Mira - Chapter One: Icarus Falls

Fera hummed quietly to herself, turning the page of the book she was reading.

A thud on the window made her jump.

She set the book down, and opened it, sticking her head outside. “Feron, you dork! I’m trying to read,” she yelled crossly.

As soon as she closed it and turned around, another rock hit the glass.

Enough is enough.

She whispered a spell, opening the window again, and a rock flew into her hand. She promptly threw it at her brother.

“Ow!”

“Don’t give me that, you were so asking for it!”

“Get down here!” He yelled up, massaging his head. “Your boyfriend’s being stupid again, and he won’t listen to reason!”

With fire in her eyes, she shouted back, “He’s not my boyfriend!” Despite this, she came downstairs.

“Whoever he is, he thinks he can fly,” Feron said.

“What?”

“He’s up on the cliff, with a pair of papercraft wings, about to try and fly.”

“That absolute moron!”

“Call him names after he’s safely on the ground, Baby Sis!”

“We’re the same age!” She stormed off, leaving her ‘younger’ brother behind.

He stared after her, and grinned. “He’s so your boyfriend,” he muttered, before running to catch up.

...

Ferallia and Feron reached the cliff and looked to see a grinning Icarus standing on the edge with his wings. His curly red locks bouncing in the breeze.

His dorky smile widened when he noticed she had arrived. “Hey, Fera, look at me!”

“WAIT! Don’t be stupid, you are not a bird!” she shouted, rushing up the hill toward him.

“Don’t gotta to be a bird to fly,” he said smugly. He jumped off the edge.

She leaped forward, in a vain attempt to catch him. “Icarus!” She stood up, quickly pulled a stele from her pocket and wrote a few runes in the air. “Air Cushion!”

The still grinning Icarus flapped his wings to no effect, but landed with a small thud, unharmed.

The twins rushed down the hill to see if he was alright.

He was standing there, rubbing the back of his neck in an embarrassed way, his hair messed up from the fall. And his usually pale face red, he said. “That was just a practice flight.” He laughed nervously.

She marched up to him and slapped him so hard, one of his wings broke. “You absolute idiot!”

He winced, clearly embarrassed. “Yeah… I’m gonna fly sometime though, just watch me.”

“You’re going to get yourself KILLED!” she shouted, looking ready to smack him again.

“Woah, chill, Fera,” her brother interrupted. “Violence isn’t the answer to all your problems, you know,” he said slightly sarcastically. Lowering his voice, he whispered in her ear, “That’s not how you hit on someone, you know.”

She‘d been slightly calmer before his comment, but this drove her over the edge. “You little-” She tried to punch him in the chest.

He dodged easily. “You can do better than that.”

A drawling voice met their ears. “And why have you got wings, exactly?”

They both spun around, scowling.

Icarus didn’t answer, his face turning red again.

“Still trying to fly, are you?” The fair-haired boy swaggered closer to them.

“Shut it, Zen.” Ferondir II said. “You just wait. One day, he’ll manage it.”

“When he does, I’ll kiss a bear,” he laughed.

Fera scowled at him. “You won’t be laughing when you’ve got to go and do it.”

Zen opened his mouth to reply but said nothing.

“You never could outwit my sister,” Feron said, crossing his arms.

“Must I?” he said. “Even your parents didn’t bother with you, why should I?”

The normally cool-headed Feron bristled. “Our parents died with honor, while your father lives without it.”

“Fat lot of good they did. There’s nothing left of Mira.” Zen sneered, though the comment about his father had stung him.

“Mira couldn’t be saved, but if they hadn’t done what they did, there would be nothing left of Hyrule! You have no place saying ANYTHING about our parents!” Ferallia retorted.

“If they loved you, they would’ve come back. They’re not dead, you know.” Zen said, enjoying the surprise and pain on their faces. “I’m bored of this conversation.” He strutted off.

Ferallia tried to dash after him but was stopped by her brother’s arm. “Let him go, Fera, he’s not worth our time.”

