Tales of magic: grimoire of transmorfigration

Chapter 1

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Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill"

Chapter 1 - "Jordan E. Middlesworth"

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The Beast rests in Weidson, watching and waiting for who to devour ~ Words of Seer after a successful divination. Performed on the 22 April, 1886 in Pridon central city, with materials provided by the Crown, and under heavy surveillance.

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April 27, 1886

Weidson town,

Pridon.

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16:05

Within the busy Saem street in Weidson town, the bakery was booming as always. After all, school children were back from summer school, many working class men and women had returned from work, and they had the money to spend on donuts and bread.

Middlesworth's bakery had so many loyal customers who always came back after a purchase. It was the most popular bakery in Weidson town, because their baked meals was simply delicious.

"What captures the soul of this bakery?" Jordan said to himself, as he stood outside the bakery, looking at the people as they milled in to the establishment.

"Or is it the hearts of the people that are entranced by the food and drink being served to them?"

Jordan- an 17 year old - was shorter than most of his age mates, and had abnormally long brown hair,which he loved to braid or plait into neat patterns. He had always been called the odd bird, because he stood out from his peers as the strangest of them all. There were many reasons why he was seen as different. For one, he actually enjoyed reading as a child, and didn't go out as often as others. He spent most of his days, holed up in either his room or the town library, with nothing but his books for company. That was how he grew up, to be the person he was now... Or at least that was what other people knew.

"My ideas aren't good enough, I'll have to rethink the entire concept. Maybe I don't need to write something that deep."

The dark clouds gathered over the town, and it wasn't

long before a sudden intense rain started to fall down from the sky.

Droplets of water started to fall on his body. As he turned to enter the bakery, his clothes felt damp with rain.

'My good jacket.'

Jordan dashed into his father's bakery, but stopped running when he was inside and sheltered from the pouring rain. He was already too late, his clothes were soaked through.

"What was I thinking about? Ahem ...the heart of... no was it the soul?"

"Jordan"

"Huh..."Jordan responded. He turned to the right, to see his father Llyod middlesworth staring at him. Llyod was a fat man with thick cheeks, a plump nose, brown hair and, usually a warm smile. Currently however, the man wore a scowl instead.

"What were you doing oustide! We have customers to attend to!"

"I'm, umm.. well, you said I should get a job, since I am not a child anymore, so I.."

"So you went out and lazed about?"

"No one was hiring! And I wasn't lazing about, I was brainstorming for my book."

"What the heck does that mean!"

"I was....you know, collating my thoughts and ...umm. finding inspiration."

"For the last time, Jordan, writing storybooks is not a job! Get a job, or work here in the bakery. End of discussion."

Llyod stormed off to help Risa handle the customers.

Jordan reluctantly followed, dodging the people who were waiting for the rain, as well as those who were waiting for both the rain and their cake.

He took position behind the counter, and started taking orders from the people in the not-so-orderly line. He got bored very quickly. The smell of sweat was annoying. 'The winter had long since passed by, they should have bathed, why didn't they bathe!'

This wasn't what he wanted. Jordan wanted a job that required less contact with other human beings.

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Serving people.

Dealing with people.

Talking to people.

To Jordan, it was all hassle. It was tiring, and it was boring.

In a few moments, he decided he had had enough. He waited for a chance when his father had gone inside to bake, and his step-mother wasn't looking. And then he sneaked into his room, closed the door and heaved a sigh of relief.

He was free.

He opened up his journal and flipped through the pages.

October 1882.

Hi journal. It's me again. I asked someone out today. Yep, same as always. It seems it might take awhile for the ladies to notice my handsome. Yeah, I know I'm kidding myself. I don't really look all that attractive. At all.

Skipped.

Hi, again journal. Is there a difference with you and a diary, i might have to look it up at the library..

Skipped.

Hi, journal/probably diary. I have a confession to make. I believe...now hold on, don't judge me okay? I believe I might have gone mad. What did I say about not judging me. Come on, journal quit laughing at me, it's mean. Fine you don't want to believe me, go ahead, I'll change the subject!

Skipped, very quickly this time, passed a few more pages at a time. August 1884.

Journal. Lisa is driving me crazy. She turned my world upside down the moment her mother went ahead and got married to my dad- what do the ladies even see in him. Now we're supposed to be siblings. The other day, Lisa tried to burn you because I accidentally stepped on dolly-her favorite doll, could you believe the name? It's so shitty- and she almost succeeded in killing you! Umm, not that you're alive to begin with, but I like to talk as if you are.

Skipped a whole lot of burnt and scratched pages.

April 1886.

Journal. I've had enough of this girl. She pretends to be a cute, innocent little pre-teen but she's really a monster. Tonight, I promise I'll strangle her to death...

Wow, I went crazy there. Of course I'm not strangling my kid sister to death. I love her, kinda.

Now, away from the Lisa topic. Over to the book. I am absolutely going to make something phenomenal with this novel. I'll prove to that old man who calls himself my father that I'm in no way a lazy good for nothing loner with issues. I will be successful, have a hot girlfriend and be rich enough to buy my own train.....

Wow, I went crazy again. Of course I don't have any real issues, neither do I really want a girlfriend....

I'm signing out for now, journal. The world is a vast and beautiful place...wait am I really writing my draft here. I must be stupid... Goodbye for real now, journal.

