Chapter 1
The rain poured relentlessly from the grey skies, weighing heavily on their backs. Their vision blurred beneath the intense downpour. The winds whipped through the woodlands, bending the trees to their will and cutting through their clothes. Their horses galloped at full speed, but they could not outrun the storm. Lightning and thunder roared behind them as if the gods were in pursuit.
Tek’mer More’ti rode in front. He appeared young and lean, though his muscles never quite caught up to his height. Among the four of them he was the only elf. His stark blue doublet grew a shade darker under the rain, his drenched puffy white sleeves clinging to his sinewy arms.
Close behind him rode Jalems Woresole. An older man past forty, but still in good shape. Jalems bore their loot, an ancient amphora stashed in the leather knapsack at his side.
While Tek’mer rode, he kept looking back at Jalems. It was a futile endeavor. He had too many other things preoccupying him. Beyond the reins of his horse the night was dark as ink, and the rain obscured his sight. Nevertheless, suspicion lingered in Tek’mer’s mind like a putrid stench. He regretted not holding onto the relic himself. He never fully trusted humans.
Jalems’s adopted daughter Marie rode close behind him. A young girl nineteen years of age. She never met her parents, and though Jalems did his best as her father, she mourned her childhood.
Trailing the group was Gale, the Drey. Most Dreys were identified by their petite build, lilac eyes, and skin pale as milk. Though Dreys were an enslaved species, Gale salvaged her freedom, an accomplishment her kind rarely achieved.
While the others pressed forward through the storm, the two lagged behind.
The sky rumbled. Then suddenly a spear of lightning struck the ground. The blinding light illuminated their immediate surroundings, and for a moment Marie could see clearly. The leaves looked like a thousand hands waving in the wind. In the distance she saw Gale beckoning to her. Behind her was a cave large enough for the group and their steeds.
Marie’s eyes widened. Her damp clothes clung to her slim frame. She wanted nothing more than to find shelter. Marie yelled in an attempt to alert the others, but the wind swallowed her voice. She squinted in search of her companions, but the rainfall clouded her eyesight. Fear coiled in her stomach like a snake. She lost sight of her father.
An idea crawled into her mind, though she was uncertain of its success. She closed her eyes and focused all of her mental effort. Droplets of rain trickled down her pale skin. A sphere of fire slowly emerged in her palm. She felt the warmth burning bright in her hand, and her eyes shot open.
She launched it as far as she could, hoping her plan would work. The fire flew through the air like a flare, coloring the sky fire engine red.
From the ground, Jalems could see her signal. The projectile landed in front of Tek’mer. The blaze sparked against the ground for only a moment. His horse brayed, lifting its forelimbs to avoid the flames. They both turned their horses around, aware something had changed.
Her head felt light, her temples pulsed, and her heart began to race. She knew the risks of her plan, but she pushed through.
Marie yelled again. This time they heard her.