Wyrd: Book One of the Witch War Trilogy - WATTYS 2018 WINNER!

Chapter 6: Where Oleander Tells a Tale

A long time ago, there were two young brothers who lived in a cabin inside a valley between the maw-like mountains of Htrae. The valley held a lake of sparkling turquoise water and the purple peaks were crested in snow and clouds. It was as picturesque a place as you could possibly imagine. It even smelled of wood smoke and fir trees. The craggy range separated two kingdoms, and was, to the family, a refuge in a warring world. The two brothers played and learned and grew up sheltered by their doting parents and the protective bluffs that kept the wind and war at bay.

One brother was short and brawny, a dwarf the stature of the solid and sturdy stones that sat on the vale's sandy beaches. The other was tall and scrawny, just like the birch trees that grew in a grove by the lake. Each simmered with latent magic.

Within this bubble of manufactured peace, the brothers' powers grew. Both had an insatiable appetite for books and spells, sending their parents out of their hideout to retrieve a growing personal library. The arcane arts came naturally for them, as did their friendly rivalry – who would be first to memorize the words to levitate their father while he was trying to chop wood? Who would be quickest to find the most inventive addition to their mother's stew? Who would—

"---Wait a second, Grandpa," interrupted Laina. "What does this have to do with anything? Why are you telling us about two young boys? I don't get it."

"Patience, Grasshopper. If you don't shush, you'll never know," Ollie admonished, sticking out his tongue at Laina.

So, they all settled back into their chairs, ready to hear more of the story. Laina looked a bit skeptical, but Ollie continued anyway. "Right... where was I? I can't quite seem to remember."

"Who would," offered Will.

"Yeah, no. Lost my place. Darn it. Ah well. I'll start with," He paused and thought for a moment. "Soon..."

Soon it became clear that the elder brother was adept at wielding wind and snow, air and fire, earth and nature like they were paints on a pallet – which is called elemental magic. For a while, he trounced his younger brother in their forest games, always getting him to surrender first. Until the younger one found runes in old tomes and discovered an affinity for the energy humming off the page, like a secret magic language only he could translate – this was called runic magic. Then, he'd set traps by carving symbols into the snow or etching marks into the bark of poplars. The two brothers were once again even, traipsing around the woods zinging harmless spells at each other until each was breathless and tired enough to settle for a tie.

They pushed each other. They had fun with each other. But they were restless.

As they grew into young men, it became clear that their parents were hiding them away. Anything outside their haven was forbidden and therefore mysterious. The boys had searched under every stone and climbed to the top of every tree in their vale, they had asked every question they could think of, but still they were hungry, ravenous, for answers their parents refused them. They knew nothing of politics, nothing of the reasons their parents kept them secluded away from everyone and everything.

The two brothers, now thirteen and eleven, were spurred on by their curiosity and decided to hatch a plan.

They ran away in the dark of night. They left a note to assure their parents it was only an exploratory mission and that they would be back in a week or two. They were thoughtful like that. They weren't scared, no, they had no need to be; they were resourceful and skilled with magics.

They decided to go South. It was summertime, the birds were singing in the skies and the sun was filling the boys with optimism.

Three days in, they encountered a village, something they'd only come across in stories. From the forest it looked like clusters of cottages and smoking chimneys all lined up on either side of a large, fat, sandy path. They made their way eagerly, excited to meet other children like them.