The Shadow of the Flame

Byron's training of both Embry and Teregan continued in earnest. He seemed more determined and less patient then before. Despite this, Embry and Teregan were rising to the occasion, learning faster then he had ever seen an aprrentice master the use of fire. It was as if is urgency were directly feeding their abilities. They always trained in secret, but Byron refused to tell them why there was so much need for secrecy. Teregan hypothesized it was to ensure his parents would not find out.
Like so many things though, it is impossible to keep a secret forever, and the day of their discovery was teh beginning of the war for this small band. A young gnome, just over twenty years old, hailing from Kharanos, a small dwarf village outside of Ironforge, had been hiking up the mainland toward the Alterac Mountains. At the base of the mountains was a base of sorts for the Rogues of SI:7. Tindry, as she had been called by those few she referred to as her friends, had always been a bit of an outcast. Her dark mood, and dreary outlook on life did not jive well with her fellow gnomes, and feeling alone, the transition to training in the ways of the rogue was very natural for her.
Her slight stature allowed her to go just about anywhere undetected as each footstep was silent. She had grown accustomed to watching people, learning that you never know when you will discover something of great value by simply watching. So she spent most of her time in Ironforge, in the shadows, spying on any and all she could see. Most of what she saw had proven pointless, but every once in a while, she would discover something of importance. These nuggets of information usually same in the form of internal threats to Magni Bronzebeard. Through her efforts to protect his kingdom, she had quickly risen in the ranks of SI:7 and was now prepping for a training session that would prelude her first true mission for the organization.
On her way to this meeting, she had taken a gryphon to the outskirts of Gilneas, and had met with some contacts she had their to get supplies and information. Even this deep into alliance lands, you never knew when a group or orcs might appear, and she wanted to know as much about their movements as she could to ensure safe travel to her destination.
After gathering all that she needed she began to make her way. Along the way, she passed by a village that looked deserted, but it was obvious by the crop fields nearby that it was not. She continued her journey, being careful to stay out in the open, when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. It was a flash of some kind.
She looked in the direction the flash had come, but saw nothing, so she decided to move closer and try to find its source. As she moved closer to where she thought it had come from, nothing seemed to appear. Finally at the edge of a corn field, she saw an old man and two young children sitting the ground. The man was talking to the children, his movements mirroring that of a teacher deep in a lesson. The children's attention was focused on the man, and it was obvious they found what he was saying to be of the utmost importance.
Must be a good story, Tindry thought to herself, but resolving that there was nothing suspicous going on here and that she had likely not seen a flash and that her mind was playing tricks on her, she resolved to leave. As she began to step away, she saw the man stand up, put his hands together in front of him, and then thrust his right hand forward with great force.
At that very moment, a tree off in te distance lit up in flames. Tindry was shocked, and knew immediately the old man was a mage, and a powerful one at that. What she saw next though shocked her even more. The two children stood up, put their hands out in front of them, and curled their fingers inward as if they were trying to pull something in. The flames, that had been raging on the tree, left the tree and floated in the air towards the children, until it sat in a ball, above their hands.
He is training them to be mages...interesting...I thought that mages had to go to stormwind to be trained...Tindry thought to herself, but she took the information and deposited it in her head, along with so many other secrets she had learned, deciding to divulge it later, to the right person, and for the right price.


