Firemancer Collection (Fated Saga Box Set Book 1)

by R. H. D'aigle

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  “Good, everyone is up,” said Irving as he abruptly appeared from the tunnel door during breakfast the next morning. “The SLC is having an emergency meeting. Ivan, I’ve been instructed that you may attend even though your Initiation isn’t complete yet. Boy, you must have really made an impression on Banon Blackwell.”

  Ivan had joined them for breakfast. He responded to Irving’s announcement by immediately heading down the tunnel toward the meeting. Sheila rushed to change her clothes to a more presentable dress.

  Irving looked sternly at the four youngsters sitting at the kitchen table.

  “Be very careful today! Jae, I am leaving you in charge of your sister while we’re in this meeting. It could last awhile.”

  Jae perked up. “Yeah, dad, of course. I won’t take my eyes off her.”

  Irving nodded his approval and turned to Meghan.

  “In all the chaos of last night, Sheila and I did not have a chance to congratulate you on being picked as Learner Companion.” Irving looked as though he was not entirely sure what he wanted to say. “I am sure that Banon Blackwell is teaching you well, but take great care. It seems she has a special task in store for Ivan, and now with Scratchers at our backs …” It seemed he had made his point, as he turned and took hold of wife’s arm and they disappeared down the tunnel.

  Meghan’s appetite, which was barely there at all, completely vanished. Why had Ivan picked her? She sucked at magic, and although her Firemancy was improving, she realized she still had far to go, especially after seeing Juliska’s display of power the evening before.

  “Is it safe for us to go outside?” asked Colin.

  “I’ve heard a few others outside this morning,” Jae replied.

  Colin wanted to keep practicing his Aspectus Remotus skills, hoping to regain a connection with Catrina, when a frightening thought dawned on him. He had been using magic just hours before the attack. He panicked. Did my use of magic trigger the attack? Did I show the Scratchers where we are? How will I keep searching for Catrina without using magic?

  Regardless of whether his use of magic had somehow attracted the Scratchers, he needed to be more careful.

  A knock at the door shook him from his thoughts. It was a friend of Mireya’s.

  The group stepped outside, and were instantly confronted by a new human barrier, marking a point to which the children could not pass. A few older Svoda teens made up this barrier, protecting the younger Svoda as they played outside.

  At the far end of the barrier, they noticed a trio of three female watchers, made up of the Three D’s.

  “Can’t believe they would allow those three to be responsible for the safety of others,” said Meghan.

  Colin and Jae nodded in agreement.

  “We are small in numbers, but really, they could have asked anyone else and it would have been a better choice,” added Jae.

  Mireya ran to join her friends.

  “Don’t leave my sight, okay. Remember that I promised, Dad.”

  Mireya ran back, hugged her brother quickly, and then darted back to her friends. Jae took a seat on a rock nearby and the twins sat down beside him.

  Surprisingly, the dry, dusty air, and horrible events from the evening before did not dampen the spirits of the younger children, hard at play.

  “It’s a little disturbing if you think about it,” Jae suddenly blurted.

  “What’s that?” asked Colin.

  “How used to these attacks we’ve become. How easily we slip back into our daily routines.”

  “But isn’t that why the SLC is meeting today?” asked Meghan.

  “Definitely. No question there. Still, life keeps moving forward. Meetings will be had, decisions will be made, maybe even new laws put into place. But when all is said and done, tomorrow we get up and start another day. Waiting and wondering when the next attack will come.”

  Seeing the terrified expressions on the twins’ faces, he bit his lip and nodded toward a group of huddled youngsters, which now included his sister.

  “Let’s go see what’s up,” he said.

  “Hey guys,” a familiar voice called out as they arrived. “You wanna check it out? It’s today’s Jackal Lantern.” Oliver Stamm handed the paper to Jae, joining the dispersing children in a game of tag. Jae was sure to keep Mireya in view.

