The Black Magic Key - Prologue

By Miika (miikarin@gmail.com)


The Tangled Web Love Weaves

There is one that starts out
Only one tiny thing
That grows into a thread
And then into a string

The spinning has begun

Of two opposite sides
That united as one
And from suffering cries
Got their amusing fun

Of a hatred so great
That the two lovers spurred
And of their huge power
And the wrath they incurred

The passionate lovers
Were then sent far apart
Cruelty remaining
In one dead person's heart

Now the first strand is spun

Of a being then born
From the hatred around
Mixed with the dark magic
That permeated the ground

Now the second strand is spun

Of human emotions
That led to an affair
And the birth of a child
That they couldn't take care

Now the third strand is spun

Of an unsettling place
And that tiny mistake
That provided the chance
For another to break

Once free from her prison
She went to her abode
And studied for a way
To make a tiny road

For what she wanted was
A way to free her love
From the fires that bound him
To the place up above

Now the fourth strand is spun

About the cruel fate
That led to the demise
Of some loving people
Who committed no vise

In death they left behind
Three children, orphaned now
Who had to find a way
To live their life somehow

Now the fifth strand is spun

Of a kindhearted girl
That took care of her kin
Then of a poor artist
That she also took in

Of how people use love
For their own selfish greed
Then leave when they are done
And no longer in need

Now the sixth strand is spun

Of innocent young love
That was supposed to last
Until tragedy hit
And destroyed their lives fast

The seventh strand is spun

Of the hurt of a heart
And the break of a soul
And how on a young girl
They soon took their grim toll

Now the eight strand is spun

Another heart broken
A boy starts to get scared
And turns into a man
Forgetting those who cared

Now the ninth strand is spun

Still just only a child
Another grieves again
For he thinks it's his fault
This happened to his friend

Now the tenth strand is spun

Many more strands are spun
And once there, never leaves
A true example of
The tangled web love weaves

The spinning will not end

Prologue

Yi-Zhao is a painful place. It tortures your soul and shatters your heart. It is punishment place, for the xaneh who did cruel things in their lifetime. The books never spoke of this place. None of the scholars ever came close to what life was like in the afterlife plane, Yi-Zhao. 

From the time I was old enough to form thoughts of my own, I knew possessed a talent. I learned that I could manipulate the shadows, whether they were in a room, or in a person's heart. Even my own parents were afraid of me and I grew up with everything I could ever want. But it was never enough.

Material possessions grew tireseome after a while, and I longed for something else. Then He came along. He showed me that together, we could be so much, that we could rule as we rightfully should. He wasn't afraid of me or my talent, for his own was powerful enough to counter mine. 

Opposites from the start, yet we forged a steady alliance. He was tied so closely to the light pure element, while I was close to the dark pure element. But when he was with me, I forgot the shadows that were in my own heart.

I used to have nightmares. Horrible nightmares that wrenched my heart from my body. I saw myself slowly going insane under the weight of my powers. Those nightmares frightened me more than anything because I knew that they could very well happen. I heard other xaneh saying that my power was too much, that I was cursed to have such high pure dark element. 

Together, we initiated wars - pitting country against country and watching them destroy each other. And when we were together, people gave us the respect that we deserved, but he gave me something more. He broke the ice that had long ago surrounded my heart and he helped me feel again. After a while, I fell in love with him and he loved me back. I would have given up all my power to have stayed like that forever.

But those idiotic xaneh just had to destroy our happiness. All the xaneh from Zirenca, the most prestigious school for training talents, came after us and destroyed my life in only a few measly hours.

They tried their hardest to destroy all my work, but they didn't succeed completely. I kept my most important tomes and my valuable research in a hidden underground cave that I bespelled myself.

But still, I would rather that they destroyed that cave than kill my love.

I remember that night well, and I remember his face as he screamed when they burned him. I remember the blinding white light that washed over the xaneh closest to him, vaporizing them also, but still, he burned all the same. I broke free from their grasps and ran to him, but when I reached him, he was no longer recognizable. There were pieces of his clothing around, and a few of his possessions, including the ring that I gave him. I took the ring in my hand and let loose my power in a huge wave, imitating my love's last actions. I heard the people screaming, but I didn't care, for I was crying loud enough to drown out their sounds. I kept on crying for my love, even when I caught on fire, until the very last of my breath, I kept crying his name.

When I was brought before Kyrieh, my love was already standing there and overjoyed to see him, but they would not even let us hold hands. After a series of speeches by those beings around Kyrieh, it was decided that we were to be sentenced to an eternity in the punishment planes. Even then, they prevented us from being together. They sent me to Yi-Zhao, but they banished him to Ji-Mae. 

I have waited here for four hundred years, waited for the perfect opportunity to escape from this place. Now, I have that chance.

There is a power missing from Imvarie. Those around me are not powerful enough to notice, but I am. I have learned much during my time here in Yi-Zhao and I know that the power that is missing is essential to keeping Yi-Zhao in order. This is my perfect opportunity to escape.

I began gathering the magic from my surroundings, the dark magic that was all around me, suspended in the air. I gathered the magic from those around me and when I was satisfied with the amount, I let loose the energy and it enclosed me in a cocoon. 

When the magic faded, I found myself in a forest. At first, I didn't know where I was. Did I escape? Where am I? After taking a few steps, I felt a faint tugging at my magic. It was faint at first, but grew stronger as I followed it. Gradually, I could feel the beat of the magic in my own heart increasing. A familiar, soothing beat.

I managed to reach a small cliff when I realized why the beat was so familiar. My magic was calling out to me, sensing me nearby and calling to me from the depths of the cave in which I had so long ago buried it.

I hurried down the side of the cliff, and with only slight difficulty, I reached the spelled opening. My magic must still be strong, allowing it to summon me here and away from Yi-Zhao.

All my precious books, all my valuable spells, and all the knowledge I had ever gained was still here, awaiting my return. I started laughing. This was too perfect! With all this information, I could bring my love here from Ji-Mae and we could live the life that was so cruelly taken from us. 

Judging from the fact that I was in Yi-Zhao for four eras, and I was born in the second era, then I must be in the sixth era now. I could take some time to review all my books and gain new knowledge. I don't care how long it will take me, but I will find a way to be reunited with my love. 

*Asmodias, wait for me, and I'll bring us together again!*

| On to Chapter 1 - part 1 of the Black Magic Key |