Introduction: Village of the Flamecasters

I am a royal. My mother and father are the rulers of our small, protected village. Tall, bronzed and lean, Mother is the Chieftess Haya of the village. Mother is the best warrior in the village. Muscled, bronze and quick-witted, Papa is the Chief Arian of the village. Papa's job deals with all politics and trades for the village because we have ties to the United States, mostly the more industrial states.

Our village lies in the heart of Brazil, but we are all fluent in English, thanks to Papa. Our village is completely cut off from all civilizations, but I know that Mother has a secret connection to New York.

As I grew, Mother fashioned me into a warrior. Combat training falls to all mothers' shoulders. She helped me gain control over my fiery powers and my even more fierce temper. I soon became a strong warrior and a skilled hunter. At the same time, Papa taught me schooling: mathematics, history, literature, languages, and sciences. While we were tucked away in his cozy study, I devoured the knowledge he taught just as the fire in the fireplace consumed the logs. I became a strong woman of our tribe who could not only fight intensely and honorably, but also had a vicious intelligence. I could not only speak English, but also French, Chinese, and Spanish fluently.

I was the pride of the tribe and my life was of many splendors. I was to marry a star student of Papa's whom I was quite fond of. The most glorious day of our lives was the eve of my eighteenth birthday. The whole village celebrated in grand joy with a parade and grand feast. Alas, our joy turned to horror when a rival village attacked. My betrothed was the first killed and I was the next target. I am the heir to glorious Flamecaster throne and my destruction was eminent for our rivals. My safety became key.

"Aya, go to the hide-away now!" Papa yelled, pushing me southbound. My will to fight made me freeze in my tracks. Yells of anguish from Koki's family mixed with the war cries of our warriors. I looked at my dead fiancé, an arrow sticking from his neck. I felt tears brim into my eyes. I looked up and noticed the air already going hazy from the smoke. I ducked just as an arrow whistled passed my face. It had been aimed at my forehead. Rage bubbled inside me. Balling my fists, I whirled at my attacker. Flames flew at his head I threw my fingers open. A cry of pain rang out and I smiled. I had hit my mark.

Shock washed over me when Mother grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the hide-away. We ran swiftly, but confusion rolled about in my brain. Why was Mother not fighting? She knew, though she would never admit it, that I was strong enough to protect myself. We flew down the stairs of the hide-away hidden tunnel. The enchanted door slammed shut behind us. Finally, Mother closed the second door and muttered a protection spell. I sat down on the concrete floor.

"Mother, why are you not fighting?" I asked quietly. Mother did not answer, nor did she turn from the door to face me.

"I am strong, we can fight together!" I cried. I stared as the back of her neck tightened. I sat silently for a moment, my teeth grinding together.

"I am of age! I deserve to fight!" I yelled jumping to my feet. I gasped when Mother turned and swept me into a tight embrace. I stiffened slightly.

"My Aya, you are so wise and strong," she murmured in my ear. She pushed me to arm's length. Her bright green eyes sparkled with tears of pride.

"My Aya, you are strong and you have made me so proud! But, I will remain here to ensure your safety," she said. I smiled sadly.

"No. you must fight like the strong Chieftess you are! Go and fight with our people Mother! I will stay and pray that Kahlie, our beloved goddess will protect me," I said. A tear spilled onto Mother's cheek. She handed me a cellular phone. I had seen only one in my life, when a man came to talk business with Papa.

"If we do not survive, press the number one and then the green button. When a man answers, say 'Catalan is never lost' and he will come to take you to the States. His name is Dragon," Mother explained. I nodded and she vanished out of the door. Instantly, I uttered a protection prayer. I slid down to the ground and pulled my knees up to my chest. I hugged my knees as tears poured down my cheeks. Overhead, yells of pain and anguish sliced through the air. Suddenly, the night seemed to freeze in a cold, dead silence. I scuttled to the door and pressed my ear against the cold stone. I could hear nothing but silence. Cautiously, I opened the door. Slowly, I walked up the stairs. Bile rose in throat as I stared at a mutilated nude body. I turned the girl over. Her breasts were bruised and her face was slashed to ribbons. I looked at the girl's wrist.

"Arella!" I sobbed as I fingered the jade bracelet I had given my best friend. I slumped over her body and sobbed hysterically. I pulled back and stared at Arella's deathly white corpse. I turned in time as vomit spewed from me.

"I am so sorry Arella," I whispered as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. Her lifeless blue eyes stared up into the night. I reached and took the bracelet from her wrist. I rose to my feet and wandered toward the heart of the village. Swords and arrows stuck into walls and some areas still smoldered from dying embers. Enemies and loved ones were strewn about, dead and burned. I choked back sobs as I tumbled over another body.

"Mother!" I howled with fresh pain. Her fight had been valiant. Arrows stuck into her and her fists were balled as if she had never stopped spewing her deadly flames. I closed her eyes and kissed each eyelid. I hurried from her.

"Aya?" a voice called feebly. I fell to my knees beside Papa.

"Papa, I'm so sorry! I love you Papa!" I cried. Papa reached a blood-soaked hand up and patted my cheek.

"My daughter, you are strong. Do not forget this. I love you and so did Haya. You will make Kahlie proud on your life journey. This I am sure," he said as the breath left his lungs. I sobbed and held his hand to my heart. I kissed it and stood up. Fury filled my heart for my lost loves. With a screech I threw my head back, arms out and spewed fire from my throat and palms. When my fury ebbed I lowered my face and stared at the ground. I turned on my heel and hurried to the burial hut. I opened chests of ceremonial burial clothing and jewels.

For hours, I dressed each member of my tribe. I took the jewels they wore and stashed them in a bag with a few of my own stuff. I stopped when the final child was burned and had the ceremonial prayer whispered. Each loved one had their own urn for their ashes. By nightfall, my bones were tired and I fell into the hide-away from exhaustion. My hand bumped the phone Mother had given me. I picked it up and punched in the two buttons I had been instructed to use.

"Hello?" a male voice asked. I paused.

"Catalan is never lost," I muttered breathlessly. A sharp intake of breath sounded on the other line.

"I will be there soon Princess Aya," the voice said mournfully. I nodded into the phone, though I knew the speaker could not see me. The line went dead and I fell into deep slumber.

I awoke the next morning to an odd, loud noise. I sat up swiftly. I was still in my celebration robe. I threw it off and dressed swiftly into a tiny buckskin skirt, a leather top and laced up my boots. I grabbed a dagger in each hand and silently crept up the stairs. I peered into the clearing as a giant, flying machine landed into my sight. Helicopter, I realized. I pulled a discarded black robe over myself. I had dressed to fight. Mother's philosophy was with less clothing to grab, it was harder for an opponent to grasp us.

A tall man jumped from the copter. He wore black pants, a white shirt and a long black coat. His hair was snow white, though he was extremely young, maybe in his late twenties. He walked toward me and I tightened my grip on my daggers.

"You are Aya. Come with me," he said. I backed away.

"Who are you?" I asked savagely. The man smiled.

"I am Master Dragon. You are to come with me for your protection daughter of Haya and Arian," he said. At my parents' names I dropped the daggers and felt a hollow emptiness in my heart.

"Their loss touches many hearts Aya, including my own and my partner's. You shall be safe with us, as your mother would wish," Dragon said. I looked into the man's cold black eyes. I nodded and grabbed the sole bag I had packed it was filled with the jewels of all my loved ones. I followed him onto the copter and soon we were soaring away. As land turned to ocean, I fingered the jade bracelet about my wrist. With Kahlie as my witness, I will destroy those who killed my family, I vowed silently, letting my heart harden.