A Fable of Flame

by Jeremy Fabiano

  She smiled. “Exactly,” she said. “You’re a quick learner, young Ashley.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “Oh, call me Ash.” I smiled. “I feel it kinda fits a bit better.”

  “Indeed, it does. Ash. It has a nice ring to it.”

  I looked at Luther, Stewart, and Reinhardt. They all nodded.

  Luther clapped me on the shoulder. “Normally, someone else gives you your nickname, but I think it’s quite fitting.” He walked off a little way into the forest. “I’m going to scout ahead a bit. You guys get them ready to move.”

  Ms. Wellington handed me some bread, and I slowly ate it. Thoughts of the last few hours flooded through my mind. I missed Dad. I missed the village. They’re all gone now.

  “As long as their memory is in your heart, they are never truly gone,” whispered the voice.

  “I’ll avenge them,” I said.

  “What’s that?” asked Ms. Wellington, looking up.

  “The village. I’ll avenge them all. Even if I have to kill every last spider.” Flames started dancing around my arms. I had to will them back down.

  “I believe you. But the time for that fight isn’t now,” she said. “We need help if we’re to survive.”

  I nodded. “I know. The army at Bridgeport will be a big help. But I’m going to kill her for what she’s done,” I said, turning to follow Luther. “I swear it.”

  9

  A little while later, I found Luther overlooking the main road to Bridgeport. “See anything?” I whispered.

  He nodded and pointed back the way we came. “Some of those bigger sentries,” he whispered. “They’re moving along the road, probably searching for us.”

  “What do we do?” I asked.

  He thought for a moment. “I’m not really sure. We could go south, but they’re likely going to be waiting for us in the farmlands.”

  “How many do you think are on the road?” I asked. “Can we fight through them?”

  “If we didn’t have the survivors, we might have a chance,” he whispered. “And I don’t think I could live with leaving them behind.”

  “Me neither,” I whispered. “What about a distraction?”

  “What do you have in mind?” he asked.

  “Forest fire? That might work…”

  Luther shook his head. “Not enough time for it to spread. What else do we have magic-wise?”

  “Well, I can do ice. Reinhardt can move the ground, and Ms. Wellington can use healing magic.” I thought about that for a moment. “What if we do the quicksand thing across the road?”

  He nodded. “That could slow them down a little bit. Maybe make it really wide, enough to make them wary but not sink them.”

  “To conserve his mana?” I asked.

  “Exactly,” he said. “We’ll need it if we fight any more of those sentries.”

  “Let’s head back and talk to Reinhardt,” I said. Luther nodded and we made our way back to the others.

  Reinhardt nodded. “Yeah, that could work. If I only make it a couple feet deep, I could likely get the width of the road in one go.”

  Stewart frowned. “That won’t do much to them though. Won’t they just step out of it?”

  “It will slow them down,” said Ms. Wellington. “Any time we can buy may save our lives.”

  “It just feels like fighting would be a better use of our energy instead of slowing them down,” he said.

  Luther shook his head. “No, she’s right. If we stand our ground and fight, we’ll be overrun in no time.” He considered his next words carefully. “Just imagine that there’s an unlimited number of them. We wouldn’t have a chance.”

  Reinhardt nodded. “It’s settled then. I’ll start working on the ground, you guys start running. I'll catch up as soon as I can.”

  Luther and Reinhardt traded grips. “Be careful,” said Luther. Reinhardt nodded and ran off into the brush.

  “All right,” said Luther,” we’re moving out. Let’s go.”

  The road was rocky and not well maintained. Even still, we moved as quickly and quietly as we could. The survivors, as we’d thought, did slow us down. But we couldn’t leave them behind. I couldn’t live with myself if we did.

  “Someone’s up ahead,” panted Luther. I couldn’t make out anything besides a small silhouette. “They look like they’re waiting for us. Might be trouble.”

  “We’ll slow a little,” said Ms. Wellington. “You and Stewart move up a bit.”

