Ember Heart: The Revival

Chapter 1 - The Deadbeat Wannabe

Start writing your story

For the first time in her life, Isa was excited about her birthday. It was always such a chore when she was younger. The house had to be spotless, like it was just spit out of a factory. Isa's mother got her up before the sunrise to scrub and dust every surface in the house. Then the party would begin. There would be the soulless congratulations and the robotic exchanging of gifts. After that, her family spent the rest of the time complaining, whether it be about their aching backs or an idiot politician. Once, her Aunt Florence spent ten minutes detailing a horrific murder she saw on the news.

The previous year was the worst. As soon as Isa turned seventeen, it was an invitation for everyone to question her future. In one such barrage, Isa let it slip that she wanted to become a wizard. The silence that followed was deafening. Her entire family stared at her with gaping mouths.

"What's she talking about?" asked Grandma Rue, shooting daggers at Isa's father. "You're going to let your daughter become a freak?"

His face turned red. "This is the first I'm hearing about this." He turned to Isa and hardened his gaze. "Of course we're not going to let you become a wizard."

"One of my co-workers has a son that became one. She said he lives alone and he's miserable. No one in their family has spoken to him in years," said Aunt Florence, butting into the conversation.

Isa could feel the anger rising in her chest. "Maybe he wouldn't be so miserable if his family wasn't ignoring him."

Aunt Florence gasped. Next to her on the couch was Henry, her five-year-old son. He was playing with a toy car, oblivious to the conversation around him.

Now, in any ordinary case, someone wanting to be a wizard was simply not possible. It was a childhood wish that died along with innocence. But Isa and her family did not live in an ordinary world.

The island was called Spade and was unreachable and unchartable by any citizen of Earth. Here, and only here, humans could wield magic. It was perfectly possible to become a wizard.

"It's my life," Isa said, crossing her arms over her chest. "If you don't like what I do, that's fine. I don't care."

"You should," Uncle Derek shot back. "You're still a child, you don't have good decision-making abilities. We're trying to protect you."

"I don't need protection," she said.

Her mother grabbed onto Isa's arm and whispered into her ear. "Can we talk about this later? Please?"

"No, we can talk about it now. I don't see a problem."

"Isa." Her father's tone was severe. His eyes were shooting daggers at her.

"What? I don't get what the issue is," Isa said, plopping down in an armchair. "Once I turn 18, I'm going to join a guild and learn magic. It's not a big deal."

Grandma Rue shook her head. "Not a big deal? You're going to throw away your entire life!"

Isa shrugged. "I'm aware."

"I've heard enough." Uncle Derek rose from his seat, motioning for Aunt Florence and Henry to do the same. "We'll be going. Goodbye, Isa. Enjoy the rest of your life." He helped Grandma Rue out of her chair. There were muttered goodbye's as Isa's party guests left one by one. Henry wailed as his mother dragged him away. They hadn't eaten cake yet.

After that disaster, a shouting match ensued between Isa and her parents. It ended when her mother burst into tears, and Isa, taken aback by her mother's reaction, shut herself inside her room. She emerged a week later, having gone in and out of her window to get food and other necessities. Her parents never mentioned it again, and Isa didn't feel like bringing it up.