There was pure exhilaration passing through the entire body of Lathan Thorne, he has never felt like, but amongst all the power and clean air as he careers through the skies of New London heading into the city, he is clearly confused because his muscles are not moving there is no true control of his flight coming from him.

  It is like Lathan was being carried by the wind, but there should be no wind because this was a normal day near the end of June. Lathan, barely able to contain himself clutches his hood to make sure that his face is not seen flies past certain landmarks like the New London eye, and the new parliament houses.

  He lands at the top of some apartments near a small road clumped with expensive flats right near New Oxford Street which had little people because of the time of the day. Lathan feels his legs like they’ve just received strength and that his muscles had come back in order. He feels the atmosphere and confirms to himself that there is little or breeze around him still. That he was back on the ground and the soft blue sky was the one thing he did not acknowledge on his flight.

  He taps his ear and earphone folds around his ear with a thin black microphone unfurling from the bottom and goes right above his mouth. He raises his left arm and pulls down the sleeve of his top and presses a button on his watch. On the screen the time 8:32am shifts to the right hand corner of the screen and a list of names appear. He presses another button scrolling down the names and selects Zenden’s and a option bar comes up on the screen saying call or cancel? He selects call and the phone rings.

  “Lathan! What the,” Zenden answers on the other line.

  “Listen Zenden I’ll explain everything when you pick me up.”

  “Where are you?”

  “On top of an apartment building in Manchester Square near Oxford Street.”

  “Manchester Square? How did you get there?”

  “I” and Lathan pauses trying to figure out himself what he was going to say. He thinks in those seconds would he even believe me if I told him what I thought? Lathan decides to just say it, “I was taken.”

  As Lathan gets into the car after waiting around ten minutes for Zenden to pick him up and he cannot help, but notice that Zenden keeps staring at him.

  “I know what you’re going to say, but you don’t have to look at me like I’m some freak.” Lathan says angrily.

  “How, what I still can’t fricking comprehend what I saw before Lathan. I mean I saw you leap a hundred feet down to save some guy and then I saw you rip out a door with one tug and stop a car using only one hand and then that thing with your eyes from before that whole thing happened,”

  “Calm down take a breath.”

  “I saw you fly Lathan. Unless you’ve got a rocket hooked up to your backside that’s not humanely possible.” Zenden said looking at his friend ever so ponderously.

  “I told you I didn’t fly, I was taken.”

  “You were taken? Okay who took you? The lord himself.” Zenden asked sarcastically.

  “I DON’T KNOW ZENDEN!” Lathan yells then calms down. “I said something and I just lifted I wasn’t even in control. I just was taken.”

  Zenden looks at his friend her ponders what his friend just said and nods. “It’s that thing you do. That thing you told me about last year.”

  Lathan nods.

  “I didn’t understand I thought it was little stuff and you just said it by accident. That it stopped.”

  “I lied.”

  “What?”

  “I lied.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I didn’t want you to worry. I know you and I know how much you worry about stuff like this.”

  “Yeah well when my best friend tells me that he can see the answers in a test paper and then make them disappear without using them and then says he hears voices in his head I do tend to get worried.” Zenden said. “Why? Is it getting worse?”

  “The voices are still there. They sound softer almost calming. This thing this language and the things it does, it becoming far more potent Zenden. I feel I can do things.”

  “So that thing with your eyes before?”

  “No I’ve never done that before. That was the first time.”

  “What do you think it was?”

  “It felt like I was in another world, like a world that exists between our world right here and somewhere else. Everything felt ethereal, ghost like I don’t know how to phrase it in anyway other then that. What I do know if that I didn’t go to that place I could never have saved that driver.”

  Zenden nods, and then shakes his head. “What is going on with you Lathan?”

  “I wish I knew Ze I wish I knew.”

  They drive on pretty much in silence. The city was quiet which was not unusual as most people came into the city in the afternoon and people who worked in the city used public transport as the congestion charge comes into effect round nine.

  They reach New Moorgate and see Jaden Sparrious sitting on the steps on an apartment below. The car stops in air just near the apartment at the front and drops down slowly. Jaden Sparrious looks quite smug with himself slumped on them steps, but Jaden looks like one of those people who have to look of smugness permanently on their face, fresh faced with great bone structure with olive skin clear blue eyes Jaden Sparrious looks like he just walked off the lot of some New Hollywood soap or modelling at New Paris, such was the golden smile all brimming with the whitest set of teeth most people haden’t seen in a long time. He stands and he is around the same height as Lathan at around five eleven. He walks to the car as it confidently with a swagger which was all classic player. All classic Lothario. A man who could make any girl fall for him with the simplest glance in her direction.

  He sits at the back slumped on his chair arms spreads on the head rests sitting right at the middle looking much chuffed with himself. “Isn’t it a great day today fellas?” he said smiling wildly to the point in almost transforms into a giggle.

  Lathan and Zenden both grunt in response. “My god you guys. You cannot for once show some sort of enthusiasm? I mean look at me and hear my voice. Don’t I sound enthused?” and again Jaden’s statement is met with a grunt. “Fine be some fricking humbugs. I was just going to ask if anything interesting happened to you lot today, but I already know the answer to that. Nothing of course.”

  Both Zenden and Lathan look at each other in surprise.

  They move off again and have to get back to New North West London to get to Bridgeport High located near New Stanmore which was on the outskirts of New North West. Zenden at some points drives like a wildman overtaking car after car which were on the fast lane and doing impressive, but oh so dangerous moves on skies which carried speeds of up to hundred fifty miles per hour.

  “Calm down Ze Ze! It’s the last two days of school! They’re only happy when we come in we should be bunking in the city or we could drive up to New Birmingham! I heard about the girls up there, that they like us southerners!” Jaden says laughing while being swayed about by Zenden’s risky driving.

  “Look Principal Jones, put that rule up!” Zenden said.

  “What rule?” Jaden asks.

