Free preview Flames of the Ether

Prologue

Invictus

        Motionless in the icy rain, I waited for the end. It was remarkable how easily I had been deceived, duped into complacency by those who became my undoing. I stood now at the end of my life, my last moments spent in reflection, for great was the folly that has led me to this end.

            Death by betrayal, a truly tragic way to die. Doomed by the ones you trusted most, condemned by those who were once your friends and companions, and left to spend the brief period remaining of your life chiding yourself for being so foolish. In my world, trust is not something that can be afforded. People should know better than to trust so blindly. They should know better than to be foolish enough to be led into the trap and sucked into the web of lies so cleverly designed so that it ultimately leads them to their own demise. Such bad judgment is unforgivable, for betrayal is not only the fault of the traitors who commit it, but also the fault of the person foolish enough to trust so completely that they forsake all caution and put their faith in the flawed vermin who would later be the cause of their downfall. The consequences of such blind trust stretch far beyond that of any other, as a betrayal such as this one leaves you in painful regret, forever to remember, both in life and in death, what a fatal mistake you have committed. I have made many terrible mistakes, but unlike the others, this was not one that I could fix.

            As the end drew nearer, I glanced around one final time, studying the treacherous faces of those who had once been my friends, changed now by their deeds into those I hated most. I should have seen through their masks of deception. I should have looked beyond the false pretenses of friendship and sensed their malicious intentions. As I looked at them now, I saw them for what they really were, nothing more than gutless snakes with no sense of either loyalty or honor. I was filled with fury as I saw their eyes light with anticipation as my doom approached.

            One face in particular caught my eye, his face a mask of icy calm as he watched. Zeveran Cray, my first in command and at one time a very close friend, but no longer. Now he stood amongst my enemies, waiting in silent anticipation like all the others for the sword to strike. He most of all, would pay for his treachery.

            I felt a wave of bitterness as I turned to face my executioner. No one should have to die like this. My enemy approached and drew his sword. There was nothing I could do except stand there and wait for the inevitable. I felt a sudden burst of pain as the blade pierced my body. With my last breath I swore vengeance on those who had betrayed me, cursing them with the blackest of spells that should never be spoken. They would never rest until I was avenged. From that moment on they would live in anguish, never to feel the peace of death until justice was served.

            I will never feel any remorse for my actions that day. They were the ones who would look back on this moment and become filled with regret, not me. Their legacy will be one of horror. I will show them the meaning of pain! They shall dread ever having dared to betray me! Let them rot for all eternity!

            The wind rose to a piercing shriek as I finished the incantation. I collapsed to the stone floor laughing at the fools who sat there smiling in satisfaction, unaware of the terrible fate that awaited them. The air grew still as my life slowly drained away, and sealed in hate and blood my words took hold. I felt a strange numbness and everything around me began to fade. My name will be cursed forever for unleashing such a horrid plague upon the earth. Nevertheless, I lay there fully content, sighing with satisfaction as death’s cold hands closed around me.

* * * * *

Chapter I

Kara

       Kara walked silently through the underbrush, her pale blond hair glinting in the moonlight. She stared up at the star filled sky, feeling at ease in the deep silence that surrounded the forest. The moon lay high in the heavens, casting ghostly shadows across the forest floor. No sound disturbed the night's mute perfection, and Kara felt a deep sense of peace as she walked through the wood. This was her home. She had lived here all her life and had never really been anywhere else, but this did not concern her in the least. This was where she belonged and there was no other place that she would ever rather be.

Even as a child, Kara had always loved the forest, especially at night, a time when all the world lay in silence, at peace in its bliss filled sleep. Some people would consider such times to be plain and boring, but they simply could not perceive the true serenity that only nature could offer. There were people who had been here for generations, yet none of them truly appreciated the forest. None came to understand it as she did, but then again, most people here insisted on sticking to their archaic views, seeing everything in black and white. Anything strange that they didn't understand was evil and that was all there was to it.

Though sometimes a little restless, Kara had never been very fond of exploration. Someday she would leave, but until then there was no point in agonizing over it. The forest was her refuge, her home. There was no point in leaving the familiar in favor of something new and exotic. At least Kara did not believe so, for standing here, looking up at the starlit sky was the time when she felt most serene. Her parents however, felt just the opposite.

