Shadows of a Broken Past: A Shard of Faith (Book one)

Prologue:

A cracking sound woke her in the night. The gnome's eyes snapped open and she sat up, looking around. The whole house was silent, except for that single sound that kept repeating at odd intervals. Someone outside stepping on twigs, perhaps? Or maybe the road needed repairing? She shook it off and laid down again, closing her eyes. 

*crackle*

Oh, she heard that. Her eyes snapped open and she looked around again. She leapt up, hurriedly getting into proper clothes, tiptoeing out of her windowless room and down the stairs into the living room. She stood in the window, seeing the faint red and orange glow from the village. That wasn't normal. She frowned and slipped out the door, racing down the cobblestone street towards the village she called home and stopped dead in her tracks. 

*crackle*

'Oh no.'

Fire.

The village, the home she was meant to protect, was in flames. 

'Oh please no.'

She swept her long cornflower-blue braid back and pinned it up before whistling loudly, her wolf call, racing towards the inferno. "Anyone?" She called, fearing the worst for her people as she dashed through the flaming streets, past tumbling, fire-filled homes falling from the heat of the blaze. 

'No. No, I can't lose it all. I've worked too hard for it to go now.'

A low cackle was the only response she got, and it caused shivers to fling down her spine. 

"Rose? Fern? Shrub? Basil? Aloe?" She called, feeling desperate. "Ginkgo? Willow? Daffodil? Heather? HELLO?"

A male gnome with dark green hair darkened with soot and ash burst from the fire around her as she scoured the remains of a house. "Bluebell! M'Lady!" He cried, grasping her arm. 

She gasped and quickly shouted out a barrier spell before turning to look at him. "Basil! Where has everyone gone?" Bluebell asked frantically. "Where are they? How many of us survived? Oh Basil-" She grabbed his left arm, turning to look at him. "Basil, what has happened?"

"We gathered at the ridge! We're safe, Bluebell, fear not." He said, wiping soot off his fingers onto his dark blue tunic. "And- and no one knows that happened. A disaster, that's all we know. We have a water brigade working to put it out and we've sent messengers on wolfback to send for help. But the water isn't working."

Bluebell frowned. "Water won't put it out?" She mused, raising her staff. "Star of skies and wood of earth, seek all that is used to hurt." She intoned softly. A violet glow spread from the gemstone on her staff. "It is as I thought." She said, looking around. "Magic fire. Nothing can put it out. It'll have to go away in it's own time." 

Basil looked fearful. "M'Lady, we can't waste time. Fire can spread to the Kekoes." 

"That, Basil, is the least of my worries." Bluebell said. "We can risk the Kekoes. You say you've sent a wolfback messenger? They should be able to evacuate. We should leave now that you've told me everyone's safe."

"But Fern and Rose and Shrub are missing." Basil informed her, taking her hand and putting the other on her shoulder comfortingly. "From what we can sense they never left their home."

"Oh heavens!" Bluebell groaned, feeling her heart beating in her ears. "I'll look for them. You, my friend, lead everyone to a safe place." Basil nodded, let go, and ran off down the streets the way he had come. Bluebell, however, turned and raced deeper into the blaze, pulling her cloak hood over her head and holding her staff with both hands, hoping it wasn't too late to save them. 

————

The smoke was thickening as the gnome ran down the streets, fear and adrenaline keeping her going and looking for her missing villagers. She passed a crumbling house, leaping back as a crossbeam fell to the dirt with a roaring thud, feeding the flames licking hungrily at it. 

"Fire consumes all." 

Bluebell shivered at the voice. She had heard it before. Was it that horrid cackling sound from before?

She paid it no heed and instead kept going. 

Bluebell called out for the three missing gnomes again and again. "Rose?"

"My lady?" A voice finally called back. Bluebell raced around the corner, feeling heat sear her feet. 

"Rose! Fern!" She ran to them. "Thank the skies you're safe. Hurry, my subjects!" She exclaimed, ushering them along the path.

As they bolted down the path, there was a loud thud. "Where do you think you're going?" Asked a violet-red-black demon, it's horns gleaming.

Shrub screamed again and her mother dragged her away into the forest, her father following. "Go! I will hold him off." Bluebell cried, raising her staff. 

The demon grinned at her. "How sweet, a puny gnome going up against the champion. Hah! You have courage, young one. Exor would be pleased to have you."

Bluebell growled. "I will never side with your master, who burns the villages of innocents." She spat. 

He chuckled and snapped his fingers, making a sabre appear in his hand. "We'll see who's right." He said. "Duel, madam?" He made a mocking bow in her direction, making her seethe. 

"Who are you?" Bluebell whispered as they started circling each other, the fire crackling in the background as they prowled around. She raised her staff, the pale blue-green gem on the end glowing brightly. 

"That, my dear, is for me to know and you to wonder." The demon said. 

Bluebell hissed and slammed her staff down. "Ignis!" She shouted and a line of pure blue fire shot towards the demon. He laughed and held his arm out, absorbing the fire and shooting it back. Bluebell leapt out of the way, the edge of her cloak catching fire before she stomped on it to put it out. 

"Nice attempt, my dear."He scoffed. "But you'll have to do better than that." He shot a few beams of flame before lunging at her, catching her shoulder and splitting a wound open. Bluebell gasped and staggered back, clutching her arm. "Hm. Easier than I though." The demon said, feigning a shocked look.

Bluebell looked up and glared at him, crimson blood soaking the sleeve of her tunic. "You dare to come into my home, destroy my village and leave my people without roofs over their heads. You. Will. Pay." She spat through gritted teeth. 

The demon laughed. "Ohoho, you have spirit, my dear. It will make your later defeat all the more enjoyable." He flickered in and out of existence before vanishing completely. "I'll see you later, my dear."

"Oh, and also." The voice echoed around as the blaze slowed. Bluebell looked around furiously. 

"You asked my name."

"My name is Xornoth."

"Now, if you'll excuse me...." 

"I have a portal to catch."