  “That anyone who won’t show up with is barred from the graduation party.”

  “No way,” Jaden reacting like someone close to him had something tragic happen to them. “That cannot be true.”

  “Yeah well it is Sparrious. That’s why everyone is showing up for the last two days.”

  “I don’t even know how people are going to make since the party from last night didn’t really finish until five from what people told me.”

  “So where did you go off to? Or sorry, let me rephrase who did you go home with?” Zenden says and Jaden puts in another big grin.

  “Aliana Reyes. Oh my god boys that girl,” Jaden blows kisses upwards, “that girl was heaven sent. Sweet, speaks another language,”

  “I swear she was American.” Zenden interrupts.

  “Yeah, but she was Latin-American. So she whispered sweet nothings to my eyes and then translated them into Spanish for me. Perfect body and face. Just all around hot and sexy girl.”

  “So did you?” Zenden asks curiously. “You know?”

  “Did I?” Jaden asks with some confusion and then thinks for a second and gets it, “oh did I? Oh no just a platonic things between me and her.”

  “Platonic meaning kissing right?” Zenden asks before laughing.

  “Your type of platonic friendship is obviously very different to mine.” Jaden said before laughing also. “What can I say? I’m special.”

  “Yeah especially in need of a colonoscopy.”

  “Do you even know what a colonoscopy is?” Jaden asks with some frustration.

  “Do you?” Zenden retorts in all simplicity.

  “Nope.” Jaden replies

  During that whole conversation Lathan sits in silence in deep thought. His heroic act from before was taken over by thoughts of mystery and fear. Lathan knows deep in his heart that there might be more in this tale.

  “Thorne.” Jaden says with the littlest response back from Lathan who thinks of how he ripped that car door open with one easy pull. “Lathan!” Jaden says again and Lathan looks up and snaps out of his deepest thoughts. “Welcome back how’s the trip?”

  “What trip?” Lathan says annoyingly.

  “The place you went to, you know a place of ignorance on my behalf.” Jaden said.

  “I wasn’t ignoring you. Just thinking.”

  “Thinking about the Quasarball final today. I would be too. The national championships being held on the last week of school.”

  “No I’m not thinking of that.”

  “Then what?” Jaden asked and Lathan looks at Zenden dumbstruck for words.

  “He’s thinking about Jenna Marchena. Yeah Lathan’s got a thing for her.” Zenden said and Lathan gives him a surprising look which then turns into a look of utter and complete frustration. Zenden’s mouth “sorry” to Lathan who just shakes his head.

  “Jenna? Wow I didn’t seen that coming, but Marchena,” Jaden pauses choosing his words, “is one of the few classy girls left at Bridgeport.”

  “Thank you.” Lathan says somewhat begrudgingly.

  “You know what? I’m going to hook the both of you up. No type of dilly dallying like Zenden here.” Jaden said with usual enthusiasm.

  “Hey.” Zenden said in defence.

  “Come on Tenstraighter. That’s the case I know L. Thorne knows it and you my pal, my old friend also know it. Thankfully I know that Marcella wants to meet up with you.”

  “Oh she does?” Zenden asks with curiosity.

  “Yeah, I mean the both of you left quite early so she asked a couple of people were you and your whereabouts were. From what I was told by several and reliable sources,”

  “Look Jaden’s been reading his word a day postage notes.” Zenden smirks.

  “And money well spent as well, that she looked and when I mean she I mean Marcella Miller. She looked downhearted at your absence dear friend.”

  “Jeez, what seventeen year old talks like you Jaden?” Zenden said with comical frustration.

  “None I am indeed a one off.” Jaden laughs and blow his right hand before rubbing it over his chest like shining an apple.

  While the others joust, laugh and even intrigue each other Zenden’s own thoughts on Marcella missing him at last night’s party draws even more self imposed pressure Lathan is again in his mind a world far, far away from the trials of teenage love and gossip. Lathan was thinking about himself and not in the selfish way, but in a wondrous, confusing and somewhat scary way.

  By the time the car pulls up to Bridgeport High, which was an older mansion which transformed into a school which taught over five hundred students, they were five minutes from being late and each said goodbye to one another and left quickly to beat the bell. Bridgeport itself was a glorious area to live in. a place of real thoroughbreds some people called it. Most of the area was all grassland with big spacious houses in and around the area.

  In the summer Bridgeport which is the third Bridgeport on the Isle of England with the other Bridgeport’s in New Portsmouth and Brighton was a place of high agriculture. the surrounding towns all got trade of Bridgeport and only received the name of Bridgeport because of the first English settlers on New Earth had landed here the land on the early days and was used as port for many freighter and large scale ships coming from other parts of the galaxy.

  For the school which the main block was the mansion which has over four hundred and fifty rooms and a newly built B site building which was not as large as the main mansion, but still had over hundred rooms which were primarily used for advanced sciences and craftsmanship. The school was high in the rankings around third in the entire country behind Bishop’s Lane school in New Birmingham and Jan Raven’s in New Surrey. Bridgeport looked very classical on the outside and in the halls with traditional long marble floors in entering and church halls with large arches for the canteen, with large classroom with walls and ceilings covered in oak. Other places such as the gym and science rooms were the peak of new technology with large screens which replaced blackboards, projectors which came up from the ceilings of a classic age. Most students never brought pens anymore as terminals for PCs were on every desk and if you had a personalised laptop you could plug them in and charge them on your desks. The timetables were the same start at nine and finish around three thirty in the afternoon. Lunch was at one and sometimes you had recess to study at around two fifteen.

  Bridgeport’s Quasarball team was one of the best in the country and the national finals with Lathan Thorne as the star player were later on today. Athletes with real promise did get special consideration in terms of coursework and exam periods and the preferential treatment did not go unnoticed.

