Author's Notes: This is a cooperation project with a friend of mine. Firebird, Rams, Ares, and Genor are mine, Healer and Salamander were Wolfwitch's but were kindly given to me. We decided to change the story and ended up making this a multi-story project (for reasons that will become obvious later).
Rise of the Triple Fire
Chapter II: A letter and a meeting
Healer huddled close to her campfire and pulled her blanket closer around herself. She scowled. "If that girl doesn't show up in a few days, I'm going home and she'll be on her own. I'm freezing my butt out here!" she thought to herself.
She had heard from a thief by the odd name of Rams, probably an acquaintance of Salamander's, that a runaway girl with great potential for Fire magic was passing this way and that she needed a place to stay and he heard that Healer hadn't an apprentice so, though what interested her was that her informer mentioned the possibility that girl might be who Healer was looking for. His vague message mercifully included the name: Firebird de Aurar. It sounded promising. It also included strict instructions to burn the letter after she read it so it couldn't be read by anyone else; according to the man's 'reliable', as he put it, research, the girl was a noble's daughter. A low ranking noble's daughter, yes, but he had heard from 'reliable' sources that Soria's Duke's son was attempting to court her. Underline 'attempting'.
Healer sighed and levitated some wood from the pile she made on to the flames. She shivered. Maybe this was an elaborate trick played on her by Salamander. Who knew where the girl was at the moment. She hadn't seen her for a moon. Lost in thought, she gazed up at the rapidly darkening sky.
Healer was a mercenary-mage who especially favored fire for her less than passive activities, though she didn't look the part. Long black hair was kept back in a braid and in contrast to her hair, she was pale, though this was probably due to the cold and season itself. Green eyes and her name, of course, betrayed the fact that she was a healer, someone who could work with all four elements. This was a strange kind of magic for a mercenary, as healers usually value life and mercenaries were often commissioned to kill people, two conflicting professions.
She was also rather young for a fully-fledged mercenary, though this wasn't very noteworthy. The local mercenary guild would often take in orphans and train them, and they weren't especially picky either. Any infant that appeared healthy enough to eventually become a strong and competent mercenary was raised and trained intensively in weapons, haggling and any magic the apprentice might possess. Healer and her fraternal twin sister Salamander were two such mercenaries and quick learners too.
By the time they were five they could already take down opponents twice their size using a unique brand of magic and weaponsfight that they seemed to know instinctively. It was a rather scary thing.
Now that they were fourteen, they had already been in the business for two years, and had paid off their Guild just last year. It would take most orphaned apprentices of their age two more years to complete their training. The one thing that discouraged Healer was that they had already gone their separate ways: Salamander left a moon ago on a contract she had taken herself. They weren't even fifteen yet, and already they were practically grown up.
As she mused about the strangeness of her life, she saw a shadow moving toward her in the dark of the night. Moments later, she could tell it was a girl with a bird on her shoulder. An air mage? As the girl got still closer, Healer could see it wasn't an air mage. The girl was looking down at the snow covered ground in front of her as she walked. No, Air mages often looked around. Soon, the girl was in front of her.
"Hello, traveler! You are welcome to share my fire and meal if you like!" Healer greeted the girl warmly.
In the winter, there was not much food to be found and you needed to be prepared if you were to go on a journey. It was customary in Arin for a traveler camping out to invite wayward travelers to share their fire. This girl seemed like she hadn't prepared much.
"Thank you very much, stranger, for your generosity. I am very grateful to you." she said.
"Any news from the north?" Healer asked. The north was the direction the girl had come from.
"None that I know of, at any rate, save that Lord Genor of Soria was refused." answered the girl.
"By whom?" Healer asked, knowing what the answer would be.
"By me... I mean, by Lady Firebird de Aurar. And quite violently at that." grinned the girl.
"Firebird, I heard you needed shelter. My name is Healer. I'm a mercenary and a mage. I don't have an apprentice and I was wondering, well, someone who obviously is interested in you, was wondering if I could take you on as my apprentice." started the young mercenary, cutting to the chase.
"How did you know my name?" Firebird asked, afraid somewhat.
"I read between the lines. You gave yourself away when you told me who refused that idiotic, spoiled brat of a duke's son." commented the healer.
"You know him?" asked Firebird curiously.
