Sorry this is so late. Guess who lost their flash drive again? *facepalm*
How many of you are reading the hunger games? i love the hunger games. I'm writing a fanfic for them.
anyway...
3 years later
POV Azizah
"Happy birthday, Azi!"
Azizah moaned. She didn't even have to open her eyes to guess who it was.
Lyall leaned closer, breath warm against her ear. "Come on, princess. Early morning: It's a birthday tradition."
"If I throw a stick, will you leave?" she growled, unmoving.
"That's a good one. Did it come to you in a dream?"
She grunted, sitting up groggily. "Alright, I'm up. What do you want?"
He grinned. "It's Conan. He wanted to see us in that one clearing behind his cabin."
Azizah rose, running her fingers through her hopelessly tangled hair. "And I thought getting my own house after the ceremony would give me some privacy," she grumbled.
"Tough. Are you ready yet?"
When they got to the clearing, Ravyn was already there. Her dark hair hung loose, and she wore dark colors. Her baggy pants looked comfy, and her shirt was casual, not unlike the style Azizah was wearing.
Ravyn smiled at them. "Morning, sleepyhead."
"Morning."
"So, birthday girl, how does it feel to be 16?" Lyall said, teasing. He was seventeen. So he was the oldest, and he made sure everyone knew it.
Azizah matched his playful tone. "I don't know. Tell me, how does it feel to be a b–"
"That's enough of that." Conan emerged from the trees, giving Azizah a pointed look.
"We were just messing around–"
"And now you're not." He glanced around. "Looks like everyone's here. Come on, I have something to show you." Conan walked away, not waiting to see if they were following.
"Wait for us!" Azizah ran to catch up, followed closely by Lyall and Ravyn.
Conan led them to his cabin. Inside, he pulled out a big chest, and started rummaging through it.
"Whatcha got there?" Azizah tried to see past him.
Conan pulled out something. Walking over to Ravyn, he handed it to her.
She took the bow and quiver, looking at them in awe. "They're beautiful. Are they for me?"
"Yes."
Ravyn strapped the quiver to her back, careful not to catch her hair on the purple-feathered arrows. The quiver fit perfectly. "I'm assuming it's for archery lessons?"
"Correct. Now it's Lyall's turn."Conan said, retrieving another item from the chest.
Azizah frowned. I'm always last, she pouted silently.
Conan handed him a long, thin object, wrapped in cloth. Lyall held it like it was a poisonous snake. Carefully, he unwrapped it, eyes widening when he saw the gold-and-green gift.
"A... a sword?" Lyall pulled the weapon out of it's sheath.
Conan looked amused. "What, you think I didn't notice the interest you took in fencing?"
Lyall's cheeks reddened.
Their leader turned to Azizah, eyes shining. "Last but not least, we have the princess Azizah." Turning, he grabbed the last item. Holding it out to her, Azizah saw that it was a... stick.
He had given her a walking stick. Wow.
She took it hesitantly. "A stick. Um, thanks. I think."
Conan laughed. "It's not just a stick. Remember the face paint you got during the ceremony 3 years ago?"
"Yeah? What about it?"
He nodded towards her gift. "That has some of the same ingredients. It directs your aura through your body, helping to intensify and control your magic."
Azizah looked closer at the surface of the stick. It had swirly designs traced on it. Pointing it at a leaf on the floor, she focused her energy. It lit on fire almost effortlessly.
"Okay, so it's a magic stick." She said while Lyall frantically stamped out the flames.
"The technical term is "bow" or "staff"."
"Sure. Thank you." Azizah said absently, her finger tracing the swirls on her new "staff". Suddenly, she looked up. "Why do we need these things, anyway? I don't plan on frying someone with a magic stick anytime soon."
As Conan shooed them out, he said, "Staff, my dear. It's a staff."
Walking into the forest, Azizah realized that he hadn't answered her question.
POV Lyall
"Hold it firmly, like this. No, don't put your thumb there, you'll end up chopping it off."
Lyall glared at his fencing instructor. It had already been his third day, and Lyall had only learned how to handle the sword.
The sword. Lyall turned his gaze to the beautiful piece of metal in his hands. I still can't believe that he gave me this, he thought for the millionth time. It must have cost a fortune. It's not like I've done anything to earn it. He scanned the trees. However, it might be useful for fighting off wolves...
"You're holding it too loosely. Tighten your grip. Otherwise, it'll fly out of your hands."
...once I learn how to use it. Following his teachers instructions, he clenched his hands around the hilt.
"Now you're holding it too tight. You won't be able to swing effectively."
Lyall suppressed a sigh. I hope the others are doing better than I am.
POV Azizah
I hope the others are doing better than I am.
Azizah watched another leaf pile slowly burn and disappear, just like her patience. I'm getting tired of this, she thought angrily. I try to blow away the leaves, they burn. I try to wash away the mud, it bakes and crumbles. I try to cook the bread, it scorches to black. She resisted the urge to chuck the stick as far as she could. What is with this stupid piece of wood and fire?
Grumbling, she sat down on a nearby log. She took a deep breath and glared at her new staff, as if by doing so she could discern all it's secrets.
"Staring contest with a stick?"
Azizah jumped, cheeks reddening. "I... Uh..."
