The Hephaestia Chronicles - Book One

Summary of terms and characters

Types of Mage:

Builders: Can build anything from available materials in the near vicinity.

Elementals: Have mastery over at least one of the five main elements. i.e. Earth, Air, Fire, Water or Spirit.

Jumpers: Can jump (Teleport) both people and objects within a single realm.

Enchanters: Cannot work on their own and must work in tandem with another mage. Can enchant objects with a specific purpose relating to the other mages ability.

Leapers: Can leap (travel) between realms.

Seers: Can see the many paths of the future.

Uncommons: Any mage that does not fit into the five main types. Highly rare.

List of Guilds:

Constructors: Primarily made up of builders and is in charge of public buildings, roadways and bridges. If a member of the general public wishes to build s new house for example they must get a guild certified Builder to do so.

Merchants: In charge of trade negotiations and commerce.

Security Force: In charge of the armed forces and the police force.

Education: In charge of the training and education of both mages and non-mages.

Governance: The elected officials who preside over the court and justice system. They create laws and ensure punishments are followed through on.

Seers: In charge of seeing threats and ways to prosperity for the kingdom.

Known Realms:

Earth: Distinctly like our Earth. Original home of Sylvie.

Hephaestia: Realm of magic and wonder. Dangerous to those who are unaware. Home of Xander. Unpredictable weather unless in the kingdom of Everaya, due to too many weather mages interfering with the natural balance. The next realm to be targeted by the Demon Lord.

Known Kingdoms:

Everaya: Home to Xander. An island nation at the center of all magical ability. Is predominately ruled by a monarchy who is advised by a council of the heads of guild.

List Of Characters:

Sylvie: Our dashing heroine. Originally from the earth realm. Black hair, blue/purple colored eyes, short and clumsy. Uncommon Mage.

Xander: Prince of Everaya. Blonde, brown eyed and infuriatingly handsome. Uncommon Mage

Demon Lord: Enslaver of Realms. Enemy of the kingdom of Everaya.

Frank: Owner/Manager of Jitter, the café where Sylvie is employed.

One thousand years previous to main story

The sweat glistens in the candlelight as the queen continues on through the long, intense labour. Her cries of pain and effort echo throughout the crowded bed chamber. As time goes by the cries get weaker and weaker.

"Please your majesty, let us call upon the court physician. The longer the birth takes the more danger both you and the child are in. We do not want to lose you!" One of the many people gathered within the chamber begged emphatically.

"No!" the queen yells, the determination clear on her face. She pauses briefly to cry out as yet another contraction hits. Once it subsides she continues; "I will not have the man who allowed my beloved husband, and your wise and just king, to die anywhere near me or my child. Am I understood?"

"Yes your majesty" the crowd murmurs, however many a look is shared as some within debate the worth of following that order. A knock on the door disrupts the crowd before anyone can act.

"See who is there." the queen orders breathlessly. A young maid rushes to do the queen's bidding and cracks open the door just enough to see who is there.

"Majesty," she says. "It is the healer from down in the village. Shall I let her in?"

"Please." the queen responds weakly.

The maid opens the heavy wooden door and in walks a small, elderly woman. She quickly walks to the queen's bedside and begins to examine her.

"My queen," she begins. "I fear that I have arrived too late. You have already lost so much blood. I worry that you are bleeding internally."

Gasps of shock erupt throughout the room and the woman's words. Soon the sounds of quiet sobs can be heard.

"Can you save my child?" the queen asks, her face paling even further.

"I will do my best, but I make no promises." the healer states as she begins to do just that.

"The Fellstar heir must survive." the queen mutters before slipping into unconsciousness.

A short while later, the strong cries of a newborn child fill the room, but before anyone can begin to celebrate a guard bursts into the room.

"Your Majesty, there has been a coup! Your life is in danger!" He exclaims. "I'm here to get you to safety." His voice trails off as he begins to notice the tear stained faces before him. his eyes cross the room before coming to rest on the now still form laying on the bed.

"The, the child? Did the child make it?" he questions, hoping that the worst has not yet come to pass.

"Alive. She's alive and well." the healer responds.

"Well that's something." he says, running his hand through his hair. "The Fellstar heir lives, we must strive to make sure it stays that way."

"Agreed." The healer calmly states, her eyes changing form earthy green to startling white. "You." she says as she points to the young maid who opened the door. "You and this guard here will take the child and hunt down a Leaper. From there you will realm hop until you are not even sure of exactly where you are." The echo of someone more powerful than the lowly village healer flows through her voice. "In one thousand years the heir will be found. But all will not be as it seems. This amulet will guide the one who seeks." she states, producing a golden star shaped amulet from thin air, the ruby in the center gleaming in the candlelight. "Now go. I fear you do not have much time!"