  I stayed behind with the group as well. A few moments later, I heard the sound of steel on steel from up ahead. Someone jumped from the bush next to me, sword raised high.

  “Trap!” yelled Ms. Wellington.

  I lifted my hand and froze the feet of the man in front of me. I sent the heat from the air around his legs at the man attacking from the other side. He screamed as he fell, thrashing on the ground, trying to put out the flames. He succeeded, and Ms. Wellington hit him across the head with a large branch she’d picked up. He stopped moving.

  “Let me go, you little bitch!” screamed the man frozen to the ground.

  “Open your mouth again, and I’ll burn you alive like him,” I said, pointing to his friend. “Do I make myself clear?” He nodded quickly but said nothing. “Now, drop your sword and put your hands behind your back. If you even flinch in a threatening manner, you’re as good as dead.”

  Ms. Wellington tied his hands behind his back, and he fell to the ground, feet still frozen in a wide patch. He began to shiver, but I felt no sympathy for him. Ahead, we could see Luther and Stewart returning to us.

  “Bandits,” said Luther. He noticed the two who had attacked us. “You all right?”

  Ms. Wellington nodded. “Just fine. Got a live one here if you want to question him. The other one might live as well, but I didn’t bother to check.”

  Luther nodded and approached the one with the bound hands. “Why did you attack us?” he asked.

  “Go to hell,” he replied.

  I stepped up to him and held my hand in front of his face. I engulfed my hand in fire, illuminating us both. “Disrespect him again, and I’ll kill you,” I threatened.

  The man’s eyes grew wide with fear. He looked to his friend on the ground and nodded. “Men in black robes paid us to waylay anyone on the road tonight. We weren’t gonna kill anyone, honest. Just rough them up a bit and leave them tied by the side of the road for the guards to find tomorrow.”

  Luther looked at me for a quick moment. “Men in black robes? Did you see any of their faces?” he asked.

  The man shook his head. “No, never. They put a flyer out in the city and we met them in the woods. They just said to keep anyone from getting to Bridgeport.”

  Luther looked him in the eyes. “Nothing else?” he asked, holding the point of his sword to the man’s throat.

  “Nothing. I swear!” he squealed. “Please. Don’t kill me!”

  10

  “Let’s go,” said Luther. “We don’t have time to deal with them.” We left the man there, thanking us for sparing him. “They’re as good as dead,” I said.

  Luther nodded. “Yeah, I know,” he said. “It probably would have been merciful to kill them ourselves, but we don’t have the time for that.”

  I nodded. It was a little cold, but I understood. They were dead either way, and we’d be dead if we waited around. “I understand it,” I said. “I just don’t like it.”

  “Good. If you didn’t feel any empathy toward their situation, I’d be worried about you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue potion. “Here, one of them had this on them. For later.”

  I took the potion from him. “Thanks,” I said. “I’m sure we’ll need it.”

  We’d been traveling for hours. On the horizon, I could see the sun coming up. I hadn’t been looking down at the path. I slammed into Luther’s back as he came to a dead stop. “Ow,” I said.

  “Shh,” he hissed. “Look.” Ahead of us, a massive web was across the road from tree to
tree, blocking the way. “Off the road, now.”

  Our group moved off the road and tried to circle around the web, but the webbing stretched on still blocking us.

  “There’s no way around,” said Reinhardt. “Do we fight our way through?”

  “We’re so close,” whined Stewart. “Bridgeport isn’t much farther over the ridge.”

  Luther put his hand on his shoulder. “Stay with them. We’re going to go take care of the spiders.”

  Stewart nodded and guided Ms. Wellington and the survivors a ways away from the road.

  “I’m ready,” I said. “I’ll roast everything up here and drink the mana potion.”

  Luther scowled. “I don’t like it, but it’s the best we’ve got.” He turned to Reinhardt. “Keep them off of her with boulders or whatever you can throw at them.” He nodded.

