Chapter 3

    The pitter patter woke Virtial upon Young’s Day, the day in which almost everyone stayed off work as to keep young. He rose from his bed and looked out the window of his room. The day was bleak and grey with very little blue sky to it. Virtial found himself cold, so he conjured up a fire in his hand and kept it close to his body. As he looked out he looked out the window, a thunderbolt streaked across the sky. Some of the greatest wizards had used thunderbolts to charge themselves for difficult battles throughout history, like Smyth in his duel against the 500, he took the bolt and used it to restore himself and heal his wounds. Lightning bolts were as magical as you could get.

Then out of know where, a pigeon came in a hit the window, it was carrying a note in it’s beak. Virtial opened the window, the pigeon gave Virtial the note, on it was scrawled,

                    Dear Virtial,

            Come over, I have something to tell you.

                                        Jem H.

    Virtial stretch his arms up into the air, extinguishing the fire he had just conjured. And he then proceeded to get dressed and go down his stairs to the main floor. His mother came around the corner.

    “Well where are you off to Mr. Rabbit?, Hot date? She said with a smirk.

    “No just seeing someone.” Virtial went out the front door as his mom looked shocked that Virtial was actually going to see someone.

    Virtial made his way to the house that Jem lived in, it looked nearly identical to Virtial’s, save that the windows were painted a bright red and there were geraniums instead of the roses that were in Virtial’s front yard. When Virtual knocked on the door Jem answered.

    “Hey, come in really fast. I want to show you what I learned.”

    Virtial was practically dragged up the stairs by Jem as Jem took him to his room. Once they made it to Jem's room, Virtial looked around. The first thought that came into Virtial’s head was “Generic”. The walls were painted gray, the bedspread was white and there was a dresser with a small mirror in the corner, it almost looked sort of sad. The room was strewn with rubber bouncing balls.

    “Watch.” Was all Jem said. “Levi.” he muttered, his focus on a small rainbow colored ball in the middle of the room. All the sudden the ball started to float above the ground, higher and higher and higher.  Jem’s concentration was incredible his mind was on nothing except for the spell he was casting. Then the ball started spinning faster and faster, faster… The Jems concentration could no longer hold the ball in place. The ball leaped from Jem’s spell and bounced around the room, onto the ceiling and then onto Jem’s hardwood floor. It landed on a vase on the dresser, breaking it with a crash. Virtial focused on the ball and used the same spell Jem had, levitating the ball in mid-air. The room stayed quiet for a moment as Virtial focused on slowing down the momentum of the ball, then he let it drop to the floor. “Everything seemed more still when a bouncy ball isn’t about to kill you.” Virtial thought. Jem looked down, looking devastated.

    “I knew that would happen.” He said, “I’m just a wizard that can’t do magic.” And then he proceeded to collapse on the ground and start to cry. This cry was different from the cry he had cried yesterday, it was one full of disappointment and sadness. Not one of dejection and strife.

“Hey look,” Said Virtial,”It’s okay, you just were a little excited and not completely focused. I’m sure you’re able to cast that spell all the time.” He finished.

“Yeah, but the issue is,” Said Jem,”I just learned that spell a few days ago, I'm not like the other kids who learn magic in their schools. My parents keep me at home so that way I can’t learn. I smuggled out a book a few day ago from an old ladies house, I help her out you know. So I learned the first spell in book. Apparently though, I can’t do magic. My parents were right.” Virtial was shocked, all kids usually went to school to learn the magic arts. Some were more inclined to it than others, but all were usually able to do it, unless you came from a non magic dimension...but even then…

“So you haven't learned anything about magic?” Said Virtial.

“None.” Jem said.

“Well then we’re going to have to fix that.” Virtial said.

“How?”

“By me teaching you how to do magic.” Was the firm answer.

“But my parents…”

“You’re parents don’t know anything,” Virtial said angry,”They’re destroying your opportunities to get started in the world!” Virtial then got up and said “So where is the book you’ve been learning from?” Jem pointed to a book that was blended in quite smartly  in the bookcase. Virtial went, picked the book up and looked through it. It was filled with basic spells and charms that were usually presented to a 5 year olds class, not a nine year old.  

“Here we’ll start with this, a fire spell.” Virtial started to get into teaching mode. “Now the fire spell is a simple spell but you need to know how to visualize it. When you cast a fire spell you’re literally taking the atoms and speeding them up to create a flame, that’s what you need to visualize when casting the spell. Now the activation word is “Fregro” that’s what you’ll say after you are focused and visualizing the atoms speeding up.” Jem and Virtial practiced the spell for 3 hours that day. Then they practiced another spell, then another and another. By the time they were finished they had worked over 9 hours on spells. It was starting to get dark. By this time Jem had learned about 5 spells, each one getting easier as they went along. Virtial did find it a little odd though that Jem’s parents didn’t show up, this was shattered however when Virtial and Jem heard the front door close. Jem started to panic.

“You need to get out of here now!” He whispered hurriedly putting the book away on the shelf and whisking Virtial toward the window.

“Jem get down here!” A masculine voice called

“What’s wrong?” Virtial asked.

“Just go!” Jem replied

Jem opened the window and practically pushed Virtial out.  Virtial was able to put a foot on the ledge of the house and listen to what was going on inside.

    “Jem what are you doing?” The voice said. Virtial noticed the words were slightly slurred together like the voice had been drinking.

    “Nothing Dad.” Jem hurriedly said. The tension was electric as Virtial, even though he could not see the father, could feel him scanning Jem for lies. The father must have decided that Jem was telling the truth because he soon said,

    “Well, Dinner will be soon so you better get your redhead of yours down there.”The door shut and there was nothing more to it.

    “Virtial, go.” Jem said. So Virtial with a quick goodbye, leapt from the side of the building and used an air spell to cushion his fall. As he walked home, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Jem’s home life was less than ideal. Who would want to keep a kid away from magic? Virtial would soon find out.