 They didn’t approve of her midnight walks. They never had. As a child at least their concern had made some sense, but now it was just ridiculous. It was foolish how overprotective they were, always paranoid about hidden dangers waiting to claim unwary travelers. Kara viewed their opinion as pointless suspicion based on nothing more than paranoia. There weren’t many dangers in a small town like Savory, and when you’ve spent your entire life living in the woods, by the time you’re 15 you know how to take care of yourself. 

Besides, even if something really were hiding in the darkness, as unlikely as that was, she had her magic to protect her. This was not a reassuring prospect to her parents though. If anything, it just gave them even more reason to not allow such outings. Their mistrust of magic far surpassed any other dislike in their life. For reasons unknown to her, they viewed magic as an evil fruitless tool of destruction that consumed all who used it. She on the other hand saw magic as a wonderful gift, an opportunity to experiment with things most people could only dream about.

She paused, remembering the cryptic words of her parents, spoken softly to each other when they believed her to be asleep. She remembered hiding in the doorway watching silently as they talked. She stared blankly ahead, replaying the scene in her head exactly as she had seen it before. Her mother stood against the wall, her voice frantic as she spoke. “It is unsafe for her to play with something as dangerous as magic. It is not a toy! You know what happened to the last one cursed with this plague!”

Her father shook his head, his face stern as he spoke. “What can we do? We cannot tell her the truth. It would only frighten the child.”

Her mother sighed, her dark hair tumbling loosely into her eyes. “I suppose you’re right, but that doesn't make me feel any better about it. If it weren't for that no-good cousin of hers, we wouldn't have to worry so much.”

That had been more than 5 years ago, but she still remembered the conversation word for word. She hadn’t understood what it was they were talking about, she still didn’t, but she got the message. They viewed the magic as a curse and something had happened a long time ago to enforce this belief. Still, she refused to see things from their perspective. It was her life, and from her point of view their criticism of magic was simply an unnecessary resentment over something that they couldn’t change, no matter how hard they tried.

Of course, her parents weren’t the only ones opposed to the use of the dark arts as they were often regarded, for people seemed incapable of making any distinction between magic in general and the malevolent force that served only to bring destruction. There were many people who shared their mistrust of magic, most of them having good reason to as thousands had died in the wars that resulted from the use of such powerful forms of magic. Now most agreed that all magic was dangerous, the horrible acts committed by races such as the Volrye, were too scarring to forget. Her parents however, had no history with magic. The wars of the dark arts had been hundreds of years ago in distant parts of the realm. He parents had no relation to such events. Her gifts were nothing more than coincidence, making their hatred of magic all the more strange.

For as long as she could remember magic had always been a part of her life. Though nothing extraordinary, it was nevertheless an interesting prospect with unlimited possibilities, a perfect escape from everyday life. Though at times a little unpredictable, it had never failed to accomplish its intended purpose. What was the point of dreading something that was a part of you? She wasn’t going to deny her gift just because her parents mistrusted it.

Superstitious by nature, the people of Savory were of much the same opinion as her parents. Though she was unsure of the reason for her parent’s suspicion of magic, the people of the town made it pretty clear. Magic was a forbidden art; strange, foreign, and not to be trusted. Anything unfamiliar or unexplored that had the potential to be used for destructive purposes was instantly deemed evil and never to be used. Any mention of magic simply caused you an evening of dirty looks and a mutual distrust shared by all within hearing distance. The only person who had shared her thinking on the subject was Kail, but he was long gone.

She paused as she neared the small clearing where her house sat. There was no light emanating from the windows of the cottage. This was a good sign, as it meant that her parents were still asleep and unaware of her absence. She stared at the small brick cottage across the way. It wasn’t much, but it was home.

She crossed the empty clearing and started toward her house, her mind beginning to wander. She had just reached the center of the glade when out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of movement in the underbrush. She turned and examined the area, but everything looked as it always did. Nothing seemed to be out of place. She scanned the area one final time before scaling the side of her house and climbing through the open window of her bedroom, finding no reason for her sudden unease. Unnoticed in the darkness, the stranger crept back into the concealing shadows of the forest, his deep blue eyes serious as he thought about the role she was to play.

* * * * *

            With morning came clear blue skies and intense heat. Kara road her horse through the humid air constantly wiping her forehead in an attempt to stop the stream of sweat steadily dripping down her face. She peered through the branches overhead at the streamers of sunlight filtering down through the tangled limbs, casting elaborate patterns of light and shadow that danced playfully across the path in front of her. She hated to think of what it would feel like once noon came.

