Anavrin

The day broke quietly over the kingdom of Anavrin, this beautiful morning giving no hint to the horrible battle waged just night before. Only two brave souls dared to ride through this area, having nothing to fear for they had emerged the victors of the battle. They had almost obliterated their enemies with the powers they both controlled as if they were second nature. The battle had been long and hard won. Barbaric tribes on the outskirts of Anavrin were acting up, and had enlisted the help of the great archers of Sace, a magical kingdom somewhat smaller than Anavrin. To feed their growing force of warriors they had taken to robbing small caravans and the poor people of Anavrin with weaker powers who could not properly defend themselves. The battle had finally culminated in a valley between the two kingdoms, with every major fighting force from both sides in attendance.

The great leader and trainer of mages, Draconus, was there to help lead the great armies of Anavrin to victory with all the mages he had trained in attendance. One of the great mages he had trained, Zavier, was fighting ruthlessly on the battlefield surrounded by barbarians but slaying them with ease. Another of the mages he had trained, Ember, was across the battlefield fighting her way out of a circle of the archers. Ember looked toward the center of the battlefield and saw a barbarian attempting to steal her horse, who was skittering away, and was instantly filled with anger. She looked to the star filled night and began to say a spell to herself calling on the power of the sun. Within seconds a large ball of fire was cast down upon the barbarian preoccupied with stealing her horse. Zavier saw the horse and the barbarian attempting to mount it, and knowing it would provide an advantage in battle, began to move toward it intending to claim ownership. As he moved toward the horse he felt an extreme heat flash and looked into the sky to see a ball of fire flying straight for the barbarian. Deciding that a horse was not worth being burned alive, he changed course to come around the other side of the horse and avoid both the barbarian and the ball of fire. The ball of fire struck the barbarian who collapsed in pain and began to roll around on the ground attempting to extinguish the flames. Ember ran to the side of the stricken barbarian and stabbed him straight through the heart, as she removed it and wiped it clean she looked down at him and said:

"You tried to steal my horse, and now I will burn you until your skin caramelizes in your own blood,"

She watched the barbarian burn and after he had died she waved her hand and the fire disappeared as soon as it had come. Without another word she sheathed her sword and swung onto her horse's back with ease. Angered by the fact that the horse had been stolen from under his nose by a different mage, Zavier decided he would trick them into handing over the horse with his original plan of claiming ownership. He stopped in front of the horse and grabbed the reins from the rider only to find they were snatched savagely from his grip.

"That is my horse!" Zavier yelled above the ever strengthening battle.

"The hell it is!" the rider yelled swinging off the horse and pressing a dagger to his throat. The rider slowly lifted their face to meet his and when Zavier looked into the rider’s face he was shocked. Before him stood Ember, a fire mage that had fought and trained with him when he was younger and was known for the great armies she led and her ferocity on the battlefield. She recognized him instantly and withdrew the dagger from his throat, her blood red eyes that often began to glow when she was angered, dulled slightly.

"What are you doing here, Zavier?"

"The same thing that you are, but I don't think that this is the opportune time to begin reminiscing."

"Nor do I, but if we fight together we will have a better chance of survival," Ember replied swinging onto her horse and calling one of her men to her.

"Get this man a horse," she ordered.

"Right away," he replied snapping his fingers and making a horse appear from nowhere.