A/N: If you just jump into this story, you will likely be confused and think I got a lot of things wrong. This story is an AU, not just changing a few things, but this takes place in a whole new world. I'm going to be starting an original story in this world, so these are some chapters leading up to that story to help me practice with this new setting. This is a fantasy world, where magic is normal, along with other things new to this world. While the main story will be adventure, these chapters will focus more on family and comedy. If you're confused, ask and I'll try to explain.
Chapter 1: Cody, We Have a Problem
After a long night sleep, Cody felt himself gently awakened by the sound of birds chirping beyond the walls. He opened his eyes gently and smiled when he caught the sunlight flickering into his and his brother's room. It looked to be a nice and relaxing day, and one where he could allow himself to sleep a little longer. He snapped his eyes shut and rolled away from the sun, pushing away the many concerns and force himself to relax. With him busy with school, his part time job at the temple, and family, not to mention trying to win Bailey over, he was exhausted nearly all the time. It had been several weeks since he had just been able to sleep in and relax. Ignoring the noise coming from downstairs he closed his eyes and allowed his dreams to take over once more.
_
Zack gazed at the clock on the wall, seeing it was already 11:32. Even for a Saturday, it was strange for Cody to be sleeping that late, though he didn't blame his brother. Normally he would still be fast asleep, but today he had more important matters to worry about. His parents were gone for the weekend, going to visit his Aunt Connie and Uncle Andrew. Truthfully, he didn't really like his aunt and uncle; all they seemed to talk about was the good old days, which he wasn't exactly around for.
"Okay, let's do this," he said taking a firm breath, and looking around one last time, making sure there wasn't anything in the middle of the room that could get in his way.
He held his palm out, remembering the simple incantation his dad had taught him several years ago. "O brilliant blaze, lend me your might." A small fireball formed in Zack's hand just like it had dozens of times before. He turned his palm out and the small blaze went toward the center of the room. A cocky grin grew across his face. Something like forming a small fireball was child's play; he was ready to take the next step.
Zack focused his mind on the small fireball. It had become second nature using simple magic like that, but if he was going to be successful with the stronger spell, he couldn't let himself be distracted by anything.
"Roar o raging flames and bend to my will," he chanted, letting the energy all around him flow into the fireball. His body tingled at the sensation as the power of mana traveled through his fingertips and into the flame. As Zack's focus grew, so did the fire. After only a few seconds the fireball grew to over a meter across, nearly filling the room. "Wow, this is so awesome!" the teen mage said, overjoyed at the power he had channeled. Now his dad would be forced to teach him the more powerful spells.
"Now I just need to get rid of the flame," Zack said as he flicked his wrist to release control of the fire as he did with the smaller flames. Except this time, it didn't disappear, and instead started falling to the ground. He quickly reestablished his mental link with the fire and held it in the air. He then decided he had a small problem. A giant fireball was floating in the middle of his family's living room, and he had no way to get rid of it. Maybe it was a big problem.
Zack looked around the room franticly, searching for something that could put out the flame. He grabbed a pitcher of water off the counter beside him before tossing it at the fire. Unfortunately, for the teen, this did nothing. "This could be bad," he mumbled before searching for another option. He wished that he could use a water spell to put it out, but it took everything he had to cast this one, and even if he could maintain two spells, it probably wouldn't be enough.
His eyes locked upon the stairs, which made him think of his still sleeping brother. He could call Cody and together they might be able to subdue this inferno before it did more damage, but that would be admitting he couldn't handle this on his own. He knew that might be true, but he'd never admit it.
Zack decided he had to get this fireball out of the house before he lost control of it and blew up the house, so he slowly moved to the front door and opened it, all along keeping his palms pointed toward the falme to help him maintain control.
He slowing pushed the door open, and slowly backed out. However, he forgot that there was a step up into the house from the yard, so he tripped and fell backwards. The sudden jolt propelled him toward the ground and the flame forward ,through the front wall. As Zack got up, he saw a giant hole in the wall, with flames all around it, and much of the front lawn engulfed in fire. "Uh-oh"
Zack decided now was the time to swallow his pride and ask for help. Even he knew his house on fire was something he couldn't handle himself. "Cody!!!"
_
Cody tossed and turned in his sleep, subconsciously noting that the house had gotten hotter. He tossed his blankets off from him and buried his head in the pillow, wanting to treasure this sleep as much as possible.
He heard a small explosion, which unwillingly rocketed the teen into consciousness. Grudgingly, he got up from bed and decided he should investigate. It was probably just his brother burning breakfast again. Shrugging his shoulders, he slowly walked over to the stairs.
"Cody!!!" his brother's voice rang out, causing him to start running down the stairs. He knew Zack wouldn't call him for nothing like that.
