Forced into a world of violence and destruction, young Mika Plum's formative years are forged in a fire of trauma and battle. But what part of humanity must a young woman sacrifice to survive the horrors of war?
Living an idyllic life in the town of Yevera, Mika and Page Briarhart shared an innocent love. But her carefree life was shattered by the unprovoked brutality of a marauding necromancer army, leaving her once proud town a blood-soaked wasteland. Now a penniless refugee, Mika is burdened with the haunting memory of a mother's death, a childhood love now lost, and a home put to the torch.
What she doesn't know is that she also carries within her a secret smoldering ember poised to ignite a terrible destiny that will scorch the world. Haunted by the past, and unable to control her violent urges, Mika is coerced to commit unthinkable acts by Liranda, a deity obsessed with human depravity and corruption.
Manipulating Mika's broken mind to unleash her true desires and powers, the young woman will stop at nothing to unite the war-torn region of Celeste.
Forced into a world of violence and destruction, young Mika Plum's formative years are forged in a fire of trauma and battle. But what part of humanity must a young woman sacrifice to survive the horrors of war?
Living an idyllic life in the town of Yevera, Mika and Page Briarhart shared an innocent love. But her carefree life was shattered by the unprovoked brutality of a marauding necromancer army, leaving her once proud town a blood-soaked wasteland. Now a penniless refugee, Mika is burdened with the haunting memory of a mother's death, a childhood love now lost, and a home put to the torch.
What she doesn't know is that she also carries within her a secret smoldering ember poised to ignite a terrible destiny that will scorch the world. Haunted by the past, and unable to control her violent urges, Mika is coerced to commit unthinkable acts by Liranda, a deity obsessed with human depravity and corruption.
Manipulating Mika's broken mind to unleash her true desires and powers, the young woman will stop at nothing to unite the war-torn region of Celeste.
Disclaimer
Before proceeding, note that some readers will find actions taken by characters and scenes describing the severe, graphic injuries in this story disturbing.
The human body is resilient; unless the brain or spine are severely injured, a body can continue to function anywhere from a few minutes to several hours after being mauled or damaged, depending on what organ was hurt, total blood loss, and willpower of the wounded person. Examples of this can be seen in survivors of vehicular crashes, industrial accidents, animal attacks, terrorist/violent acts, and injuries of war.
War, combat, anger, and trauma trigger innermost thoughts of unleashing pain on the enemy. Torture methods employed by the Ancient Romans, destruction caused by the Mongols, and depravity of the Japanese Empire are a few examples the evil that armies are willing to commit when unrestrained by rules of war.
Today, most militaries follow the law of armed conflict, but we keep seeing the willingness of humans to commit atrocities on their foes. Terrorist armies make public displays of torture, execute their captives, and sacrifice of women and children in bombings. Criminal organizations record beheadings, live amputations, and rapes of their rivals. Homegrown attackers plan and execute mass murder on children, adults, and the elderly for publicized infamy.
One can only imagine how atrocious battles involving swords, axes, and maces were, how captives and citizens on the losing side of a battle were treated, and the willingness of warfighters to cause evil onto their opponents. The violent, explosive, vengeful, and sometimes secret and life-changing wickedness that humans have employed when on death’s ground have been present from the beginning of history and to the present day.
Remember: you believe the cause you fight for is virtuous, but so does your enemy. In the end, everyone thinks themselves the good one.
Prologue
The sight of him sent an unexpected rush of adrenaline through her blood, making her thighs feel frail and rubbery. She stood on a patch of dry, yellow grass, her hand spread open on the rough bark of a tree, making sap stick to her finger. Brushing her chestnut-brown hair behind her ear, she focused on the boy yards in front of her.
The teenage boy, the one with the dark, sparkling blue eyes and wavy brown hair, held a large wooden stick in front of him. His lips moved as he whispered something under his breath. A brown glow appeared from his hand, telling the girl he was using a terra spell. He passed the glow through the top of the stick, using the element of earth to carve the object into a spear with three points. Satisfied with the sharpness, he smiled and submerged his new weapon into the flowing river. With a quick move of his shoulders, his bare arms extended in front of him, making the muscles flex and causing the twelve-year-old girl’s mouth to drop. The boy pulled the stick from the water and held it up to the cloudy sky, reveling in his prize: a lone fish that flopped and rained glimmering drops of water onto his face. With a smile, he turned, looked toward the girl, and recoiled, dropping the stick when he saw her.
He let out a short scream, holding a hand over his racing heart. His other hand clasped a small mace that hung at his belt.
“What are you doing just standing there looking at me?” he exclaimed.
