The Flaming Ascension
Chapter 1: The Outcast
The silence of the night was broken by a series of high-pitched squeals, not dissimilar to that of a pig being brought to the slaughterhouse. Under the dim moonlight, one could just discern out a few shapes: a man, carrying a moving sack, which kicked wildly around, and nothing else.
No one lifted a hand to help them. It was nigh midnight and if any person was peering out of the windows, they would not see much. Trust the Moon to be playing such games today; the lunar cycles from the first phase were over, and it was once again a new moon.
Besides, this settlement was well-known for crime. Hardly a day did not pass by without at least a murder, a kidnapping case or a case of robbery. Everyone there was used to this.
As the seemingly-alive sack was heaved towards the circle, the wizards inside started to chant. It slowly grew louder, and the animals of the forest, clearly frightened, fled away to hide in the recesses of their burrows, dens, or any shelter they could find.
As soon as the last sack crossed the boundary of the circle, the mages, as one, made a slashing motion with their wands and huge shards of ice were cast upon themselves. However, these Ice Lightning Archmages had manipulated the spell. Instead of having the normal effect of freezing and damaging, they had frozen themselves out of time.
The non-wizards then undertook the menial task of opening the sacks, and one by one, the laid out the prisoners. Men, women, children. Then one of them paused before opening the last sack. He opened it slowly and the gurgles grew louder. As the baby was thrown out unceremoniously onto the floor, it wailed. One of the women came over to him, and she was rewarded with ten strokes of the staff. Another man winced. He was wearing a custom-made Red and Green Czar and wielding a Red Phoenix Staff. Thus, it was recognizable that he was Darkon Firegaze, the famous Fire Poison Archmage. The leader, wearing a hood, instantly saw this family link and he grinned. The baby was the seed of Darkon and the woman was Darkon's wife. Now, as he currently held the mother and son hostage, Darkon would not dare to even cast an energy bolt at him.
The first name was called out. A Dark Knight casted Monster Magnet on the first wizard ready to be brought for execution. How he used Monster Magnet on a person was a question, though, as it was strictly restricted to monsters.
The crowd, baying for blood, gradually started yelling, "Kill the FPs! Kill the FPs! Kill the FPs!"
"Kines Iceguarde, come forward to do your job." The aforementioned man came forward, and brought his staff in an arc. He casted Blizzard, but focused only on the Fire Poison Mage in front of him, so the shards of ice slowly merged together and formed a huge icicle. The Fire Poison Mage closed his eyes, ready to see the Gates of Heaven. As the ice impaled him through the chest, blood seeped out from the fatal wound and suddenly froze. The man instantly turned blue and he clutched his heart, now frozen, as he collapsed forward and met his demise.
Fire Poison Wizard/ Mage/ Archmage after Fire Poison Wizard/ Mage/ Archmage was called up. They were killed in a different manner, each of them. Once, Kines summoned an Ifrit and it blasted the poor man and ripped his head off clean, and it was made easier he did not train his Partial Resistance skill at all, like all others before him, as it was tough work and boring meditating and besides, which Fire Poison would imagine they would be sentenced to death at the hands of a cold-blooded and merciless Ifrit?
Finally, Darkon Firegaze was called up. However, his wife, too, was pushed forward too. Apparently, this was going to be a dual execution.
"Thunder Spear!" Kines impaled the couple. As he looked upon the face of the last known FP Archmage, the latter said, "Old friend… please… spare my son…"
Darkon's lifeblood gushed out, and he collapsed onto the hard unforgiving earth. His arms flailed around helplessly like a ragdoll. His wife suffered an equal fate. The couple's bodies were strewn over the ground, in a spread-eagled position.
"Papa? Mama?" the young baby stammered weakly. He crawled over to his parents, and huddled beside them, weeping in agony, as he realized that his parents were gone forever.
I am so not going to kill him, Kines thought, I must honour my friend's last wish. He created an ice shard, and tipped it with poison. He then flung the projectile at the young child, and he was sent into unconsciousness.
"I declare this ceremony over!" the leader roared. The members of the Circle destroyed the freezing spell. The leader removed his hood, and as moonlight danced on his maniacal-looking face, it was clear that he was the famous magician, Grendel the Really Old…
I I I
A few days later, Kines froze himself to the exact same place where he left the child behind. He grabbed the one-year-old baby and stuffed him hastily in his cloak, then set off back to home, where his baby was also waiting for his return.
I I I
Twelve years later…
Cinder Iceguarde woke up to the sweet and melodious sound of birds chirping. He stretched his arms wide, and yawned. His brother, Liam Iceguarde, was still snoring in his sleep. Cinder sneaked up behind his brother. Then he let loose a high-pitched scream.
"What the…" Liam woke up, and turned around only to see his dark-haired brother's face, and exclaimed, "Hey, you woke me up from my sleep!"
"Ha!" Cinder grinned mischievously, then as his brother made a lunge for him, he dexterously avoided him and his brother went charging down the staircase, and accidentally slipped and fell on the last one.
Cinder walked down and beamed and Liam as if nothing had happened. His brother glared back in mock anger as he aimed a light punch at Cinder's shoulder.
They continued quarrelling and squabbling until they saw that their father, Kines, was sitting at the dining table, staring sternly at them. They instantly zipped their mouths, and sat down to tuck in. After the meal was over, Kines motioned for his two sons to follow him outside.
"Today I shall teach you how to release your magic. Liam, come forward. Remember: Concentrate on your inner energy, and draw it out."
Liam took a deep breath, and pulled out some of his inner magic. A holy light burst from nowhere and floated on his palms. Liam stared in awe. "I'm a Cleric!"
