2 Under The Oak Tree

"You know, you aren't going to figure out how to use magic by reading alone"

Ajax, surprised by the sudden interruption in his studies, looks up from his book to see who has come to speak with him. Unsurprisingly, it is Sister Maria.

"Well I haven't been able to make anything else work. There has to be one method to use magic that I haven't tried yet." - Ajax speaks in an exasperated tone. "I have done everything from drawing crazy circles to yelling at the sky. If I have magical power why can't I use it?"

"Well maybe you're right, but if there is another way then it won't be in that book. Why don't you come back inside for dinner, and we'll figure this out later?"

"But I turn 8 in a month, and the selection for magical academy candidates is in 2 months! Besides I'm not even hu-" Ajax is cut off by a quite noticeable rumbling coming from his stomach. "Fine I'll come inside, but I'm not done studying today."

"That's ok with me, as long as you get something to eat and are back inside before it gets too dark"

"Ok, I'll be there in a half hour."

Ajax turns back to his book, while Sister Maria returned inside to help make dinner for all the other orphans inside the church. As he reads, he notices a chapter of his book, named "A Beginners Guide to Magical Aptitude" that he had missed. As he turns the page he finds the header of the chapter, saying "Special Cases: Mages with Gimmicks". Immediately interested, he dives back into his book, not noticing the small group of kids approaching him from the other side of the road near his favorite tree.

Almost out of nowhere, one of the kids comes from behind the tree and snatches the book from his hands and starts running away into the woods. As Ajax jumps up, first surprised, then angry, and starts to chase after the kid, several others step in front of him, stopping him in his tracks.

"Give it back Roy, I need that book."

"Oh what does a freak like you need to read a book for?" - Kid 1

"Is it even yours? I bet you stole it from the Priest!" - Kid 2

The biggest of the kids, a brown haired and brown eyed kid named Roy, stepped in front of the other kids.

"Easy guys, lets ask Beast Boy why he needs the book so bad!"

Most of the kids started laughing silently, while Roy walked forward and put his arm around Ajax's shoulders

"So what's so important about reading that book? We all know you still can't use magic. You have been sucking at it for 2 years now! The only thing you've ever done was catch the Priest's podium on fire!" Most of the kids laugh, no longer silently. "Do you really think you can actually become a mage?"

"Not now Roy, just please give it back"

"Well since you've been so nice while answering our questions, I guess I'll let you go get it. But you might wanna grab some extra shoes. I told John to throw it into the stream in the woods."

At this point, Ajax is fuming, and several of the kids are now on the ground laughing about their mischief. Ajax sprints as fast as he can towards the woods, but not before giving Roy a glance that could give nightmares. His eyes had long turned into their more beast like form, giving him the look of a mixed blood that he normally didn't have. Roy, startled by the gaze he had recieved, quickly returned to the church, followed by his gang of fellow children.

Ajax at this point had reached the edge of the woods. The stream as about 350 feet from the edge of the woods, if you knew what direction to follow. He looked up and realized it was already getting dark. He had to act fast if he wanted to get his book back in one piece, so he quickly turned and ran into the woods towards the stream. Ajax ran for a few minutes before reaching the water. As he got there though, he was tackled from behind.

"How does dirt taste, Freak!?" - The voice came from a kid that Ajax presumed was John "I already threw that stupid book away so don't even bother looking for it."

Ajax, struggling to get up, is kicked in the side by John. John is obviously enjoying himself, as a lavish grin appears on his face as he beats Ajax while he is down. Ajax knew John was well known for being violent in the orphanage. This is because once John realized most of the church occupants didn't care for Ajax, he had used him as a punching bag because the only Sister that would ever reprimand him was Maria. Ajax, bleeding at this point, rolls over near the stream. John, realizing he went a bit far, decides enough is enough and runs back to the church quickly to make sure his story of the events is the first one heard. As long as he gets there and says that Ajax started it, no Sister or Priest is going to believe Ajax over him.

Ajax, in a lot of pain, lays on his back a few feet from the water. He doesn't feel like he can get up, so he just sits there for an amount of time he honestly lost track of. He agonizingly begins to scan his surroundings. It is definitely darker than before, so most likely Sister Maria will begin to worry soon. He looks over at the stream, and almost instantly his eyes widen. The book, which he assumed was lost already, had gotten caught on a rock in the stream and was now stuck near the edge of the water on the other side. Deciding it was time to try and stand up, Ajax did so, and quickly began to limp across the shallow water. He grabs the book, which is well worn at this point and sits down at the edge of the water. He decides that he will read the chapter that he wasn't able to start before, while he waits for Sister Maria to come and help him get back to the church. One bonus to being a mixed blood was his much better than usual sight, which included the ability to see slightly better at night. It can't be equated to night vision, but it is enough to get by. As he once again begins to read the chapter, he hears a noise and looks up, assuming it to be Sister Maria coming to get him.

However at this moment, several things rush through his head :

1. That Kids are not allowed to go near the stream in the woods for several reasons

2. The first of those reasons is that it is a natural boundary that separates human territory from the wilderness

3. The Wilderness contains many beasts and monsters that most humans could never combat.

All these things go through his mind in an instant, as when he lifted his head looking for Sister Maria, all he found was the pitch black eyes of an 8 foot tall Magical Beast resembling a Bear standing 40 feet away from him, now in between him and his path back to the church.