James

Chapter 4: James

Nefario, no wonder my mom never introduced me to him. He's not very nice, in fact he is probably the cruelest man on earth. 

"So, nephew how's the acid down there?" Nefario asked, a wicked grin on his face.

"I don't know, because of you I can't feel my legs. Although the fact that I heal extremely fast helps." I yelled up through the grimy acid hole prison of his. 

"Oh, poor baby, oh, and here's that piece of information you wanted, Sarah, she is currently being tortured by Leon." Nefario said. 

"Well then, see ya." I said. 

I used my ability to control liquids to throw the acid I was standing in at Nefario, which fried off all of his skin and killed him. Oh, I guess I should mention that I found out a few more of my 'special' abilities. I then used my light to burn a hole through the concrete wall and the chains that bound my wrists. Afterwards, I walked along my little tunnel just long enough to be able to climb out of a hole I saw on my way in. Once I was there I climbed out of the hole and set off for the Institute. I knew that this would be the only chance I had at saving Sarah. 

"Hey! You!" Some husky voice said behind me. 

"Hello?" I asked. 

"You're the one they call James, correct?" said the same husky voice. 

Still afraid to turn around I said, "Yes.". 

"Well then, you need to know this, turn around, please.", I turned around, then, and saw that the husky voice belonged to a large man with black hair, dark eyes, and a muscular frame and a dove on his broad shoulder, " Thank you, now, listen closely, you aren't what you think you-" He started. 

"Oh, no, I know what I am. It is you who is messing with a force of which you don't understand." I interrupted. 

"What?! You know what you are? How is that possible? All newborns, that is to say, those of you who just became mages, don't know what you are." He said. 

"Well, I do and I am no normal mage, I am what is known as a Crafter, one of the most powerful types of mages to ever exist, apparently. I found that out from Nefario before I fried his head off with acid." I said. 

"You did that? The Terbium council said that someone had done that but no one suspected that a newbie was the one who did it." he said. 

"Well, first of all, you know my name, stop calling me a newbie. Second of all, I don't have time for this I have to find the Institute so I can get help fighting Leon and save my girlfriend." I said. 

"Well, you should be feelin lucky today. I work with the Institute against the very guy that you want dead." The man said. 

"Cool, take me there, now. Oh, and by the way, what's your name?" I asked. 

"Nicholson. Kinder Nicholson." Kinder said. 

He then took me to New York's main library and looked for a book over ancient people and history that was published in 1809. He pulled the top of the book back and a door in the back wall of the library opened, through which could be seen a lot of modern technology. Kinder wound his way through the maze of technology with ease and got us to the main chamber in no time. The main chamber was a humongous, cavernous-looking area that seemed to have no end. 

"Wow, just a giant cavern. Wonderful." I said, sarcasm dripping from my words. 

"Wait for your eyes to adjust. All mages, even Crafters, have trouble seeing through the veil at first, some never get to see through the veil." Kinder said. 

"What is the veil?" I asked. 

"You don't know what the veil is? Well, it is the barrier that stops normal people from seeing all the things we do that are unnatural to those who can't do what we can. We weren't very good at maintaining the veil back in the 1600's so that's why there were and are stories of witchcraft." Kinder explained. 

"Ah, I see." I said. 

"So, do you have any weapons, armor, or pets?" Kinder asked. 

"Weapons and armor, yes. Pets, though, no, wouldn't you see the pets if I had one anyways?" I asked. 

"Not always, some Crafters can shrink their pets into these small gems and hold them there, for instance, an old buddy of mine, now deceased, was a Crafter and he kept his Pegasus in a diamond. Diamonds were his specialty, that's why he kept it in a diamond." Kinder said. 

"Well, I think that's just cruel, trapping a beautiful creature in such a small space." I said. 

"It actually isn't that small, an enchanted gem can simulate a gigantic landscape based on the owner's intentions and the mind of the being that is being placed there, making a perfect place to live." Kinder explained. 

"Wow, I should do that for Blaze." I said. 

"Who's Blaze? I thought you said you didn't have any pets?" Kinder asked. 

"I didn't know that a Pegasus counted as a pet. Blaze is Sarah's fire Pegasus." I said. 

"Who the hell is Sarah?" Kinder asked. 

"No need to get defensive or rude, Sarah is my girlfriend." I explained. 

"Oh, sorry." Kinder said, sincerity clear in his voice. 

We walked through the now bustling compound( which happened as I was talking to Kinder) and arrived at a building with a sign saying "Magic Training Here".  

"I need help saving Sarah, not help learning about my abilities." I said. 

"The only way you will even have a chance at defeating Leon is by learning your abilities completely and knowing how to control them." Kinder said.