  I stepped out onto the road and called up my flames. They engulfed my body and began to swirl. Flame Infusion. Give me everything we have.

  “My pleasure,” whispered the voice with glee.

  The countryside seemed to get brighter for a few moments. I looked around in awe at the amount of heat I was generating. My mana and health bars were both falling at the same time. I lifted both of my hands toward the massive webbing.

  White light engulfed the webs, the trees, the spiders, and everything I could see for about two hundred feet. A whoosh of frigid air blew backward from me, freezing everything nearby, as I drew the heat from everything around me. It looked like winter behind and a desert in front.

  I collapsed to my knees and shakily brought the mana potion to my lips. Why did my health go down? I tipped the vial up and downed the potion in one gulp.

  “Flame Infusion, maximum power. Your health is pulled from as a multiplier for your power. Your power was multiplied one hundred-fold while Flame Infusion was active. I advise using it sparingly,” whispered the voice. It seemed very content.

  I see. Thank you.

  “You are most welcome, mistress,” he whispered. “Just wait until you’ve given me a name and claimed my construct. I will be able to do much more for you.”

  I shuddered at the thought and stood. My knees shook, and my health was still only at a quarter. A spider flew at me, and a massive boulder smashed it against a tree mid-flight. I looked up to see Reinhardt, arms held out to his sides and five massive boulders circling him as if on ropes.

  More spiders rushed forward, and the boulders flew out, squishing them without effort. More boulders ripped free from the ground and rejoined the rock circle. A huge grin was plastered across his face.

  Luther rushed forward and into the group of spiders which began to pour from the burnt edges of the woods. He slashed to and fro, cutting down spider after spider. I lifted my hands and began casting Firelances at any spiders trying to sneak up on Luther or Reinhardt.

  After what seemed like hours, the three of us stood, back to back. Hundreds of spider corpses littered the road, and the smell of charred spider flesh hung in the air. I reached down and ripped off a piece and ate it.

  “Are you crazy?” asked Luther.

  “Nope. I saw Morogan and Aba eating the cooked spiders. Apparently, it gives you poison resistance.”

  “No kidding?” he asked. I handed him a piece, and he began to chew on it. “Wow, it actually doesn’t taste half bad either.” He chopped up the spider at my feet and handed out spider meat to the entire group.

  “The poison resistance would help, but so would having fresh meat in their stomachs,” said Luther. “I think I could learn a lot from hanging out with those two for a bit. Maybe someday…” We marched on toward Bridgeport, weary of ambushes and traps as we moved along the road.

  11

  An hour later, Luther smiled.

  “What?” I asked.

  He pointed off at the horizon, but I didn’t see anything. “Oh, I forgot, you’re still short.” He laughed. He lifted me up so my head was level with his. That’s when I saw Bridgeport, lit by the rising sun.

  “Oh, wow,” I said. “It’s beautiful.”

  “It’s just the same old Bridgeport,” said Luther. "But when an army is at your back, any way out of that seems beautiful.”

  “Just like being hungry?” I asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “My dad always said that ‘hunger is the best spice,’” I said. “I think it means the same thing.”

  Luther set me down and nodded. “Yeah, that makes sense.” We walked in silence toward the gates of Bridgeport, which were open and welcoming. We’d have to change that quite soon.

  We entered the city before the markets had opened. Ms. Wellington and Stewart took the survivors to the medical ward. Luther and Reinhardt split off to find the militia leader.

  “I’m going to find my grandmother,” I said. “Then I'll meet up with you guys in a while.

  I found my grandmother’s cottage after only having to ask directions a few times. She opened the door before I even knocked on it.

  “Ashley, my dear! You’ve grown so much,” she said, her grin pulling her wrinkles tight. “I’ve been expecting you.”

  “How?” I asked.

  “Gregory told me,” she said. “I spoke with him last night. He mentioned you’d be coming to me and what’s happening. Come inside, child.”

