SORCERER (The Elemental Magic Series Book 1) (5 page)

"Aye, I do, just making my position clear, sir," as he stepped to the side.

"I'd like to apologize for my son. He'll not accost another person if I can ever do anything about it."

"Same goes for my boy too!" Mr. Carlson chimed in. "And that was very gracious of you not accepting the banishment. Those two will be so busy they'll only have time for eating, sleeping and working. You have my word on that." He said sticking out his hand.

Alec shook it saying "Thank you, sir."

Ralph took him back to his room talking about the upcoming festival. Alec begged off any more company and lay in his bed with it being a couple hours yet till supper. Ralph said he'd make sure to wake him when it was time.

Gods, what a birthday yesterday had been, he thought sarcastically. Great gifts followed by being slapped and beaten half to death. Gee, what I shall do for the rest of the solstice celebration, he said to himself.

Perhaps I’ll be kicked by a horse. Alec laughed at himself. He was really feeling down and knew it as he looked out his window from his bed. He knew he'd just have to see how the rest of the week went. He tried to think of what things would be like at the school as he watched a squirrel climb up on his window sill before drifting off to sleep.

Ralph woke him for supper and as Father Marcus said he felt better as the night went on.

Chapter 5

The festival was fully setup by the following day with all the same old games for half a copper. It looked like an entire town setup in the open field.

There were brightly colored awnings hanging off back of the wagons and people from the surrounding farms and small villages walking from one booth to the next. Armorers, tailors and bakers were set one after the other. Games like throwing the ball at the wood pins knock them all over and you get some cheap trinket were spread throughout the other booths. The booths were lined up one after the other making dirt packed streets between them. Alec was horrible at most of the games but they were still fun. The field was so packed that others had setup food carts, selling things like chocolate covered sweet corn and candy dipped apples, they squeezed in anywhere they could find a spot.

Alec had spent most of the ten coppers his Aunt Karen had given him the first day on the games and had only won twice. Jake and Alec walked around festival occasionally catching up with some of the younger kids while his mornings were spent by himself with Jake having to work for his father.

Most of the festival Alec spent gazing at the different things for sale or talking with some of the people at the regular booths that he remembered from previous years.

With it being the last day before the solstice Alec finally decided to spend his last two coppers on himself. One was for a couple last games and one for the corn. Jake should have been there by now but was obviously running late. Apparently his father had been very busy this year. Alec stepped up to the ball throw and handed the man his last half copper.

Alec picked up the ball rubbing it in his hands. He could feel the threads holding the leather together as he rolled the ball around in his hands. Sucking in his lower lip in concentration he thought to himself. Come on. Come on. He reared back to throw, and his arm shot forward releasing the ball.

As the ball left his hand he felt a tingling in his fingers and his whole body felt too hot for a split second. The ball shot forward striking the first pin just off center taking out the rest of the pins.

"Good shot Alec," said Father Marcus coming up behind him.

"Thanks Father."

Alec went to the prize box to pick his prize as Marcus scrutinized him from behind. He was sure he'd felt someone using magic over here. If it was Alec he'd have to send another letter to Father Brandon again. He dug into his robe and pulled out a copper handing it to the man.

"Why don't you try it couple more times, you might be on a streak."

"Sure!" Alec said, excited now that he had won the game once.

With the pins back in place Alec did his warm up on the ball, sucked in his lip and let it fly taking out seven of the ten pins.

"Sorry sir." He said with a shrug. “I’m not all that good at it.”

"That's alright, give it another shot."

The man set the pins up as Jake appeared out of nowhere.

"Hi Father. Sorry I'm late Alec. Are you finishing it off today?"

"Yep trying to win the father something, it's his coin,” Alec replied.

Alec picked up the ball and started his warm up again.

"Concentrate. You have to really want it. Just picture the ball going right where you want it to, hitting fast and hard." Father Marcus coached him.

Alec skewed up his eyes, sucked in his lip. He saw in his mind the path the ball would take, strait to the first pin. He imagined the first pin breaking with the impact and taking out the rest, just like in the stories that always surrounded this type of game.

Come on. Come on. Come on! He thought, really not wanting to disappoint the good Father. He reared back and shot his arm forward as hard as he could. As the ball left his fingers a spark leapt after it and his entire body was washed with heat then cold.

The ball streaked forward impacting the first pin head on, the pin shattered, debris taking out the other pins. Alec dropped to his knees light headed.

When Alec's head cleared Jake was hopping up and down still pointing to draw everyone's attention at what Alec had done.

Father Marcus helped him to his feet. "Come by the temple after supper tonight, OK." He whispered to Alec getting a nod back.

If Alec is already showing this kind of power without any instruction this could mean trouble, Father Marcus thought to himself.

Alec shook his head clear and went to pick his prize.

Father Marcus walked off with a smile on his face. Not the most orthodox test but the boy definitely has at least some magic in him, he thought as he headed to the temple. I’d better start writing another message and get the test setup for tonight.

Alec and Jake walked around the rest of the festival occasionally being stopped by some of the other boys asking how he did it. Alec enjoyed his little bit of celebrity from the others and the man owning the game got more business that year than any other.

Supper came and went when Alec found his way to the temple after cleaning up the commons. The temple looked bigger and intimidating as Alec climbed the steps. He walked in and heard Father Marcus practicing his sermon for tomorrow. The inside looked much like it always did with shadows flickering in the corners and the wall lamps shining off the polished pews.

The father stopped his sermon upon seeing him and waved him back to his private room without so much as a word. When they were both settled at opposite ends of a small table Father Marcus started.