She ran forward, only a few steps before she realized her actions could be threatening, if not weird. She scratched the side of her head, trying to think of the right thing to say.
“I always see you fishing when I pass by. We go to school together.”
His head tilted to the side, one of his eyebrows raised in question. Without looking away from her, he squatted and wrapped his fingers around the stick with the impaled fish.
Her voice shook, but she mustered the courage to continue talking.
“I am Mika Plum of Yevera.” Not receiving the immediate response she expected, she curtsied. “What is your name?”
The boy’s shoulders lowered, and the corner of his lips rose before he tilted his head back and laughed.
Mika stood straight with mouth and eyes wide. She covered her neck with her fingers and felt a rush of heat burst from her face. The cool air wasn’t enough to prevent the embarrassing warmth from making her sweat.
He continued to laugh, and her heart sank.
After all these months, I decide to talk to him, she thought, and he laughs.
The boy straightened himself, pretending to wipe away at a tear. “I know you’re from Yevera; we’re in Yevera!”
Mika passed her finger across the top of her ear. “That’s just how I introduce myself …”
Anger was beginning to overtake embarrassment. Stand your ground, stupid. Think of something witty. Mom said boys like witty.
Nothing came to mind. The only thing she thought was to glare at the boy. He stood in front of her, still chuckling to himself. His flowing hair danced with the passing breeze, forcing little squints out of his glimmering blue eyes.
“Well, Mika Plum of Yevera, I am Page Briarhart! Of …” He stopped, stared, then looked away in thought.
Mika took a step forward and smiled. She knew the boy wasn’t from her town, so he would have a different response.
“Yeah?”
His eyes traveled to hers. “Page Briarhart …” He dug the makeshift spear into the ground and placed a fist on his hip before puffing his chest. “… of Triumph!”
Mika hopped and widened her stance. “Hah!” She pointed her finger right at Page’s face. “If you hadn’t introduced yourself like that, I wouldn’t have known you were from Triumph! It’s always good to know where someone is from!”
Page rolled his eyes. He moved his lips, blah, blah, blah.
She put both fists on her hips and puffed her chest more than Page, mocking his stance.
“I won that one! Now,” she said, brushing her hair behind her neck for dramatic effect, “you owe me dinner.” She looked at the fish on the stick. “And I feel like eating fish.”
Page’s face straightened. He looked at the fish, still flopping in misery as the humans conversed, then narrowed his eyes. “Deal.”
Mika’s smile exploded, revealing her perfect, white teeth.
“You just gotta catch me first!” Page sprinted away, taking the fish with him, leaving a trail of dust for Mika to follow.
The girl watched Page run farther and farther away. He looked back, revealing a big, arrogant smile. She shook her head and took a deep breath.
He doesn’t know I’m the fastest girl in Yevera …
Starting at a walk, Mika picked up her pace, gaining speed every other step until she was at a full sprint. The wind whistled past her ears and washed into her eyes, forcing them to excrete tears. She swung her arms with force, blading her hands open to help cut through the air. She straightened herself to allow her lungs to expand, breathing in cadence with every other right step. Only the toes of her boots made contact with the ground.
Hearing her approach, Page turned and flinched when he saw her just behind him. He misplaced a foot and tripped, causing him to tumble to the ground and drop his spear.
He crawled to his knees, gripping a scraped elbow. Mika’s shadow made him look up at her. She raised the fish to his face.
Mika smiled. “Dinner, please.”
1. Mika
Two years had passed since that cool and breezy afternoon. Mika and Page, now in a loving relationship, spent almost every day together. Page had grown accustomed to Mika’s aggressive personality, and Mika accepted the fact that Page wouldn’t kiss her until they married.
The evening wind blew past Mika, making her hair drift in front of her eyes. The season of growth was in full swing, but the air at the top of the mountain was cool. She ran on the narrow mountain trail behind Page. After the two years of running with him, she learned Page ran best when she was running behind him. No excuses for him to slow down.
Page carried a backpack and wore a thick shirt, loose trousers, and comfortable boots that kicked up dirt with every step. Page veered off the trail and onto a rocky path. He told Mika there was a shortcut to the top of Mount Cabria. Looking back to make sure Mika was still following caused him to misplace his step and almost fall when a rock shifted beneath his feet. He caught himself and held his arms out for balance.
With wide eyes and heavy breathing, he looked at Mika. “Are you okay?”
The fourteen-year-old girl slowed to a walk and rolled her eyes. “You’re the one who almost fell, Page.” Mika wasn’t tired; she took a deep breath that made her heartrate slow.
“Hey, just making sure.” Page adjusted his backpack. “I know you’d die if I got hurt.”
