Way Back When: A Backstory Tale

5

Praxina
For the past couple of days, Mephisto and I have been practicing from after lunch to dinner time. It's a little tiring for us, but we can handle it. Today is no different than the other days.
I stand with my feet apart in the backyard and hold up my hand. I am preparing to shoot at the bottom of the big oak tree that we have.
"Crystal gelacio!" I shout.
A wave of light red crystal appears in a small covering that surrounds the bottom of the tree. I smile in triumph. This is getting easy, almost too easy.
Next I use a spell to set the tree free.
"Crystal solvenda!" I cry.
The crystal disappears and I smile again. Easy.
I look over to where Mephisto is trying to do the same spell. Father had told us this morning to practice this one, but Mephisto doesn't seem to be as successful as I was.
I watch as he tries the first spell. It does not work and nothing happens.
He tries again. Nothing.
After about five more failed attempts he sighs in frustration and storms inside, probably to find father.
I guess he's having more trouble than I am.
When he comes back outside he still does not notice me watching him.
He walks over to the same spot he was before and once again tries the spell. This time he is successful and the bush he was aiming at was covered with light green crystal.
Mephisto shouts in excitement. Then he tries the next spell.
This spell is also successful, making Mephisto very excited. I smile a little at him as he celebrates.
But when he turns around and see's me watching him, both of our faces fall.
Damn it. He caught me.

Mephisto
I finally did it!
I have been trying to perfect this damn spell for so long. So when my tenth attempt at the spell father told us to work on finally works, I couldn't contain my excitement!
But as soon as I turned around to go and tell father of my success, I saw Praxina watching me. And by the way her face fell when I looked at her, I could tell that she had been watching me for a while now. It makes my face fall into a scowl.
"What?" I challenge her. I want to know why she's watching me.
Her face also twists into a scowl.
"Nothing," she replies swiftly.
"Yeah? Then why were you watching me?" I ask.
She just stares at me and I sigh.
"Whatever," I mumble.
I storm inside so that she won't watch me anymore.
I step into the living room where mother and father are working on a new painting.
"Hey! Did it work?" father asks me.
Despite the anger I feel, I force myself to smile and meet his eyes.
"Yeah!"
"Oh honey that's great!" My mother congratulates me with a smile.
"Thanks," I say. Then I proceed towards my room.
Father said that once I got these two spells down that I could practice with the staff that uncle Pappy gave to me years ago. It was a gift to me when I turned ten, he said it was an old family relic that has been passed down through the male line to the first born son. Father would have gotten it, except Pappy was born first so he got it.
Ever since I got it, I have been waiting to use it. I was only allowed to use it once I mastered basic spells after turning sixteen. And since I have done that and I'm sixteen, it's mine to use! Maybe I can finally be as good as Praxina now.
I sigh as I think about this. She's always been better than me, ever since we could walk. I remeber our parents telling us that she learned a week before I did. Thinking about this, it's not so bad. But then I think of all the times she succeeded and I didnt, including today.
I'm sick of it. I wish that I could be successful too. And I wish that she wasn't the better, smarter, and more awesome twin.
Praxina will always be better than me. It sucks and I hate it.
I sigh and grab the black and green staff from my room. Then I head outside to use it.

Praxina
"Crystal solvenda!" I cry, making my red crystals disappear once again. After Mephisto stormed inside again I decided to keep practicing.
As I go to perform the spell once again, I hear the back door opening again and I know it's Mephisto. Whatever, I'll ignore him.
I keep practicing my spells but after a while I look back at him. When I do I notice that he's holding something and using it to help him do magic.
I frown. I don't know what he has, but I want to find out.
I walk over to him and he turns around to see me. He looks quite annoyed to see me, but I don't care.
"What is that?" I ask him, looking down at the cane in his hands. Huh, I don't remember seeing this, ever.
"Nothing. Just something that will make my magic stronger," he retorts with a cocky grin.
I roll my eyes at him.
"Where did you get it?" I ask.
"From Pappy when I was ten. You know, it's an old family relic," he says.
"I don't actually. But whatever, guess I wasted my time," I say.
I turn to leave but Mephisto isn't finished.
"Yeah, I was really excited to use it. I've been waiting for years! I can't wait to-"
"What? Use it?" I interrupt him.
"Yeah. Don't be so jealous Prax."
"I am not jealous! Of that? That's stupid."
Mephisto smirks at me and I instantly get furious. He's starting to piss me off.
"Or is it because I got something so special so young?"
"So what?"
"So, you only got something cool like this later on. For example, you only got your shanila a couple weeks ago!"
Now he's really pissing me off!
"Damn it Mephisto! Mother and father told you not to talk about that!" I exclaim in furry.
He laughs. "Why, because you looked like me? Because you were weaker? Because you were-"
"Stop!" I yell as I raise my hand to him.
"Crystal collidum!" I shout.
Mephisto is thrown back at full force and he screams. Soon enough he hits a tree and it winds him.
For some reason, I don't care that I hurt him. I just want him to shut the hell up.
Soon he slowly starts to stand up, catching his breath while doing so.
"Praxina...what...the hell?" he gasps.
"I said stop!" I yell at him. I don't give a damn if our parents hear or not.
I raise my hand and pose to strike again. But this time, Mephisto is ready for me.
He stands up straight and raises his hands to ready himself for my next attack.
I growl in frustration and shoot at him once again. He mutters a spell under his breath and a shield appears in front of him, protecting him from my blast.
I fly above him and try to shoot him from the sky. He blocks me again. Damn it!
I start to return to the ground when he flies up and tries to shoot at me. I successfully dodge his attack and fly elsewhere.
I fly behind him and strike. My magic catches him off guard and he falls down to the ground.
He lands with a grunt of pain. I almost feel sorry and stop, but the feeling is quickly diminished.
As soon as he realizes what is happening, he springs up again and strikes at me.

This time I was caught off guard and I fall. When I hit the ground, pain shoots through my side.
This makes me even more furious and I scream in frustration. Then I fight my brother harder.
Our fight continues to go on for what feels like forever when we hear something that makes us both stop dead in our tracks.
"Mephisto! Praxina!" Our father shouts.
Oh klatznik. We've been caught.

Gramorr
I think my search for proper minions is finally over. After looking through over a hundred different Ephideans, I know who I want to pick.
"Banes, come look at this," I call to my partner. He growls but walks over to where I'm sitting in my throne.
"I think I've found my new minions," I say to him as he watches the orb that I will show him my new minions on.
I flip through various images and find the one of the boy and the girl I observed a few days ago. Today they are practicing again, and fighting.
Banes looks over at me and gives me a questioning look.
"I know they look useless Banes, but just wait. I know they're perfect," I tell him.
After a moment of the two fighting, the girl suddenly shoots at the boy. Banes startles in surprise.
Both of us watch in astonishment as the two fight each other with their magic. They even take flight and fight in the air. Incredible!
"See Banes! I told you they'd be perfect!" I exclaim.
Banes nods once in agreement.
This is perfect! Finally I can get on with my plan and take over Ephidia for good!
I am thinking of my plan to recruit them when someone calls out.
"Mephisto! Praxina!"
The pair imediatly stop fighting and look fearful. A man comes towards them, looking furious.
"That must be their father," I say to Banes.
As their "father" talks to them, I come to the conclusion that they are siblings. I also come to the conclusion that their parents need to go. And I have the perfect plan.
"Okay, Mephisto and Praxina," I say to the orb as they argue with their parents.
"Get ready. Because I'm about to change your lives forever."
The image of the two fades, and I cackle evilly.
"Finally! I will have Ephidia as my own! And all of Ephidia will bow before me!"