            She made her way through the forest toward the small town that lay at the edge of the valley. She never passed up an opportunity to go into town, even on days such as this when most people spent their time inside desperately trying to keep cool. Though there was never anything interesting happening in small secluded places like Savory, the trips into town nonetheless provided an opportunity to get at least some news on what was happening in the outside world.

            She glanced around the empty forest, reflecting upon times past. She remembered walking through these woods years ago, back when her magic was still new to her and she was just discovering her abilities. She remembered Kail, his blue eyes smiling as he patiently instructed her.  She closed her eyes, shaking her head. Kail was gone; there was no point in lingering in the past.

            Time dragged on slowly and Kara could tell by the steadily increasing noise and the presence of other travelers on the secluded trail that she was nearing Savory. She rode on, expecting at any moment to emerge from among the trees and enter town.

A strange silence settled over the forest, filling Kara with a sudden uneasiness and a feeling of being watched. Her pulse racing, Kara carefully examined her surroundings but saw nothing out of the ordinary. She thought again of last night. She had experienced the same feeling of being watched, but this was different. The eyes she felt upon her were cold and calculating, yet strangely familiar as well. She reached out, sending tendrils of magic into the brush in search of what lay hidden there. She scanned the area with her mind, closing her eyes in concentration as she searched. Something dark brushed the edges of her consciousness sending shivers down her spine. She felt a momentary connection and had almost located its source when suddenly it vanished. She cut off her search, shocked by the sudden disappearance of what she had felt only moments before. She looked around, peering intently into the dense underbrush, but found no trace of the strange presence she had sensed earlier. She continued on, unaware of the strange ghostly eyes tracking her every movement.

   * * * * *

Kara walked through the small town of Savory, made uneasy by the strange occurrence in the forest. She knew that it was irrational to be so on edge considering that nothing had really happened to make her so uncomfortable. Still, it was unexplainable and something about the entire incident was peculiar. The thing she found to be most unsettling was the strange sense of familiarity that she had experienced when she had probed the area, and even more disturbing was how all traces of it had vanished in an instant. She knew that she was probably just overreacting, but somewhere deep down she knew she wasn’t. Rationality and common sense pushed aside, Kara strode forward, looking over her shoulder every few steps to make sure nothing was out of place.

            After two hours of wandering around town, she had gathered enough supplies to last her and her family at least a few weeks, sparing her any further trips into town in the building heat wave. Her earlier optimism had quickly disappeared after the long trip through town in the day’s steadily worsening heat. That combined with her recent bout of paranoia because of what had happened earlier had not made for a very enjoyable day.

The sun sank slowly below the horizon, reducing the temperature and eliminating the stifling sense of suffocation she had experienced only hours before. What few people there had been outside quickly disappeared, leaving the streets empty and barren. The slow descent of night cast ominous shadows across the flagstone, giving everything around her a decidedly sinister cast. Kara looked around nervously, the once familiar buildings appearing strange and gloomy in the failing light.

She glanced about, watching as one by one people left the main street, returning home after a long day. Though it was more likely they were heading toward the local tavern, which was quickly filling up with people who sought to reward themselves for a hard day’s work. After looking over everything to make sure nothing was amiss, she started back the way she had come, unwilling to stay any longer. She rounded a corner, quickly approaching the edge of town, and came to an abrupt halt, unable to dismiss the feeling of being watched. She turned and found herself staring at a strangely familiar figure standing in the shadows of the building across the way, silently tracking her every movement. Deep blue eyes met her own as the stranger stepped into the light, pulling down the hood of his cloak and standing fully revealed before her. She gasped in surprise, recognizing immediately the face of her cousin.

No one had seen or even heard from Kail in over 2 years. Few people knew what had happened to him. Some never even realized that he had left. For as long as Kara could remember, Kail had been both her mentor and friend. He was had taught her everything she knew about survival and more importantly, everything she knew of magic, which was why her parents had always regretted having him as a member of their family. Kail's Father, Veren, had died of plague when he was still very young, and he had been raised by his mother in a cottage a few miles outside of Savory. Having no siblings of her own, Kail had been like a brother to Kara. Growing up an only child in a secluded environment, there weren’t many people who shared her unique interests, especially her passion for magic. The residents of the town being very old fashioned and suspicious of anything that intruded upon their selective way of life, forced her to keep such practices a secret.

