Howling

Dante

"Orion!" I hear shouted from the floor below. I don't know what's going on but I don't like it when people mess with my evening reading. I look at the window and the reflection of my white hair. I have purple eyes and a fair tannish complexion.

"What are they doing," I mumble to myself as I grab the book and put it in the holder I have around my waist as I push open the door to the library.

I make my way toward the stairs before stopping at the study where I'll eventually be able to gauge my attunement towards magic. I hope that one day I'll know my magic type. I run away from the stairs and see my brother Orion being chased by our sister Arya. I sprint down the stairs three at a time and jump the last set. I almost land on Orion but he uses a blink spell to dodge me and I land on the ground and roll out of the way of Arya's fireball spell.

I look at Arya and she has red hair that goes down her back. With purple Eyes and skin as white as snow. While Orion our brother has Silver Hair, Purple Eyes, and a complexion closer to Arya's than mine.

It flies into the kitchen door and blows it off its hinges. Inside the kitchen is standing our mom and she's mad. She has a complexion that's the same as mine. Her red hair and eyes turn silver when she uses her magic. She uses her magic aura to create pressure that intimidates Orion and Arya. Stopping them in their tracks I immediately lose the ability to breathe and drop to my knees. Orion and Arya collapse under the weight of her aura but they can still draw a gasp of air. She walks toward us and the pressure only gets heavier. It almost feels as if she's dropped a boulder on my shoulders Tears beginning to well in my eyes.

"Mom, I can't..." I try to shout. The words fall short in front of me. Her anger is only ceased when she sees me on the ground. The pressure immediately lifts as she grabs me and carries me to my room. Behind her is floating the giant teddy bear Orion and Arya were fighting over. As she opens the door the bear floats over to the bed and lies down on the bed. She sets me down next to the bear and sits down next to me.

"Mom," I mutter " When can I get magic?"

"I don't know, but I got mine when I was 5," She tells me looking towards the ceiling. Before she makes her way toward the door. "I'll deal with your siblings and then finish making dinner. Unless you want the maids to make it." She states with a finger on her mouth.

"I want mom's !" I shout as I jump out of bed. I almost faint and have to catch myself against the nightstand. She has a smile on her face as she leaves the room and shuts the door. The lock clicking into place and the sound canceling spell activating.

I walk over to my books and get ready for tomorrow's class. I read all about the king's estates. He has one for every woman he has had a child with. Totaling 10 estates. They're ranked according to how he feels about the children's potential. Me and Arya are held in the second estate and Orion is held in the First. We have many brothers and sisters that are older than us. But none of them have the potential needed for our father to consider letting them ascend to the throne.

So it's not uncommon for us children to get into fights with one another. In fact, our father encourages it. I don't like fighting with them since I can't do much until I gain my magic. I just try to stop them. Arya is 4 and can use both fire and earth magic. While Orion is 6 and can use movement, ice, & constellation magic. I don't have my magic yet even though I turn 6 in a month. If I don't awaken my magic soon I'll be moved to another estate away from my mother and sister.

Thinking about that makes me irritated. I have tried so many methods to forcefully awaken my magic even consuming some of the magic stones that were about to be thrown out. But none of them worked.

"I open my nightstand and pull out a notebook. I flip through the pages and I stop on the back of my last page. On the top of the paper, I title it "How to create a familiar". And put it back. This is my last chance to awaken magic early and cement my potential in the family to my father. I won't let it go.

I think before I pull open the door and am greeted by one of the maids.

"Young Master, it's time for dinner," She tells me before walking away. I begin to make my way down the countless stairs towards the dining room. I open the door and am immediately hit by the smell of ham and potatoes. But there is also an unfamiliar smell mixed among them. I see Mom, Orion, and Arya sitting at the table ready to eat. I sit at the end of the table opposite my mother who's sitting at the head of it.

"So Orion, what are you doing here at the Second Estate?" I ask him "Don't you live in the first estate with your Mother?" Orion looks at me and without batting an eye answers.

"I was bored so I came to play with you and Arya, but someone was busy in the library reading." He states directing a hint of sarcasm towards me. I don't care though and begin to grab some of the food on the table. It's roasted ham with potatoes, corn, and green beans. I take one of the pre-made portions and begin to eat. Cutting the ham and eating it with a spoonful of potatoes. When half of the ham and potatoes are gone I move on to the green beans. I stab them and stuff them in my mouth. Chewing as fast as I can. I finish the green beans and look at my mom. She's looking at an orb that's surrounded by a red and gold glow.

"Mom, how would I create a familiar?" I ask her. I try to sound as confident as possible. But my anxiety is easy to hear. Upon hearing my question she turns to look at me.

"You can't make familiars Dante. You have to catch one and tame it," She states as if it's common knowledge before going back to looking at the orb. I finish my food and leave the table. Running through the house towards my room taking three steps at a time till I reach the top. I stop when I hear some of the estate's maids whispering about a familiar that was supposedly found in the forest behind the estate.

I open the door to my room and dive into bed ruffling the perfectly made sheets as the door slams behind me. Thinking about how weird it would be if there was a familiar in our little portion of the castle's territory. I close my eyes but the thought of a familiar so close by makes it hard for me to just stay still and wait. I push open the window and look out it before hearing a scream. I look to the right and only see a cover of treetops and a light running towards the edge before it goes out.

Pulling the woods once again into darkness. I slam the window shut as I hear a howl so powerful I feel the foundations of the estate shaking. I climb into bed and pull the cover over my head. I hold my head in my arms and crawl into a ball. I feel like screaming for help, I want to run, but I'm paralyzed by my fear. My hands are sweating and my body's shaking just waiting for whatever killed those people in the woods to find me. But it never happens. I wait and wait for it to come but nothing happens. So I climb out of my bed and step on the tips of my toes as I scurry down the stairs one hand on the rail and the other in my pocket. I let go of the rail as I hit the last stair and run towards the doors to the cellar. Before I'm stopped by my mother.

"What's wrong Dante," she asked squeezing my shoulders. It brought me back to reality. The howling had stopped and nothing was shaking. She walked me back to my room. My bed was made and the window was closed. I immediately ran to the window there was a light shining in the middle of the woods. Just like the lamp, I saw earlier. Then once again I heard a scream. The light went out in the woods. Then once again the Howling started but this time, My mom could hear it too.