The Ragnix Circle

“Why are you burning down the house?”

“Tyler.” My mother was restraining her voice as she answered me. “Plebs dying in a fire won’t bother the Guardians. The most Onek will do is get this place cleared probably set up some kind of plant.”

“But people know that we live here mum!”

She stopped her hands moving mid air as she turned her full gaze at me. “There’s a lot magic can do Ty.” I could tell she wished she could slap me or something. “It’s not all bad you know. I may not have used it in a long while, but I’m pretty sure I can make them believe we were actually in an accident.”

“How?” I really wanted to know what she had planned.

“If you could remain still for more than five seconds I’ll show you.”

She went back to her spell, waving her hand round the air, like the orchestra conductor of the Nodrid band. With every movement of her hand, the fire seemed to dance higher. Its bright green and red flames waltzed together as the timbers of the small structure groaned from the experience.

I could not help cringing at the sight of the small house being engulfed in fire. This had been my home since I was a baby. I had spent all my days here. The memories were still fresh in my mind as I watched the flames swallow up more and more of the little building. The tree line protected us from any possible witnesses as the fire begun raging like one of the wild bulls in the forest.

My mother stopped her waving and stood there watching the fire with me. It seemed like she too had somehow gone back to some old memories locked up in her mind. I don’t know how long we stood there and I was still surprised that the fire showed no signs of abating.

“Come on, we have to walk,” my mother pulled at my shirt as soon as the sirens of the guardian patrol units sounded in the distance. “Memories are always better in the outside world, not in detention camps.”

“For what?” I asked. “Burning down our home.”

“Oh come on Ty.” She pulled me away from the horrific scene but I dint want to turn and go, not now that I could see the tiled roof caving into the magical flames. “Tyler Bennett, come on. You already have problems with the guardians; this will not go down well with them if they find you here. It’s better for them to think you dead than responsible for this.”

I turned round and followed my mum. What other choice did I have? She really had a good argument. Any more trouble with the guardians and I was sure the only place I would be heading was the detention camp right under the guardian outpost.

I had heard stories about the detention camps, and they were no place for someone my age though there were plenty of youngsters like myself that were not so lucky to escape with warnings. It was rumored the detention camps were large open cells under the vast building of the guardian outpost, with a ceiling and floor lined with stalagmites and stalactites. Conditions were said to make hell appear like a paradise and I was not ready to try and test that theory.

I followed my mother’s back sure not to let her get out of sight. Her heavy back pack was full to the brim and so was mine. I had been through this forest a number of times and most of them I had been with my friends. The foliage was not visible as most of the floor was covered in snow. My leather boots were soaked after a few meters of walking in the snow. The heavy branches prevented any light from descending down into the path so I had to rely on my mother for guidance. She had conjured some light from thin air after a few meters.

After what seemed like an hour, we came out to an open field. The snow was cleared away and a small rover was camouflaged in the brown brush at the edge of the clearing. My mother stopped, throwing her back pack onto the floor, sending waves of dust and snow a few feet in the air. I stopped besides her as she rummaged through the sides of her bag. She pulled out a queer set of keys, the likes of which I had only seen with the guardians.

“How do you have those?”

“I do and that’s all that matters get in,” she clicked the key and the car hummed into action. It came forward from the brush and stopped right in front of us.

It was state of the art but an outdated model. I opened it and the stench of age hit me like a punch. I took a step back and frowned at my mother. She did not expect me to get into a car that smelled of dead deer and old leather combined.

“Come on Ty,” she smiled. “It is not that old, now is it?”

I nodded making sure she could see the sarcasm seething through me as I stepped into the passenger side. She threw her back pack in the back and climbed into the driver’s end. She looked at me lovingly. “Seat belt,” she said.

I had never been in one of these things so I was not so sure how they worked. The council made sure plebs forgot how to operate things like cars and guns. I guess they feared the fact that the plebs would rise up and start some sort of war. All I knew was that some plebs could work in the transport systems, but that was as far as they got. The highest number of trips a pleb could make driving the water trains was nine, maybe more if they were lucky and docile. Otherwise, they were thrown out into the farming and mining systems.

The car swept through the remaining part of the forest easily and I was thankful for the warmth it provided. The snow was not something I liked when it soaked your boots and made you very, very uncomfortable. I dozed off as my mother drove us away from the village using some back tracks that I dint know existed in the forest. All the green passed like a blur in the window and when I woke up fully, I was alerted by the modern buildings we were passing.

