Journal page #1 September 20th, 2016

---I'm looking forward to the camp out with Kayley and her family this afternoon. We're going up to Mystic Lake for four days. I hope her parents like me. Ever since I moved to Utah from Dublin, Ireland, Kayley has been the only one to be kind to me and showed me around. It's difficult to make friends when you're socially awkward.---

I closed my journal and I walked out of my room, and down the hall. Entering the kitchen, I hugged my mother. I had everything packed for this weekedn and now I was ready to leave. I am going to miss my bed, and my mother's cooking, but It's only for a few days. 

"I'm going to miss you, Mom." I said, squeezing her small frame tightly. 

"I'll miss you too, but I'll see you soon. Be careful with your powers, Charlie. Don't get into too much trouble." she said, smiling.

I love my mom.

"It's time for me to go," I kissed her cheek and went to the front door to lace up my converse. 

"Goodbye Mom!" I called out as I tied my shoe laces.

"Bye, Hon! Be safe!" I heard my mom reply.

In all honesty, I didn't think my Mom would let me go with Kayley and her family on this trip. She is very protective of her "Baby Boy" and wants me to be safe. I figured she felt that she needed to "loosen the reins" a bit. I love my Mom,  she's been there my whole life. (Mothers usually are.) We've been closer since my father's death three years ago. Its just been the two of us, and it's hard seeing her alone. Sometimes I think she isn't happy, but she says she is. I know she lies though. I know she does. She rarely takes the time to go on dates, and she has turned down guys who hit on her. Maybe she isn't ready for the dating scene again, but I can't rush her. I love my mother and have vowed to protecther from any male that tries to date her. I'm protective of my mother, and I'm alright with admitting that I may be a bit of a "Momma's Boy." She's done so much for me and sacraficed a lot for me to have a better life. I love her so much. 

I shut the door to my house and hopped down the steps. I whistled as I counted the houses I passed. The afternoon air was crisp and the sun had begun to set. Orange and red hues were in the sky above me and the stillness of the world for a few seconds felt incredible. I was excited for camping, I desperately craved the outdoors. They were like a second home. The secluded trees and fresh air, the intoxicating scent of pine and the wildlife is something I long for. I think I want to live in the mountains when I'm older. Who knows?

One...two...three... I counted a total of five houses until I finally reached the Drew's driveway. I set my pack down on the lawn, and walked up the concrete stairs. I took a few deep breaths to calm my nerves, I had never spent a while with Kayley's step father, but that would soon change. What if he doesn't like me? What if he thinks I'm a bad influence? 

'Calm down, Charlie.' I thought to myself. I shok my hands, and took deep breaths as I knocked the door, and waited. Mrs. Drew answered the door. Her blonde hair was pulled up and out of her face, and she was dressed in a teal tank top and black leggings. 

"Hey Charlie! Come inside!" Mrs. Drew greeted me.

"Thanks Mrs. Drew, is there anything I can do to help before we leave?" I asked with a smile.

"No. You're sweet, everything is set!"

I unzipped my hoodie, and placed it on the coat rack. I made my way to the guest bathroom, looking in the mirror, I lazily dragged a hand through my messy red hair. The blue eyes I saw in the mirror reflected happiness and excitement, and indeed I was. I really want to impress Kayley's step-father. Her mother adores me, but I have never gotten the chance to actually have a conversation with him. Kayley is one of my only friends, and I would be lying if I said I didn't have a crush on her. I don't know when it started, but I have had feelings for her for a long time. She is the definition of perfect, as cliche as it sounds. I leaned against the wall, locked the bathroom and exhaled. I honestly needed to calm down, I need to breathe and stay calm. If Kayley's mother loves me, hopefully it'll be the same with her step-dad. I stared at my finger tips, igniting small flames that danced on my fingertips subtly. The fire spread around my hand as I turned on the sink and stuck my hand underneath the cold water, extinguishing the flame. I'm good at summoning fire, just not putting it out. I tore another hand through my hair before attemping to smooth it down. Magic isn't the best thing to be doing right now. 