Mika’s lips puckered when she tried to hide her smile. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“I’m not tired, Mika. I’m just pretending.” Page closed his mouth and breathed through his nose. Mika would have believed him had it not been for the throbbing vein on his forehead.
“Then please …” Mika hopped in place and braced herself to take off in a sprint. “Move faster. My walk is the same speed as your run.”
Page mocked, “My walk is the same speed as your run.” He turned around and ran off at a pace similar to Mika’s light jog.
It was a few more hops over rocks and trudges through grass until he slowed to a walk. A set of large boulders blocked their path with no way to go around them without falling off the edge of the mountain. Resting for brief moment, Page jumped on a boulder, reached as high as he could, and pulled himself up, wagging his legs to help him pull himself over.
Page lay on his stomach and reached down, smiling. “Grab on, Mika!”
Mika shook her head. “Who do you think I am? Move out of the way!” Mika sprinted toward the boulder and kicked herself up, grabbing on to the top. With a light kick of her leg, she hurdled over.
Page panted with his arms on his hips. He stared at Mika.
Mika held her chin held high. The sun was behind her head, making her silhouette shine as if she were a mighty empress.
Page grabbed her head and shook it with playful energy. “One day, you’re going to need my help, and I’m gonna ask, who do you think I am?”
“You can fight; I can run. Perfect couple.” Mika stuck her tongue out and crossed her eyes.
“Come on.” Page let go and waved her to follow. “We’re almost there.”
Mika followed on the rocky trail with a smile on her face, looking down every few steps to make sure she didn’t roll her ankle on a loose stone. When Page placed his arm across Mika’s chest, she looked up to see the view of Celeste from the top of Mount Cabria. Placing her hand on the tree next to her, she leaned over the edge of the mountain with an open mouth, taking in the sight of the distant forests, mountains, grasslands, hills. The sunset that painted the sky with an orange and purple brush made the scene unforgettable.
Celeste is beautiful, she thought, taking in the wonderful sight of the small region known for its stunning skies, constant wind, and natural wonders.
Page stuck a finger in Mika’s gaping mouth, bringing her back to reality.
Mika coughed. “Page!”
Page ran off laughing, forcing Mika into a chase.
“Get back here, you little—”
Her foot slipped.
Falling face first, she sank into a puddle of cold, thick, brown mud. With arms shaking from sheer anger, Mika pushed herself to her knees, feeling the mud drip from her face and splash into the puddle. Her clothes felt heavier because of the clinging mud.
Mika wiped her raging eyes. With eyebrows furrowed so much she could see them, she looked at Page. Had Page been within arm’s reach, she would have killed him.
Page was yards away; holding his stomach with one hand, he pointed at Mika with the other. His laughing was inaudible past the strange whispers that came to Mika when she was angry.
Mud seeped between Mika’s fingers when she clenched onto a handful of the stuff. She took a deep breath and exhaled as she threw it at Page’s head. His face straightened, and too late he tried to duck. The wad of mud hit him full in the mouth, and he stumbled and fell on his butt. Now it was Mika who laughed.
Her laugh grew and grew, becoming hysterical when she saw Page spit out the mud, his face wrenched in disgust. Page stood and took off after Mika.
Mika sloshed her feet until she was out of the mud. She ran from Page, outdistancing him in seconds. She looked back with a smile covered in mud, and she turned to run faster, but the combination of the day’s hike, the high altitude, and the need for food ended the pursuit within moments.
Page rested his hands on his hips and looked up toward the darkening orange-and-purple sky to better open his throat and feed more air into his lungs.
“I’ll keep up with you one of these days,” he huffed.
Mika approached, exhaling a deep breath. She fixed her hair behind her ear.
“Be more confident, Page! You have to say,” –and here she deepened her voice and bobbed her head from side to side– “I’ll pass you one of these days. Maybe once I stop playing jokes on Mika will I be able to.”
Page laughed and took off his backpack, tossing it next to a tree. He stepped to Mika and locked eyes with her. “No.”
Mika couldn’t stop herself from shaking. Was she shaking from the cold, the hardening mud that clung from her clothes, or because Page was standing so close in front of her?
Mika lowered her head and gazed up at Page, who stood just a few inches taller than she.
Page began cleaning off the mud from her face. His gentle wipes brought happiness to her cheeks, warmth to her heart, and safety to her soul. He wiped the mud from her forehead, her ears, and then her chin. His dark-blue eyes gazed into Mika’s, and he gave a genuine, gentle smile. Mika looked down, hiding her now-rosy cheeks and wide smile that revealed her teeth.
“What will happen once I pass you?” Page’s voice was smooth. Never before had she heard his voice like that.
Mika straightened her face and looked up, allowing Page to finish cleaning her face.
