Chapter 3: Purity's Promise
This year has been very rough and disturbing. With Chaos trying to ruin the world we lived in, it kept my comrades and I very busy. After the evil was vanquished, we were able to return to our homes, and live peacefully. That would be the case, if I had a home to return to. I guess even White Mages have their limits on healing.
My name is Runia, a White Mage from the small town of Forester. Our town was hidden in a forest to the north of Corneria, hidden so that our greatest secrets of magic would never be found by those corrupted by the evil Chaos. The magic we practiced was primarily healing magic, and basic diversionary and assistance spells learned in the Guild, yet some wanted greater powers, and left.
I was the age of seven when I chose my path into purity by joining the Guild. Since then I've been living in the guild house with our guild master Jilia. My parents' house wasn't a far distance away, so they had no objections. I would often visit them to talk and to tell them what I have been learning. I loved my parents with all of my heart, and wished only the best for them.
Ten years after I joined the guild, some of those who left to learn powerful magic had returned to our peaceful town. As always we took precautionary measures to make sure they didn't cause trouble, but they didn't work. On that day I had decided to visit my parents Vincent and Isabelle.
"Mother, Father! Are you here," I asked as I opened their door.
"Runia, welcome," my mother exclaimed as she rose from her chair in front of the window. "How are you my daughter?"
"I am well, and you Mother?"
"I too am well, thank the Almighty." She walked over to the table in the kitchen. "Please come in and relax."
"Thank you Mother." I walked to the table and joined my mother. We talked for some time, about the guild and local happenings. After some time I began to notice my father wasn't home, so I asked my mother about him. "Mother, where is Father at? I've noticed he seems to be out."
"Oh yes," she replied, "He is in town somewhere. Now that you mention it he should be back by now. Would you look for him?"
"Of course. I'll be back soon." I rose from my chair and headed outside. Mother followed me, and told me something before I left.
"Runia, be careful. Rumor has it that there are rogue wizards in town."
"Rogue wizards?"
"Yes. Apparently they are the mages who left town years ago. I wonder what they want."
"I'll be careful, and will return soon." Having said that I left for the town square, thinking Father would be there. As I approached it however I saw Lady Jilia talking to a strange man. I walked over to them and greeted Lady Jilia.
"Good afternoon Lady Jilia," I said, yet she didn't respond. "Lady Jilia?"
"Run Runia," she said. "Run as far as you can."
"What is the trouble?"
"Just run," she exclaimed, pushing me back. She never stopped looking at the strange man. She had an odd expression on her face. I looked to the strange man, but couldn't see his face because of his hood.
"It would be wise to run from here as the lady asked you, young one," the strange man spoke.
"Who are you," I asked him. "What business do you have here?"
"I'll just say that I'm 'enlightening' myself. I want to see what I'm capable of."
I gasped and stepped back in recoil to what I had just heard, and fearfully exclaimed, "You. you are a wizard!"
"You are a smart girl. It's a shame you have to go," he said, looking toward me.
"Run Runia! Run now, " Jilia shouted. I listened to her this time, and ran for my parents' house. The hooded man began to chase after me, but Jilia stopped him. As I ran, I prayed for my father's safety. I arrived at the house, and rushed inside.
"Runia, what is it," Mother asked.
"Mother," I said, "Run. Take some supplies and escape quickly."
"Why? What's going on?"
"There's a rogue wizard in town. You need to leave immediately."
"What about you father?"
"I couldn't find him. I'm sorry. All we can do is pray that he will be safe."
"What about you?"
"I'll escape too, I just want to make sure you are safe first."
"Fine, I'll gather my things."
"While you do that, I'll help Jilia."
"Runia, you can't," she said, clutching my wrist. "You are no match!"
"I have to try!"
"If you must try, then take this. It will protect you." She took a small jewel that resembled and emerald from her dresser, and gave it to me. "This is a crystal that has been passed down from generations long ago. It has served its possessors well, and perhaps it will protect you from the magic of the wizards."
