Dark Legacy - 1. Chapter 1 The Gifted One

*Kato Tiltz*

“Okay, class. Today in potions, we will be trying something new.” Professor Balum said, excitedly clapping his hands. That was his personality. He was always jumpy and peppy, despite his old age. Anyone who met him, knew he was young at heart.

“On the cabinet in the back of the classroom, there are plenty of ingredients for the potion we will be making today.” He continued, pointing at the table behind us.

On the black surface of the table laid glass potion bottles, leaves from odd plants, roots, honey, mushrooms, and a whole line of goopy liquids that bubbled strangely. Certain jars of things I had never seen before.

I could only wonder what potion we would be mixing up today?

Professor Balum continued his instructions as everyone scanned the table’s line of ingredients we were to use. “I’m giving you all a copy of the instructions. The paper should be on your desk.” He waved his wand lazily making a paper appear on everyone’s desk. “Be sure to read these instructions carefully. I don’t want any accidents happening again.” His grey bushy eye brows rose as he spoke making folds in his forehead.

I glanced down at the paper popping on my desk out of nowhere. It read:

‘Anti-Headache Potion’

Ingredients; Mint leaves, enchanted roots, honey, blue speckled mushrooms,… I skipped past the rest of the ingredients and straight to the directions. There was so much the potion demanded; Chopping the enchanted roots into small rectangular pieces, Shaving the blue speckles of the mushrooms, stirring three times in full rotation to the left five times, five more times to the right… add this, add that, stir half clockwise, three drops of honey while stirring.

This potion was going to be a hassle! I’d rather let my headache go away on its own if this is what it took to stop a head from hurting on a regular day. This ‘Anti-Headache Potion’, would give you a headache following the complex steps.

The rest of the class agreed with my opinion. You could hear moans, and grunts as they looked at their instruction sheets.

“Do we have to do this, today?” One girl complained.

“I hate potions!” Another person said.

Balum smiled through all the unpleasant noises the class made. The top of his head gleamed from the lights above. His hair was gray, frizzy and streamed along the sides of his head. In the middle of his head was bald. Balum wore red and white colored robes, with his plump stomach stuck out. His glasses hung over his nose as he finished going over the last of the instructions.

“When you finish, I will come around to check and see if you have done everything correctly.” He stopped to look at the clock above the table in the back. “Now… you can all get up, a few at a time. Get your ingredients for your potions and get started.” He said smiling.

Chairs slid across the floor as everyone migrated towards the back table, grabbing what they needed off the list. I could hear bottles clanking, when professor Balum’s short, pudgy body, came over to my desk. His hair was gray and wild as he approached.

“Kato.” He politely laid a puffy hand on my shoulder. “If you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask.” He readjusted his glasses. “You are the youngest student in this class. I know some of the directions can be difficult at times but never hesitate to ask for help. Your guardian here,” he motioned towards Jevyn, who sat beside me like a statue. “He can probably help simplify things for you. You must know, being ‘the gifted one’ the head master ask me to give you 11^th grade magic potions.” He said in a low grumble. Wishing he could change the plans.

“Yes, sir.” Was all I could say before he patted me on the shoulder twice and walked back to his desk. He seemed to understand my pressure as being known as the gifted child. As if the responsibility alone wasn’t already hard.

Our headmaster Guyus, recommended me, a thirteen year old, to work and think like a seventeen year old. Putting me in these advanced magic classes, overstuffing me with work, hoping I would be ready to live up to the title when the day came.

I just don’t get this most of the time. I don’t feel special. I don’t feel gifted at all.

The hard work wasn’t all. Going to Warleague, sitting in classes with older students who looked at me like I was a rodent, was very uncomfortable. So I wasn’t the only person to think I wasn’t so special.

Then add, how I have Jevyn as my guardian. Which means everywhere I go, everything I do, he is there.

It’s tiring!

Being thirteen years old with a gift. A gift to fight dark wizards that plan to kill me almost every day, Is tough! I don’t know what I did? I don’t get a break or a second alone. There is always someone or something threatening my life.

On top of that, I’m so tired of being treated like a baby! I’m not a baby!

No matter how much I tell Jevyn, Headmaster Guyus and the other Professors at Warleague School for Wizards and Witches. They continue to treat me like I’m some baby.

