Chapter 1

Chapter 1

1048AC

M

agic, It is used in our everyday lives. Magic has always been around us, flowing, waiting to be used, but it wasn’t till the great wars thousands of years ago that we finally were able to use it to flourish. During the final Great War around 281BC. BC and AC as we know refer to Before and After the Calamity that was the Clan War.  Four Brothers claimed a god gifted them with the blessing of magic, Magic came in 4 basic categories: Earth, Fire, Air and Water. Earth was Resolute, rock solid and immovable. Fire was Righteous Anger and, quick to flare up and burning until all that is wrong is extinguished. Air was Supporting and Caring, always quick to help others and strengthen them. Water was Cunning, always moving and changing.  The brothers each excelled at one element and would support the others in their elements as well.

The brothers quickly ended the War through sheer power and brought about a time of peace, during this time they taught the people magic. But the brothers discovered that unlike themselves who could use all types, most people could only master one type and two was an exceedingly rare occurrence, they could still use the others, but in very small amounts. The world split into four clans, each worshiping a brother as a god. Since finding what element people would be most adept at was difficult the brothers came up with a way to mark them. And so, people started to be born marked with the symbol of their element.

The brothers continued their experiments with magic, and they discovered many great things bringing about a utopia for mankind. One day the people noticed each brother had been marked with a crystal that glowed and shimmered depending on the elemental use the brother was using, and the brothers revealed they had discovered new forms of magic and a catalyst element that heightened your ability and understanding of the elements, but before they could teach the people this wonderous power, the water brother snapped. He attacked the crowds with powers of darkness and his water clan helped him, the other brothers subdued him and united the other clans in a war against the treacherous Water Marks.

The Water Marks used many devious and cunning tricks to fight back and they split and destroyed the world by raising the oceans and cutting the land with great waves. After many long years of fighting the Three Clan Alliance finally emerged victorious. They killed off all water users to prevent a tragedy such as that from happening ever again and that is why anyone born with a water mark is quickly put to death today.

 

“Another long winded and not at all terrifying lesson from Mr. Taylor” Ren thought, idly rubbing his shoulder while staring out the window. When a hand waved in front of his face. He jerked back looking up into the face of the perpetrator interrupting his thoughts.

“About time you responded, class ended like 5 minutes ago and you have just been here staring off into space, do those eyes of yours let you see something I’m missing?”

“Come on give him a break Isa I’m sure he is just thinking about how he can further make himself stand out from the rest of us poor students”

Isabella Silex and Ava Ventus the two people Ren was not wanting to see right now. Isabella was always an intimidating figure, tall with a golden complexion tanned from her time at her fathers quarry, dark brown eyes and dark hair usually kept in a high ponytail, as well as being more well-built than most of the male students, the fact that she was a very powerful earth mark was not difficult to see. Ava on the other hand was delicate, with long blond hair and a pale complexion with striking pale blue eyes, the Air Mark was always smiling and willing to help out in any way.

“So, when were you planning on telling us, your friends, that you are going to the capital after graduation for the Specialized Courses rather than staying here for work like you told us you were going to?”

Ren could see Isa was less than pleased with him at the moment.

“I mean its not like I tried to keep it a secret, it just kind of… happened.” Ren was avoiding eye contact with them, he knew this would happen, but he also knew that he couldn’t stay in one place for too long, and school has already kept him here in Sparkwood for all 16 years of his life. “The director offered me the recommendation and its not like I could turn him down.”

Ava frowned, a very rare occurrence to see and it panged Ren’s heart, “Come on Ava, I promise I will come back and visit, and it is not like I am going to be that far, the capital is only about an hour by Levi-Train”

“Yeah, I know, but...” she whimpered,

“Come on Ava, lets go get lunch, maybe Mr. Recommendation here will join us when he is done admiring himself in the window”

Ren sighed standing up, “Come on guys lets go get some food.”

Ava’s smile finally came back and the trio began the walk to the lunchroom

 

After lunch the trio the journey home, Isabella broke off early to go help out at her fathers’ quarry, but Ava continued walking with Ren all the way home, the now Duo was silent most of the way until almost at his front door.

“Are you really going to the capital?” Ava seemed to be deep in thought.

“Yeah I will be leaving the day after the graduation ceremony” The guilt Ren was feeling was justified, Ava’s family was the one who took him in after the accident that took his parents four years previously. A random lightning strike lit the house on fire, and they didn’t make it out. Ren had been out on a solo training expedition and came back to a charred home.

“Have you figured out where you will be staying yet?” Ren couldn’t be sure, but it looked like she had come to some sort of decision.

“Nah, I figured I would look around for a good priced rental, the school will be providing me a stipend for housing anyways”

Ava’s smile finally seemed to go back to normal, “Well I am sure my father can find a connection for you there, I will let him know you are looking for a place to stay”

Ren wanted to tell her she didn’t have to do that, but it seemed like the decision had already been made and he was already home anyways.

It wasn’t a big home by any means, but Ava’s father paid to have it built on their property, so Ren had a place of his own to train and sleep, and It was built by Isabella and her father. So, he was comfortable calling it ‘home’ Ren said his farewells to Ava and went inside.

Author's Note

This chapter is unfinished and will likely be modified.

Reviews

[Relic]

You've written a very interesting chapter with a good deal of imagination. I'm sure they'll be others interested.

Watch out for those commas, as well as the comma splices.

Nice writing, keep it up.

[Callial]

Yeah I have always struggled with commas. I will do my best to get most of the placed properly over my next read-through.

[Relic]

No problem. I actually noticed lack of commas in your prologue but decided not to mention it. No worries. You're still a good writer.