Liam’s eyes blinked open, the room dimly lit with the soft glow of candles. He sat up suddenly, his heart pounding. “Oliver?” he called, the last image of the creature’s massive form flashing in his mind. His voice cracked, and the panic rose in his chest. He scrambled out of the soft wooden bed he was lying in and hurriedly searched the room for his brother. Liam looked around, his mind fuzzy. The room wasn’t like anything he had seen before—there were strange, glowing symbols on the walls, and unfamiliar objects scattered across a table. He didn’t recognize any of it. The air in the room felt thicker, charged with something invisible. The tapestries on the wall shifted ever so slightly, as though a breeze moved through them—though the windows were tightly shut. Liam’s eyes lingered on a strange orb on the table, its surface rippling like water, even though it was solid. “You’re awake,” a deep, calm voice echoed through the room. Liam turned his head and saw the man standing near the doorway. He was tall, taller than Liam had realized in the chaos of the attack. He carried himself with quiet authority, his lean, muscular frame moving with a deliberate grace. His short-cropped silver hair caught the light, shimmering faintly, and his eyes—an intense, almost glowing shade of deep blue—seemed to pierce right through Liam, as though he could see every thought in his mind.

The man’s midnight-blue robes, adorned with shimmering silver symbols, flowed around him like shadows, each rune stitched into the fabric humming with hidden power. A heavy cloak rested on his shoulders, its edges embroidered with intricate patterns. Liam’s gaze fell on the ring on Murrow’s hand—a silver band carved with strange symbols, glowing faintly as he moved. There was something old and powerful about the man, as though he carried the weight of centuries with him, but his expression was calm, his movements precise. “My name is Master Galen Murrow, but that can wait, I see how worried you are for your brother, let me take you to him.”

Liam couldn’t find his voice but meekly followed the older man out of the room and into a long marble hallway adorned with strange tapestries and paintings before Murrow turned and opened an ornate wooden door to a room that was identical to the one Liam had just awoken in. Oliver was standing at a small table quickly inspecting everything on it, he turned as the door opened and his eyes lit up when he saw Liam. “Liam! Can you believe it?! We saw a real dragon! I told you they were real. Scarier than I expected, but I knew they were real,” Oliver rattled off quickly.

Liam pulled his excited brother into a tight hug, “Ollie, I’m so sorry.”

Oliver’s head tilted slightly as it often does when he’s puzzling over something, “Why are you sorry? You saved me, at least that’s what Master Murrow told me, isn’t that right, sir?”

“Yes, that’s correct, Oliver. Please, boys, sit down, and I’ll explain in detail,” Murrow motioned towards the bed and then waved his hand, summoning a small wooden stool into the room and seated himself upon it. Liam took Oliver’s hand and hesitantly sat down on the bed, staring at Murrow expectantly. “You’ll have questions,” Murrow said, his tone matter-of-fact. “I’ll answer what I can, but I only ask that you wait until I’m done to ask them. First, you need to know that the world you’ve known is only a shadow of the real one. “Magic exists, and it’s woven into everything around us,” Murrow said, watching Liam carefully. The words hung in the air, unreal. Liam wanted to laugh, but the memory of the barrier he’d conjured held him silent. His fingers twitched at his sides, still tingling with the raw energy he’d felt surging through him. “And now, it’s woken up in you.”

“Me?!” Liam let slip out but was instantly silenced by the sharp look that came from Murrow’s eyes before he continued.

“I have never heard of a sorcerer being born to non-magical parents, but there is nothing to deny the fact that you, Liam, possess the extraordinary ability to control the weave of magic.”

“Magic?” Liam said, his voice shaking. “I’m not… I can’t be… this isn’t real. It can’t be.” His heart raced as the memories of the barrier he’d conjured flashed in his mind. So many times Liam had escaped his reality by picturing what it would be like if he had magical powers like the heroes in his favorite stories, but now that it’s here, staring him in the face, it’s so much scarier than he had ever imagined. “I don’t want this,” he muttered, more to himself than to Murrow.

“None of this is easy to accept,” Murrow said, his voice calm but firm. “But you must understand—you’ve already tapped into your magic. The world is changing around you, Liam, whether you like it or not. And if you don’t learn to control your power, more creatures will come, I imagine the drake that attacked you was drawn toward you by the allure of your innate power. Creatures like the drake,” Murrow said, his voice grave, “is drawn to uncontained magic. The power inside you calls to them, like a beacon. And if you don’t learn to control it, they’ll keep coming. And next time… it might be worse.””

Liam looked over at his brother and saw that he was enraptured by the tale Murrow was weaving.

“There’s a place for people like you,” Murrow continued. “A place where you can learn to control your magic. Aethermoor Academy is not just a school—it’s a sanctuary, a place where we train the next generation of sorcerers to protect the world from the dangers that magic can bring. I am a teacher at this school and I am more than happy to attest to your abilities and offer you admittance.”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Liam’s head spun. It all sounded impossible—a secret school, magic, creatures from another world. “And if I say no?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Murrow’s eyes darkened. “That’s not an option you can afford, Liam. I don’t think you grasp the danger you would be in, your family would be,” Murrow glanced towards Oliver, “if you continue to live with these powers welling inside you without learning to control them.” Standing and walking towards the door Murrow continued, “I know this is a lot, so I will give you a moment to think things over, I’ll be right outside when you’re ready,” Murrow then exited the room and shut the door behind him.

Liam stood up and began pacing the room. “Are you okay?” Liam asked, kneeling down beside Oliver.

