The day everything in Adam’s life changed started rather ordinary. He awoke to Mommy’s singing her waking song. Mommy had a high, joyful singing voice, and as Adam’s eyes opened, she danced to the music in her head and her voice as she moved through the kitchen. The smell of salt fish, peppers, onions, and eggs helped draw the young boy out of the last vestiges of slumber by his stomach. With a full body stretch and a yawn, he quickly rolled to his feet from his pallet by the corner of the single room home the family shared.

  Bleary eyed, he surveyed the scene. As the sounds and smells suggested, Mommy was cooking in the small kitchen. Adam watched as she scooped up a pile of diced veggies she had just finished chopping and tossed them deftly into the pan with a sizzle of hot oil. She danced as she moved through her work, and her sparkling eyes lit up when she saw the boy watching and smiled warmly.

  Daddy sat in the very center of the home within his special circle, his sword sheathed on his lap as he performed his morning meditations. Like Adam, he had dark brown hair, but unlike the young boy, his hair was tied into the peculiar style of the warriors of their people, with three braids running from an otherwise shaved head. Along the braids were ribbons which Daddy had said each represented an important battle won. Daddy had more ribbons than most, Adam knew.

  A few feet away from his own cot was the small crib of his baby sister, Sarah. Adam stepped close, smiled down at her, and gave her her morning kiss on the head. Daddy said it was important to show her love even now, as love made babies grow big and strong! Mommy twirled her way over to him with a laugh, making a hug and a kiss on his own head a part of her joyful morning routine!

  As I made my way over to the small table near the kitchen to sit and wait for breakfast, Daddy’s eyes finally opened. He looked over at Adam with a smile, saying “And with the smell of breakfast, we have yet again drawn young Adam to our table!” A deep, rich laugh peeled from his lungs as he smoothly made his way to his feet, his sword seeming to naturally end up clipped to his belt instead of being loose on his lap like a few seconds ago.

  The family, minus the still sleeping infant, made their way to the table and began to eat in blissful silence. The taste of the salty fish with the sweetness of the peppers made Adam’s taste buds dance, and he washed it all down with a mug of hot, sweet tea with cream that left a warm glow deep in his chest.

  As he downed the last few swallows of tea, Daddy looked over at him with a stern expression. “Today is an important day, Adam.” he intoned. “You will be tested to see if you can use our magic, and if you can, how powerfully.” He motioned to his sword, “people will expect you to be strong, like me, but I want you to keep something in mind.” At this he scooted closer to Mommy and drew her near, smiling down at her. “Your mother has none of our magic, not even the barest spark. In spite of that, she is respected in our village, and she brings great joy and honor to our family. So do your best, but don’t fret if magic is not the path you’ve been chosen to walk upon.”

  This seemed such a strange speech to give. Of course Adam would have magic! How else would he be like his Daddy? He would leap and fly and swoosh his sword to protect the village! Everyone would feel safe because he was there, just like Daddy! How could it be any oth-

  His thought process was shattered by a mighty BOOM coming from outside of the house that shook everything! Dishes shook from the counter, shattering on the floor. Loose furniture toppled! Adam’s baby sister began to wail! Looking over, he saw that her crib had also toppled and that she was lying on the floor. Not thinking, he scrambled to his feet to go help his sister.

  As he gently scooped her up, he heard his Daddy’s stern voice command “Stay in the house!” followed by the sound of the front door slamming! Adam was shaking as he brought Sarah over to Mommy, but he was slowly regaining his courage. After all, Daddy was out there taking care of things!

  When Adam reached her, Mommy took him and his little sister into her arms and began to hum a soft song. No matter the question, music was always Mommy’s answer. Swaddled in her arms and the soft melody of her music, Adam began to relax. From outside, he could hear shouting and other loud sounds, but he couldn’t make out any words or tell what the louder noises were supposed to be.

  That changed when the next BOOM that sounded was accompanied by the clatter of their kitchen wall exploding inward! The room filled with smoke and dust, and suddenly the shouts and screams from outside were much clearer. The roar of fire could be heard from outside as well.

  Adam looked up as he noticed Mommy had stopped singing. Mommy was leaning heavily against the wall, staring out into the distance blankly. “Mommy?” Adam asked, as he pulled on her hand. The motion shifted her and caused her head to turn, revealing a large, blood soaked mask where her left eye used to be. So she was hurt? He didn’t know what to do! When someone was hurt, you took them to Mommy, and SHE made them better! But…

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  Thinking furiously, Adam remembered that if Mommy couldn’t help, she would bring the person to the Elder Healer! Adam wasn’t sure he could find the Elder Healer, but did he have a choice? He tried to pull Mommy to her feet, but couldn’t budge her. He was just too small. He looked down into his own arms, where Sarah miraculously lay sleeping.

