In the corner of the main road within the inner city, I sat on the top floor of a library facing its mahogany-stained walls located in the center of Steelwork Street - one of the renowned shopping districts in the inner city. It had been yet another day of endless reading and taking down notes, in hopes to broaden my knowledge of the Trigon. Unsurprisingly, there was a disheartening paltry amount of information I could find on the god-stricken curse, or at least that's what I’d decided to brand it as. I had been to a multitude of libraries within the inner city that same week, but to my surprise, there was little deviation in what I could learn on the Trigon, the only difference being in the appearances of the establishments, as it seemed the owners of each institution only goal was to create a building more astonishing than the last.
From my days spent idly researching, the material I had collected was somewhat informative but left gaping holes that raised questions that urgently needed to be answered. A book I had read, told me about some of the first records of the Trigon. The notes I picked up from the album described the wielders of the power to be violent, tyrannical, and evil individuals. It said that they used their powers for their own selfish benefits and that they threatened the safety of entire civilizations with their devastating abilities. Truly a force to be reckoned with. Whether these statements were true, I had no way to confirm them, but it was definitely apparent that the people who wrote these records had no intention of depicting the Velids - a person who is born with the Trigon - in any good light.
A historical book that contained the data from a study more recently done within the past few centuries, suggested that the Trigon slowly corrupts the mind of the wielders, causing them to become drunk with power, or to be more precise, if they didn't have the mental fortitude to withstand their potent abilities, they could lose all sense of rationality. It was thought then that the Trigon was a sort of jinx, or a curse if you will. Once activated, it slowly chipped away at your mind, leaking in and corrupting your thoughts with ill intentions or urging you to fulfill your desires. However, it seemed as time went on from the first recordings of the Trigon, the interval at which they would arise in our history was too erratic for it to become a fact. Causing it to slowly turn into more of an old wives tale, and the havoc and destruction brought about by the Trigon was simply a superstition.
After learning this, I still couldn't put my finger on the reason as to why my family was acting so austere about the whole matter. The information in front of me basically claims that the Trigon was somewhat of a legend, or even a myth. Something a parent could tell their children to give them a fright. How were they to know that whatever took over me was the Trigon itself, and not some other force? It didn't really make sense, and besides, the Trigon wasn't an alarming topic scientists spoke of today in our society, if anything it seemed to be the least of our problems… or so I thought. After I had read the majority of the historical material, I strayed towards the religious texts, where all the knowledge I had accumulated up until now had been flipped upside-down.
One of the leading religions in the continent of Lumerick - The Arcin Born - contained information that seemed to back the records of the historical data. I was completely taken aback by this revelation. Of course, I didn't read through the entire thing to figure this out, as the book could be considered a tome in its own right. It's a religious text that the believers of the faith read in hopes of guidance and knowledge on life and to read the stories of how our world came to be. There was no way I was going to read through it all to find that out, it was only after asking around and skimming through scriptures that I was able to stumble across the statements the Lumin Cathedral derived about the Trigon and its origin. Quoting one of the verses which said, “And upon his final moment, the Usurper cast his endowments upon the people of the land, polluting his only kin’s divine creation with his blemishes of hatred, in hopes of revenge and pure spite.”
It took me some time to get my head around it, forcing me to put things together in my mind, but it made sense in the end. The Cathedral had taken this text and linked it with the power of the Trigon. The Lumin Cathedral, being one of the head powers within the continent alongside the monarchies had clearly turned this information from a form of belief, into a fact amongst the people who support the religion - which included a considerable amount of the continent's population.
So this was what my grandfather meant. He was definitely right in telling me to find out about this on my own, because there was no way I would believe such folly. However, seeing it here, in the pages of a religious book that practically everyone had access to was heart-aching. How could the people believe this dogma without seeing it for themselves, the people who killed my mother didn't seem to have any sign of the Trigon, and I can confirm that they were much worse individuals than I am.
My mind filled with questions left me sitting in the wooden chair of the library till late hours, allowing the sky to turn dark, telling the staff it was time to ignite the lanterns. Although the library was open twenty-four-seven, I was done here. I got up from my seat while packing my things and headed down the many spiral flights of stairs until I reached the front entrance, where I said farewell to the staff and headed out into the night city.
Walking through the inner city streets at night was less claustrophobic when in comparison to the day - mind you, it was still jam-packed - but it felt like I could breathe my own air without picking up someone else's scent on my nostrils as our shoulders brushed each other. I had time to ponder about my discoveries: the religious text, the Lumin Cathedral, the Trigon, all of my findings had summed up to paint me as a vicious beast. The adherent people would view me as a ticking bomb, uncertain of when I would blow and lose control.
How was any of this fair? I was never really a religious person, and thankfully my family doesn't seem to be followers of the faith either, but despite that, they were still shaken at the thought of me being a carrier of the Trigon. Were they scared of me? Or were they scared of what the people would do to me once they found out what I was - what I am.
A Velid.
I scoffed at the thought of the name “how stupid” I said under my breath, kicking a pebble that had found its way onto the pavement back in the middle of the road. Taking out the small amount of pent-up anger I had built up upon the stone before my emotions would swell into something worse.
