Phae shivered. Strangely, it wasn't the cold that made her tremble; it was the chill of magic pulling at her soul. She had been travelling for over a week, floating as naked as the day she had been born, pulled by some strange force that whispered to her in her dreams comforted her and told her everything would be alright.Given all her experiences it seemed strange that she should trust the force now guiding her, but something about it just felt "right". Somewhere deep inside her soul, she recognised the voice that spoke to her. Some small seed, planted there by her mother's blood had given her a direct link to the strange power that had saved her.No, the power wasn't strange it was perfectly natural. Phae shivered again as the pieces of the puzzle started to fit together. She had undoubtedly gained her magical talents from her father, and from her mother she had gained... the link. The earth was calling her, and it was a voice too powerful to resist. She travelled, she knew,
The moment had come. There, buried beneath a thick blanket of snow, the Heart called to her. She could already feel the subtle changes in the world around her as she approached. All she had to do was reach out and touch it... She had survived death and travelled hundreds of miles without food, water or barest idea of what her final task would be, or even who or what she was. It was all now so clear.She was unique in the world born of union between the two great forces of nature. If the earth were the body then magic was the blood; neither could exist without the other. It seemed fitting then that she should be the one to save them all seemed fitting that she should be the one to breathe life back into the old world and so right the wrongs of the past.She knew what she must do.Slowly, serenely, Phae floated to the ground, her bare, naked feet sinking into the soft white snow. She barely registered the cold her innate power kept her safe from harm.The earth called to her.
Phae opened her eyes to find herself standing alone atop a cold stony precipice floating adrift in the dark desolate void. The realm she had entered was a mirror of the star-god's psyche a sort of "in between" where she knew their final confrontation would take place. Though there was no obvious sign of life she knew that somewhere amidst the darkness the evil one prepared for his final act. On this one rocky outcrop would be decided the fate of the world. For better or for worse she held the fate of everything dearest to her in her small, fragile hands. She inhaled deeply and felt the warmth of her new powers surge inside her. At that moment, something started to stir. Though she could not see it at first, a world was forming around her. From her rocky outcrop a bleak, barren plain surged into existence and stretched out as far as her eyes could see. She looked to the heavens as high above her stars burst into being and clouds swirled into life. Another moment later and the sta
It was over the demons were gone. An eerie silence fell upon the city. No one knew what to do. Some of the survivors broke down and wept while others embraced companions, or offered up a silent prayer for the departed. At some point during the battle he had lost sight of Lukas and they'd been separated. Though his mind was clouded he was sure he remembered seeing his friend wade into the thickest fighting, throwing himself mercilessly at the demon creatures during what they felt would surely be their final moments on the earth.Suddenly Edwin's eyes widened. As he started to sift through his memories, one image in particular stuck in his mind. Lukas had fallen!Edwin's heart started to race. He searched round desperately but couldn't recognise his friend's face amidst the countless bodies that filled the city streets. Just then a faint voice reached his ears."Edwin."Edwin looked round, anxiously scanning the bodies that lay on the floor. There amidst a pile of demon corpses
In the cold dark depths of space, an ancient evil stirs from its slumber...*****"Wake up Varrus, your life is mine."Varrus slowly swam to consciousness. He opened his eyes to reveal nothing save the impenetrable black of space.The voice thundered inside his head. "So, you have come at last. I've been expecting you..."Varrus gulped. He could still feel the sharp stab of pain as he had died at the boy's hands. By using magic to evade death, he had made a terrible, terrible mistake. "Cease your trembling mortal. I am Skargyr and you are mine now there can be no escape. Worlds have lived and died while I have waited for someone of your qualities to find their way into my cursed prison. You shall know me now as your master."As memories of his former life slowly returned to him, Varrus regained some of his composure. "I serve no one!" he spat, "I am my own master.""Foolish mortal I am your GOD! Bow down and worship me and I shall consider sparing your worthless soul."Va
Phae stood wide-eyed and trembling as all around her young apprentices ran for their lives. She searched around desperately for means of escape, but the fire was everywhere. Searing flames leapt across bookshelves and between timber roof supports, stoked by burning texts that exploded like fire-crackers as their magically-imbued pages caught alight and combusted, adding their material to the raging heat of the inferno. Across the room Master Kulgrim was furiously attempting to organise some of the more experienced magic users into fire-fighting teams to try and quench the blaze. It was no good. One by one their exits were cut off, leaving only a single doorway out into the streets. Kulgrim called out to her. "Phae, run! We need to get out of here now!"Phae flinched as she watched the chaotic scene unfold about her, her hands still ablaze with the fierce fire magic that she had been so desperately trying to control. She couldn't move. Her whole body was paralysed with fear.Kul
The night was dark; far darker than it had been for many months now. Even the great pole star Illustus shone dimly, and the old world's moons were but two faded smudges in an overcast canvas of grey. As the night drew on, a cold easterly breeze swept across the island, bringing with it a rolling bank of dense fog that settled on the city streets and enveloped the Magical Isle in a cold, damp, impenetrable mist. Even from his position high atop the tallest tower of the Wizards' Citadel, Callum could only faintly make out the shapes of a few towers and rooftops tall enough to pierce the fog. Not even the street-lanterns of the wizards could penetrate the mist; their bright lights reduced to nothing more than faint, eerie glows as the greatest city in the realm of men was reduced to nothing more than a panorama of dull grey.Callum pulled his cloak tightly around him as the cold easterly wind bit into his skin, bringing with it another rolling bank of fog to shroud the streets in mist.
In her bedroom, Phae paced restlessly.She couldn't sleep. Truth be told, she hadn't been sleeping well for over a week now as her body changed and she sought to control the raging fire that grew within her. This night though, this night was different.Though she hadn't heard the news directly, she knew that poor Master Kulgrim had died in the night, just as she predicted he would the first victim of her frightening power. She had wept bitterly when she felt his passing from the mortal plain, though by now her tears had long dried up. Now all she felt was anger: anger at herself; anger at her parents; anger at her mother for not being there; anger at her life. Why couldn't she just be normal?Phae sighed as she paced her way across her cluttered bed chamber, working her way carefully around the piles of books and trinkets that she had thrown from her desk in an earlier moment of despair. She glanced across the room. In the far corner sat her pack. Ever since her first "accident"