Arc 721, 45th of Ymiden
It all began with a tiny spark.
Darius, having only recently returned from Saoire's feast, was out on the Hollow Sea in his rowboat, the Lady Jean, when it happened.
He had decided to seize a rare opportunity to have some time to himself, so that he could clear his head and reflect on what had happened. In order to facilitate this, he had opted to take some of his woodworking tools and a small block of wood. He could think of no better way to pass the time than to whittle on the water.
But then there was a spark. It came out if the blue...or, rather, it came out of his hand.
Darius flinched the instant he saw it. A tiny flash of light as a warmth shot through his palm, and he pulled his hand away. He dropped the block of wood, which clattered noisily against the bottom boards of the boat.
Blond brows furrowed as storm grey eyes studied his hand. He could see no marks, and there had been no pain. And, for a handful of trills, he wondered if he had simply imagined it. The water that surrounded him was a constant dance of movement, and perhaps a glint of sunlight had caught the crest of a small wave and reflected across his gaze. A rowboat presented him with a lower vantage point than a brig, after all.
But that made little sense either, he realised. He had been at sea numerous times, and in all forms of weather. Not once had he 'imagined' a spark of heat and light.
It was only when he reached down to collect the wooden from where it sat in the bottom of the boat that he began to realise something about what had happened. Like his palm had been earlier, the wood was warm. And when he turned it over, one side was lightly charred, as if a flame had brushed itself against it.
Evidently, he was not imagining things.
A rush of fear and confusion flooded his mind. How his own hand had caused flame was — for a few terrifying trills — a mystery. Darius was not a user of magic; he had not been initiated by another mage. He had never had 'powers' of any kind, and the thought that fire could unexpectedly burst from his palm was unsettling.
But an explanation would soon come from the heavens.
Darius, having only recently returned from Saoire's feast, was out on the Hollow Sea in his rowboat, the Lady Jean, when it happened.
He had decided to seize a rare opportunity to have some time to himself, so that he could clear his head and reflect on what had happened. In order to facilitate this, he had opted to take some of his woodworking tools and a small block of wood. He could think of no better way to pass the time than to whittle on the water.
But then there was a spark. It came out if the blue...or, rather, it came out of his hand.
Darius flinched the instant he saw it. A tiny flash of light as a warmth shot through his palm, and he pulled his hand away. He dropped the block of wood, which clattered noisily against the bottom boards of the boat.
Blond brows furrowed as storm grey eyes studied his hand. He could see no marks, and there had been no pain. And, for a handful of trills, he wondered if he had simply imagined it. The water that surrounded him was a constant dance of movement, and perhaps a glint of sunlight had caught the crest of a small wave and reflected across his gaze. A rowboat presented him with a lower vantage point than a brig, after all.
But that made little sense either, he realised. He had been at sea numerous times, and in all forms of weather. Not once had he 'imagined' a spark of heat and light.
It was only when he reached down to collect the wooden from where it sat in the bottom of the boat that he began to realise something about what had happened. Like his palm had been earlier, the wood was warm. And when he turned it over, one side was lightly charred, as if a flame had brushed itself against it.
Evidently, he was not imagining things.
A rush of fear and confusion flooded his mind. How his own hand had caused flame was — for a few terrifying trills — a mystery. Darius was not a user of magic; he had not been initiated by another mage. He had never had 'powers' of any kind, and the thought that fire could unexpectedly burst from his palm was unsettling.
But an explanation would soon come from the heavens.