Chapter 1
Maela
I feel the heat of the rising sun on my face as I sit on the soft living room rug. Cassie, my younger sister, sits next to me, remnants of our breakfast pastries on her cheeks and the front of her shirt.
“Maela! Show me again!” she exclaims.
I smile over at her, then internally reach for the bright core of energy that rests at the center of my chest. I just felt my magic growing inside of me about a month ago. Ever since, I have been practicing as often as I can. As magic fills in my palm, I focus on forming the iridescent light into the shape of a unicorn for Cassie. These tiny figures of light represent the entirety of my current magical abilities, despite all the practice I have been doing.
I watch the joy in Cassie’s eyes when she sees me forming her favorite creature that roams our world. Gently I coax the figure to dance around in her tiny hand. I do my best to commit the sound of her giggle to memory, knowing that after today it could be months before I hear it again.
I take in her heart-shaped face, framed with bouncy, curly blond hair, the color matching our mother’s. Her wide eyes, though, are the same bright green color as our father’s. Cassie just turned nine; her birthday was just a few weeks ago. She continues to marvel at the small light figurine in her hand, laughing when it starts to gallop in circles.
“Girls! I hope you are getting ready!” yells Mother from the stairs. “Maela, you better be packed!” We listen as her footsteps fade away from us. I dissolve the illusion and rise from the floor. I pat Cassie on the head, sending her strawberry and sugar scent all around, and then make my way toward my bedroom.
We live in a spacious two-story townhouse. Each of us has our own bedroom, along with an open living space, full bathroom, and kitchen. Mother’s shop is located on the ground floor. She owns the only seamstress shop in the rural area of Sadlyn. Specializing in dresses, people come all the way from the capital to purchase her work.
Lying on my bed is a beautiful, flowy, cream dress with cap sleeves. Mother has embroidered flowers in the hem and woven a deep green ribbon into the square neckline. The dress is a perfect fit, falling to just above my knees. I add my light brown boned corset to flatter my waist. I check my appearance in the full-length mirror on the wall. My dark brunette hair falls past my shoulders in natural, effortless waves. A light dusting of freckles across my nose and an ever-present light pink blush on my cheeks accent my pale complexion.
As I look at my reflection, I note the nerves dancing in my eyes. Today all over the land of Gendor, 19-year-olds will be participating in the Placement Ceremony. A ceremony that dictates our futures. There are two paths a young adult can take in this world. You can become a tradesperson with a mentor or an adventurer at an academy.
Our world is full of threats and people in need. Adventurers are the ones that are available to help. Whether it be a farmer who needs extra hands harvesting his late crops or a village being pestered by goblins, adventurers are willing to take on any quest.
Aspiring adventurers are tested for magical ability at today’s ceremony. If even slight traces of magic are found, they are placed at Mystic’s Magic Academy. The academy gets its name from the mighty Althea Mystic, the most powerful sorcerer in Gendor’s history. At Mystic’s, magic wielders are divided into three different classes based on the type of magic they wield. Those classes are druids, clerics, and sorcerers.
Druids are very nature-focused in their magic. Their magic has the power to create plant life and poisons and form bonds with wildlife. Druids also have the impressive ability to shapeshift into other animals, allowing them to use different physical abilities to their advantage.
Clerics are healers. They focus all their energy on weaving magic to heal wounds, cure disease, and bless their fellow party members. Usually touched by the gods, clerics are the only wielders with access to radiant, holy magic. Sometimes, on very rare occasions, the god-touched magic is cursed. When such an event happens, instead of being blessed with the ability to heal, the wielder’s magic is necrotic. It causes anything the wielder casts to wither away. This curse also grants the wielder the power of necromancy.
Sorcerers have elemental magic. Elemental magic covers a wide range of abilities. The most commonly wielded types are fire, ice, and lightning. Some rare sorcerers are capable of psychic magic. A dangerously powerful magic that allows the wielder to be able to hear the thoughts of those around them and control people with simple commands. Due to the dark nature of that magic, people who wield it tend to get sanctioned by the governing council and are put under strict supervision.
Adventurers who are found to have no magical signatures are sent to Bishop’s Battle Academy, named after Halvor Bishop, a famous fighter who led a band of heroes to victory during the final battle of The Shifting. Adventurers at this academy are also separated into three divisions: barbarians, rogues, and fighters.
