Our Story Begins

For quite a while now, I've been working on a story that is a part of the Final Fantasy universe. It's called Mage Chronicles, but now that's the name of my blog, so I guess it's now called The Legend of Sylph Stridemoon. It's a fantasy tale about the titular red mage, a powerful and agile spellcaster who harbors a secret so powerful that he must discover it to save his world. I already have 5 chapters in the works, but I think I have an idea of how I want to keep continuing the story. Please have a read, and if you're interested, have any questions, or suggestions/critiques, leave them in the comments below. I've enjoyed writing it so far, and will post subsequent chapters once I know how many readers I have.

So, without further ado, here is chapter 1 of The Legend of Sylph Stridemoon, "Ill Omen".

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It was a busy day for the village. The weather was relatively pleasant; it was warm, slightly breezy, and sunny. The ground was damp from a fresh rain the day before. It was not unlike any other day in Glenprice, as every family living there was self-sufficient. They only ate what they could cultivate. Trading between neighbors never ceased. It seemed to pulse with youth; children played in the roads, chasing chickens, rodents, and anything else that always managed to stay one step ahead of them.

A group of kids had gathered in the road, following a man clothed almost entirely in red. His long, white locks of hair caressed a youthful face... despite the color of his hair, his age had not gone past his twenties. He was tall and slender, and walked with a slow but purposeful gait, unhindered by the children almost trampling his heels.

"Please, Sir Stridemoon, tell us again about the Ether!" one cried.

"Yes, yes! That stuff is fascinating. Especially how you set stuff on fire."

"Nuh-uh, it's not as cool as when he turned that bug into a block of ice."

A smirk crossed the man's lips. Whether this was amusement or viciousness could not easily be determined; the brim of his hat was dipped so low, his eyes were nearly invisible. He chuckled and eased the tension.

"The Ether isn't just about casting spells, you know," he said to all of them. The children immediately stopped arguing; it was rare that their mage friend actually started a dialogue. "It is the magical force that binds all. To know it, you must be one with it. Interweave it with every fiber of your being. You must feel it. Taste it."

He was immediately interrupted. "What's it taste like?"

"Shut up, Kento!" came from one of the others. He chuckled again, and the children followed suit in laughter.

"Hey, Sylph!" the old town jeweler called from his shop across the road. The mage quickly bade farewell to the children, who lamented his leave with a collective groan and commenced arguing about his few insights about the Ether.

The jeweler held up a bright red gem, roughly the size of his own fist. "You got yourself a genuine Cornerian ruby here, Sir Stridemoon," the jeweler said, taking another look at it through his magnifying monocle. "It's a large specimen, too. Don't know where you found it, but I've never seen one this big and nearly flawless. There's a few scratches, but they're hardly noticeable." He handed it to Sylph, who immediately pocketed it.

"Thanks, Zoah. How much do I owe you?" he asked, reaching for the money pouch at his waist.

"Your gil is no good here, mage. You're the town guardian... I should be paying you for bringing me such a treasure to look at! Why, that fine gem will fetch you quite a money sack at the Capital Market."

"Heh... I would think so, but this isn't for sale," Sylph replied, patting the other pouch that held the gem. "I've other intents for it."

"Well, do what you like. Personally, I could use the money."

"I am in gratitude for your services, Zoah. Have a pleasant afternoon."
Zoah waved him off and trudged back into his shop.

As Sylph walked down the road back to his abode, he studied the ruby. It had a faint, ethereal glow to it. The Ether showed him that this particular gem radiated a small aura. It was peculiar, to say the very least. In all his travels, he had never seen anything like it. "My friend at the Capital Market may be able to help me utilize this," Sylph said to himself.

As he touched the doorknob to his abode, the Ether suddenly pulsed. Deep, billowing clouds suddenly began to form overhead. He released his hand, and his other gripped the hilt of his rapier. He moved out to the middle of the road. Other villagers noticed his trepidation, and out of curiousity stopped what they were doing to watch him as he bowed his head in concentration. Eventually the other villagers in the vicinity looked skyward, noticing the clouds forming. It was an unusual phenomenon... the skies were clear a few moments ago.

Sylph felt the Ether pulse again.
Stronger.
Darker.
Something's coming...