Wielders of Magic, Book 1: A Spell Binding Tale
The Midnight Twins

"I am sorry to see you go so soon, brother mine." Rey said, his eye locked on the strawberry eyed witch. "And your friend also."

"Yes, quite unfortunate." Jack smiled apologetically, opening the door to his brothers’ mansion, Drusilla stepping out without a hint of hesitation. It was snowing, somewhat strongly, and they knew it would be cold. But it was far better than staying in the cage Rey, the Dark Warlock, had created for himself, and anyone who found out his secret.

Farbetter.

"I hope to see you soon." Rey said honestly, his eyes large and glassy. If they didn't know better, they would of sworn he was about to burst into tears. He reached out and touched them gently; his hand sort of hesitant, but he did none the less.

The mansion spun out of sight, and the two magic users found themselves in the very spot they had found Jack's brother. Their horse sat frozen, magically of course, and they decided it was the dark warlocks doing as well.

The horse suddenly broke out of its prison and shook its head, staring at them as if they had never left.

"Well, that's new." Drusilla chuckled, going over to pet it. "Where are we going now?"

"We are still going south, as before. I don't know where it will take us, but we will have to run into something that will except us. As you can see, we are not the only magic users out here, and there has to be a gathering place somewhere." He rubbed a hand through his silver hair. "I just . . . don't know where." He looked down at the snowy ground, wondering if they would ever find a home.

"Don't worry, we will find one." Drusilla walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, standing in front of him. "And we will have each other till then. Alright?"

"Yes. Thank you." He clasped her hand for a moment, squeezing it with compassion, before dropping it and mounting his horse, Drusilla taking to the sky to scout ahead. They had worked up a pretty good routine while they traveled, Drusilla being the scout of the sky, and Jack the ground alert.

But still, the woods were a dangerous place, who knew what dangers lay ahead as they got closer and closer to them with every step they took.

One never knew . . .

The night sky was dark, with stars littering it every which way she turned. She felt relaxed, almost at peace among them. Her white wings were spread out wide, hitting each air current as soft as a pillow and bringing her a little bit higher each time.

They are so beautiful, the stars. They lay in the wide, warm blanket of a deep blue ocean, with whims of purple fish swimming here and there with every turn of the head. Up here, I feel as though all my worries were left on the earth and here in the air I can have none, only listen to the soft currents and rest for a while.

I wish Jack had wings, than he could experience this with me, the overwhelming relief is too great to be settled within me, hidden, never to be uttered from my lips. I have to find out a way to get him up here with me, there has to be a way.

Jackson looked up at the sky and watched as his companion floated with her arms out wide and one leg rose to her knee level. She looked like an angel, a wonderful, beautiful, innocent angel. He knew she wasn't, but she seemed like it.

She always seemed like it to him. She was so captivating he could not turn away. He was beginning to fall for her, beginning to love her even though every effort within him told him not to. He couldn't. She thought of him as a friend, nothing more, and he knew it.

Besides, his feelings could cut their ties, could destroy them. He couldn't tell her, he never could. She was too good to be ruined by him.

There were things that she didn't know about him, things he had never uttered to another soul. He was a monster, a real monster, and he had made choices in his past that had almost lead him down the same path as his brother, to the dark magic that settled within the black corners of the world. The dark corners that only the depressed and hopeless retreated to cry all their tears out, trying to remove the sadness from their veins. It would never work; they had lost too many pieces of themselves along the road of life that no one dared to pick up for them. Either too lazy, or to careless to help another living soul.

No one picked up his pieces anyway. It had gotten to the point where he wouldn't let anyone pick them up. They were lost, gone within the wind of time, and he had been trying to forget them ever since.

Trying was right, he never could, and he knew it.

His eyes turned back up to the wondrous figure that was Drusilla, and he pushed all his troubles to the back of his mind. He was here for her, not her for him, and he knew that.

He hated it though.

The Red Witch swooped down low and glided her way back over to him, her eyes large and sparkling with their usual wonderment. She was always so curious, always so amazed at the world. Maybe she never had time to see things through all the red that covered her history. Now finally she could be at rest, with him by her side, and strength in her veins.

"That was beautiful!" She exclaimed, running over to him with her hair flowing behind her, mixing with the soft feathers of her wings. "The moon was so large and round, it was like the eye of an owl, and the stars that dotted the sky were like an audience waiting for an on-coming champion! You should of seen it, you should of been up there with me!"

"Yes. I don't have wings unfortunately though." He smiled a little, his emotions seeming to be sort of guarded. "I found a rabbit, cooked it too, and it’s over the fire in the pot. We will sleep well tonight."

