Whispers of Magic

Prologue: Of Fire and Blood

Too many bodies were burned the first time I saw corrupted magic with my own eyes. The Eldmari Woods, nestled at the foot of the mountains beneath our city, wafted smoke from the fiery graves into the air. The winter season made the ground too hard to penetrate, and burning was the best way to make sure the taint did not spread from the dead bodies.

I was just a kid, barely eleven winters behind me, in the forest with my mother gathering ingredients for her apothecary. She finally began teaching me the past winter, showing me how to create different salves and tonics.

As the moon hung low in the sky, we searched for magical ingredients shimmering in the darkness. Their bioluminescence revealed their secrets to those who sought their mystical properties.

"I need you to help me gather these herbs and roots, little one," my mother said, passing me a list she kept in her robe, her fingers deftly plucking bioluminescent fungi. "They're important for the apothecary."

Under the moon's guiding light, my mother continued her teachings. "These mushrooms, mixed with the essence of the silverfern, create a powerful healing tonic," she explained, her voice a soothing melody.

Yet the tranquility of the forest was suddenly shattered by haunting cries that sliced through the night, sending shivers down my spine as I turned toward the sound.

"Stay close, Elessida," my mother urged, her eyes scanning the darkened forest.

Out from the darkness, a nightmarish flock of bird-like creatures from past the mountain range descended upon us with talons sharpened by vile magic. Their once beautiful appearance grotesquely warped and darkened with pulsating black tendrils of corruption.

"Mother, what are those?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear.

She turned to me, her eyes reflecting determination and horror. "Harpies, but dark magic has twisted them," she explained grimly.

Once pools of radiant color, their eyes now gleamed with an unnatural, malevolent light. Pupils dilated to an unsettling extent, their irises' vibrant hues drowned in red and black swirls, devouring the essence of their gaze. No longer were those eyes the windows to a mesmerizing soul; instead, they portrayed the corruption festering within.

My mother, a pillar of strength in the face of darkness, confronted the encroaching harpies as I was paralyzed with fear.

"Mother, what do we do?" I stammered, my eyes wide with terror.

"Run, Elessida! Head for the city. Keep in the cover of the trees!"

My mother's command cut through the chaos as she faced the invading harpies.

Manifesting her alignment to fire, she wielded it with the skill of a seasoned warrior. In a desperate plea for aid, she shot an explosive arrow of fire from her hand into the sky, the incendiary flare cutting through the night, signaling the sentinels of the city for help.

As I sprinted towards the cover of trees, my mother's final words echoed in the night. "Hide until help arrives, Elessida, and stay silent!" she screamed, her voice a desperate plea, facing the onslaught of wings and talons beginning to surround her.

I ran to the cover of trees, adrenaline overriding my paralyzing fear, as I witnessed the nightmarish dance unfold. The corrupted harpies transformed the enchanted forest into a theater of horror. The weight of helplessness settled upon me as I clung to the bark of a tree, awaiting the uncertain arrival of the city's Sentinels and the salvation I wasn't sure would come.

As the harpies descended upon my mother, their faces twisted into horrifying snarls of abomination, and my heart pounded with terror. The unnatural glow in their eyes, the jagged edges of their feathers, and the dissonant cries fueled a primal fear rooting itself deep within me.

My mother faced the threat with an unwavering resolve and inner strength determined to fend them off for as long as possible. She conjured flames that danced at her fingertips, a mesmerizing display of power against the looming darkness.

She moved with grace, a lone beacon of resistance, her deep red hair swaying with each movement, each flicker of her fingers sending arcs of fire igniting the night. The air crackled with the intensity of her magic, the flames a vibrant testament to her desperate battle against the terrible creatures. The harpies were relentless in their assault. Some succumbed to the searing flames, their wings engulfed in roaring infernos, scorching the ground and trees surrounding them, as my mother defended herself against the onslaught. The light of the battle flashed in front of me, and the heat of the fire caressed my face. The scent of burning feathers and acrid smoke permeated the air, a testament to the fierce struggle that unfolded.

Amid her valiant stand, the harpies proved cunning and unyielding. Their talons tore into her, leaving crimson trails marring the once-flawless canvas of her robes. She gritted her teeth against the pain, determination etched into her features as she continued to weave her incendiary spells.

"With every burst of flames, another damned creature takes its place!" she shouted, a fierce edge in her voice battling the rising despair.

My mother, a fierce protector and a symbol of resilience, fought against the relentless tide, but the toll on her body became apparent. The loss of blood as the harpies lashed out, entangling her limbs and making her sway. Her once-glorious flames flickered, weakened as she reached her physical limit to manifest her power.

In those harrowing moments, as hope seemed to waver, the distant echoes of approaching footsteps reached our ears. The city's Sentinels, drawn by the fiery beacon my mother had ignited, were on their way. Relief coursed through my rigid body. Help was coming. We would be saved.

My mother paused, just for a moment, at the revelation that help was close to arriving. For the corrupted harpies, though, one moment was all they needed. Sensing her vulnerability, they seized the opportunity.

With a final, defiant burst of flames, my mother incapacitated a few more harpies, but the relentless onslaught proved insurmountable. I ignored the sentinels as they breached the forest's edge. I burst out from my hiding place, arms stretched forward, attempting to run to my mother before I was lifted up and held back. I watched her amidst the flaming harpies as they were driven by bloodlust and overwhelmed her defenses. Her valiant struggle came to a tragic end, her body succumbing as she saw me in the protective embrace of a sentinel.

The enchanted forest, now a battlefield of smoldering embers and lingering darkness, bore witness to the sacrifice of a formidable sorceress. My mother, a true flame, was extinguished like the fire she carried.

The battle continued for a short while, so I'm told, with a few more sentinels sacrificing their lives to extinguish the threat. But the only thing I could see and hear was my mother's last moments of battle on repeat in my mind, her body finally dropping to the floor right before she could be saved.

Once the dawn broke on the horizon, the bodies were burned, and I watched as my mother turned to ash.