“I’m going to get your ingredients. I’ll be back okay?” Jevyn calmly said getting up from the desk next to mine. Jevyn’s hair was black, the front of it coming to his mid-forehead, just above His eyes which were a medium shade of green.

He’s been protecting me since I first started coming to Warleague magic school. I was only about six at the time.

He is always going on and on about how I’m supposed to have three other guardians but the headmaster hasn’t found them yet. Hopefully when they are found they don’t treat me like a baby.

Jevyn came back shortly. He returned with a handful of honey, potion glass bottles, speckled mushrooms, mint leaves, and enchanted roots. There was a serious face he always had. He never changed it for anything. He didn’t smile much, or frown much. Always keeping a stoic expression, something that creeped me out.

“Okay, let’s get started.” He sighed picking up a sharp dagger, chopping the enchanted roots for me. “After I prepare the ingredients I’ll let you add them in. I don’t want you getting hurt. So I have to take extra precaution.” Jevyn grunted as he chopped the roots in perfect rectangular pieces.

When I looked at everybody else’s progress, I saw they were ahead of Jevyn and I. Most of them were already stirring. Some people’s potions were brilliant glowing green, with sizzling bubbles and hissing fumes coming from their potion bottles.

Professor Balum sat at his desk sorting papers with a stretched smile over his face. It looked like he may have been humming. I think he loved the bubbling sounds of liquids mixing.

We moved further down the instructions adding: the honey, stirring, and strips of mint leaves at their appropriate times. The liquid in my bottle glowed brilliant green. Fumes began hissing from the green contents. As I stirred a warming peppermint sent filled my nose.

“Be careful.” Jevyn told me eyeing my every motion.

A small cloud of Smoke rose in a big puff. I got kind of scared thinking I added the roots at the wrong time. I glanced at the directions again.

“Do you know what you are doing?” Jevyn’s green eyes watched me cautiously. He twitched as I stirred. He kept trying to make sure I was doing everything just right. Trying to make sure I wouldn’t somehow hurt myself stirring the liquid.

Geez! I desperately hope the other guardians aren’t this protective. Jevyn has really been getting on my nerves for last past seven years. He was about eleven when I was only six, just starting my first year at Warleague.

Ever since that day, his red and white robes, have stood relentlessly beside mine, always trying to keep me from dangers.

Jevyn shaved the blue speckles off the mushrooms, leaving the surface of them smooth and spotless. He laid them beside the glass of brilliant green sizzling liquid. I added the shaved mushrooms to the bottle and cloud of grey smoke shot up from the bottle.

“Whoa! Watch what you are doing!” Jevyn jumped at the flash of smoke. Other students stopped stirring to see what happened. When the smoke cleared, they went back to stirring like they were before.

“I know what I’m doing!” I told him almost losing my temper. “Stop treating me like a baby!” I steamed out before I knew it.

Jevyn gave me a frown. “I was told to guard you. If you die, what good are you to our side? The whole Warleague school would have me killed. If any, tiny thing harms you, the headmaster would kick me out of the ‘White Robes Organization’.” He threw his hands up frantically. “If I get kicked out of White Robes and Warleague, I won’t have a purpose for being a wizard. All my training would be a waste.”

I stopped stirring by the end of his words. My potion was complete. It had a dark green, emerald texture. Sitting smoothly at the bottom of the potion bottle. As the last of the bubbles surfaced to the top and popped, the liquid grew still.

Yes, I did it!

Jevyn was always bringing up these points. He should be less strict on himself. He never really got to be a teen or a child. From eleven he was trained to be a guardian. He needed his own time.

I decided to get off the topic. Switching to another that wouldn’t cause him to talk about protection, guardians, or White robes. It was sickening to hear every day, every second, when you wake up, before you go to sleep… once again, I’m only thirteen! Can I please have one day without hearing all of the above?

“Sorry, Jevyn.” I sincerely whispered before asking, “The school right next to us…umm what’s it-“

Jevyn shifted his black hair. His green eyes fell on me interrupting, “You mean, Sorcerer’s Association.”

“Yes. The school where they wear the white and blue robes.” Warleagues school colors were red and white. While ‘Sorcerers Association’ school colors were white and blue.

“Yeah, that’s them.” Jevyn assured me. During this time, Professor Balum came around to everyone’s desk checking their final outcome on their potion mixture.