"Are you alright Jack?" She walked towards him and placed a hand in his, her eyes large and staring into his, piercing their way into his soul. She was so beautiful, so pure . . .

He cleared his throat. "Yes, just fine. Thank you. Now eat and go to sleep, you need it. I will keep watch, alright?"

"Uh, ok, but if you need to talk to me-"

"I am fine." He turned away and picked up a stick, throwing it into the fire for some extra warmth. "Snatched some herbs from my brothers’ kitchen before we left too, we will use them sparingly so we can have some tasteful meals. Sound good to you?"

"Yes, but Jack-"

"Eat this!" He shoved a bowl of rabbit stew in her face, his eyes intense and somewhat angry. She took the bowl after a short pause, sitting down across the fire and eating slowly. Her eyes were turned on the flames, somewhat hurt that Jackson did not trust her enough to talk to her. Something was wrong, and she wanted to help, but . . . he wouldn't let her.

She could do nothing to help him.

"I am going to go for a walk." She got up, putting her leftovers back into the pot and throwing the bowl to the side.

"Drusilla-!"

"I am bringing this, alright?" She held up a VERY expensive sword, one with a silver handle, dotted with emeralds and rubies.

"Where did you get that?" He stood up, staring at it with awe.

"Oh, same place you got your herbs, only this one was on the wall." She grinned slyly and winked.

"That could be imbued with dark magic for all we know!"

"Nah, I already 'scanned' it, with a spell. You know, searching for any magical properties. I found it in one of your books. Very helpful those things." She belted it around her waist and walked through the trees.

"She is going to get herself killed." He mumbled under his breath and sat back down, staring at the fire with irritated eyes.

A gloved hand suddenly wrapped around his mouth and sleep came over him. His eyes closed before he could stop it, and everything went black.

Drusilla walked calmly though the woods with one hand on the sword at her side. It was large, and awkward, and a little heavy, so even if she could draw it out in time of an attack, she could never kill anything with it.

At least she had her magic.

Two dark figures walked out of the darkness, one a man in black leather, with a wide brimmed hat, and the other a woman in the same clothing. They both wore long trench coats, with red vests and a feather on top of their hats. Their heads were turned down towards the ground, but they still walked near her, making a crawling fear spider up her spine.

She quickly drew the sword, hoping that if they took it from her she would have enough control over her magic to use it. "Stay back!" She shouted.

One hand of the man was raised and her sword was gone, appearing in his belt. Drusilla than raised her hand, holding it in front of them as if it was a deadly weapon.

They looked at each other, wondering why she was doing such a gesture.

"I said, back away!" Her voice became powerful, her eyes blazing, turning the color of embers.

"Come with us, quietly, or we will kill your little friend." The woman said; her voice a whisper that echoed in her ears.

"You . . . you have Jack?"

"Oh yes, he didn't see it coming." The man looked up, his eyes raven black, seeming to stare right through her. "Now do as my sister told you, and come quietly."

Drusilla slowly walked forward, her wings quivering behind her with every step. They had Jackson, they had him and as long as they did, she would let them do anything to her.

As long as he wasn't harmed.

The woman shot forward and pricked her arm with a dagger. Drusilla felt an overwhelming urge to sleep, and her eyes closed involuntarily, her body relaxing without her consent.

She hoped she would see Jackson when she awoke, even if they were captured. She just needed to see him alive, just a glimpse, and she would be all right.

That's all that mattered to her.

So tired . . . just . . . so tired. Why am I thinking when I can sleep? No! I have to awaken! I have to find Drusilla and warn her.

Wake . . . up!

Jack's eyes snapped open, and he sat up. He was ready to use his magic, ready to kill whoever had captured him. The only reason that had happened was because he was caught off guard; if he had seen them coming, he might not of been taken.

He was sitting in the woods, the morning light coming through the trees and shinning on the camp around him. There was a small fire in the middle, with two tents set up on either side of it, and something was cooking.

Something delicious.

"Ah!" He screamed, looking to his side and seeing a large, black cat. Its head was bigger than his own was, maybe twice as big, and his large, white fangs glimmered in the light as it yawned. It had two big, green eyes that stared at him with dilated pupils, his large paws sitting on his lap. It leaned forward and licked his face, making him cringe at the rough tongue across his cheek.

"Ah ha! She likes him!" Someone laughed. He looked around and saw two people walking into camp with none other than the Red Witch, Drusilla, draped over their arms.

"Muffin, come!" The woman shouted. The cat got up and ran to her, purring loudly as it rubbed against her. She pet it a little before giving it a dead rabbit that hung from her belt. It took it and ran, going off into the brush to eat it.

