When Magic Was Discovered

Chapter Three

It felt like they were running forever. Graham knew how large his father's farm was because he had planted a lot of the crops he and Acetto now trudged through.

"Can we slow down a bit?" Graham asked. He was winded.

"This farm is huge. Guess I didn't realize that when I was going through the not farmed land yet. Either way, we need to get to the closest town. Hopefully there we can find a few contacts and get ourselves out of these contested lands."

"What's a contested land?" Graham asked, being careful to not damage any crops as he walked.

"The Midwest is sort of the contested grounds for the two extreme ends of magic. On the northwest states, you have the entitled 'white magic' Spellbinders, and the South and Southwest you have the 'black magic' Spellbinders."

Acetto stopped for a second. He turned to Graham. "I'll tell you right now, magic is gray. There is no black or white."

"What do you mean?"

"Magic is a strange energy that changes color based on the person perceiving it. It goes for both Spellbinders and non-magic users."

Graham nodded, only somewhat understanding. "Is that why my dad said something about black magic?"

"Yes. Most Dispersion and others who are led to hate magic will see it as black."

"Why is that?"

"Most Spellbinders aren't sure, including me. Just seems to be the way it is. But if I had to guess, it's a way of magic telling us who the good and the bad are."

Acetto began to walk again. Graham followed. Not long after, they reached the edge of the farm. Graham had so many questions but he could tell explaining all of magic and it's concepts seemed to annoy Acetto.

"We're going to head south. You ever heard of Omaha?" Acetto asked.

Graham shook his head. Acetto smiled and chuckled. "I figured you wouldn't have. That's what it was called in the old days. Nowadays post-Settling, we call it Trade City."

"I've heard of that. My father sends some of his goods there."

"No surprise. Trade City is one of the best places to sell things or buy things, outside of the East of course."

"What's out East?"

"Dispersion territory." Acetto left it at that, so Graham didn't push any further. He knew that the Dispersion held headquarters in the east but he didn't ever think they owned the entire area.

"So what's in Trade City that'll get us out of the Midwest? And where will we go if we aren't going to the East where it's away from the extremes?" Graham asked.

"There's a Spellbinder sanctuary of sorts. There we can give the information to the others and bunker down until the whole militia of Captain Moon blows over."

"Understandable, I suppose." Graham couldn't help but feel like he could do something more than just wait. For now he held his tongue. He needed to learn how magic worked, especially now that he knew all about them.

The land outside the farm was similar to the new plot they had gotten: dry lands, with little to nothing else. Graham had been told that the Spellbinders were the cause of that. Magic had killed the land.

A few dirt roads were within sight. Acetto seemed to think it was safer because they followed the nearest one closely.

"Shouldn't you be afraid of being spotted?" Graham asked, worried that Acetto's clothes might give them away.