Ignite

Aaron entered the office of the head Fire Magi, losgadh. His father back home had a long history with the current head of the Fire Clan and upon his son’s failing of the Trial had made an official request for an appeal.

“So, Arus tells me that you have the potential to be a strong Fire caster. What do you have to say on the matter?”

Aaron was told exactly what to say in order to meet favor in this meeting. “I am not knowledgeable enough to discern, sir. I have come to submit myself to the wisdom of the great Fire Clan in the hopes of meeting favor.”

Iosgadh smiled. This boy had been trained well to play the game perhaps there was potential here. “I understand. Young one place your hand on the sigil.”

Sitting in front of Aaron was a testing symbol similar to the one used in the testing. Aaron reached out his hand and just as before nothing happened. Iosgadh was not amused. “Not so much as a spark. Take a moment boy and think. Concentrate on the fire within you. Focus all your passion your hopes into the sigil.” Aaron sensing the urgency in the Magi’s tone reached out his hand once again and focused intensely on the sigil.

At first it seemed that there was again going to be no result to the testing when suddenly Iosgadh reached out and struck Aaron in the stomach. Aaron buckled over in pain, his lungs grasping for air. Iosgadh showed no mercy. “Again.”

Aaron regained his feet and again reached out for the sigil…. still nothing. Repeatedly Iosgadh repaid Aaron’s inability with beatings. For hours Aaron sustained the thrashing of the Fire Clan’s leader. Never a change to the sigil. At last Iosgadh exclaimed “You are utterly useless. Perhaps a life of servitude is more in your future then a life of a Magi. Get out of my sight you peasant scum”

At this Aaron’s eyes lit up. A fierce anger had consumed him he lashed out at Iosgadh with all his rage. In a flash Iosgadh had cast a spell and the sigil came between them. This time however the sigil did not float dead and lifeless between them but as Aaron struck it the sigil burst into flame. Aaron felt, and overwhelming burning sensation shoot up his arm into his chest. The fire felt as though it was going to spread through him and cause him to explode when finally, Iosgadh reached out and touched his shoulder, the flame subsided.

“Understand young one, your power is puny. A joke at best! Had you been any other man’s son I would have cast you out of this tower long ago. Your father assured me that there was a spark inside you and until this moment I had not seen it. Remember your rage, remember your desire to be a Magi of power and you may have a chance to survive as an initiate. There will be no pampering here. You will only gain strength through pain and suffering. Be prepared, steel yourself. The Fire Clan does not look kindly on the weak.”

Aaron’s head was still spinning from the pain of the beatings he had received. The rush of the flame shooting through his body had left him exhausted and hearing the words of caution from head of the Clan he finally found his resolve.

“I understand. I will not back down.” Aaron replied.

“Very well” said Iosgadh. “Now I understand that you are familiar with the selected named Jason from your village, what can you tell about him?”

Aaron felt puzzled. Why would Iosgadh show any interest in a prisoner of the Bastion. Surely Jason hadn’t gone and done something stupid to put himself in jeopardy. If he knew what was good for him he would keep his mouth shut and hopefully the Tower would let him return home in one piece.

“I barely know him sir. He was from my village, but he was a simple villager. His father was the town smith. Beyond that I don’t know much.” Aaron had already incurred enough of Iosgadh’s wrath today he need not stoke that flame by associating himself with Jason right now.

“Interesting” Iosgadh replied. “Eòlas tells me that her new Windspeaker and you were close friends with the Omni.”

Omni? What in the world was an Omni? What had Jason done? “No sir, not friends more so acquaintances. Is Jason in trouble?”

Iosgadh scanned the young man seemingly looking to gauge how much he knew. The gaze was fiery and intimidating and Aaron felt as though it would burn him up. “Very well. Regardless, Fire Clan has taken a great interest in your young…” acquaintance” and your first task as an initiate will be to keep a close eye on this Omni. You are to report all his actions to me are we clear?

Aaron paused only a moment before responding “Understood sir. May I go?” Iosgadh waved him from the room. Aaron didn’t know what was going on but whatever this Omni thing was it was clearly important. There was only one person he knew that might have some answers, time to pay a visit to the Windspeakers.

Aaron found Joy on the Wind Clan’s floor of the Tower. She had changed out of the village clothing she used to wear and was now adorned in the Wind Clan’s initiate garb. A long flowing white gown that seemed so light it would lift her away with a breeze. If he hadn’t known her so well she might even have come across as beautiful, but that was a big if.

~

“Aaron over here!” Joy cried out. Joy had been overwhelmed with the rush of the day. Meeting her clan head had been an exhilarating experience and the thought of the journey she was about to embark on was overwhelming. She had been so caught up she had all but forgotten about Aaron and Jason, until she saw Aaron enter the Wind Clan bloody and bruised.

“What happened to you? You can’t have gotten into that much trouble already!” she couldn’t believe the sorry state that Aaron was in.

“Let’s just say the appeal process in the Fire Clan can be…pretty hands on.” Aaron was doing his best to keep himself standing up right. He had to figure out this “Omni” mess with Jason as quickly as possible. “It all worked out in the end though, you are looking at the newest Initiate of the Fire Clan.”

Joy rolled her eyes “Did your Dad buy you that too?” She never had much patience for the wealthy getting by on their influence where others had to rely on their skills. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for the Initiation ceremony?”

Aaron shrugged off her jab and got straight to the point “I need your help Joy, have you ever heard of an Omni.”

“An Omni…I thought you were a little too old for fairy tales Aaron. An omni is myth, a wizard that isn’t attuned to a single element but has control over them all. Even the Archmage of Bastion can only control a single element.”

Aaron was more confused than ever. Why would Iosgadh have called Jason an Omni? Jason barely got the sigils to work on his Trial. What in the world was going on here. “Thanks anyway Joy! I better get out of here and get ready before the ceremony or I may end up in even worse shape.”

Joy watched as Aaron scurried off and she was left standing there pondering what in the world that was about. Something wasn’t right with Aaron and even worse there had been no word from Jason. She had a feeling something strange was going on and she was going to get to the bottom of it.

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