"I'll tie her to the tree also." The man walked past Jack as he shouted and started to tie the winged woman to another tree, one that was a little smaller than Spellbinders.

"You bastards! Leave her alone!" Jack shouted; anger in his voice. The woman raised her hand and did a slight, precise motion. Suddenly he couldn't speak, and it only made him even more enraged at the strange people.

"This one has fire." The man walked over to the Warlock and ruffled his silvery hair. "It was like you before you became all deep and serious."

"I regained control of myself, brother, unlike you who disintegrates everything that angers you in the slightest." The woman stared at him with narrow eyes. Her hat shadowed most of her face, but it did not cover her lush red lips and olive skin. "Like that bird that pooped-"

"Do not remind me of that bird sister!" He growled, looking down at his boot for a moment. There was a clear, very light, stain that was splattered across it. "It never quite came out."

There was the slightest hint of a smile on her lips. "Hungry warlock?" She asked, her raven black eyes shifting over to Jackson. "We have some stew over the fire."

He stared at her, hate and rage burning in his chest. Keep control . . . just keep control. If you lose it, you might harm Drusilla, and that can't happen. Ever.

"Oh yes, you silenced him didn't you?" Her brother made the same motion with his hand, his eyes changing to blue for a split second.

Jackson cleared his throat and began to speak. "No I would not like some of your poisoned broth you maggots! LET US-"

A grin spread over the woman's face and suddenly one of the birds in the trees above finished his sentence. "GO!"

The man burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "Being enraged will not help anyone. Now would you like some food or not?"

Jackson just stared at both of them. He wasn't getting anywhere with these people!

There was a noise a few feet away from the camp and upon looking; they found that the Red Witch was awakening. "Jack . . . where . . . what in the name of the-" She looked up, her eyes clearing. "ABYSS!"

"Drusilla, thank the gods you have awakened!" Jack cried.

"Oh, you’re alive!" She sighed in relief, before turning over to the brother and sister. "Let him go, now!"

"Or what? What will you do?" The man stepped forward, his dark eyes locking with hers, a playful grin spreading across his face.

"I will tear your insides out!" She hissed, her eyes changing to burning embers.

"Not before we do the same to him." He tilted his head. "Besides, you can't, you are wearing a collar."

She reached up and felt a small, leather band around her neck.

"You can't remove it, and all you can do with it on is fight with your own two hands . . . or wings, which ever suits you."

She looked over at Jack and found him looking at the fire. He was concentrating on something.

"Why are you holding us here?" Jack looked up at the woman, than the man, expecting an answer.

"Well . . ." The warlock of the two walked over to a log that was pulled up beside the fire and sat down, staring into it. "We are hunting someone named Adeen Adrendas. He is a terribly dangerous man that goes after the giftedchildren of the world. You know, those few people that are-"

"Wielders of magic!" Drusilla shouted. "I . . . I have seen a man like that! He uses two short swords and he killed my brother when I was but a child!"

"Yes, that is the one." He looked over at her. "How were you spared?"

"I escaped with my wings."

"Oh, how did I not see that coming?" He grinned again and winked at her. Spellbinder felt a surge of jealousy race through his veins.

"Why are we here? You have not answered the question!" Jack shouted.

"Because you two were not killed by him!" The woman said, shouting back at him. "Which means you can help us!"

"But . . . why did you capture us?" Drusilla tilted her head, her eyes wide and curious.

"Because we could not take the chance of you possiblybeing in league with him. We have been on his trail for a while, and after we saw you had magic, our suspicions were eliminated. But we cannot reset the past, which means we had to tie you up. If you ever awoke without restrictions, you would kill us." The man looked from one of the companions to the other. "Would you not?"

"Yes, we would." Jack hissed in reply, his eyes full of hatred. "Now let us out of these!"

"Sister, if you would."

"I do not trust them at all." She replied.

"They will not harm us, they are not hunters. We are their kin."

She stood there for a few more seconds before walking over to Drusilla, untying her hands and removing her collar hesitantly. She moved to Jackson soon after.

"We would gladly help you, but since when does a warlock hunt a hunter?" Drusilla walked over to him, sitting down on another log.

"Since now!" He stood up, his eyes locking with his sisters as she turned to him, Jackson quickly sitting beside his companion. "Since . . . since . . ."

"It is not important. Now eat, before you die of starvation. We will move out at dawn." The woman walked past them and into the woods, a bow and arrow hanging from her back. "I will be back shortly." She could be heard calling to "Muffin" soon after.

"What is her name?" The Red Witch asked curiously, staring at the part of the forest the woman had entered.

"Asha. My name is Arthur; we are the Midnight Twins." She cocked his head to the side and grinned at them. "Welcome to our company."

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