The Flames of Arathia

by Jordan Liberatore

  Drusilla and Adam had returned to Annloe’s after dropping Declan off with Chester. It was a bitter goodbye, and Drusilla hated every second of it. That night was Adam’s last night, and Annloe was telling stories by the fire inside. Drusilla found herself in the garden once more though, looking up at the stars. “I love you like a thousand stars,” she muttered, thinking of Malcolm.

  “I thought thou wouldst want to celebrate, my child,” Annloe remarked, joining her outside. He was speaking of the real party of the night, the speedy marriage of Nathan and Lillian that took place when they were all back in Anikarra. Drusilla sighed, sitting on a bench.

  “Adam wants me to leave with him,” Drusilla confessed.

  “Why would you not?” Annloe inquired, sitting with her.

  “My son is in Anikarra,” Drusilla argued.

  “Your son, born of a man now dead,” Annloe pointed out. “Child, remember what was seen in that meadow.”

  “I still feel torn. His entire life he didn’t know who I was. How can I just leave?” Drusilla mused.

  “Yet you would return as needed. Adam will not dare separate a mother and son. That is too strong a bond to try and break,” Annloe explained. Drusilla slowly nodded. “Thy heart has made its choice.”

  “I think so,” Drusilla sighed.

  “Love is rare, my child. Waste it not and it will reward thee greatly. Thou hath a calling to the realm of Serentari. Take this chance,” Annloe advised.

  “Have you ever been in love?” Drusilla inquired. Annloe smiled, reaching over and plucking a rose.

  “My heart has longed for one, yes. It still doth long for her, I would presume. Yet my fate keeps me here, child. I hath not a chance such as you,” Annloe remarked. Drusilla stood, looking at him as he spun the rose in his hand. As she walked inside, she finally had her answer. A blue sorcerer was stuck without the love he felt. Drusilla didn’t have to make the same choice. She found Adam leaning against the stairs.

  “You’re waiting for my response,” Drusilla pointed out. Adam smiled.

  “You’re getting too good at reading me, Sill,” Adam laughed. Drusilla leaned against him.

  “I let go of the man I loved once, Adam. I learned my lesson. That’s one thing I’ll never do again,” Drusilla confessed, reaching up and kissing the man who’d stolen her heart, the man she was willing to spend the rest of her life with.

  Epilogue:

  Within a year, Drusilla had wed Adam. A while later, they gave birth to their daughter Serenity, the same year Nathan and Lillian bore their son, Sefton, who would grow up with Declan, raised by Chester. Sir Chester Conning was promoted to Royal Investigator by Nathan, put in charge of seeking out any remaining Brethren and arresting them. The next year Drusilla gave birth to a son, Luther. Not long after that, Nathan and Lillian had a daughter they named Alyssa.

  Adam was crowned king not long after his return to Serentari, Avariana beginning her step down as ruler. Caleb returned with a few firebloods back to the village in Serentari, taking charge with Lillian gone. He changed his womanizing ways, settling down with a nice woman he was madly in love with. Adam and Drusilla returned to Nacotari as often as possible, at least twice a year. Herto returned to being the greatest pirate captain there ever was. In the meantime, Poyro finally left the pirate life, traveling the different kingdoms as a performer. He himself married around the time that Alyssa was born.

  Galdirr saw a new era of peace. Nathan looked to the old fireblood kings as models for his rule, trying to be as just and fair as possible. He rebuilt trade in Norto alongside the help of Lillian, and opened up new connections with other kingdoms. The village of Nathlo no longer saw Drusilla as the murderer of Breena Kloy, but as a hero. Herto was even looked at with pride once again, not that either returned there very often.

  Annloe took on the task of finishing the work Breena began. He loved it. Valtari continued to be trained as a guardian of the Isle of Serenity under Annloe. Drusilla began to teach him the common tongue. It turned out she had her mother’s knack of teaching. There was still no sign of Elliana, or the second part of the Dinthlayi Amarca. Overall, though, no one really cared. They knew they could jump to action, and just wanted to spend their time enjoying the peace they had now. It had been hard earned, and they had now ushered in the start of a new and greater era, the likes of which had not before been seen. Thus the peace was enjoyed, at least… At least until Serentari saw the darkest disappearances yet to come. That, though, is another story all together.

