The cars whirled past and it had started raining again. Maggie looked up at the sky and saw how groggy it was outside. It's so dreary thought Maggie. She looked over at Bryan who was driving at a rather slow pace. His eyes were bloodshot and he smelled like ember. Maggie couldn't help looking at his discoloration in his hair.
"What happened?" asked Maggie.
"How many times do I have to say it," replied Bryan," those were Rea---"
"No, not that I mean your hair."
Bryan looked distressed and continued steering the vehicle. "I can't talk about anything that relates to what you're going to find out. So just wait a sec and he'll explain everything." Bryan sighed heavily and looked back at the road. Maggie felt irritated at the fact that Bryan could not tell her anything about her situation. "Don't you think it's strange that I'm sitting next to a person who could be a murderer in a car that could be going to my final destination?" questioned Maggie. "I'm going to some place with some guy to go see another person who's as strange as what just happened. I think that it's wrong to just sit in this car and pretend that everything is okay when we both know two people just tried to kill me. So we're just going to drive in this car to some random place and ignore the problem until we get there?" Bryan felt the anger in her voice and sighed. Maggie began to speak again. "What about my mother? What is she supposed to think when she finds an unconscious man on the floor in front of her kitchen, a dead werewolf in front of my bedroom, and me not there?" Bryan got frustrated again and pulled the car to the side of the road.
"Look Maggie, I can't explain everything to you because I don't know how and I don't have the answers," shouted Bryan. "The only thing I can tell you is that those men were Reapers and that you can ask all of these questions when we get to the Elder!" Bryan put the keys back into the ignition and pulled the car back onto the road. It was quiet for the rest of the way.
The car went on for hours until it got in front of a large townhouse. The house had a wide cobblestone driveway with bushes lined up on each side. In front of the house lay a lavish garden with tomatoes, cucumbers, and radishes on one side of the walkway, and a few daisies and tulips on the opposite side. Maggie noticed a tall old man with a cane standing on the steps leading up to the house. The car came to a stop and Bryan gathered some things from the backseat. "Get out," commanded Bryan. Maggie stepped out of the car, longing to be at home with her mother watching television with a big cup of hot chocolate. The man stared at Maggie for a while and the went inside. Bryan ran up to the door just to go inside slowly. Maggie followed with bit of hesitation. As she walked through the front door, Maggie awed at the beautiful corridor. From the door, there was a long, narrow hallway with white walls. At the end of the hallway, there led two rooms on opposite sides. On one side, there was a big white kitchen with black appliances and black counter top. On the other side of the hallway, there was a huge living room with beige carpet and a white sofa. Across from the sofa was a flat screen t.v. sitting on a light brown television stand. Breaking off from the living room was a room that Maggie could only see at an angle. She assumed it was a bedroom. Then, Maggie looked over at the sofa and saw the old man she saw outside sitting there. "Hello Ms. Stutton," said the man with a rather deep but suave voice. "As you might have assumed, I am the Elder." Maggie stared at him breathless with a shocking expression on her face. She thought it was rude to just stand there with her jaw dropped so she stiffened up and tried to look respectful. "Hello, Elder."
...
Maggie sat down on the sofa, only two feet away from the old man. The man sipped on hot tea in an ancient China teacup. Then, he cleared his voice and looked up at Maggie. "You're probably wondering who I am, correct?" Maggie was astonished at how he spoke, seeing that he was old. She didn't expect his voice to be so clear and understanding. "Yes," Maggie replied. The old man pursed his lips and sipped tea. "Before you start asking random questions, let me start telling you the world that you were just brought into." The man cleared his throat and began to speak. "1000 years ago, before King Henry and before Christopher Columbus 'discovered' America, disgusted with the sins of men I conjured up a spell that would release the evil from man. However, the spell rebounded and soared into my body. From that moment on I have been, as you humans call it, immortal. On that day, I created a magic that could ruin kings and balance out this world. And in fact, I'll show you." Maggie looked confused, but amazed at the words that emitted from the man's mouth. "Keep looking at the fireplace, but notice my hand," said the man. He flicked his hand twice and waved it mystically. Then, the man's hand started to glow red and he motioned it forward. In the blink of an eye, the fireplace was lit and smoking. Then, the man waved his hand and it was if the fire had never existed. Maggie was in awe. She had always saw witch craft and magic in movies, but never thought it actually existed. She was so surprised that she almost fell off the sofa. "And since I was from then on immortal and the father of this fantastic new world, I was awarded the name Elder, or as you say, the Elder," said the man with a slight grin. "But, in order for this magic to have a pupose and balance out, an opposite was created. Now, I don't know how this happened or what caused this, but the opposite started to possess the weak and give them evil, but affective powers. And because so many people were infected with this evil, I had to create Protectors, or people who witnessed and practiced my magic. Essentially, they would go out fight this evil, which has now been given the name the Inomilous. And the young man who brought you here is also indeed an amateur sorcerer close to finishing his training and becoming a Protector." Maggie looked to her right at Bryan, who stood in the corner and listened to their conversation. He looked troubled and worried. "Now, this is where you come in," says the Elder with an unfamiliar tone. "I couldn't see how far this war with the Inomilous would continue, and so I had to create someone who could. I created a woman who could see before it is seen named the Prime. She has guided many of my followers over the years through their paths and helped many others." The man took a sip of his tea and got ready to talk again.
