Chapter VI: Heka

          Mahad led Kiya further down the hallway. They reached a dead end with a door and he opened it. Inside was a round room surrounded by lit candles. The walls were lined with filled shelves.

          “This is where we attain our spells and enchantments,” said Mahad. “Some spells require the spoken word. Enchantments are permanent spells cast upon weapons or armor. There are two other rooms I will show you today, after I teach you your first spell.”

          “What is that?” asked Kiya.

          “Fire, or ,” he said, going to the center of the room. Kiya followed him and looked down. There was a symbol built in the floor. The same pyramid and a Wadjet eye like on his item. It was in gold too.

          “This is the Magic symbol,” he said. “You must place your hands on it and speak the spell, .”

          “Alright.” She touched the symbol and it glowed with a warm feeling.  

          “It is done,” said Mahad. “You can fire flames from your hands at will, but be careful. Casting the spell for too long can be fatal. You are not permitted to use the spell in battle until you have grown enough as a magician.”

          “Why can’t I use the spell yet?”

          “Because we wouldn’t want anyone to escape from you alive. No one outside the society can know magic. If an enemy sees you use it, they could force you to tell them our secret. The secret of this symbol.”

          “I see,” said Kiya. Magic isn’t something I can share with my enemies or my friends, she thought.

          “Let me show you the other rooms,” he said.

          They went back down the hallway and turned onto another one. It led straight to a courtyard. Passing through it, Kiya did not see anyone.

          At the end of the courtyard was the second door. Mahad opened it and they entered.

          It was a wide, empty room.

          “This is where we practice magic,” said Mahad. “Sometimes on each other, depending on the spell. Step onto the floor and cast your spell in the air.”

          She walked in and held her hands in front of her. What would happen?

          Willing it with her mind, flames shot out straight from her hands. It felt warm again, but it didn’t burn. She stopped the fire, and it dissipated in the air.

          “And so you see how it works,” he said. “After I show you the final room, you can return here and test the endurance of your magic. For now, come with me.”

          She went with him back outside, to the other side of the courtyard and into another part of the palace. While they were walking down the halls, she studied her hands. How did touching a symbol give her such power? If magic was that easy, no wonder it was kept a secret. A dagger no longer seemed deadly in comparison.

          “I don’t think Seto knew magic was dangerous,” said Mahad. “Should you be having second thoughts?”

          “I don’t think he understands my determination,” Kiya replied. “I’m striving for something that already risks my life. When you told me using magic does the same, I couldn’t see a difference.”

          “That is one way to look at it,” he said, opening the final door.

          “Hello!” shouted someone in the room. This girl with messy brown hair was the second person Kiya met in the palace. “Who’s your guest?” she asked Mahad.

 

The hieroglyphs for FIRE!    

Reviews

[esperanza]

I like it,good job .