“I, uh … I will let you kiss me.”
Page’s eyes widened for a moment. He tilted Mika’s chin so that her lips were closer to his. He grazed her hair. His hand caressed the back of her neck.
“You’d let me kiss you,” he whispered, “even if I never pass you.”
Page was right, and she knew it. And he wanted to kiss her, didn’t he? He would break his promise of waiting until marriage, right? Right?
Mika closed her eyes and inched closer to Page, exhaling an erotic breath.
“Then kiss me …”
Mika stood with her eyes closed, waiting for Page to kiss her. It was the perfect moment: the soft breeze that carried a cold nip brushed her cheeks. The multicolored sunset would reflect off Page’s skin and into her big, beautiful eyes when she opened them. The scent of sweat and mud made the moment unrepeatable, further telling her that this, this was the moment she and Page were meant to kiss. She felt his hand slide onto her sternum, then felt herself being walked back. Mika opened her eyes to see Page’s arm extended to her.
Page’s lips curved into a smile, revealing his teeth. “Too bad I haven’t passed you yet!”
Page burst out in laughter when he saw Mika’s face turn redder than a burning piece of steel removed from a fiery furnace.
“Page!” Mika clenched her fists. “One day you’re going to make me so mad, I am going to kill you!”
Page held up his hands when Mika wrapped her fingers around his throat. He remained motionless, knowing if he didn’t fight back, Mika would stop her attack.
Mika’s raging eyes looked into his, to his hands, then back to his eyes, somehow begging for him to fight her so she could kill him. When he didn’t move, Mika released his neck and began to circle him like a werewolf waiting for the slightest moment of weakness, the slightest moment of fear, to pounce.
Stop calling her crazy, he thought to himself.
The girl continued circling him.
An angry exhale told him Mika’s anger was at a decline. She stormed to the edge of the mountain, sat, and took a deep, deep breath.
Page reached for his backpack, made sure she was out of earshot, and began unpacking his supplies. “She’s crazy!”
Mika watched the sun set behind the mountains far to the northwest, days away at Adventurer’s Pass.
Why am I like this? He was only joking. Mika wondered why Page wanted to wait to kiss her. He’d expressed his attraction to her, ignored the other girls in town, bought her gifts. Mika shook her head and squinted at the thought. She didn’t want to wait until marriage. She wanted him now.
Too embarrassed and ashamed to approach him, she stole glances at Page. He worked, adjusted his hair, bent down, lifted things. Mika looked in his direction, lost in thought.
He’s been with me through the fits of anger and understands them, but what if he gets tired of them? I’m going to lose him.
Page stretched his back. When he caught Mika staring, he stretched and flexed his arms. “Too easy.”
Mika rolled her eyes and smiled. She looked at the scenery in front of her to let Page continue his work.
Page finished just before the stars appeared in the heavens above the couple. Bright moonlight kept the area well lit.
“Like I said, too easy.” Page walked up to Mika, wiping his hands on his clothes.
Looking back, Mika saw the tent sitting erect with two sleeping bags in front of it. “We’re … sleeping outside the tent?”
Page offered her a hand and pulled her up. “Do you wanna see something cool?”
“I do.”
“Terra!” said Page, extending his open palm to the tent.
Within seconds of shouting the name of earth magic, large rocks rose from the ground and congregated feet away from Page’s hand. Page closed his eyes; strain and focus appeared on his eyebrows. With a twitch of his finger, the rocks surrounded the tent, encasing it in a protective wall of stone.
“Very neat.” Mika tried her best to seem intrigued. Magic didn’t interest her; she would rather learn about technological advances, science, and her favorite thing—the human body. She wanted to practice healing, but not with magic. She wanted to heal with the use of objects, vegetation, and technology.
“I’m just putting some protection in case of …” –Page raised his hands above his head– “werewolves!” He growled at Mika.
“Oooh!” Mika covered her mouth with her fingers, looked at the black sky, then placed her palms over her heart. “So scary!”
Page grabbed her hand and guided her to the tent.
“Page, there are so many things more interesting than magic. Look.” She raised her hand to the sky littered with stars and two moons, one much larger than the other. “Scholars say the stars are actually suns that are far, far away. Massive balls of fire hanging from the distant heavens.” She looked at Page.
Page had his eyes closed and pretended to be asleep.
Her angry exhale forced him to open his eyes. “All right! All right!” He wrapped his arms around Mika and continued their walk to the tent. “I’ll let you teach me about science and machinery and technology, but you have to practice magic with me.”
Mika stopped and looked at Page. His eyes looked back at her with a wide, hopeful gaze. Since it would make Page happy, she agreed to learn magic with him.