Barbarians are usually very tall and extremely strong. They tend to have strong emotions as well, often going into a rage at the hint of a fight. They tend to wield heavy maces or battle axes. They are the “hit first, ask questions if they wake up” kind of people.
Rogues are often described as walking shadows. Usually cloaked in black, they are incredibly sneaky and tend to have sticky fingers. They can be quieter than a mouse and quicker than a spark of flame. Going unnoticed, they are particularly good at gathering information and other people’s money.
Fighters cover a wide range of weapon users. Most fighters know how to wield a sword, but some also specialize in the use of axes, spears, and bows. Unlike barbarians, fighters are very skillful in battle. They tend to command parties and are incredible strategists.
There is no academy for those who decide to go into trade vocations. Prospective tradesmen are assigned a mentor in their desired skill and work closely with them. Alchemists, armor-smiths, weapon-smiths, and chefs tend to be the most common skills that a tradesperson can learn. There are also many more specialized options, for example, seamstresses, fletchers, and herbalists.
We spent the final year of primary education studying the various divisions of adventuring and trades. Our class shadowed different adventuring parties on small local quests. We also spent time working with trade workers and seeing the process of their skills, such as blacksmithing, weaving, and potion-making, which helped us understand the practical applications of these trades. At the end of the term, each student sends an essay with a statement of intent to the governing body of Gendor, the Celestial Council, expressing the path they wish to follow.
I turn away from the mirror and assess the situation on my bed; two partially packed bags lie open. One bag is overflowing with dresses that Mom has made for me, as well as comfy cardigans, jeans, and athletic wear. The academy supplies lecture and training uniforms, so the clothes I have packed are mainly for evenings and weekends. The second bag has a few of my favorite books, an assortment of shoes, framed photos of my family and close friends, and a journal I started keeping once my magic manifested.
As I close up my bags, the zipper catches on a corner of the framed picture of my family. I remove it from the bag and take in the photo. It’s from many years ago, the last picture we took as a whole family. Toddler Cassie is snuggled in Mother’s arms, and 12-year-old me is getting a piggyback ride from my father. I pass my thumb over his face; it has been 6 years since I last saw him.
My father was a compelling lightning sorcerer and party leader for the Unstoppable Six. Their party accepted a quest that took them to the northern border of Caldna. It was believed a small troop of goblins had been raiding rural villages, causing destruction of buildings and farm land and, on a few occasions, disappearances of magic wielders. My father left early one June morning, telling me that he would be home in time to celebrate Cassie’s third birthday in August.
Cassie’s birthday came and passed. Days turned into weeks, then months. My father and his party had never returned. Despite her repeated pleas to the council for another investigation into the disappearance, they consistently denied her requests. Years went by, and we never learned what happened to my father. Mother had a funeral for him on the third anniversary of the last day we saw him. Slowly, as a family, we started to move on, but I have never stopped wondering what happened to my father and if maybe he is still out there somewhere waiting for someone to rescue him.
The idea of my father needing help is what led to my decision to become an adventurer. If there is no one else out there who can search for answers and clues about the Unstoppable Six’s disappearance, then I will spend my adventuring career trying to solve the mystery.
“Maela! It’s time to go!”
Rushing down the stairs, I find Mother and Cassie at the back door of the shop. Like me, Mother and Cassie both have on beautiful handcrafted dresses. My mother is a gorgeous woman; her hair is long and wavy like mine but is a bright blond color that matches Cassie’s. She has a heart-shaped face and full lips that are always painted red. Her brown eyes match my own and are lightly dusted with eyeshadow and lined with black mascara.
Quickly, I grab my green velvet cloak and fasten it with the leather buckle. Before stepping out the door, my mother stops me. “Let me take a look at you,” she says, sweeping the hair out of my face and tucking it behind my ears. “This is an important day. No matter what happens, know that I am overwhelmingly proud of you, and your father would be as well.” She kisses me on the cheek, then swiftly wipes off the lipstick residue. “You are going to do wonderful things, sweet girl.”
I watch as she discreetly swipes a tear from her eyes and grabs Cassie’s cloak, wrapping it around the small girl. I smile at both of them and take a deep breath as I step outside of my home. After today, I will be heading to Mystic’s Magic Academy and beginning my journey as an adventurer. I cannot wait.
