Magik - CHAPTER FOUR

"To those who are unknown, know that you can be special as well. The key to success is not talent but persistence. The persistence to pursue and persistence to try will always lead to a form of success." - Amadeus Reinhert, [Chief Counselor] of the Elven Triumvirate.

The dusky glow of the setting sun illuminated the seats of the sedan, carrying forth the youngest of Hyzaar from his vacation to his family's estate in Char's Valley. The surroundings were draped in the fading warmth of the afternoon sun, beckoning the purple skin of the evening sky to descend. A lone 4-door vehicle drove passed the well-maintained highway towards what could only be called a private paradise, the autumnal leaves being blown into the wind's caress with its passage.

It had been almost 3 months since Samuel established his practice and ingression of Magik. Progress from that point had been difficult, each session lasting no more than 10 minutes, and each session ending in any of the magik he ingressed to shoot out of his upper extremities. Different shades and flavors of magik had been ingressed, usually with varying results; aqua-colored particles allowed him to shoot out a thin line of water up to a distance of 2 feet; earth aspected particles caused him to cover himself in dust; and green-colored particles made him produce a gust of wind, as strong as waving his hand and no better.

Disappointed would be an understatement to describe how Sam's experiments went. Experiencing that searing line of concentrated fire had not re-occurred. Future ingress of fire-aspected magik had only allowed him to hold a small flame on the tip of his fingers for a dozen seconds. Whatever had happened that day was not reproducible, at least not for him at this time.

Lifting his mind from his aimless musing, Sam watched as the large deep steel-wrought gates to their main estate opened, allowing passage for the child and his vehicle, driven by one of their many hired chauffeurs. Sam did not bother to get close to any of the people under his family's employ, mostly out of comfort for himself. The most he had gotten to know had been his initial tutor, spurred on by a 5-year-old's excitement to learn.

"Please drop me off at the second entrance Clive, I'd rather not raise an alarm of my arrival to the staff as of yet."

"As you command, Sire Vallarus."

"Oh, and also, let the cooks know to prepare a few dishes if you could. I'll be speaking to father first and head into my room to refresh. If Annabelle is around, have her arrange it as I usually prefer."

"Of course Sire."

As the luxurious sedan drove passed the main gardens and well-maintained bushes lining the drive-way, Sam glimpsed at his family's main estate. Built over a century ago when his great grandfather had made his first billion and established GoTek Corporations, the 3 storied manor had many qualities one could appreciate. Built out of naturally-quarried stone infused with magik, a tall main entrance leading into the great hall, two-wings on either side extending the building and architecture. Made in the Neo-Stuart style from the plains of Europa, flying buttresses extending from each end of the large construction; overall producing an intimidating sight. The insides, though, have thankfully been modernized with plumbing, central heat and air, as well as magika ports for any devices.

As the vehicle passed the main entrance and below the left buttress, Samuel waited for Clive to open the doors, before stepping out and stretching. The journey from the bay had taken a few hours, considerably less due to using roads less than accessible to the general public. Fixing up his attire, a normal blue T-shirt with the words "Rise To The Sky" emblazoned across the back and clean faded jeans, the young boy moved towards the western entrance. Atypically used by himself and his siblings, seeing as their rooms were housed in the east wing; rather it housed his parent's rooms and libraries. For now, Samuel prepared to head towards his father's study.