Page grabbed her hand and guided her to the sleeping bags. Mika slid into her bag until it covered her up to her eyes. She waited for Page to enter his then scooted herself closer until they lay side by side, touching each other, the sleeping bags an annoying barrier between them.
Mika shrank further into her bag. “I’m sorry I get so angry.”
Page lay on his side and faced Mika, but he didn’t speak.
“I don’t know what happens, it’s so overwhelming. Sometimes, I hear little voices, little whispers … I can’t figure out what they’re saying, but I know I have to stop when I hear them.” Mika swallowed; her voice shook, and she closed her eyes. “I know they’re trying to tell me very, very bad things.”
The thought of what the whispers told Mika made Page’s heart quicken. Page held Mika closer and laid her head on his chest. He didn’t know how to respond, so he said something that would make her happy.
“You’re the best thing that’s happened to me, Mika.”
Mika’s heart might have burst. She snuggled closer to Page, resting her head on his chest, and they both looked up at the bright, glimmering stars. Mika recognized thirteen constellations. Page caressed Mika’s hair, but to him, the stars looked like distant lanterns placed in random spots above him. He found it hard to believe that stars were distant suns.
“Tell me a story,” Mika said.
He told Mika a story about a massive, muscular man, Orlan, on his quest of revenge after finding his village destroyed, his wife murdered. Orlan’s valiant defeat was followed by an appearance of his wife in the afterlife. She begged him to forgive his enemies, so they could live in peace together. In the end, Orlan agreed, and he and his wife set off into their forever home in the realm that supposedly followed this one.
Page remained quiet, waiting for Mika’s response to his impromptu story.
Mika looked at the stars, soothed from the story’s happy conclusion.
“I love your stories.” Mika drifted to sleep with a smile on her face.
At that moment, Page decided he would one day marry Mika, the young, adventurous, patriotic girl who had no interest in magic and was slightly—no, not slightly, definitely—crazy. He had reached the age of sixteen, the legal age to marry. Mika had a year and a half left until she could marry. His thoughts raced with ways to propose before he started hating himself for not kissing her. His grandfather wouldn’t have found out … right? Before long, he too fell asleep.
* * * * *
The jog down from Mount Cabria was much easier than the ascent. By the time they reached the bottom, Mika and Page weren’t out of breath like the first few hours of the previous day. Passing the all-too-familiar sign that read Mt. Cabria Trail III, they jogged at an easy pace on the road back home. Page told jokes that made Mika laugh. She did her best not to jump onto Page and hold him the rest of the way. Just after the morning ended, the teenagers reached the wooden walls of Yevera, ran past the open gates, and waved at the soldiers near the entrance. With a goodbye hug, they planned to meet in front of their school the following day. Page waved and walked away. Mika took off at a run through the gravel roads.
Yevera was a medium-sized town known for its lumber production and fierce, tenacious warriors. The small, gravel roads were littered with exercise stations at every corner, encouraging the citizens to stay strong and agile. Since the town’s wooden homes and businesses sat on quarter-acre lots, everyone grew their own fruits and vegetables. With a river running through the town, Yevera could sustain itself without the help of the other, larger cities in Celeste. Still, Yevera traded with every city in the region and, despite the recent war, the neighboring region of Imbris.
Mika’s boots kicked gravel up as she ran. She caught glimpse of Yevera’s flag: a black battle-axe in front of a crimson square. The flag swayed with the wind from the top of the single-story house that Mika called home. Mika remembered the day she bought the flag and, full of joy and courage, climbed her roof and hung it from a protruding pole.
Mika’s patriotic thoughts escaped her mind when she blew through the doors of her home. To the left was the kitchen, and straight ahead was the hallway that led to her room, then her mother’s room. Taking a deep breath, she sprang to her mom’s room, diving onto the bed.
“Hi, Mom!”
Her mother, Cynthia, was reading a book on the bed. Ambushed by Mika, Cynthia was startled and held the book over her face. When she realized there was no danger, she relished the hug her only daughter gave her.
Cynthia placed the book under the bed, then looked at Mika. “You … stink,” she said, only half joking.
“I know!” Mika laughed and rolled onto her back, dancing her feet left and right on the bed.
“Tell me how it went,” Cynthia teased her daughter. “How was the date?”
Mika stopped, rolled her head to the side, and looked into Cynthia’s green eyes. “Mom … I am … in love!”
“In love?”
Mika stood on her elbow and inched her face closer to Cynthia. “I asked him to kiss me, but he didn’t.”
“Well, that’s outrageous! Why didn’t he kiss you?” Cynthia mirrored her daughter’s pose.
