Initium by Jamie L. Lalley (read full novel .TXT) 📖

Prologue

It was the first time she had ever caught a glimpse of them. She licked her lips, drawing closer to the small round table where the crystal ball was floating a good six inches above.
For days now her dreams have been like smoke, real to sight but intangible. The taste of them was like something she had never eaten before but it was sweet yet had its own kick of spice.
She kneeled before the crystal while it crackled and fireworks sparks erupted from its core, shimmering lights burst and ash collected in its shadow beneath. She reached out but the force of the vision had formed a shield so both her hands hovered around it as she fed it her own energy to aid in stabilization. In doing this the colorful and fast moving images slowed and she was able to read them...
...A boy with red hair, an opening of a book, a chanting that she couldn’t understand, a girl with large eyes...
She had to focus harder still because none of it was making any sense to her. Pressing against the shield of the crystal ball made the image come to a stop.
It was the boy with red hair and hazel eyes. Young, ambitious, and full of raw power.
“A wizard.” A smiled cracked on her lips.
Slowly the image flickered and it showed two others with the first boy; A girl with long black hair and the look of a great chantress, the other, a boy whose eyes burned with the intensity of knowledge.
“Three wizards.”
It was more than the psychic could handle. With her excitement pumping into the energy that she was pressing into the crystal, it started to shake violently. She pulled away from the chain and the ball slammed onto the table with a loud, ringing thump.
She blew on her hands to cool them from the burns though the pain was nothing compared to her excitement. The first vision of the season and it was the best one she has ever had. She felt the need to celebrate.
From a chest she pulled out a bottle with the liquid as red as the blood pulsing through her veins. Not bothering to grab a glass she settled down on the mounds of pillows on the mat that laid in the corner of her tent, popping the cork, and drank the bottle straight.
Her eyes watered and her throat scorched but the drink sent a rippling sensation through her thin, golden skinned body. She unraveled the shawl that hung around her shoulders as the drink took its toll from within, enveloping her in a blanket of heat. Her long, dark curls cascading over the pillows of velvet am indigo with gold and silver thread embroidering it with intricate designs fabricated from the best seamstresses of Europe.
As the bottle was only a couple more sips from being empty, the psychic’s head buried deep into her pillows and her eyelids fluttered with sleeps dust filling them. In the depth of her mind she knew that once the drink wore off her body would shiver with the chill of the coming morning. Frankly she didn’t care. Why would she? Everything felt so right.
Her happiness overtook her, her greed was growing from deep within her heart as sleep lead her into its dark keep.
“Hello, Bryden.” she murmured, her mouth dry and tongue sore. “At long last, I’ve found you.”

He arrived at the Faraway house at approximately four thirty-two pm. His presence was expected elsewhere but he was certain that he wouldn't be missed. It was far rather early. A layer of clothing clung to his skin with cold sweat. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand, took a deep breath, and proceeded to the door.
His whole body was shaking and it had nothing to do with the temperature spiraling down to freezing point. He constantly shrugged the one strap of his book back up his shoulder so much that it looked like he had a nervous tick. When he rang the doorbell and took yet another deep breath footsteps could be heard from inside. When the lilac colored door opened he held his breath.
She flashed him a familiar grin and he nearly lost it.
Why did he suddenly feel this way? A tightening in his chest. His heart stopped in his throat, beat after beat throbbing in his ears. Even after being friends with her for so many years, he never imagined that there was anything that he couldn't talk with her about.
There she was standing in front of him. Long dark hair pulled up in a bun, porcelain skin, heart shaped lips, and her dark almond shaped eyes. He had looked into her eyes and they were looking right back.
Crap.
"Hello Phillip," she said. "Where's Bobby? I thought he was coming with you."
A sharp pang settled at the pit of his stomach. He pushed it away quickly because it was that particular feeling that would normally make him bite his tongue, turn around, and have to coincide with his silence. He has been waiting too long.
"We were supposed to... I mean I was supposed to go to his house first... and then come over... but I had to do something first so I thought I would do that first and then..."
A knot appeared between her eyebrows when they knitted together. Her lips were pursed and she scratched her head like her brain was telling her that it could comprehend Phillip's babbling.
He dropped his book bag on the porch and pressed his hands to the side of his face. He closed his eyes and listened to his heartbeat. Breathing in a mouthful of cold and damp air his heart gave one quick session of fluttering beats and just like that all the nerves were gone. A tingling sensation surged through his fingertips. The shaking of his body finally stopped.
Phillip opened his eyes and in one breath he told her how he felt. Built up emotions and hope poured right out of his mouth that with each word he said his expectations for her reaction rose exponentially. When he was done a large smiled had grown on his freckled face. It took him a moment to register the look of shock on his friends face.
To his horror she said nothing back.

For those who have the truest of friends. Cherish them because you never know when it how and when it will end.

Chapter One
A Season Offering

“Tis the job of a wizard to maintain balance with the elements. Offering to the Seasons has been a practice carried down from the first Magie. Eventually we were given such rule over the Elements of Nature after ages and ages of Magie maintaining a safe season one after the next.”*
-Hocus

The town of Bryden settling down for the chilly months. November wasn't as brutal as January would come to be but it still wouldn't be forgiving.
The sun was a tiny glowing orb in the sky peaking behind thick tuffs of clouds, small and useless compared to the wind which was as sharp as ice. It cut through any available opening in clothing sending chills up and down the spine. It was the kind of breeze that seeped under the skin and stayed chilling the bone till one took a long hot shower.
Bobby Tanner made sure to have his first layer of clothing; A long sleeved shirt and long grey socks pulled as high as they can go over a pair of long-johns. He put on a pair of jeans and a hoodie as a second layer, slipped his gloves in his pocket and wrapped a scarf around his neck.
"I'm leaving now!" he yelled as he raced down the stairs and sprinted to the door.
"Don't be late for dinner!"
Mrs. Tanner yelled back and her voice carried to his ears before he slammed the door shut behind him. On the lawn lay a pile of bikes that belong to his and his younger siblings. He unraveled his own and bolted down the street to his best friends house, Kiki Faraway.
Phillip was supposed to be at his house half an hour ago but since he hadn't showed Bobby figured that he may as well be at Kiki's since they were going to head over there anyways.
Today was the day that they made the offering to the winter season. Tonight Bobby was going to surprise Kiki with a new charm for her bracelet, a snowflake. One of her favorite facts is how unique each individual snowflake is. Seemed appropriate.
When he reached the house, white and lilac shuttered, at the end of his street he saw them. Kiki and Phillip Donnelly sitting in the chair swing on her porch. He waved at them and turned into her driveway and put his bike next to the garage. What he didn't see was Kiki clearing her throat and Phillip glancing behind him and seeing Bobby come up the driveway. He stood up and dug his hands into his pockets.
"Hey guys!"
"Hey Bobby." Kiki piped a little to cheerfully.
He looked from her to Phillip but Kiki didn't meet his eyes. Phillip eyed were downcast and