"Even though the war was partial to us, it didn't seem that we were getting anywhere with the Inomilous. So, I had to take matters into my own hand. I took a part of me and infused it with a specimen of the Inomilous. The outcome was a human who could balance out the war by controlling both sides. But, I found out that this warrior could be wounded while they were helping out in trying to change the tide in the war. Once, I saw for myself that this hero could pass away, I made a spell that created life cycles for this man. Because of his rebirth every few decades, my Protectors called him the Trial. After a while, I got used to the name myself." The old man laid back on the sofa and looked around the room. "And now," explained the man, "you may ask me any question you see fit and I will try and answer Ms. Stutton." Maggie was surprised at the way the man wold refer to her. Only her mother would be referred to as Ms. Stutton. She tried to find a time through her mind when she was referred to like that. She couldn't find one. "But before you ask me any questions, I have a question of my own," stated the old man. "What's the state of your father?" Maggie looked down at her lap and frowned. "When I was four, he left and never came back. At least, that's what my mother told me." The man sipped his tea again and looked disappointed.
"Has he made any contact with you in any recent years?" asked the man
"No, he hasn't," replied Maggie.
The man sat upward again. "Now, ask any question you'd like." Maggie looked up at the man and spoke. "Okay first of all, who were those people who tried to kill me?" The man had an epiphany and licked his lips. "Ah yes, I forgot. Those men who were sent to your house were called Reapers. They are men who are created by the Inomilous to track down any creature of our magic and destroy it." Maggie looked confused.
"But why were they after me?" asked Maggie in a questioning tone.
"Because," said the man, "you are believed to be the next Trial."
"Even though the war was partial to us, it didn't seem that we were getting anywhere with the Inomilous. So, I had to take matters into my own hand. I took a part of me and infused it with a specimen of the Inomilous. The outcome was a human who could balance out the war by controlling both sides. But, I found out that this warrior could be wounded while they were helping out in trying to change the tide in the war. Once, I saw for myself that this hero could pass away, I made a spell that created life cycles for this man. Because of his rebirth every few decades, my Protectors called him the Trial. After a while, I got used to the name myself." The old man laid back on the sofa and looked around the room. "And now," explained the man, "you may ask me any question you see fit and I will try and answer Ms. Stutton." Maggie was surprised at the way the man wold refer to her. Only her mother would be referred to as Ms. Stutton. She tried to find a time through her mind when she was referred to like that. She couldn't find one. "But before you ask me any questions, I have a question of my own," stated the old man. "What's the state of your father?" Maggie looked down at her lap and frowned. "When I was four, he left and never came back. At least, that's what my mother told me." The man sipped his tea again and looked disappointed.
"Has he made any contact with you in any recent years?" asked the man
"No, he hasn't," replied Maggie.
The man sat upward again. "Now, ask any question you'd like." Maggie looked up at the man and spoke. "Okay first of all, who were those people who tried to kill me?" The man had an epiphany and licked his lips. "Ah yes, I forgot. Those men who were sent to your house were called Reapers. They are men who are created by the Inomilous to track down any creature of our magic and destroy it." Maggie looked confused.
"But why were they after me?" asked Maggie in a questioning tone.
"Because," said the man, "you are believed to be the next Trial."
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