Only when he’d disappeared around a corner, did Ferallia calm enough to respond. “What if he’s right?” Her words were fragile, vulnerable, and they struck her brother harder than any cry of anger could.

“He’s not-- They can’t--” he started to say.

“What if they’re still somehow alive?”

Feron looked away. “I... I just... It’s impossible. The whole village was wiped off the map. And… If they were, they would’ve stopped at nothing to come see us.” Right?

“What if they don’t lo--”

“No. Stop.” Feron stood up tall. A fierce look in his eye. “If there is one thing that I’m sure of, it’s that they cared for us. Just forget he said anything. I’d rather live knowing my family died with honor.”

Ferallia’s shoulders sagged.

All this time, Icarus had been quiet. Sometimes he felt that having two, alive, and fully human parents was a bad thing.

That night, at dinner, she spoke. “What spell did they use, Mentor?”

Yami looked over at her and his deep violet eyes twinkled knowingly.

She usually never said anything, too interested in her meal.

“Who?”

“Our parents.”

“Oh, you mean the soul seal?” He pressed his napkin briefly to his mouth. “It’s far too advanced for you, my dear.”

“What does it do, exactly?”

“I suppose I could tell you.” He set his napkin down and shifted his glass of water to one side, and the hot oil to the other. He pointed to the water. “This represents a living thing.”

He gestured to the oil. “This does not.”

He took them both and poured equal amounts onto her saucer. “What do you see?”

She looked, trying to figure out what he was getting at. “Well, they’re not mixing.”

“Exactly. Life cannot be bound to something that was never alive, just as oil refuses to fuse with water.”

“What does this have to do with the soul bind?”

“I’m getting there, Ferallia.” He now took his own saucer and held up his wine and a cup of water. “These are both living things, and so, are able to meld. The water represents the caster’s life, and the wine, the target. Understand so far?”

“I think so.”

He poured them into his saucer, where they mixed and became indistinguishable. “This is the soul bind spell. The caster forces his own soul to encase and envelope the target.”

“So... my parents became one with the monster?”

“Well, no. But yes.”

“What?”

“Didn’t I say it was too advanced for you?”

“You did, Mentor.”

“Now, finish your meal, then it’s off to bed. We’re visiting the Royal Library tomorrow, and you need your rest.”

