Faelight and Brimstoll (Glimpse)

Our story opens onto four characters in dire peril. They consist of a wizard farmer, a gemstone princess, a prince of naught, and a cursed unicorn. They are surrounded by two kingdoms, one of smoke, and the other of light. The conflict they are caught up in, is that of countries at war. The prince is of the smoke, while the princess is of the light, but this isn’t a love story. Armed with a broken sword and accompanied by two mischievous fairies, the unlikely bunch seek to escape unscathed.




“Can’t you like… magic us somewhere?” Zefor asked scanning the open field between the armies intent on fighting.

“You mean teleport, and no,” Rafal replied. “It would take too much power to get the big one ported. Sorry, Faelor.”

“I could blind them all with my horn’s glow,” the unicorn suggested.

“And how long do you think that’ll last?” Zefor asked.

“I don’t know, ask your eyes from the last time I did it,” the unicorn said. “I can make it really bright.”

“Relax,” the wizard said, pulling out a gemstone of green and yellow. “Don’t strain yourself, Fae.”

#Princess, may I borrow some of your strength?# he thought, smoothing a hand over the strikingly green gemstone. The boy wielded strong and useful magic thanks to that gem. When Rafal smiled, a light from inside the stone bathed them in a circle. The wizard made motions with his free hand and thrust both hands up as the patch of grass with a circle of earth lifted into the air. Now high above the two armies, Zefor watched them clash without knowledge that his father was among them.

The two kingdoms at war were Faelight and Brimmstoll. Once a kingdom full of magic, Faelight was taken over by greedy human rule, making concessions of magic to maintain their ever-expanding populace. Once they felt strong enough without magic, the royals of Faelight decided to expand upon a warm environment of volcanic activity. They planned to clean the air once the work had been done on their new castle, but the natives of the land took over the structure built right over a volcano. Though the Kingdom of Faelight tried their best to seize back control, the Kingdom of Brimmstoll was born, with three kings appointed to rule fairly. The three elected kings, Fenor, Gailen, and Edlin ruled well in the smoke, always being cautious of possible Faelight attempts to usurp them.

“Such a waste of life,” Zefor said. “Don’t they see they’re the same?”

“Feuds are not simple matters,” Rafal said supporting them all with one hand full of magic. “My father once had a feud with a neighboring farmer. It felt like such a silly thing to me, being at odds for something that happened so long ago.”

“What did happen?” Faelor asked.

“Something about their mothers being in love with the same man, oh,” the wizard answered and relaxed his hand upon a realization. This sudden action plunged them toward the fight until he retightened his fist. “Sorry. I just realized that I might have an uncle. It would be nice. For now, let’s get out of here. I’m sure they’ll chase us down later on.”

“Speaking of,” Faelor said. “Do we know why they are after us? Could it have something to do with Zef’s constant bragging that he will destroy the kingdom of smoke with his bare hands?”

“I will though,” Zefor said. “Their rule is only causing problems for the lands between Brimmstoll and Faelight. Both kingdoms need new rulers, so maybe it’s about time Faelight got their magic back. Huh?”

“If you’re talking about me, I refuse,” Rafal said moving the grassy platform away from the sounds of battle below. “Power corrupts. I know that more than anyone.” He held some information secret from them, the reason that Faelight was after him in particular.

“But you can do great things with power like that,” Zef argued. “You just need someone to keep you in line, and I could be that for you, Raf.”

“It’s Rafal, we barely know each other,” he said. “Just because you already told me your whole life story, doesn’t mean you know all about me.”

“I know you as a farmer’s son with magic,” the prince said. “That’s all I need to know to be friends with you.” Rafal felt a pang of sadness in his chest at that blind trust. Maybe that was how feuds started, through dishonesty. No matter how much he wanted to explain his misdeeds, the shame of how he got his magic would forever haunt him.

“We’re clear,” he said. “Oh, but I see both sides dispatched a group to follow us. We have to keep moving? Are we still going to Brimmstoll?”

“Of course,” Zef said dusting off all the grass that stuck to his pants. He wore the broken sword on his back, the fracture visible around his midsection. The blade wasn’t metal, and didn’t reflect light the way one would expect. It felt hungry, absorbing all light near it. It was best not to do this, but Rafal decided to scope into the item’s specifications by way of his magic. He grazed the green gemstone with a finger and pulled a drop of water from the surface. When he flicked it at the surface of the broken blade, the connection would identify the object to his sight, but the water never reached a surface, only vanished into what looked endless.

“What are you doing?” Zefor asked turning around. “What did you do?”

“Huh? I just flicked a bit of water by accident,” Raf replied.

“No, you didn’t,” Zef said pulling the sword off and smoothing the surface as if it was solid. “There was magic in it. What were you trying to do?”

“I’m more surprised that you know there was magic in it,” the wizard boy said. “Did the sword tell you that? Does it talk to your mind like Faelor?” Zef narrowed his eyes without a word.

“I’m just curious, Zef,” Raf said.

“Leave it alone, man,” Fae said into the wizarding brain. “The sword is more of a sensation, not a person. You can try talking at it, but it won’t reply. In that sense, it’s smart.”

