Chapter 3 My everything hurts

Light and heat, both blistering and blinding. The temperature was unbearable, but there was nowhere to go. There was no way to escape it, moving only made it worse. His eyes were sore from the briliant rays. What was that on the horizon? A cloud? No, it couldn't be, it was moving to fast, and it was too dark. Fear overtook him and he was running now, and hard. His fibers strained to go faster as the buffeting and scrapping began. He stumbeled and fell choaking. Then they stoped and there was only a screaming roar. He looked up and was met by a crack as the world desolved into white.

Beap... Beap... Beap... Thud! Jake opened his eyes. That was the second time he had had that dream, and he still didn't understand it. He pulled himself out of bed and got ready, this time with enought time prepair compleatly.

~~~

"So here you are again. Still think you own this school?" Fransis had cornered Jake again.

"No, I never-" Francis smacked Jake in the stomach, not verry hard, but enough to knock the wind out of him. Francis and the gang left laughing. When Jake had recovered from the attack, he cautiously persued the three. Around the next hall he spotted them picking on Michael. If there had been someone to help him, Jake would have tried to stop it, but he only would have been hurt worse. Mike grabbed Michael by the collar and lifted him up, granted, that was not a hard thing to do. Jake got a glazed over look in his eyes as he glaired at them, with all his every fiber of his being wishing they would stop. A gust of cold air pushed its way down the hallway. He let Michael down and pulled a hoodie out of his backpack.

"Guy, they really need to turn the airconditioning off. How are we suposed to pick on kids if we're cold." Francis gave Michael a shove and the three of them struted off down the hall.

"Hey Michael, are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine."

"Don't worry, once we start to learn magic, things will be better."

"Your sure?"

"I hope so."

~~~

"Good day dilapsus gamma. I see that you are all here today."

"Good morning Praeceptor Armadlior."

"Now, today is a applied training day, but seeing as how most of you have no idea what is going on here we will spend half of the day discusing a little magic history and theory. As you have already noticed the classes here are more individualized than in high school. This is because magic acts differantly for everone and requires a lot of attention to teach. Likewise, I will be teaching all your classes for the next four years so that I can tailor my teaching to you indivindualy. I know that Alyssa has already stated taking some basic classes and Jake's older sister is a student here, so don't be afraid to add something to the lesson. Even those of you that don't have any experience may have a new way to look at something that we have never thought of befor." Everyone smiled and a murmer of aproval rolled through the room.

"With no objections I will begin. The knowledge of magic dates back as far is there is recorded history and probably further. Many ancient religions and mythologies were based on the existance of magic. The Greeks, however, were the first to master it, to harness its sectrets. Other culters, like the Egyptions, had become proficiant at some forms of magic, but the Greeks were the first to master them all and start a structered system of learning, teaching, and using magic. Only about a seventh of the worlds population has the ingenium and of those people the ratio of elements follows as such; Aquarias is the most common, next is Flora, then Terranian, Voltos, followed by Tempists, and finaly Pyros. The reason this is such is still a mystery, but it is consistant that individuals with stong magic liniages tend to be of the rarer elements."

Jake raised his hand and Praeceptor Armadlior noded to him. "In magic families, the ingenium skips a generation, correct?"

"Yes."

"Has there been any reasearch into whether there is any connection between genetics and magic? Because what you are describing sounds almost like a genetic trait."

"I believe that there has been, however the research has not found one as of yet. Perhaps we may find out in the next few years. See thats the new kind of view I was talking about. Now as I was saying. Magic is a mysterious art and is difficult to control and even more dificult to master. Most of you will learn the techniques nessesary to control your magic and use it for domestic perposes. There are some of you that will accel in this field and may even become a master. Now as society progressed into the begining of the dark ages people began to fear those of us that could use magic. As a result we formed a sort of underground society that blended with the rest of the world, but also came together to hone our skills. It has long been know that we would not be able to survive hideing from the rest of the world forever so there are branches in every contries government dedicated to helping facilitate our alternate society. All the major branches of puplic service, from inserance companies to the police to hospitals have magicly proficiant workers that help deal with and contain magical incidents. Hopefully one day in the future we will be able to show out true colors out in the open." Loud applause filled the room and then quickly died away.

"Now please, I give that speach every four years, its nothing special. Ok, time for a little magic theory. Magic is a kind of energy that is drawn from nature. Differant kinds of sorcerers draw magic different ways. Aestuarium draw magic from rain and natural springs. Garmen used to draw magic from wild plants like trees out in the wildernes, but with todays industrialisation, the only places left of earth that produce Garmen magic are the rainforests and parts up north in the wilds of Canada. The savana in Africa gives off some, but not a lot. Although their natural sorce is becoming incrasingly scarse, Garmen can absorb the magic from Aestuarium and Fictilis. Fictilis gain magic through contact with stones. Grannet and marble are the best. The amount of magic they can draw directly depends of the size of the stone and the amount of contact they have with it. Usualy keepin a small stone in their pocket will keep them charges. Fulgoris gain magic when they are stuck by lightning. The also gain large amounts of magic during solar flares, this is attributed to the fact that solar flares generate enormous electrical disterbances in the upper atmosphere. They can also gain a small amount from man made electrical sorces, such as your common wall reseptical. Zephyrus gain magic from wind. The stronger the wind the more magic they gain. And finaly Pyro's gain magic from and open flame. Its the strongest when what is burning is a plant in its natural form. So a campfire would provide more that a propane flame in a grill." The class was staring intently at him.

"Wow, you are all so atentive. Magic tends to awaken quicly after puberty, but in some cases, like Alyssa's it shows up early. Alyssa is a Garmen, Michael is a Aestuarium, and Chas is a Fictilis. Jake, Silvia, and Maria we are still unsure about. In a few minutes we will take a break and go to the training grounds to test your abilities. You are about to begin something that very few get to. It is a great ability, but it is also a great responsability. You can, under no circumstances, speak of this where anyone but other member can hear. It is even discuaraged to talk to your families to extensivly about it unless they already know about the magic community. And, like in the case of Jake here, you should not tell any younger siblings about this. If they get ideas and try to use any magic gifts they may have, it could lead to disaster." Everyone was staring at him, compleatly silent. "Well now that the serious part is over lets go have some fun."

They all got up and began to file out the Praeceptor leading the way. "Wow Michael," Jake wispered,"my brain hurts, that was a lot to think about." "After that and those bullies at school, my everything hurts," came his reply.