  Determined to at least bring back the Elder Healer, Adam leaped to his feet and began to move towards the hole in the wall. What he saw when he reached that hole took his breath away. Throughout the village, hulking creatures fought warriors. The creatures seemed slow and only armed with their own claws, but when they hit the warriors, the men went flying! In the center of the village square, though, stood the most shocking site. A small, thin man in baggy robe that reached down to his knees over a pair of baggy pants stood between three of the village’s warriors. One of them was Daddy, Adam could tell.

  Mesmerized, Adam watched as the warriors closed to attack, but the man seemed to form circles of symbols in the air that blocked their swords. Three men who could move faster than the wind slashed and stabbed at him, but no stroke came closer than a foot from his body. Finally, one of the warriors swept towards his back, bringing his sword around behind the man’s back.

  As the blade made contact with the robe, the world suddenly roiled. Adam found himself sitting on his but, Sarah beginning once again to cry! Some sort of pulse had flowed from the man in the center and the warrior who had struck him was simply not there anymore. All that was left was a long red streak. Adam reached out a hand as he saw Daddy try to take advantage of what seemed like a lull in the fighting, but the old man simply pointed at him, said something in a weird tongue, and a blast of light launched Daddy into the air going the other way!

  Adam watched as his father slammed into the ground and skidded to a stop only a few feet away from him. He stood up to go help his Daddy as he saw the man struggle to get to his feet. “Daddy!” he cried, “Mommy is hurt! I think we need the Elder Healer, but I don’t know where he is.” Then he saw something he never thought he’d see on Daddy’s face. Pure terror was painted on that visage that had only ever shown confidence and strength up until then!

  Then another voice rang out. “So this is your son, huh?” The voice was high and nasal, with a kind of arrogant sneer to it. “Stupid brat. Can’t even hide in safety right!” With this he let out a shrill laugh.

  Daddy was trying to stand up, but the man skipped forward and kicked him in the chest. Even though the man was much smaller, the kick could have come from a giant for the effect it had. With a crunching sound, Daddy was launched into the air to be deposited several feet back in a boneless pile.

  The old man then turned his attention onto Adam. “Hmmm… Maybe I’ll hold onto you as a bargaining chip, hmmmm?” The boy took a step back at the ominous tone of the old man. The man steadily walked in his direction, rocking from left to right with each step. “Yes. Let’s see if he’ll reveal the secrets of your magic in order to keep you alive!” The old man’s right hand began to rise, but suddenly the crunch of gravel could be heard from his right.

  Turning that direction, Adam saw it was Daddy, standing in spite of obviously grievous injury. In his right hand, he clung desperately to his sword, but didn’t have the strength to raise it’s tip from the ground. The old man’s face lit up. “Good! You made it! Now tell me, will you reveal the secrets of your magic, or must I kill your child?”

  Daddy looked back defiantly. “You… Will never learn this… Magic!” Somehow, he managed to raise his sword a foot up from the ground. “You can’t!” He staggered a bit at this, needing to catch himself by sticking the blade of the sword into the ground to steady himself, but he managed to stay standing. By the look on the old man’s face, that wasn’t the answer he wanted.

  The old man peered at Adam, scowled, and said “I see an example needs to be made…” Before he knew what was happening, Adam felt the bundle at his chest yanked away by some invisible force as a small circle of symbols floated around one of the old man’s fingers. “Always you people must be stubborn…” He stepped closer to the now screaming Sarah, floating upside down in the air.

  The old man stared hard at Daddy. “Do you think I will hesitate to destroy your line?” A line of symbols formed as though being clutched by his other hand like a knife.

  Daddy reached out “No! You can’t! The Council-”

  “The COUNCIL has been trying to stop me for decades! Do you think this will change anything!?” the old man screamed! “I’m tired of your stalling!” and with a casual backhand motion, the symbols slashed deep into Sarah’s throat and chest, cutting off her cries in a harsh gurgle! Adam’s throat went dry and the world seemed to stand still! Sarah… He couldn’t! She was just…

  Daddy screamed with a sound of rage and pain that even a young boy like Adam could recognize. He had found the strength to lift his sword and charged with all abandon at the old man. Horribly, the old man just smirked, stepped off to one side, and slashed Daddy’s throat as well!

  The world spun around Adam’s head! This couldn’t be happening! Why wasn’t anyone helping them!? Where was the Elder Healer!? How could MOMMY be hurt!? How could Sarah… He began to scream as he fell to his knees. This was all wrong. This couldn’t be! It wasn’t-

  The crashing slap snapped the world back into focus and he found himself dangling by his collar in the old man’s gnarled grip. “You’re all that’s left, boy. Lucky you, I need a slave and you have the potential to manifest this magic one day.” He said this like one might comment on finding an interesting rock, rather than a statement of Adam’s future life as a slave. “Serve me well or I’ll kill you and simply finish eradicating your family’s magic…” and then the man pulled Adam’s face close, staring him in the eyes with bits of spittle flying with each word, “…and it’ll be ALL YOUR FAULT!”