Dirty Magic

I sat at the old wooden table in our small hut of a home. My mother was trying to convince me the High Lord wasn’t that bad and that even though they had attacked our village a few years ago and killed half our clan we were grateful to them for letting us live, and more specifically me. Of course I knew better. They were once again attempting to commit genocide on the impure ones. The people will old magic, and “bad blood” running through their veins.

“Its not fair that they are doing this again. It has been fifteen years since the cleansing and now they start up again why?” I looked at my mother hoping for any response. Ever since she had found out I was different, as she would call it, she had tried desperately to hide the truth from me. I wasn't sure anymore if it was to protect me or contain me.

“You just don’t understand dear. The impure ones..” I cringed at the degrading word that was used to identify them. It made them sounds so dark and dirty. “They were heavy users of dark majic. The way they would manipulate it so easily that everyone was at a disadvantage, not just the humans but all majic using creatures.” I looked at her with a solemn face. I wondered if she knew that the things she said scared me. I wasn’t the type to judge anyone before knowing them personally so I didn’t understand why the rest of the realm they would fear the unknown. We were becoming more like humans every day. I let out a sigh.

“Was dad like that?” At the mention of my father my mother did what she does best. She pushed herself from the table and turn away from me.

“I’m tired. I’m going to bed. You should do the same. Tomorrow is a big day for you. It’s your 16th year, and that should be enough excitement for you. ” She began to walk out of the kitchen but turn back to remind of the one rule of hers I was never allowed to break. “Do not go outside Asigha. It is dark out and evil lurch beyond our doorstep waiting for you.” She always had to be so ominous.

“I know. I won’t.” This always pacified her worry. She knew I wouldn’t lie to her, even if she withheld the truth from me.

I sat back in my chair and stared out the window overlooking the Shingan forest letting my mind drift off to a better place. One where I wasn’t prisoner in my own home. Slowly an image drifted into my mind. At first it was murky like the bottom on a river. Images collided making it hard to differentiate between anything but colors. I tried to focus on the images as sharp pain stung my eyes forcing them water and strain. My head began throb in pain. I shook my head to clear my thoughts as everything became clear. There was a figure standing in a forest. I couldn't recognize who the figure was or what they were doing. It just looked like they looking up at the moon. As if my registration of the event was being made known the figure lifted their arms up toward the glow of the planet basking in it lights. What was happening? I need to see more, know more. The figure turned to face me and I could tell by its silhouette it was a female. She smiled at me than slowly open her mouth. As I beckon my ears to hear what would come out next I was pulled from my daydream by a loud and painful wail coming from the figure.

I quickly jumped in my seat as my daydream faded but the sound of the scream continued. I opened the kitchen window to get a better sense of where the sound was coming from and my chest tightened when I realized it was coming from the Shingan forest. I looked around the small hut to make sure I was still alone. I hated when my mom was around when the daydreams took me over. She always panicked and gave me milk to the poppy to send me straight to sleep. And with what I had just seen actually happening I knew she would be even more on edge. Still I was sure she had her reasons.

I waited a few moments to see if the screaming would stop or if my mother would be woken up by it, and when neither of that happened I decided tonight I would go outside and into the forest. Two this i had be forbidden to do. Something was calling out to me, well more like screaming out to me. The longer i wait the louder it got and this would be my only chance to find out what it was. I grabbed my long coat off the hook as i began to walk out of the house. Little did I know that this would be the last time I would feel safe here, or anywhere else for a very long time...