In my defense, it’s not my fault I destroyed that village. As a part of the Ignis tribe, I control one of the elements our world Elementum can offer. It’s also one of the more destructive ones. Fire.
There is also the Aqua tribe, which controls water, the Ventus tribe, which controls the winds, and the Saxum tribe, which controls the lands and the earth.
There are other lesser tribes, such as the Fulgur tribe, who control lightning and electricity, the Vulcanus tribe branches off of the Ignis tribe, and controls the lava from the volcanoes in the north. The Glacies tribe branches off of the Aqua tribe and controls ice. The Animālis magically connect with animals. The Amare tribe controls love, Lux controls light, and the Tenebris tribe controls dark, blah, blah, blah.
All of our tribes live in harmony. Well, almost all of them. The Tenebris tribe, as I mentioned before, controls the darkness. And with this darkness, they can conjure many evil things.
At first, they were great for us, the god Tenebris, who gave them their power, brought us night so we could have time to rest. Without the dark, there cannot be light.
But then, one person who was part of the Tenebris tribe, Thanatos, became obsessed with power. He began to use the darkness for bad. He spread his ideas to other Tenebris, too, and eventually, he made an army.
A great war broke out with all of the tribes against the Tenebris that lasted for a hundred years. Many people died, etc. etc.
The other tribes won, but at a great cost. Thanatos, in his last attempt to not be captured, used his power to create a giant gap between the light army and his.
His armies fled to the south, and we stayed here in peace for a hundred years.
Sometimes, though, I wonder if they could come back and destroy us all.
Some say Thanatos died that day, but as for me, I don’t really think about that stuff.
Speaking of me, still, wondering how I destroyed a village? Well, get ready, because I’m about to tell you.
I’ve always been in control of my power. No hiccups, no panic attacks, nothing. Until today.
My mother and father died when I was young, so I’ve found I’ve had to fend for myself.
I could get my food easy enough, and when I’d mastered my power I could cook it, too. This made me sell the meat I caught a bit more expensive, so I made quite a bit of profit. I’m pretty classy like that.
I’d use this money to buy stuff like clothes, supplies, and most of all, weapons.
What did you expect? A guy like me, living on my own with no real place to call home would be caught dead without some type of weapon. And boy, did I get a lot.
I usually carry two small swords at my side, two long daggers strapped to my back, a collection of knives and daggers hidden in my big jacket, and another two in each of my boots.
Yeah, I’m prepared. Maybe too prepared.
I’ve been in a few duels before because people just can’t seem to agree with me on some things. I mean, it’s not like it’s my fault I’m this smooth.
But I like to trick them a lot of times, switching from my left hand to my right. It messes them up, so they have to switch hands too. One of the benefits of being ambidextrous.
My dagger attacks on enemies leave them laying there, bewildered, with a dozen cuts all over their bodies.
Don’t mess with me.
But my profit was not enough. Because I’m so great with my hands, I’ve developed a knack for stealing things. I can be in a conversation with someone for two minutes and come out of there with their rings, bracelets, money, and other valuables.
They’ve come up with such a name for myself that I am called Red Hands because of my power over flames that can burst out of my hands and the red gloves I wear during my robberies that my victims have even coined the term “I caught you red-handed.” if someone catches you stealing someone.
Now I know I said I’d be telling you what happened and then I rambled. I do that sometimes. My mind just wanders.
But trust me, I’m getting to the story now.
The village in question is an Animālis village near the south. I looked left and right looking for a threat, a habit I’ve picked up over the years.
My eyes landed on a small shop that appears to be selling jewelry. I approach the shop carefully and size up the man at the front, selling the jewels.
The shopkeeper has the typical look of an Animālis, with golden blonde hair and sunkissed skin. His right eye is light green but his left eye looks faded and almost blue. I realize pretty quickly that he’s blind in his left eye.
Good. I can steal from this man even easier than most.
I pretend to be looking at the jewels with interest, although I’m focusing on how this guy looks at me.
He appears to be a little older, I’d put him at about 50 or so, older than most Animālis. I can see the gray hairs in his hair and beard, and the bags under his eyes.
I clear my throat and ask, “Where does this come from?” as I point to a pea-sized sapphire.
The man regards me for a moment, sizing me up. I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the expensive glass he’s using to show off the remarkable jewels.
I look like an Ignis, with my copper skin and auburn hair, and, of course, my famous amber eyes.
I wouldn’t consider myself looking like a threat, I’m about 5’8”, and most people can’t see how strong I am by the loose clothes I wear. I even have a somewhat innocent and boyish look on my face.
Still, people start to wonder why an Ignis like me is this far south.
We stick to the north close to our cousins, the Vulcanus tribe, although some of us are found in the southern reaches of Elementum.
But this village is the southeast anyone can get here without being right on the edge of the Malum Ridge, created by Thanatos in the Great War.
This is as close as you can get to the Tenebris, which most people stay away from. Other than the stubborn Animālis who decided to stay as close to their homeland as possible, no one lives in the south.
So people start to wonder why I’m here.
The shopkeeper finally says, “What’s an Ignis doing here?” His voice is gruff and deep but still has an Animālis accent, although it’s hard to find.