“Because he’s a brat, Mom!” Mika’s eyes widened so much it concerned her mother. “Can I marry him?”
Cynthia laughed. “Oh, Mika …” She closed her gentle eyes and shook her head. “You’re almost an adult. You don’t need my permission to—”
Mika squealed. She was on all fours, eyes wide, too wide, with her face inches from Cynthia’s. “Mom, are you serious? I can marry him?”
Cynthia chuckled, sat up, and brushed Mika’s hair behind her ear. “We can discuss this over lunch.” Cynthia pinched her daughter’s cheek. “But please, get off the bed with your dirty clothes!”
“What’s for lunch?” Mika hopped off and watched her mom stretch before getting off the bed.
Cynthia appeared to study something imaginary in front of her. “Lentils, eggs, veggies, and …” She hesitated and looked at Mika. “Chicken?”
Mika’s shoulders dropped. “Mom …”
“Rolo is getting old, Mika.” Cynthia’s voice was smooth, but it carried a motherly sternness. “We must put his body to use. It’s what he’s here for.”
Mika nodded in agreement, yet she still felt sad. Mika adored all the animals, and she hated culling her own. “I’d rather kill hundreds of people than kill an animal.”
Cynthia’s mouth wrenched in worry, revealing her clenched teeth. “Mika!” She placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “You mustn’t say that.”
“But I want to kill someone!” Mika’s eyes were trained on her mother’s. “I feel like I need to! I want them to burn!”
Cynthia rubbed the back of her neck. She shouldn’t discourage this mentality from a soldier in training. She knew Mika would one day be a ruthless killer, but she hoped her killings would be just and not for self-pleasure.
“Understood, Mika, but the only dying today will come from Rolo’s sacrifice.”
Mika’s shoulders dropped, her gaze followed, and Cynthia led the way through the room and into the hallway. Cynthia wrapped an arm around Mika’s shoulder, and they both made their way to the backyard.
Outside, Mika threw seeds out to the chickens, who stepped closer and closer to her. The oldest rooster, Rolo, wobbled over and began to eat. Mika grabbed Rolo and embraced him before walking back to Cynthia.
Cynthia leaned against the wooden rail on the porch. Her wavy, shoulder-length, golden-blonde hair told the world her mother had reached complete and utter understanding and mastery of vita magic, the magic of life and health. Because of this, the magic manifested itself in her hair, creating the golden-blonde tint and forcing all who did not know her name to refer to her as Healer. Her secondary mastery of mori magic, the magic of death and the afterlife, manifested itself within the golden-blonde, creating ash-black lowlights. The hair, Mika thought, went well with her mother’s piercing green eyes.
They knelt in front of each other, with Rolo set between them. Cynthia called to Mika to say a prayer.
“Angelis, deity of life and health, thank you for Rolo’s sacrifice, which allows us to continue living healthy and strong lives for you.”
Cynthia’s hand glowed a gentle ash black. She hovered it over Rolo and, using mori magic, touched the rooster’s head. Rolo lowered his head onto Mika’s arm and closed his eyes. Giving a last breath, the rooster expelled a bright-green mist that flowed toward Cynthia and seeped into her chest. The rooster’s life essence had left its body, and now, Rolo’s happiest memories were forever tucked away into Cynthia’s mind.[ED1] Mika looked at Rolo, saddened by his passing.
“Why don’t you go shower? I’ll prepare the food.” Mika’s mother slid her arms under Rolo and took him from Mika.
Looking up, Mika could see a gentle smile on her mother’s face. The girl rose and nodded. She hugged Cynthia and placed her head on Rolo, Mika’s way of saying goodbye. Yeveran homes did not have showers, so Mika grabbed clean clothes, walked out of her house and, before setting off in a run, she was greeted by Andellia, her neighbor and a classmate of hers.
Andellia’s extreme intellect was matched only by her extreme shyness. She spoke in a low, soft voice. “Hi, Mika.”
Mika ran up to her brunette friend and hugged her.
Andellia didn’t hug back, but she placed her head on Mika’s shoulder. “I read about a new plant that can help with skin irritation.” Andellia pulled away and looked at Mika’s boots. “Would you like to find some with me?”
“Of course! Let’s do it tomorrow.” Mika exhaled and widened her eyes. “I’m so tired!”
Andellia looked at Mika’s eyes. Mika had always kept her word; if Mika said she would do something, nothing would stop her from doing so. Andellia nodded and thanked her.
Mika headed toward the showers and zoomed through the streets, running in a straight line without moving for anybody. The townsfolk knew to move out of the way of one of the best runners in Yevera. Because of her nimble body, small stature, amazing stamina, and inability to fight head-to-head[ED2] , she was placed in scout and assassin training the year prior.