“We’re in Klaios now,” my mum answered my unasked question. “I dint want to wake you.”

I stared out the window in awe. Klaios just like the other capitals was built near the sea. This was to enable the water train system to operate without a hitch. From what I had heard in the village square, it covered almost three hundred thousand square kilometers. Just like any other city or capital as we called them, Klaios had a heavy traffic system, which was controlled by the large flyovers that seemed to spiral all the way to the sky. The sky scrapers stared down at me in the car like a mighty bald headed eagle eying its prey. They extended for miles on end and I wondered how high the lowest one was.

For one who had never been further than the forest that surrounded my village, you must understand the sight of flyovers, sky scrapers and huge monitors transmitting messages, news and music was mind blowing. On the streets, people in different fashions walked like they had a lot to do. Most men held weird cases that resembled the ones I had only seen during the graduation screening and the women carried small purses of striking colors. Children walked clutching their parents’ hands almost anxiously.

No one is gonna get you; I thought to myself as I watched a group of small families flit by my eyes. You’re in the capital and you’re guaranteed safety by your blood.

I knew they had nothing to fear unlike pleb kids that were constantly the butt of alchemist and guardian jokes. Out there in the villages, pleb kids learnt to defend themselves and most of us had small scars from our little run-ins with the authorities and local Alchemist Union departments.

I kept staring and almost felt like I had seen someone that resembled Ruth as we neared the dock station. I did not know that my mouth was gaping until my mother laughed.

“You get used to it Tyler.”

“I wonder…”

She pulled in to the dock station within the next few minutes. She turned off the engine with a touch of a button. I was just about to get out when she held me back.

“Put this on Ty,” she handed me a hoody.

“Why?”

“I’ll explain on the train,” my mother pulled out a blonde wig from the back seat of the car. She draped it over her head and looked in the side mirror to see its effects.

I pulled the hoody on and watched in amazement as my face transformed in the mirror. My long black hair appeared blonde at a glance and my brown eyes dint stare back at me. More magic.

Yes Tyler, my mother’s voice was in my head.

“How did you do that?”

“Simple,” my mum opened the door. All you have to do is imagine that my brain is an open doorway for conversation. In time I’ll teach you how to shield it but for now try it Tyler.

Ok. I was amazed at how quick I had felt the bonds on my mother’s brain. But what amazed me even more, was the fact that I had no problem doing it. It was as if I was as if something inside of me was awakening and I dint like it. I blinked twice to be sure I was not running mad. In my mind’s eye I could see some sort of thread surrounding her brain and I knew a way in. I opened my door and was almost overwhelmed by the number of thread like projections my mind wanted to enter. Everyone walking past us or in a short distance away had a small lingering thread which grew thicker the closer I was to them.

“You’ll learn to control it,” my mum was by my side in an instant. “You’ve awakened the magic in you Tyler and unlike most of those born in the capitals; you have never practiced it from birth.”

“What makes you think I want magic?” I asked my head beginning to spin from the effects of the thousands of threads calling to my mind.

“If wishes were horses, beggars would ride my son.” My mum touched her hand to my head and I felt gentle warmth spread over me. It was like going back to the village with its peace and quiet when chance willed it. “That should help for now. Until you learn to control it, it is safer to put a blocking spell on your mind.”

With those words she led me into the crowded station. The silver rectangular building extended out in eight different terminals on its seaward side, like some huge sea monster. Large clocks telling times in the different capitals hung on the walls. Holograms of twelve different crests were displayed at the start of each terminal. There were so many people walking through the station. Many held small cases in their hands, children run around feeling secure. We passed a number of guardians who dint offer us a second glance as we headed toward the last terminal.

A thin membrane like shield protected the entrance of the terminal my mother seemed to be taking us to. Three guardians stood at the sides of the entrance. They were checking the people going down that terminal, their guns poised for action, while their magical canteens round their waists were quite visible. The line leading up to this terminal was rather long and unlike the other terminals security was tighter. We joined the back of the line and I could not help wondering where all these people were heading. I could not help myself as I looked round and wondered at the fashion.

