"Nu, hurry up! I'm gonna be late!"
Nu rushed around, grabbing various supplies and stuffing them into a leather bag. "I'm sorry! I've got to make sure I'm packed for my outing with the Earth-Hunters today."
Mag grabbed her sleeve and jumped up and down. "But it's my birthday, which means-"
"Which means you're finally getting assigned a role, I know," Nu said with a smile. "I'm nearly done."
A knock on the door sounded and Mag ran to it to let Ike inside. "Nu, you're still getting ready? We have to go," he urged.
"See? Even he gets it!" Mag argued, sticking her tongue out at Nu.
"Of course I get it," Ike said, taking mock offense. "Today's the day you finally get to become the first female Fire-Warrior in the village and show off your skills."
With a quiet sigh, Nu grabbed her pack and slung it over her shoulder. Mag practically jumped in excitement and followed her out of the house.
It had been a long three months for Nu since her mother died. She really wanted to be there for Mag during her Assignment Ceremony, but she didn't have the energy to match the Fire elementalist's enthusiasm. After all, her own ceremony in two year's time would be a much more somber affair without an affinity, and Mama wouldn't be there to help her through it.
Mag ran forward, practically dragging the protesting Ike behind her. "Come on, Nu!"
Nu quickened her step, and it wasn't long before they approached the Communal Flame in the middle of their village. Nu's father was standing there, flanked by a blond woman and a pale man with brown hair. Nu waved at them with a little smile, and they waved back.
Mag smiled warmly at the man and gave him a big hug. "Hi, Papa," she said before turning to the woman. "Fon." she greeted her coldly.
The woman gave Mag a stern look. "You can call me 'Mama,' you know."
"Mag, come here," the Chieftan waved her over, motioning for her to stand in front of him. Nu and Ike backed off, unable to partake in the ceremony but wanting to watch.
"But Uncle Ten isn't here yet," Mag moaned, and her mother sighed loudly.
"That's probably for the better," she mumbled under her breath, and Mag glared at her.
The Chieftan looked around, searching for the Fire-Warrior in the small crowd that was starting to gather to watch. "We don't have a lot of time to wait for him."
Mag looked over at Nu, her eyes showing that characteristic fire. "I'm not doing this without him."
"You don't have to!"
Mag grinned as the small crowd parted and a man limped forward, leaning heavily on a spear. He hobbled up, ignoring the withering looks from Mag's Mama and stood beside her, his eyes never leaving Mag.
Mag winked at him and turned back to the Chieftan. "Sorry, we can start now," she said, kneeling solemnly as if nothing had happened. Nu heard Ike snicker beside her, but she couldn't bring herself to smile at the outrage that flashed across the blond woman's face.
"Now, then, let us begin." Nu's Papa waved his hands and the air swirled around them, making Mag's hair fly around her. "Earth. Water. Fire. Air. Just as all elements have a place in this world, so too do you and I."
The air surged upwards and then fell dramatically, and Nu watched in awe at her father's affinity.
"Magsen, bring forward your affinity," the Chieftan prompted, and Mag summoned a flickering flame in her hand and presented it to him. Nu saw Mag glancing over at Ten nervously, but the veteran just gave her a subtle thumbs up.
The Chieftan examined the flame before nodding in contentment. "Magsen, your Fire affinity is strong. You're top of your class and your ability to summon flame is among the strongest in our village. We expect the very best from you, and you always deliver."
The tiny flame in her hand flickered out and Mag couldn't hide a smile.
"This is why we have decided that it is in the villages best interests if you serve us with your gift of flames..."
Mag tensed, and Nu found herself leaning forward expectantly.
"... as a Fire-Tender."
"Oh no," Nu heard Ike say as he shifted his weight uncomfortably. Ten's face went white and Mag's mother sneered at him.
"Wait, what?" Mag asked, her eyes snapping up to meet the Chieftan's. "A Fire-Tender?"
"Yes," the Cheiftan elaborated, "you will be responsible for overseeing the Communal Flame and the hearths in people's homes, as well as cooking meat for the village."
"Like her?" Mag pointed at her mother accusingly.
"Yes, like Fon. It's a very important role in our community."
Mag was fuming. "But I should be a Warrior, not some shitty little Tender who can't even fight!"
