Unfamiliarity Breeds Contempt

I’ve finally found him. After 5 years of extensive training and 2 years of searching, I’ve finally found him. Vinnie Pace. The target I’ve been meant to kill ever since I was born. Mom said he was going to be evil. She tried to kill him at his birth, but my traitorous dad took him before she had infused the dagger with a spell to ensure that he died. 

I’m currently sitting at a small table in a cafe. Vinnie is not what I expected though. He looks nerdy-thick bottlecap glasses, big doe eyes, and a kind smile. He types away at a computer, next to a towering stack of dusty books, and a few comics. He sits next to an equally dorky friend, reading quietly next to him. I nearly slap myself. I need to remember that this nerdy-looking kid is bad to the bone. Beyond repair. 

I take stock of my possessions. Two sharp daggers handcrafted by my mother sit hidden in my jacket, and an acidic poison is hidden in my necklace with a little globe. And of course, I have the little charm my mother made, the one that enhances my magic. I can’t get him yet though. The location is a little too public, and I don’t want anyone to get hurt should he choose to fight back. 

I rub my temples. I sip on a bittersweet honey tea and flip through a book, filled with spells. Finally, he rises, packing up his stuff and waving to his friend. I linger in the store, not too long as to miss him, but just long enough to follow him without suspicion. He walks down the street, and I follow cautiously, keeping to the shadows. The neighborhood we’re in is not nice. The darkness thrives here. Shifty-looking people glance at me, and I draw my coat closer around me. My stomach is doing flips. I feel weak. I should be ready to kill him. He’s evil. But guilt and shame dance happily, nibbling on my stomach. 

He continues down the concrete with so many vein-like cracks. They are jagged, and I’ve nearly slipped a few times. The air is brisk and cool as I walk, and I suppress a shiver. Finally, he stops and looks around furtively. I dodge out of his line of sight behind a dumpster, and he relaxes. I take a quick look at where we are now. The edge of town. It borders the dark forest, with its dense copse of trees. They seem to part as he enters calmly. They curl almost angrily though, if they have a hate of them. I hesitate. I could get him with a quick spell right now. But I don’t. Curiosity, and perhaps pity or sorrow get the better of me. All I know about his magic is that it’s as strong as mine and that he was going to be murdered because of his dark destiny. 

I enter the forest as well, wincing as the branches try to scratch me with their long branches. I breathe quietly and make my steps soft as he continues. He’s getting farther, and it’s getting harder to keep up. He stops suddenly and sits on a log. I hide behind a tree. With all the adrenaline, I realize I don’t really know why he’s out here. 

Vinnie takes off his glasses and puts them in his book bag. Then I see. He starts draining the trees and shrubs of all life, and I gasp quietly. He’s cursed. His magic is strong but with a hefty price. I decided this was my time to strike, no matter my reluctance. I prepare a bolt of instant death, and shoot it at him, looking away after I cast it. 

That was my first mistake. In the blink of an eye, a flurry of inky fire rushes at me. I block with a quick protection spell, but the force is so strong that it knocks me down, and out of my hiding spot. 

Vinnie gapes at me but then puts on a face of neutrality. “You must be Sabine,” he says. “My sister.” 

I acknowledge his statement with a quick nod. “Yes, I am. And I’m here to kill you,” I say throwing blasts of ice at him. 

He dodges adeptly, and says, “Leave now, and I’ll spare you.” I roll my eyes at this. “I don’t trust a word you say,” I exclaim, throwing one of the knives from my jacket. It hits him square in the calf, and he winces. However, after that one wince, he seems to recover and sends an acid shot at me. 

I barely dodge, and roll out of the way. Then, I do the one thing I know is a bad idea. I run. The branches whip past me and scratch me roughly. I prepare a quick protection spell but can tell it’s weak and faltering. I’m panicking. I thought this was going to be an easy battle, but I was dead wrong. 

My emotions are getting the best of me. And on top of that, Vinnie is as powerful as me. Maybe even stronger. Finally, I see the exit of the forest and escape. I take a quick look behind me. Vinnie is pursuing, and quickly too. I quickly whip around and throw my other knife. This time, it hits him in the stomach, and he recoils in pain. I enter the nearest building. Tall and giant, it seems to be abandoned. Perfect. I break the glass with the acid in my necklace, and it dissolves within a second. I gingerly step inside. 

My eyes adjust to the darkness. The building is dusty and old, with furniture lying about. There is a staircase peaking out. The room is dark, but I don’t cast a flame spell. I instead cast a night-vision spell, and rush up the stairs. 

I hear Vinnie enter. “Sabine?” he shouts. “You better come out.” 

I roll my eyes from my hiding spot. I ready a strong stun spell and wait. He rushes up the stairs, and I first throw a flame at him. It breaks his shield. “You really thought that would work?” he asks, and prepares a bolt of instant death. “No,” I say. “But I know this will,” I smirk, and throw the spell at him. 

It instantly causes him to stop. He looks dazedly at me. I prepare a bolt of instant death, ready to throw it…but I can’t. It fizzles out dejectedly. I ease the stunning spell, just by a pinch, so he can talk. 

“I can’t kill you,” I whisper. “Why can’t I kill you?! You’re evil. You tried to kill me.” 

He glares at me, or at least kind of glares at me, face stalling from the effects of the spell. “You tried to kill me first. And I am not evil. I try only to take plant’s and animal’s lives but I can’t. Do you think I like having to take a human’s life? Because believe me, I don’t” he snapped. 

We look at each other mistrustfully. Mom wasn’t right about him. Vinnie isn’t fully evil. But he isn’t good either. And neither am I. I stare Vinnie square in the eye. “I’ll spare you,” I say finally. The stunning spell will wear off soon. You can go back to your life.” 

He looks at me curiously. “Thanks, I guess.” I nod at him, a sense of respect between us. “Good luck,” I say. “Brother.”