Chapter 4
Three Years Later
Moans, distant and close were all that was heard in the lowest part of the jailer's cells,Art's Permanent home for the better part of three years, since his breaking into the walled City to find his mother, only to discover she and his younger brother had perished that night. Art was at the moment chained to the back wall of his small cell, his wrists and ankles bound, the only thing that was keeping him upright, he was weak from the lack of food and water, but more importantly he'd given up hope, given up wanting to live. before, when they caught him three years ago, he'd been questioned on how he got in, why he set the fire that destroyed half the block of houses before it was "contained" when he was horse from telling them how he managed to get in, how everything that he needed to know, he knew how and when to do it, leaving out the invisibility part. and then screaming that he hadn't set the fire, that it was his mother and brother that perished in the flames. when the cities officials determined they Wasn't going to get the truth, that Art was lying they had him locked away, crossing the wall was forbidden, they had said, and the punishment wasn't kind, especially since he'd done what no one else before him had, successfully breached the wall and city. he was bitten, starved those first few months, Lishea had brought Isabella once to see him. he tried to explain, but Isabella couldn't stop crying and Lishea had done all the talking and no listening, she refused to believe that he hadn't done it, and what got him angry was finding out that the bastard step-father of his was still alive, and claiming he'd see Art set the fire, after that Isabella and Lishea never came again and with the word of a royal against that of a lesser, Art was left to the guards mercy, and to the raging headaches that just popped up and came and left Art in extreme pain.
coughing, Art's whole body vibrated against the wall he was pressed again, causing him to raise his head.. when he did, he noticed he wasn't alone in his cell anymore. a man stood at the door to his cell, someone Art had never seen before, that he could remember anyway, he wasn't really in the best frame of mind to recall everyone. the man was a foot shorter then Geod, he noted and were Geod was slightly pale, this man held a even enough tan and was wearing a blue set of robes. Art shut his eyes, and when they opened again and the man remained, he knew he was looking at another Element user. like a flash, his old lessons with his mother came to him. Art was five, and sitting on his mother's knee at their table. "in the land of Elemetia, there is magick my son" his mother said, stroking his hair "you've seen some of it at the fairs and traveling shows that pass, but there is another kind, and this kind is Rare, its the Magick of the Elements" on the table before them, sat an old book, bound in worn leather, with ancient writing along the top. his mother opened it and it showed four distinct symbols. "i know those" Art would say, pointing. "that is water, this is Earth, then Air and this is Fire" he said, pointing to each corresponding symbol. his mother beamed at him. "thats right" she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "now, these three" she said, tapping Air, Water and Earth's symbols. "they are part of the world, every now and then someone is born that can use the element and that makes them very special and very powerful" Art sat and listened intently against his mother. "the forth, Fire however is even more special" she turned the page in the book. "how come?" his younger self asked, even that young he was inquisitive, needing to know. "well, because there has ever only been a few people in the whole world that can use Fire. some people say its a greedy element, it doesn't like to be shared, other people believe that those that can use it, keep it secret, cause they are afraid, fire is strong but its almost the most dangerous" she turned the page on the book again, and recited. "Air is the magick of serenity, one that Manifests Air is balanced and pure. Earth is the magick of Strength, the Veri are one with the Earth so its they that are its Mani-festers. Water is the Magick of change, those that Manifest Water are every changing like the tides" she turned to the last page. "Fire is the Magick of Passion, those before that Manifested Fire were passionate always" she closed the book and Art looked up at her, getting a kiss to his forehead for it. "i told you all this so you wouldn't be unprepared, there are Element Manifestors our there my sweet son, and you need to be prepared for meeting them" Art blinked the tears from his eyes that had formed, he'd forgotten his mother in the years being down there, treated as he was, he'd forgotten where he came from, and who'd had brought him into