Black+Magic+Sarah+B

__ Black Magic __ = = = = = Chapter 1 = //Run Solo, run!// The thought seared across my brain. Trees Flashed by. I felt the hot, moist breath of a dog on my ankles. Arms and legs feeling like deadweights, breath coming in short gasps and darkness eating at the corners of my vision, I ran on faster. There was no way I could stop. Not a chance. Not with the hounds of hell at my heels.

The trees around me began to thin. The dogs started baying even louder. //Oh please let this be the edge of the forest// I thought desperately. Then I knew I could get rid of these dogs. I broke free from the trees. //Cliff, cliff, cliff!// I mentally calculated whether or not I could stop in time. Probably not. So I ran faster.

Toes just over the edge, dogs threatening to throw me off balance, I jumped. And nearly missed. For one horrible moment I wobbled backwards as my feet touched the other side of the cliff. Then something grabbed my arm and suddenly I was standing with both feet securely on solid ground. I turned around.

The dogs stood on the other side with looks of disappointment on their faces. I smirked and wiped the sweat off my face. A low growl escaped from the lead dog and I could understand what he was saying.

“You were lucky kid,” the dog growled. I smirked some more. “But the next test is even harder.” And with that he and the other dogs left leaving me to wonder what he meant by ‘other test’. I shook my head and turned around, walking into the forest on my side.

I’m Solo by the way. Actually, my name is Samantha. I just nicknamed myself Solo because I’m always alone. I have been since I was really young. Before that I lived with a pack of wolves. That’s probably why I could understand that dog. True, some of the barks and growls meant different things but I could usually understand what a dog said. The reason I had to leave my pack was because they were dying. I didn’t want to though. Leave them that is. I would have rather died with them. But just before Blackfox, the smartest wolf in my pack, died he told me to see the world and explore new things. So I did because everyone had always listened to Blackfox. My pack had operated differently than others.

The sun was just beginning to set when I chanced upon a small town. It was a nice little town that you could probably travel through in the blink of an eye. It was nestled between three hills. On one hill sat a large deserted mansion, the one off to my left had a long dirt road that probably led to a more advanced town. By the looks of this town it had been deserted since the beginning of time. The hill in front of me was covered with woods. A large clearing was dead center middle of the woods with a small patch of trees in the center of that. Maybe this place would be a good place to settle down for the night.

As I walked down the hill I came upon a small house that was in the center of the trees in that clearing I had seen earlier. The trees had blocked it from view. The walls had crumbled and it seemed to whisper death with every gust of wind that blew through. Just barely visible under the grass that had grown on it was another dirt road. It led into a wild overgrown hedge and probably to that other dirt road. I glanced around then cautiously approached the house. With my hand on the knob of the back door I heard it. A low moan that sent cold shivers down my spine. I turned around.

Behind me was just about the oddest thing I had ever seen. Someone or something wearing a ragged, hooded cloak stood there. No, not stood. //Floated// was more like it. It was definitely a thing then. The thing appeared to have no legs at all or hands for that matter. Instead it had blackish-grayish claws that hissed as venom rolled down them. I looked for a rope or something to tell me that this was a joke. There was none. Okay then fishing line. That’s clear so I wouldn’t be able to see it. Or was this the ‘other test’ that dog had mentioned?

The thing moaned again. I think it was trying to scare me. Well, I don’t get scared easily. I pulled a small knife out of its sheath and bent my knees slightly. All I had to do now was wait.

The thing stuck with lightning speed. I barely had enough time to duck. While ducking I sprang forward and flashed beneath it. If it had legs, the thing would have been knocked down. But it didn’t so my tactic had to change slightly.

On the other side of the thing I somersaulted, landed on my feet, stood up while turning around and threw my knife. In the half second before it struck, I realized the thing’s claws were stuck in the door. Then my knife struck, going in right at where I hoped the heart was. Perfect.

The thing disappeared with a wail. All that remained was the cloak which turned into something more like a jacket. The jacket was long, probably reaching someone’s knees. It was made from a flowing black material that seemed to whisper secrets untold. I approached the house with more caution than before.

