Transformation is written for Round One of the Pub's December 2012 fantasy smackdown competition. It is based on the following pictures:
Picture 1: A phoenix rising out of fire
Picture 3: A naval battle involving sailing ships and cannons
Picture 5: A city in the middle of the ocean
Picture 8: A young woman reading by candlelight
A lightbulb also had to be mentioned in the story.
TRANSFORMATION
She brushed a lock of dark hair back over her shoulder, touching the golden chain around her neck and jostling the crystalline pendant that hung there. It flashed in the harsh brilliance shed from the incandescent light bulb above her. A wave of her hand snuffed out the irritating glare and the warm glow of three candles burst into flame, lighting the darkness of this new reality with the warm tones of fire instead. Satisfied, her gaze again sought the page in front of her to re-read it.
Each new day is born in flame.
Her eyes followed the neat lines of script as they marched onward, the ink flowing like blood across the page.
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Fioreh flinched as a particularly powerful blast caused the building to tremble.
“We must hurry,” elder Blazek announced eyeing the ceiling warily. “Quickly child! There are not many more torches to extinguish.” He grinned paternally at her then, his deep brown eyes sparkling with reassuring warmth. She took a deep breath and her pounding heart slowed a little. “It would never do to have the temple or the city burn because we missed one now would it?”
“No Eldest, of course not,” she agreed respectfully. She gave him a brave smile to let him know that her courage had not failed her. He nodded approvingly and they continued on their way through the cellars.
Elder Blazek’s crimson robes brushed the floor as he walked, the plaster dust kicked up by his feet staining them with a fine patina of white. Only those who had earned the red robes had been sent to battle to help defend the city from the undead invaders. There were few enough Terranian fire mages here in Aqualaerya to assist with the city’s defense. From the intensity of the fighting so far, Fioreh was secretly relieved that her youth had kept her safe behind the shield wall. From all the shuddering and shaking, she guessed that the city’s air and water mages were maintaining it only with great difficulty. Another blast from outside reminded her of the reason she was here so Fioreh reached out toward the nearest torch. Concentrating, she drew the heat from it to herself and the flame leapt onto her hand. She stared at the mesmerizing beauty of the little blaze in appreciation for a moment before closing her hand to extinguish it, plunging another section of the hallway into darkness. Finishing quickly with the lower levels, she and elder Blazek emerged into chaos when they finally ascended to the floors above the sea.
“Make way,” thundered a voice suddenly from the left. Elder Blazek pushed her safely back against the wall as a contingent of Aeryalan guards jogged past them on their way to somewhere else. Their spears at their sides, they looked ready to do battle as soon as they could reach the open sky and unfurl their wings.
“Is that not the temple guard?” Fioreh asked as she noted the form-fitting blue leotards the winged soldiers wore.
The grim look on elder Blazek’s face sent chills down her spine. “Let us go and take a look outside,” he suggested. Turning to follow him, Fioreh nodded.