  Bridgeport’s disciplinary record was near exemplary with only one student being expelled for the actions of bullying, aggression and violence in the last twelve years. That was to the fact that if any student was threatening to any other student or faculty on school grounds could be dealt with physically and it was within the law’s perimeters. The car park was five hundred yards long because of the amount of students who drove in to school. All in all for near academic perfection this was the place to be with many former students getting scholarships to some of the major universities including Lathan Thorne who received his acceptance letter from New Harvard in New Massachusetts a couple of weeks ago.

  Lathan whose excitement for getting into New Harvard had long relented by this time thumbed his lips listening to his favourite teacher Mr Casey whose long black hair and easy going nature which included his clothes which were loose and tatty shirt and jeans, as the man looked like he stepped off the bus from where round New Houston, New Texas and not New Hampshire in the UK not New America. The man always had a chorus of debate about anything and everyone. His voice would rise up to grandiose levels and arms and physical movements were always animated flailing about with every retort and statement that flings from his vocal cords. Mr Casey was young looking a man of only twenty six, he always prided himself of making and getting to a point, but also being open to any sort of debate, it was to this fact that in the end of school votes for three years running that Mr Calo Casey was voted most popular teacher.

  Like in every class everyone sat back and admire the man at work often talking about the Galactic fleet and people who he studied with that became something and the fact that he came back to same school which he admired and loved. He also talked about the government and despite the fact we as humans left another planet we humans still hadn’t greedy and possessive as of yet and we as humans hadn’t really changed. Lathan often thought to himself that a man like Mr Casey should be running for the world government or be a head of some sort of party.

  There was also sadness in Lathan knowing that this would be the last class that he would have with Mr Casey and other students also looked at the man with certain stares of sadness.

  “Well I know that I’ve said this three times now, but I cannot believe that this will be the last time that I will see any of you. That you will either being going to college or full time employment or even to the Galactic Fleet. You’re all growing up and you’re not kids anymore.” Mr Casey smiles at the students. “Don’t let anyone tell you any different.” He walks around the class and everyone’s eyes follow him at will. “The last lesson I’m going to tell you something, something which I think is important and isn’t really talked about.” He pauses and leans on the windowsill at the back of the class. “The way the great war was won. Now I’m not talking about the Falconen wars which were around 18 years ago or even the Angelis wars over a hundred years ago. I’m talking about the wars were fought in the old earth.” He presses a button and on the large screen in front of the class was an image of space. “Does anyone know where that is?” He asked and most students just look confused and shrug their shoulders.

  “Space?” someone said near the middle and Mr Casey laughs.

  “Yes it is space, but where?”

  “Nowhere.” Lathan said and Mr Casey who looks at Lathan whose seating right at the back.

  “Right,” Mr Casey said to Lathan with admiration, “Yes that there is where Old Earth was in the original solar system. There is nothing now. You see before the Encronians came and almost wiped out the entire human life…. the planet was already in self destruct. Environmentally. That’s why on this earth in your life, you and your children and your children’s children would not have to face that same threat that because air is so clean. That people on this earth live longer. Yet it took us to learn and thrive because of a war that killed millions now we’ve learnt our lessons. Things are fine right?

  “And yet the Great War of the old world in which many people never really talk about these days was won by someone who is barely mentioned on the Galactic Fleet’s records. A Nathan Thornstar. That man,” Mr Casey presses the same button and another image comes across the screen. The image of Nathan Thornstar tall strident black man wearing battle armour. Standing next to the right was Major Thernright taller more built man who looks strong and commanding. Lathan looks at both men something in his heart stirs. “That man on the left saved the planet and defeated the Encronians. Yet if you look for his name on the history records on any city on New Earth you will not find this man.”

  “Why?” asks someone the class.

  “Because it was how he defeated the Encronians that is shrouded in mystery.” Mr Casey said and he stays silence for one minute as everyone in the class looks on in total anticipation. “Any of you believe in the dark arts?” he asks and most either nod or shake their heads. “Magic they call it really. Some people call it the dark arts or dark ways. It was Magic that defeated the Encronians. Earth bound magic.”

  The students murmur and gossip. Giggling roams the class as classmates in a second laughing at the serious suggestion that Magic actually exits.

  “I know what some of you are thinking. ‘Is Mr Casey going mad?’”

  “YEAH!” screamed all the class.

  “Well I’m not. Nathan Thornstar was a man of Magic Blood, going through his veins. As you may all know that Major Thernright fought off the leader of the Encronians and it is very true that Major Thernright gave the killer blow to the villain shooting him at the back of the neck blowing his head off, yet it was Nathan Thornstar who stopped the leader, who made sure that the brave general had time to kill the leader.”

  “How did he stop him?” Lathan asks and everyone turns round and looks at him almost in surprise.

  “Sorry Mr Thorne?”

  “How did Nathan Thornstar stop him?” Lathan asks Mr Casey once again.

  “By using the unnatural arts. By magic Mr Thorne. By magic.” Mr Casey answered looking directly at Lathan it was personalised like it was between teacher and student. “It was on the decree by the governments at the time that no one should know about it, how the war was won, because so many people were offended by Magic.”

  “Why are so many people offended by Magic?” Lathan asks and again all the students turn and look at Lathan who looks a bit frustrated by all the stares.

  “People often associated Magic with evil, a dark form of living. Especially people who are very religious they link it with paganism and such. Magic is seen as an unnatural form. Hence why magic is actually banned in New Earth.”

  “Why?” Lathan asks.

  “Because in the wrong hands Mr Thorne. It can be very, very dangerous for one and all.” Mr Casey said ominously. The sense of foreboding that strangely enough sends chills down Lathan Thorne’s spine. “Yet it was magic that got us here, that kept our race alive. They hid the truth from people and that is the lesson from today and in life. The truth is always hidden and always controversial. If people whose functions it was to look upon magic with such distain and hatred knew that they were actually saved by the unnatural arts, then how would they react? Would they accept it? Or would they not accept it?

