Magic in the Wind: Flash Fiction Friday Post

Energy Ball 001 by ISO Stock via www.deviantart.com

Energy Ball 001 by ISO Stock via www.deviantart.com

Yarami sniffed. It was closer. Too close to suit her. Someone thought no guardian lived in this backwater little village. She sighed as she studied the sky. That’s exactly why the Council of Mages put her here.

“The magic drifts to those places it thinks will not have a guardian,” her mentor told her. “It wants to take root, grow wild, and cause trouble.”

“But magic isn’t bad, Master Arako.” She’d been confused. Magic was everywhere and was a great source of help and healing.

“It can be if not controlled. So we put a guardian in every tiny hamlet, village, and town to catch the magic before it becomes a problem.”

So she was sent to Dan’os to provide healing, ward off evil spirits, and even bring rain or sun, when needed for the crops. Today, though, was the primary purpose. This wasn’t wild magic. Someone was behind it, pushing it this way. Yarami went into her house, the best one in the village, and put the kettle on to boil. She may need a tea to help her. While she waited for the water, she looked over her stock of herbs and potions.

The magic was getting stronger. She could smell it even from inside the house. A young mother, crying infant in her arms, knocked at the open door. She bowed when Yarami turned to her.

“I beg your parden Mistress Yarami. But Phara won’t stop crying. I’ve tried everything. I don’t know what to do.”

Yarami could see the woman was near tears. She stepped over to the baby. The infant was shrieking, little hands waving, tears spilling from it’s chocolate brown eyes into the swaddling. As soon as Yarami stroked it’s cheek, it stopped squalling and stared up at her. The shock of the child’s power shot up Yarami’s arm like lightning. She gasped.

“What’s wrong? Is Phara all right?”

Yarami took the child in her arms. The baby hiccupped. “She’s fine, now.” She looked into the woman’s worried eyes. “Do you mind if I keep her with me for a few hours. Until dinner time.”

The woman looked confused. “I don’t want to bother you, Mistress.”

Yarami smiled. “No bother at all. Phara and I are going to get along just fine.”

“If you think it for the best.” The young mother backed to the door. “I can come back in an hour.”

“No need. We’ll be good company for each other this afternoon.”

The mother nodded. “Very well. I live at the end of the street, Mistress, should you want to bring her back early.”

“Thank you. I don’t think that will be necessary.” Yarami smiled at her again and the woman drifted out of the door.

Yarami focused on the baby. “You’re going to help me, little one, get rid of that bad magic that’s making you upset.” She coo’d and tickled the baby’s cheek and received a cheerful gurgle in response. “Let’s get to work.”

Yarami devised a sling to carry the infant on her back, then prepared her tea. It would help her focus her power. She could feel the baby’s raw power soaking into her back and lending itself to her own. The oncoming magic was making the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Phara began to fuss.

“It won’t be long, little one. Patience.” Yarami drank down the tea and could immediately feel her fingertips tingle. She picked up her staff and left her house, then climbed the nearby hill that the village kept bare for its signal fire. The magic was now so strong she could taste it, a bitter, angry flavor like a beer gone wrong. Phara began to cry in earnest. “I know, little one. It makes me want to scream, too.

Yarami braced her feet apart and raised her arms. To the villagers it was a bright, calm, warm spring day. To Yarami and Phara, it seemed like a hurricane was ripping through their home. Her staff began to crackle, ice-blue sparks shooting from the top. The power of the magic beat against her, and Phara began to scream. Yarami doubled her effort. “Be gone, sorcerer! Dan’os is not for you!”

She could hear the magic screaming. Was that a language? She listened closely, drawing on Phara’s raw power to help her. Who was sending the magic here? It wanted a foot-hold! It was an invasion. Yarami pulled as much power from the baby as she dared. This had to be destroyed. She centered her power and closed her eyes. She visualized a sorcerer, it didn’t matter if it was the real one or not. Gathering the power she formed her power into a fireball and shot it from the staff into the center of the magic raging over the village.

The fireball exploded high in the sky. Yarami shielded her eyes from the blast of light and was knocked to her knees by the force of the evil magic disintegrating above her. In a flash, Yarami could see the scorcerer, a man dressed in Ucheni robes. Phara hiccupped twice and began to babble. “Me, too, little one.” Yarami rose to her feet with the help of her staff. Her legs felt like gelatin. “I’m going to have to report this. The Council will have to alert the Emperor.”

She went home and put Phara on a blanket on the floor. “I’ll have to tell them about you, too. But don’t worry. You won’t have to leave home for many years yet.” Yarami pulled her scrying ball from the cupboard. News of an invasion and a strong candidate warranted a face-to-face chat. Especially an invasion from Uchen. Even a guardian could appreciate a reward for such news.

 

 

Thank You!

956 Words

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