The Messiah [1]

3: Jax

Jax entered the library, his hands deep in the pockets of his pants. He was early for his lesson with Ewan by accident and already very bored. Not a good sign for the impending lecture. Jax gazed around the library, marveling at how old everything was. He was half-afraid to pick up one of the heavy books, because most of them looked ready to crumble to ash in his hands. The library was ancient, just as everything else inside the compound was. A mishmash of things looted from fallen kingdoms, his home was a Frankenstein creation of royal proportions.

"Jax!" Ewan's voice echoed through the silence like thunder, startling Jax. Turning, he watched as the thin man emerged from behind a bookshelf, a grin wreathing his face. Slobbish wasn't the right word to describe Ewan's clothing, but Jax struggled to find another term. It always seemed as if the scholar had dressed without looking - a plaid shirt here, a stripped tie there. Though it could probably be chalked up to Ewan's propensity to get sidetracked in the middle of a task, Jax figured it also stemmed from his total lack of style. Well, the outfits worked if Ewan was going for constantly-distracted-nerd, but Jax was pretty sure that wasn't the case.

"I see my lecture yesterday really had an impact on you. I'm so glad! When I originally took this position I was nervous because of all of the more experienced historians stepping down, but I told myself I could make you see reason, and here I have! Oh, how proud I am of my determination." Ewan continued to ramble but Jax ignored him, choosing instead to focus on the books weighing heavily in his arms. All were titles Jax had seen before—except one.

Curiosity prodded by seeing something unfamiliar, Jax pulled out the chair closest to him and waved for Ewan to take the seat opposite. The heavy oak table was deeply scarred, wood jagged from years of being moved around the compound. Jax was careful in placing his arms; Ewan was not. Patience fleeting, Jax watched as the man struggled to pull the hem of his sleeve from where it was caught on the corner. 

"Which book is that one? I don't think I've seen it before." Jax asked, pointing to a thick, leather bound tome that outweighed all of the others put together. Deftly, he plucked Ewan's sleeve away from the table, disguising it with a dramatic sweep of his hand; Ewan looked embarrassed enough as it was.

"Oh? This book details the beginnings of The Color War." Ewan said, voice full of confusion as he sat opposite Jax, "You've honestly never seen this book before? Didn't your other tutors teach you how your grandfather came into power?"

Jax shook his head, his eyes glued to the book, "No. Most of my tutors stayed away from the topic, even when I asked. Is that what we're going to learn about today?" 

The hope in Jax's tone was thick.

Glad to finally have his pupil's undivided attention, Ewan nodded sagely, pulling the tome out from under the others. He spent a moment thumbing through the pages, pausing every once in a while to mumble phrases Jax couldn't catch. Jax let out a loud sigh - and with a start Ewan shut the book, piling his hands on top. 

"I'll begin with the basics, because this book isn't a narrative, but more a compilation of several reputable sources taken during the beginning - after the dark ages, when there were no kings or councils." Ewan paused, smiling when Jax's attention remained firmly planted on him, "The Color War began when a young, brown-eyed boy—such as yourself—was killed by a magic user. The circumstances of his death remain clouded, but one fact remains true: he was murdered. Now, there were strict rules against such things. Magic users weren't allowed to use their magic for any reason, though it happened all the time –"

"Then why did a war break out?"

Ewan held up his hand, a frown on his face as he said, "If you have a question, please wait until the end. I won't have this explanation taking all afternoon. Understand?"