His little brother nodded, wide-eyed but strangely calm. “Yeah,” Oliver said, his voice small. “That thing was a dragon, right? I mean, a real dragon! Do you think we’ll see more of them?” Oliver asked, his eyes lighting up. “More magical creatures?”

Liam frowned, not sure how to answer. “I hope not,” he muttered, but Oliver’s excitement only seemed to grow. “This is so cool!” Oliver whispered, his eyes wide with excitement. “You’re going to learn magic, right? Like real magic!”

Liam gave him a weak smile. “Yeah… real magic,” he muttered, feeling the weight of the words. “You know I’ll have to go away to this school, right? I doubt they have buses that come and pick you up at home every day.”

Liam looked down at the floor, which was designed in an intricate pattern that almost seemed to move and swirl on its own, but he was pulled away from it as he felt Oliver take his hand, “It’s okay, Liam, this is so cool, you can do magic! I’ll take care of Mom and Dad.”

Liam chuckled to himself, “I’m sure you will. Okay, let’s do this together then.” They both stood up and walked to the door, opening it on an expectant Murrow, who swept his way into the room.

“I assume, we’ve come to a decision then,” Murrow said.

Liam looked at Oliver and then said, “Okay, I’ll go to your school,” Liam said. The words felt heavy in his mouth like he was giving up something he didn’t fully understand. His mind raced with the consequences—his family, his life. But an image of Oliver, of his parents, flashed through his mind. He couldn’t risk their safety. Not after what had happened.

Murrow nodded, his expression calm. “You’ve made the right choice,” he said. “We’ll leave tonight. There’s much to learn—and little time to waste.”

“Tonight? That’s way too soon!” Liam exclaimed.

“Well, the school year starts on Monday, that only leaves you a weekend to prepare yourself, there is much to do. There is something you both must know first though there is a rule of our world,” Murrow continued, his expression serious. “Non-magical people can’t know about magic. It would put them in danger.”

Liam immediately stepped in front of Oliver, putting himself between his brother and a man he quickly went from trusting to seeing as an immediate threat. “You can’t just erase his memory,” Liam said, his voice trembling. “That’s… not fair. He’s my brother.”

Murrow simply raised his hands in surrender and explained, “We sensed something in Oliver as well,” Murrow continued, watching Liam’s reaction. “Your brother isn’t like the others. He has magic—though it may be dormant now, it’s there, so we will not alter his memory, but your parents mustn’t be made aware of what is happening. You’ll be bound by an oath. You cannot speak of magic to them, nor reveal what happened. This protects both you and them. Please stick out your arms.”

Upon hearing that he also has magic, Oliver became overwhelmed with excitement and quickly jumped up, immediately sticking out his arm. Liam followed his brother’s example a little more hesitantly. Murrow held out his hand, tracing a glowing symbol in the air. “This oath is not a punishment,” he said, his voice steady. “But it is a necessity. Magic must remain hidden from those who cannot wield it.” The glowing symbol pulsed once, then twice, before sinking into their skin. For a brief moment, Liam felt a tug deep in his chest, as though the magic had settled into him, binding him to the promise. Oliver grinned, oblivious to the weight of the spell. Liam’s heart sank.

Liam sat down on the bed heavily, his mind spinning. Magic. He had it. Oliver had it. And now they had to keep this massive secret from their parents. His hands trembled slightly. What had they gotten themselves into? “Your parents will need a reason for your absence,” Murrow said. “We’ll tell them you’ve been accepted to an elite boarding school—far away. Enhancing our words with magic will allow them to believe it without question.”

“So I have to lie to them,” Liam said, his voice low. “What if they don’t believe it?” Murrow gave a small, reassuring nod. “They will. Believe it or not, we teachers are quite good at what we do. It’s not ideal, but it’s for their safety—and yours.” Murrow made his way back to the door and looked back at the boys, “I’ll allow you a private moment to say your goodbyes, before I return to escort you back home, Oliver.”

“Goodbyes?!” exclaimed Liam, “I thought you said Oliver was magic too!”

Murrow turned, “In two years, when you’re old enough, Oliver, you’ll be able to join your brother at Aethermoor,” Murrow said, his eyes glinting with something like pride. “There’s potential in you too. And when the time comes, we’ll be ready for you.” Murrow then continued out of the room, shutting the door.

“Two years?” Oliver’s smile faltered for a moment, but then he grinned again, determined not to show any sadness. “That’s okay! I’ll wait, and by the time I join you, you’ll know everything there is to know about magic!” But Liam could see the flicker of hesitation in his brother’s eyes, and it tugged at his heart.

“This is going to be amazing,” Oliver said, his eyes wide with wonder, apparently overcoming the fact that they would be apart for two years. “We’re going to be like the heroes in your books, Liam!”

Liam smiled softly, but the weight of the oath they’d taken settled on his chest. “Yeah… heroes,” he muttered.

“I won’t tell, I promise,” Oliver said seriously as if sensing Liam’s worry. “I’ll keep the secret—like a wizard’s apprentice!” Liam smiled, but a deep part of him knew that things would never be the same.

Murrow returned a few moments later and stood waiting for Oliver in the doorway. “I’ll see you soon,” Liam said softly, ruffling Oliver’s hair. Oliver grinned up at him with a hint of mischief caused by the secret now hidden between them.

“Promise you’ll write?” Oliver asked. Liam smiled, though his heart felt heavy.

“Promise,” he replied as Murrow and Oliver left him alone in the room.