Mira - Prologue: Lost

Mira village.
It’d been a long time since he’d been here. A long time indeed.
Ferondir and he had been younger then. Children. Apprentices at the Wizard's guild in Castletown.
Yami’s cloak caught on a low hanging branch and ripped.
“Mmm.” he disentangled himself and continued down the main road.
Ferondir, a father. The last time he’d seen his rival was when they were at the journeyman’s trials. He’d been a scraggly, stupid, kid. Barely becoming a man.
He stopped to stand in front of a certain quaint house and examined the sign that adorned the door.
House of Master Ferondir and Shiallia Aroksson.
Yami chuckled softly, taking down his hood and stepping up to the house.
He knocked and, after a moment, Shiallia opened the door.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said.
“Yami!” Ferondir warned from the other room. “You can stop that right now!” He stomped over to stand behind and beside Shia. “That’s my wife you’re flirting with.” His frown broke, split by a wide grin. “Come here, you old pervert!” He pulled his old friend into a hug.
“You’re getting old,” Yami said.
“No more than you, Geezer,” Ferondir said.
Yami turned to Shia. “And are you going to let your husband leave such a decrepit old man as myself out in the cold?” He asked Shia.
“Come in, both of you,” said Shia. “The twins can’t wait to meet you.”
Yami stepped inside and Ferondir shut the door behind him.
“Twins?” Yami asked. “You didn’t say anything about that in your letters.”
“I didn’t know,” Ferondir said. “They’ve got souls that are so alike, I mistook them for one!”
Yami chuckled and sat down on the sofa. “You’re losing your touch.”
“I most certainly am not,” Ferondir said, joining him.
“Keep dreaming, buddy.”
Shia, meanwhile, left the two to talk and went to find her precious children, eager to show them off.
“Yami. I am so glad you could make it. The whole town’s in an uproar, and I don’t think I can handle it by myself.”
“Ah, yes, the celebration,” Yami said. “I’d almost forgotten about it.”
“Ha! Who’s lost their marbles now?” Ferondir said, standing up and heading into the kitchen.
“I said no such thing,” Yami said, twisting in his seat to keep up with Ferondir. “It is tomorrow evening, right?”
“It is.” He smiled. It seemed Yami had actually forgotten. He returned holding a tray with three cups and a tea kettle. “We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, I had a bad dream and thought I’d come early.”
“Hey! Old guys!”
They both looked up.
She was standing at the base of the stairs holding two unidentifiable bundles.
Yami and Ferondir set down their tea and rushed over to see the children.
Shia carefully uncovered the children’s faces and Yami gasped. “They must’ve taken after their mother because there is no way such gorgeous little children could take after your ugly mug.” He shoved Ferondir good naturally.
“Hey!” He pushed Yami aside and reached out to take one of the children.
“Ferondork!” She said, disallowing it. “You’ve already seen them.” She carefully handed the eldest by a moment girl to Yami.
Yami gave Ferondir a victorious smile. I win.
Shia poked her guest in the chest. “Drop her, and I rip out your tongue.”
Ferondir gave his look back. No, you don’t.
Yami smirked anyway and examined the baby. “Beautiful children, I can’t say it enough.” He looked up at Shia. “Have you named them?”
Shia shook her head. “I haven’t decided.”
“Ferondir Junior is pug headed, apparently,” muttered Ferondir.
“I said PIG headed, and we’re not naming them after ourselves,” Shia said.
“I think she looks like a Ferallia.” Yami suggested.
“Yes!” Ferondir smiled.
“Absolutely not,” Shia replied.
“Well, why not?” Ferondir asked.
“That’s a stupid name!” she insisted.
“It’s both of ours put together!” Ferondir explained.
“It’s ridiculous,” Shia said. “She is not going to be a stupid girl. She’ll be smarter than either of us.”
“Okay, then, what else would we call Ferallia?”
“Well...” She thought hard. “Damn it all, it’s stuck now.” She crossed her arms. “Ferallia isn’t so bad anyway, I guess.”
Yami gave Ferondir a smug smile. “I just named your daughter.”
Ferondir pursed his lips. “I’m just as fond of the name.” He insisted.
Yami rocked the sleeping baby. “I just named your daughter,” he sang.
“Also,” he took her carefully out of Yami’s arms. “She’s mine.”
