NARRATOR
There lives a nomadic tribe that worships fire as the breath of the gods. One night, lightning struck the mountain of Haelor, splitting it in two. From within the crack came a crying child, glowing with fire under her skin.
She was called Embera, the Child born from Flame.
She did not eat. She did not sleep. But when she walked barefoot on the soil, flowers turned to ash, and when she cried, entire lakes boiled.
Little did they know that Embera was the first countermeasure placed into the world, for something more profound, which was already stirring.
ISEUL
I could not sleep peacefully yesterday because a bastard remembered that I existed.
I was about to drift off when a small ball of orb floated towards me and then burst.
From the spark of light emerged a figure. Not a genie. Not a ghost. Ofcourse Izhart Morbert.
I turned around to grab a pillow or something, but it was heavy. If I could, I would have thrown it on his face.
"How are you?" he scoffed. "I thought you were smart enough to understand what you had to do. You proved me wrong."
"What the-", he allowed two words and sealed my mouth..
"Back to business. So here is a list of tasks you have to accomplish." A list flew from behind him and opened in front of my face, blocking my view of him.
1. Be a skilled mage/magic skiller.
2. Become influential in society.
3. Make Caesar fall in love
The list looked like the requirements for the IVY League. Best Student. Excellent Essay and SAT 1600 with a major flagship. But this love? Caesar fall in love. Caesar fall in love. Caesar fall in love. Who is this Caesar?!
A hand pulled down the list, and Izhat peeked. "What are you thinking?"
"Who is Caesar?"
"A noble, but right now about... wait... a little older than you."
"Caesar was Harjun rig-"
He disappeared. That bastard.
It has been three years since I have been here. I have become quite accustomed to my surroundings. But life is a bit boring. Where are pop songs? Dramas? Movies? Novels? I miss you, my phone.
"Rue?!"
"Yes, mother, I am coming."
My brother leaves today for the Royal Academy of Cerion. I will accompany him on his journey. It's actually my first time going to such a faraway place. I have been to the market, the tea shops, and the bouquet shops, but never travelled that far.
"Rue? Are you alright? If you are unwill and find a reason for hesitation, pray tell me, sweetheart."
"No, father."
"Good! You should grow up to be a courageous lady!"
"Ah! Lord, you must not let her astray, for society welcomes butterflies more than queen bees. Board the carriage."
I got on the carriage and through the window I saw my mother hugging my father. Both parties had swollen eyes. They must have cried a lot last night. Well, I have underbags too now.
They parted, and my brother boarded the carriage. The coachman struck the horses, and the carriage ran. I could not look at him anymore. He was crying. He held it for long… till the Duke and Duchess vanished in the arc of the road.
"I am sorry, Rue, that you must look upon such a wimpy brother, one who cannot act like a proper boy. A brother who sheds tears in front of his sister."
I turned towards him and saw him clenching onto a gem. By now, I know what this was—a mana stone. The magic system in this world is very complicated. But if it's magic, then… You know what a fantasy reader likes.
"No, brother. You are not weak. You have passed the entrance, and that alone proves you are strong."
Who got the concept of 'boys do not cry' in this kid?
I never had a sibling, so when I found out I have a sibling now…I want to support and cherish him as I would like him to do the same.
"To me, brother, you are the best. And sometimes, you need to cry. Crying helps ease the pain. It releases certain chemicals within your body that leave you feeling lighter."
"How do you know so much?" my brother said, wiping his tears.
Most of our time inside the carriage was spent in silence, with a few instances of his low whimper.
Night had come. We were moving on a narrow path along a steep cliff, talking about the different types of tea.
"Green tea is the most common brew here. You will find its finest and most prized varieties at the salons of Fountain Boulevard."
"Yeah, mother likes Pearl Grey sometimes."
"Yeah?"
"'Tis 'yes'. I meant to say 'yes'. It simply swirled and my tongue slipped."
"Sometimes, dear sister, you speak as though you are from another world. And you carry more knowledge than most of your age."
These little mistakes keep coming.
"How about we pl- AHHHHH!!!"
The carriage bent to a side, and I slid across the seat. My brother grabbed onto the frame of the window and said, "The wheel must have come undone."
His notion was followed by swift noises, and we both exclaimed, "Arrows!"