"Thank you Mother." I placed the crystal in the pouch I kept at my side, hugged my mother, and ran to help Jilia. Upon my arrival, I noticed I was a bit late. Lady Jilia had been greatly injured, and most of the town had been either damaged or destroyed. I ran to Jilia's side, and knelt.
"Lady Jilia," I said, hoping for a response. "Lady Jilia?" I placed my hand on her arm and shook her lightly. "Lady Jilia, please say something!" There was still no response. I began to cry as I stared at my mentor's lifeless body. She was always there for me, through the toughest and most confusing times. She was like a second mother to me.
"It seems your companion was too stubborn for her own good," said a familiar voice. I rose to my feet and spun around quickly to see the hooded figure.
"What have you done to her," I asked, filled with anger.
"I did what I had to," he replied. "She refused to stand out of my way, so I cleared the path."
"You monster. How could you? You think taking the lives of innocent people will make you more powerful?"
"Not at all. This is an order from Chaos."
"Chaos," I gasped. "You don't mean the evil lord Chaos, do you?"
"I do. Now step out of my way or die!"
"I can't let you murder these people. These people are friends of mine, and I won't give them up so easily!"
"Fine then." A dark aura emanated from his left hand. "Bear witness to the ultimate power of Chaos! Nuke!"
A wall of fire burst through the ground behind him, and circled it's way around the city. The houses and trees caught fire quickly, and soon after burned to the ground. I looked in the direction of my parents' home, and rushed in that direction.
"You can't run forever, girl! I'll find you, and you will regret ever standing up to me!"
I ran as fast as I could, but I was too late. The fires had already burnt the house down. I fell to my knees and tears came to my eyes, but I quickly rose to my feet and ran into the forest. Luckily the fires hadn't reached it yet. I kept running wondering who the hooded man was, and why he destroyed our beautiful town. I prayed that my parents escaped safely as I ran to the south, for Corneria. I hoped they could help me in this time of crisis.
~end chapter 3~
This year has been very rough and disturbing. With Chaos trying to ruin the world we lived in, it kept my comrades and I very busy. After the evil was vanquished, we were able to return to our homes, and live peacefully. That would be the case, if I had a home to return to. I guess even White Mages have their limits on healing.
My name is Runia, a White Mage from the small town of Forester. Our town was hidden in a forest to the north of Corneria, hidden so that our greatest secrets of magic would never be found by those corrupted by the evil Chaos. The magic we practiced was primarily healing magic, and basic diversionary and assistance spells learned in the Guild, yet some wanted greater powers, and left.
I was the age of seven when I chose my path into purity by joining the Guild. Since then I've been living in the guild house with our guild master Jilia. My parents' house wasn't a far distance away, so they had no objections. I would often visit them to talk and to tell them what I have been learning. I loved my parents with all of my heart, and wished only the best for them.
Ten years after I joined the guild, some of those who left to learn powerful magic had returned to our peaceful town. As always we took precautionary measures to make sure they didn't cause trouble, but they didn't work. On that day I had decided to visit my parents Vincent and Isabelle.
"Mother, Father! Are you here," I asked as I opened their door.
"Runia, welcome," my mother exclaimed as she rose from her chair in front of the window. "How are you my daughter?"
"I am well, and you Mother?"
"I too am well, thank the Almighty." She walked over to the table in the kitchen. "Please come in and relax."
"Thank you Mother." I walked to the table and joined my mother. We talked for some time, about the guild and local happenings. After some time I began to notice my father wasn't home, so I asked my mother about him. "Mother, where is Father at? I've noticed he seems to be out."
"Oh yes," she replied, "He is in town somewhere. Now that you mention it he should be back by now. Would you look for him?"
"Of course. I'll be back soon." I rose from my chair and headed outside. Mother followed me, and told me something before I left.
"Runia, be careful. Rumor has it that there are rogue wizards in town."
"Rogue wizards?"
