Flight Mage Seraph

The Lost

Two days ago, everything looked so hopeful. The succession was secure, Seraph had accepted his responsibility and we were close to revealing the mastermind of Maeryn's murder. I didn't know that in distant Midlands, an entire city was disappearing. Who would have thought this possible?

Solana is gone, lost amidst fire and wind. So is every one of its hostages and all of its inhabitants except four, and they have devastating injuries.

It was not just the city either. Every soldier who'd laid siege on the citadel died. At least their demise was swift. Mage Cat, who was some distance away when the explosion occurred, suffered from her burns for a day before she too perished. Only Angel Caleb and Mage Combustion are unscathed.

Further afield, collapsing homes and the resulting fires largely destroyed two villages. The Midlands fortress also ignited, but the blaze was thankfully extinguished before too much damage was done, and it now serves as a shelter to the wounded and homeless.

News of this tragedy has reached every Sentralian by now, bringing rage and anger. Despite Mage Combustion's confession, rumours abound that Caleb and the other angels had punished Solana—and no wonder!

I know of the many terrible deeds a fire mage can do, but creating black rain? Cooking vegetables as they lay in the fields? Tearing strips of skin from faces and arms, or melting eyes? And what about those who survived the onslaught with little or no injury, only to die later? Surely, this must be new, and very dangerous, magic!

Why should all this have happened? Daylight's reign was surely preordained, and we have striven to obey the angels' will, so why do we stumble from crisis to ever worse crisis, losing the trust of Easterners and Westerners? Was Seraph correct? Is it true that we can no longer trust the angels?

I don't know what to do anymore.

Truth dropped her pen and wept.

---

"How does my childhood relate?"

He peered through the prison bars, but his interrogator sat deep within the shadows, perhaps too nervous to come closer. He shrugged. It didn't really matter who the other man was.

"You said that you lost control," the interrogator said. "Perhaps your childhood could explain why, and what might be done about it."

Combustion nodded and leaned back against the cold, stone wall.

"I was born the second son to the Lord of Jinse. As a spare, many often overlooked me, including my father. He has nine children and many responsibilities besides, so I'm sure he was just too busy, but I didn't understand that as a little boy."

"Is this part truly relevant?" The interrogator's tone was polite, but impatience was creeping into his voice.

"Yes," Combustion said firmly. "My circumstances worsened after I discovered my fire powers. My relatives distanced themselves from me then because, like other Furans, they fear and suspect mages.

"I became jealous of my eldest brother. Wishing to gain the same attention and respect he had, I attempted to kill the mice that were eating our crop—with magic. I don't know what happened to the rodents, but I burnt an entire field. Father was furious. He beat me, said that I shamed him and sent me to Sentralia, with the order that I should return only when I've mastered my power.

"Thanks to my teachers, I became a very good fire mage. I could have returned at age twelve or thirteen, but…"

"But?"

"I didn't see the point when my family would merely have tolerated me. True, some Sentralians treat me no better, but I'm respected as a mage here, and…and I couldn't go back before erasing that shame." He sighed. "So—"

"So you searched for evidence that the angels were mistaken in overlooking Furao." The interrogator sounded excited. "You could not be certain that you were right or that the proof exists, but success would have washed away the shame many times over!"

Combustion started, then nodded, concealing a small smile.

"Furao would recover from its humiliation," the fire mage said. "The king would honour my family and, just as importantly, Furans would treat their mages better."

"No wonder you laboured to gain the Westerners' trust! I must say that you did well, but that was before you lost control again, wasn't it?"

Combustion had been expecting this, but the accusation still hit him like a cartload of bricks.

"Yes," he said softly. "Nothing can undo the destruction and grief I caused. Even if I were freed, I could never return to Furao."

"Indeed," the interrogator said.

"And Seraph."

"The Mage Seraph?"

"I came to Solana to bring justice for his sister; instead I brought carnage. Neither Seraph nor Maeryn would have wished it. Do you think he hasn't visited because he is angry or because he has become insane with grief?"

