The Isle of Flame

Chapter 1

The sky was a mellow orange haze while brazen clouds lay idle in its center. They appeared ember-like, erubescent on the edges while the middle was a dark crimson as if already burned through by an invisible fire. The temperature was hot, as always. I could feel the sting behind the magic that cursed this place. The fires must have gone on all night, nothing out of the ordinary. The air felt thick and ashy as I inhaled deeply. Another beautiful day on the Isle of Flame.

"Just kill me now," I muttered under my breath.

I stepped out of my insignificant shack of a home and onto the rocky dirt road leading to the main square. My long black hair wisping behind me in the dry searing wind. My deep hazel eyes squinted as the sun beamed onto my face, inviting my freckles to come out and play. The golden tone of my skin would surely go bronze by the day's end. I could feel the billowing fabric of my water stained dress beating against my slender body. I was five feet and nine inches tall, but I could barely break one hundred and ten pounds. The consequence of hard work and shitty food I suppose.

I had to make a stop in the square today to pick up some more liquid soap from the indigents sector. I had been watering down the little bit I had left for nearly a week now and I knew the Havens would not stand for that. I was going to have to leave their floors sparkling in order to get any sort of positive word of my performance to the Council.

Over the last four months I had doubled my typical workload. I was cleaning four houses a day in an attempt to bolster my reputation amongst the community. I really had no choice if I wanted a decent superior to choose me at the procuring on Saturday.

"Denali!"

I dreaded turning around to see who was calling my name.

Thank god, it was only Phoenix. My lavender eyed, silver haired, porcelain skinned best friend. I had known him since I was a small child. When word came that my parents had both died during a bombing in the war, it was Phoenix and his family that always made sure my brother and I were taken care of. They always sent food, clothes, and whatever we may have needed for the upcoming season. Phoenix and I became best friends and due to our closeness, there had always been rumors that the two of us were lovers. If only our fellow townspeople knew that Phoenix preferred to be surrounded by the company of stable boys over indigents, then maybe they'd understand our unique friendship. Those like Phoenix would have their tongue cut out for voicing their feelings on such subjects. Desiring the same sex was incomprehensible. The Council was willing to rip apart anyone who could get in the way of their attempts to keep the population under control.

"Hey Phoenix!" I waved enthusiastically. Why are you out and about so early?" I tried to sound like I wasn't in a rush.

He placed his callused hands on the hips of his dusty burlap work pants. "Some of us still need to build a decent reputation, Nali. I have three days left to try to make an impression on these god awful townsfolk. So I'm on my way to shovel horse shit for the remainder of the week...and probably my life. Fuck this place. Hopefully my new home has some eye candy to get me through." He stared at me with his lavender eyes and the side of his mouth twitched slightly upward. Giving me a typical sarcastic grin that only Phoenix could master.

I rolled my eyes and continued my brisk walk towards the square. "I think what you meant to say was, hopefully my new home will at least have Nali in it. Because God knows I won't be able to bear a life without her sweet friendship!" I brought in some drama and theatrics to my performance to really make my point.

"Shut up Nali, we both know that I have no chance of getting picked up by the same superior as you. The rumors alone will guarantee they separate us."

He was right. No superior would ever let the two of us live under the same roof. We were too close, they would consider us to be a distraction, or even a liability. I was an indigent and Phoenix was an ignoble and we were bound to be placed apart. We were both members of the lowest rank in our feeble society run by those who call themselves the Council. Therefore, our destiny in life was to get chosen by a superior to work and tend to their estate. Our classes never loved, found passion, or married. Really, no one in our society did. If we were lucky, we would get chosen by a superior who worked in finance or politics and we'd live out the rest of our trivial lives doing laundry and shoveling horse shit. In return, we would be fed and well kept. If we weren't so lucky we would get chosen by a superior who was a member of the magic mafia. In return, we could expect to sleep in a barn with his animals and starve to death.