PROLOGUE

Janus watched in horror as, one by one, the three Gurus of Zeal were drawn into the hideous black holes. Gaspar, Melchior, and Belthesar cried out as they were drawn in, and the boy was totally paralyzed with fear. He could only stand and watch the terror around him, and the sound of his mother's maniacal laughter pounded in his ears.

Suddenly, without warning, Janus felt an enormous, terrible gravity behind him. At that moment Schala walked into view and as he was dragged into the hole Janus succeeded in a final burst of strength.

"Schalaaaa!" he cried, careening on the edge of the dark void. His sister spun around just in time to see Janus disappear into the portal.

"Janus! JANUS!"

CHAPTER ONE: GENESIS

Six years came and went.

Janus filed out of the old School of Magic along with some other students. Abruptly an unknown arm pulled him aside. He turned to see Roth, the schoolmaster.

"Janus, come back inside for a moment," he said. "I need to speak with you."

Janus shrugged and followed the small round Mystic inside. The front room reeked of smoke; there had been a little accident that morning while a student was learning Fire.

"Come to the study," Roth said with little emotion.

Janus wasn't sure what to make of this, but again followed his teacher. Few students had ever seen Roth's study, and many rumors circulated about its contents. Janus took note of his surroundings as he entered.

The study resembled a small library; the walls were covered with shelves containing leather-bound books, scrolls, maps, inkpots, and ornate bookends that looked like stone gargoyles. One particular book caught his eye: Shadow Magic: The Enigma. But before Janus could do anything else, Roth spoke to him.

"Janus. Please sit down."

Janus took a seat facing the schoolmaster's oaken desk, wondering what this was all about. As he puzzled over this, Roth began to rummage through an old chest. Janus took this excellent opportunity to study the room; his schoolmate Flea would surely want to hear every detail.

As he read titles of ancient books in his head, Janus happened upon an average-sized mirror at the end of the shelf. He looked into it a moment. His long, blue hair was bound back with a leather strap. Several strands were too short to tie back, and they simply hung in and around his face. Janus found them an enormous nuisance. He had long, elf-like ears, one of them pierced. Around his neck was a silver chain, and a smooth, dark orb was suspended from it. This was Janus's amulet, given to him long ago... He had changed a great deal since then. His hair was darker, his skin paler... yet it was something more than that. Janus had finally unearthed his own magic ability. How or why, he didn't know, but he did know that before he had accomplished this, society had rejected him entirely. Janus's bitter memories of Zeal were as clear as if they had happened yesterday, yet as time went on, Janus of Zeal seemed more and more a completely different person...

"Janus."

The boy was broken from his reverie by the voice of his teacher. Janus straightened in his chair and turned his attention to Roth.

Roth looked much like his older brother Ozzie, the leader of the Mystics. Although his build and face were nearly the same, his skin took on a violet hue. The schoolmaster was a highly skilled wizard, and was justly proud of his power. The only power his cowardly brother Ozzie possessed was the birthright to the throne, but Roth was still intensely jealous. Janus knew this from Roth's tone of voice when he spoke of his brother, and he felt the black wind whenever he saw the two together... Janus had heard that Ozzie was searching for an heir, and he wasn't considering his sibling.

The plump Mystic seated himself at his desk, placed a small, brown scroll atop its wooden surface, and began.

"Janus, I'm sure you realize you have a gift," he said. "In all my years I've never seen such talent in someone your age, only fifteen. Already you have mastered Fire, Ice, Ice 2, Lightening, and Cure. I believe you have the capacity... to learn Shadow Magic. Only those who have mastered the other three elements can use it."

At the very mention of Shadow Magic, Janus's eyes had grown wide with interest. When Roth said nothing, apparently waiting for a response, Janus quickly replaced his childlike stare with an indifferent expression and nodded.

"Go on."

Realizing that was all the response he was going to receive, Roth continued in his monotonous lecture-tone.

"I am removing you from the regular class for an accelerated study of the three root elements. Then we will begin studying Darkbomb as soon as possible."

"Darkbomb?"

"The preliminary Shadow spell. But you must first learn Fire2 and Lightening2. While you learn Shadow magic, you will continue study of the other elements."

Roth paused a moment, letting this information sink in. Janus had folded his arms in front of his chest while his teacher was speaking and now appeared deep in thought. Roth waited, and finally Janus's eyes lifted from the floor to the schoolmaster.

"Switching between elements like that will be difficult," Janus said. "You assigned all the others one element each three years ago, and I only study one kind each month..."

Before he could continue, Roth broke in.

"I know, I know, but Ozzie says you must learn Darkbomb as soon as possible." If Roth had tried to disguise the bitterness in his voice, he hadn't done a very good job.

"Lord Ozzie," Janus corrected. Then, puzzlement clouded his face. "Why does he care, anyway?"

"Don't ask me," Roth replied hastily, avoiding eye contact with Janus.

For a moment the silence in the room was so thick, Janus could have cut it with the slender, lightweight scythe he practiced with every day. Finally Janus raised an eyebrow and looked at his teacher expectantly.

"Sir Roth?"

The wizard spoke at last, handing Janus the withered scroll.

"This is a map to the Denadoro Mountains. Once you think you can execute Fire2, go there to practice. I'm afraid you'll have to learn this one on your own because I have regular classes to teach. However, I don't think this will be too difficult for you."

Janus took the map and glanced at it. After a moment his brow furrowed.

"I'll have to cross water...but I haven't perfected Levitation yet..."

"Just go to the docks, and if there's a boat, use it," Roth said as if that was the obvious solution.

"That wouldn't be right! What if the owner needs it?" Janus said incredulously.

Roth sighed and shook his head. "Janus, will you ever learn? You were around humans for far too long."

Janus again looked at the map, and said nothing.

"That is all," Roth announced, again assuming his lecture-tone. "Dismissed."

...To be continued...

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