Chapter 2: Ghost Stories

Chapter 2: Ghost Stories

Tonight was a full moon, and it was our little tradition to camp out in the orphanage's backyard. We'd stay up late telling scary ghost stories, making s'mores, and, honestly, just having a great time. Ola was trying her hardest to tell a scary story, but she was failing miserably, and it was hilarious. The others laughed as she spoke, their giggles echoing into the night.

I always looked forward to this night, but tonight my mind was elsewhere.

Earlier That Week

I am the Codex of Amalee, the book wrote on its pages.

"What tales from my library would you like to know?"

"Err..." I said, confused beyond imagination. Although this was a world of magic, books that could write back to you were still considered strange.

'Err' doesn't appear to be in my library, the book wrote back. Apparently, it also had a sense of humor.

"What is your purpose?" I asked, a bit embarrassed to be talking to a book.

This information can and won't be shared at the moment.

"Wow, okay. Then who is Amalee? You said you were her book."

Amalee is the First Daughter. That is all that will be said.

"What can you tell me, then?" I said dryly.

I can recite the world's last words. Would you like to read them?

"Sure," I said.

I blame you, Sina. You have broken this world. The sin your heart carried has burned us all. Now we sit here in a prison made by your orders. And they are here. That which has escaped is now here. On the day the skies fall, your sins will finally bear the fruits you have sown. Damn you, Sina.

The words were written in red, almost like blood. I could only read them as they appeared. But that was it. I didn't understand any of it. Who was Sina? And what had she done to this person?

"What does this mean?" I asked the Codex.

This truth cannot be read yet, the book said.

"Perfect," I said dryly. "You are the most helpful book ever."

Your words are kind and will be noted, the book replied.

The Codex was strange. I'd never seen anything like it before. Its cover was littered with magical runes, shapes, and languages I didn't recognize. I couldn't read anything else in the book, but I decided to keep it. Maybe someday I could decipher it.

I stood and flicked my arms. A small portal appeared in front of me, pulsating in a black-and-white shadowy spiral. I placed the book into the portal, and it slowly disappeared. Any mage with even slight control of their Spark could form a magical locker to store items. It was like a backpack you could summon at any time.

Lesson One

"What is Spark? Does anyone know?" Lady Milanda Voidheart, our magic teacher, asked. She was the only one at the orphanage who could teach us the basics of magic.

Lady Milanda , a tall woman in her fifties with a strong Russian accent and an intimidating aura, had a long face, high cheekbones, and a small, sharp nose. Her piercing black eyes seemed to see through everything, and her long black hair, streaked with faint hints of gray, fell down her back. She commanded attention with her straight posture and unwavering gaze. With one look, you could tell she had authority and experience.

"Is magic a simple party trick or a tool of destruction? Is it a gift from the gods or a curse from the devil himself?" she asked, her voice cutting through the room like a blade.

She looked out at us, waiting for an answer. Silence filled the room.

"Well, that's about right. No one knows for sure what magic is or where it came from. But we humans still try so hard to understand it. Whether this is our mystery to decipher will only be seen through the passing of time." She smiled, letting her words linger for a moment. The room remained completely silent before she snapped her fingers, breaking the tension.

"Today, we will learn how to wield this magic and make it a tool that will either help or kill you, depending on how you use it."

In the orphanage, as soon as you turned 15, you began training to become a mage. Every child here was taught how to wield and control Spark. Those who excelled were given a life-changing opportunity to study in the great kingdom of Veloria at its famous wizarding school, Lux.

It was a huge honor amongst us orphans because this was a great step to making a name for ourselves. Since we were abandoned by our families and had no names, this was like our second chance to prove to the world that we could become something.

"Ma'am, may I ask a question about magic-imbued items?" I said suddenly.

"Mmh, what of it?" Lady Milanda said, looking in my direction.

"Well, I was wondering if it was possible to trap magic in, like, a book or any other inanimate object."

"Well, magic is all around us and flows equally through our world. A mage can simply channel and absorb this mana from the air around them to conjure spells. This is only possible because all mages are born with what we call a magic core that allows them to absorb mana. So, to answer your question: hypothetically, if a mage were to somehow learn to create these magic cores through some magic unknown to me and in turn place said core inside an object, then it would be possible to harness and store magic in an inanimate object for later use."

She paused thoughtfully. "Which would bring into play a very interesting gateway for magicless users to be able to use magic."

In this land, not all people could use magic. Even here amongst the kids at the orphanage, some couldn't sense or manipulate magic at all.

"This would make leaps and bounds in the magical world. And why stop there? If artificial magic cores could be fabricated…" Milanda's voice trailed off as she got lost in her tangent. She loved magic. Although she couldn't use it herself, she had studied the art of magic extensively. No one in this land could rival her in the theoretical aspects of magic.

She caught herself and turned to me. "Why is it you ask about this, boy?"

"No reason," I said, feeling the heat rise to my face. "I was just curious if it was possible."