  The front page was a detailed story of the previous night’s attack. None of the trio wanted to relive this event and turned the page. Inside, was a two-page spread about Ivan Crane and his Initiation. Meghan grabbed the paper and read the piece aloud.

  Newest Initiate Report, By Kalila Jackal

  How sad it is that the young Mr. Ivan Crane had to have his glorious night ruined by such horrific events. Such an amazing talent at such a young age! At least Banon Blackwell thinks so.

  So what can we expect from Ivan Crane?

  I believe that in order to understand this young, and may I say handsome, talent, we need to step into the past. Many of us recall the tragic story of Ivan Crane. The losses he has suffered, we have suffered alongside him. Firstly, the death of his mother; the poor boy was just four years old when she died. Taken by an incurable illness that even magic could not heal.

  Secondly, almost nine months after her passing - well we all know what happened then: all hell broke loose!

  Need I remind everyone that during this time, the Svoda still resided on our beautiful secluded island, off the northern Maine shores. Sadly, though, the peace we had known for hundreds of years slipped away with the tides. A split amongst our people cut through the Island like a knife. Some even came to believe that one of our very own had betrayed us to the Immortal Grosvenor. Yes, our most ancient enemy!

  Of course, this split began when Juliska Nandalia Blackwell (before becoming our fearless Banon), made the following prophecy:

  “Beware! A new threat rises! You will be betrayed by one of your own!”

  Well, what could one expect from such a prophecy. Small battles broke out on the island, lines were drawn and sides taken. The next few years brought nothing but pain as these battles tore our friends and families asunder.

  One group banded together and demanded changes to our laws, the very laws that had kept us safe from the non-magical world for hundreds of years. They wanted to leave the island, and return magic back to its ‘rightful glory’, as in the days of old.

  Can you imagine returning magic to a world that has forgotten it ever existed? Can you imagine the turmoil this would cause?

  This kind of nonsensical thinking can lead to no good I tell you. No good!

  Alas, I digress.

  It is at this point in our history that Juliska Nandalia Blackwell took her place as our leader. The rebellion continued, creeping into our daily lives. Taking sides became unavoidable.

  Our Banon made the only decision possible. She decreed that anyone caught rebelling against the long-lived Svoda tradition would be henceforth banished from the island, even if it meant splitting family and friends!

  To their credit, those who rebelled came willingly, together, to make their final stand. It was a sad day, because disagree or not, they were our loved ones. The Banon tried to reason with them. She promised to do everything needed to protect our way of life.

  The leader of the rebellious group, Amelia Cobb, stood before her group and defied our Banon.

  ‘We are tired of hiding! We are tired of living as hunted prey! We want our freedom to come and go as we please. We want magic to be a part of the world again.’

  The speech continued and the Banon did not interrupt. However, when Amelia finished she did speak:

  ‘I understand your desires to live amongst the outside world. However, have we not had a good life here? Have we not been safe here? To go out into the world and think that people who do not know, or understand magic will accept you is wrong! Magic had to go into hiding for a reason. Need I remind you of our past torments? The very reason our ancestors came to live on this is
land? Hiding is our only option!’

  Of course, Amelia and her followers refused to give in. There would be no peace.

  Now, you might be asking yourself, has good ole’ Kalila had too much to drink today? What does this have to do with our Initiate, Ivan Crane, just shy of five years old at the time?

  For those of you too young to remember, this is what occurred:

  Three days after the banished Svoda departed our great island, the Banon called a gathering of all that remained. It was during this gathering that we were attacked, our first encounter with the Scratchers!

  Sadly, to this day, we cannot say with absolute certainty, that it was not our own brothers and sisters that sent these terrifying creatures to hunt us down.

  Although I do know, for certain, that I am not alone in hoping that one day we will discover the truth, and it will clear our long lost loved ones of this terrible charge.

  But again, I digress.

  For it just so happens that during this first attack, Ivan became an orphan, as it was his father, Ian Crane, who was the first to die by the wings of a Scratcher.