the world. getting himself under control, and the tears to stop, he cringed as the headaches came again, like someone was pouring molten metal into his skull. the man stepped closer. "my name is Sebastian Monri" he took a seat on a stool that wasn't in there before. "what is your name?" Art groaned, wanting so bad to rub his head, to get the headache to stop. "what is a water Mani-fester doing down here with the trash?" Art returned instead of answering, his headache loosening his tongue some as he looked at the man, mid thirties Art would guess, one well acquainted in his power over water, a learned user. "i've come to determine exactly what kind of power you have Manifested" an answer that left Art dumbstruck. "i can sense, partly if someone will awaken their gift and Manifest" Sebastian said, reaching up and adjusting a blue choker he had around his neck. "and why have i been in this cell for three years before you grace me with your humble presence?" Art asked, Sebastian's mouth twitched. "i just recently came to study here, and you came to my attention during my walk through of the city, so i ask again.. what is your name" Art's head was throbbing "Arturo Gleeson" he answered. "well Arturo, i've looked over your crime and i will say an impressive feat, breeching the wall without killing or hurting anyone, making it through the outer ring unnoticed, then to the inner ring, where you escape the cities guards, all so you can burn down a house with your mother and siblings inside" Art gritted his teeth. "i didn't start the fire" he said. "your then step-father said he saw you, and his word against yours.. my question is, what power do you have?. Levitation, Evasiveness, acute Awareness? any of which could see you out of this place and trained to use your skills for a better cause" Sebastian fiddled with the choker around his neck again as he watched Art. "i told the officials how i got in, and they put me here claiming it was lying.. i knew" Sebastian arched a brow. "knew what?" he asked.. Art sighed, slumping in the chains. "Everything.. i knew how to get in, when the best time to do it, how to do it without getting caught, i knew it all. i worked near the wall for years as a stable hand, i watched merchants come and go, in my mind, all that came together, and i saw a pattern" he shrugged, he'd went through all that before, told them everything save for the invisibility and they called him a liar and lucky for making it as far as he did, and from the look on Sebastian's eyes, that is where this conversation was heading toward. "i see" Sebastian stood, grabbing the stool and exiting out of the cell, locking it back with the iron key. "enjoy the rest of the morning Mr. Arturo" and he left without another word, leaving Art alone once again. he slumped against the wall, wishing they'd let him down, he wanted the small pallete on the floor, he needed to lay out to ease the soreness in his body, and more importantly he wanted to rub his head to stop the headache, that was slowly rising. Hours later, Art woke and rolled over, staring at the hooded figure that was outside his cell, clad in all black, Art looked at where the figures face would have been, had not been covered. "two visitors in one day, i must be famous" he mocked, expecting another "lesson" thinking it was a guard or something come to do the beating.. the figure knelt and tossed something into the cell, and whatever it was clattered and rolled across the ground, coming to a halt right beside Art's pallete, and what he saw made his heart stop, it was the bracelet his mother had given him, the one that belonged to his father.. he knew cause the red gemstone in the center of the band was one of a kind. he looked to the figure "how.." he asked, the figure gripped the bars of the cell in his hands. "they'll kill you without it, but it wont save you" a male voice, deep and imposing said, making the hooded figure a male. "let your instincts guide you, and you'll find where you need to go to learn, don't and you'll die" and the figure ran off. "wait" Art called out, moving as quick as he could to the bars, trying to look out. "how do you know all this? what is going on with me?" he called out, but getting nothing in return but curses from the newest arrivals that were looking to sleep. Art moved from the bars and went and took the bracelet off the floor, his thumb dragging along the ruby stone, before he slipped it right onto his wrist, his eyes closing as he did, letting the memories of his mother past the wall he'd set up in his mind, and he cried, truly cried at having lost the only person that truly loved him. the stone on the bracelet glowed, Art's eyes snapped open, and like three years ago, he knew.. his mind opened, and showed everything perfectly and for the first time Art gave a small smile, cause he knew how to escape.