"To tell you the truth, I had a commission from his father, around a year ago. Pan of Soria is actually a nice guy, it's his wife and son that are total morons. But enough of this. Do you want to be my apprentice or not?" demanded Healer.
"I don't have any fighting to learn from any mercenary, I'm afraid. I already master the Kylanir techniques." answered Firebird.
Healer suddenly noticed the huge broadsword slung on the young Lady's back. How she had managed to ignore it before was quite beyond her.
"Yes, course I knew that." agreed the mage. "My offer was to teach you to be a mercenary and possibly magic. You have a very high potential for both Fire and Air magic. It would be a shame if such talent were to be neglected." smiled Healer slyly.
"Well, I guess I can't turn down an offer to learn magic. I've always wanted to become a sorceress." the swordswoman debated.
"Firebird, being a mercenary requires excellent thieving skills. When we're in a slump, mercenaries don't have much choice other than theft. Since I'm a healer, I don't have to resort to that as often as most, but I doubt you have much promise as a healer. You sure you're up to it?" the healer said.
"Who said I wanted to become a mercenary? I just want to learn magic." commented Firebird, who was beginning to have her doubts about what she'd gotten herself into.
"Birdie, trust me. There isn't much future in the magick business except as a mercenary or scholar and scholars don't have the kind of contacts that will hopefully keep your pursuers in the dark long enough for you to be able to escape them.
The only future for swordswomen are as guards or as mercenaries and you don't want to become a guard for the obvious reason that you'd be discovered. So you don't have much of a choice. Just relax. As long as you're with me, there's not a thing in the world that can harm you. You won't have to worry about the stealing thing either. My twin sister, Salamander, is very adept at stealing. When she decides to come back from that commission she got a while ago, she'll teach you." Healer smile reassuringly.
"Alright. Mercenary it is." Firebird grinned back.
Apparently, she didn't mind the nickname. Firebird, the new apprentice got out a light-weight tent from her pack. It appeared well handled, though Healer suspected not by it's latest owner. Then, Ares used his fire to clear a space in snow. After the tent was up, Healer helped Firebird cover up the tent with snow to insulate it. The snow was Firebird's idea, surprisingly. When asked about this, Firebird said she was always fascinated by adventurers. It was an interest she couldn't really explain, but there it was and that was how she knew so much. When the escape happened she claimed, Firebird only brought bedding and clothes, in addition to the huge broadsword strapped onto her back.
* * *
Healer sneezed and looked jealously at her newfound apprentice's tent. She knew Firebird was snuggled with her familiar, in a blanket dried by the phoenix's flame, all toasty warm. She blew on the embers of her fire, then swore when they went out.
Cursing, she levitated some more wood into the pit, then cast a fire spell on the kindling. It burst into flame, only to go out again when the branches burnt completely too quickly, as a result of the overdose of energy she had put into the spell.
Firebird awoke to the sound of colorful expletives. Getting up abruptly, and upsetting Ares in the process, she found her cloak and stepped outside.
"You know, swear words aren't very erudite things to say." grumbled Firebird, "Especially so early in the morning."
"I'll say whatever I damn well please." grunted the mercenary. She sneezed again.
"I think you're getting a cold." commented the apprentice.
"Isn't it obvious?" asked Healer irritably. She gave a withering glare to the fire pit, then gave up.
"Do you have anything to eat?" she said.
"Didn't I tell you yesterday I didn't bring any rations?" answered the swordswoman wearily.
"Yes, you did. But my rations all need to be heated up. Do you want to try and magically light a fire?" proposed the healer.
"Why do you think I decided to be your apprentice? Because of all the fringe benefits? What do I have to do?"
"All right, Birdie. I assume that since you're already a master in the Kylanir techniques, you know how to concentrate your mind on your opponents' movements. To light a fire, or to do any other similar exercises is basically the same, only you have to concentrate on the kindling. Focus on lighting the wood, and it will catch fire." instructed the mercenary.
Firebird gingerly sat down in front of the fire pit and stared at it intensely. Twice, she thought she saw smoke, but then realized it was her breath that fogged on contact with the cool winter air. She scratched her head.
"This is more complicated than you make this out to be, Healer." she commented to her master.
"Not so. Your first lesson is: everything is hard at the beginning, but even magic becomes simple once you master the basics."
