The Chosen One: Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Lost and Found (Bladewood
I couldn't help but think, that when I found his essence in my sleep, everything would be okay. Of course I was wrong, though. Everything was not okay, and it wasn't about to get any better. I was lying there in the bed, eyes facing the cieleing, waiting for a sign- any sign- that he or she was out there. I had been searching for months and had sent most of my students to find the one, the chosen one...

But no one had found anything yet, and despite my teachings, I was slowly beginning to lose all hope. My father had once told me that we could never lose hope, for it was the only thing that had been left in Pandora's Box and that it was our most precious ally...But I found this hard to belive considering the fact that the survival of the world depended on my decisions.

With my hope diminished and my energy depleting, I was ready to give up...but then I felt it. Something I hadn't felt since I was a child. A sort of...burst of energy began to grow in my mind. I could feel the life force of a very magical being somewhere. I sat upward and began smiling. Finally! I had finally located him! And I was sure it was a him, after all his aura gave off a unique masculine feeling.

I raced out of the room, dressed in my mage robes, and strutted happily into the main hall. Several of my students were still enjoying a book and dinner by the Grand Fire. I raced to the back to where my two most skilled apprentices were. The two of them were having a polite coversation over the concept of Chimeras with their fellow peers.

"Precious! Josh! I've found him!" I chuckled gleefuly.

At first they looked at me with weird glares, as if I'd finally gone crazy due to old age...but then Precious seemed to realize.

"Wait, you mean...?" she began, her black hair falling over her brown eyes as she stood.

"YOU FOUND HIM?!" Josh laughed.

"Yes! I've found the One, the Chosen One!" I smiled.

Josh and Precious high fived eachother and came over to give me hugs. As I embraced all of my students something snapped in my mind. A lightbulb reminded me of something...

If I-a regular mage/bard- had found the Chosen One, then what other powerful forces of the Underworld had found him?

I released my grip on my students.

"Precious, Josh...can I speak to you in private."

Josh slicked his gold hair back. "Umm..sure, Master."

They followed me back to my quarters, where we sat around the Arch-Table, and I spoke to them.

"Precious...Josh...as you know, you two are my most prestigious students."

Flattered, they nodded their heads.

"Being my most prestigious students, I have chosen you to accompany on my quest to locate the Chosen One-"

"-thank you, Master!" they began but I quickly cut them off.

"Here me out, children..." he said. "I have been all around the world. I've seen many good people and many evil poeple...but this quest will bring forth terrors I've never dreamed of...during this quest, we must stay together. There is no way you can leave my side...so I give you the choice now: 'In for life, or out forever'..."

The two children stared at me, thinking of what to say. Precious replied first, sticking her hand on the Arch-Table.

"In for life," she smiled at me.

Josh shrugged and put his hand ontop pf Precious'. "In for life...I mean, what could possibly be more horrible than studying?"

I chuckled and put my hand ontop of theirs. "In for life..."

After a short silence I stood. "Now," I began. "Precious would you mind sending an owl to all of the students who are out looking for the One? Tell them he has been found. When you are done, pack your equipment." I turned to Josh. "You too, Josh. Pack all your required items...we depart in the morning."

They nodded and exited the room.

I quickly moved over to my golden chest and unlocked it. I pulled out a special back pack that I had charmed to hold thousands of items. Dumping all my miscellanous items into the chest, I began to pack my things. Packing my heavy things first, such as books and clothes, I proceeded to pack food and drinks. This quest would take a month or two, so I didn't pack lightly. Finally, I opened the glass case at the back of my living quarters.

Inside the case was a long black staff given to me by my father. Next to it lay my golden Wood family armor, and next to that, stacked nice and neat, sat the four Books of Bella. I would need these things for my quest most definitley, so I packed those in a seperate pouch that had also been charmed.

Placing my bags at the door, I sat on my bed. This was it. The world was depending on me to train the Chosen One. If I failed, all would be lost. For the gods had told me that some strange evil was rising from below and only the chosen one could stop him.

I rubbed my temples, and looked at my hair as it fell over my eyes. All of it was gray, the only indicator that I was past my prime...

Laying down on my back I looked up at the cileing and slowly closed my eyes.....

~

The next morning my students bid farewell to Precious, Josh, and I at the gates of the Magic School. Backpacks over our shoulders and armor on, we departed down the mountain.

As we headed down the trail towards the city of Seattle, Precious asked me a question I had forgotten to ask myself.

"So where's the Chosen One?" she asked.

I froze in my tracks, the smile fading away from my face.

"Uhhh," I stammered.

"Wait, you don't even know?!" Josh asked. "Then where are we going?"

I stopped for a second and closed my eyes. I needed to feel this person's aura one more time to be able to find him...but I'd have to search deep within to do that...

Suddenley there was a deep voice that sounded in my head, "The Place Where Witches Come From...The House Near the Valley...."

I snapped my eyes open.

"I've got it!"

"Where?" my apprentices asked. \

"The Place Where Witches Come From.........that must be Salem! Salem, Ohio!"

"Ohio?!" Josh laughed. "Why Ohio?"

"You know," Precious chimed in. "The Salem Witch Trials?!"

"Oh yeah!" Josh scratched his head. "So the Chosen One is in Salem, Ohio?"

"Apparenltey...in The House Near the Valley...."

"Okay....don't know what that is," Precious said. "But at least we know where to start, right master?"

"Right," I said. "Now, Ohio is a distance from here...should we teleport?"

"I, um, don't know how..." Precious said, scratching the back of her head, her cheeks turning scarlet.

"Right...sorry. We'll go on foot then..." I said.

"WHAT? Darnit," Josh groaned. "Now I have to walk..."

All three of us laughed, as if we were one big family.

"Well then, shall we depart?" I asked.

They looked back towards the school.

"Do you think we'll ever see it again, master?" Precious asked.

"Yes...I'm sure of it," I said, patting her on the back.

And with that we departed for Ohio.

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