Though he hadn’t been born with any magic of his own, Kail had always been extremely interested in the world of the unseen. He soon discovered how to use certain elemental magics, perfecting in days what others studied years to learn. By the time he was 17 he had mastered the basics of magic, and had in turn, instructed Kara on how to manage her own. Though older by 4 years, Kail had never hesitated to show Kara anything she needed to know, teaching her how to use magic to her advantage and helping her to keep her emotions under control. It had been difficult at first, but after a while she had come to see that many things were possible when you had magic to help you. He had always been there when she needed him. The only person in her tiny world that she could trust with things others would instantly dismiss as foolish.

At least that’s how it had been until three years ago when he decided to leave, traveling west toward Souran with the aspiration become a master of the arcane and explore the mountains. He had been accepted into an order of mages dedicated to the study of various elemental magics. All members of the order were sworn to protect and defend. Each magic wielder worked to maintain the balance of the land’s magic, protecting against any attacks or intrusions that had their origin in the darker arts that were forbidden to all because of the negative effects they had on both the land and the wielder. Though said to support all forms of magic, the practice of channeling spirits was forbidden, and the combination of magics was done only with the permission of all members of the council, and even then always under strict supervision. Any deviation or experimentation was completely prohibited, lest it lead to corruption. After a year of study, Kail departed Souran, convinced that he could learn more by himself where he would be allowed to explore the more powerful forms of magic forbidden to those under the control of the council. After his abrupt disappearance, things within the order began to fall apart and the whole organization was dissolved. No one had heard from Kail since, most simply assumed that he was dead. Now here he was, standing before her and acting as if nothing had happened at all.

“Hello Kara.” He greeted her casually.

She stood speechless, a mix of emotions flooding through her at the appearance of someone she had thought gone forever. Kail stood awkwardly to one side, watching closely her reaction to his sudden appearance. Kara opened her mouth to speak but he raised his hand silencing her and continued talking. “I know that you must have questions, but there isn’t time. There is much that must be made right and it goes far beyond you and me. I promise I will tell you everything in time, but first you must listen.”

Kara stood in silence, hesitating a moment before agreeing to hear him out. Kail hadn’t come back simply to visit. Much had happened in the past 2 years and she sensed that whatever he had come here for was much more important than taking care of some unresolved issues with his long-forgotten cousin. It seemed that she must wait a while longer if she ever wanted to receive the answers to her questions. Kail led her off the main street toward the edge of town, the sun casting strange shadows as it slowly slid below the horizon.

Kail paused, his blue eyes serious as he turned to look at her. “As much as I might wish it was otherwise, I cannot reveal to you most of what has happened to me these past few years, nor can I give you much of an explanation for what I’m about to tell you.”

“Wait one second.” Kara exclaimed, unable to contain herself any longer. “What are you talking about, and what did you mean when you said there’s no time? No one has heard from you in over 2 years, and you can’t expect me to listen to you when you won’t even bother to explain where you’ve been all this time! It’s not like I…”

“We have to leave, now.”

Kara stared, taken aback by the sudden turn of events. “Leave? Where? You can’t just show up after three years and tell me I need to just leave without any explanation or even any good reason explaining why I should go!”

“Kara, please! There isn’t time. They may already know you’re here.” They? She thought in confusion, her mind churning with a multitude of unanswered questions, but one look at Kail’s face told her they would have to wait.

She took a shaky breath, still unsure whether or not she was making the right decision. “I will follow you wherever it is we need to go, but after this is over you owe me a very long explanation.”

Kail smiled uncertainly. His soft reply lost in the fading noise of the town, “If only it were that simple.”

Kara quickly gathered up the supplies she had bought earlier that day and followed Kail to the stable on the outskirts of town. Her cousin moved deftly across the loosely packed straw, leading forward a pair of well-bred stallions, their hooves churning the ground beneath them as they eagerly waited to depart.

It only took a few minutes for them to load their horses. They took no extra time to fuss over details, with Kail becoming steadily more worried as the last traces of sunlight faded from the sky, and the evening dragged on towards nightfall. Kara glanced over at him in bewildered concern, knowing that there must be some cause for his strange behavior, but not understanding what. Whatever it was that they were running from, it was definitely a serious matter. They mounted and set off, cloaks wrapped tightly about them to ward off the night’s deepening chill. They rode through the forest, the last few rays of light slowly disappearing into darkness. Kara looked back and watched the town slowly fade into the distance, feeling a part of herself go with it.

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