The mid-afternoon sun beats down on your back,
and the gravel road is losing ground to flattened grass with each passing mile. Birds and small animals sleep in treetops and bushes, but you press on. It's been hours since you last saw a farmhouse, and the heavy pack perched on your back is heavier and bulkier than you remember. As an apprentice at the Order of Mages, it is your duty to set out and discover your powers. These powers have stirred inside you for years, begging to be let out. Part of becoming a mage is this discovery, and you've decided to go to the most powerful place in Rainon you could think of: North Forest, or as everyone else calls it, the Fae Forest.
Humans are not allowed in the Fae Forest. History lessons Mage Thaia ruthlessly drilled into your head are still there. Since the formation of the first kingdom, men have desired the forest and the natural power that lives there. Many times kings have tried and failed to take the forest from the Fae, and the Fae have not forgotten. Human history is a fresh memory for an immortal. King Feliorn raised powerful wards around his beloved home to protect his ancient family.
When you think you can go no farther, the tops of homes are visible through the haze of heat. Crossroad Village, the only human settlement the Fae set foot in, is closer than you could have hoped. Mayor Elwood has given you permission to stay in the village, and a dwelling of your own awaited. Now your true journey begins.
Hello everyone!
Thank you for taking a minute out of your day to adventure into the world of my novel, The Empire of Rainon. Updates on the journey of an apprentice at the Academy of Mages happen on Friday nights.
This is a new undertaking, and feedback and comments are welcome.
-Danika
