Chapter Four

A Chapter by Philppa

A new world opens up for Syrese

When I awoke, I found Keiju hovering above me, smiling his cheerful smile. "Good morning my friend, I see you slept in the company of that there book."

I looked down to see I was unnaturally clinging to the book. There was something strange about this book. It seemed as if it was attached to me, it wanted me to read it, to understand, to learn. How did I know this? I had no idea, it was as if the book spoke to me.

"Syrese, I have more to explain, so please sit with me." Arthur's deep voice broke into my thoughts.

I sat up and saw Arthur tired but alert, he gave me a smile as I moved next to him. I set the book down as I looked into his face, ready to receive what ever he had to tell me. "Yesterday I told you I had found this book for you. Now since you have no family to teach you and finding a teacher would not only be extremely dangerous, but also difficult. You will have to self study, but the book I have given you is very special, it is one from your family. Therefore it's magic is connected with you."

I stared at the book, letting each thing piece together in my mind. "So.." I started, "This book..it acts almost as my teacher for Sorcery? By telling be about it and telling me how I can perform the magic?"

Arthur nodded "Precisely, and I would like you to start today, for I would like you to know the basics before we proceed."

I continued to look at my book, seeing if I could once again hear something from it, and shockingly it felt as if the book nodded in agreement.

I pondered for a moment. How am I supposed to learn properly? I set the book on the ground and hugged my knees. Maybe I could...There was a flash of light that forced me to cover my eyes, after a handful of minutes that light faded into a faint glow; opening my eyes, I saw a figure above where the book lay. It was a man, dressed with a cotton robe, dyed a forest green and embroidered with a mixture of colors. Some names I knew not. His face was stern yet kind, his eyes seemed to hold much power and knowledge. His deep, dark grey eyes held mine. He had a long flowing beard that ended where his belly seemed to be,it was of pure white, and his frame was tall, angular, but something about him was odd. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that this man was translucent.

"So Syrese, are you ready to learn the art of Sorcery?" His voice was deep and booming.

I sat in astonishment, then quickly regained myself and spoke. "Before we begin," I began confidently, there seemed to be something about this man, something familiar that made me comfortable with his presence. "Will you tell me who you would be?"

His laugh matched his voice, and he spoke with much amusement. "I see. You're not a very trusting person, and in many ways this is good. For you live in an unfriendly world, but Syrese, be careful not to push those who wish you help away."

His words sunk in and I looked up at with with curiosity. He smiled and spoke softly. "Syrese, I am one of your great ancestors, a master of the four basic elements of Taikoa. Fire, Water, Air, and Life. My name is Belgar Creen from the first Vuosisata, or era of time."

I stared at him, satisfied. He noted this and sat down in, what seemed to be an invisible chair. "Now." He started, "May we begin?"

I stood, and a smile came across his face. He gestured for me to come closer, I obeyed, he grabbed my hands. It felt as if nothing was there, as if my hands moved on there own. He faced them palm side up, and stared at them, intently, slowly the lines in his forehead became more prominent. Suddenly, he looked up, an expression of surprise covered his face.

"Syrese, you are indeed very unique." He spoke softly.

I blinked, confused by his words, and he smiled, understanding. "Syrese, I looked into your säteily, trying to find your strength, and what I saw has never been seen before in history."

"But.." I started. "What is it that makes me so different?"

"I do not know what it is that has caused this, but what it is I speak of is your säteily itself. Normally once a person reaches the age of ten, their säteily stops developing, so they can only refine their mind to match the strength of the säteily inside them.

Although, you seem to defy this rule. For your säteily is constantly growing in power, this means you will always be magically stronger than you were before."

I let his words sink in, and suddenly the image of my siblings and my mother being carried towards my father flashed into my mind. The question: How is it that I felt no pain, when everyone else who had magic did? Came to mind. Before I could even ask, Belgar's face seemed to turn to curiosity.

"Your memory is intriguing. I've always known a day like that would come, for those with small säteilys fear people like us, also, to answer your question. it seems that the stone that was used by General Byron affects people purely based on the strength of their säteily. So if it is not of certain strength, the person will not receive any pain, nor discomfort. It seems to me that at that age, your säteily was still weak, therefore, you were not strong enough to endure the same pain your family endured."

I sat for a moment, connecting everything together, after a while I looked up at Belgar and smiled. "I have learned a lot from you, yet none of it is what you have come here to teach me."

"Ah, but child, this is a part of your teaching, this gives you a understanding of magic, and gives you a connection to yourself. All of this shall make learning much easier, for you take more of an interest in the subject, do you not?"

I nodded in agreement, then I looked up at the sky, an noticed, to my amazement, it was already mid-day.

Hunger surged through my body, and I looked back at Belgar. "I have much enjoyed this, but hunger has made me wish for a break."