Once he reached the bottom of the steps, he froze, and just stood, mouth agape at the scene. It took his mind a couple minuets to process the events, but once he saw his panicked brother standing in the front lawn, he knew what he had to say. "Zack, how did you make a giant flaming hole in the house?"
"Now now Codester, this isn't the time for blame, this is the time for putting out said giant flaming hole in the house."
While a million questions filled the younger teen's head, he knew Zack had a point. He could interrogate his brother after this mess was dealt with.
Cody let his mind and body relax and drew upon his magic. Small spheres of water encompassed his hands, which he pointed at the burning chunks of the house. A gentle stream poured out and slowly doused the flames.
Zack too used a similar water magic to help his brother in combating the blaze. "Why are you using such a puny spell?"
"Because I don't want to lose control like someone I know," he said rising an eyebrow at his brother. "Besides, if I use all my strength right away, we could be in trouble later on."
"Come on Cody, it's not like a dragon is going to come that we'd have to fight. All we have to do is put out this fire and fix the house before Mom and Dad kill us."
"Don't you mean before they kill you?" Cody asked knowingly.
"Hey, this is good magic practice at least," Zack said once they had finally put out the flames on the house itself. Turning behind him through, he saw nearly half the front lawn was currently on fire. "Here we go again," Zack said turning his attention to putting out that fire. Cody ran up beside him and began doing the same, trying to limit the damage the flames did.
"So how did you manage to do this again?" Cody asked, perplexed at the story his brother would come up with this time.
"Well, I wanted to prove to Dad that I was ready to learn stronger spells, so when he got home tomorrow, I was going to show him that I could handle the power of raging flames. Only, I kind of tripped and lost control, sending it through the wall," he answered sheepishly.
With the fire across the grass starting to fade, Cody increased the power of his spell, subduing the remaining blaze. With all the fires put out, the exhausted mages sat on the ground, trying to figure out what they'd do from here.
"So Cody, you wouldn't know how to fix a giant hole in the wall would you?"
Cody gave his brother one of those 'I can't believe you can ask that with a straight face' looks.
"I doubt someone as weak as him could, but I might be able to help."
The twins looked behind them and noticed one of their classmates leaning against a tree, casually observing the situation. A gentle wind blew through his long black hair as he slowly walked up to the twins.
"So are you going to help us or just stand there with that goofy grin across your face?" Zack demanded.
"Always so impatient, aren't you Zackary?" he said, enjoying Zack's frustration.
"Well Grey, I'm sure you could do something to help," Cody said, trying to calm the situation before something worse happened.
"Yeah, I could, but I really see no reason why I should," Grey smugly said, "I'm sure the top student in our class could handle something like this."
"I really want to kick his butt," Zack mumbled softly enough for only his brother to hear it.
"Yeah, but we don't want a repeat of last time," Cody whispered back to his brother before turning to Grey. "I might be the top student in school, but I'm not match for your skill in magic." He tasted bile as he tried to act as sincere as possible. "You're right; I can't do anything here, so I humbly plead for your assistance, o great master of magic." He'd have Zack come up with a plan revenge later.
"My my, you are so kind, so much so that I shall bestow upon you a glimpse of my power." Grey walked up to the hole in the wall and held out his hands. A brown energy flowed around his palms as he chanted a simple spell. "Spirits of the fallen timbers heed my cry. Allow me the honor of wielding your ferocious might." The spirits emerged, dancing along his fingers as the wind blew them. Grey focused on controlling them and they went into the wood surrounding the hole in the wall. A bright yellow glow emerged from the edges, and the wood began growing to once again fill the hole in the wall. In a matter of seconds, it didn't even look like a fire had flown through it. "That should do it, just tell me next time you mess up," Grey said as he walked away.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Zack asked his brother.
"That we need to come up with a plan to make is life miserable?" Cody replied as several ideas starting forming in his head.
"Well, I was going to say that I think I left the house key inside, but I like your thought better."
The twins shifted their gaze to the front door to see that it was shut, causing them to run to it. "It's locked," Zack declared as he tried to push it open. "No good," he declared.
"Yeah, and my key is on my nightstand since someone made me come out here right after waking up, but maybe…" A smile came across Cody's face, when he remembered planning for this after the New Year's incident with Mattie and the fireworks. "I hid a key in the shed a few months ago incase this happened."
"Dude, that's awesome!" Zack exclaimed. They ran behind the house to the shed, and opened the door. Cody quickly found the bucket that held the corn seed and grabbed the small key underneath it. "Wow, I love you man," the older brother said as he nearly tackled his brother in an embrace.
"Calm down bro," Cody said, reaching out for a shelf to stabilize himself. "Let's just go back inside; I was enjoying sleeping in for once."
"Sounds good to me; I think that's enough training for one day."