“It makes me uneasy is all,” the boy said putting away his gemstone.

“I go where the sword goes,” Fae said into both minds.

“And you don’t find that the least bit unsettling, Zef?”

“Not really,” he replied. “I mean, you have your secret gem of magic and I have my sword. I figured we’d just let it be as it is, or do you want to tell us exactly how you got that gemstone?” Rafal recoiled clutching the stone to his skin. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. We’re not friends, Raf. We’re just heading the same way. If you want to go somewhere else, you’re free to do so. I’m going to Brimmstoll to take over and make peace with Faelight.” A ruffle of cloth turned to sound of struggle inside Rafal’s backpack until he opened the magic-sealed cover.

“Geez, why’d you stuff us in there?” asked the smaller faye. She flew up to the wizard and hit with her tiny fists against his face. “We could have suffocated!”

“You two have minds of your own I don’t want to be responsible for,” Raf said grabbing Des out of the sky.

“It’s not like we want to be here,” spoke another flying out slower. “You’re holding us prisoner with magic, and yet aware of this fact. Why not just make us blissfully unaware servants?”

“Wow,” Des, “Way to be in the right side, Fayte.”

“I’m just saying. If he keeps us like this we’ll eventually figure out a way out, possibly by killing him.”

“As long as you’re not tying people’s fingers together anymore and stealing from them, I’m good,” Raf said.

“He was a thief!” Fayte argued.

“There is nothing wrong with stealing from somebody who steals,” Des said. “It’s fair game. As for the magic, we’re faye. Gotta flex or we gonna get complacent and can’t be helpful when needed.” Rafal smiled.

“So you want to be at your best for me?” he asked as Des blushed. Being so small made it hard to notice, but she turned away in frustration. He laughed and looked to Faelor and Zefor who were not amused. “Oh, come on. We should get going anyway. Can I ride on you, Fae?”

“Only the one with the sword can ride me,” he replied. The faye flew over and started getting sucked into the surface of the broken blade. With great effort and Rafal’s help, they hovered near him again.

“That’s some messed up magic there,” Fayte said. “It wanted to eat us!”

“Yeah,” Zef said. “Best not get near it then. Maybe it absorbs magic. Being magical creatures, you’d be quite a snack.”

“May I point out that the groups are closing in?” Faelor spoke into everyone’s minds. “Oh. Aaaaand now they’re fighting each other. Never mind. We have plenty of time. Humans are stupid.”

“Hey!” Raf exclaimed. “I resent that.”

“Are you even human anymore?” Zef said. “We’re both rather entangled in this magical world now.”

“Right,” he said and stood up from the grassy patch they landed on some rocks. “Let’s get this show on the road.” The clashing armies in the distance held their banners high. Kingdom of Faelight featured a crowned human heart with a background of yellow, while Brimmstoll had three daggers crossing over a bundle of billowing smoke on a beige flag.

When the sounds of battle died down to the distance, Zefor got off Faelor and instead walked by his side. They had nothing to talk about, but there was always something left unsaid that he could pry into. The farmlands are reminded Zef of a little village he lived in with his mother once. She was a seamstress, mostly spending her time patching clothes for the field workers, but had a wonderful sense of style. She always made sure to create some things for her own enjoyment.

“So, can you tell me why Faelight might be after you?” Zefor finally asked. Des and Fayte were flying about in the forest, but had a limit of distance away from the wizard boy. “I’m not saying they are. Just give me an example. Maybe you did something bad when you were once there.”

“I’ve never been to the Kingdom of Faelight,” Rafal said. The sword on Zef’s back shook lightly. It had been a useful tool at night as the blade vanished into the dark, but the shaking at the presence of lies was a recent discovery.

“Right,” Zef said. “How about you, Faelor? Did you so anything to them? Maybe they’re after you. They can be after me, but we keep running into them even as we get dangerously into Brimmstoll territory.” Fae stopped walking and turned to them.

“I have not been to Faelight,” he said. There was no vibration from the sword when he said it. “There is no reason they would pursue something they’ve never seen. I mean, it’s rare to see a unicorn in the wild, since my mind keeps to their hidden Gladelands. They can’t be after me. Maybe it’s something those fairies did to them.” Des flew up to Faelor in a huff.

“WHAT did you just call us?”

“Fairies, isn’t that what you are?”

“Fairy is a derogatory term,” Fayte explained. “An offensive terms. We are faye, but humans were tired of saying it that way once so they came up with ‘fairy’. Ever since then, that name has been the symbol of oppression for magical beings like us. Don’t call us ‘fairies’.”

“Huh,” Rafal said. “I’m learning something new every day.” He put a hand into his jacket and held onto the green gemstone within, the source of his magic. It cost him something, of that Zefor was sure, but how could he get the wizard boy to open up?

“Do you want to hold Jeff?” he asked.

“Jeff?”

“I gave the sword a name,” Zef said. “All great swords have names, right. This one is Jeff.”

“Jeff the Broken Sword?” Rafal asked and smiled.

