Aura

Dead Sun

Aura hears of a group of cultists who have taken over many cities in the east. She decides to go after them.

"Are you sure you are going to start travelling after mastering just one extra spell?"

"I mean, now I know twice as many spells as I knew previously. I will be okay."

"At least accept this parting gift.", says your magic teacher, handing you a broom.

"A... broom?"

"It is enchanted. With it, you may fly away. It flies back to you if you say 'Revenite'."

"Oh, nice. Revenite!"

"You must grab it first so it is attuned to you. Abdicare!", says your teacher, dropping the broom on the ground,"Done, now touch it and it will be yours"

Aura touches the magic broom and feel a brief surge of energy.

"That was intense."

"It was the item attuning to you. If someday you wish to give it to someone else, you may use this same ritual we just done right now. Now test it, leave it here in the school and lets go to the beach."

Aura and her teacher walk at a brisk pace towards the beach.

"Now call it."

"Revenite!"

The flying broom comes from the castle and arrive near Aura.

"Is there a range for this spell?"

"A few miles. But if you are out of range the broom will fly around looking for you."

"That's great. Thank you."

"It was my pleasure."

Aura then mounts on the flying broom and flies away.

Flying all night, she arrives at a village by dawn. She stashes her broom on a tree on the outskirts of town and enter it.

"Howdy. Have you heard of any cultists around here?"

The villager grabs her by the arm and lead her into an alley.

"Are you crazy, talking about the Sun Sect like this?"

"Sun Sect?"

"Yes. They are the ones who say the sun won't rise if we don't sacrifice at least one person every night. They say the sun needs this nourishment for the trip back."

"Have you ever skipped a day?"

"Yes, and the sun was blotted out in the sky until we had some poor sod killed."

"That's horrible!"

"Indeed. But the masses believe them, and so they are always on the lookout for new people to kill."

"Every village has to kill people?"

"No. Just the people at the massive temple they had built. They say it is the idea place for human sacrifice. Nobody knows what goes on inside it. They cut the person's head and toss the body inside the temple. The head they toss to the crowd and it just stays rotting around until it is a skull. There are thousands of skulls around their temple."

"Gruesome. But it is just one person everyday?"

"At least one person. Sometimes they spend hours sacrificing people, on special occasions. Their warriors go from village to village demanding people for sacrifice. Some even volunteer to be killed, for the greater good."

"This is insane. Someone has to put an end to this madness!"

"Yeah, but the head priests of the Sun Sect are really powerful. How do you plan on defeating them?"

"I know ice magic."

"Ice magic huh? Well, I can get you a one way ticket to the capital. If you do as I say, they will take you there but not in chains."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Tell them you want to join the Sun Sect. The warriors are told to take candidates to the high priest. Of course if you fail their tests, you get sacrificed."

"So that is why it is a one way ticket?"

"Indeed. You won't have a second chance to deal with them."

"Where can I find those warriors?"

"Stick around for a day or three and one should show up."

Aura then head to the local inn. It is a simple brick home with a few extra rooms. Unfortunatelly, Aura has no money to pay them.

"I need a room. How do I make some money in this town?"

"Well, it is not with me that you need to speak, but with the mayor. What do you know how to do?"

"Uh... I... I never worked actually."

"Well, then it will be hard to find something for you to do."

"I'll go look for something. Thanks for the information."

Aura walks around town until someone blows a sounding horn.

Everyone prostrates themselves on the ground. A warrior wearing animal skin shows up.

"Who are you?", the warrior asks you.

"I wanna join the Sun Sect."

The warrior laughs.

"Someone as disrespectful as you will never be accepted. I will gladly see you being beheaded though, so I will take you there. Any more sacrifices in this village?"

"N-no sir. We haven't had criminals."

"Then I will just pick... that guy over there. He looks suspicious. Grab him."

The guy tries to run away, but the people grab him and bring him to the warrior.

"Great, that fills me quota. Don't give me any trouble or I will break your knees and drag you around. It will only be worse for you. Pray for the sun for a quick death.", he says, as he adds the man to a line of people in chains.

The warrior then takes his line of prisoners back, and Aura follows him closely.

The trip takes the whole day and the whole night. He does not stop to sleep.

By dawn they arrive at the Sun Sect temple.

"The sacrifice will be by the sunset. I'll take you to the head priest."

The warrior leaves the prisoner with some guards and lead you into the temple.

"So you are the one who wants to join the Sun Sect, huh? You will need to pass through ritual purification to even talk to the high priest. For three weeks you must do penance and pray to the sun from dawn to dusk."

"What about I freeze you instead. Congelo!"

You freeze everyone around. Guards come running, and you keep blasting them with your spells.

Finally the highpriest shows up.

"What is going on, who is this girl?"

"You're the leader! Glacies Tempestas!"

"Ignis tempestas!"

Both spells collide in the sky and a bunch of vapor clouds block everyone's view.

Aura takes her cue and runs away amidst the mist.