  Perhaps his tragic past drives Ivan’s ambition. He has much to avenge in his short life. So the question arises, is he truly ready for the responsibility of being an Initiated member of the Svoda? Is he ready for the task the Banon has planned for him?

  Perhaps his pick of Learner Companion will give us a clue?

  Meghan took a break from reading.

  “They’re mentioning me!”

  Colin was not sure if she was ecstatic or nervous. She continued reading.

  Meghan Chelcy Jacoby.

  What do we know about this girl?

  She came to us nearly a year ago, by accident, and just a short while later it was discovered she possessed a magical gift.

  A Firemancer, no less!

  A rare vocation.

  Moreover, do we need remind you of the prophecy spewed from the mouth of this new seer:

  ‘Beware! They attack you where you sleep!’

  What has come of that prophecy? There is speculation amongst some that it came true just last night! When we were viciously attacked so close to our homes. Yet, some fear this prophecy may not yet be fulfilled.

  So was Ivan Crane smart to pick a Learner Companion so inexperienced? Will this girl, still a stranger amongst us, prove useful to him during his task? Will she one day also be Initiated? Is she truly one of us? The Banon herself has taken up the task of training this Firemancer!

  Therefore, that should be answer enough for anyone who questions the motives of the girl!

  I for one think Ivan Crane chose wisely. A Firemancer at your side is invaluable!

  The article ended abruptly. Meghan humpfed and threw the paper down.

  “Why would they question my motives? I don’t have motives!”

  “Not other than getting attention, Sis.”

  Meghan scowled.

  Colin continued, backtracking.

  “Ivan’s story is really amazing, like him or not,” he aimed toward Meghan. “It makes sense that he’s so distant. If both of my parents had died like that, I’d feel the same I think.”

  “Earth to Colin. Both our parents are dead! As well as possibly our uncle!”

  “Right,” said Colin. “It was different for us, though. We never knew our parents. And with Uncle Arnon, well I’m keeping up hope that he’s still alive.”

  “I was still a baby,” said Jae. “When the banished departed. I have no memory of it.”

  “Are the banished Svoda really responsible for the Scratchers?” asked Meghan.

  “It is coincidence that we were attacked three days after they departed, isn’t it?” said Jae.

  “But didn’t they still have friends and family who stayed behind?” asked Colin. “How could they attack their own people?”

  “There’s no easy answer. From what I have heard over the years, the group that left was fanatical in their beliefs and willing to do just about anything to get what they wanted. We always hope the banished aren’t responsible, but the answers always seem to point back to them, in the end.”

  Jae turned his attention to Mireya as the twins sat in silence, blocking each other from their thoughts. Similarly though, they each realized, again, how little they really knew about the Svoda.

  After awhile, Jae told the twins he was going to head home to prepare lunch. He wanted to be ready in case his parents returned home for a break, and assumed they would be hungry if they did.

  Meghan offered to help.

  Colin stayed behind and picked up the Jackal Lantern, turning back to the front page. He skimmed over the retelling of the previous night’s attack and before moving on to another article.

  In Other News, By Kalida Jackal

  In other news, we have learned that our own Viancourt member, Tanzea Chase, who we all know has been ill, fell and injured herself while attempting to attend the Initiation of Ivan Crane. Her injuries are not severe: a sprained ankle and a bruised arm.

  Doctor Stamm is healing her, without the use of magic, of course. We at the Jackal Lantern need not remind you that ALL magic is strictly forbidden in the E Valley. Let this be your friendly reminder. Our best wishes to Vian Chase for a speedy recovery.

  The next In Other News story that caught Colin’s eye was about the now deceased storyteller and bookstore owner, Balloch Flummer and his family.

  In other news, the untimely passing of Balloch Flummer is not the only torment this family has been afflicted with in recent days. We at the Lantern have learned that the Flummers’ also received devastating news upon arrival here in the E Valley.

