The Mercenaries

Mia

Mia hooked her legs around the branch and let herself fall backwards. Hanging upside down, she smiled at Seth impishly. He simply rolled his eyes and continued to place apples in his basket. The air was crisp and there was a cold wind that warned of a coming storm. Even in summer it never truly grew warm. They were lucky their trees yielded any apples at all. Mia shook her head. No, lucky wasn't the right word, she thought.
Her mother denied it, but Mia suspected there was magic involved. While their neighbor's plants withered and died, theirs flourished. Their small garden never failed to produce healthy vegetables and their apple trees' branches were always heavy with fruit. Her mother and father were both born into ancient magical lines. However her father didn't bare the gift of these abilities since he was the youngest of his siblings.
Magic isn't something you're born with. Instead, it is passed on from parent to offspring. And since within families the magic is strictly limited to a single gender, it is passed from a mother to her eldest daughter or a father to his eldest son. This is why Mia would inherit the family's gift instead of Seth. Traditionally, she would receive it on her sixteenth birthday or on her mother's deathbed. Preferably the prior.
Magical families identify themselves through their markings. Her family's marking was a black mamba, an incredibly venomous snake. The snake was present on her mother's forearm, similar to a tattoo. It was the source of her power, without it she would be unable to use magic.
Mia yawned and gently dropped to the ground. It had been a long day. She curled in the grass and listened to the rustling of the leaves and the soft chirping of birds. The sun warmed her face and her eyelids drooped. I'll only rest for a minute, she told herself.
Mia fell asleep, but her dreams were far from peaceful. Her mom lay on the floor in their house, propped up on her arms with wide eyes. She brought one hand to her mouth and Mia followed her gaze to a body strewn across the doorway. Daddy? She staggered and took a step back. Blood was pooling around his body. There...there was too much.
For the first time she noticed the man striding towards Mom. He was dressed in military uniform, she recognized it from the patrols that sometimes came through town. More blood was dripping off his blade. Mia froze in terror, watching as the man raised his sword above his head. Things seemed to move in slow motion. The sword started to swing down. In a moment of clarity, Mia noticed her mom's right forearm was bare. It bore no sign of the marking. Something was moving across the floor, making its way towards the soldier. Pale grey and almost eight feet long. A snake. It lunged and latched onto his ankle. His blade faltered, and missed her mom's heart, instead stabbing her in the stomach. She looked down at her stomach in shock, her mouth forming a small "o". The soldier's gaze fell on the snake that was slithering towards her mom. He moved to slice his sword through it but her mom raised her hand and screamed, "Noooo!".
A flash of blue erupted through the house and when it dissipated the man was sprawled across the floor. The sound of ringing bells echoed through the house. Mia was woken up by Seth shaking her shoulder.
His eyes were wide and panicked. With a jolt, Mia realized that the bells were still ringing. "Mom," she gasped.
Seth looked at her with confusion, but followed her as she ran to the house. The ringing of the bells warned of an attack and she was beginning to fear that she hadn't been dreaming. Mia's dress caught under her feet as she ran and stumbled only to be steadied by Seth. She didn't slow down. Visions of her father and mother filled her head. No, she thought, They're fine. They'll be there with supper waiting as soon as we get there.
Shoving through the back door, she finally slowed her pace, reluctant to bring herself to the front hall. Mia grabbed Seth's hand. She took one step after the other, making her way through the kitchen where onions were burning on the stove. Her mom never burnt anything.
She stopped dead in the hall, falling to her knees. No. This can't be real... I must be dreaming still. Seth stiffened and froze. Three bodies lay on the floor; an unconscious man, a dead man, and a dying woman. Blood seeped from their father's dead body and their mother's injured form. Mia pulled herself to her mom's side while Seth stood immobilized. Her eyelids fluttered and Mia gasped when she saw her mom's slitted eyes. "Mia? Is that you?" She asked, struggling to focus her gaze.
"Yes," she answered in a whisper.
"Thank God. Mia I need you to do something."
"Of course. Anything. "
Her voice cracked. She felt tears run down her cheeks. "I need you to take on the family mark. My snake... do you see her?"
The large grey reptile lied coiled on the floor next to her mom. Mia nodded. "This is Tempest. She will be reborn once she joins herself with you. She will be a new snake. Rename her when you get the chance and raise her well. She will not not fail to serve you. You won't know how to control your new powers. Seek the guidance of another witch or wizard before you attempt to use them. Make no mistake, magic is a dangerous art," she turned to Seth saying, "Without your father you will never make it to Tisite. Head for Ley City. Take the horses. There are bags packed for the two of you hidden in the cellar. I had prepared them just in case. Once you arrive in the city try and find an apprenticeship. Your sister will be busy with her magic training if she manages to find an instructor, so you will need to make sure she is well taken care of. You'll do that for me, won't you?"
He gave a nod, too stricken to do anything else. Their mother looked to them and smiled weakly. "I love you both. Be strong for me."
She coughed and blood ran down her chin. "Mia, pick up the snake and let her coil around your arm."
Mia reached down and hesitantly wrapped her small hands around the snake's slim body. The snake slowly wrapped herself around her forearm and waited, turning towards their mom. Mia saw her mom's eyes struggle to stay open. Eyes, she realized, that mirrored the snake's. "It's time Tempest," her mom murmured.
Tempest began to shine with a strange red light. She then suddenly flashed brightly, causing Mia to scream as it felt as though her skin was seared by a branding iron. The light receded to reveal a black snake tattoo that coiled up her arm. Trembling with pain, Mia looked up to see her mom smile one last time. She gave a final breath before her eyes glazed over. Eyes that were no longer slitted.