A weird presence has lingered Will for the whole day. Will uses the excuse of buying a new book for Tara to escape and investigate the presence.
"It's still here,"
Will thought as he continued walking with the elated Tara into a bookshop. Inside the bookshop, Tara ran around as if she had never been into one before. The owner of the bookshop walked out from the staff room and greeted Will and Tara. He is an old man and is bald which he wore a slim, cone like witch hat to cover it. He got an age spot near below his right eyes.
"How are you fellow wanderer?"
"Wanderer? That's an interesting way to put it,"
"Oh! Foolish me! I've been into my newly written novel that I made myself as a part of it! Anyway, how may I assist you?"
The old man kind gesture made Will replied in a 'forced' heartwarming way.
"Don't mind us, We're just looking a book for the lass,"
Will patted Tara's head as he said that.
"Quite the ancient one you are,"
The old man joked as Will helped Tara in search for a book. Tare found a book about school level magic unlike the book she has now which is basic magic for toddlers. Will also picked a book for himself to read during the long haul.
"Thank you for visiting,"
Will and Tara left the bookshop and headed home.
"It's gone,"
Will thought to himself as he tries to detect the presence that had been following them for the whole day.
"Now that he's gone..."
For the following days, Will still teaches Tara magic with the book that they had gotten in the bookshop.
"Tara,"
Amethia, Tara big sister called out to her as Tara was practicing magic in her room.
"Yes?"
"I'm gonna send mom to the hospital, remember to buy grocery,"
"Okay,"
Raye, Al and Will are out doing quests, so Tara is home alone. She practices magic during her free time after finishing chores. With that being said, Tara went out to a nearby grocer stores and bought what they need in their shopping list. She left the grocer streets filled with enthusiasm and skipped her way to an empty alleyway that lead to her house quicker than other road. As she skipped in glee, a voice reaches out to her which made her stopped.
"My my, someone is looking awfully happy today,"
"Oh? You noticed?"
Tara stopped and talked to the man behind the voice. The man wore a white mask which has a drawing of a sun with the core in a swirl in red paint on it, a white witch hat that has white feathers attached around the hole of the hat and a red cloak sat on the ground with a mat beneath him. He also wore a pair of white gloves with one ring of jade and one of sapphire on his left's hand at his index and ring finger.
"Pray tell that why are you so happy?"
"I'm gonna practice magic all day today!"
"That sounds very nice! Magic sure is a wonderful thing that ever existed don't you agree?"
"Ye I absolutely do!"
"You know, I have a book that could teach you more about magic, even magic that grants you recognition to show what you are capable of!"
"Mama and big sis said not to trust stranger..."
"Don't believe me? Let me show you,"
The man took out his book from his cloak which revealed that he wore a brown fur coat made out of bear fur and a harem pants like a shaman with a few amulets and crystal hung around it which create a 'clink' sound when they collides with each other. He opened the book and mini fireworks exploded from the book, turning it into a festive atmosphere. Tara watches in admiration which caught the attention of the man.
"Don't you want to try it yourself?"
Tara nodded her head rapidly which made the man chuckled.
"Well then,"
The man flipped the book to two pages that had drawings all over it. The drawings were childish as if it were to draw the attention of children. There's an art of a witch who's holding a staff. The picture then started moving as if it were being reenact. The witch then raises her staff which a light spins around in the air, reaching to the top and killed an uncanny looking beast that was shaped like a human. The beast then was flashed by the light and turned into dust.
"Isn't this spell nice? You can do it too! All you need to do is just chant the spell right above here,"
The man pointed at a few words written in Athena and asked Tara to chant it. Tara who has been completely deceived by the man dropped the grocery and grabbed the book. She then started chanting... Weird hum made by Tara sounded in the air as the words that Tara read started coming out of the book and spun around Tara. The words swirled around Tara for a few seconds and flew up in the air. Tara finished chanting and waited for a while.
"Is something supposed to happen?"
"Wait for the process,"
A faint light then appeared from the book. Tara was surprised but stilled held the book onto her hands. From far away, the Everlight was still on their quest where Will suddenly has a gut feeling of something bad is something to happen. He looked towards the city square and quickly turned into shadow and descended into his shadow.
Tara was mesmerized by the faint light that she had no idea what was going to happen. Unexpectedly, two hands grabbed Tara from behind and carried her away. The book that was on Tara's hand fall onto the ground as it shot the faint light into the sky. Tara looked up to see who has grabbed her and it was none other than Will Beuratt. Will then raised his hand and casted few fire arrows at the mysterious man but he just turned into shadow that dispersed and became a flock of doves and flew away into the air. During the transformation, one of the shadow pierced Tara's right hand which her blood dripped onto the ground.
"Crap,"
Will then reached his hand to the back and formed a shadowy stick that turned into his staff. He then rested Tara on it and quickly sat on it. They then flew above the air, escaping the scene. Tara, who finally snapped back into reality, she was facing Will and when she looked behind Will, She saw the faint light up being shot up in the air and made a loud 'boom' sound. The clouds above and the birds suddenly decayed and turned into ashes or dust which falls onto the ground. Tara watches in terror, realizing what she had done.
The sudden event caught the attention of everyone in the city square. Will and Tara hid somewhere in the forest to hide themselves from the crowd.
"Tara."
Tara's gaze slowly turned to Will in terror. She then stared into Will's hollow eyes, his eyes of eternal darkness within him.
"Tara. Do you have any idea on what spell did you just cast?"
"I don't know..."
"What you cast...was black magic,"
Tara was so shock and startled that she crawled back a few feet.
"I-I didn't know that...big sis warned me about black magic...sorry, I'm sorry...I didn't know..."
"I don't blame you,"
Will sighed as he stood up. After all, I did practiced black magic too...thought Will. Tara must've been deceived by that man, probably using magic, Will thought in his mind as he watches the devastated Tara sobbing with her hands covered her face, kneeling on the ground. Will then places both of his hands onto Tara's shoulder and said:
"Listen to me Tara, right now, you are a victim of black magic, but judging the fact that you're an elf, you might be able to deceive the guards when they come to questions, remember, I will protect you no matter what,"