“Run faster, Mika Plum!” a man yelled with a smile on his face.
Mika panted and waved. “I’m too tired!”
She vaulted over a small stone wall and slid to a stop at the end of a short line to the showers. There were three people ahead of her.
She caught a glimpse of several guards escorting shackled prisoners to the rear area of the showers. Yevera had refused an aqueduct connection from the neighboring city of Di’Abribel, arguing that Di’Abribel wanted further influence on Yevera and Celeste as a whole. Because of this, prisoners were taught aqua magic to provide water for the town, in addition to transporting water from the river. These prisoners would provide a constant flow of water for the showering Yeverans.
A hilt from the guard’s sword to a prisoner’s head snapped Mika from her thoughts. These prisoners were once Imbric soldiers, and to Mika, all prisoners should be tortured and killed for raising weapons against Yevera. She didn’t want anything to do with the prisoners, so she decided that today, and for the next few days, she wouldn’t use the showers. Instead, she would bathe at the river. She took a step back, bumping into someone behind her.
Embarrassing heat flashed across her face. She lowered her head out of respect for her mathematics instructor.
“Sorry, Mrs. Trowill.”
Mrs. Trowill was reading a slim brown book. She looked at Mika, then continued reading. “Be more aware, Plum. You may proceed.”
Mika scurried in the direction of the river, following it miles downstream so no one who used the water was infected with her grime.
After folding her dirty clothes into a neat pile, Mika submerged herself into the river, watching little bubbles rise from her nose, bursting into freedom once they reached the surface. She saw two bubbles rising at the same pace but separated. Those two bubbles came closer until they touched side by side. Mika reached for the two bubbles, but they managed to move away in unison, slithering toward the surface and toward freedom.
That’s me and Page, she thought, remembering her night at the top of the mountain.
Her lungs began to beg for air. Her chest compressed. Mika let out the remaining air, causing her to sink into the deep river. The jagged rocks at the bottom poked her toes and tumbled away, allowing her to feel the slimy riverbed.
She bent her knees, placed her palms together above her head, and shot upward, taking a deep breath the second she felt the hot breeze kiss her nose. She wiped the water from her eyes and whispered to herself, “Just like the bubbles,” giggling at the analogy she had come up with.
She bathed herself. Once she finished, she dove under the water again, this time spinning in circles, pretending she was a siren, the strange female creatures that turn into humans once their bodies leave the water. According to traders and adventurers, the sirens had been seen swimming in Peak’s Lake. She was determined to see a siren one day, but not with Page. What if the sirens seduced Page and took him from her? Although Mika told herself that wouldn’t happen, it worried her.
I’ll go with Mom.
Mika got dressed in clean clothes—a comfortable, white, long-sleeve shirt and breathable, brown pants bloused into her boots. Her boots were dyed bright red, so that Page could see her when she ran ahead of him in their adventures.
“I’ll dye them brown when you finally beat me at a race!” She remembered shouting at the end of a trip to Vicqua.
Without energy, Mika decided to walk, admiring the wonderful hills in northern Yevera.
Wooden walls danced up and down the hills. The walls were a recent addition. Mika remembered the speed with which they were built—completed in almost a month. Magicians, soldiers, and builders from Di’Abribel and the town of Reach helped with the walls. Yeverans provided food and housing for the volunteers. The elders didn’t protest this type of assistance.
The walls were built to protect the town from the army of necromancers, humans who specialized in mori and tenebris—the magic of death and darkness. The army of necromancers, like most warriors, were trying to take over the region of Celeste to please Gral, the deity of death, and Nessa, the deity of darkness. Once taking over Celeste, necromancers would use it as a base of operations to control the whole of the continent, since they had flanking bases at both the southern and western shores of Irstia.
Nessa had no continents under her rule, and if they could convert the continent under her powers, the necromancers would gain everlasting treasures in the afterlife. Because of their affinity with tenebris and mori, that army was able to navigate and live off the Lost Forest in the northern reaches of Celeste. Neutral parties said Celeste would be an easy target since the region was divided and the rulers of each town and city only cared about their own territory.
Although the stories scared a lot of her peers, Mika didn’t care or worry; Yevera was home of the most skilled warriors in Irstia. She knew they would defeat the necromancers if they tried anything stupid, especially with the new walls and help from Reach and Di’Abribel.
She looked to the sky. The gray clouds warmed her heart because, if rain came, her mother would make steaming-hot tea, and both of them would relax and read together. Mika smiled when she remembered the smell of rain.
