Holding on
to an Echo:
The Age of Ashes
"Climb for Light"
Six years had passed since the War of Struggle. With the
exposition of magic and wizardry, Mortals and Wizards alike had an uneasy unity
to make our lives normal. It obviously did not last. After about two years of
either reliance or fear, the Mortals waged a battle for the extinction of
Wizards, all because someone had apparently killed the Presidents Child with an
incurable disease. They blamed magic, and a war to destroy wizards happened.
Mortals who aligned with Wizards hid behind their friends and Mortals who were
more or less racist killed any wizard or anyone with any connection with them
with prejudice.
The earth was left in ashes. Wizards and Mortals were dead, left from right. All who were left standing have hidden themselves. All that was left of our world was fear.
Nothings stopping the people from bloodshed if it means survival.
Not even Magic.
I’ve lived in this old, decrepit building for as long as I can remember. This was the safest place I could find from anyone, armed or magical. This war had taken my home, my oldest brother, my parents… And my best friend, Jackson, the person I loved the most.
Today was supposed to be my birthday, but what was the point. I stopped having birthdays when I was just 16. Six years ago, when I learned to be careful where I stood.
I could’ve run to the wizard world like my younger brother, Brendon Madigan. But they were just too quick. I was still at school when the government launched thousands of firebombs from the sky. The doors to the other side have all been destroyed.
And so were the rest of my family.
The rubble blocking the stairs and windows were starting to fall apart, so I had to renew them. I took out my blue wand and aimed.
“Gravelus Pacifica” The rubble pieced together and formed into a new wall. More rubble appeared thereafter. I’ve made at least 4 walls before that wall. It’ll take a lot more for ordinary people to get through that. I returned to my makeshift room and laid in bed. The peach wallpaper and the homey feel would make things seem so… Normal… in this hopeless situation. But this is all just a lie. Everything I have right now, and everything else I’ve made is all a lie. The things that were real were nearly all gone and all I have left were the things I’ve managed to dig up from the rubble of our old home. All those that weren’t turned to ashes.
Like this picture.
That black haired girl sitting beside her older brother…
That smile…
They don’t exist anymore. The old Kathy Madigan had died the day she held her brother and listened to his dying words.
“Go… I lov…” and he was gone. No magic or medicine could change that. I was out as the last of the fire burned our home to ashes. Along with the last of my light.
“This Wall, So Mighty and Strong, Turn it Transparent from this side of my hold.” The wall became a transparent cube and I watched the rust and broken down city that was once Manhattan. I could call it people watching, but you get the picture.
“Ahhhh!!!” My eyes widened as 3 people ran from gunfire.
“Vocalis Medima” The sound increased to about the same as when in front of a computer.
“Give us back our stuff and we’ll let you live!” Said an approaching soldier.
The young people did not comply and continued running.
Then, another one came out of a window.
He was a wizard.
“Osmos!” With a flicker of his hand, the earth erupted pillars and slammed 4 of the advancing, armed, men.
“Wizard!” They shouted and they seemed to back off at first, but fire their gun.
The wizard puts his hands in front of him and summons a wand.
“Kryo Arriera” A wall of ice blocks the bullets. The soldiers reload and the wizard took his chance.
“Osmose Maxima” The earth shook, I could feel it. A wall was rising from the road and fell on the men.
But missed one. This one was quick and took his chance before the wall could block him out or crush him. He fired a single bullet and hit the wizard in the shoulder. The wizard was on his knees. The man kicked away the wizards wand and placed his foot on the wizards chest.
“Ae-“ The soldier squeezed the wizards chest to stop him from casting until all that came out of his mouth was screams of pain.
Then, the first rock was thrown. The soldier looked at one of the escaping 3. They had stopped when the child that was with them threw the rock at him.
“Stop hurting him!” He threw another.
“Little brat. Your wizard friend will be joining you once I’m through with you.”
That was the last straw for me.
“Sevetre Movetris.” I was outside the street, facing the man. He looked scared but tried to hide it in his arrogant face.
“T-Two wizards in one day. What a catch!” He aimed at me, but the gun was gone.
I pointed up.
“Looking for your toy?” The gun fell on his face and he tripped over.
“You.” I pointed to the people behind me. “Get your friend.”
They complied and grabbed the wizard.
“As for you.” The soldier was rising to his feet. I pointed my wand.
“This Day Was Long Enough, Send This Fool Away To Somewhere Dark and Rough!”
The man was gone.
I approached the group. The Wizard was unconscious.
The girl was a little suspicious of me.
“Why’d you help us?” Her eyes were filled with doubt.
“Some people say Thank You.” I smiled. She stayed silent. “I didn’t want to leave you out to dry.” She returned her eyes to the bleeding Wizard.
“Lets get out of here. There might be more.” They grabbed some bags. I waved my wand.
“Backtrack Movetris.” We were back to my place. It had gotten dark. “Light.” The room lit up.
The three had taken off their bags and placed the wizard in my couch. There’s blood all over. Damn, I just washed that.
“Come on, Martin. Open your eyes.” The girls eyes had tears. “Come on… You’re my best friend…” The guy and the little boy approached me.