A murmur spread through the crowd. Nu scanned people's faces, looking for signs of support, but even Granna was shaking her head. Behind her, Nu heard the bully, Takk, scoff and chuckle.
"I told you girls couldn't be Warriors," he gloated in hushed tones, but loud enough for people around him to hear.
Ike grimaced and whirled around, but Nu grabbed his arm and held him in place. "Please, don't," she begged. "It'll just give Mag more problems."
Ike nodded and the pair turned their attention back to the situation unraveling in front of them.
"Magsen," the Chieftan continued, outlined by the flames, "everyone has their place in the village. Everyone has a purpose."
"Well if you think that's my place, maybe I'll go find another one!"
Ten limped forward at that, reaching out to grab Mag's shoulder. "Mag..."
"Don't touch me," she said, swatting his hand away. She backed a few steps away from him, towards the crowd. "This is all your fault!" she stated, pointing at her mother accusingly.
"It is," Fon admitted, and even Nu felt it was unnecessarily spiteful. "You were never meant to be a Warrior."
"Fon," the Chieftan warned, trying to diffuse the argument, "that's enough. And Mag, this is the task I have chosen for you because I think it is where your skills lie. I'll hear no more arguments."
"Fine." Mag walked off through the crowd, grabbing Ike's hand and dragging him along with her. The crowd parted to let her through, mumbling, but Mag kept her gaze straight ahead as she walked purposefully towards the gate.
Nu watched her friend walk away and her heart ached. She gave her father a disappointed look and ran off to catch up with them.
"Mag," Ike asked, "you know I'm here for you no matter what, and I support you. But what exactly are you doing?"
"We don't need this village. If he thinks that's where my skills lie, I'll just have to show him they don't." She looked back at Nu with a crazed smile. "Hey, looks like you're getting your hunt after all, but it'll be with me rather than Papa."
"Mag, of course that wasn't fair to you," Nu said, rushing to catch up, "but leaving the village is dangerous. There's boars and bears and much worse creatures out there."
"You've both been on hunts before, though, haven't you? Besides, we've got an Earth Prodigy with us. We can make our own village with our own rules. We'll be fine."
Nu looked nervously at Ike, who just shrugged. "I can protect you guys from whatever is out there," he agreed, and Nu knew he was just excited to show off his considerable skills to them.
The Fire Warriors who were guarding the palisade wall moved to block the trio, their spears crossed in front of the gate. "Hold it," the one on the left said, "you're not authorized to leave."
Mag pointed at Nu. "She is."
The Warrior raised an eyebrow. "She is, but only with the Earth-Hunter's excursion. Which isn't for another half hour, at least."
"Come on, Dia," Mag pleaded, "I used to be best friends with Cho. Can't you do me this one thing?"
"Your friendship with my daughter is irrelevant," the guard answered sternly. "I can't open this gate for you."
"No, but I can."
Nu turned around to see Ten limping towards them. Ike smiled at him, and Ten nodded.
"Dia," Ten said, addressing the older guard directly, "do you remember when Sai got lost in the woods on that excursion, and you were told to close the gate? Remember what you told me?"
"That no one should be left behind?" Dia answered, unsure of where this was going.
Ten put his hand on Mag's shoulder. "This young woman today has been overlooked. She has been taken advantage of and despite all of her training leaning towards becoming a part of the Warrior community, she has been left behind."
Mag smiled briefly and Ike wiped away her tear with his finger. She wiped her eyes angrily, her fiery defiance flaring again.
"No one is left behind, not in our group. She needs to leave so that she can prove she's not where she's meant to be, and as her intended family we have to support her."
The spears relaxed, Ten's speech getting through to the stoic guards, and Ten turned to Mag and offered her his spear.
"Take this. Go find the biggest boar you can find, and come home. I'll talk to the Chieftan while you're gone, and then he can see with his own eyes how powerful you can be when you get back."
Mag took the spear and nodded, walking out of the gate purposefully.
"Thank you," Nu said to Ten as she followed Mag, and he smiled.
"You just keep her safe, okay, Nu?"
She smiled and nodded at him, but looking into the huge dense forest as the gate closed behind her, Nu doubted she could keep that promise.
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