They talked well into the night, but couldn’t decide on a name for the boy.
Finally, Shia convinced them it was far too late to reasonably make a decision, and they retired to their respective beds.
...
The next day, Yami was interrupted from his morning ritual of reading a fanciful book when Ferondir burst through the door.
“YOU!” His host shouted. “You have to leave!”
Yami, hardly phased by this after growing up with three brothers, looks over his book at his old rival calmly. “What’s gone wrong now? I didn’t do whatever it is you think I did.”
“I don’t have time to explain! Just help me get everyone out of Mira.” Ferondir said. “Please.”
Yami closed his book, set it on the chair beside him and stood. Ferondir wasn’t teasing. Something horrible was happening. “Of course.” He left.
Ferondir continued through the house. “SHIA!”
He ran up the stairs, and almost crashed into her.
“What’s wrong?” She asked, calming his agitation with her hands oh his shoulders.
“There’s a Watcher. But like nothing we’ve ever seen.” He pushed past her and looked into the bedroom. “Where are the twins?”
“Ferondir!” Shia said. “Stop! Is it here?”
He looked back at her. He’d been worried on many occasions, but never looked as anxious, nor as old as he seemed now. “You must take our children and leave with the others. I’ve got to stop this.”
“Feron-” she started to say, but he’d already ducked into the room, returned, and placed their son and daughter in her arms.
“Go,” Ferondir said.
She opened her mouth to argue.
“NOW!” Ferondir said.
She turned and ran downstairs. She looked up at him. “Be careful!”
“I’ll catch up!” The first and last time he’d lied to her. “GO!”
He watched as the three most important things in the world disappeared through the door.
He shook his head and flung open his apprentice’s door. “Stirling!”
The Zora started and dropped the amulet she’d been holding. “Master?” She asked. Getting to her feet and taking a small bow.
“You’ve got to go. Shiallia and the others have already gone. Take them to Castletown and keep them safe.”
Confused, she grabbed her pack and wand.
“No time!” Ferondir guided her roughly out. “Find them. Guard them with your life!”
He ran off to the east, the opposite direction that the villagers were running.
Still unsure of anything, Stirling the Zora joined the crowd, looking for any sign of Shia’s aura.
...
Meanwhile, Yami was doing his best to guide the village out of Mira as quickly as he could.
Shia caught up with him just as the remaining people left Mira.
Yami stopped, looking at the swaddled babies in her arms. “Where’s Ferondir?”
She said nothing.
A voice echoed to them, louder than the noise of panic and destruction around them. “Quod in corpus tuum pusillum cupio ex te qui hoc propositum debet esse, et sic erit--”
Shia looked back, understanding the spell.
“No!” She said. “Not that!”
Yami grabbed her arm.
“He’ll be fine. He’ll save Mira. He always does.”
“You’re wrong,” Shia said.
He realized she was crying.
“We always save it.” She shoved the bundles into his arms. "We save it, Yami. Us." A hardness had come over her voice. ”Take good care of them while I'm gone, Yami.” She pinned him to a post with her arm. “I mean it. If they have a single scratch when I get back...” she said, viciously. “A single scratch... you are dead, you hear me?" She let him go and sprinted back into the burning city.
Yami fell to his knees, gasping. “Yes Ma’am,” he muttered. He caught his breath and ran, never glancing back at the city that had stolen his heart.
Meanwhile, Ferondir was standing on the watchtower, great tendrils of energy wrapping around him.
The beast drew nearer to the spot. It towered over the trees and buildings. A living fiery blaze, spewing smoke into the air, darkening the sky.
He continued to read aloud from the book.
Shia stepped up beside him.
“You can’t do this!”
Ferondir looked at her but said nothing. One misplaced word and the spell would splinter and rebound onto him.
“It takes two wizards!”
He shook his head, but she’d already taken hold of his arm and placed her other hand on the book.
This is why I married you, you crazy bastard, he thought.
She could see it in his eyes and nodded. “Quod in corpus tuum pusillum cupio ex te qui hoc propositum debet esse, et sic erit.” They chanted together. “Quod in corpus...”

