An Archid Family Matter

I decided to give writing another try with this story and just wanted to know how people feel about it, so please comment. I appreciate any criticism.  I am also looking for an Editor. 

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I continued to push myself forward, with each stride ignoring the protest of my muscles.

Just a little further and I break the barrier and would enter into the euphoric realm where my body would just continue to carry me.

During the past few years this had become a daily routine for me. It was a small window of escape from normal life.

I am Vala, but most people besides my parents and uptight older brother call me Val.

This metaphorical window that I create through running does not require any magic, only will power and a body that is decent athletic state.

I continued to jog on the narrow dirt path that was miles away from the city. It started out at the side of normal street and led alongside several fields, and then through a patch of dense quiet forest. It then continued for a few miles through more fields with only a few patches of grass and the occasional tree. You could call it a poetic landscape, but what I enjoy the most was the lack of people and the quietness.

My entire life at home was about the busy world of magic. You see my last name is Archid. This might not mean much to the non-magical world but in the magical world it means power. The best comparison that I could come up right now would comparison to the Kennedy’s or maybe even Clintons, but maybe that is a bit too political. It is well known that most members of the Archid line carry extraordinary abilities when it comes to magic. Well most of family members are, I would not really include myself in that group.

You see I do admit that I have above average skills and do carry more power than the average wizard, but my levels are pretty measly compared to the rest of my family members. My parents suspected it for most of my life, and when my younger sister surpassed my magical abilities when I was 13 it was pretty clear that I was not that special. Everybody knows it but my parents usually do not talk about it.

When I finally broke the threshold at mile five I could enjoy the moment of a clear mind. This was a major part of why I started running and pushed myself to this point every morning. This was a purely human aspect.

I pushing myself a little further and then began slowing down my pace until I came to a stop at one of the few nearby trees. I decided to take a seat. I did not really care that the grass was still damp. I just leaned back against the tree trunk and closed my eyes.

I waited for my breathing to slow down and then took out a little round red pouch out of my shorts pocket. It was only about two or three inches in diameter. I placed my free hand on top of the pouch and whispered “Augumentos” directed energy flowing though my arm towards the object. It quickly began to expand until it reached the size of a purse. Once it reached its full size I grabbed my water bottle out of and took a few gulps. Then I leaned back against the rough tree bark and started observing the small drops that had gathered a top of the individual grass leaves.

I started motioning my right hand around the grass in a wave like motion.

“Saltare,” I commanded in a gentle down and the small drops were lifted of the grass and began to follow the wave like motion of my hand. It felt like they were performing ballet at a theater. I had always enjoyed the simple things of nature and the beauty that they carry.

I knew I should return back to the house before they began to worry. They knew that I usually went out for a morning jog but I usually informed some family member if I would be away for much longer. It was almost nine now and I usually come back home around eight or eight thirty.

I was in no mood to return especially considering the fact that my father would probably throw another suggestion at me for what I could be doing with my life.

The current dilemma was that I graduated from the Academy a few weeks ago and I have just recently turned eighteen, but I still had no idea what I going to do next with my life. My current day consisted of taking my morning run, then coming home taking a long shower, eating some breakfast and then either going to my room, the roof deck where I set up my own small personal herbal garden, or some other place that had preferably few or no people, like this country side.

Considering my family history this was not very acceptable. My parents did not say anything for the first few weeks since they understood that I needed some time off but this routine has been going on for almost a month now and I still had made no plans concerning my future.

My father suggested that I should apply to Universities or maybe do some traveling and expand my horizon, but that would probably include countless restrictions and expectations that would ruin my travel plans. My mother suggested an internship at her archeological side, but the history of magic and dead things associated with it is not really my thing, and spending even more time with my mother does not make it more appealing.

I would not mind acquiring a small cottage somewhere in the country, fill it in books maybe dabble a little myself in writing, create a large herbal garden, acquire some cats, and travel to remote locations with cool stories behind them, and maybe even meet some people that I can tolerate. By the way I would not call myself an anti-social pariah, but I am not particular fond of people, especially stupid ones. There times where I prefer animals over the human race.

The problem with my little dream is that I am short of cash and my parents do not really support my  moving-away-from-society plan and so I can’t expect any help from them. I have not really been searching for a job very hard and maybe that should become my goal for this week’s agenda.

I took a deep breath and then finally stood up and teleported myself back to the Archid townhouse and back to my reality. 

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So what did you think? Should I continue?