I shoot back the retort I use on most people, “They say only the bravest travel down south,” I look at him with a shining grin, “And I fear nothing.”
He looks impressed like most people are, but I can still see the doubt in his eyes.
He knows I’m Red Hands, I think. He knows I’ll try to rob him.
Well, not try. Will.
“Far up in the north where the Glacies live.” he finally says. I knew that already, but I needed to keep him distracted.
“I think you might find the rubies and garnets more your style,” the shopkeeper suggested, “You seem to like red.” As he was saying this, I reached over to the shopkeeper’s left and plucked the sapphire while pretending to be interested in a ruby.
I nodded, then turned my attention to some of the emeralds. “I do, but this green color calls to me.”
“Ah, yes,” he agreed, and I stole a few of the red gems while he was looking at the emeralds.
“This fine piece is in the shape of an elephant,” the shopkeeper continued, pointing out the gem in question. It was a small, finely carved piece, probably worth much. I decided to buy it to be inconspicuous. Since the shopkeeper thought I was well educated with stones and gems, he gave me a discount so I only had to pay 4 golden ducats.
Not bad.
As I was about to leave, though, I stopped. Something was wrong with the shopkeeper’s eyes. I looked closer and saw his pupils were growing in size until all I could see were dark black voids where his green eyes should be.
“Uh, sir?” I asked, thinking he might be tricking me to pay more. “Excuse me, sir, what’s wrong with you?”
That’s when his arm reached out and closed around my throat. My eyes bulged, and I couldn’t breathe. I choked and tried to get his hand off me, but he had a vice grip around my neck.
Ignacio de Rodríguez, a voice came from the man, although his mouth wasn’t moving. Also, it didn’t sound like the old man I’d met. This voice was like it didn’t have a gender, just a voice speaking in my mind.
You, born with fire, and skilled swordsman, have been chosen.
My eyes widened as a vision came before me, one of me burning in fire. That couldn’t be possible, though, because my power with fire allows me not to be able to burn.
In the vision, a dark, slender, figure made of shadows began to walk toward me. I’ve always been afraid of the dark, so this wasn’t helping. The figure got right in front of me, but I couldn’t see its face. It was just this black, moving, form constantly changing shape.
It was finally too much for me. I lashed out with my power, screaming at the figure that was scaring me to death.
Then I woke up.
The shopkeeper who was in front of me now lay on the floor of his shop passed out. And the roof of his shop was burning.
Everything around me was burning. The entire village was burning, the ground was smoldering and black as ash. The sky was smokey and dark. “Oh no,” I muttered.
What did I do?
I rushed toward the old man and dragged him out of the burning shop. I slapped his face a little yelling, “Wake up!” but he wouldn’t wake up. I remembered to check his pulse, putting two fingers on his wrist. It was faint, but there was a heartbeat.
Phew. I didn’t want this man’s blood on my hands.
I looked over to the rest of the village. People were coughing, desperate to put out the fires.
A few looked at me, recognizing that I’m an Ignis.
Time to go.
I turned around to go…
…and ran right into a horse.
I fell backward and looked up at it, a tall, black, stallion with a white snout. There was a rider on it, too, a girl with long, straight, black hair with a silver braided crown on her head. She also had a single lock of hair that was different from the rest. It was a silvery color on the right side of her head. Her slender, pale, fingers gripped the reins and she had a curved sword at her side and a quiver and bow on her back. I studied her face. Rosy cheeks and lips, dark brows and lashes that kind of hid her deep blue eyes.
She jumped off her horse, and walked right by me, completely ignoring me. Great.
I looked up and saw more riders behind her, with dark hair and swords at their sides.
I stood and followed the girl a few steps, before shouting, “Hey!”
She turned around, her expression stoic and annoyed. “What is it you want, peasant?”
“Peasant?” I shot back, “Do you see the gold in my clothes?”
“Do you see your clothes?” she looked me up and down, “Do you see your hair? Do you see what you’ve caused?”
She walked up to the burning shop, cracked her knuckles, and closed her eyes in concentration. Then she elegantly moved her hands and I watched water rush out of her fingers, dowsing the fire immediately. Of course. She’s an Aqua.
Great.
“Start on the rest of the houses,” the Aqua girl says to the other riders, who dismount their horses and begin putting out the rest of the fires in the village.
I run after the Aqua girl and shout, “What’s an Aqua doing saving an Animālis village?”
She turns on her heel and looks at me, an eyebrow raised, “What’s an Ignis boy doing destroying an Animālis village?”
I try to think of a retort, but she has a point. “Touche.”
She turns around and walks off again, but again, I stop her. “Why would you help, though?” I inquire. I’ve always been on my own, thinking only for myself. The concept just confused me.
“Why wouldn’t you?” she said back, her voice softer now, “People need to remember the time when we all worked together. When we all loved each other. Help those in need, instead of hurt.” She looks me up and down again, then walks off to help the others.
I’m left to ponder that last statement. Things did seem to be getting tenser, tribes fighting with each other over little things. But what could I do? I’m just a liar and a thief.
ns 15.158.61.46da2