A couple weeks later, after finishing her mission succesfully, Tindry found herself in the local Stormwind pub, celebrating her success with the few people she called friends. She was on her third drink of the night, and the haze of drunkeness was settling on her mind lightly. As she sat at the bar, she looked over and saw a mage she had seen before, so she sidled up to the seat next to him and asked, "Doesn't a person who wants to train to be a mage come to stormwind for that training?"
The mage turned and looked at her. He was a younger man, with jet black hair down to his shoulders, and a crisp beard that went down to his chest, ending in a sharp point. The man clearly did not want to be bothered, but that had never bothered Tindry before.
"Yes, they can be discovered elsewhere, and there are even some other specialized places where the training can occur, but Stormwind and Lordaeron are where the majority of future mages go to train." the mage replied.
"Are there any training areas near Gilneas?" Tindry inquired.
"No, Gilneans would go to Lordaeron to train." he answered.
"Interesting..." Tindry replied while shelving that knowledge in her head again, certain that this information would be quite valuable to the right bidder.
Tindry drank another two pints, before deciding the time had come for her to return to her room at the inn and sleep off her stupor. Before she could get up though, a hooded stranger came up and sat next to her.
"I apologize for eavesdropping, but I couldn't help but notice your conversation earlier with that mage. Why did you ask him that?" The stranger asked.
"What's it to you?" Tindry shot back.
"I was just curious if you saw anything that would lead you to wonder if there was a training station near gilneas."
"What is it worth to you?" Tindry asked.
"Name your price and if the information helps me, I will pay it."
"50 gold pieces, and not a penny less." Tindry bartered.
"Done!" The stranger said emphatrically
"There is an old man, in a village near Gilneas, training two children to be fire mages."
"What ages were the children, and was either of them a girl?" the stranger questioned.
"There was a girl and a boy, the girl looked close to 10, and as for the boy, probably a year or two younger." Tindry answered.
"Perfect, your information has been most helpful." the stranger replied, handing him a bag in which he had counted out 50 gold pieces and sealed inside. "I would like you to have this too." The stranger said and handed him a small ball, that looked like an eyeball. "It is called an eye of kilrogg. Great blessings come to those who stare into its depths."
Tindry accepted the gift, and looked into the ball. Within seconds, her face was a blank stare.
The stranger looked at her with a devilish grin forming on his face. "I can't have you telling anyone else that. That's why I wiped your memory with that eye. Never again will you even know who you are, let alone what you saw."
The stranger dropped the bag of gold into Tindry's pocket, walked her back over to the mage sitting at the bar, and asked, "Would you be willing to port my friend to the Exodar. I am afraid he has drinken too much, and I think he would be better suited sleeping in his own bed instead of the inn tonight. I will gladly pay you for it."
The mage, despite appearing to not want to be bothered, perked up at the mention of payment. "Sure," he replied.
Then the mage pulled out a small stone, stated an incantation, and circular portal opened up before him and the stranger. The stranger gave him a few gold pieces, and took tindry through the portal. Once inside the Exodar, he dropped Tindry by a wall, and walked ack through the port, back to Stormwind.
As the stranger walked out of the bar, the mage heard him say, "Finally I shall have the ultimate power added to my collection!"

The Heated Discovery

In the weeks that followed, Embry spent most of her day training with her father. After training, she would join Teregan in the field and try to teach him what she learned. Teregan failed to repeat his success from the first day, and found himself very discouraged. Embry continued to encourage him, telling him to never give up.

By this point, Embry had advanced in her development a great deal. Her father had been working on helping her develop a flame shield to protect herself with. She was finally starting to see success, but the shield wasn't nearly strong enough to block an attack. Byron wouldn't explain why, but Embry sensed an increased sense of urgency in his training efforts. "You need to learn this Embry. I have seen it all, and this skill is essential to your survival."

Embry tried to teach Teregan the same manuever, but found it hard to teach a skill that she had not yet mastered herself. Despite the struggles, Teregan did manage to make a shield big enough to protect his hands, but nothing else. Everytime he tried to increase the size of the shield, it would simply evaporate.

"Here, let me show you again. The shield's growth depends on the strength of the flame it is stretched from. Your flame is not strong enough."

"But how do you make it stronger. I swear, I just can't make it any stronger." Teregan complained.

"It all comes from inside you. You have to want it...truly want it."

Teregan closed his eyes, and tried again. He had gotten quite good at finding his inner flame and moving it to his hands, but no matter how hard he tried that flame always seemed to pale in comparison to Embry's flame. The results were no different this time either. "I give up." He exhaled, and sat down on the cold dirt.

Embry walked over to him and sat down next to him. "It's probably for the best. We have been at this a long time. You need a break."

"Do you think I will ever get this? Or am I destined to always be a failure?" Teregan inquired.

"You'll get it. It's just not easy."

Teregan got back up, and looked at Embry. Her silky brown hair hung at her shoulders, curling inward, and her robe was a refreshing shade of blue. He was amazed how at peace he felt around her. "I want to try again."

Embry laid down on the ground and looked up at him. "You'll have plenty of time later. Take a break, so you can recover."

"No, I am not ready to give up."

Embry exhaled, and got back up. "Ok, if you insist, let's try again. This time, don't be so eager to pull the flame outward, focus on it while it is inside you, and try to grow it there instead."

Teregan looked at her longingly, hoping this would be the time his efforts would be rewarded. He again focused in on himself. He found the flame quickly, but instead of moving outward, he focused on the flame, trying to will it to grow. Embry also closed her eyes, hoping to be able to share some of her own focus in the hopes it would help him. As the two stood, facing each other, like two statues, they failed to notice the approach of a visitor.

"Embry, what are you doing?" the stranger boomed out.

