Ch 2.1- Assignments
"Ok, you've already gotten past the 1st degree. Before we moved here you passed the test and now your a 2nd degree witch." Merrick said flipping through a big leather bound book. There were three degrees you needed to achieve before you could get High Priest or High Priestess and then three more degrees that are very confidential after that to earn a chair on the witches council. Merrick is very close he has taken the 3rd test after High Priest but has failed twice. His son is on his 3rd degree and cant get further. So Merrick is counting on me to surpass his son.
Merrick turned to me book in hand. "You've fallen off track. I need you to be 3rd by spring if we are to make the High Priestess testing." He said a bit of worry in his voice. I smirked and crossed my arms. I was leaning in the door way. We were in the altar room. He had called me in after I got home from school. "No problem!" I said confidently. But dont let me fool you. I couldn't learn THAT fast. especially not with how the Jenna thing was going. Last week at the nature center was the last I heard from her. It was a disaster. I drove her home in complete silence. She wont answer my calls or anything, she ignores me in class.
Merrick made a grumbling noise. "I doubt it. Your too busy worrying about Jenna. I really wish you would hurry, your waisting my time." I stood up from the wall and uncrossed my arms.
"Dont worry, I got it all under control..." I said. Merrick slammed the old book closed and it made a loud thump. I jumped at the sudden noise.
"Like you showed up for fireswarm lessons Monday?" He said with a hint of anger. He turned and set the book back down on its stand. Then he turned back to me.
"Oh I for-"
"Dont give me excuses." He said interrupting. He walked passed me in through the door way. Then turned back to me. "Oh yeah, and there is a test tomorrow..." I gave him a confident unworried look. He shook his head and disappeared down the hall. I let out a breath. "Fuck." I said out loud. Now I have to study my math, write a report AND get fireswarm down by Monday and it was Thursday. 'Great now look what you've done. You cant learn fireswarm in 4 days!' I thought to myself.
A few hours later I was back in the altar room reading the fireball spell over and over. I had been there for an hour trying to summon fire to throw at the round iron targets set up in one section of the large room. If you were an ordinary person walking in to this room, you would be confused as to whether it was a shooting range or a set for some satanic movie. Now dont get me wrong, witchcraft is far from satanism, but at first glance our altar looks like we kill things on it. In reality, that isnt the case at all, at least for most of the spells. Sacrifices are usually fruit, some type of other food, or a symbolic one, not an actual physical one. Merrick says that type of magic is much too powerful for me to do, he says its in the secret ranks, referring to the 3 ranks after High Priest. I havent told Merrick yet but I am aiming for those ranks. I want to learn as much as possible about magic.
I took a deep breath again as instructed in the book, I relaxed in to a meditative state and visualized fire. I felt warmth in both of my hands. I opened my eyes and two fireballs flickered in my hands. I took another deep breath and slowly combined the two in to one giant ball of fire. This is where I usually get stuck. Concentrating hard I slowly move my hands away from the ball of fire until they are about three inches away on either side of the ball. As it floated there, I cringed in side because this is the part where it usually explodes in my face. I close my eyes and picture it separating in to many small swarming balls of fire. Only instead of it blowing up, nothing happens. I open my eyes and to my amazement between my hands are dozens of small fire balls zipping around like fire flies.
I couldn't hold back the giant grin on my face. I concentrated and aimed the ball at the targets. Then I concentrated on gathering my power. I felt it instantly gather in my stomach. I directed it up and through my arms. Then with all my strength I pushed it out and sent the small balls of fire flying towards the targets. They hit and exploded throwing me back off my feet. I wasnt sure what happened after, because I blacked out.
I awoke in my bed with Jenna standing over me with a worried look.