  “You see students for years we’ve been force fed to the truth or really a truth made up by people not giving us control to make up things in our own minds. They call this a free world, but we are still under control, still have a mental and somewhat metaphysical bound around us and whatever you do in life it will be around you unless and I say this with care my students unless you know in your mind and your hearts that you go and find out the truth. Some of you may hate magic, I mean for all I know you may all hate magic maybe even never heard of it until today, but now that you know and I am telling you all the truth,” he paused thumbing his lips together between his middle fingers. “How will you feel about that?” Mr Casey pauses again and walks around the class putting his hands to his hips looking like a man in deep thought. “I only ask of you remember that something’s you may have actually thought are true in your life are actually not and sometimes the things you are most likely to think are false might actually be true. Nothing is certain until in your heart you truly believe it, you can feel it in your bones and then you will know. I tell you this not as students of Bridgeport, but as young adults ready to go to the daunting world ahead with your destines still laid out in front of you.” Mr Casey smiles and a look of sadness flirts across his face for a second. “Goodbye students. Class is dismissed early today for the final Quasarball game of the season.”

  The students get up and each says their own goodbyes to Mr Casey. Lathan sits on looking at his fellow students and watches them go out the door. Most of the goodbyes are jovial with laughs and handshakes for some of the guys, some students cry mainly girls who had a long time crush on Mr Casey and they even hug. Each one of them passes and Lathan looks on until Mr Casey and he are alone.

  He smiles and looks at Lathan, who stands up and puts his rucksack across his shoulder and does the slow walk to Mr Casey his favourite teacher for the last time. He gets to his desk. “Pull up a chair Lathan.” Mr Casey says and Lathan does. “My best student. So this is fitting.”

  “Mr Casey,”

  “You don’t have to call me Mr Casey Lathan. Officially you are not my student anymore. So you can call me if you choose to Calo.”

  “Do you mind if I still call you Mr Casey? Not rebuking your generosity, but I’m not one for such a quick change.”

  “Nice dialogue Thorne and of course I don’t mind. You should be happy this your last day and you’ve got a big game to win later on.”

  “Well it’s not my last day yet sir. Tomorrow,”

  “Tomorrow is just principal Jones just basically talking about what I said to you just before. Just the watered down, slightly scripted speech about moving on with life, knowing your career and living your dreams. Plus it’s always about the party anyway. You are going right?”

  “Yeah, yeah of course.” Lathan said unconvincingly.

  Mr Casey looks upon his student. He has known him long enough to know that something is playing upon his mind “What is wrong? You seem troubled.”

  Lathan who does trust Mr Casey does not hesitate to answer. “What you spoke about before, magic?”

  “Yeah.”

  “That is true right? I mean actual magic.”

  “Yes of course it is true Lathan. People should know about it because it is part of our history.”

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “How did you come to know about it sir.”

  Mr Casey sighs. “The whole truth Lathan?”

  Lathan nods.

  “Well, something just didn’t seem true about the whole tale of the ten year war. Stories didn’t gel like they should. I left school after doing a project about the war and something just didn’t sit with me. I was concerned about being lied to especially when I found out that weird things had happened to some of the testimonies of former soldiers. Things were said that were not included in official government reports you know? So most people didn’t really think to ask because they had to deal with the fact that the old Earth was dying and that again the human race was on a race against time to save civilisation. So when I found out about the changed or deleted statements I came across some footage of that had not been seen before; the actual end of the war.”

  Mr Casey closes the door. He takes out a small blue cartridge and places it on the ejector of the projector which glows blue and the large screen comes on. The video was shaky, but it shows the final battle taking place, soldiers dying, and explosions around the wretched ruins of the fallen city of London. The camera shakes with the rumble of the large sentinels which are out of focus at the first glance, but come into focus clearly with the large black and grey robotic legs slamming onto the ground with such power. Missiles flies across the screen slamming the legs of the sentinels and shots fired from above blowing up the main hold where the gunmen were and the cheers of the soldiers can be heard in sync with the images of victory. Then a white flash and the camera falls to the ground. A hand bloodied picks up the camera and moves to its right. A tall figure with a red and black cloak stands with his right arm raised and lifting a man who’s clutching his neck.

  “Who is that? The one covered in metal.” Lathan asks with his eyes unable to look away.

  “Not metal. Arounmatium.”

  “Arounmatium?” Lathan said looking at Mr Casey for the first time since the video came on.

  “A new sort of metal created by the Encronians. It is said to be virtually invulnerable and can meld onto the skin and bones of only Encronians, that’s why so many the powerful Encronians don’t wear armour. That is a sign of honour amongst their kind.”

  Lathan nods and looks on at the tape and sees missile fire from above with the quick look at the sky following those missiles as they bounce off the being covered in Arounmatium. The being covered in red coloured orb surrounding him and the man he was holding.

  “Did he,” Lathan said eyes wide in surprise.

  “Yeah,” Mr Casey said, “a protective shield uttered in the words of magic. The darken or darkened arts pending on who you hear it from.”

  “Morsona Marrento!!!” comes from the screen and several blasts of fire come from his hand and destroy the sector knights out of the sky. Explosions are all around shaking the camera and the ground as the ships hit the ground.

  “I admire sacrifice. You would die to ensure that I would also perish. Strong, but stupid. Now your men will die right in front of your eyes and all you will see is blood.”

  “He spoke English, how, how did they know?” Lathan asks.

  “They knew of our world long before we discovered them. We sent out satellites and plenty never came back. They were taken by the Encronians. They learnt our ways very quickly.” Mr Casey said again with that foreboding tone.

  “Aloround Releasain!!” The man held in the air drops to the ground coughing and the being looking turning his head sharply in the direction where those words came from. The camera out of focus at first sees the young man whose arm was still shaking.

  “Is that?” Lathan asks.

  “Yes, this was when history was changed and the lies began.”

  “Morsona Rebatium!” The being yells and blue flame rises from his hand. He thrusts his arm forward and three fireballs head towards the young man who stands up and does not move.

