Reckless Magic

After a while Avalon stopped histruck. His was parked precariously near the edge of a one of Iowa’s famouscliffs. I kept my Land Rover a little ways back and in a more secure area. Iloved my yellow SUV and was totally not ready to watch it plummet into theMissouri River just yet.

Avalon hopped down from his cab andI noticed that he had changed out of his school uniform. I looked past him tosee a winding path that snaked carefully around his truck and into a clearingsurrounded by trees on one side and the cliff’s edge on the other. The sightwas beautiful, but I couldn’t help the small tremors of terror making their wayacross my arms and legs. The familiar acceleration of electricity surgedthrough my veins, reminding me that I was a scaredy-cat.

Avalon wore a short sleeved blackt-shirt and loose fitting jeans. His hair was out of the pony tail and hungwildly just below chin level. His jet black hair was semi curly, creating theimage of chaos carefully framing his prominent two-dimpled grin. My suspicionsfrom earlier were confirmed and I could make out green tattoo ink tracing hisforearms up to his biceps and beyond the shirtsleeve.

I shut my engine off and exited mycar as well. Still in my school uniform, I felt oddly out of place next toAvalon, who looked like he belonged in a juvenile detention center. A chill ranup my spine reminding me of Saturday night and the last time I was in a woodedarea. Images of murderous men flooded my memory and I shook my head to bringmyself back to the present.

“What’s with all of the ink?” Ijutted my chin at Avalon’s sleeved tattoos, hoping I sounded a little bit cool.

“What, this?” he held up his armsand shrugged. “I guess I like to define exactly who I am.”

“Ok….” I wished I knew what he wastalking about.

“Like this,” he pointed to hisright forearm and then suddenly took off his shirt. Although I was surprised byhis gesture, I finally understood the strange markings on his arm. The entireright side of Avalon’s torso and arm were covered in an intricate and largetree. The tree was amazingly defined and detailed.

The branches of the tree started athis shoulder and wrapped themselves around his arm and to the front and back ofhis body. The branches and trunk of the tree were thick and gnarled looking.The trunk of the tree wrapped itself from his lower back, around to the rightside of his stomach, covering his rock hard abs.

The tree’s branches had no leaves,and were barren, but strong. One branch in particular wrapped its way downAvalon’s arm and to his forearm, breaking off into smaller branches along theway. It was as if someone took a beautiful painting and wrapped it around halfof Avalon’s body. The image was powerful and beautiful at the same time.

I walked closer to him, letting myfingers trace the lines ru

“A tree is the symbol of Eternity,or Immorality. It has been since the begi

“Ok, so what is on the back of yourneck?” I remembered the first tattoo I saw from that morning.

“Oh that?” he lifted up his hair inthe back and revealed the two strong wings I had seen earlier. In the middle ofthe two wings was a snake wrapped in a circle eating its own tail. The sameimage of the snake eating his own tail wrapped around his left wrist as well,creating a tattooed bracelet.

“What does that mean?” I asked, notsure if I was grossed out or in awe again of the detailing that went in to eachof his tattoos.

“That literally defines who I am.Someday you will understand,” he spoke cryptically and I wasn’t completely sureI wanted to understand.

“Ok, so this one is prettyself-explanatory,” I pointed to his left forearm; a picture of a beautiful birdrising out of an intricately drawn fire. The bird looked commanding and angry;its wings were spread, but remained close to his body as the tattoo sat long onhis ski

“Is it?” he asked and cocked hishead a little to the side.

“No, I guess not. I mean at least Iknow it’s a bird,” I responded defensively, realizing that I had no idea whatthe meaning was.

“I’m just giving you a hard time,”he gave my shoulder a rough but playful push. “This is a phoenix,” he pointedto the bird; “It’s just another symbol for Immortality.”

“But we’re not really Immortal,right? I mean we’re not really going to live forever?” I remembered PrincipalSaint telling me that Immortal was not a literal meaning for our people.

“No, we’ll never live forever aslong as Lucan is in charge,” Avalon spat on the ground in disgust. I searchedmy memory for Lucan and remembered that he was supposedly our King…. my King.

“What do you mean?” I askedi

“As long as Lucan tries to controlthe magic and keep our people separated, we will never live forever. Our magicisn’t strong enough. But he doesn’t care about us. He only cares about himself,his bloodline and his damn prejudices,” he spat again and I was more confusedthan ever.

“I have no idea what you’re talkingabout,” I tried honesty. Maybe Avalon would give me some explanation.

“The King,” he said, frustrated.When I gave him an even more confused look he continued, “Lucan is the one whohas taken away our freedom!” he exclaimed heatedly.

“We’re not free?” I asked in a verysmall voice.

“No we’re not free, and we’re dyingas well. As long as we live under his bondage, we will continue to die. But hecould care less. All he cares about is that his blood remains pure, and theblood of his line. The Monarchy must never become tarnished,” I could almostfeel Avalon’s disgust as an oppressive force weighing down on me.

“Ok, you need to explain…. now,” Itried to be forceful, hoping that he remembered I was new to this whole thing.

“Sorry,” he grunted, not soundingsorry at all. “Derrick is the King that outlawed intermarriage, well foreveryone but his precious line. This happened a long time ago.  Derrick was the first King, the firstImmortal to rule our people. The people cried out for a King and they weregiven one. Too bad the first thing he did was execute the Oracles.”

            “The who?” I interrupted;trying to stay focused and keep my head from spi

“The Oracles, they were somethinglike prophets or advisors to our people before the King. There were four ofthem and they represented one of each of us, and together they were all powerful.They were also the first to die. So anyway,” he shot me a serious look that letme know not to interrupt again, “After Derrick executed the Oracles, hebanished the Shape-Shifters. He claimed they were deceitful and manipulativebecause they were able to take any form. He turned the other Immortals againstthem and those who didn’t escape were hunted and thrown into prison until theirmagic was weak enough that they could be killed. And since the Titans hadpledged their allegiance to protect the King before one had ever been electedthey were forced into service and remain there today as nothing more thanglorified prisoners.” He took a moment to spit on the ground once again. “Theonly free people are the Witches and Mediums, but I would hardly call what wehave freedom. We live under tyra

“But what could they do about it?”I thought about Kiran and found it hard to believe he would actually want usall to die. He may have been immature, but he was not a ruthless killer.