  Afterward:

  Hello dear readers, my dear Free Striders! I know, this is usually the part people skip. However, if you enjoyed this story, please give this a read. I have spent almost four years working on this story. Let me explain the story behind the story.

  I take you back to the January of 2013. My computer had just been destroyed and I needed something to write. Every other project I had worked on had been destroyed. It was time for new work. Well, one night I had the thought of this woman and man laughing in a room. They were obviously out of a fantasy world, and outcasts of a sort. Those two would grow into Drusilla and Nathan. I began writing the first of many, many drafts of the story on my old hand me down iPod. Originally this was a trilogy, the first book told in Drusilla’s point of view, the second in Nathan’s, and back to Drusilla’s in the third. It took a while to finish, and when I had, I soon realized it was too short that way. I then began to painful task of putting them together as one novel. I thought it would be done then, but something still felt off. It was around this time I was also working on the sequel. Around 2015, early 2016, I decided that this needed to be entirely rewritten in a third person past tense perspective. That would become the most annoying but exciting undertaking ever.

  Let me tell a few secrets. In 2013, Drusilla was going to be with Nathan until Lillian popped up in my mind. Thus I put her with Adam after realizing that Lu was evil. It wasn’t until rewriting this that I realized that Drusilla was, in fact, in love with Malcolm. You see, originally Declan didn’t exist at all, but nor did Luther. Malcolm was Breena’s lover. Rewriting this opened up a whole new plot line to me, one I loved more than the original. The Wise also wasn’t going to be in this, at least not until I began really getting into the sequel and she became a recurring character. In 2015, I did my first NaNoWriMo. That project, Annalie’s Plight, became the backbone of Galdirrian lore. Suddenly this world had way more depth than I imagined, further than what I was actually trying to achieve. Suddenly it was all tying together.

  Want to know another secret? This story also saved my life. In the spring of 2013, I hit my first bit of depression, and first bit of my struggle with self harm. I wanted to die. But I knew I couldn’t. No, I had a story to tell, a story that had to be published before I could die. That’s how much this book means to me, these characters, and the entire world of Arathia.

  Now for the other fun stuff. I have some people to thank, and it’s too long a list to deal with a dedication. So bear with me. First of all, my best friends. Makaylah, you were there when I first started this journey, and there when I finished the rewrite. You kept cheering me on. Rachel… Oh where do I begin? Summer of 2016. Enough said. I’d also, as much as they would be shocked to hear it, would like to thank my aunt and uncle. The more they challenged the work I was doing, the more I wanted to do it. They were the push I needed to keep going with this as a writer. The actual dedication of this novel goes to my father, the man who encouraged my reading and storytelling as a child before he passed away. He pushed me to be the person I am, the writer I’ve become. He, if I am to be seen at all as Drusilla, is my Breena.

  On this list, I also have to thank my Aragorn. Yes, that is a LOTR reference. He knows who he is though, or should anyways. Without him, and a mutual friend of ours, Drusilla never would have considered Adam. If that didn’t happen, well, I wouldn’t be here writing about this story, now would I?

  Wrapping up, I would also like to thank each and every reader, and no, not j
ust for sitting through this. No, I thank you for joining me on this journey, the end of the Fireblood War. Thank you for cheering on Drusilla and turning every page. I hope I kept you entertained. I love entertaining people like this. I was that kid in the bleachers reading and not paying attention to gym class. This is for every nerdy child, teen, or adult who picks up this book and is determined to read from start to finish. For you very devoted fantasy lovers, I have a little something special. After this are the appendixes. Are there some Elvish lines you want to translate? Do you want some more background on the kingdom of Galdirr? Maybe you want to know what lullaby Adam likes to hum, or some other little bits of trivia. If you do, check out what comes next. You don’t need them to really understand the story, but they’re great if you want to really dig deeper into the lore.