  “He’s going to,” Lathan said fearfully, but cannot avert his eyes as the fireballs head towards the man.

  “Shelian nearious!!!” The young man yells and the fireballs bounce off the blue protective shield around him.

  “That’s, that’s,” Lathan said in awe.

  “Magic.” Mr Casey adds. They look at each other both giving differing reactions. Lathan with a look of clear and complete surprise and Mr Casey looking with admiration and even a slight bit of smugness.

  “Oh Jesus! Jesus!” the man behind the camera said and the being walks a bit closer to the young soldier Nathan Thornstar.

  “Cairo Mani star” the being said and the young man is lifted off the ground and clutches his throat.

  “Jesus he’s going to kill him! He’s going to fricking kill him!” The soldier operating the camera said clearly scared.

  “You are learned young man. Not enough of the skills of the arts. Who taught you?” the being asked and the young man shook his head. “Who taught you?” Thornstar is lifted off the ground clutching his neck like the General previously.

  “The Encross of Morsouth, that’s the guy in Arounmatium, asked Thornstar because only he thought that he was the only one who knew the old language of magic.”

  “There is a language?” Lathan asked as he looked Mr Casey because now the conversation going into the territory of his own life.

  “Yeah of course there is a language. One of the oldest on record. Used to of course utter commands, and look.”

  “What?”

  “This was where the war was won.”

  “Carlyo Omenstara! WHO TAUGHT YOU?” The Encross screams and the young man shook his head again.

  “He’s going to die Donaldson! We should do something!” The soldier behind the camera said.

  “Yeah like what James? Shoot at the guy? He fricking stopped sector pulsar missiles and shot down sector knights for Christ’s sakes! So when you think of something fricking plausible I’ll go for it until then!” another soldier unseen says in the background.

  “MEARAS SCALA!!!!” the young man screams and a blue flash comes across the screen both Lathan and Mr Casey both squint there eyes.

  The camera still shaky as the blue light subsides and the Encross stands still looking round. The young man drops to the ground.

  “What was that?” the soldier manning the camera said.

  “I don’t know, but he’s free.”

  “We should do something now!”

  “Shut up James and do nothing! Wait what’s the Major doing?”

  The Camera switches to where Major Thernright is and he stands slowly taking his pulsar rifle up with him.

  “He isn’t going to try and shoot him is he?” the unseen soldier says.

  “I think he is Donaldson.”

  The camera switches back to where Nathan Thornstar was and The Encross looks at him and moves forward to grab him, but a blast comes from Thernright’s direction and The Encross’s head is blown clean off. His headless body drops and creates a big shake when it lands on the ground. His limbs then faded into green mist and the Arounmatium armour is left on the blood splattered battlefield.

  Cheers can be heard even from behind the camera and the soldiers move up and run with other soldiers to his left and right running towards the same direction and the screen goes into static and then goes black.

  Lathan just stands there amazed with what he’s just seen. Mr Casey takes out the blue cartridge and put back into his pocket. “What you saw Lathan was for you and for you alone. If people knew about this well, they wouldn’t have spent a millennia covering this up.” Mr Casey says with some caution behind his voice a worrying tone that did not seem to suit the man.

  “Why? Why wouldn’t you show the world this? Prove the truth?” Lathan said debating with strength and emotion with what he just saw. “That,” he points to Mr Casey’s pocket, “Mr Casey is irrefutable truth.”

  “Most of the government Lathan are traditionalists, realists who won’t want people to believe in this which is something of a pure fantasy. They say that people who would know about something this, it may provoke anger or maybe bring magic back into our world.”

  “What? No one on earth can practise magic?”

  “It’s illegal. Anyone who practises magic can be tried and convicted by federal law.”

  “How? Why?” Lathan asks as Mr Casey goes and sits back down behind his desk. Lathan follows suit and sits back down as well, but he sits forward waiting for Mr Casey to continue.

  “You saw how Nathan Thornstar won the battle.”

  Lathan nods.

  “You don’t know how he won.”

  “Yeah, he used magic.”

  “What kind of magic Lathan?”

  Lathan shrugs in defeat.

  “He placed a curse on the Encross.”

  “Yeah a curse. A curse command. A powerful piece of magic. Some curses like what Thornstar did was to render the Encross powerless. That is a pretty powerful curse, one of the most powerful; some can cause death. The Encross was very powerful so that command which is really a killing command only weakened him and absorbed his power, but anyone else would have been killed, which leads us to why magic is outlawed in our world.” Mr Casey pauses. “There was a man long ago and when I mean long ago I say around a hundred years ago who practised magic. Now this man lived a sheltered life, kept himself to himself. On one of the few times he went out he met this female and she captivated him. He fell for her hook, line and sinker.

  “For four years they both lived in bliss, but unfortunately both were in different points in the relationship. He was happy with their life together, but the woman became bored and sought the pleasures of another man. She cheated on him and he found out apparently by reading her mind. The records show that he indeed read her mind several times over that period by the psychiatrist’s report which was filed. He said that he felt her distance in him and had to find out the truth. After he read her mind he followed her to one of her rendezvous with the other man. His heart broken and his life went awry. He of course had vengeance in his heart.

  He said in the report it was a slow walk up those stairs. As they met up in an apartment block somewhere south of New Manchester. He knew where they were, which room they were in because he read her thoughts as she entered the building. He stood by the door and tears fell. He burst through the door with pursing anger and he lay upon them Lathan a curse. A curse of vengeance. A curse of death. Something went wrong though you see if you know about curses which you don’t you should know that you should not say the curse with pure emotion on it. You have to be cool, as cool as ice to say a curse or if you allow anger to overcome the curse expands.

  The curse killed the woman and her infidel and everyone in that building. The total figure was around two hundred and eighty people. When the police came he charmed and tried to kill himself, but failed by saying the wrong command.”