Balum gave some students a thumbs up, others he gave them advice. I heard him telling one guy: “Next time, cut thinner pieces of the enchanted root, it keeps the lumps out.” Walking over to another desk he issued a thumbs up. Then he said to another person, “Next time make sure all the speckles are shaved off the mushrooms before adding them.” He came around to my bottle of dark emerald green liquid, smiling and giving a thumbs up.

My chest lit up with excitement. Even though Jevyn should really have the credit. He mastered this level of potions last year. What else would you expect from an eighteen year old in his twelfth year of magic?

“Oh, I heard from the headmaster, at our last White Robe meeting, that there is another school being built beside Sorcerers Association.” I informed him. I really wanted to know if this information was accurate. What fun would it be to have a new school of wizards and witches.

“They are nearly finished after all these years. You know they have been building that school since you were in your first year of magic?” He answered without looking at me. “I think the name of the school will be ‘Magic Society’ or ‘Society of Magic’… something like that, I forgot.” Jevyn blew the subject off.

Professor Balum stood in front of the class and began to talk. He congratulated everyone on a job well done with their potions. Then he went into some of the uses for the ‘Anti-Headache Potion’.

I wasn’t listening.

I already knew when to drink a potion like this. I was more interested in the new school.

“Hey Jevyn, do you know what colors their school will be?” I questioned curiously. Keeping my voice out of ear shot. Headmaster Guyus never wanted other students who weren’t involved with the secret organization (‘White Robes’) to ever hear what our discussions at the meetings were about.

“I don’t know.” Jevyn shrugged still watching professor Balum speak.

I began wondering.

Warleagues school robes are white, with red seams, red edges, and the embroidered symbol of the “W” on the upper left position of the chest. The Sorcerers Association’s robes were white and blue, designed the exact same way. Only difference was their embroidered symbol ‘SA’ was in fancy letters.

Both of the schools have the color white in common. Both Headmasters: Guyus (Warleague) and Zadavia (Sorcerers Association) have agreed in forming an organization which is called ‘White Robes.’

The wizards and witches at Sorcerers Association, were pretty nice. Everyone got along fine. We all knew that fighting together is the only way to completely cleanse the world from dark magic. When ‘Magic Society’ is finally built, we can snag them on our side. That would be a great advantage for the good side.

Who knows, maybe my other three guardians are from Magic Society.

“Okay, does everyone understand?” Professor Balum nodded his thick head.

“Yes!” The class said loudly.

“Good, good. Now you all can go to your next class after you clean your desk area.”

My wandering thoughts caused me to miss out on everything Balum told us. I looked at Jevyn shocked to see him gone already. Where could he have-

Right then, Jevyn’s red and white robes gushed forward as if he was gliding over the floor. He squared away the desk area, something I could have did myself.

“I could hav…” I started to say.

“Let’s go.” His green eyes demanded.

I chased after him leaving the classroom. All I could see was white robes and decorated red rims, dragged through swarms of other robes that were identical. All the students off to their next class.

I quickened my pace to catch up with him, pushing past student after student. Jevyn was at the end of the corridor when he pushed open the double doors at the end. I finally caught up to him by then.

“Um Jevyn… I have one last question about the new school.” I was heavy breathing after fast walking down the long corridor.

“Kato Tiltz!” He stopped in his tracks. A cool breeze from outside came ruffling his black hair, even my own blond strands blew across my face. “Stop worrying about that new school! There is a lot more at stake! You should worry more about your gift, your responsibilities, and what you have to do to cleanse dark magic!”

Hearing him yell, I lowered my head a little.

Everyone forgets how old I am. The way they shout and order me around. Laboring me with life or death responsibilities. It’s really hard to believe I am the gifted one.

Everyone was so sure it was me. No one else but me! It was the great foreseeing wizard Sadik who wrote a book about someone like me coming into the world.

“Pick your head up! A Warleague wizard never looks down.” Jevyn fired still standing there. After I straightened myself up, he had one last thing to say.

“What is your next class?” Through all of the stressing and yelling he just did, it must have slipped his mind.

“Umm… transfiguration.” At the sound of the word, an odd sensation tickled my hairs. Transfiguration was fun but the teacher she is… so strict.

Professor Amelia.

She happened to also be a member of the secret organization, White Robes. In my mind, I could already see her wobbly bun of blond hair screaming at us for doing something wrong. Professor Amelia was a total stress case.

Oh boy, am I in for it!