As I continued my journey back home, a faint cry caught my attention. I was still somewhat in the shopping district - more on the edge and tipping into the suburban area. I heard the cry again, and as I followed its sound other voices of laughter began to fill my ears.
“What's wrong freak, fight back. Oh wait you can't.” one of the voices said mockingly, shortly followed by other voices of laughter.
As I approached the corner of the building in front of me, I discreetly bent my head around the edge of the brick wall to look down a shaded alleyway. ‘Typical’ I thought to myself, as I saw four boys who looked to be around my age, the three of them surrounding their victim who had his back against the wall.
“Ahah, go easy on him, Mat,” one of the boys said, “You know he can't fight back to save his own skin” He had a sinister grin smeared across his face.
‘Not my problem’ I thought to myself. I had no time to be getting involved in other people’s quarrels. The only outcome that I could foresee was violence, and after just recently learning about what I was, or what the Velids were said to be, I wanted to prove the statements wrong. I turned the other cheek, beginning to flee from the scene and wrap up my day within the city, when I stopped abruptly, hearing what one of the boys said, causing me to hesitate.
“Honestly, you damn Storks shouldn't have been born into this world” the boy named Mat went on, “ My father says your kind is good for nothing, using up our hard-earned resources and returning us with nothing but ash and shit”. He finished by connecting his fist to the boy's stomach, causing him to drop to his knees.
“H…Hey!” I said with one arm out, my mind at war within itself to decide if I should intervene or not. I was standing in clear view of them, and they all turned a cheek to face me.
“There a problem?” Mat said hastily at me, not because he was startled by my appearance, but more so from the fact that he wanted me gone so he could continue his entertainment.
“What are you doing?” I said firmly. Maybe I could stop them from hurting the boy without fighting, after all, the poor boy was a Stork - a person born without any affinities - and he would most definitely get hurt if I engaged in combat, if not from them directly, then from the collateral damage.
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“You said he was a Stork, right?” I continued, “So leave the damn guy alone, he has no way to protect himself or fight back” I finished. My words seemed empty as I came to realize that they must have already known that, and insisted on tormenting the boy. There are just some people who are pure evil.
“Not my fault” Mat scoffed, “The bastard is a bloody Stork, and he’s lucky enough to be living in the inner city. But I bet his parents wish he was rotting away somewhere, starving near the edges of the outer city. Honestly, I feel for them, I can only imagine the look on your father's face as he realized his wife had given birth to a Stork ” He said with a smirk on his face. “ I'm surprised they even provided you with clothes to wear, or did you steal those?”
I could see that the boy, despite having no power, wouldn't take it anymore, and got up from his crouched position and charged at Mat, “Shut up!” he yelled whilst running at him with his arms out, in hopes to tackle Mat, but to no avail.
Mat responded to his attack by swiftly stepping to the side, allowing the boy to run into the leg that he had planted in front of him. The boy stumbled to the floor and Mat dropped his foot on the boy's stomach with a speed that made me cringe when I saw the reaction on his face from the impact. Although the boy was a Stork, he could still manipulate mana within him - to some degree, far less than a normal person - and be able to strengthen his body. I could see he had covered himself in a light film of mana to hinder the impact. However, it seemed to not be as useful as he had hoped.
The boy cried out in pain as Mat continued to ram his leg viciously into his torso, saliva, and tears now running down the edges of his mouth and face.
“That's enough” I started heading towards the boy to see if he was ok, and found myself blocked by the other two boys who now stood in front of me.
“Do you really want to get involved with this, just over a good-for-nothing Stork?” Mat said with his foot still resting on the poor boy's belly. His face wincing every time Mat turned his leg on his abdomen.
I took a step back. Did I really want to get involved in this? I could take these guys on three-to-one easily, no doubt, I was confident in my power, even if this was a no-magic zone in the city, I could take them. But what would that mean in the end? I would save this boy from... what, one of many beatdowns in the future? I knew that at that exact moment in time, helping him may have been the right thing to do, but the toxic part of me took over, allowing the bias of my own mind to control my actions.
The world wasn't a fair place, I had to learn that the hard way with my mother and Casper. Why should I save this boy and avoid him from stumbling upon that truth on his own? We're all born differently, and unfortunately, with diversity also comes discrimination. Who was I to attempt to defy that fact? I was just another human, born differently, very much the same way he was, and I would also inevitably be a victim of the world's iniquity because of what I was… of what they say I will become. From my experience, and the knowledge I had gained from the books I clung to for comfort in times of distress, taught me that the only way to overcome adversity was to be stronger. You can either crumble under the weight, or gain the strength required to come out of your problems with scars to show of your progression. A notion I apply to every day of my life, and I don't think helping the boy would do my morals any justice.
I could already feel the light from the street lamps in my eyes, piercing my peripheral vision, realizing that I had backed up almost completely out of the alleyway. The three bullies chuckled to themselves as they saw me retreating. I turned my back with my head down and continued my journey home.