  “He lived?” Lathan asked.

  “No. The federal government sentenced him to death.”

  “How? Couldn’t he just come up with a spell to protect himself like Thornstar did?”

  “He couldn’t. They drugged him so he could not focus and they hung him up and blasted him to death.”

  Lathan winces.

  “They made, well created a decree that stated that anyone who practised magic had to leave the Vennesula Galaxy or will be executed. So they did.”

  “Where did they go? Did they all die?” Lathan asks once again.

  “Nope, some say they faded into oblivion. I think that they’ve gone to a spiritual place. Their own world to live in their own rules somewhere in this universe. I mean most magic cannot die. It will endure like a lot of things.”

  Lathan nods to himself getting a greater understanding of all things concerning magic. “Where did magic come from?”

  “No one truly knows, but some say that it was around when the first humans were born or that an alien race created magic and gave it to us. No one truly knows. I mean the language is so old it could be an alien language.”

  “Can anyone learn it?”

  “Well you have to study it for a long time. It’s not just about reading the words; it is about knowing the words knowing them as well as knowing yourself. Once you can do that you can do magic.”

  “Can anyone use magic?”

  “Nope. As far as I know you can read magic, but you would have to be of special blood you know have a lineage that was or is so strong that you can feel the magic flow in your body. A feeling so strong that you can even be taken by it.”

  Special Blood Lathan thinks.

  “Here,” Mr Casey reaches into a compartment on his desk and takes out a brown coloured and very dusty book, “take this.”

  “What is it?”

  “This is The Hidden History of the Old World’s Magic by Llewellyn Ariontas. A great book really goes into detail about what I’ve been talking about all this time.”

  Lathan takes it and looks at the crease filled cover and holds it firm with his left hand. “This book has everything?” Lathan asks fiddling with the spine of the book.

  “Yeah, pretty much. I have to ask Lathan why the sudden interest?”

  “In what Mr Casey?” says Lathan whose eyes cannot avert the harsh feel of the creased leather of the book.

  “In the dark, well I should actually say the mystical arts. That is the official name by the way. What was I saying,” Mr Casey ponders for a second “Oh yes, your interest, I’ve been going on about it for most of the year, but it seemed like you, especially you and the rest of the class didn’t seem to take any notice.”

  “Well you know Mr Casey I’m going through a new part or chapter in my life and I should start to look at other things, you know other things of interest.” Lathan answers with the slightest hint of an unassuring man hoping to get away from the garbage that just spewed from his mouth.

  “Okay,” Mr Casey said looking like he knew that Lathan spoke some inspired garbage, but will let it go for effort. “Then I guess that was your last lesson from me at Bridgeport. Good luck Lathan Thorne.”

  “Thank you Mr Casey,” he corrects himself, by an oh so subtle cough. “Calo. I thank you for all that you have taught me.”

  “Was that rehearsed?” said a laughing Mr Casey walking around his desk and then crossing his arms and leaning on the desk.

  “Slightly, messed up with the some of the words, but it was meant to be longer. I improvised.” Lathan laughs as Mr Casey sticks out a hand. Lathan smiles and shakes his hand.

  “Good luck in all your endeavours Lathan and have a good one in the final. Bridgeport hasn’t won in,”

  “Ten years I know the drill. Coach tells us that all the time. Are you going to go?” Lathan asks again clutching that book.

  “To the biggest Quasarball game in this school’s history? Of course!” An enthused Mr Casey answers.

  “Then I will see you there.” Lathan says picking up his bag. He smiles at Mr Casey and is about to walk out the door.

  “Lathan.” Mr Casey said and Lathan stops and turns round. “Don’t try to pontificate too much on the book. Just read it and take knowledge. Don’t preach to those who won’t convert. Remember it’s bad to use to word magic in this world without it being in association to entertainment. You understand?”

  “Nope.” Lathan said quickly.

  “You will.” Mr Casey said as Lathan nods and walks out of the classroom. Mr Casey laughs to himself and then looks give a look of confusion. He takes out that blue cartridge and puts it back into the video player. He rewinds most of the battle footage until it rests on Nathan Thornstar. He pauses and looks at the image and then looks at the classroom door still left ajar by Lathan. He then looks back to the image and then looks to the door once again. “No, don’t be silly.” He says as he switches off the video player and takes out the cartridge put safely in his inside pocket.

  Lathan walks down the traditional long halls of Bridgeport High he flickers through the pages of the book Mr Casey gave him and gives quick glances at passages.

  He who believes in the will of the mystical arts which differ from the lightness of the skies to the depths of the darkest caverns can control their gift. The only choice you have is to choose which side is your own.

  “Which side is your own?” Lathan said to himself and sits on some steps at the bottom of a spiral stairwell. The halls were empty as most were preparing to go to the game and some classes held by very strict teachers were still going on. Lathan reads on.

  The powers that the special ones behold can come at a great price. It is one great responsibility that one has to be in control of the mystical arts. Within a spell, within a curse which as powerful could lead into instant death remember of the planets in line with the central sun that the members of the mystique leaguos maybe watching. Remember that one can be powerful and powerless at the same time.

  Lathan shakes his head at that statement. He has never read anything so powerful and true in all of his life. Powerful and powerless at the same time he thinks. He flickers through many more pages knowing that unless he was in the main library that the bottom of the steps of the main stairwell leading to the maths and history rooms was not the best place to be reading a book of this nature. As Mr Casey said you don’t know who you could offend with the word of magic. Lathan is about to close the book when one particular page catches his eye, some translations of the old language. It’s only a page, but Lathan recognises some of the words remember that he uttered them once before. Especially one.

  “Anavlian.” He said to himself. He looks at the translation.

  Anavlian meaning: Flight or Glide with the wind. “To be taken by the wind.” Still to flight might burn out one’s will and weaken them.

  “Anavlian.” He said to himself once again and he looks at more until a voice comes from his right hand side.

