Warrior of Arcana

Prologue (Death)

   My name is Alizar Graves and my story begins with the ending of my mortal life. I was walking home from my job as a night clerk at the One Stop gas station across town. I pulled out my phone and yawned as I looked at the time. It's 4:24 in the morning and there's a thick layer of fog covering the streets and alleys of Downtown Flint.

   As I walked down Saginaw Street a bright orange flash down an alley caught my eye. My curiosity overwhelmed me and I headed down the alley to investigate. I was stunned by the sight of a man standing in front of me with his right hand engulfed in flames.

   He swung his arm toward the darkness and launched a fireball. There was another bright flash that revealed a man in a black cloak with a sword, glowing red from the heat. The cloaked man stepped backwards into the shadows and disappeared from sight.

   Suddenly he stepped from the shadows that danced behind the burning man. I attempted to yell " Watch out!" but my efforts were in vain as I watched the sword slide through the burning mans back and straight into his heart. Blood sprayed from around the blade as the corpse slides off the sword, crashing noisily on the pavement.

   The man in the cloak definitely heard my attempt at warning for his dark gaze quickly focused on me. He stepped back into the shadows again as I turned and began running out of the alley and down the street, sprinting for home. Just as I thought I'd lost him he stepped from the shadows in front of me. He plunged his sword into my chest, shredding straight through my heart. He slid his blade out and I fell to the ground, lifeless.

   You know how there are those people that believe you see a light after you die. Well they're wrong, all there was, was nothing. Until I heard her voice.

   "Would you like a second chance to live?" The voice echoed in the darkness.

   "Who... Who are you?" The voice didn't respond. "I want to live... Please I'll do anything."

  " I am Arcana, goddess of the arcane. It is within my power to breathe life back into you, but you must know the world you return to shall be forever changed."

   "It means nothing as long as I get to live."

   "Then so it shall be. Go forth child and grab you destiny." She said and her voice echoed and then faded.