Empty pages.

Jordan was smiling as he read the last part, and then he dipped the quill in ink and started writing a new entry.

To The one and only journal of Jordan middesworth.

I made a mistake with my last entry. I really do want that train. Yeah I know, no one can by a train here in Pridon. The Crown controls the entire railway system. Doesn't mean I can't dream! I might really kill Lisa today. She's...not really done something yet. Wow, new record, for a whole day, she hasn't messed with me once. It looks like after so many years I have finally become someone she can respect. No..

I really haven't.

She's been a bit distant these days. She has friends and all after all. By the way school isn't in session, save for summer school that is for kids without brains, I mean good grades. Lisa isn't like that. I guess she's been a bit more out going. Turned 13 last week...

What is with me?

Why am I behaving like that's a bad thing?

Yeah, I have to quit smoking. Maybe It's making my head...

y'know what, journal? I'll say goodbye for now.

Jordan dropped the quill, with a frown. He looked at the clock in his room.

16:44

Jordan lay down on his bed, and started thinking about the book he wanted to write.

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud noise of sone one's hand against the wooden door of Jordan's room.

Alarmed, he jumped up from the bed and went to the door to spy through the little hole.

The man he saw through the door hole, was a very tall man with a black long coat, and long black hair. The man had a stern look on his face as well as a few ghastly scars. Under the coat, he appeared to be wearing a white shirt, and brown trousers. Jordan had never met the man in his life.

"I know you are there, Jordan Elyas Middlesworth. You shall henceforth know me as Mr. William. I have come to visit you"

Who in the world is this freak?

"Usually, visitors stay in the sitting room...please go there."

"I'm sorry, I was under the impression that you didn't have a drawing room."

"We don't."

"Well, you use a living room without paintings, huh? Boring."

"Not boring, normal. We're not rich enough to afford that"

"Is that so? Well pardon my wrong doing. But I want to see you face to face, and I think your room will suffice, do would you be kind as to open the door?"

"I need to rest, sorry come back some other time."

'I don't need wierdos around me right now. He looks like he's at least 12 years older than me. What does he want? Is he one of those pedophiles who target boys? A gay stalker? Does that even exist?'

"I guess we'll see each other some other time, then. Sorry to disturb you."

William was turning around to leave when he stopped abruptly.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Do not say a word to your family about my coming here. They don't know, and things might get complicated if they do. Goodbye, quill."

And the man left.

'What the bloody hell was that?'

Jordan slumped back unto his bed, and laid there for a while.

Soon enough, his father almost knocked down the door after discovering that he skipped work.

Jordan frowned, as he got up from the bed to deal with what ensued afterwards.

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22:03

'Lisa just came back home.

Dad and Mom scolded her, but they aren't nearly as angry at her than they were at me.'

"I'm just glad you're okay honey, we were so worried about you" The woman hugged Lisa who was soaked wet from the down pour she apparently fought her way through.

'It seems as though her mother didn't see it, but I think there are marks on Lisa's shirt, as if it was torn and stitched back by someone who didn't know what they were doing. I'm not a creep, I promise, but...why would her clothes be torn up, I mean her excuse was going to the library, right. Where did she really go, and what.... I was thinking of telling mom and Dad about it a minute ago when I just saw it...but I've changed my mind now. I'll ask her myself, and find out what really is going on, then I'll share the story with our parents. I'm a good elder brother, aren't I?'

These were the words Jordan wrote on his journal that night. He added it to his most recent journal entry. Then he made sure that Risa and Llyod were in their rooms sleeping. Next, he knocked on Lisa's door. It was already open so he let himself in.

"Where did you really go?"

"What are you talking about?"

Lisa was still awake. She had flipped from her fake sleeping position and answered him instantly.

'She is still pretending....'

"Your shirt, the one you wore when you came back, why was it torn up?"

"It's none of your business..."

"What do you mean It's none of my business. I'm your brother..." Jordan paused.

"It's not a big deal. You're making it sound so important. My shirt got torn up because I ran into something sharp on the way home, I stopped by at the tailor's to stitch it back up."

"Somehow, I don't completely believe you."

"Why! I'm in a really bad mood, okay? Just leave me alone."

"I...did something else happen? I know you're lying to me. We've lived under the same roof for 5 years now. I know when you're not sincere."

"What do you think happened? You must have some kind of idea, right?"

"What makes you think that?"

"You're insisting that something bad happened to me. Something I would hide from you, mom and dad."

"Did something happen?"

"There you go. The same question again. It's almost like you want something to have happened. Now get out of my room so I can sleep."

"Lisa..."

"Get the hell out of here!" She screamed, brimming with anger. It was a kind of anger he had never seen on her face before. She wasn't just angry. She looked sad. Somehow guilty too.

Jordan took a step back. He didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry. So.. sorry... I just can't.... I can't tell you right now."

"I get it, I think. Just.. open up on your own time, okay. Tell me what happened whenever you're ready. I'll be right here, okay?"

"No. You don't understand. I want to tell you. I wanted to say something. But I can't because...I just can't, okay. Don't expect me to say anything else. Just forget about it. And let me..." Tears were streaming out of her eyes.

"Just let me sleep."

Jordan decided it was best to leave her alone.

So he left her room.

However, he didn't realize that that would be the final conversation between the two of them.

By the next morning , she was dead.

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