In the car, there was a screen of glass between me and the crazy people of the capital, but here it was all too vivid to ignore. It was like life on another planet, full of people with brightly colored hair and over flowing cloaks. Pierced ears, noses and lips seemed to be in vague with some of the girls. The rest of the girls were dressed so lewdly that I almost tripped as I filed forward behind my mother. A lot of the boys and men that filed past us, wore skin tight body suits only covered by flowing jackets or coats. It was so different from the simple dresses, shirts, jeans and trousers I was used to back at home. Her it was like some trend to show off most parts of your skin.

“Act normally Ty,” my mother said as we reached the check point.

It was not long after that when we were right in front of the guardians. The guy checking us was rather burly and creepy looking. His eyes were not the normal shade of guardian eyes. They gave off a slight tinge of red and violet as the overhead lights illuminated them. He must be one of the charmed ones, I thought wondering what his affinity was.

“You with her?” he asked pointing at my mother.

“Yes,” my voice was barely audible.

“Don’t be a pleb, boy,” he snapped. “Speak like a man from the upper classes.”

I reaffirmed his conclusion with a hint more vigor. I felt like the anger was visible in my voice as I replied his questions. He was a guardian or even a charmed one, barely upper class and the way he spoke about the plebs was rather infuriating. If there was a pot of boiling water nearby, I would have poured over his head. Terrible if he has the affinity for water. It was not like he knew how deeply hurt the plebs were by the suppression and at times oppression. Magic had caused major divisions in the world and the plebs suffered the most.

“Kid,” he was waving his hand in front of my eyes. I blinked back to reality.

“Yes sir.”

“Go on ahead,” he pushed me forward. “Before I show you what my affinity is.”

I hurried along, catching up with my mother, who was waiting for me at the other side of the screen. I gently put my hand through expecting to be zapped or bolted by some electrical charge but there was none. Here goes. Once I crossed through the screen, I walked with my mother towards the end of the terminal. I could tell she was looking at me and somehow I felt cowed at the thought. What was she prying from my mind?

“Nothing Tyler,” she said. “I cannot do that to anyone. It is wrong and must not be done. Come on let’s get a quiet cubicle.”

I had not understood what she meant until we were on the platform. I wondered how the massive amount of water did not fall on us until I realized that it was a glass dorm. This was the underwater train system or travel portal. A massive train made of silver and gold alloy metal stood at the end of the platform. Its small windows on the side were open and different people were staring out and waving goodbye to their loved ones. I looked up towards the great dome and understood how we had been heading down in the terminal. A large number of sea animals moved and bounced off the invisible wall.

We shuffled forward to one of the open doors of the train. I held back fearing to step onto the train. This would be my first time leaving this zone and I felt so awkward. A little alien about to leave his home planet for another, I thought. That’s how I felt about stepping on the train.

“I’ll teach you something about magic Ty,” my mother said stepping onto the pale colored metal floor of the giant snake. She turned to look at me, beckoning me to follow her with her eyes.

I stepped on the train letting the strings that held me to this zone burn away. We looked for the cubicle which would suit my mother’s desires. We locked ourselves off and waited for the train to begin moving. I looked round the cubicle and smiled. It was the size of my bedroom and it had a completely urban flow to it. The two beds were the size of my small bed back in the burnt hut, with a brown cedar table between them. A tray of a weird looking liquid was a top the table. Two dressers stood in the corner, nailed to the floor. A red velvet carpet was sprayed on the floor matching the draped curtains over the window. The small window opened inwards letting in a blast of fresh air. It was as if the air from the forest was in my face again reminding me of old times with my friends roaming the forest after escaping from some guardians.

“That membrane is magically enchanted to filter out the air we need,” my mother said settling down on one of the bank beds. “That’s why the air is like a fresh breeze down here.”

“Magic is really that complex.”

“Yes Tyler,” my mother said.

“Mum really how do you feel knowing your magic is the source of all evil in this world today?”

“Tyler,” she came and stood by my side. “My magic is your magic. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you’ll be able to make your choice about whether it is all bad. Let me tell you something Tyler, magic is in every fiber of environment. The difference between the classes is that the pure lines have a greater awareness of magic. You have the two most powerful bloodlines in you. My line of the darkest magic and your father’s the greatest of the magic lines.”

“Fine,” I saw her point. “I’ll try.”

“So can we start your basics?”

“Sure like what?”

“Controlling your mind and stopping the threads you see hooking you in.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Imagine,” my mother said, “reading thousands of secrets most of which you don’t want. You’d run mad.”

“Oh maybe that would be better than having magic.”

My mother sighed pushing me towards my bed and starting my first lesson.