He then nodded and started to fade. "Once you have completed your Mid-day meal, we shall continue." He had completely faded by then, and I looked to see Arthur cooking a simple stew of meat and a few vegetables he had brought. I walked over, and he looked up, he had a look of wonder on his face and he asked quietly,

"May I ask you who, or what, it was you were talking to?"

A look of surprise crossed my face. "So, you were not able to see the man I spoke to?" Arthur shook his head.

"No M'lady, I can't say I could, all I knew was of what you said, and how you spoke fondly to the being." Right then Keiju walked into view, carrying the body of a small animal.

"I was able to get a good sized bunny, so at least we won't starve for the next two days. Ah, Syrese, I see your friend let you have a break to eat your mid-day meal. So tell me, who is the fellow?"

Keiju came to where we sat, set down his animal, and started cleaning it with what seemed to be an odd dagger.

"Well..his name is Belgar Creen and..." I trailed off, distracted by Keiju's odd dagger. "Um, Keiju? What is that you have there?"

Keiju looked up in surprise. "Oh, this thing? It is just one of my throwing knives I use for hunting."

He handed me the blade, and a small surge of power shot through me. I started examining it,and found myself strangely fond of it. It seemed to call from my core, where I felt my säteily reside. I then, reluctantly, handed the blade back to Keiju and continued.

"Sorry, I've just never seen anything like that before. Okay, now, Belgar is my ancestor, and has now become my teacher of sorcery." They both nodded, then Authur handed soup to everyone.

"So, this Belgar, has been in that book ready to teach someone his secrets?" Arthur asked, after we all started on our food.

I spoke with a mouthful of food. "Yes, but I can't say for how long, or why he is attached to the book."

The rest of the meal was eaten in silence, all that was heard was the cracking of a fire, and distant birds chirping. Once I had finished my meal, I took my book and walked out to a flatter part of the clearing. As I set down the book, a flash appeared, as it had the first time, and I saw Belgar once more.

"I see you enjoyed your meal, now I overheard your conversation with your friends, and I think it would be a good way to introduce you to your first lesson. The diverse Taikoas. Now, you see me as a spirit, but that is not what I am, only what you came up with to make since of the situation. I am, in fact, a product of a spell."

I looked at him, confused. "But, I don't understand. How does that work?"

"It's quite simple my dear, when I was human I had tried to learn all the Taikoas I could, but I quickly found that it takes much longer than one lifetime to do so. As a result I wrote a book, recording what I had learned, and once I knew that my time to pass was drawing near. I made a copy of myself. Attached it to my book, with the help of Mist Taikoa, so I could continue to about the ever expanding Taikoas."

"I understand what you are telling me, but I do have one question. What is Mist Taikoa?"

"That my dear, is what I intend to teach you about. Mist Taikoa is a use of obscuring one's vision, so you are able to play tricks on their mind."

It was only then, that I noticed a faint light emanating from him, that made everything harder to clearly make out.

"So, that is why Arthur and Keiju are unable to see you. Because your magic is focused on me, correct?"

He nodded. Belgar started explaining more and more about Taikoas and things slowly became clearer. I was able to understand how things worked, and the limit that everything has. Everything Belgar said held my attention, it was as if a new world was unfolding itself right before my eyes. By the time he was done, night had fallen, Arthur was fast asleep and Keiju had gone to the trees to sleep. I layed down on my bed roll and slept.

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© 2013 Philppa

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Kuro

I looked down to see I was unnaturally clinging to the book(.) (T)here was something strange about this book. It seemed as if it was attached to me, it wanted me to read it, to understand, to learn. How (did) I kn(o)w this? I had no idea,(space)it was as if the book spoke to me.

I sat up and saw Arthur's tired but alert face, perhaps just put alert xP

I stared at the book,( )letting each thing piece together
cover my eyes,( )after a handful of

be careful not to push those who wish you help away." try to rephrase that, its kinda hard to read xP

". so it seems to me" get rid of "so" and capitalize "it"

"then I looked up at the sky, an noticed, to my amazment" and amazement*

"few vegetable(s) he had brought. I wa(l)ked over, and he looked up, "

"and how yo(u) spoke fondly to the being."

"'I wa(s) able to get a good sized bunny"

"won't starve f(o)r the next"

"your friend let y(o)u have"

" Keiju came (to) where we sat"

"I trailed off,( )distracted"

"(The) rest of the meal was"

" but that i(s) not what I am"

"lifetime to do so.( )As a "

"right before my eyes(.) (B)y the time he"

I really enjoined this, as always xP. Though the only thing I can think of for this one is to not type while tired? There was quite a few typos xP However I woudn't know if it was exhaustion or speed that caused them. Looking forward to Chapter 5 =D