The maid quickly takes the child from the healer and moves to an indistinct panel in the wall. Pushing a hidden button she motions for the guard to follow. The couple quickly disappear into the dark tunnel and the panel clicks shut.

The white bleeds from the healer's eyes as she looks around slightly dazed.

"What happened? Where is the child?" she exclaims wildly. Before anyone can answer her the door to the queen's chambers are smashed open and armed men, stained with blood, swarm into the room, led by a well dressed man with golden hair.

"So the queen is dead. What of her child?" he asks, venom dripping from his voice.

"Died with its mother." The healer lies.

The man glances around the room, the remaining occupants nodding their agreement over the healer's statement.

"So be it." with a small gesture from him, the armed men move into the room with their swords drawn. As the blood pools and soaks into the plush carpet, the pendant lays gleaming.

Twenty years previous to the main story.

The small young woman sneaks carefully up the front steps of an old, ivy covered cottage. Her hooded cloak moves gently, unsettled by her movements a mouse jumps out from beneath the falling apart porch and skitters across her feet. She jumps in surprise, a small gasp escaping her perfect red lips. She seems tense as she glances around. her nerves get the better of her and she double checks for any prying eyes hiding in the shadows. Before her courage deserts her, her hand darts out from beneath the folds of her cloak, pausing briefly before knocking on the wooden door.

"Now, now. There is no need to sneak around like that. I know the reasoning behind your visit to me this evening." a voice croaks out from within. The front door slowly opens, as if propelled by some unseen force, to reveal a desolate, murky interior with very little furnishings.

"How can anyone live like this?" the young woman thinks to herself.

"The same reason as no one will notice your visit. No one takes much notice of me these days, unless, of course, they need something."

The young woman walks in wearily, unsure whether or not the being behind the voice had read her thoughts. She shuts the door behind her and begins to speak. "I have come about . . . "

"The future and gender of your babies. Yes, yes, I know." the voice interrupts impatiently.

"B-b-babies?" the young woman struggles to squeak out. "B-b-but the doctor . . . "

"Pah! Doctors!" the voice scoffs, the dismissal of the medical profession clear. "Think they know everything they do. Now come in here where I can see you."

The young woman moves to follow the voices orders, curiosity overwhelming her unease. She walks further into the dimly lit interior, she coughs slightly from the cloying smoke of too many incense sticks lit in too small a space. She passes through a doorway, brushing aside cobwebs as she does so and enters a small sitting room. She is greeted by the sight of a small elderly lady, for there was no other word to describe her but ladylike, sitting majestically in an old rocking chair. She rocks slowly back and forth whilst working on her crochet.

"Two heirs there will be. One of light and one of dark. One to tear the world asunder and the other to bring the pieces back together. The seeker must seek but be aware that all is not as it seems." her voice cries out, the ring of truth echoing through it.

"Is that supposed to be some sort of prophecy?" the young woman scoffs in disdain. "You didn't even answer my question. I came to find out the gender of my unborn child, not listen to superstitious nonsense spouted by some lonely, dementia riddled, old woman! Besides, aren't prophecies meant to rhyme?" The old seer can almost taste the disbelief in the young woman's voice.

A low chuckle rumbles from the chest of the old seer. "Whatever has made the young people today believe prophecies had to rhyme? And girls you will have twin girls. Happy?"

The young woman turns to leave, obviously unhappy with how the meeting with the seer has gone.

"I knew I shouldn't have come here" she thinks to herself as she strides towards the front door. "What a waste of a trip. Two babies? Ha! Obviously the old bat has been by herself for far too long. The scan at the doctors office only showed one heartbeat after all. And girls? Probably just a guess." Still she could not help the small sliver of doubt that crept in caused by the seer's words.

"Be careful of your thoughts my dear, one never knows exactly who is listening in." the seer speaks out. "Besides, this trip was not a waste. You gained knowledge, and knowledge is always a gift, although sometimes an unwanted one."

The young woman stops her hand resting lightly upon the door handle.

"Remember my words."

She turns quickly to confront the old woman, only to find the rocking chair sitting empty, gently moving back and forth as if someone had just gotten up.

A chill makes its way down her spine as she lowers her hood. Her long ebony curls cascade down her back as she loosens them from the tight bun they were once confined in.

"This has really given me a headache" she thinks rubbing her temples in an attempt to ease some of the discomfort. Her young face pale and pinched with pain, she once more glances around the now empty cottage before turning to leave, bringing with her the scent of incense.