Unknowing (A Yogscast Fanfic)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Zoey had spent the next few days searching for anything and everything involving magic. She traded with some villagers, and managed to get a couple of spell books. She sat down at her desk and eagerly flipped through the pages. They were well worn, and some of the pages were dog-eared, or ripped. She smiled, knowing that this book was the real deal. Opening up to a random page, she found a spell that allowed you to alight a flame at your fingertips. “I’m not going to be able to do that for a while,” she mumbled to herself. “Let’s try something a bit simpler.”

After a few minutes of searching, she found a recipe to create another ring, only this one allowed plants to grow and flourish very quickly. She got a few of the things she needed: the flowers, and the slimeball, but she needed iron for a band. She rummaged through her chests, but found nothing. “Hey! Maybe I can go to Duncan’s! He’ll have some iron I’m sure!” she said to herself. She ran out the door, and skipped over to Duncan’s.

“Duncan?” she asked, knocking on the door. He opened the door, and smiled warmly. “Hello Zoey! Come in!” He gestured inside, and she followed him in. His house was huge, with pipes snaking all around the walls. Machines whirred loudly, and tanks filled with oil lined the outside, like hedges. “Sit down,” he told her. She plopped down on his small couch, gazing in awe at the many machines.

“Uh, Duncan,” she said, still slightly distracted. “Can I, er, use some iron. I want to make a ring.”

Duncan’s eyes rose in surprise. “A ring? Like, a magic ring?” She nodded and he snorted. “Zoey, why on Earth would you want to make a magic ring? Science is so much better!”

Zoey looked at him, a little hurt. “No, I do like science, I promise! It’s just, Rythian showed me some magic, and-”

“Rythian? You were with Rythian? Zoey, don’t you know anything about him? He lies, he cheats, he doesn’t care for anyone but himself. He just showed you magic because he knew it would hurt you, magic hurts everyone eventually.” He continued. “Promise me,” he looked at Zoey’s eyes, tilting her head up so she could see him. “Promise me, you will never talk to him again. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Zoey nodded, tears rimming her eyes. “Ok Duncan. I promise.”

Duncan walked to a chest, and pulled out some iron bars. He placed them in her hand. “Use these, if you want, I don’t want to keep you from doing magic if you like it.” He smiled slightly. “Go home Zoey. Do magic. Do whatever you want, but just, don’t take it too far. Don’t become like Rythian.”

“Like Rythian, what do you mean?” she tried to ask, but Duncan was already leading her to the door. He waved as he shut the door, and Zoey trudged back to her house. Tears started falling from her eyes as she dumped the magic books on the floor, and stomped up to her bedroom. She threw her magic ring deep in her armoire. Curling up on her bed, tears flooded out of her eyes. She had trusted Rythian, she thought he was kind enough. He seemed like a good friend.

Rythian hadn’t done much of anything those next few days. He was thinking hard about Zoey, assessing her abilities for magic. She was nice enough, yes. She had the curiosity for the craft as well. The question was whether she’d be strong enough for it. Magic was not an easy subject to learn. It could, if used incorrectly, damage the user as well as the recipient of the spell. He knew all too well of that. Brushing the thought aside, he thought of a better idea. Maybe he would ask her himself. Her opinion would be better than anything. So, he opened his doors, and stepped outside. He flew up high in the sky, and started towards her house.

When arriving, he landed, and a trace of a smile touched his face at the sight of the mushrooms. Although, he didn’t see the girl with the flaming hair tending to them. He walked up the her door, and knocked lightly. No one came to the door. “Maybe she’s out,” Rythian told himself. He was about to leave when he heard a faint sob from inside. “Zoey?” he called. No reply. “Zoey, is everything alright?” he called again, a little louder. Still no answer. Rythian wrenched open the door, and ran up the stairs leading to her room. When he reached her doorway, he stopped. She was curled up, crying on her bed. He padded up to her, and sat down at the end of the mattress. “Zoey?” he said unsurely.

“Go away,” she replied sourly. “I don’t want to talk.”

Rythian gazed at her, puzzled. “Well why not?” His brows furrowed in thought. Why was she acting like this? He placed a hand on hers, but she wrenched it away.

“Don’t touch me. You’re a monster.” She screamed. She buried her face deeper into her pillow. Rythian touched his mask lightly, but soon leaned in closer.

“What makes me a monster?”

“You-you… Duncan told me everything, why you wear the mask, how you really are.”

Rythian growled lowly. The stupid scientist and his rumours. “Zoey, do I look like a monster to you?” he said, pulling down his mask. There was nothing there, not a single imperfection.

Zoey’s eyes widened at the sight. “But Duncan-”

“Forget what Duncan told you,” Rythian replied sternly. “He knows nothing.”

“Now, on to a bigger matter,” he continued. “Zoey, would you like to be my apprentice? I’ll teach you magic, make you a mage, like me.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Oh my gosh yes! Thank you Rythian! I’ll be the best apprentice, I promise!”

The mage smiled warmly, something he hadn’t done in a while. “Alright. Pack some of your things, and we’ll head off.”

After getting all of her things, Zoey was bursting with energy. She was going to be a mage! Rythian would be teaching her! “Let’s go now, let’s go now, LET’S GO!” She squealed joyfully.

“Calm down, we’ll go soon, I just need to check something.”

Zoey gazed at him suspiciously. “What do you need to check?”

 

“I think I may have dropped a ring in your bedroom,” he quickly replied. She nodded, and he walked up the stairs once more from the front of the house. He didn’t, however, even look in her room, nor did he actually drop a ring. He found his way to her bathroom, and gazed in the mirror. His skin was no longer completely clear. Black scratch-like things had started to appear around his mouth, and he hurriedly pulled up his mask. His features darkened, and his eyes flashed purple, before coming back to their teal. Rythian shrugged sadly. Nothing could change it, he thought. So, he trudged back out to Zoey, and they went on their way.