The Jade Mage: The Becoming: Volume 1 Read Online Free

eyes of a child can produce. With a sigh and a weak smile Tartum’s father nodded. “Sure son, go ahead.” He said.
    Tartum looked Isidor directly in his eyes and spoke with a voice years beyond his age; “I will do whatever you tell me to do, if it allows me to understand the secrets inside this book.”
    Taken aback by the sudden change in Tartum’s personality, Isidor grinned. “Good. Let’s begin.”

CHAPTER 2
    A week had passed since Tartum had buried his father. Alone and miserable, sitting in his father’s old chair, Tartum was concentrating on his spell book. Determined to unlock another spell, determined to gain even an inkling of power from the book. His anger had driven his ambition. Strength was now his only concern. To gain strength, he needed power. To gain power, he needed magic, and magic was inside his spell book. Waiting for him to prove his readiness for the secrets.
    Yet try as he might, the secrets wouldn’t come. He had been focusing on the same page for a week, and nothing. Barely taking the time to use the bathroom or eat, and yet, no new spells, no new magic, no new anything. Just a jumble of markings, that meant nothing to him. The failure was too much. It added too much fuel to the fire inside him, and he raged. Flinging the book at the wall, Tartum threw, kicked, and broke anything he could get his hands on. A vase disintergrated into the wall. His father’s chair smashed against the floor, over and over, as he used it as a hammer, to vent his frustration. The table that he and his father had made when Tartum was ten, was destroyed when he stomped on it, and then bashed the pieces into the wall.
    His rage spent, Tartum fell to the floor breathing heavily. Taking tally of the damage, he felt regret. He just wanted the book to reveal one new spell...one new iota of power. Anything to give him the one thing he needed to keep going. Hope. Tartum realized the night after his father’s death, that he had nothing to look forward to, no plans for the future. His only true goal was his magic, and that goal, currently, seemed unattainable.
    He decided it was time for a change. Tartum didn’t mind being alone, but a week of solitude had him craving companionship, and he decided to seek out his mentor. At the very least, maybe he could shed some light on why the magic wasn’t coming to him. Plus, the house didn’t feel like home anymore, and Tartum was beginning to realize he didn’t like being there. It made him uncomfortable.
    Feeling better now that he had a plan, or at the very least something more constructive to do than sitting around with a spell book that wouldn’t cooperate, Tartum stood up and brushed himself off. Going out to the well, Tartum pulled up bucketfulls of water and filled the tub. After his bath, he put on his father’s best set of clothes. A hunter green button up tunic, made from finely woven cotton, a brown leather vest with plenty of pockets, and a simple design in red string sewn into the lining, that gave the vest a more refined look. A pair of well fitting brown trousers completed his new ensemble, and Tartum thought he looked good in it. It was nice to have a little bit of his father with him. The clothes still carried his scent, and he found them comforting. It made him think that maybe a small part of his father was still with him, watching over him. He knew it was foolish, but the thought made him feel better and lifted his spirits. Finally, Tartum gathered up his heavy grey cloak, to protect him from the elements, slung on his pack, and various pouches filled with his precious spell components, and headed out to his mentor’s wagon.
    Looking back at his home, Tartum got the distinct impression he would never see it again. The thought didn’t hurt as much as he expected. In fact, it made him feel...free.
    ...
    Arriving at his mentor’s wagon a little after dark, Tartum wasn’t surprised to find Isidor waiting for him. The man always seemed to know when he