"What do you know of magic, son?" He asked sitting back in his chair causing it to squeak.

"Not much I guess. I know there are different types of wizards, right? But that's about it, sir." Alec nervously replied.

"Well there are three types’ wizards, sorcerers, and clerics actually. I'm a cleric, meaning I have the ability to use magic just not enough within my well to do anything with it, therefore the gods grant me magic through my prayers. Sorcerers have more magic than ability though normally quite lot of each. Wizards have a fair amount of magic but little ability so use special gestures, words and sometimes materials to let them use their magic. You used magic today during that game."

"What? I can't use magic." Alec refuted the claim automatically. “I didn’t do anything!” Alec said defensively.

"You did nothing wrong and aren’t in trouble.” Marcus assured him. “When I healed you, you felt it and when you were playing that game I could feel you use your magic."

"You mean the tingling and the hot feeling?"

"Yes, though those side effects will greatly dissipate as you learn to control the magic in you. Now to better understand what type of magic user you are and what affinities you have I've setup a few tests."

He pointed to one box on the table. It had odd but beautiful writing all over it. "Put your hand inside there. It will allow me to sense how much magic you have."

Alec cautiously stuck his hand in the box that was obviously empty as the priest put his on each side and closed his eyes. Alec could feel something inside him being gently pushed and pulled.

"Yes, a fair amount but still young. I figured as much." He mused more to himself than to Alec. "OK, now this is more of a game to see if you can control your power." Marcus said pulling the box away and sliding the other one over. "You put your hand on your side and I'll put mine on this side."

Alec slid his hand over to one side of the box sandwiching the box between their two hands. The box's top turned a bright red on Marcus's side.

"Now I'll make a color and you try to match it by picturing it in your mind, easy right?” Alec nodded.

“OK let's go."

Alec pictured the red color in his mind and his side turned the same color as Marcus's. They went through this for a few minutes.

"Now it's going to get harder." Marcus said turning one half of his side red and the other yellow.

They went through several colors gradually increasing the number of colors on each side.

"OK, now for the fun part, match me as best you can."

He put red with green dots then added yellow dots inside the green doing different color combinations and number of dots. Suddenly there was a rough picture of a cat. Alec looked up with a smile.

"Go ahead."

Alec matched his rough pictures. It was fairly easy but was getting more complicated as they went.

"That's good, try it on your own, and see what you can do." Marcus said removing his hand and wiping his brow.

Alec put his other hand on the other side and started adding more detail and different sizes with colors. He had an idea. I wonder if I can, he thought. He thought of Aunt Karen's face. His lower lip sucked in and he squeezed his eyes closed. He pictured her eyes a soft brown, the way her thin lips smiled, as much detail as he could. Sweat formed on his brow as Father Marcus watched in wonder seeing Karen's face slowly take shape with more and more clarity. When Alec opened his eyes he saw Aunt Karen's face smiling back at him.

"That's good Alec, real good!" Father Marcus said. Wow, the boys got talent, he thought.

"Now for one last test, we'll see if you have an affinity for any of the elements. Cup your hands in front of you and when I put each of the elements in your hands close your eyes and ask it to do something, anything."

Marcus poured some dirt in his cupped hands. Alec tried to direct his thoughts to it. Divided please, smooth out, move, he silently asked it.

"OK, just put it on the table there and hold the glass of water to try again."

Alec closed his eyes and concentrated his thoughts on the water in the glass. Swirl please. He could feel his hands moving with the water circling in the glass. He smiled up at Marcus.

"Good job." Marcus smiled back. "Now hold your hands part and try it on the air between your hands.”

Alec tried to do what he had with the water but felt none of the acceptance from the air as he had with the water.

"Here try to make this seed grow." An acorn was placed in his hand.

Grow, please. Grow! Alec directed his thoughts at the seed. He didn't feel anything. He opened his eyes, the shell hadn't even cracked.

"What element was that, sir?" He asked.

"Life, I guess you’re only attuned to one element." Marcus answered with a frown.

"Isn't fire an element?"

"Yes it is but with being attuned to water its very doubtful fire will have anything to do with you, although it is possible. Let’s try and see what happens."

Marcus took a candle and lit it from the lantern above their heads then handed it to Alec.

"Tell it to grow or stop."

Alec directed his thoughts to the fire. He could already feel an acceptance. The fire would do as he asked. Grow bright! He thought to the flame. A flare of light could be seen from behind his eye lids. Opening his eyes the candle was half gone.

"So fire and water not two elements that normally go hand in hand but not unheard of. I'll send a message to the academy so you can be properly trained son. Do you have any questions for me?"

"Do I have to be a magic user? I was thinking of going through the martial classes."

"Whereas I know you'll be able to get in the magic academy. You'll have to pass the martial test to get in their academy. Now, they do teach all the other academies at least some martial skills just for basic self-defense. So if you're not able to get in there you'll still be taught some of the skills. In answer to your question, no you don't have to be a magic user, but you will have to learn control or you'll become a danger to yourself and others when comes out on its own, anything else?"

"No, I think I have enough to think about." Alec said as a shiver ran up his spine.

He left the temple to make his way back to his room. He had a lot to think about. It wouldn't be that bad being a magic user he told himself. Besides it was kind of fun doing the picture and color games. I wonder what the test for a martial student is, probably not sticking your hand in a box. He thought with a smile that slowly faded. Funny I don't remember anyone else saying anything about a test for the martial academy. Perhaps I won't have to go through it cause of my father’s commission he wondered.