Lyla meditated and listened to the silent forest around her until the grey light of dawn pierced the sky. It was invisible under the thick canopy of trees, bit Lyla could somehow sense it.
She deftly rolled up her blankets and stuck them in her bag. Walking over to Aria, she gently shook her awake. “Hey,” she whispered, “wake up.”
Aria opened her eyes blearily to see Lyla diligently putting out the fire. She sat up and yawned. “Gods, I slept horribly.”
Lyla nodded. “I would assume so. Stressful day yesterday.”
Aria rose and tightly rolled up her sleeping bag. “Today, too.” A gentle breeze ruffled both their hair. It was just strong enough to scatter some of the dust covering the fire pit. Lyla kicked the stones away, getting rid of evidence that they'd ever been there.
While Lyla had been covering the fire, Aria had been rummaging around in her bag. With a triumphant “aha!” she produced a folded paper from her bag.
Lyla arched an eyebrow, and Aria kneeled down on the ground, attempting to spread the paper before her. However, the breeze stubbornly refused to let her, blowing up an edge of the paper whenever she managed to get another one down.
Lyla walked over and kneeled opposite her, reaching for the paper.
Aria gave her a grateful smile and left two fingers on the corner, reaching for a rock to help keep it down.
However, just as Lyla touched the paper, she and Aria received a jolt like an electric shock. Lyla pulled away in surprise, and the only thing that kept Aria from doing so was fear of losing the paper.
Looking shaken, Lyla just said, “I’ll go get some rocks.”
Aria merely nodded. Lyla stood and gathered four stones and retook her place. Aria gently laid the rocks down, one on each corner.
Once it was laid out, Lyla saw it was a map of the whole kingdom. Aria was studying it intensely, biting her lip, trying to figure out even remotely where they were.
She touched a place on the map, and Lyla saw it was her home village. Aria looked up at her, excitement in her eyes. “How old must this map be?! They haven't printed our villages on maps since Gyralinr took the High King's throne!”
Lyla looked a couple millimeters to the left of Aria’s finger, and sure enough, Aria’s village was also on the map.
Gazing around, she noticed something else. “Hey, isn't this Pymonia?” she said, touching another place. Pymonia was the previous capital of the Old Kingdom of Fire and the birthplace of the fire Mage from the Circle of Six Mages. Just like all of the Circle’s home villages, it hasn't been printed on maps since they'd been killed.
“Yeah, and this is Eraline!” Aria said, touching another place.
Another shock ran through them, and this time they both pulled back.
“Ok.” Lyla said. “Note to self: do not touch the map at the same time.”
However, Aria was staring at it with even more intensity than before. “No, I think we have to.”
Lyla felt her mask slip, and she blanched. “What?”
“I just… want to try something.” Aria looked at Lyla imploringly. “Trust me?”
Lyla sighed and relented. She stuck one finger out toward the map, extending her hand slowly. She turned her face away and winced, waiting for the shock.
“Oh, for Amasuru’s sake.” Aria huffed. She grasped Lyla’s wrist and tugged it until her fingers met the paper.
A shock went through them for a third time, and Lyla tried to pull away. However, Aria’s hand held hers fast.
YOU ARE READING
Circle of Six Mages Book One: Yin and Yang
FantasyIn the land of Rashiviio, a war is raging. The God of Hell, Rhieashinn, has been trying to expand his territory into Rashiviio ever since he received his territory. The God of Heaven, Zheru, is trying to keep him at bay. However, since Rashiviio is...
