Tales from Septins Mind

So heres another story I have only the first part for but its kinda cool how I got the idea for the magic system which spawned some intesting ideas. Anyway, enjoy this little bit of writing which could be the basis for a story.

 

 

Aithne reached down to pluck a twig from the fire-bush at her feet. It broke with a soft snap as she lifted the leaf from the rest of the small bush. She ran her fingers along the side along the leaves, once, twice. She plucked the small stiff leaves off in a pattern she had been taught more than a decade ago. It was one of the ten patterns she had been forbidden to ever make in fire-bush, combined with a few modifications her mentor would have been terrified to see.

 

Aithne lifted the small twig in front of her face and blew lightly down its length, over the pattern she had plucked concentrating. Small flickers of pale blue fire emerged from the other side of the leaf pattern. Only then did she move her gaze from the fire-bush twig and onto the large group of men advancing on her village from down the slope of the hillside she was standing on. It was hard to make much out in the darkness beyond the glint of metal weapons and the reflected light of the moon and stars in their yes as they stared at her. She lifted the twig high then brought it down diagonally across the front of her body, crying out loudly as she did.

 

“Fire of the heavens, light my way through the dark.”

 

The twig in her hands burst into pale blue fire that did not burn her hand but lit up the hillside in a blue light as from a bonfire. Every man advancing up the slope froze. Aithne spoke again, her voice ringing out as she lifted the twig high over her head as if offering it to the night sky.

 

 

“Fire of the heavens, descend in glory.”

 

Silence stretched out after she called out. The one of the men cried out in pain as a droplet of blue fire fell from the sky onto his exposed arm. Then the twig in Aithne’s hand went nearly dark and the hillside, along with the revealed war band creeping between tree’s and rocks went dark as the blue light faltered. Aithne crouched down and clutched the nearly extinguished fire-bush twig in her hands and whispered, in fear and desperation.

 

“Fire of the heavens, be as a river to drown my foes.”

 

The twig in her hand erupted once more into pure blue fire, being utterly consumed. Aithne cried out but did not unclench her hand from the now pure blue fire. If she released it she would lose control and her purpose would not be achieved. She did not feel any pain from the fire even as it engulfed her hand. It was cool and soothing on her skin.

 

That was the point it began to rain fire. First small droplets of flame like the one that had just burnt one of the men on the hillside. They trickled down from the clear sky sizzling as they touched the men on the hillside. Those closest to Aithne started to charge towards her. The fire from the sky became a torrential downpour of flame falling from the sky and the entire hillside, including the men on it caught ablaze, blue fire causing natural fire and setting clothing and hair alight. Aithne just stared fixedly as the men screamed briefly before the flames choked their lungs. None of the men charging at her lived long enough to remotely threaten her.

 

The fire continued to fall in a rain from the sky. Even after the entire hillside was ablaze and all the men upon it were utterly consumed. Aithne’s hand did not unclench from the brilliant blue flame in her hand. Her gaze fixed somewhere far in the distance as her mind shut down at what she had just done. She had killed several dozen men in an instant. She had broken all the laws of the druids in an instant. She had saved her village.

 

As she stared at the flames now rapidly spreading over the surround landscape she didn’t move. A hand made of blue flame closed her her hand that was clenched tightly.

 

“That is enough child. Your foes are slain. Close the link.” A voice with the crackle of a furnace spoke.

 

Aithne turned to see the speaker and her hand spasmed open and shut again, as she saw a humanoid shape of blue fire looking at her, releasing the flame in her hand. It winked out of existence, but the figure of flame stayed where it was in front of her. It pulled its arm back and then spoke once more.

 

“You have discovered your inner flame.” It reached out an arm again and a finger of flame caressed her cheek, cool and soothing as the flame that had engulfed her hand. “Your fire will burn bright in the years to come.” There was a short pause with nothing but the crackling of electric blue fire from the figure. Then the voice issued again, sounding satisfied. “I name you flame-warden.” The hand grasped hers and a cold burn engulfed her entire arm.

 

Aithne screamed as the cold burn raced up her shoulder and covered her entire body. Then her hand was released and she fell to her hands and knee’s, gasping in pain as her body burned coldly. She stared up in pain and bewilderment at the figure of fire.

 

“My fire is yours to guard. Use it well.” The figure turned to go and Aithne tried to speak but collapsed in agony, her vision darkening until she passed into unconsciousness and dreams of flame.