  Thank you all and I do love you all like a thousand stars,

  J

  Appendix A:

  Some History on the Kingdom of Galdirr

  Galdirr is one of the many kingdoms within the world of Arathia. It is one of the few that has tried, with the exception of the reign of the non-firebloods, to strive for peace over all the kingdoms. This kingdom started with the roaming Yulgarra tribes settling in the rich land. The Yulgarra tribes were firebloods that were the sons and daughters of the Ancient Ones, a people of powerful magic even more so than the Sorcerers, and Man. Around the counted year 500 these tribes banded together to create Galdirr with the Elves. In Elvish, Galdirr means “Open Lands,” which is a fitting title as Galdirr, aside from the mountains on the southern tip and the forests in the northern area, is open plains.

  A rough timeline on the history of Galdirr is shown below. The dates are in the counted years as according to the early Yulgarra tribes, which also is a universal count, though the Elves’ count on years goes back millennia before this.

  c. 500: Galdirr was formed

  c. 580: Romarn was formed

  c. 1000: Elliana the Great is born.

  1200: Latorro is born.

  1220: Latorro weds Eslara

  1224: Latorro takes the throne. Arlanto is born.

  1234: King Anikarra of Romarn declares war against Galdirr. Dinthlayi Amarca is foretold by Elliana in Latorro’s court. Eslara falls ill.

  1235: Eslara dies.

  1239: Anikarra drives out Prince Arlanto and kills Latorro, taking the throne of Galdirr. Elliana hides the Fireblood Gem at Outcasts Cove and retreats to the Isle of Serenity.

  1240: Annloe is born.

  1247: Arlanto meets Raesha and Marklo Demmar on Tiarta.

  1268: The Elvish Purge begins in Galdirr.

  1270: Elliana leads the Elves to Serentari and disappears. Annloe becomes the guardian of Serenity Spring.

  1300: Avariana is born. Arlanto passes away.

  1400: Avariana takes the Elvish throne.

  1500: Annloe sees a need for an apprentice.

  1515: Patronok is born.

  1519: Annloe adopts Patronok.

  1532: Malcolm Mace is born.

  1538: Lucinda Mace, Nathan Rodrick, and Adam Brightheart are born.

  1539: Lillian is born.

  1540: Melody Kloy (AKA Drusilla Free Strider) is born. Gluther becomes King of Galdirr

  1553: Lucinda becomes the Dark Leader.

  1556: Nathan’s home village is destroyed. Malcolm moves to Norto to met Breena in the hopes of killing Melody. Lillian and a few firebloods escape to Serentari. Adam marries Lucinda Mace

  1557: Adam and Lu are added to Nathan’s team.

  1559: Breena Kloy is killed; Melody becomes a Free Strider and changes her name to Drusilla.

  1561: Roark Brightheart is killed.

  1563: Drusilla meets Nathan; end of the Fireblood War. Nathan becomes crowned as King, and marries Lillian in the late fall.

  1564: Drusilla and Adam return to Serentari and are married.

  1565: Serenity Brightheart is born in the late spring a few months after Sefton Rodrick II.

  1566: Luther Brightheart is born. Avariana steps down as Queen and Adam is crowned King with Drusilla as his queen.

  1567: Alyssa Rodrick II is born.

  The Kingdom of Romarn

  Romarn as a kingdom is vastly different from Galdirr. It was started by scattered non-fireblood tribes down in the mountains that make up the southern tip of Galdirr as is now. The tribes, stemming for sell swords who had aided Annalie Karret in her war, banded together in the hopes of rivaling the success of Galdirr as a kingdom. In the year 1234, King Anikarra, wanting to drive out all Elvish and Fireblood forces in Galdirr and take the land as his own, declared war on Galdirr. He eventually got what he wanted, though the war never really ended. When he took over Galdirr, Romarn consequentially ended as a kingdom. Its lands were added to Galdirr, however, if one were to travel, they would see the ruins of the old cities, including its capital which is hidden in the mountains.

  The Telling of the Fireblood War

  Once long ago when firebloods still had rule over Galdirr, a respected kingdom of its time within the world of Arathia, in the year 1224, King Latorro was crowned over Galdirr as King. He and his wife, Queen Eslara, took their throne in power, with dreams of greatness for their people. They worked to achieve peace, raising a son born in the same year as the crowning. They befriended many kingdoms, spreading a peace never seen before.

  However, there was one nation not at all pleased by this. There was just below Galdirr a kingdom of Romarn, led by King Anikarra. Anikarra hated the fireblood people, despising their very existence. He wanted Galdirr for himself.

