The Shadow Of Magic(first draft)

Chapter 18

The next day, June showed Eiran to a secluded cave off of the city, where he could focus. The caves were also lined with the glowing blue material that was in the tunnel.

"June, what is this place? Why is it here?"He asked, almost tripping over a small rock. "It's where the past Shadows learned to call upon each other. This is where you harness your powers. Eventually, you'll learn how to use Soul magic without draining your energy." She stated, not looking back at him.

"Wait! June! That's possible!? Using Soul without draining energy?"He asked, running in front of her. "Well yes. Anyone can do it. It's just that it's an ancient technique. No one remembers it but the Shadows of the past know. It's confidential. Only the Shadows and their Watchers know what it is."She stated as if it were common sense.

Eiran's thoughts went to Lola's mom and the others over years and years of magic history that lost their lives to Soul magic. How many of those deaths could have been spared had their Shadows just told everyone of the correct way to use Soul magic? How many more would be lost before someone changed this? Why did they keep it a secret?

She suddenly stopped, looking ahead at an empty wall. "Eiran, your hand."She said, motioning to the outline of a hand that appeared on the rock. Eiran placed his hand down in the outline that somehow fit perfectly into it. The blue on the wall grew brighter and opened for them. 

June stepped forward, leading Eiran into a room-like area. Books filled the walls all the way to the top of the room, where a giant hole in the ceiling opened to the open sunlight. The room had a table in the middle and a big area on the floor that looked oddly familiar but he couldn't quite place it.

"The Shadow's sanctuary. You will learn and grow as a Shadow here just as every Shadow before you."June stated flatly. She must have rehearsed that a million times. Eiran thought to himself. "Only you and people you welcome here will be able to enter."She added quickly. Eiran nodded to her, going to explore the books on the walls.

"Journals. There have been a total of 1,005 other Shadows. They all kept a journal to record their findings of being the Shadow. Some have more than one journal others only have half. You will be granted one as well."She explained. "1,005? I didn't realize there had been so many."He asked, giving her an incredulous look. "Some died young. There has also been a lot of time from the start of magic users. The start of the Shadows."She stared up at the top of the opening.

She waved her hand, a light blue glow, similar to the walls, came from her hand. A single book from the very top gracefully floated in front on them and gently landed on the table.

"The very first Shadow's. She was where the line of the Shadows started." June caressed the book gently, as if it would fall apart and crumble otherwise. Eiran picked it up carefully and opened the old pages.

January 3rd, 3054
Dear Diary,

My name is Eliza Grey. A few years ago, all memories of the explosion and everything before it were erased. Whipped out forever. No one knows what came before the explosion but we do know that we now have powers. Something we didn't have before. I learned that I have them all. I found a group of people who claim to know what I am. They call me the Shadow. I don't know what that means yet, but it's something important.
Sincerely,
Eliza

"Eliza. Her name was Eliza Grey. This was wrote a few years after the explosion. The people she talks about...Watchers were there even in the beginning?" Eiran looked over the slightly messy handwriting. "Watchers and the Shadow coexist in harmony. Having said that, we also rely on each other. If the Watchers disappeared, so would the Shadow. If the Shadow disappeared, so would the Watchers. Neither can exist without the other."She now walked around, taking in the space. Eiran had a feeling he wasn't the only one who had never seen this place with his own eyes.

"Has Jensen ever been here?"He asked, keeping his eyes on the leather book. June froze, her hand resting on a smaller book on the shelf, with a light orange cover. "Once. Raelynn never let him back in here after the time they first came in here. She never did trust him now that I think about it."

"Who was that?"Eiran asked, referring to the book her hand landed on. "The 987th Shadow. Kudo Sanjiro. He originated from the part of the world once known as "Japan'"A smile illuminated her face. "You'll get to know him and every other Shadow here some day. All by name, face, and history."Her hand fell from the bright book and traveled down the line of differently colored, shaped, and sized books.

"You know, there is a ceremony where the Watcher writes the last entry of the book. They are able to use the last of the magic from the Shadow they watched over to get in here, where they are left alone with the memories of their Shadow. These people were loved. There has never been a Watcher who wasn't pained to watch their Shadow pass. Other than Jensen, or course. He was the crazy, lunatic, maniac of an exception."June, looked to the floor now, avoiding Eiran's gaze. 

"I'm sorry about Jensen. I know you looked up to him."Eiran, stood still, but tried to comfort her with at least his words. "When he got chosen for Raelynn's Watcher, we were seen as the supreme. The ultimate family. It was the greatest honor, especially for my parents. They raised not one, but two Watchers. Being a Watcher is like being famous or being the ruler. We were so proud of Jensen and now...I honestly don't know what they'd say if they could see us now."Her gaze was kept low and Eiran could have sworn he saw a tear.