Could it be? Healer wondered. She knew she and Salamander had once had a twin sister, and they'd been searching for her all their life. Without being able to explain it, Healer felt Firebird to be promising in that respect.
Rise of the Triple Fire
Chapter II: A letter and a meeting
Healer huddled close to her campfire and pulled her blanket closer around herself. She scowled. "If that girl doesn't show up in a few days, I'm going home and she'll be on her own. I'm freezing my butt out here!" she thought to herself.
She had heard from a thief by the odd name of Rams, probably an acquaintance of Salamander's, that a runaway girl with great potential for Fire magic was passing this way and that she needed a place to stay and he heard that Healer hadn't an apprentice so, though what interested her was that her informer mentioned the possibility that girl might be who Healer was looking for. His vague message mercifully included the name: Firebird de Aurar. It sounded promising. It also included strict instructions to burn the letter after she read it so it couldn't be read by anyone else; according to the man's 'reliable', as he put it, research, the girl was a noble's daughter. A low ranking noble's daughter, yes, but he had heard from 'reliable' sources that Soria's Duke's son was attempting to court her. Underline 'attempting'.
Healer sighed and levitated some wood from the pile she made on to the flames. She shivered. Maybe this was an elaborate trick played on her by Salamander. Who knew where the girl was at the moment. She hadn't seen her for a moon. Lost in thought, she gazed up at the rapidly darkening sky.
Healer was a mercenary-mage who especially favored fire for her less than passive activities, though she didn't look the part. Long black hair was kept back in a braid and in contrast to her hair, she was pale, though this was probably due to the cold and season itself. Green eyes and her name, of course, betrayed the fact that she was a healer, someone who could work with all four elements. This was a strange kind of magic for a mercenary, as healers usually value life and mercenaries were often commissioned to kill people, two conflicting professions.
She was also rather young for a fully-fledged mercenary, though this wasn't very noteworthy. The local mercenary guild would often take in orphans and train them, and they weren't especially picky either. Any infant that appeared healthy enough to eventually become a strong and competent mercenary was raised and trained intensively in weapons, haggling and any magic the apprentice might possess. Healer and her fraternal twin sister Salamander were two such mercenaries and quick learners too.
By the time they were five they could already take down opponents twice their size using a unique brand of magic and weaponsfight that they seemed to know instinctively. It was a rather scary thing.
Now that they were fourteen, they had already been in the business for two years, and had paid off their Guild just last year. It would take most orphaned apprentices of their age two more years to complete their training. The one thing that discouraged Healer was that they had already gone their separate ways: Salamander left a moon ago on a contract she had taken herself. They weren't even fifteen yet, and already they were practically grown up.
As she mused about the strangeness of her life, she saw a shadow moving toward her in the dark of the night. Moments later, she could tell it was a girl with a bird on her shoulder. An air mage? As the girl got still closer, Healer could see it wasn't an air mage. The girl was looking down at the snow covered ground in front of her as she walked. No, Air mages often looked around. Soon, the girl was in front of her.
"Hello, traveler! You are welcome to share my fire and meal if you like!" Healer greeted the girl warmly.
In the winter, there was not much food to be found and you needed to be prepared if you were to go on a journey. It was customary in Arin for a traveler camping out to invite wayward travelers to share their fire. This girl seemed like she hadn't prepared much.
"Thank you very much, stranger, for your generosity. I am very grateful to you." she said.
"Any news from the north?" Healer asked. The north was the direction the girl had come from.
"None that I know of, at any rate, save that Lord Genor of Soria was refused." answered the girl.
"By whom?" Healer asked, knowing what the answer would be.
"By me... I mean, by Lady Firebird de Aurar. And quite violently at that." grinned the girl.
"Firebird, I heard you needed shelter. My name is Healer. I'm a mercenary and a mage. I don't have an apprentice and I was wondering, well, someone who obviously is interested in you, was wondering if I could take you on as my apprentice." started the young mercenary, cutting to the chase.
"How did you know my name?" Firebird asked, afraid somewhat.
"I read between the lines. You gave yourself away when you told me who refused that idiotic, spoiled brat of a duke's son." commented the healer.
"You know him?" asked Firebird curiously.
"To tell you the truth, I had a commission from his father, around a year ago. Pan of Soria is actually a nice guy, it's his wife and son that are total morons. But enough of this. Do you want to be my apprentice or not?" demanded Healer.
