The Chosen One

• Laura Mercurio, Grade 8, Rippowam Cisqua School
• Short Story
• 2001

Finalist in the '2001/2002 Schools Short Story Competition - Magic and Mystery Theme' competition

Here lies the story of Darian, a boy whose life was set in a forgotten time; in which the age of darkness and sorcery. His story started like any other, in a small village, which lay in a remote country that few could ever name. This village had a secret, a secret that was known by many but only a few possessed. This secret was about the Chosen ones, who were Warriors who were able to see the second world and use it’s powers of sorcery.
When Darian was born, he instantly was proclaimed as one of the Chose. His mother Llaya knew as soon as she peered into his small dark eyes. The town Warrior confirmed Llaya’s suspicions as soon as he saw the boy. The Warrior made a promise to Llaya that as soon as the boy was of age, he would train him to become of the greatest Warriors the Chose had ever seen.
As a young boy, Darian always felt different from the other children. He saw things that no one could explain, things that made him cry out in terror. Darian saw murderers and their victims, all crying to him for help. These sights kept occurring through his troubled youth. Llaya was always the one who comforted Darian as he told the disturbing images he saw. As Darian grew, the sights came more often and with such a ferocity that it still made him cry, even though he was almost a man. As Llaya heard these stories, she new the time that she would send Darian to the Warrior was fast approaching.
One day, Darian ran home again, sobbing and crying about how he had seen things again. As soon as Llaya saw him, she decided that it was time she e tell him the truth about what he was. When Darian ran into his mother’s arms and told her the story, she comforted him as best she could. When Darian turned to go to his room, Llaya stopped him. “Darian, I have something to tell you. You are one of the Chosen Ones. This means that you have the power of sight to see the second world, and to use sorcery embedded within it. This is one of the greatest honors that can ever be bestowed. For this I must send you away to the Warrior of the village. He is the only person that can prepare you for the hard road ahead.”
Darian stumbled backwards as if he’d just been struck by her. His eyes began watered and he held his head as if he had a terrible headache. When Darian began to recover his sense she shakily responded, “When am I leaving?”
“Tomorrow.” Llaya immediately replied, feeling a surge of overwhelming guilt when she looked into his worried face.
When Darian heard these words, he knew that his life would never be the same.