Now

"Ugh!" I groan, throwing the glass of water onto the burnt bedspread. "This is useless," I mutter to myself.

All day, all day I have spent cooped up in this room trying to figure out how to cast a silent spell. The book that I found back in the library, the ones the spirits gave to me, tells of the oldest, most advanced ways of casting a spell. Casting without having to speak any words at all. Only the most powerful of mages can get any sort of spell to function. It suggests starting with a power that matches your affinity which is difficult in my special case, but it insists that using your strongest power will help you be more successful.

My strongest power is not the best power to begin learning with. Fire can rampage through the most beautiful of forests, destroying it in moments. Alas, here we are, hours later and no closer to figuring this out than when I started.

I glare at the leather bound book by my pillow and reluctantly reach over for it. My eyes skim through the words that I have read countless times already. "I have tried that already," I growl out in frustration as I stare at the words, willing them to make more sense.

"Hey Ky, are you okay in there?" Ari knock lightly on my door.

"Peachy," I respond with a lengthy sigh.

"So, we are all going to go out and practice with Ansley. You should join us."

I should really leave this room for a bit, stretch my aching legs. "Ya, okay."

I open my door and am met instantly with a worried Ari. She scrunches up her now, "Were you burning something in there?"

My eyes shift momentarily to the bed and back at Ari, "No," I lie.

"Sure, maybe you were lighting some incense," Ari chuckles and turns, walking to the entrance. I follow her, a spark of curiosity blooming in my chest at her lack of questioning.

I am a step behind Ari all the way out to the field in front of the school and we continue on, approaching the dark vast of trees at the edge of the property to where Apollyon is waiting. He doesn't seem too pleased as we approach.

"What's going on Leo?" Ari asks him.

"This isn't a good idea," he admits.

"What isn't?"

"Training with Ansley. I still don't trust her."

"Come on Leo, she just needs some help to unlock her potential. You must remember how it was when you started before you had lessons, it must have been hard to get a grasp on your magic. Look how far you have come, the both of you."

A short chuckle escapes from me, If only I had a teacher, someone to have guided me through all of this. Maybe then it would have ended very differently.

The two glace at me, but don't bother questioning it. Apollyon and I share a look, one of understanding, but I don't think he knows why he reciprocates that feeling by the look of confusion in his eyes.

"Hey guys," Ansley greets from behind us as she approaches.

"Ready to learn Ans? I brought these two with me, they are pretty good mages!" Ari squeals and gives Ansley a hug before releasing her.

"I guess so, do you guys really think you can help me?" Ansley gives us both a look.

"Possibly, it depends on how powerful your magic is," Apollyon takes a few steps closer to her, eyes roaming over her as he tries to figure her out. This boy right here will be the death of me.

Ari playfully hits Apollyon in the chest giving him a mischievous eye roll. "Don't mind him, he doesn't trust easily."

Ari decides it is best to continue working on the light spell from practice as that is how Ansley's power was first coaxed into showing. Apollyon and I stand next to each other behind the two, observing.

"Don't tell me you believe her, do you?" Apollyon glaces at me in his periphery.

I shrug my shoulders, "I dunno. If not her, then who else? Better have someone if there is something coming for the school."

"Good question, I have been asking myself that quite frequently lately," an accusatory gaze is shot my way.

My eyes remain focused on the two ahead of us, not giving him the satisfaction of any emotion. Small sparks are still flinging out from Ansley's wand, sparking a flickering orange. I bite on the inside of my lip, knowing that she change in colour won't look good, especially to Apollyon.

I don't know what makes me say this next, but I find the words tumbling out of my mouth, "Focus, feel your magic flowing into the wand. Let your words ignite the spark of magic that is building."

Apollyon's eyes burn a hole into the side of my skull, drilling down to find the answers to his burning questions. Both girls ahead of me take a deep breath and try again. Ari drops the hand that holds her wand, the look of defeat on her face. Then there is Ansley, a bright white glow coming from the tip of her wand.

"Oh my god, I did it," Ansley whispers out loud, astonishment and joy coating her tone.

Ansley drops her wand and the light fizzles out. She gives Ari a huge hug, the widest grin on her lips. She then turns to me, running the few steps up to where I stand and wrapping her arms around me in an embrace. She whispers a soft thank you in my ear, squeezing me tighter before letting me go.