Taralee's amused face peered out from behind a tree. "I'd have to say that the stick won."
"Tara?"
Azizah's friend walked over. "The one and only. How's it going? You look pretty frustrated." she said curiously.
Azizah had visited Taralee often in the past few years, and they had become really good friends. "Well, see, I got this staff from Conan the other day, and it's supposed to be a magical weapon."
"Looks like a stick to me."
Azizah smiled. "Exactly. But watch this." She pointed her staff at a patch of dry grass, and it burst into blue flames.
"Oooh, pretty! Can you light other things on fire?" Taralee said excitedly.
"Yeah, but that's the problem. All it does is burn things."
"Since when is being able to start fires on command a bad thing?" Taralee was still staring at the burning grass.
Azizah was about to answer, then stopped. Maybe I'm taking this for granted, she thought. I should be thankful I got such an awesome gift.
Taralee yawned. "Well, I'd better be going. Promised my mother I'd help her with the baby. See you soon, Azi!"
"Yeah. See you."
As her friend left, Azizah had an idea. She started to focus her energy like she would normally, but this time she shaped her aura a little differently before letting it loose.
There was a flash of bright light, along with a blast of heat, and Azizah fell backwards onto the ground in surprise.
What the heck?
Sitting up cautiously, she peered over the side of the log.
Where moments before there had been a tree, there was now a smoldering pile of wood. Blue flames danced along it's length.
Did I do that? Azizah wondered. I must have. There's no nearby lightning storms. Besides, that was too well timed to be a coincidence.
Fetching her staff, which she'd dropped, Azizah fingered the swirling designs. At least the tree didn't just light on fire. It's a start.
She glanced back at the remains of the unfortunate tree.
I'd better be careful with this thing. I might light someone else on fire.
Her lips curled into a mischievous smile.
This stick thing just got much more interesting.
POV Lyall
After changing into a pair of shorts, Lyall headed down the path towards the hot spring. The path was well worn; soaking in the spring was a favorite pastime among the village. Lyall himself went there often, especially when he was really tired or had sore muscles.
He glanced around the forest nervously. The forest didn't used to freak him out this much. Now, he would never forget how that wolf-person had looked at him, it's sharp teeth gleaming...
Don't think about that. He hurried on, listening intently for any sign of a wolf attack. He had his sword with him, as usual, but he wasn't exactly masterfully skilled in sword fighting. He could hold it. That's about it. So he was relieved to see the break in the trees which meant that he had arrived at the spring.
It was a relatively large spring, 20 feet in diameter. Thankful that he was the only one there, Lyall ran to his favorite spot, and placed his sword on the edge of the spring. Then he eased into the warm water, instantly relaxing. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath of steamy air, and relished in the heat. After a few minutes, he got this weird feeling, like he was floating.
His eyes shot open. He wasn't going up; the water level was going down.
Automatically reaching for his sword, he almost slipped on the wet surface of the rocks. He steadied himself. The water had gone down about 3 inches.
He glanced around, and paused when he saw a huge sphere of water, 5 feet in diameter, getting bigger by the second. It was levitating, and a stream of water was sucking the contents of the spring up into the orb. Behind the orb stood a single figure, new staff in hand.
"Azi! Cut that out! I'm trying to relax over here." Lyall shouted, grumpy now that his relaxing afternoon in the hot spring had been ruined.
She didn't even turn to look at him. "Magic studies take priority over relaxing. You want to soak, then go soak your head."
Lyall started to wade closer, bringing his sword with him. The water had gone down another inch. He was getting really annoyed.
"I'm getting better at this. Remember my thirteenth birthday "party"? I could barely keep a little one up. Now look! This is easy." She beamed.
Lyall faltered. She didn't look like she was having any trouble levitating all that water. Not even a drop of sweat. He frowned, even angrier now that she had managed to distract him from his grumpiness.
"I said, cut that out! Put the water back. I was here first."
She smiled smugly. "Make me."
Before he knew what he was doing, Lyall tore his sword from it's sheath and pierced the blob of water right through the middle, completely soaking a very surprised-looking Azizah from head to toe.
Lyall roared with laughter at the look on her face, previous anger forgotten. "Speaking of your thirteenth birthday," he said, "I believe this is the second time I have used your magical talent against you."
She frowned, trying to look unhappy, but couldn't quite hide the laughter in her eyes. "You're a turd, you know that?"
"How could I forget? You remind me, like, every day."
She looked at him for a moment, and turned away, blushing furiously. "I have to go. Bye, Lyall."
"Bye." Lyall replied, amused by her reaction as she hurriedly ran off.
Then he shrugged, sinking into the water. What I wouldn't give to know what's going on in that girl's head.
POV Conan
Conan breathed deeply, gazing out from the top branch of his favorite tree at the southern forest below.
This is not going to end well, he noted sadly. The truth will get out, destruction and sadness will follow closely.
I wish she had just killed that wolf when she had the chance.
He watched Ravyn hit yet another bulls-eye with her new bow. She looks just like her father. I wonder how he's doing? Things can't be going well over there. The Fire Clan is getting stronger by the day. Soon they will surpass the others, and we will have a problem. He frowned, closing his eyes.
It's only a matter of time.
BTW people it's my birthday today. yeah. happy birthday to moi. ^^ REVIEW!