"You have a curious mind, Maddox, and I am pleased to see that."

Now that I could rule out the possibility that the Codex was a magic-imbued item, I was even more curious about this strange book that could talk to me.

Present Time

"Hey, are you okay, Maddox? You didn't even seem slightly scared by my story," Ola said, patting the top of my head.

"Well, it was not scary at all," I answered dryly.

"Well, you give it a try then, since you know sooo much about scary stories!" she shouted back.

I laughed a bit. It was funny when Ola got riled up over stuff like this.

"Now I think I'll go," Eliza said, standing up abruptly. "This is a true story, by the way," she added, smiling.

"A few weeks back, I woke up in the middle of the night to get some water. Then I heard a noise outside and saw two men walking into the forest. They were carrying a bag, and it looked like it had a body inside it. It was too small to be an adult, though, so I assumed it was a kid, just like us."

Everyone went quiet as they listened to Eliza's story.

"I followed them, trying to see what was going on. We walked for a few minutes until we reached a cabin in the woods—a cabin with a red door. The men opened the door, and I could hear screaming: 'Let me out! Let me out!' the voices cried.

"My heart was beating so fast. I was terrified, but I hid in the woods and watched them. They opened the door and picked up the bag. All of a sudden, the bag ripped open, and… plop. A body hit the floor.

"It was too dark for me to see who the body was, but then one of the men said, 'Damn dead kids, still causing trouble,' as he kicked the body."

An eerie silence took over the campsite as we hung on every word Eliza said.

"I was so scared that as soon as the door shut, I ran back to the orphanage. And I haven't been able to sleep since. Now, my question is: if that shed was meant for only dead kids, why was there screaming coming from the cabin?"

"Eliza, I don't like this story," Ola said.

"Yeah, me neither," Ren added.

"Maybe we should stop with the ghost stories," Bethany said.

"Ha! Got you all!" Eliza said, laughing. "Now that's how you tell a scary story," she said, sitting back down.

A Few Hours Later~

Everyone was asleep, but Eliza's story was still on my mind.

"So, is that actually what happened?" I asked her.

"What do you mean?" she replied, throwing a twig into the flames.

"Is it true, Eliza?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Why—why haven't you told anyone?"

"Well, I just tried, and look how afraid Ola and the rest got. How can I live with myself and watch my sister in fear when I don't even understand what's happening here?"

"I—"

"Maddox, I told you because you aren't like them. Strangely, I know you were the best person to tell about this. And now I know, with your help, maybe we can figure it out. Down there. In that cabin in the woods. And if something horrible is happening, I know that you and I can handle it."

You wanna know the craziest part about all this eliza said as tears filled her eyes she began shaking i saw that kids face maddox-

Earlier That Week~

We gathered in the main hall of the orphanage and sat down. The main hall was the largest part of the orphanage, with six long rows of tables where everyone would sit and eat.

"Good evening, children," Magnus said.

I'm not sure why, but I didn't like Magnus Wyrmsbane. He seemed off to me. Magnus was the head caretaker of the orphanage. He was older, with long white hair cascading down his back and a long white beard that stretched all the way to the floor. His piercing red eyes and the grin that accompanied them sent shivers down my spine. He felt like a wolf in a den of sheep when he looked at us. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I kept my distance whenever I could. Magnus was an extremely famous wizard known for his impressive accomplishments—or so I was told.

"Children, I've told you many times that that game of Hot Porcupine is dangerous and should not be played."

The children let out a bit of a giggle.

"Silence!" Magnus exclaimed. "On to more important details. Tomorrow is young Ethan's graduation. He has reached the right level in his magical abilities to leave us and join the others at the magical academy, Lux, in the big town west of here."

"Wow, so lucky," one of the orphans exclaimed.

"Congrats," another said, slapping him on the back.

"We're going to miss you," another added.

Graduations happened in two ways. Kids would either age out or gather enough magical capabilities to go to Lux.

The system worked in two ways:

Aged-Out Graduation: This was a celebration for kids who turned 18 and had to leave the orphanage. These kids usually had no magical capabilities and were often resigned to working for a noble family as a servant in Veloria.

Rite of Passage Graduation: This occurred when a student had mastered the basics of magical manipulation. They would then be sent to Lux to further their education and learn how to become a great wizard.

Ethan was 18 this year and was one of the strongest magical casters in the orphanage. It was no surprise that he was going to Lux since, out of all the potential candidates, he was far superior.

"Children, I want you all to strive to be like Ethan here. With hard work and dedication, you too will be sent to Lux. No mage is born with talent; talent is a fancy name given to those who work hard and tirelessly to perfect their skill. Shine brighter than the rest!" Magnus shouted.

"Shine brighter than the rest!" the students said back.

Present Time~

"It was Ethan," Eliza said, breaking down.

My heart stopped for a second as I took in the words she said. It wasn't possible. He was meant to be at Lux now, with the rest of the orphans who graduated. Why was he being dragged in a body bag to a cabin in the woods?

Why was Ethan dead?