"Hmm… Cleric? Interesting… You take after your mother. Cinder! Come forward. Remember what I have said," Kines ordered and Cinder stood in front of him.
Hmm, that child looks so much like his father. Darkon would be proud…
All of a sudden, a white hot flame appeared in Cinder's hand. Strangely, he felt none of the accompanying pain as the flame enveloped his palm, then wrist, then elbow…
"Oh my god, you are a Fire Poison…" Liam gasped in horror. Cinder gulped, then struggled to keep his frightened feelings contained inside the recesses of his heart. Everyone knew that the FP class was kicked out and outlawed. Many a young Fire Poison practitioner had been brought to Grendel and never seen again.
I knew this would happen… Now my old friend's son would be discovered and sentenced to death…
"Don't worry, that sometimes happens…" Iceguarde muttered, trying to convince himself more than his sons. A few magician trainees did not know how to control their powers, and they often appeared in other elements apart from their destined jobs' too.
However, a tiny green mist appeared in Cinder's other hand. Liam gave an unwitting soft yell.
One can be a coincidence, but two…? Surely not?
Cinder looked ready to faint. He quickly locked up his magic so as to prevent any neighbours from finding out that he was an FP. However, an assassin spy, using Dark Sight, slowly melted into the shadows once more and crept off to inform his master of this news…
I I I
"Master Drakon, I have found out that Cinder Iceguarde is a Fire Poison," the young assassin reported.
"Good. Dispose of him. I shall give you a fighter, Ice Lightning wizard and a crossbowman to help you kill him," Drakon replied curtly.
"Yes, Master," the young assassin bowed low and went out of the chamber, as he rallied up his party members.
I I I
An assassin arrived at the Iceguarde mansion. He rapped the door impatiently and a bleary-eyed Liam opened it. The assassin, together with his strike team, charged recklessly into the grand manor and yelled for Cinder. He walked out from the toilet, and suddenly, blades were brought to his neck. The assassin growled menacingly, and threw a steely at Cinder. He yelped in agony as the throwing knife embedded itself in his shoulder. He fell down onto the ground, tortured by the intense pain. Not known to him, the Steely was tipped with wolfsbane sap and slowly, but surely, the poison began coursing through Cinder's veins, towards his heart, where the deadly toxin would be involuntarily pumped towards every part of his body.
"Come on, men! Let's leave!"
I I I
"Heal… HEAL!" Liam was trying his best to save his brother from the brink of death. Cinder was half over the edge of the cliff and almost ready to plummet to the fiery lands of Hell.
Meanwhile, Kines was trying to find the wolfsbane antidote he had somewhere in his cupboards. His wife had a collection of antidotes, being a bishop when she was alive. He finally withdrew a green potion from the depths of the antidote cabinet, and as he poured the liquid down Cinder's throat, he prayed to God that the antidote would work on his foster son.
Cinder hiccupped. The colour was slowly returning to his face. With a final burst of 'Heal', Cinder was brought back from the realm of unconsciousness.
"Lucky you, they left you for dead!" Liam exclaimed.
"I have to leave now," Cinder rasped, still feeling weak.
No, why should you!" Liam replied, clearly horrified by the statement.
"No… you don't understand. They will come to check for evidence that I am dead. I have to leave so as to let you all out of trouble." Kines nodded somberly.
"May God bless you, and make your journey safe," Kines whispered desolately. Cinder packed his belongings, and left on his solo journey into the wilderness…
I I I
"You scum! Traitor of our magician kind! You FPs only know how to poison our fertile lands and plants and raze down everything in your sight!" Grendel yelled at the FP bound in shackles in front of him, and as he spoke, spittle flew everywhere, some landing on the Fire Poison Wizard, who flinched.
Grendel the Really Old, the respected magician, whispered to the man at his side. He bowed, crimson eyes glinting with a sadistic mirth, as he slowly advanced towards the prisoner. He struck his staff at the FP, and then whispered a spell over the unconscious man. Hypnosis Will. The man grinned callously. One more man was won over to their side. These mindless servants would serve their purpose in the upcoming country scour for rebel Fire Poisons.
"Well done, Drakon," Grendel murmured to his aide. Drakon bowed deeply, and as he did so, he casted a spell on Grendel. It was the exact same one, in fact. Drakon smirked. He had Grendel, the supposedly most powerful magician in the whole world of Maplesea, twisted around his little pinky. Nothing could stop him now, NOTHING!
I I I
Drakon and his brother were trudging up the forest path, eliminating the slimes and green mushrooms that crossed their path. The feeling of killing another gave Drakon a sense of invincibility. However, his brother outshone him in everything. He despised and loathed his brother. So what if he had no specific element, even though his 2nd job advancement day drew closer? His brother was just a stinking old Fire Poison who razed down trees.
Drakon casted Magic Claw at his detestable twin brother. The latter screamed, and tumbled down through a few shrubs and landed in a pond. He flailed his arms around wildly, as he gazed pleadingly at Drakon. Drakon shook his head slowly, while smirking arrogantly, reveling in the sense of superiority. He used an Ellinia return scroll and told the bad news to his parents that his brother was pushed off a cliff by a green mushroom and even though he searched the whole forest, there was no sign of his brother.
No one thought that anything was out of the ordinary until a few days later, Drakon's brother staggered back towards his home and told the truth to their parents. The scars from the Magic Claw were still there, and that was proof enough. Grendel the Really Old banished him from the forest town of Ellinia on pain of death. Drakon Firegaze, left with no choice, had to put off his revenge against his older brother.
Author's Note:
Lol my first ever story it sucks though. Well, for those of you who still can't figure out who's Drakon's elder brother, look at his surname, then look at the "prologue" before the twelve years later thing. Ok the plot sucks, but plz review. I beg you. TT.