I summoned fire on my pointer finger and lit a scented candle in hopes of hiding the smell of smoke filling the bathroom, hoping that I even made sense. I blew out my finger and cracked my knuckles. The smell of vanilla filled the air, a small smile played at my lips. 

Kayley's POV:

  Journal Page #6 September 20th, 2016

--I hadn’t expected my parents to let Charlie come along with us on our annual camping trip to Mystic Lake. I guess… maybe they are finally trusting him? Dad hasn't spoken to Charlie, but hopefully they will on this trip. My mom likes Charlie, she thinks he is polite and responsible, as well as respectful.--

    I slung my duffle bag over my shoulder, and stuck my wand in my boot; I walked down the hallway and into the bathroom. I looked at myself. I've always been one of the popular girls, but I like to keep to myself. I have golden blonde hair that cascades down my shoulders. My eyes are topaz blue you could say. I fixed my hair, looked myself over once more,  and walked out to the hall.

I looked down the stairs and saw Charlie playing with my hamster, S’mores.

          “Hey you!” I said with excitement.

          “Hey K, need some help with your bag?” Charlie asked.

I shook my head, no. I walked down the stairs and followed Charlie out to the RV. We were walking across the lawn, when I saw Charlie collapse. Charlie had blacked out, I wasn’t too worried because this happens a lot. I looked around to make sure no one was around, and I pulled my wand from my boot.

I recited the words: “Time stand still, I order you. No one-minute pass until I am through doing what I need to do. Time stand still I order you!”

The freeze-time spell, I had designed this particular spell to stop the movements of any living organism within the state. During the casting of this spell, the climate drops and rain begins to fall. See; my elemental power is Water, and Poseidon is my host god. Wielding the element of water, I control water around me. Water in plants, and even humans if and when necessary. Moving on…. I knelt down to Charlie’s side. I placed my ear close to his mouth to hear if he was breathing… Yes, still breathing; that’s a good sign.
      Reading this, if you’re thinking: “Why did Charlie black out?”, then I will explain.

*Flashback narrated*

     It was Charlie’s first year and mine at the House of Gods, and we were in our potions class. We were assigned to brew the “Owl’s Eye” potion. The potion was created and designed to enhance the drinker’s vision, senses, among other attributes. Something may have been wrong with our potion because once Charlie had finished drinking the potion something happened. Instead of assuming the effects of the potion, Charlie said “He that holds the Eye, sees into the soul of the enemy…”. After that Charlie collapsed onto the floor, dropping the empty potion bottle. It shattered, scattering pieces of glass all over the floor; around Charlie. Hours later, when Charlie had woken up pale and shivering; he said that he had a vision of sorts. He never told anyone what happened in his vision… but it scared him. I know it did everytime he has one. I see in in his eyes even though he'll never admit it.

Ever since that day, Charlie has had visions of the future. They have all happened, and Charlie is never wrong. So, when Charlie passes out, I need to be there to cast the Freeze-time Spell; so a mortal doesn’t see him. I don't know what would happen if a mortal sees magic being performed, but I don't want to find out. Our kind is kind of difficult to explain. There are those you, a mortal, would consider a witch or wizard. No, they don't wear pointy hats, they look like regular humans. There are some of those who can only wield an element. Water, fire, electricity, air and earth. There is also mythical creatures in the Caster world. Caster, thats what Charlie and I are. Thats our... Race, if you would. Magic runs in everyone, but there are few who know it exists. Magic can either stick with you, it skip generations in a family. For example, my mother is a witch while my Biological father is a mortal. Charlie's Dad was a warlock but didn't know he possessed magic, his mother is an Air elementalist. Each element isn't hereditary. If your mother is a Witch and your father is a Water caster, it doesn't mean you'll cast water or be a witch or warlock. You could be a fire caster, or an earth caster. Elements choose casters, casters don't choose elements.