“Yup,” he replied reaching to remove it from a makeshift sheath on his back. “Wanna hold it?” They stood in place while Faelor used his horn to play battle with the faye and branches they found. “Just, be careful with it. It’s already broken. I don’t want it to get worse or I’d have to rename it as a dagger.” Rafal looked over the dark surface with awe. It absorbed all surrounding light, vanishing to the darkness around it. It looked wider than the surface actually was. The handle was bone white, with grip patterns on handle with some kind of leathery skin. Between the handle and the blade was a golden circle that turned out to be an orb embedded in whatever that material was. The guard had some strange writing on it, nothing Rafal could understand even with his language filter magic active.

“Wow,” he said looking the broken length over. The only part that wasn’t cloaked in shadow was the broken tip. The inside was clearly visible as a core while the surrounding looked like a fluff of darkness clinging to the surface. “Can I swing it?”

“Just don’t hit me,” Zef said and stepped back. “Try it on a tree.” Raf stepped away and took a swing at a nearby tree, but missed. It felt heavy to swing, and it’s been a while since he swung a physical tool. Magic cut those corners for him. He was no longer a farmer. With one hand on the handle, Raf pulled out his green gemstone and touched it to his forehead. Zefor’s hand came out of nowhere to take hold of the green object. When it left Raf’s hand, panic set in his mind. Spells of attack were at his mouth, but the magic was no longer there.

“It’s ok, right?” Zefor asked. “I showed you the sword, so I’ll just take a look at the gem you have. Ok?” Raf tried to calm himself, but his mind was addicted to having magic. He reached out for it, only to have it held out of reach by Zefor. “Come on, I just wanna see it. Don’t be like that.”

“Give it back,” he said. “GIVE IT BACK! GIVE IT BACK! GIVE IT BACK!” Raf’s eyes went mad, he wasn’t the one in control anymore. A previous magical attempt resurfaced inside him, summoning and absorption of a creature from the void. It wasn’t a strong presence when the ever powerful gemstone was in his possession, but when it felt overpowering. Raf’s eyes went red, glowing until the faye flew the green stone back into his hand.

“What the hell are you doing?” Fayte asked of Zef. “You want to cause another Chasm of Gilford? Don’t mess with things you don’t understand!” Rafal collapsed in tears, clutching the green stone tightly with his head to the ground.

“It’s ok, boss,” Des said. “It didn’t happen again. It’s ok. It’s ok now.”

“IT’S NOT OK!” he shouted at the ground. “I DON’T WANT TO HURT ANYONE!”

“What the hell, man?” Zef asked. “What’s wrong with him?” Faelor walked over to stand by him. The sword was on the ground, looking as if hovering, but it was just the shadow skin on it making that illusion.

“Before he had the stone, he had a parasite,” Fayte said while Des the Tiny kept trying to console the boy wizard. “It was a different kind of magic, evil. Being a human with no magic at all, he longed for it until this happened. He brought out a creature of the void, a demon, and absorbed it. This gave him minor magic tricks he could do, but no grand magic, just parlor tricks. Unfortunately, the demon had other plans. You know about the Chasm of Gilford?”

“The widest and deepest chasm to the south, yeah,” Zef said. “I heard some new weapon by southern colonies caused it. That’s why Brimmstoll and Faelight haven’t even thought of going down there. They’re too afraid of what they could encounter.”

“There are no southern colonies anymore,” Fayte said. “Someone stole the gemstone from Raf once, the demon he absorbed made a play for control. Then it went haywire. Their guard attacked it, being the stupid humans that they were. I found the gem in the wreckage of the city and brought it back. The land was cracked asunder, opened to a giant chasm with no bottom in sight. I saw it happen once. I don’t want to see it happen again.” Zef picked up Jeff and sheathed it on his back while Faelor put his horn to Raf’s hunched back.

“Feel better,” Fae said as a bit of light slithered down the white horn and into the boy’s body. His limbs relaxed as he turned over to lay on his back, gemstone in hand.

“What’d you do?” Fayte asked.

“Just a calming burst,” Faelor replied. “It’ll help him relax a bit.” Zefor hit the unicorn’s shoulder playfully.

“You didn’t tell me you can do THAT,” he said. “What else can you do?”

“Psssh! As if I’d tell you,” he said and pranced away a bit snobbishly.

“I’m glad to see you’re alright, boss,” Des said with his small hand on his face.

“Right,” Zefor said and sat down cross-legged beside the wizard boy. “I know Faelight is after you for some reason. Jeff shakes when someone lies. I simply wanted to know more about the stone, as that’s what it feels like this is about. I’m sorry for almost making another Chasm of Gilford. I’m sorry I took the gem from you by a trick, but I need to know more about your problems so this stuff doesn’t catch us by surprise. Ok?” Rafal sat up on the ground and nodded.

“I’m sorry, too,” he said and put up a hand before Zef interrupted. “By the end of this story, you are going to hate me, so I’m saying sorry now. I’m not proud of what I’ve done. That gemstone you saw, the one you held, is actually a human being, Princess Daphne Penbryarc of Fealight.”