“You’re a wizard, aren’t you? You have to save our friend.” I just stood for a few seconds before I started walking over there.
“Mari. Let her do something.”
“Troy…” The girl, Mari, looked at me with some daggers in her eyes at first, but softened and let me sit by the wizard, Martin.
“This is a serious wound. If he only took the bullet, this would be easier, but that creep stomped on him hard. This is going to be a while.” I started with the soldier.
“Leviatus S” The bullet was slowly pulling itself out of Martin’s shoulder. Cure magic is a hell of a lot more difficult than tv has made it seem.
“Blood, Blood, Seep in and Don’t hold Back.” The lost blood slowly seeped back into the hole. I have to concentrate so the blood intake doesn’t waver, But Mari slowly watching me was a little distracting.
The last of the blood finished returning. I gasped. This was incredibly draining, but I have to keep going. I haven’t used this much magic in a while.
I paused for breath and continued on.
“This is going to be the hard part, ok? Don’t let me fall over or I might fail.” Mari nodded.
I sucked in a lot of air.
“Dermis Clota” The bullet hole was slowly mending. Torn veins and tissues were slowly being mended. I shut my eyes a little. I was getting tired. My hand was shaking.
“Don’t stop!” Mari shouted. I opened my eyes. Just a little more….
Sweat was trickling down my face. The last of the tissues were slowly tying each other. Come on…
My hand was starting to slowly go down.
The boy, Troy, held it up for me to finish.
“Aspiscus!” I shouted, and the wound closed into skin.
I fell to the floor and breathed quickly.
“You did it… You-“ I stopped Mari.
“Wait!” I stood up. “We’re not yet done.”
I stood up and pat his chest with my wand.
“Broken Bones bound in his chest, mend them like platinum chains and let him rest!” Martin’s body arched and fell back to the couch.
“Now he’s ok.” Mari hugged the unconscious wizard. “Why isn’t he waking up though.
“The force of the wounds sent him into shock. He could stay asleep for a while, but he’ll be fine.” She sighed and laid her head on him.
I zapped a hospital bed in and transported Martin to it.
Great. I need a new couch. Some blood dried up on it.
But I’m getting tired. I’ll just do it tomorrow.
“Hey.” Troy approached me.
“Thank you. You saved our friends life, uh…”
“Its Kathy. Kathy Madigan.” He smiled and lifted his hand for a handshake. I took it.
“Troy Orfield. You’ve met Mari Fells. Then, there’s Martin Reese and his younger brother, Xan Reese.” The kid approached me. “Thank you for saving my brother.” I smiled. But behind that, my thoughts returned to MY brother. Could I have saved him? My Parents? Then I looked at Martin and Mari. Jackson?
That day is never going to go away.
“Its no problem…” I told him.
I returned to my room and crashed into my bed.
That day… It’ll haunt my dreams again.
Only today? It’s going to be much longer.
The earth was left in ashes. Wizards and Mortals were dead, left from right. All who were left standing have hidden themselves. All that was left of our world was fear.
Nothings stopping the people from bloodshed if it means survival.
Not even Magic.
I’ve lived in this old, decrepit building for as long as I can remember. This was the safest place I could find from anyone, armed or magical. This war had taken my home, my oldest brother, my parents… And my best friend, Jackson, the person I loved the most.
Today was supposed to be my birthday, but what was the point. I stopped having birthdays when I was just 16. Six years ago, when I learned to be careful where I stood.
I could’ve run to the wizard world like my younger brother, Brendon Madigan. But they were just too quick. I was still at school when the government launched thousands of firebombs from the sky. The doors to the other side have all been destroyed.
And so were the rest of my family.
The rubble blocking the stairs and windows were starting to fall apart, so I had to renew them. I took out my blue wand and aimed.
“Gravelus Pacifica” The rubble pieced together and formed into a new wall. More rubble appeared thereafter. I’ve made at least 4 walls before that wall. It’ll take a lot more for ordinary people to get through that. I returned to my makeshift room and laid in bed. The peach wallpaper and the homey feel would make things seem so… Normal… in this hopeless situation. But this is all just a lie. Everything I have right now, and everything else I’ve made is all a lie. The things that were real were nearly all gone and all I have left were the things I’ve managed to dig up from the rubble of our old home. All those that weren’t turned to ashes.
Like this picture.
That black haired girl sitting beside her older brother…
That smile…
They don’t exist anymore. The old Kathy Madigan had died the day she held her brother and listened to his dying words.
“Go… I lov…” and he was gone. No magic or medicine could change that. I was out as the last of the fire burned our home to ashes. Along with the last of my light.
“This Wall, So Mighty and Strong, Turn it Transparent from this side of my hold.” The wall became a transparent cube and I watched the rust and broken down city that was once Manhattan. I could call it people watching, but you get the picture.
“Ahhhh!!!” My eyes widened as 3 people ran from gunfire.
“Vocalis Medima” The sound increased to about the same as when in front of a computer.
“Give us back our stuff and we’ll let you live!” Said an approaching soldier.
The young people did not comply and continued running.
Then, another one came out of a window.
He was a wizard.