  “Lathan!”

  Lathan turns round snapping into academia mode and seeing Zenden walking up to him. “Yeah, Ze what’s up?”

  “Coach is blowing up an Andulan cyborg!”

  “Why?”

  “Cause you’re not at the gym for final training.”

  Lathan looks at his watch. “Fricking. I was supposed to be there a two fifteen.” The time is now 2:45pm. “He’s going to have my arse for garters.”

  “What does that mean?” Zenden asks.

  “I don’t know, but whenever Jaden is later for a date he always says that.”

  “He?” Zenden laughed.

  “You know what I mean.” Lathan said and they both laugh. Zenden looks at Lathan’s book with a curious gaze.

  “What’s that?”

  “What’s what?”

  “That? In your hand.”

  Lathan looks at the book, shuts it quickly and tries to hide it. “What?”

  Zenden’s large hand comes across and takes the book from Lathan’s grasp. “This.” he said showing the book to Lathan before standing up.

  “Nothing. Give it back!” Lathan said with a whisper while trying to reach for the book.

  “Why are you whispering?” Zenden said as Lathan tries to snatch it back, but Zenden’s large shoulder blocks him.

  “I just need it okay?”

  “Seriously why are you whispering?” Zenden asks knowing walking forward thumbing through the pages through the book with Lathan on tow.

  “Zenden please give it back.” Lathan pleads still with a whisper.

  “Wait,” Zenden says as he goes to the front cover and reads the title just as Lathan snatches the book away from his right hand. He looks at Lathan almost fearfully. “The Hidden History of the Old World’s Magic.” Just as he says that the bell rings and fellow students emerge from classrooms and the once empty hall was now covered with bodies full of voices. “Lathan what the,”

  Lathan grabs his Zenden’s arm and shoves him to the nearby locker. “Keep your voice down.”

  “What are you doing with this?”

  “I’m just reading it.”

  “You must know that books like that are contraband. If you’re found with that you could be in serious, serious fricking trouble.” Zenden said spitting out those last couple of words.

  “I know.”

  “Then why do you have it?”

  “I just need to know a couple things.”

  “Like,” and Zenden pauses remembering what his friend has told him from before. Lathan nods. “Like the things you did earlier on the aeroway.”

  Lathan nods once again. “It’s magic. The dark arts, the mystical arts whatever they call it. I can do it.”

  Zenden shakes his head and leans on the locker behind. “You say anything of the m word and people will look at you funny. Like you’re a freak or some sort of threat.”

  “Will you?” Lathan asks and he looks at his friend who looks up at the high wooden ceiling.

  “Of course not. Don’t be an idiot and don’t ask a stupid question like that again. I only told you that because that’s one of the things you keep to yourself. I was telling you the consequences. You hear me? Not even Jaden can know about this.”

  “Not even Jaden?”

  “He’s a loudmouth Lathan. You know that.”

  Lathan nods. “How do you know about, you know the m word?”

  “Well I am a year and a bit older then you.”

  “Only a year.”

  “And a bit. Well a year nonetheless. Plus older years talk about stuff like that. Like about some guy who killed his jilted lover and her ex and,”

  “Everyone else in the building I heard.” Interrupts Lathan.

  “How do you know that?” a suddenly inquisitive Zenden asks.

  “You hear things around.”

  “From the same person who gave you that book?”

  Lathan looks down at the book and smiles. “Jerk, you know me well.”

  “Well you have to do is add two plus two.”

  “All the more impressive cause you’re totally diabolical at maths!”

  “Diabolical? Have you been listening to the Sparrious dialogue again?”

  “That is true.” Laughs Lathan and Zenden punches him shoulder not hard, but Lathan rubs his shoulder.

  “Hey don’t injure the star player!”

  “Well the star player should be at the gym ready for the game.” Zenden said and Lathan looks at his watch once again. 2.51pm.

  “Oh great, now I’m dead man.” Lathan said while putting the book in his bag zipping it up tight.

  “Nice knowing you.” Zenden said sarcastically.

  “Funny.” Lathan said walking backwards and Zenden notices that Lathan is now looking past him.

  “What?”

  Lathan mouths “Marcella coming up behind due left”.

  Zenden turns at angle where his back was still visible to Marcella, but he can see her coming. He looks at Lathan who’s further down the hall and mouths good luck and gives Zenden two thumbs up before running off past the exits.

  Zenden takes several deep breaths, this was the usual routine and it was always a fifty-fifty game at times with Marcella Miller who is also eighteen as well. It was always a guessing game with her as sometimes she waved hello at Zenden and other times she just ignored him completely. Zenden Tenstraighter is terribly in love with this girl ever since he was thirteen and he first saw her coming into high school he was fascinated by her.

  He told himself silly things, that she wouldn’t go for him or that she was that she was just another level, that her beauty and her intellect was far too superior for him. He can barely look at her at certain times. Her beauty is so illuminating and when Zenden does clasp his eyes on her beauty, his heart rate speeds up alarmingly and sweat pours in fountain like droves on his forehead and armpits. He had always liked her, but his feelings became more serious from four years ago.

  Sure Zenden had been dating other girls or just one girl and even that didn’t last so long, but they never measured up to Miss Miller and anytime he was with any other girl every time and Marcella passed through the halls and canteens of Bridgeport or the cinemas and shopping centres it was only about her, like any glance in his direction was taken and there was nothing else that it was just the two of them.

  Plus it was four years nearly to the day that the pair of them of first talked. At the same interstellar class that she asked to share a book on the Andulan rites of passage book of 3087. Zenden always remembered how nervous he looked and how his hand shook as she sat next to him in some of those classes. He always wondered if she sat next to him by choice. Those were the memories. He always thinks about the difficult relationships that she went through going out with every sort of socially inept and terribly idiotic miscreants the whole of New North West London could offer.