  I followed her in, and she had food and hot chocolate waiting on the table. “Oh, wow, that smells just like the hot chocolate Gregory made.”

  “That’s because it is,” she said, still smiling. “Have as much as you like. I’m going to step out to grab something for you.”

  I helped myself to the food and drink. I hadn’t realized that I’d been famished until it was right in front of me and I was digging in. The sweet rolls were amazing, and the eggs and bacon were to die for. Gramms came back into the room a little while later carrying something long wrapped in an old blanket. “What’s that?” I asked.

  “Something from my younger days,” she said. “Come here, child. Open it.”

  I set down the half-finished roll, since I’d already eaten three, and sat across from her in front of the warm fireplace. She handed me the package. It felt heavy and solid. I untied the burlap string holding the blanket closed. It fell away.

  “That’s my staff,” said Gramms, face now quite serious. “It’s very powerful. And now that you are level five, you can wield it. I think you’re going to need it in the coming conflict.”

  “Gramms, I can’t take this,” I said.

  “You must. It will make you even stronger than you’ve already grown. Promise me,” she said. “Promise me you’ll take up the staff and help Abalonious defend our world.”

  I picked up the staff and stood. The wood felt warm under my touch.

  “I swear it on my life.” Power exploded out from me. The windows and door erupted outward in a shower of glass and splinters as power engulfed me. The entire cabin shook as the ground trembled below my feet.

  Gramms stared in amazement, a huge grin on her face. Tears of joy ran down her cheeks. “By the Caretaker, Ashley… You’ll be a hundred times more powerful than I ever was.” She stood straight, back popping several times. “You will be the greatest fire mage in the history of Tempest.”

  The power began to die down. I couldn’t believe the amount of energy coursing through my body. I looked around, noticing the damage to her cabin. “Gramms, I’m so sorry, I didn’t do it on purpo—”

  “No worries, child. I knew it would happen when you accepted the staff. Had I cared, I’d have given it to you outside.” She chuckled softly. “When the spider army arrives, my cabin will be destroyed anyhow. I’ve already spoken to Lord Macgregor. We are evacuating this part of the city and moving the citizens farther into the keep.”

  I sighed. “Thank goodness. I was afraid I was going to have to talk to him, and I know how much kids are ignored when they try to warn adults.”

  She shook her head. “Nonsense, dear. Your opinion would have mattered just as mine does. The Lo
rd of the Keep was in the same party as I and your gramps. And the Caretaker, before he Ascended.”

  “Wow,” I said. “I’m finding that a lot of things seem to be connected lately”

  “Oh?” Her eyebrow rose. “Like what?”

  “We’re sure that the spiders are connected to the necromancers from the Battle of Unsung Heroes.

  Gramms gasped. “How do you know this?”

  “I told Ms. Wellington about some dark magic crystals Luther and I had found next to a spider in one of the village cellars. She’s pretty sure that the necromancers were helping the spiders for some reason.”

  “Oh dear,” she said.

  “And also, we were attacked by bandits on the road. They said they were hired by men in dark robes who wanted to stop anyone on the roads from making it to Bridgeport. At the same time that Pinewood Village was under attack by the spider army. It seemed fishy to all of us.”

  “Quite,” she said. Her shoulders slumped. “This is grave news, indeed.” She gathered up her dress and walked to the door. “Finish eating and then meet your friends in the keep. I see much work that needs to be done before they arrive. And you have a staff to master.” She left the ruined cabin.

  I devoured the remainder of the food and headed out to find my friends.

  12

  An hour later, Luther took me to a training ring somewhere in the city. I was provided with ten mana vials and a bunch of targets to practice on. Using the staff was difficult. It almost had a mind of its own.

  “Not entirely inaccurate,” whispered the voice. “Once you have claimed my allegiance, the staff will become easier to control. Have you chosen a name for me yet?”

  Actually, I have. How do you feel about Ember?

  “Ember,” whispered the voice. “That seems…quite fitting. If that is your choice, I accept.”