Lost in thought, Mika continued to walk, thinking of Page, Cynthia, marriage, school, traveling … and didn’t notice the black balls shooting up to the sky, exploding in silence above Yevera, releasing a black blanket that stretched below the clouds. The black fog thickened and began to cover the sun, darkening everything underneath its massive, mysterious black color.
Mika’s legs stopped moving. She turned her head one way, then turned her body when she looked the other way before looking toward the sun, which shone a dulling yellow behind the black blanket. The birds stopped chirping, and the bugs stopped buzzing. Yevera began fading. The last thing Mika saw was the dull sun that flickered away, surrounding the teenager in complete darkness.
Her dirty clothes thudded to the ground. She listened but only heard her short, choppy breathing and the fabric of her clothes, which shifted with her moving diaphragm. Her eyes were wide open, scanning back and forth, looking for any sign of light in the deep darkness. Maybe she was dreaming? To see if she was in a dream, she pinched her nose and tried to blow out some air, causing her ears to fill with pressure.
She wasn’t in a dream, otherwise she would be able to blow the air out.
I’m blind, she thought, rubbing at her eyes, applying pressure, then opening them.
Nothing.
She slid onto her butt, placed her head on her knees, and whimpered.
“I’m blind.” Mika began to cry. What did she do to deserve this? Was it something in the water? Did she insult a deity by accident? Did her eyes just stop working? She hugged her legs.
She didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to get lost. She knew her mother would notice if she did not come home. Her mom would look for her … right? A kind fisherman or huntsman would see her in distress and ask if she needs help. Page would sense that she was in danger! Or maybe she would be found by dogs, bears, or worse, tortured then devoured by werewolves. Her breathing quickened, as panic set in. She began to tremble. She let go of her legs and rubbed her arms in fear.
She looked up but saw nothing. “Help me!” she cried, and her voice crackled. “I can’t see!”
Mika placed her head between her knees and forced her eyes shut. Minutes turned into hours before she looked up again. Her eyes swollen from crying, she strained to see in front of her. She wiped her blurry, teary eyes and noticed a deep orange glow miles ahead of her, like a lone star shining in the night sky. The glow danced in intensity, up and down, back and forth, forcing a relieved, yet desperate chuckle out of Mika.
I’m not blind. I’m not blind!
She sniveled and knuckled away snot and tears before jumping to her feet. She walked toward the glow, trying to figure out what the mysterious color was.
Her pace quickened into a jog, then into a sprint. Her controlled breathing and the thudding of her bright-red boots were the only sounds in the air the moment she realized Yevera was being consumed by fire.
[ED1]That’s so nice. I never get to mind-meld with my proteins.
[ED2]Do you mean hand-to-hand?
“I am Mika Plum of Yevera.”
I had the biggest smile and the giddiest feeling in my chest while reading the prologue of L.G. Benito’s young adult fantasy novel, Awaken. The beautiful meet-cute, the innocence of young love… It reminded me of the belief in happy-ever-afters I have always held close to my heart and it was such a wonderful feeling to have, especially in these hard times.
But if this makes you think Mika and Page’s story is a romantic fairy tale, you’ll be in for a shocking eye-opener, as I was. There is a perfect visual of just how the story escalates from cutesy to frightsy on the author’s Instagram (@lbenitoauthor), and I just had to laugh when I saw it.
I was blindsided, that’s for sure. Curiously though, I didn’t feel betrayed. Because the way the story was laid out made the earth-shattering culmination of Mika and Page’s love story completely unavoidable. And it did not just break my heart, but also broke my soul: on the one hand, I felt horrible, but on the other, I also felt oddly satisfied.
And I believe that was the real highlight of this story. Mika has a kind heart, but she is far from perfect. Although she is always able to choose to do the right thing, she is not immune from the evil thoughts that often seep into the human mind (especially with who she really is). She has always chosen to do right by people. She may have thought about it, but she would never intentionally hurt anyone.
So when she finally broke, I too, broke with her. So much so that I had to take a break from it all to pull myself back together.
I could scream myself blue in the face at the author for being so mean, but I won’t. Because isn’t this what a good story is all about? It makes you feel good, then tosses you into darker tides, breaking you apart while also teasing your mind with questions of whether or not the hero you are rooting for will ever be able to redeem themselves.
Add to this a fully developed world with its varying cultures and histories, a complex magic system that is not at all hard to follow, and the threat of opposing forces—humans and deities alike—vying for dominance, and we’ve got an epic young adult fantasy series that every fan of the genre should definitely watch out for.
There’s also an undeniable Sapphic tone to this story that’s sure to pique the rainbow community’s interest.
At the end of the novel, the author pens a dedication to Mika with a note of how he almost did not write this story. I sure am glad he never gave up. The next book is already on my watch list.♥