"Yes. Apparently they are the mages who left town years ago. I wonder what they want."
"I'll be careful, and will return soon." Having said that I left for the town square, thinking Father would be there. As I approached it however I saw Lady Jilia talking to a strange man. I walked over to them and greeted Lady Jilia.
"Good afternoon Lady Jilia," I said, yet she didn't respond. "Lady Jilia?"
"Run Runia," she said. "Run as far as you can."
"What is the trouble?"
"Just run," she exclaimed, pushing me back. She never stopped looking at the strange man. She had an odd expression on her face. I looked to the strange man, but couldn't see his face because of his hood.
"It would be wise to run from here as the lady asked you, young one," the strange man spoke.
"Who are you," I asked him. "What business do you have here?"
"I'll just say that I'm 'enlightening' myself. I want to see what I'm capable of."
I gasped and stepped back in recoil to what I had just heard, and fearfully exclaimed, "You. you are a wizard!"
"You are a smart girl. It's a shame you have to go," he said, looking toward me.
"Run Runia! Run now, " Jilia shouted. I listened to her this time, and ran for my parents' house. The hooded man began to chase after me, but Jilia stopped him. As I ran, I prayed for my father's safety. I arrived at the house, and rushed inside.
"Runia, what is it," Mother asked.
"Mother," I said, "Run. Take some supplies and escape quickly."
"Why? What's going on?"
"There's a rogue wizard in town. You need to leave immediately."
"What about you father?"
"I couldn't find him. I'm sorry. All we can do is pray that he will be safe."
"What about you?"
"I'll escape too, I just want to make sure you are safe first."
"Fine, I'll gather my things."
"While you do that, I'll help Jilia."
"Runia, you can't," she said, clutching my wrist. "You are no match!"
"I have to try!"
"If you must try, then take this. It will protect you." She took a small jewel that resembled and emerald from her dresser, and gave it to me. "This is a crystal that has been passed down from generations long ago. It has served its possessors well, and perhaps it will protect you from the magic of the wizards."
"Thank you Mother." I placed the crystal in the pouch I kept at my side, hugged my mother, and ran to help Jilia. Upon my arrival, I noticed I was a bit late. Lady Jilia had been greatly injured, and most of the town had been either damaged or destroyed. I ran to Jilia's side, and knelt.
"Lady Jilia," I said, hoping for a response. "Lady Jilia?" I placed my hand on her arm and shook her lightly. "Lady Jilia, please say something!" There was still no response. I began to cry as I stared at my mentor's lifeless body. She was always there for me, through the toughest and most confusing times. She was like a second mother to me.
"It seems your companion was too stubborn for her own good," said a familiar voice. I rose to my feet and spun around quickly to see the hooded figure.
"What have you done to her," I asked, filled with anger.
"I did what I had to," he replied. "She refused to stand out of my way, so I cleared the path."
"You monster. How could you? You think taking the lives of innocent people will make you more powerful?"
"Not at all. This is an order from Chaos."
"Chaos," I gasped. "You don't mean the evil lord Chaos, do you?"
"I do. Now step out of my way or die!"
"I can't let you murder these people. These people are friends of mine, and I won't give them up so easily!"
"Fine then." A dark aura emanated from his left hand. "Bear witness to the ultimate power of Chaos! Nuke!"
A wall of fire burst through the ground behind him, and circled it's way around the city. The houses and trees caught fire quickly, and soon after burned to the ground. I looked in the direction of my parents' home, and rushed in that direction.
"You can't run forever, girl! I'll find you, and you will regret ever standing up to me!"
I ran as fast as I could, but I was too late. The fires had already burnt the house down. I fell to my knees and tears came to my eyes, but I quickly rose to my feet and ran into the forest. Luckily the fires hadn't reached it yet. I kept running wondering who the hooded man was, and why he destroyed our beautiful town. I prayed that my parents escaped safely as I ran to the south, for Corneria. I hoped they could help me in this time of crisis.
~end chapter 3~