Fire's Mage (Book One) Kyoko of Fire Country

Prologue

"Run, run little mouse."

Pushing himself up, his hand tightened around the dagger that he kept under his pillow. Throwing into the night's thick mist, in the direction he thought the voice was coming from. Right in front of him.

This was not the season to be attacked in, Fire's cold season was just as bad as their dry ones. The chill getting deep into yours bones, regardless of how many layers one wore. He had been told that it was just this part of the forest, where trees grew closer together and mist was thicker.

"Missed," the same voice mocked. Jumping up, he grabbed his sword, leaving his bag behind as he ran into the mist. Kane could barely see through it, so he had hoped it would be the same for the person who was trying to follow him.

He had chosen to sleep in a deep cave, one with a running stream near-by. The cave was deep enough to hide his bag, along with any fire he might have might, but wide enough that he could make a hasty escape if needed.

Turned out it was needed, tightening his grip on his sword, cleared the cluster of trees. The stream in front of him, slowly walking towards he turned around. Staring at the small dark figure floating just below the lowest tree branch.

A shadow person, he thought to himself. They were floating like a ghost, a staff behind him. A ghost from one the wars? It would make sense, Kane knew this was one of the most fought over areas between Fire and Sound.

He had read that Shadow People and Ghosts couldn't cross over running water. Slowly backing away, he dropped his sword when something cold wrapped itself around his ankle. Becoming colder as he leaned down to take it off.

A shackle, made out of ice.

"Kane Black," they told him as they folded closer to the ground, staying a centremeter off the ground. "Dearest idiot."

Standing up Kane went to grab his dropped sword, only to stop when water wrapped around his wrists and pulled him up. An ice wall behind him, slamming his head against the ice.

"Who's there," he shouted as water continued to snake its way around his torso, pulling him closer to the wall behind him. He couldn't feel his fingers, nor could he feel his toes.

"It matters not,Kane of the Noble Black family," they told him, their tone darkening as they said his name. A personal enemy then? A member of Water Hunter's team? A Hunter from another country?

"You're a no good child-killer," Kane shouted at them. It was most likely a hunter from Water Country, he remembered their generous leader sending troops into Fire's forests.

They were close enough to the border that they could leave if Doiteain got into their plans. Sound Country allowed them to go through their territory in large numbers.

"I'm not from Uisce," they told him. The mist made it harder to see his captor. Attacking at night was more of a Mage trick then a Warrior one, something he had seen during the War. "Nor am I from one their allies."

"Then show yourself! You coward."

"Coward? If you insist." Stepping out from the tree line, a small fire broke out between them. A bright white, floating above the ground as it burned. A black hood covered their face as they walked out of the tree line. Still, he could see glowing blue eyes with a ring of bright red.

Blood running cold as he remembered his niece, his sister's daughter. A beautiful little girl with wide blue eyes and dark brown hair. She loved him even if he most saw him as a blood thirsty monster. She trusted him, she trusted him to protect her.

And he let her down. Without thinking, he whispered, "Jane."

"Jane?" they asked, staff was still behind their back. Showing pale skin Kane would have placed on someone from Moon, Light or Dark Country. "Who is Jane?"

"Was," he snapped without thinking, pressure growing on his limbs as he tried to pull free. "She's dead. Murdered by your people for some bright yellow butterflies."

"Then as you can see, I'm not Jane," they hissed at him, hand going down to lower their hood and pulling it down. Bright red hair in tight braids flowing down her back.

Pale skin and bright red hair, it wasn't his dead niece. Jane wasn't coming back to kill him, for failing to protect her and her golden butterflies.

"She was a Mage then," she told him waving her free hand, fire appearing at the end of her fingers, spreading to her palms and staying there as she glared at him. "As you can see. I'm a Mage myself, you air headed moron."

"Then wh-"

"You're not the sharpest tool in the shed are you?"

"What do you want?"

"Your head. You have quite the bounty."

"You bitch!" Jerking his head back, he was surprised when she walked up towards him her hands going around his neck, floating in front of him to get to it. She was removing his locket! "Don't you touch that."

"It would be a shame if it broke," she told him, her voice was cold and her eyes blank. "Along with your sword, heavy thing. I'm Kyoko. Not that you'll be alive long enough to tell anyone about our meeting."

Kane couldn't talk, water was going around his neck, pushing down as she titled her head floating towards the fire, until it was next to her. Dots going around his vision as he lost air.

"To think," she told him, locket cupped in her palm, chain going between her fingers. "If you hadn't killed these travellers no one would have known you were here."

Those travellers! There hadn't anyone protecting them, so they had been easy prey. Easy prey that turned out to be the reason he was going to die.

"Don't worry, you'll be going to the Spirit world. Jane is waiting for you Kane, she won't be happy to see you soon," she told him, smiling as she looked up. "And now I say, goodnight."

Before he could blink, his neck was snapped and he could see Jane waiting for him. Not only Jane but everyone he had lost because of the Mage Massacre. Smiling, he allowed his niece and his friends pulling him towards them.