Embry spun around in an instant, and saw her father. His hands were on his hip and a scowl encompassed his face. She could tell he was furious with her. Teregan lost the flame the moment he heard Byron's voice. He opened his eyes, and felt petrified with fear. He had never seen Byron this angry. His ice cold stare appeared like it might burn out his soul.

"What are you two doing?" Byron asked forcefully.

Teregan looked at Embry, uncertain what to do. Embry stepped in front of Teregan, blocking him from Byron. "I am teaching him to be a mage."

Byron's eyes seemed to burn with an inferno. "How could you? I told you nobody was to know about this. You have endangered you, me, and everyone who lives in the village."
"But..." Before she could finish though, Teregan stepped forward and asked, "How could her teaching me to be a mage put any of us in danger. If anything, she is helping protect us from danger. Three mages is better then two, if anybody decided to attack the village."

"So you are a mage now?" Byron asked pointedly.

"No, but I will be." Teregan answered defiantly.

"Well mage, prove to me your worthy!" Byron commanded in a deep and rough voice.

"How do I do that?" Teregan asked.

"Block this!" Byron yelled out as he sent a pulse of energy toward Teregan. The pulse hit Teregan square in the chest, knocking him to the ground. Teregan gasped, trying to get his breath back.

Byron grabbed Embry's hand and began to walk her back to their house. "Not everyone is meant to be a mage Embry. The sooner you learn that, the better off you will be."

"WAIT!" Teregan gasped out. "I am not done!"

Byron turned around and saw the defiant face of a young boy, taunting him to attack again. He hesitated, but saw the boy was determined. "If you insist."

Byron sent off another pulse of energy, but this one was bigger. Teregan was ready this time. He focused inward, found his inner flame, and pushed it outward, but he was not quick enough. Before he had even managed to get the flame out, the pulse slammed into his chest, knocking him three feet backward.

"Stop it!" Embry yelled, "You're hurting him!"

"I am teaching him a lesson, one that I hope he won't soon forget." Byron said as he again grabbed Embry's hand and departed.

Teregan laid on the ground, motionless. He had never hurt so bad in his life. Each gasping breath burnt his lungs and required all his effort. He coughed, trying to force the air out of his lungs. He couldn't move, and wondered if the last attack had left him paralyzed. He looked outward, and saw Byron and Embry walking out of the field. He tried to yell out to stop, but he couldn't make a sound.

Willing his limbs to move, he rolled over onto his chest. Martialling all the strength he could muster, he lifted himself up on all fours. "Stop!" Teregan exhaled weakly.

Despite the weakness of his voice, Byron heard it and again turned to face the boy. "You're not done yet? You still want more? Fine, I will give you more...Mage!"

"No father...no" Embry pleaded.

A second later, Byron was again shooting out another ball of energy, this stronger then both of the previous two, and threw it will full force at the weakened frame that stood before him.

Teregan was desparate to earn Byron's respect. He closed his eyes, looking inward, but when he found the flame, it was different somehow. It was bigger, more ferocious, and instead of sitting in his core, it radiated throughout his whole body. He pushed it out with all of his remaining strength, and braced himself for the oncoming blow...but it never came.

Embry looked at Teregan, shock and awe coursing in her face. She saw around him a massive shield of flame, bigger then she had ever seen before. Her father's energy ball and simply dissipated into nothingness the moment it hit the shield.

Byron was also shocked, but quickly recovered his poise. He looked at the boy with a curiosity that he couldn't understand. How could such a small boy produce such a powerful shield? he thought as he looked at the boy with closed eyes, bracing for a blow that was already gone. He looked at Teregan differently and determined that this event had changed everything.

"Teregan, are you sure you want to go down this path? Their is nothing but pain ahead." Byron explained.

Teregan finally opened his eyes, and saw a softer aura encompassing Byron. "Yes I do. I will do anything to be a mage."

"I can see that. I have seen grown men walk away from the ways of magic after getting hit by a lot less then what you just endured. If you remain this determined, I promise you...you will be a mage. But be warned, your suffering today is a mere pebble in the mountain of pain and suffering that your chosen path will take you. Are you sure you want this?"

"Yes." Teregan said reverently as he kneeled down before Byron. "Teach me how to fight, and I promise, your daughter will never be alone in a fight."

Byron looked down at the young boy with admiration. He could tell there was a special essence in this boy, and knew that his destiny was entwined with his daughter's as much as his own destiny was. To not train the boy would be to deny the fates, and he did not dare do such a thing.