  In the year 1234 Anikarra found his greed too much to bear. He gathered his armies and called war upon Galdirr, upon Latorro. Latorro was shocked at the call. He thus turned to his faithful servant and friend, Elliana. She declared to him with her great powers as High Sorceress of the Age a prophecy never to be forgotten, telling of the end of the war to come.

  Eslara fell ill during the time of this call. By the spring of the next year her illness would take her life. Latorro struggled to fight during the time of his grief, leaning more than ever on Elliana as a friend. Anikarra was quickly gaining an upper hand over Latorro’s army.

  The years passed, battles fought too often to count. Latorro’s defenses were weakening, he himself falling between planning and afterwards filling the long nights with Elliana. By 1239 Anikarra was upon the great castle. By then Elliana begged Latorro to hide his son away, to protect the bloodline in order to keep the prophecy true.

  One day when Anikarra burst through the doors, Latorro agreed to send his son away. The prince hid within the castle with Elliana as Anikarra killed Latorro, believing the war had been won for him. However, it would not be so as the prince, the true heir of Galdirr lived.

  Anikarra drove out the Elves and drove south the firebloods. Many escaped his wrath, fearing for their lives rightfully. For years tensions rose, and no one knew the war had not yet ended. Indeed, the last prophecy of Elliana still hung high, the true end to the Fireblood War.

  In the year 1563 up arose the Chosen Ones. By the fall of that great year the war was ended, killing the real enemy, the Brethren, a group that had arisen when Anikarra took Galdirr as his own.

  Appendix B:

  The Firebloods

  The Firebloods are a special race of people descended from the early Yulgarra tribes. They have the ability to create fire that penetrates their skin. Their blood will actually turn to a liquid fire. The fire of a fireblood is only harmless to that fireblood. When this is activated, the eyes of a fireblood turn to a golden red, like flames. More powerful firebloods, like Drusilla and Nathan, can surround and/or engulf themselves completely in their flames. They can also cage something in their flames.

  Firebloods are not all pure. Many are like Lu and are born in non-fireblood families. Others have only one fireblood parent, such as Adam. The purer firebloods like Nathan and Drusilla are direct descendants of the Yulgarra tribes. They are the most powerful and purest. This derives from the na
ture of their genes. Their genetic makeup is more prone to handling greater amounts of the fire, and thus being able to channel their power in a better way than those who do not have this advantage. In cases like Lu, many would consider the fireblood ability to be a genetic mutation. In some lights, it can be seen as that, however, it is not fully so. In many of these cases, it is a recessive gene that may carry down through multiple generations before being seen again.

  The distinction between firebloods stems from lineage. Drusilla and Nathan can trace their families back to the Karrets, the first and purest firebloods. Others such as Lu and Adam, descend from the rest of the Yulgarra Tribes, those not born as firebloods before Galdirr was born but rather altered by the Being Xiabor herself.

  The Elves

  Pushed out by Anikarra during his reign, Elves fled to Serentari. Their nickname is “wise and fair” due to their knowledgeable and even tempered demeanor. They are quiet and led by High Elves, which are far more powerful than usual Elves. Not all High Elves are pure blood however. Adam, a half Elf, was also of the High Elf race. Over all, Elves are healers who live about twice as long as mortal humans. In the same manner, old age does not show with them. In cases of older age, a High Elf may choose to retreat into the woods of Serentari to the Sacred Land, which is a hidden forest to the far east. The Elves are much older than Man, being the first intelligent creatures aside from the Ancient Ones to be made. They have a natural intuition, and their tears hold a healing power that is trademark to their abilities. They are also well learned in the arts.

  Humans

  Humans, as of course, take up most of present day Galdirr’s population. When Romarn and Galdirr were merged, many other humans came and joined the “new” kingdom. They took up most of the northern section of Galdirr, most being fireblood haters. Others, however, migrated down south over time to help the few firebloods who lay in hiding. Those who were originally living in Galdirr and hated Anikarra taking power went and created bands of pirates, fleeing to Tiarta, the one place in which Galdirr had no actual reign over. Most humans, however, actually live in other regions of Arathia. One kingdom to note is Zathora, a desert region much like the Sahara and Arabian areas that lies just to the west of Galdirr.