  Another of Balloch’s sons, currently residing with another caravan, left behind a message before their own departure from Eidolon’s Valley. It seems that his daughter, Catrina Flummer, fell seriously ill…

  “What! Catrina!” Colin exclaimed.

  Did he dare think this could be his dream Catrina?

  He kept reading.

  It seems that Balloch’s granddaughter is suffering from an unknown illness. Shortly before their departure from Eidolon’s Valley, she slipped into a coma. The message said ‘she is currently under quarantine; until such a time it can be determined that her illness is not harmful to others.’

  The message goes on to say, that the group even received authorization from Eidolon, himself, to heal her with magic. Unfortunately, at their time of departure, even magic had made no improvements. Let us hope beyond hope that this poor girl recovers. Moreover, that we are able to hear of it in our own future travels.

  In an odd way, it takes me back to the article in this very issue of the Jackal Lantern, about Initiate Ivan Crane and the loss of his beloved mother. If you have not read it yet, I highly recommend it.

  “Can it possibly be her?” Colin whispered to no one. “But how? She’s in another group! How could I have seen her in the hospital in Grimble? When at that point she should have been in Eidolon’s Valley?” Colin’s mind reeled with this information.

  Perhaps there is another way to travel between worlds! He could not help but think it. If true though, why would this information be kept secret?

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  Jae was correct. His parents did show up for lunch, and Sheila was extremely thankful to Jae, Meghan and Mireya for cooking. Colin appeared just as the food was ready to eat. Even Irving seemed pleased with Jae’s actions.

  “Our meeting is to start up again in an hour’s time,” Irving said as they sat to eat. “This is nice,” he added, “everyone eating together. I guess we haven’t done this in awhile, have we?”

  Sheila lovingly took hold of her husband’s hand. “You have been busy, dear. It’s too bad Ivan couldn’t join us, too.”

  “Yes, but I’m sure he’s off taking care of business as always.”

  “Dad, can I ask you a question?” interrupted Mireya, shyly. “What do you talk about in the SLC meetings? Are you talking about how to kill the Scratchers?”

/>   Irving, with a rare twinkle in his eyes, tapped the side of his nose.

  “That’s for Initiated minds to know, and non-initiated minds to find out!”

  She giggled, but asked no more questions.

  The mood during lunch was better than the twins expected, and right as they were finishing, Colin had an epiphany. There are still members of the Flummer family, here in the E Valley. I could ask them to describe their Catrina, and then I would know for sure if it’s really her! This thought quickly led to another realization. If she grew up in another group, they will have no idea what she looks like. Still, it couldn’t hurt to try, I guess.

  “Mr. Mochrie, the meeting doesn’t start up for another thirty minutes, right?” he asked.

  “You are correct, Colin.”

  “Would it be okay if I were to hop over to the shop? I ran out of note paper,” he lied.

  “Sure, that would be fine. There probably isn’t anyone minding it right now, so take what you need. Last I saw, the mercantile was set up near the bookstore. Good to see you’re keeping up with your studies.”

  Colin did not answer but raced down the tunnel. He knew the Flummer family was staying in a small apartment over the bookshop.

  He wondered how to broach the subject. The family was still grieving over Balloch, and he wanted to talk about Catrina, who is sick. Before he knew it, he had arrived at the entrance. He walked in and as expected, it was deserted. He went to the staircase, which led to the apartment upstairs and stopped.

  “They’re going to think I’m nuts!” whispered Colin. A voice startled him from behind a nearby bookshelf.

  “They might, but I wouldn’t.”

  Colin spun around searching for the source of the voice. He froze as a ghostly body floated through a nearby bookshelf.

  “But… But you’re dead!”

  “Ah, alas I am that.”

  The ghostly body of Balloch Flummer hovered just a few feet away from Colin.

  “Listen to me carefully now, I don’t think I have much time. I was pulled from Grimble to here, which means you must be my unfinished business.”