Room Three

The next room was lit by a floating orb, much like the stadium outside. Twelve pedestals stood in a circle in the center of the room, and in the middle of the circle, a table held the scroll.

He walked up to the table and picked it up.

Only then, he noticed that each pedestal held a unlit torch.

Interesting.

He opened the scroll.

Your task is to light a torch. One torch is the trigger mechanism for the door, the others trigger less pleasant results, some of which are potentially lethal. Choose wisely.

When I asked for more difficult tasks, I didn't mean death.
He put down the scroll, and walked around the outside of the circle of pedestals, examining them carefully.
They are identical in every way.
He returned to the center and looked around at them all. He'd already used the reverse shadow spell he knew, so he wouldn't be able to see the inside of these.
Maybe I could light all of them at once and just block everything. No. I have no way of knowing what traps, hexes, or curses they've set. Unless...
He carefully examined the floor, then each of the four walls, and the ceiling.
Around the edges of the room, there were small doors, smaller then his arm. Maybe if I triggered them, the room will flood, or fill with snakes. 
The floor had a seam going down the middle. Maybe it'll split and dump me into lava, or onto poisoned spikes.
Holes dotted the entire floor. Perhaps they release strange gas, or darts of some kind.
There was also a hex around the circle of pedestals, but he couldn't tell what it did. It's illegible. 
On the ceiling, a wooden trap door hid some ominous thing. Boiling tar?
Ferondir frowned, then had an idea. If I'm close behind Yami, maybe there's a chance that the torch he chose is still hot. He lifted his staff and spoke a spell that had come in useful on countless occasions. "Deprehendere temperatus."
His staff flashed bright blue, and then red, and then started releasing a mist of strangely colorless fog.
He brought it close to each torch, and each of them registered the same dim blue, all but three.
He released the spell.
Well, it narrows it down, at least. Yami must have guessed. It's kinda lucky that he found the right one after three tries.
Ferondir examined the three torches in question. and finding himself unable to see any discernible difference, chose one at random. "Nayru, guide me." he said, before touching it with his staff and lighting it.
A steady hissing filled the air,
Oh crap, it WAS snakes! He looked around at the small doors, but they didn't move.
The hissing grew louder.
"What are you?!" he asked the air, a little panicked.
He took a step and he heard a click, the floor seemed to catch fire.
"Holy goddess!" he shouted, jumping away,
Thankfully, the seemed to be contained within the hex.
He took at deep breath, and felt a slow pain all the way up his left side.
He was on fire.
"Oh dang!" He flung his robe off and stomped on it.
The flames died, but the robe was badly damaged.
"Oh, man. Mistress Nettleheart is going to kill me." She was the seamstress of the Guild.
He turned back to flames, and while he was trying to figure out how to extinguish them, they went out all at once.
"Hmm." That works.
He put the ruined robe back on. The left side was badly singed, and the arm had almost entirely burned away. "Oh, man." He fingered it. This robe had been though a lot with him. I have no choice but to pass now.\ He turned back to the pedestals, and located the other two possibilities. Left or right? He stood there, deliberating. He didn't want to trigger another trap.
He chose one, and lit it with his eyes shut, and his arm protecting his vital organs.
He heard a series of ominous clicking sounds, and then stone rumbling against stone. Oh no, is the ground opening? He looked up, and opened one eye. It was just the door into the next room. "Oh, hey." He relaxed. "That's that."
Just before he left, he turned back and cast another spell. He was supposed to leave the room as he left it after all. "Tolle calor."
The air seemed to freeze, and he quickly shut the door, and heard several clicks. It was locked once again.

Room Two

Ferondir shut the door behind him and blinked at the bright light.
After a moment, his eyesight adjusted and he looked around.
To one side of the room, there was a table with a box and a scroll. Across from him, a door, with a incomplete hex decorating the wood.
Always read the scroll. He stepped up to the table and took the scroll in his hands.

You task is to read and memorize the symbols within the box, and use them to get to the next room.

He reread it. Was there some on the back?
He hoped the test got more complicated soon.
He set down the scroll and picked up the box.
There was no visible seem.
"So it doesn't open," he muttered.
He couldn't break the box open, that was disallowed.
Maybe I could somehow change the box into glass. He shook his head. Even in his mind, it sounded stupidly impossible.
Maybe he could project his vision into the box. Actually, this is plenty complicated. 
He set the box down. Something inside clattered.
If only there was a way to move the inside out for a few seconds.
This is more Zeph's area.
He thought about his friend, and shivers ran down his spine. Somehow, he knew Zeph was thinking about him too. Something about it wasn't quite right.
He shook his head. Now wasn't the time to think about Zeph's issues.
I have to do this myself, He thought.
He sat on the ground once again. After several fruitless minutes, He suddenly had an idea.
If there is light inside... I could reflect the same light on the outside using reverse shadows.
He picked up the box and carefully examined it.
He set it on the table and held his staff gem to it. "Acutus Alliges Duplicia Lux."
The gem flared such a bright white bright white. The box slowly absorbed the light, and started to glow.
Ferondir released the spell, but the glow remained.
He pumped his fist. "Awww yeeeaaaah!"
His grin faded. "And now..." To reverse the shadows.
He placed his staff against the table and instead placed his palm in the center of the box.
This spell only works if the target is the conduit. He searched his mind for the right words.
"Convertunt In Se Lucem A Tenebris."
The box was swallowed in unnatural shadow, except the part that Ferondir had shaded, which now resembled cracked and cloudy glass. He could just see a scroll inside. He raised his hand and the scroll opened.
Runes! Damn it. He frowned, but did his best to memorize what his saw.
First he had to read it, and understand it. Writing symbols wasn't enough when it came to rune writing, you had to have a picture of their meaning in your mind. The more complete the picture the stronger the effect of the runes.
He could only read a few. He cursed. Zeph would be able to read them no problem. He shivered again.
What was going on?
Focus. Never mind Zeph.
He shook his head again, and he examined the distorted runes again, focusing, probing his memory in search of their meaning.
The meanings suddenly came to him, as if a floodgate had opened somewhere in the back of his mind.
He didn't remember studying these runes, or did he. He felt oddly disoriented.
Never mind that, now you can cast the runic spell.
He rubbed his head, which was now starting to hurt, and  walked over to the door.
He placed his staff in the center of the hex and closed his eyes, thinking about the meaning of each of the letters he had seen. He let the culmination of those ideas and images form a sound on his tongue and spoke it with all the force he could.
"Leef-toh-akh."
Runes burned into the door.