Headache free now and his mind processing everything from the last three years, art was all ready, even if he didnt know who the hooded figure was or what he was talking about something killing him, he knew he didnt want to be locked up any more nor did he wish to ever forget his mother, his brother that he lost, something had happened to him, he'd given up.. he didnt know when it happened but he'd let his step father win, and that was disrespectful toward his mother and brother. Grabbing the chains from the wall, he wound his hand around them, planted his foot and yanked, and he yanked hard, pulling slightly to the left as he did, something registered to him in the three years that there was a weakness in the connection from chain to wall, and the sobbing laugh that came from him when then right legs chain shattered the wall as it pulled free was as much a relief to him as it was an oddity in the place of sorrow. Weapon in hand now, he started banging and making as much noise, giving in to his driving instincts.. guards up the hall shouted and their hurried sound of boots on stone were followed art focused, knowing this time it would work, it would come to him when before it didnt.. the red gemstone in his band glowed, the power surged and like before art felt like water was being poured over him, as his body rippled, before completely vanishing, he stood there, waiting as the guard appeared, a dirty, loathsome man that got joy from beating his charges "shut it up.." he yelled into the cell, only to stare at the emptiness of it, art smiled to himself seeing the moment of daze on the mans face before he gripped the bars in disbelief "ESCAPE!" The man yelled, fumbling with the keys just as art raised the invisible chain, and as soon as the guard ran in, art spun the chain around, cracking the man in the head with the built up rage anger of three years. Twirling from the hit, the guard dropped and art ran, not looking back. Art felt invincible, there was no other word for it, he knew which halls to take, when to stop and wait. Even when the invisibility was off, he was untouchable, him and his chain were a blur, combat techniques and strategies flowed from his mind, things he'd seen and new things didnt even know were at his disposal. At the top of the last set of stairs, two guards blocked his path.. fingers gripping his chain, he rushed them. One guard thrust out with his lance, art's body spun at the last second and it missed, his chain coming down right on the man's arm, giving the crunch of bone, then the scream from the man himself who no longer wished to fight but to cradle his now broken arm, art didnt stop, kicking to the side, his foot came up on the other guard, catching him between the legs, and dropping him and his sword to the ground. Leaving them and his chain, he burst out of the door and into the midday sun, which had he not been under ground for three years would have felt amazing, but yet burned his eyes. Hands covering his face, he staggered, he needed to adjust to the brightness. Art stumbled around, shielding his eyes while trying to see where he was going. Now that he was free, he wasn't sure what to do aside from get out of the city and to do it quickly. Once his eyes adjusted enough, he took off running, dashing in between side streets, all the while hearing the calls and yells of the cities guards, all of them by now knowing who had gotten free, and since he showed them all up three years ago, they would be determined to find him this time. As he ran, he stole a cloak from a bystander, when the man looked, his cloak and the thief was gone. William was invisible again and he was sprinting. Ten minutes of flat out running, frightening people he ran into, of course they couldn't see what hit them, he made it to the gate, oddly it wasn't guarded and he didnt think about it til his footing shifted, the ground around the gate became like sand, swallowing his feet "Arturo" the one voice he hadn't heard in three years. The invisibility rippled as it ended, his body becoming visible again he looked at his old friend who walked out in his dark brown robes, his pale, angelic features and silver eyes, that for once showed shock "move Geod, i have to get out of here, i have to go" art said, fighting to free his feet from the sand but it was no use. "I cant do that Arturo, your sentence was life in your cell" geod never believed his friend killed his mother and young brother, but there was nothing he could do. "I.. " art grabbed his head, gritting his teeth, the headache was coming back, though it wasn't as bad as before, it was more gradual. "I have to get out of here!" He yelled, the red gem flaring, and art's eyes shifting color, they looked to be on fire, blazing with red, oranges and yellow. Geod took a step back, feeling the air growing hotter, feeling the sand around art's ankles changing "art, what is going on?" He asked, truly worried for his friend, who held his head "i have to GO!" He yelled, and like a spark, a ball of fire came to life in front of art, his eyes blazing. The sand at his feet couldn't hold him, he pulled his feet free as the fireball blazed "Arturo" geod said, a combination of worry and awe on his face as he watched. Art jerked his head forward and the fireball shot forward, right at geod. Skill was all that saved him, geod ducked, and the earth rose up and covered him, stone forming into a shell. The fire ball slammed into it, and an explosion sounded. Purpose served, it crumbled and geod shot out of it, prepared to defend or attack, only to see art was gone "he used the seconds i took to defend to run" geod said in disbelief, looking out of the gate, to the dust trial heading down the road "and he stole my horse" he added, just as a handful of guards appeared "lord geod" they said "where is the prisoner?" Geod turned and looked at them, instead of answering "summon lady Kissel and lord Sebastian, to meet me in the high tower" and he walked through them, heading to the tower. "The rules were different now" he told himself as he headed to the school, its white marble stone walls and large tower of the elements "a fire user is among us"