A Girl and Her Demons

When Life Was Easy

Chapter One: When Life Was Easy

                The sun rose high over a corn field just outside of a small village. As the sun looked down on this field it spotted a clearing within the field. Inside of the clearing were three children lying down and staring up into the blue sky.

One of the children was a built muscular young man. His hair was already a darker shade of grey that looked much like the metal blade that lay on the ground beside him. The second child was small and not nearly as muscular as the first. His hair was jet black and matched the dark sunglasses that he wore on his face. The last child was a beautiful young woman. Her frame was not strong but also was not fragile. Her long blazing red hair was sprawled out beside her.

The three of the children were relaxing in the afternoon sun. The three were simply lying in silence enjoying the peace away from their lessons. The girl was the first one to sit up and break the silence. “I cannot wait to get out of here. I want to see Capitol City so much!”

“We still have a full week of lessons to go through. It’s going to be a tough week too.” The black haired boy said still lying on the ground.  “Plus, there is no guarantee that we will pass the test and get moved over to Capitol City.”

“Stop being such a downer, Volde. We have been fine all year with all the tests they have put us through. Is there any reason to doubt that we will pass?”

“Okay then,” The boy identified as Volde said, now sitting up and turning to the girl, looking at her through his black sunglasses. “Say we pass. The council only picks a small number of students to send off to Capitol. What makes you think that of all the people that are graduating at the end of this week you or me are going to be picked?”

The third boy sat up quickly and turned on them both. “You guys want to go to Capitol so bad that you want to get chosen to go to that place. I have no choice but to go serve over there and most likely die to some random army that decides to attack us. You will get to just sit up on the wall firing your magics into them and have no risk on your life at all and don’t even care about the cannon fodder holding them off of you.” The three of them sat in silence at the anger in the young man’s voice. The girl scooted over and put her head on the young man’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Scarlet. I shouldn’t have shouted.”

“Well, you have a reason to be angry, Tempest. The council forcing you to go off against your will is nonsense. Where else would you use your skills though?”  Volde asked lying back down.

“I don’t mind using my skills in that way.” Tempest said stroking Scarlet’s hair. “I just want to be able to choose who I fight for. A soldier should be able to choose a side. You guys are able to choose where you want to train after graduation. I just get to join the Shenguard and defend Capitol. I can’t choose to go down south and join the Red Hand.“ Scarlet looked up at him at the mention of the Red Hand. The Red Hand was named as such because of the banner of a severed hand that they carried into every battle. Not much is known about them except that they are a ferocious group of warriors who live in the southern part of the continent.

The Red Hand is the enemy of the Shenguard, the defenders of Capitol City. These defenders are warrior caste that are trained together with the Elementalists to create a relationship between the two so that they can defend Capitol together peacefully.

“You would rather be a part of the Red Hand? That seems like a bold statement to come out of someone who is becoming a Shenguard in a week.” Scarlet was taken aback at the mention of the Red Hand. Tempest was normally very aggressive when it came to the council’s rules but never had he mentioned them before.

“Of course not!” Tempest said quickly. “I would never join those barbarians. I just feel that we should be given the choice and not have to be a rebel or an outcast to have a different purpose than to protect a city which has not been attacked in over five hundred years. There is no action or use for my skills in Capitol. You will at least be able to use your magic in useful ways.” The three of them sat I thought about this. They had always dreamed of moving out of the small village and having a purpose in defending Capitol. Yet, the thing they had wanted for so long seemed much less grand than it had when they were younger.