“Osmos!” With a flicker of his hand, the earth erupted pillars and slammed 4 of the advancing, armed, men.
“Wizard!” They shouted and they seemed to back off at first, but fire their gun.
The wizard puts his hands in front of him and summons a wand.
“Kryo Arriera” A wall of ice blocks the bullets. The soldiers reload and the wizard took his chance.
“Osmose Maxima” The earth shook, I could feel it. A wall was rising from the road and fell on the men.
But missed one. This one was quick and took his chance before the wall could block him out or crush him. He fired a single bullet and hit the wizard in the shoulder. The wizard was on his knees. The man kicked away the wizards wand and placed his foot on the wizards chest.
“Ae-“ The soldier squeezed the wizards chest to stop him from casting until all that came out of his mouth was screams of pain.
Then, the first rock was thrown. The soldier looked at one of the escaping 3. They had stopped when the child that was with them threw the rock at him.
“Stop hurting him!” He threw another.
“Little brat. Your wizard friend will be joining you once I’m through with you.”
That was the last straw for me.
“Sevetre Movetris.” I was outside the street, facing the man. He looked scared but tried to hide it in his arrogant face.
“T-Two wizards in one day. What a catch!” He aimed at me, but the gun was gone.
I pointed up.
“Looking for your toy?” The gun fell on his face and he tripped over.
“You.” I pointed to the people behind me. “Get your friend.”
They complied and grabbed the wizard.
“As for you.” The soldier was rising to his feet. I pointed my wand.
“This Day Was Long Enough, Send This Fool Away To Somewhere Dark and Rough!”
The man was gone.
I approached the group. The Wizard was unconscious.
The girl was a little suspicious of me.
“Why’d you help us?” Her eyes were filled with doubt.
“Some people say Thank You.” I smiled. She stayed silent. “I didn’t want to leave you out to dry.” She returned her eyes to the bleeding Wizard.
“Lets get out of here. There might be more.” They grabbed some bags. I waved my wand.
“Backtrack Movetris.” We were back to my place. It had gotten dark. “Light.” The room lit up.
The three had taken off their bags and placed the wizard in my couch. There’s blood all over. Damn, I just washed that.
“Come on, Martin. Open your eyes.” The girls eyes had tears. “Come on… You’re my best friend…” The guy and the little boy approached me.
“You’re a wizard, aren’t you? You have to save our friend.” I just stood for a few seconds before I started walking over there.
“Mari. Let her do something.”
“Troy…” The girl, Mari, looked at me with some daggers in her eyes at first, but softened and let me sit by the wizard, Martin.
“This is a serious wound. If he only took the bullet, this would be easier, but that creep stomped on him hard. This is going to be a while.” I started with the soldier.
“Leviatus S” The bullet was slowly pulling itself out of Martin’s shoulder. Cure magic is a hell of a lot more difficult than tv has made it seem.
“Blood, Blood, Seep in and Don’t hold Back.” The lost blood slowly seeped back into the hole. I have to concentrate so the blood intake doesn’t waver, But Mari slowly watching me was a little distracting.
The last of the blood finished returning. I gasped. This was incredibly draining, but I have to keep going. I haven’t used this much magic in a while.
I paused for breath and continued on.
“This is going to be the hard part, ok? Don’t let me fall over or I might fail.” Mari nodded.
I sucked in a lot of air.
“Dermis Clota” The bullet hole was slowly mending. Torn veins and tissues were slowly being mended. I shut my eyes a little. I was getting tired. My hand was shaking.
“Don’t stop!” Mari shouted. I opened my eyes. Just a little more….
Sweat was trickling down my face. The last of the tissues were slowly tying each other. Come on…
My hand was starting to slowly go down.
The boy, Troy, held it up for me to finish.
“Aspiscus!” I shouted, and the wound closed into skin.
I fell to the floor and breathed quickly.
“You did it… You-“ I stopped Mari.
“Wait!” I stood up. “We’re not yet done.”
I stood up and pat his chest with my wand.
“Broken Bones bound in his chest, mend them like platinum chains and let him rest!” Martin’s body arched and fell back to the couch.
“Now he’s ok.” Mari hugged the unconscious wizard. “Why isn’t he waking up though.
“The force of the wounds sent him into shock. He could stay asleep for a while, but he’ll be fine.” She sighed and laid her head on him.
I zapped a hospital bed in and transported Martin to it.
Great. I need a new couch. Some blood dried up on it.
But I’m getting tired. I’ll just do it tomorrow.
“Hey.” Troy approached me.
“Thank you. You saved our friends life, uh…”
“Its Kathy. Kathy Madigan.” He smiled and lifted his hand for a handshake. I took it.
“Troy Orfield. You’ve met Mari Fells. Then, there’s Martin Reese and his younger brother, Xan Reese.” The kid approached me. “Thank you for saving my brother.” I smiled. But behind that, my thoughts returned to MY brother. Could I have saved him? My Parents? Then I looked at Martin and Mari. Jackson?
That day is never going to go away.
“Its no problem…” I told him.
I returned to my room and crashed into my bed.
That day… It’ll haunt my dreams again.
Only today? It’s going to be much longer.
