Warrior of Arcana

Chapter 2 (The Magic Market)

  We walk downstairs to the basement,  into her dad, John's lab. We were never allowed down here when we were kids. "Explain to me again what your dad is."

  "My dad is a spacial Wizard, unlike us who were born with or gifted our magic, he had to teach himself to use spells and magic circles."

  "Oh I see." My jaw drops when we step down into the basement. The walls, ceiling, and floors are covered with glowing pentagrams and magic circles.

  "Dad, I got something you'll never believe." She says into the basement.

  I jump startled by a voice behind me.
"What's he doing down here?"

  "That the thing, He has magic now."

  "Oh, is that so?"

  "Yes, Arcana granted me her magic."

  "Arcana, so you're an arcane mage."
He looks to Alexa. "So what's up my sweet daughter?"

  "Oh don't my sweet daughter me, you know I'll shock you for that shit." She makes her fingers spark. "Ain't nothing sweet about me."

  Her dad and I both start laughing. "Don't we know it." He says. "So what's up?"

  "I wanna take him to the magic Bazaar."

  "Oh ok, let me open a gateway."
He walks to the edge of a large magic circle in the middle of the floor. He holds his hand in a prayer-like way and says. "Seams that hold the realms together, tear yourself asunder, tear open space, a gateway to a chosen place, The Magic Bazaar."

  Suddenly a black tear in space opens up and a white light spills through as it widens. Alexa grabs my hand and pulls me into it.

  We step through and at first all I can see is a bright white light. As I adjust to the light I am stunned to my spot. There are streets filled with shops and people.

  "So this is the magic bazaar, and I'll take your stunned silence as a sign of amazement." She gives me an amused smile. "I brought you here so we can gear you up for the magic world, I'm giving you a ten thousand dollar limit. I suggest the first thing you do is join a family or clan."

  "Okay how do I do that?"

  "We go to the contracting offices, I suggest you join my family." She leads me to a large building with a sign that has two hands shaking. We walk inside and one of the clerks waves us over.

  "How may I help you?" She asks Alexa.

  "Were here to contract a member into the Archeus family." She speaks confidently and professionally which surprises me.

  "What kind of magic do you wield?" She looks at me in a way that would say shes not impressed.

  "Arcane." I say and her eyes get really wide.

  "Oh, I'm sorry but you can't join a family as you would be the only arcane mage in any family." She pulls out a book and looks into it. "But, you can start your own family."

  "What do I do?"

  "We'll have you register your family here, and you can contract new members here as well." She looks up from the book. "By your goddesses wish we allow for establishment without a donation."

  "Okay, lets do it." I say and she waves her hand and a scroll appears. She hands it to me. "Contract of registration." It reads at the top. "I hereby form the Graves family of the Arcane, under the name of the Goddess Arcana, My signature binding the Family with the Goddess."

  I sign my name where it asks and the contract disappears. "That would be it, oh and your goddess has an open treasury equivalent of two thousand dollars"

  "Thank you." I say and turn to Alexa.
"What's next?"

  "You need Armor." She say and walks out of the building, I follow close behind. "To the Steel quarter we go."

   We walk to the Steel Quarter, called so because the Steel family of earth magics control it. Most of which are smiths of some kind or another. A creepy blind lady grabs me and Alexa by our arms and says. "Embrace your desires, your souls scream loudly for each other."

  I look to Alexa her face blushing profusely and smiling. I've never denied my feelings, I've asked her out many a time, always to be turned down. I knew she liked me so I never understood till now. Magical and non-magical relationships are prohibited to protect the secret of magic.

  We reach the Steel quarter and head to the armor district. I look at all the weapons and shops. As I walk a black cloak catches my eye. The sign on the booth reads "Kid Steel, young prodigy of the Steel family."

  I walk up and pick up the cloak, it unfolds revealing metal plating reinforcing the cloak into metal armor. I put it on noticing the lightness of the metal. The cloak also has a pair of plated boots and a plated half-face mask. I read the tag on the cloak, it cost three thousand four hundred dollars.

  " I want this set." I say to Alexa and she shrugs.

  "You're choice, you have your budget."

"Excellent choice, that's my best piece" Says a really young man who steps behind the booth. "Nice to meet you, I'm Kid Steel..."