Charlie's POV:

One... study your surroundings... Two... assess the situation... Three.... stay calm, remember it's only a vision.

I took a deep breath, I'd obviously passed out...again. I lay still, I counted to three out loud; I opened my eyes. Gray skies... dark green walls and the smell of morning dew hanging in the air.

"It's a maze..."I muttered.

I lay on the ground, I felt vines wrapping themselves around my body; binding me to the ground, tightening their hostile grip. I struggled to pull loose, to no avail.

"Power of the sun, use your might. Descend from the sky, burning rays of light. Fire and heat, in my hour of need, Burn through these vines and to every seed!" I whispered,

The "Fire-Cloak" Spell I had created. I designed it for fire elemental Casters, it encases the caster in a full body "cloak" of fire. 
The flames ignited and spread over me. I watched as the vines burned, hearing the crackling noise of the fire was music to my ears. Why, you ask? Because Fire is my elemental power if you haven't already guessed. My host is the Norse god, Surtr.

I stood up, brushed myself off; and began jogging. I ran down the path ahead of me. I came to a fork in the path...I took the right path. I ran, heart pumping, and finally reached a clearing in the maze. I saw a sort of shrine, inside a encasing of sorts. The encasing glowed a faint blue; as I stepped closer towards the "shrine" I noticed there was an object frozen inside. I stepped closer, almost nose distance to the shrine, and saw it was a necklace, with a sapphire moon pendant. A strange force pushed me back, the intense power the amulet was putting off was incredible. I crawled towards my wand, which was now dropped in the dirt. I noticed my hands had a tingling feeling to them. I looked at them, they were beginning to crack; as if they were glass. I heard a scream, and then my vision went dark. I opened my eyes, and gasped for air.

I opened my eyes, looking at Kayley.

"Passed out...didn't I?" I asked.

"Yeah, I wasn't too worried. I still worry about you, you seemed to hit your head pretty hard on the ground." She replied.

I watched in awe, as Kayley Un-did her spell. She moved swiftly. I shook myself hoping that she didn't notice. She picked up my wand, and handed it to me. She helped me up, and we walked back inside her house as if nothing had happened.

I saw Kayley's step-dad, Gary, come down the stairs.

"Hey there Charlie! You're all packed, I assume?" Gary asked.

"Of course!" I replied with a smile.

Kayley's mom asked us to take some bags from the living room, and load them into the RV. Once we had finished loading the bags into the RV, we were sitting inside the RV's main room. Gary started the RV, and I shifted in my seat. I felt somewhat out of place. Almost as if I had jumped too quickly on the chance to go camping with the Drew's. Maybe it's my anxiety, maybe it's the truth. I don't know, I tried to shake off the thoughts.

We drove down the road and stopped, Gary honked the horn.

"Why are we stopping?" I asked Kayley.

"We invited Jaeda to go with us." She replied, not taking her eyes off of her Iphone.

"Great...." I thought, Fire, Water and Ice elementalists in one RV... It was almost the start of a bad Joke. We drove for...I'd say an eternity in silence. Kayley was playing some game on her phone, Jaeda was sketching. I had my headphones in and let Pandora play. I stared at the window until I felt a tap on my right shoulder. It was Kayley.

"Charlie. The sky," she hissed.

I looked outside my window again, this time gazing up at the sky. A once perfect sunset had turned into darkness in a matter of seconds. I saw the beginnings of a storm. Grey clouds swirled around, gaining speed. Kayley's step-dad seemed unaffected by the sky. Kayley's mom, Alice, walked towards us.

"You need to go. You need to find Professor Sparx, something is wrong. I feel it, the fibers of my body are quaking at the magical overload of the sky. " She seemed shaky, scared, and pale.

"That's not normal...right?" Kayley asked slowly.

"No, it isn't. We don't have time, Go!" Alice said,

Jaeda, Kayley and I jumped to our feet, heading towards the rooms of the RV. Pulling out our wands, we teleported to the House of Gods.