Tahku

I step back from the window in shock, my heart racing. What the hell just happened? Then another thought comes to my mind, what if he wants to come here? He motioned for me to wait, didn't he?

I slam the window shut and lock it up. There is no way I will let that creep in here.

"Why are you locking the windows?"

I let out a yelp as I turn around sharply. My hair rises as I see the man standing in the room, a curious look on his face as he looks at me. How did he get in here? I ask myself. He was just outside, then he disappeared and now he's here. If he had not spoken I would not have known he was here.

I glance at the window and suddenly realize that I locked myself in the room with him. He is between me and the door and if I try to open the window and get out through it– remembering the speed at which Drew's friends had moved, I realize that would be pointless. And he is undoubtedly like them, the disappearing act proves it.

"Calm down," he says as he gently raises his hands, "I'm not here to hurt you."

"What do you want?" I ask warily.

"To talk. You need some explanations, don't you? About your memories of that day."

A frown appears on my face as I stare coldly at the man. How does he know about my memory and what happened that night? I don't remember seeing him anywhere near Cassandra's party. Besides, didn't he move here while I was in the hospital? If he did then how does he know all this? Or better yet, how long has he been stalking me?

He notices the look on my face and gives a small chuckle. He motions to my bed."Why don't you sit down, this is going to be a long conversation."

I look suspiciously at my bed as I try to figure out why he wants me to sit on the bed. As I am about to decline his invitation, I hear footsteps.

My mom shouts."Ian, are you alright? I heard you scream."

Her steps are getting closer. I look at the man who does not seem worried that he is about to be caught.

"I am about to do something," the man says, "and I want you to know that it isn't harmful to anyone."

He begins to speak in some strange language, the only thing I could make out being: 'Zhar ma kuli sar. '

My room door opens just as he finishes speaking and snaps his fingers. I feel a wave of something spread out from him before everything because deathly still. Including my mom, who is frozen with one leg partially in my room.

"I froze everything in the house," he says. "Now we can talk uninterrupted."

"What do you want?" I ask again.

He shakes his head."You have other questions. Ask them. After that, I will tell you what I want."

I stare at him, trying and failing to figure out his agenda."Fine then, what and who are you?"

He smiles. "I am Tahku, I know the name is a bit strange and whatnot but it's true. As for what I am, I am a magician, an Erhaz. But you probably know that already."

He is right. I already know what he is, he is just like Drew. "Okay, how do you know what happened that night?"

He suddenly looks a bit guilty. "I apologize in advance."

That statement stimulates my curiosity."For what?"

"Well… the Fasuru that caused your injuries is my... familiar."

"Fasuru?" I repeat. I have an inkling of what it might mean but...

"Those creatures you've been seeing, including the one that attacked you at the party, are known as the Fasuru. As for him being my familiar. Well, let's just say that means we have a… connection that benefits both of us."

He goes silent as he waits for me to process what he just said. "So you're saying that the thing that attacked me belongs to you? Then why did it attack me? I don't think I've done anything wrong to you or it."

"Again, I'm sorry, but that's the only way it could escape from them. By diverting their attention to you."

"Who's them?"

"The Laen Order. Drew and his merry friends are members."

"The Laen Order? Who are they."

He shrugs. "Enemies of mine, I would tell you more but you probably don't want me to do that."

He is right. Whatever is going on, I get the feeling that I want no part in it. Even now, some part of me feels that it might be better to have my memories wiped once more. Still, the thought of that horrid pressure invading my mind once more… I don't want that. Besides, now that I remember what happened, I don't want to forget anymore.

"So. What do you want?" I ask once more. At this point I'm beginning to feel like a broken record, only capable of asking 'What do you want'.

He lets out a breath. "First off, I'd like to apologize for your bad experiences with the Fasurus. After the Laen started to suppress them and threw the best of them into the abyss, well… those that are left have changed for the worse. But they're still mostly good, after all, none of them hurt you.

"Second. I wanted to ask you, how do you feel about learning magic?"

For a moment I thought I heard wrong. "What?"

"Do you want to learn to use magic? You have the greatest potential I have ever seen and letting that go to waste. It would be a big waste."

Almost immediately a strong feeling of distrust wells up in me. Why would he want to teach a random stranger magic? From what I have seen, I can the power it would give me would be nothing small, and he's just willing to give it away. Only an idiot would trust something like this. There's probably a catch somewhere.

He seems to sense my wariness. "Relax boy, I'm not the one going to teach you."

"Then who is?"

"The Laen."

Now it makes even less sense. Aren't they his enemy? Why would he give me to his enemy to train? Isn't that just going to make more enemies for him? I decide not to call him out though, who knows what will happen if I do. Still, I have to ask. "Why would they train me?"

He lets out a small chuckle. "Shouldn't you be asking why I'm giving you to my enemy to be trained? Well, to answer your question, it's because of your potential. You have the greatest potential I have ever seen, and now the Laen are aware of it. There's no way they're going to let you go. As for why I'm letting them train you, it's because you'll learn better from them. Still, you need to remember this. The Laen are not good. They are vile and evil. So. What's your answer? Do you want to learn magic?"

I stare at him in silence, afraid to commit to a particular answer. I would be lying if I said I wasn't interested in learning magic, but at the same time, I still don't trust him.

After a few seconds pass he shakes his head. "You made the right choice. You have ten seconds to think of an excuse to tell your mom. See you later."

Before I can ask what he means by me making the right choice, he disappears.

And with that he disappears, leaving me confused. Ten seconds later my mom comes into my room looking concerned."Is anything wrong? Why did you scream?"

I say something about seeing a rat and have to convince her that I'm fine before she finally leaves.

I take a deep breath as the feeling that I have become a part of something bigger than me almost overwhelms me. I look suspiciously out my window, to the house opposite. It is totally dark as if no one has been home for a while. I wonder where he went. I hope he doesn't come back, but some part of me knows that he definitely will.