at what he said. "no, she is not jealous of me" Art nodded, and taking the empty tin away, he would come back with another that held some jerky of his, sitting it on the table before sitting again Isabella would start eating that as well.
"Lishea didn't want to walk all the way home, so she said she would pick me up here for my first day at the castle.. can you believe i get to live in the castle now?" she asked. "I'll probably have to share a room with someone, but still.. im use to that." Art nodded. "Well of course i can believe you living in a castle" he waited til she looked at him curious again before continuing. "cause you a princess, and princesses deserve to live in castles" that comment made her blush and smile at her brother.. out of all of his siblings, Isabella was the one that didn't look at him differently, who didn't treat him as if he was a bother.. though he doubt she'd ever been mean in her life, she was too kindhearted for that. "when is she suppose to arrive?" Art asked, just as the sound of a much heavier knock came to the door. "speak and it shall happen" he said, standing. Isabella would quickly swallow and chew what she held in her mouth before standing and straighten herself up, fixing her robes as Art opened the door, and looked into the hard face of his other sister. "Lishea" he said, smiling, one that she didn't return. "Arturo" her reply, having never taken to calling him Art like he wished, no matter how many times he had asked her. "I've come for my sister" she then said, which made Art's smile fade a bit. "you mean our sister, considering we are all related.. by our mother" Lishea shrugged, her way of ending an argument she didn't care to have. "come along Isabella" she held her hand out, eyeing the little girl, who nodded and would move to take the hand. Art stepped to the side, allowing for her to get past. "congratulations on getting into the school Isabella" he said. "im proud of you" and that made her smile. "you should be proud of her" Lishea interrupted, causing Art to look up at her in his own gaze of confusion. "since the family has produced two magic users, with the possibility of two more.. the lords of the castle have elevated mother and father to a regal standing" she smirked as she told him. "they're moving within the walls, and will be gaining a commission monthly for providing a service to the town" Art narrowed his eyes, even though he knew she'd never say it out loud, the contentment in her voice meant she was rubbing it in. That he was able to do nothing for the family, that his blood was average. of course he should have known that would be the case, Lishea always rubbed it in that he was a bastard child, and that her father was kind enough to take him in, but he didn't love her any less for it, it wasn't her that was talking, it was her father. quelling the rage that had built up in him he put on a smile, and nodded. "that too is great to hear, i know mother will enjoy the city life.. the music from the festivals had always made her smile, so now she'll get to see one for real" he said. Lishea's smirk left, as she realized that she couldn't get under his skin. Turning away from him, "come Isabella" she said and would walk on, heading down the little path that would lead to the main road, and then toward the Walled City. Isabella looked over her shoulder once, and would smile to see that Art was waving at her and smiling. she waved back before Lishea made her look ahead and then they both were gone from view, heading toward a better life for themselves and the rest of the family. closing the door, Art moved back and sat down at the table. he was happy for them, for all of them. "They deserve better, and now they'll get it" he told himself, as he drank the last of his water, and wishing he had something stronger. forcing the resentment and anger at himself down, and locked behind the wall in his mind, he moved from the table and to his bed to collect his day clothes, he couldn't spare anymore time. as he gathering his hard leather pants and well worn cotton shirt, he reached under his bed, and grabbed the hard roll that was there.. pulling it out and sitting it on the bed, he went about untying it. inside was a collection of coins. Copper, Silver and a few Gold coins stared back up at him.. his life savings, the collection he had been saving since his forced departure from home. reaching under his pillow, he would produce a rarity for a person outside the wall. a gold bar. three inches in length, with half an inch in width, this bar was his pride and joy.. having found it lying among the ground, he was sure someone was playing a trick on him, but when he tested and found it to be real, he was elated.. this increased his savings tenfold in amount. setting the bar inside the bundle, he quickly wrapped it up, and tucked it back under the bed. with a smile on his face, he went to get dressed, and left the house to start another day in his ordinary life.