"Happy to help." I offer a nod her way.

Ari and Ansley begin practicing again, Ansley trying to help Ari out with the spell now. I wonder away from the duo, finding my place to sit up against the tree boardering the dangerous forest. Leaning my head against the rough tree bark, I listen to the crunching of leaves underfoot of the monstrous beings moving inside.

"That was some pretty good advice you had back there," Apollyon notes as he sits at the tree next to me. "Is that what you were told when you were starting out?"

I sigh, "I didn't have anyone to give me advice." His eyebrows draw inwards and I decide to continue. "I grew up alone, an orphan. I don't know what happened to my parents, they abandoned me as a newborn."

"I didn't know. Mages don't just abandon their kids."

"I don't really like to make that public knowledge, I expect you not to go telling anybody."

"I won't. So, how did you figure out all of this stuff on your own then?"

I allow my brain to think for a moment before responding. "I guess I just had a lot of time on my hands and good instincts. I found a spell book as a child and taught myself from there." Always find the truth within the lie to make it more believable.

"You got lucky, finding that book. Put you ahead of the rest of these mages."

"I guess." Most days it doesn't feel like luck, it feels like a curse. The curse that keeps me trapped in this godforsaken life.

The silence is peaceful as we watch Ari begin to have a faint glow emitting from the end of her wand. I suddenly feel myself longing for the warmth of fire and I glance down at my hand that lays furthest from Apollyon. The faintest sign of a smirk crawls its way onto my lips as I look at the warm blue flame in my hand. I close my hand around the fire, extinguishing it in an instant. I don't know how I did that, something must be starting to click in my head without me realizing. What has changed?

"Are you ready for the Affinity Challenge on Monday?" Apollyon questions.

"That's on Monday?" He nods. "I guess I am, what about you?"

His shoulders give a small shrug, "As ready as I will ever be."

The look over worry is evident in his features and I am tempted to pry more into what is making him worry so much, if he is worried about this challenge, should I be as well? I rid the thought from my mind almost as fast as it came. If I start asking him questions now, it will open up an opportunity for him to ask questions and I do not need that happening.

"I am going to go back to the dorm," I announce as I leave my spot on the ground, wiping the imaginary blades of grass from my jeans. The two girls are taking a break, appearing quite winded from the over use of their magic tonight.

I trudge up the stairs that seem to stretcher out in the fading light tonight. Once inside my room, I am finally able to take in what had happened. I did it. I really did it. I can't believe that I had actually cast a silent spell. It may have been accidental, but that made it no less real. I glance down at my hand, disbelief coursing through my veins. I grab the book from beneath my mattress, flipping it open to the page about silent casting. It states that you should start attempting the casting while using your wand or other magical artifice. Only after mastering that should you attempt to cast without the artifice. Then how did I manage to cast that by mistake? These thoughts run through my mind as I lay my head down on my pillow, sleep crashing into me like a tidal wave.

***

I startle awake to a crash coming from the kitchen. I stumble out of bed still wearing my pyjamas, snatching my wand off of the bedside table and tiptoe out to survey the area. Through the dark, I am unable to make out much. I can see the faint outlines of furniture in the living room, the kitchen remaining a deep abyss of darkness.

"Ari?" I let the question fill the blank space, waiting for a response. I am met with complete silence. I can sense another mage in the room with me, being very still like they are waiting for something. I am going to use my fire as a last resort, not wanting to out myself to a suspicious Apollyon if he is just here again, trying to spy on me. "I know you are there, come out," I demand, taking a step farther into the pitch black.

Something darts out behind me, too quick for me to catch sight of. My head snaps to the right when it happens again. My eyes squint when I catch glimpse of what is moving. A shadow. How could a shadow be moving? I sure as hell am not doing it.

"Who's there?" I whisper, my eyes trained on the shadow in the corner. "What do you want?"

Silence. I walk towards the shadow, reaching a hand out to it, but it move fast, gripping my wrist tightly in its inky fingers. I twist my hand, attempting to shake its hold, but it is too tight. I raise my wand up to its chest, the spell on my lips as it draws me in closer, however, I don't get a chance to speak the spell.

"I want you," a strong voice growls into my ear and I flinch back from the sudden heat from his breath. "dead."