I was sure that the decision I made was the best thing to do, not for me but for the boy himself. The scum of the world like Mat would always be around, tormenting the weak for reasons so little it would make you sick. But he had to get stronger, He would either break from the burden or arise anew.
Sometime around an hour later, I found myself walking past the sign which said “Pantene Drive'' pointing towards the neighborhood of a few rich individuals of Haulburn City. Seeing the many excessively large houses leading me down the long path to the cul-de-sac where my grandfathers . . . well, where my house was located, reminded me of why I regretted not asking Lydia for a carriage instead of straining my legs to walk into town. The view of the house from the outside was just as beautiful as it was from within, despite being here three years, it still felt foreign to me that I actually lived in this mammoth of a house.
Upon entry, I headed for the stairs to walk up to my room and head to bed. As I ascended the carpet-covered steps, I caught a glimpse of my grandmother in one of the rooms downstairs that was dimly lit through the banisters, reminding me of the boy I had chosen not to help in the alleyway. She too had no affinities toward any of the basic elements. Just like the boy, she was branded a Stork. I was confident she had gone through her own troubles in the past with others, as living in a world where magic thrives, and having practically none, sounds impossible for me to even imagine. Had it been her out there being harassed by other people, I wouldn't have thought twice about helping. It was apparent that she had hardened her defenses to the world though, as she gave off the image of a strong-willed woman. Hah, now I know where my mother got her courage from, her parents were one competent couple.
Against my will, my mouth let out a gaping yawn that lasted for over a couple of seconds, causing tears to build up in the corners of my eyelids. It had been a long day out, and I was so tired I could have dozed off on top of the landing.
When I reached my room and closed the door behind me, I could hear incoming footsteps approaching me from down the long corridor on the other side of the wall.
“Elex, wait.” I heard my father shout softly
I sighed, as I didn't have the energy now to speak. I just wanted to let myself rest and dream about how I will be starting school in a couple of days. I could see that he turned the doorknob halfway before coming to a stop and knocking on the door, calling out my name again.
“Elex, can I come in? ” He spoke.
“Yes, you can come in Dad.“ I sighed again. Hopefully, he could hear my annoyance through the door and decide to come back another time.
“How are you doing bud?” He said to me sheepishly. The word “bud” hurt me a little, as much as I’d thought I had grown, I was still a child to him.
“Yeah, I’m ok Dad, just a little tired”
“Alright, I get you. I won't be long” He came and took a seat on the chair by the desk in my room while I undressed myself down to my briefs and jumped into bed, realizing I would have to get out again after he left to clean my teeth, ‘Just great’.
“You came home earlier today,” He continued. Despite it being fairly dark, he was right, I would normally stay out until nearly midnight, trying to find any information I could. “I'm guessing you learned something new?”
“Yes, I did” I replied quietly, a bit hesitant as I didn't want him to ask specifically what. I wasn't in the mood to talk about it right now.
“Good. I hope you understand now why we were so concerned about you the other day.” He said while moving towards the edge of my bed where he sat and placed one arm on my shoulder. He sighed “ We needed you to know the situation that has come upon you, Elex. It isn't fair, I know that, but that power you wield is shunned upon by the church, and as you know, they are one the pillars who govern this continent” he looked at me with a worried face. “Honestly, It's been so long since someone like you was born in our continent, I doubt anyone would even recognize the markings as I did.” he scoffed. “But if you show your abilities to the wrong person, If the wrong person were to find out what you are…” he trailed off in thought.
“I know, Dad. I won't show anyone” I said in hopes to reassure him.
“Don't trust anyone” he snapped back quickly. “Never get too comfortable with anyone, unless you know in the bottom of your heart you could trust them with your life” He held my hand in his own, squeezing my fingers tightly.
“Along with magic academies come opportunities that you will never receive anywhere in the world” He continued. “And with Haulburn being one of the best - if not the best - in the kingdom, it will be a vicious place. The competition will be high and people will use anything against you to make you fall.” He looked me in the eye. “ And funnily enough, that power of yours is a major weakness” he scoffed, fully aware of the contradictory statement.
He got up from my bed and headed towards the door. As he was about to leave, he stopped with the door halfway closed on the other side and said, “Elex, I love you, I hope you know that” with his head turned away.
“I love you too, Dad” I responded, with a smile on my face.
All he wanted was for me to be safe. His wife and youngest had died, and now he was sending his last blood-related family member away. It wasn't hard to show empathy, after all, he had suffered the same loss as I had. The only difference was that my life was still ahead of me, while he had most likely past the climax of his. The thought of that didn't sit well in my head.
I could see the side of his lips curl into a grin as he closed the door behind him, “Good night, son”
I was left alone with my thoughts in the darkness of the now more hollow room. Aside from the fact that my father had left, I had my bags packed for my journey in a couple of days to Haulburn Academy. The words of wisdom and warning my father left, only increased excitement for what was to come in the near future. However, I promised I wouldn't let him down. If only my mother were here to see me now, going to the best magic school in the kingdom.
I let the weight of my eyes take over, and amidst my thoughts of grandeur, I drifted off into a deep sleep.