“Very well, very well!” a voice exclaimed as I drew closer to the house. I whirled around. At first I couldn’t see any one. Then the shadows seemed to shift and very tall in a gray suit with a lighter gray tie appeared. He had the strangest of hair, the same gray color as grass, that just sprang up all over the place. His eyes were strange gray that seemed too bright for his appearance. I started to scowl.

“Who are you?” I growled. I placed a hand where my knife used to be. It wasn’t there. The man just gave a mere chuckle.

“Now would you please speak in English,” he replied. I gave him a confused look then realized I had growled. Whenever I growl it actual sounds like a growl.

“Who are you?” I repeated this time in English.

“I am Mr. Kelp. Surely you’ve heard of me?” He peered at me through narrowed eyes as though daring me to say I didn’t know.

“Um, no.” So much for trying to dare me. I let my slip back down to my side. “You’ve got to figure,” I added. “I’ve nearly lived my whole life alone.”

“That would explain your nickname Solo,” the man replied coolly. I gasped. How did he know that? “And that you lived with wolves until you were five which would explain your wolves and your one amber wolf eye and your one gray wolf eye and why you can only see in grays, black and whites. And there are many other things you’ve gained by being with wolves but I will not say them because you don’t know what they are. But that is not while I’m here.” “Then why are you here?” My voice was cold. I was back on the defensive. That man had said stuff that I had never told any one. Well, not the part about me not knowing stuff. My hand was back on my sword hilt.

“Have you ever realized that something you can’t explain amuses you or helps you whenever you’re in a jam? Like this afternoon, for example, you were off balance and something pulled you back up.”

“Or I could have just gotten my balance back.”

“Highly unlikely. No what happened is something that only a few people can explain.”

“Well, can you?”

“Yes.”

“So what is it?”

“Black Magic.”

“Black Magic,” I repeated. My first thought was this guy was insane. What was his name again? Ah yeah it was Mr. Kelp. But then what he said started to sink in and as I placed in the magic part to my life a whole lot of things began to be explained. Like this afternoon (damn he got me). “So what exactly is Black Magic?”

“Oh I can’t explain that,” Mr. Kelp replied. He was really starting to annoy me with this secret stuff. “But I know where you ban learn about it and learn to control your magic. Let me tell you that when Black Magic gets out of control there could be a blizzard in Hawaii. All you have to do is put on that coat right at your feet and you’re in.”

“In what?” I asked. “And what or where is Hawaii?”

“In a school to learn about and control your magic. And Hawaii is a state of the USA. Actually, it’s not a school, more like a training camp.”

“Why?”

“Because everyone who has Black Magic has to fight our enemies.”

“Okay, say I join. How would I pay for stuffs like books and that?”

“Oh that’s provided. All you have to do is put on the coat.” Mr. Kelp’s eyes blazed with excitement. I took a deep breath.

“Okay so if I put on the coat I’m in. And just who are these enemies you mentioned?”

“Well, I can’t really tell you that until you put on that coat… Well, just because.”

“Some sort of secret right?”

“Exactly.” Mr. Kelp paused. He looked at me and for some reason I shivered. But not from fear or coldness. All I felt was anticipation. There was something here that couldn’t be explained. And I wanted to find out what it was. I took another deep breath, trying to calm my emotions.

//Go on Twotooth,// a voice inside my head told me. I smiled. The voice wasn’t mine. It was Blackfox’s. I really missed him. He had taught me so much when I was young. Then again he was the eldest wolf so therefore the one everyone listened to.

//Okay Blackfox,// I thought back. I know that probably sounds to weird to some but to ones who have been alone most of there life it sounds normal. For those who haven’t well I’ll put it this way. Everyone needs someone to talk to whether it be someone else or a voice inside your head. I picked up the coat and put it on. Mr. Kelp smiled.

“Very good, very good,” he said. “Welcome to the world of Black Magic.” Then he handed me some folded paper thing and disappeared back into the shadows.