I swing out from the shadow, holding my wand in the man's direction while I fire off flamma and a small flame shoots his way, fizzling when it hits the wall opposite to me. The brief blue hue it emitted revealed a seemingly empty room, the shadow no longer having a hold on my wrist as it disappeared with the light. I whip around in a circle, trying desperately to locate the man in the room.

"Why?"

"I can't let you stop me from what I was made to do," he responds and I fire off another fireball in his direction, missing once again. Loosen up Chhaya.

"And what was that?" my offensive stance doesn't waiver as I continue taking in my surroundings.

"To destroy the mage world as we know it." The chuckle that emits from deep in his chest sends a chill down my spine.

Something came over me then, something I haven't felt since I was eighteen. "I won't let you do that. I won't let you destroy this world."

"What makes you think you can stop me?" I don't have to see his face to know that he is wearing a proud smirk. "Flamma."

The deadly whisper leaves a bright orange flame in its wake that hits me square in the face, my head careening back and the floor slides out from under my bare feet. A scream escapes my mouth as I fall, the pain from the bubbling blisters ignite across my face. My head is mere inches from the hardwood now as I await the inevitable impact.

"Ky!"

I jump, blinded by the sudden beam of light stinging my eyes. I fight with the constricting fabrics that wrap my body tightly. My wand is in my hand and I fling it in front of me, not sure what I am pointing at, but the adrenaline rushing through me doesn't give it a second thought.

"Levi!" I shout into the room, holding my arm ahead of me. I blink rapidly, removing the pools from my eyes to clear my vision. Oh no. A freaked out Ari is suspended in the air in front of me and my mouth opens and closes as I try to grasp at an explanation. I gulp, slowly releasing the spell as I let Ari back down to the ground. "Um," is all I manage to get out.

"Are you okay?"

She seems concerned for me. Why? "What?"

"Are you okay? I heard screaming from in here, it sounded like you were being murdered. I am sorry for barging in. I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I, uh, it was just a bad dream," I reply, remembering the man hiding amongst the shadows. It all felt so real in the moment.

"Must have been some dream," Ari looks at the wall at the end of my bed and the two scorch marks adorning it.

"It was," I pant. "About, um, well about," I gesture to the spot where she was just floating, "I didn't know it was you, I couldn't see anything."

"That's okay, I am okay. I noticed that you didn't use any of the spells in the books we were given. Do you wish to explain?" I expect accusation, not kindness in her voice as she asks this.

Here goes nothing. "No, it wasn't in the books this school shares with us. It was from a book I used ages ago, a book with old magic in it."

"Woah, that is so awesome! That must be why you are so strong, the energy needed must not be nearly as much as the spells we have been using. So does that mean...oh my god, Leo. He uses it too doesn't he?"

"That is not my question to answer," I respond, If he wants her to know, he can tell her himself.

"Right. Oh my god, this is so cool."

Ari squeals and then leaves my room, letting the door close behind her. This isn't good. This is really not good. Not only am I now worried about Ari blabbing, I am worried about who this guy is that is threatening me.

I turn to look out the well lit window, it must be morning. Last day before this godforsaken challenge. I change into more presentable clothing and leave my room, my book safely kept in the inner pocket of my leather jacket. Ari sits alone on the couch in our petite living room, biting on her nail. When she sees me, she gets up. She starts shifting on her feet, glancing at me and then looking at other places near me.

"Why are you so nervous?" I question her, worried something had happened. If she told Apollyon, he would still be here to ream me out. If not him, then what happened?

"I was wondering...I mean if you aren't too busy. Ah, come on, Ari, get it out." She takes a deep breath, "I am hoping that maybe you could teach me."

"Teach you? Like, teach you old magic? Why?"

She pulls at her fingers, one by one. I have never see Ari nervous before. "I see the way everyone here struggles and I have felt it myself. Just doing that simple light spell took so much out of me." She takes in a deep breath, "I understand if you don't want to, but I want to learn about it, I want to understand why we stopped ever using old magic."

She opens her mouth to continue rambling on, but I don't let her. "Fine."

"What?"

"I will teach you. First I am going to give you some history on the subject before moving into teaching you how to wield the old magic. I don't want you hurting yourself or anyone else."

She agrees and my decision is finalized. I am breaking my one and only rule. I am going to help someone and if it is the death of me, so be it because there is something coming, something dark and I am going to need all the help I can get.