  That she was truly wrong to even consider those guys, during that time he often thought about how she might end up in the future as Jaden said it ‘Pretty, but damaged goods with a affectionate cheery on top’ that because she had been with all these guys and that she might be lost to him, but one venture to the library late one Thursday night last year had changed all that. Always the more forceful one Zenden had no guts when it came to the opposite sex she came up to him and spilled her heart out about each guy and that she regretted being with them and she was going by the advice of girls who she thought were friends and thought that they were mature.

  Jaden told Zenden that this was at the very point when she was saying all this that it was at the moment that Zenden should have put himself in the picture and take the pulsar shot and go for it. Zenden tried to fool himself and told his own psyche and Jaden that it was not the right time, but in his heart he knew he should have taken the shot.

  The whole situation was prolonged for fates’ worth Zenden spent most of the time thinking if it was meant to happen then it will. Lathan always agreed, while Jaden just openly calls him an outright fool that you should leave nothing to chance. Nothing. There was a twinge that had now become a large and deep cut of regret that kept on reforming in Zenden Tenstraighter. Those fifty-fifty times when Marcella passed him on the hallway and never said anything to him, were not because of any sort of problems or maliciousness. None too, of any outside interference and both were single, it was the fact that feelings were surfacing between the pair and that Zenden is starting to notice quite clearly some of the signals that Marcella is putting out there. like the gentle way she rubs his right forearm after any funny dialogue he throws at her or the fact that she laughs at ninety percent of his jokes despite the fact they could kill a crowd literally if let loose at a comedy club. Also the way she always complemented his physique and his future plans of going away to travel and then come back to study. Despite the fact he has no idea what he truly wants to do in life.

  Hence why Jaden keeps badgering him to take the shot when the target is so clear to see. Something just holds Zenden back from going for the shot.

  This is the same thing he thinks as he stands leaning on the lockers as Marcella says goodbye to her friends and walks over to Zenden and taps him on the shoulder. Zenden turns round as if he’s surprised. “Marcella.”

  “Hi… Zenden.” She replies with her lovely voice which was soft and feminine and light like a soft breeze on a spring morning. Marcella is about average height for a girl at around five foot six, but that was the only thing average about her. Her hair is long and wavy, her lips full and luscious, with sensuous hips and long legs and her eyes the deepest of all brown. She oozes fantasy girl. Her skin tone slightly lighter then Zenden’s and her clothes were all casual, short navy blue skirt, a tight white top wearing a golden cross across her neck.

  “So how are things?” She asks and looks at Zenden directly in the eyes making him even more nervous.

  “Yeah good, good.” Zenden said with some nervousness.

  “I missed you at the party. You and Lathan left pretty early.”

  “Yeah, um his dad is pretty strict when it comes to you know curfews.”

  “Yeah I guess.” Marcella said showing a bit of nervousness herself looking down at her white shoes flat with no heels.

  Both stay silent looking around, trying to think of something to say.

  “I thought you were,”

  “I was hoping,” both talk at the same time with Marcella getting the first syllables in. both look at each other and exchange nervous laughter which in turn calms them both down.

  “Ladies first.” Zenden said bring his hand out for her to lead off conversation.

  “Okay since that’s a rule.” Marcella laughs, “I just thought you were going to stay longer. I mean I really wanted to talk to you last night.”

  “You have my number Marcella.” Don’t sound too forceful you jerk.

  “Yeah, I know, but then the party got going and it didn’t finish until early this morning. That why I have this crow’s feet on my eyes.” Marcella says pointing to little bags under her eyes.

  “I don’t notice them.” Zenden says peering down at her eyes.

  “You can’t see them? They’re right here.” She says pulling down her eye lids.

  Zenden shakes his head.

  Marcella grabs his right hand and with his index finger brushes the under side of her left eye and then brings his finger down stroking her cheek. She closes her eyes for a second as he does as well. It was one of those moments where it was them and them alone. Both open their eyes and Zenden pulls his hand away.

  Marcella’s embarrassed “I’m sorry! I didn’t, you know I’ve got to go, I have to find something else to do.” And she turns round and starts to walk away.

  Zenden still trying to get to grips with what just happened then has a voice appear in his mind, the voice of Jaden Sparrious. Leave nothing to chance. Take the shot when the target is so clear to see. “Marcella,” he said and she stops walking back in front Zenden. He walks up to her and as he gets closer she turns round. “What is going on between us?”

  Marcella looks down again at her shoes and then looks at him again direct in the eye. “I don’t know. I know it’s something.”

  “I think we need to talk.”

  “That’s what I’ve been meaning to say to you, like last night at the party and,” she pauses. Zenden suddenly becomes nervous again. “Now?”

  “No not now,” she said after the pause for thought, “After the game you and I should talk after when you know school’s over officially.”

  “Isn’t school actually over tomorrow? Then it is the dance.”

  “Zenden. The only time people go the last Friday is to guarantee that they get their tickets. You don’t have to go the party; I mean I’m thinking of not going.”

  “Really?” Zenden said caught off guard by her last statement.

  “Don’t seem so shocked.” She laughs, “I mean it’s just a thought, but for me the last party was last night, so I guess.”

  “Seems to me like you’ve already made your mind up.”

  “It depends,” she says and again she looks down at her shoes, “are you going?”

  “Yeah, yeah of course.” Zenden finally picking up her clear signal. He takes a deep breath as she looks up again. Just do it he thinks just say it. “I would… really like to dance with you.”

  Marcella smiles and the sides of her mouth curl up adding cuteness to her beauty.

  “I would too.” She said and before Zenden realises it, her right hand is stroking his left forearm. “Meet me here in forty five? We’ve got a lot to talk about.”

  “Yeah, yeah I’ll be here.” Zenden said with a goofy smile across his face and Marcella tiptoes and kisses his cheek. Both have huge smiles as Marcella starts to walk off one side and Zenden walks off the other side. As they both get their doors leading to other rooms both look back and give a lasting gaze to one another before both exit.