For a moment, the person on the other side was silenced.

"I don't know," he replied. "What I can say is that you have stored so much anger you may explode at any moment. We cannot free you. In fact, it is better if you die, especially with the masses demanding your execution."

"And we can't risk further destabilization, can we?" Combustion asked sarcastically.

"Furan!" the interrogator snapped. He then sighed. "It is unfair, but you understand, don't you?"

The fire mage nodded. "Yes. I have considered it, and I feel I at least owe everyone a guilty plea and a quick trip to the gallows. I won't fight my execution."

"Thank you."

The interrogator stood and cautiously made his way to the stairs, still keeping to the deepest shadows.

Combustion looked away. "You can thank me by fixing the mess we both made," he whispered.

The shadow froze. "What did you say?"

"Just talking to myself, sir."

Combustion waited until the footsteps have receded before chuckling.

"You're too obvious, Caleb."

---

What initially drew Din into the garden was initially the recorder's clear, mournful tune. Entranced by the beautiful sound, he followed it along a stone path, around the pond, behind the shrubs and to the bench in the corner. There he finally found Seraph.

The flight mage lay on the bench, playing to the stars. As Din neared, he saw Seraph's tear-filled eyes and flushed face and hesitated.

Suddenly, Seraph turned. Seeing the sound mage, he leapt to his feet and bowed low.

"I hope that I haven't disturbed you, Mage Din."

"You haven't."

"Please pardon me," Seraph rapidly continued in a muffled voice. "I heard that your son and his fiancé were taken hostage and had perished in Solana, and that my friend caused their deaths. Truthfully, I had a premonition about this, but I couldn't stop Combustion. I'm very sorry for that.

"I should have also offered my condolences earlier. I was planning to look for you after—"

"Straighten up, boy!"

Din couldn't take it any more. He had never showed sympathy over the death he had caused, and now Seraph was apologizing for something the flight mage had little control over.

He wiped his brow as Seraph hurriedly obeyed. "I-I couldn't hear you properly when you're bowed like that."

"Oh," Seraph replied. He didn't sound like he wanted to repeat everything he'd just said. "Um, I was say—"

Din held up a hand. "Don't bother. You are already emotional enough. I came to tell you something."

"Yes, sir?"

"I am sorry…to learn of your sister's death. She must have been a fine woman."

An uncomfortable silence followed, and Din flinched inwardly. Was the young mage waiting for something? Did he know that Din had meant to say something else?

"She was," Seraph finally whispered. "Thank you for your concern, Mage Din."

Seraph bowed again and began to walk away.

"Wait," Din said.

The flight mage turned.

"I…" Din choked before finally forcing out the words. "I don't blame your friend. He would never have been in a position to harm my son or his fiancé if I had not conspired to murder your sister. Mage Combustion's spell arose because of me." Unable to look at the flight mage, he cast his gaze to the mud below him. "I wanted to render chaos in your heart, but the chaos expanded into the hearts of all Sentralians, and now our country is more fragile than ever before. If you take your vengeance here, I would consider it fair."

"I won't kill you."

Din looked up, surprised by amusement and softness in Seraph's voice. The young mage's smile floored him.

"Actually, no one will kill you, because you saved your own life."

"W-What?" Din spluttered. Then a realization hit him. "You knew!"

"Yes, I knew. Once I was informed about Kelby and Dean, I was able to question their ghosts. They told me that a tall, prominent, Westerner encouraged them to kill Maeryn and gave them the finder charm. Well, how many tall, prominent, Western mages have access to the Academy's charms?

"The Master Mage wanted you arrested once he found out, of course, but I didn't want another senseless death. We made a deal. For one day, we would act as if we know nothing. I would approach you, and if you freely confessed and made no attempt to hurt me or anybody else, you would escape execution. If you didn't…" He shrugged.

"The gallows," Din croaked. "I thought it was inevitable, so why save me?"

Seraph shrugged again. "I had a second chance. How can I deny that to others?"