לִפְתוֹחַ

He was blasted from his feet and felt his neck snap forward.
...
He woke with a sharp pain in the back of his head.
Where was he? It took him a moment to remember that he was in a test.
Oh crap, how long have I been out? He looked at the door, and saw that the blast had blown it open. "Was that supposed to happen?" He shrugged, and pointed his staff at the box. "Satis."
It faded back to normal,
The door seemed to be fine, oddly.
He touched it with his hand and recoiled when he felt the sharp sting of a protective ward. So that WAS meant to happen.
He stepped through the door and closed it behind him.

Room One

Ferondir stepped into the test chamber, and the door shut menacingly behind him, leaving him in semi darkness.

The sound of the crowd was suddenly gone, but this did nothing to calm him, as the unnatural silence was just as unnerving.
He felt his way forward, and his hand found a table, with a tightly wrapped scroll sitting on top. He unraveled the scroll and strained to read it.

Your first task lies behind the door. Locate and retrieve the key.
Rules:
Do not damage anything within the course.
Return every room to it's original state before you leave.
Do not use the same incantation twice.

He pushed the door open.
The room was pitch black. He'd never find the key if he had to feel around for it.
Easy fix. He blew gently onto the gem on his staff. "Lux."
The gem flared, illuminating a few feet in front of him.
He walked cautiously forward, hearing the echo of his leather boots against the stone.
There's bound to be some weird twist, if I know the Guild at all.
Thick bars came sharply into view. He reached out and touched them. Cold unforgiving iron.
He spotted something shining on the other side, ten or so feet from where he was standing. He had a feeling it was the key.
Perhaps there's a door.
He raised his staff and walked first left, then right. No such luck.
Of course not. I was foolish to hope. He put his hand on the bars. The gap between beams is too narrow for me to fit my arm, and even if I could, there's no way I'll reach the key. It's a good ten feet away!
His eyes darted to his staff and back to the shining spot.
My staff wont fit either.
He stepped back and sat cross legged on the ground.
Maybe I missed something.
He stood up and walked around the room once more, examining everything.
There were just the bars, the shining spot, and a locked door.
He returned to his seated position.
Oh.
He smacked his hand into his face.
The answer is so obvious. Levitation.
He stood up, leaned his lit staff against the bars, and held his hand out to the shining spot.
He pulled his hand back to him,
The reflection danced for a second,
Ferondir heard the sound of keys bouncing and scraping the wall. He put his hand down, and the keys clanged into the stone wall again.
I guess not. They seem to be attached to the far wall somehow. A hook perhaps?
He raised his hand again and this time flung his it upward. The keys came loose and clattered to the floor. He reached out again and the keys flew into his open palm.
Perfect. 
He grabbed his staff and rushed to the door, stumbling slightly on the bricks beneath his feet.
He carefully fit the key into the lock and turned.
The door clicked satisfyingly.
He pushed open the heavy door, re-locked it, and floated the keys back into place on their hook, now easily visible by the light of the next room.