"I don't have any fighting to learn from any mercenary, I'm afraid. I already master the Kylanir techniques." answered Firebird.
Healer suddenly noticed the huge broadsword slung on the young Lady's back. How she had managed to ignore it before was quite beyond her.
"Yes, course I knew that." agreed the mage. "My offer was to teach you to be a mercenary and possibly magic. You have a very high potential for both Fire and Air magic. It would be a shame if such talent were to be neglected." smiled Healer slyly.
"Well, I guess I can't turn down an offer to learn magic. I've always wanted to become a sorceress." the swordswoman debated.
"Firebird, being a mercenary requires excellent thieving skills. When we're in a slump, mercenaries don't have much choice other than theft. Since I'm a healer, I don't have to resort to that as often as most, but I doubt you have much promise as a healer. You sure you're up to it?" the healer said.
"Who said I wanted to become a mercenary? I just want to learn magic." commented Firebird, who was beginning to have her doubts about what she'd gotten herself into.
"Birdie, trust me. There isn't much future in the magick business except as a mercenary or scholar and scholars don't have the kind of contacts that will hopefully keep your pursuers in the dark long enough for you to be able to escape them.
The only future for swordswomen are as guards or as mercenaries and you don't want to become a guard for the obvious reason that you'd be discovered. So you don't have much of a choice. Just relax. As long as you're with me, there's not a thing in the world that can harm you. You won't have to worry about the stealing thing either. My twin sister, Salamander, is very adept at stealing. When she decides to come back from that commission she got a while ago, she'll teach you." Healer smile reassuringly.
"Alright. Mercenary it is." Firebird grinned back.
Apparently, she didn't mind the nickname. Firebird, the new apprentice got out a light-weight tent from her pack. It appeared well handled, though Healer suspected not by it's latest owner. Then, Ares used his fire to clear a space in snow. After the tent was up, Healer helped Firebird cover up the tent with snow to insulate it. The snow was Firebird's idea, surprisingly. When asked about this, Firebird said she was always fascinated by adventurers. It was an interest she couldn't really explain, but there it was and that was how she knew so much. When the escape happened she claimed, Firebird only brought bedding and clothes, in addition to the huge broadsword strapped onto her back.
* * *
Healer sneezed and looked jealously at her newfound apprentice's tent. She knew Firebird was snuggled with her familiar, in a blanket dried by the phoenix's flame, all toasty warm. She blew on the embers of her fire, then swore when they went out.
Cursing, she levitated some more wood into the pit, then cast a fire spell on the kindling. It burst into flame, only to go out again when the branches burnt completely too quickly, as a result of the overdose of energy she had put into the spell.
Firebird awoke to the sound of colorful expletives. Getting up abruptly, and upsetting Ares in the process, she found her cloak and stepped outside.
"You know, swear words aren't very erudite things to say." grumbled Firebird, "Especially so early in the morning."
"I'll say whatever I damn well please." grunted the mercenary. She sneezed again.
"I think you're getting a cold." commented the apprentice.
"Isn't it obvious?" asked Healer irritably. She gave a withering glare to the fire pit, then gave up.
"Do you have anything to eat?" she said.
"Didn't I tell you yesterday I didn't bring any rations?" answered the swordswoman wearily.
"Yes, you did. But my rations all need to be heated up. Do you want to try and magically light a fire?" proposed the healer.
"Why do you think I decided to be your apprentice? Because of all the fringe benefits? What do I have to do?"
"All right, Birdie. I assume that since you're already a master in the Kylanir techniques, you know how to concentrate your mind on your opponents' movements. To light a fire, or to do any other similar exercises is basically the same, only you have to concentrate on the kindling. Focus on lighting the wood, and it will catch fire." instructed the mercenary.
Firebird gingerly sat down in front of the fire pit and stared at it intensely. Twice, she thought she saw smoke, but then realized it was her breath that fogged on contact with the cool winter air. She scratched her head.
"This is more complicated than you make this out to be, Healer." she commented to her master.
"Not so. Your first lesson is: everything is hard at the beginning, but even magic becomes simple once you master the basics."
Could it be? Healer wondered. She knew she and Salamander had once had a twin sister, and they'd been searching for her all their life. Without being able to explain it, Healer felt Firebird to be promising in that respect.