Shadow Magic

Chapter Five

"Close your eyes. Now even your breathing and block out all distractions besides my voice," Elder C.J. instructed. I did as he asked and focused on my breathing. The sounds of laughter from the open window faded away and I settled into my sitting position on the floor.

"Good, now reach inward and connect yourself to your body," he started. "Feel the connection being created, the open path from your mind to your body. All around you and yet just in one space there is a warmth. Always out of reach, but ever-present. Find it."

I followed his guidance and let my mind slip into the open connection. I mentally searched the space and felt the warmth he referred to. A warmth I was comfortable and safe in, one that felt like home. I breathed in and let it swirl around, almost visible, but just out of sight.

"There Cady is your magic," he said. "You may open your eyes."

I did and he sat in front of me with a huge smile on his face. He looked like a proud Grandfather and it made me slightly sad thinking that I had never known either of my grandparents on my mother's side.

"You're a natural, it takes most kids months to connect to their magic. They are usually under the age of twelve, but still." He said, his thoughts running off with him before he shook it off and turned his attention back to me.

"Does everyone's magic feel this way?" I asked.

"No, it does not. Depending on your element it feels completely different," he told me.

"What's my element?" I asked him.

"That's for you to find out," he teased with a smile and wink. I pouted and closed my eyes, reaching again to feel my magic within me. After a few more practiced connections he praised me and suggested we move on.

"Now let's talk about the different kinds of magic each witch utilizes. There is of course elemental magic which is limited to those of your background. Some of them can be very simple, such as Fire Witches creating a flame from nothing, or as complicated as a high-level Water Witch creating a tsunami," he said as he stood and moved towards the whiteboard. I stood up from the ground and sat at one of the chairs.

"Then there is at-will magic, mostly simple and shared abilities for everyone in the coven. Examples of these are simple illusions and mending spells," as he said this he created a beautiful image made of glistening light revealing a small child blowing bubbles into the room.

"So I can learn to do that?" I asked, my mouth opened with awe. The child and bubbles from the illusion faded from view.

"Yes, that is where you will start training tomorrow," he replied. I nodded excitedly and he continued with the other types of magic. He explained spells that came from spellbooks, often passed on within each family. They contained different types of spells such as rituals and transmutations. I listened and took down notes looking forward to learning more magic.

When I got home that night I sat on my bed cross-legged and practiced my magic connection. I tried to talk to it internally, willing it to tell me what kind of elemental magic I had.

"Aunty Cady? What's that?" I heard a small voice say. My eyes opened in surprise to see Finn standing in the doorway pointing to a shimmering ball floating in the space above me. As soon as I tried to focus on it, it vanished. Finn was mesmerized and I sat in silence for a moment desperately trying to think of an excuse.

"It was just a fancy new toy I got that creates pictures, like a projector at the movies," I told him, hoping he'd buy it. I hated lying to him, but truthfully I wasn't even sure what it was.

"That's cool. Mom said to tell you dinner is ready," he said and turned around to head to the kitchen. I sighed and realized I'd have to be more careful, I didn't want any danger to come to my family or my new Coven.