12.15.24

 12.15.24

Sunday's writings:

In a world of advanced technological and magical advancements, one group keeps their practice of ancient spells a secret. One day, they are discovered, and it leads to a fight. What is more powerful – old magic or new technology?

The Fallen had only five remaining faithful members. Ash, Oak, Barley, Rum, and Star. All were apprentices under the Mages of Old, and now that the last of the elders had passed on - only these five remained. Orphaned and left on the snowy stairs of the College together, they didn't know if they were siblings by blood, but they were by rights.

The Fallen was a secret cult, broken off from the new factions that rose today. Where the new mages craved to compete with mortals and their many new devices, The Fallen stayed true to the magic of their once-great ancestors. Ash had been gifted the name for their ability to control all things that can create fire and heat, Oak was gifted magic that could control all things that came from the soil and earth, Barley could manipulate non-sentient organisms like plants, Rum could pull even the darkest truths through peoples lips with just a flick of his hands, and Star was an outlier with them all - controlling the beings who lived in the dark of the night.

But with the turn of the century, the outside world threatened to expunge them. The mortals had new weapons, new horse-less carriages, and a new anger toward magic they had never experienced before. Now that they were all adults, they could go their separate ways, but the fear of the mortal world kept them close.

Ash, whose fires burned bright, hated that they were all forced to hide. He felt their magic could make all mortals come to heel - that no one could threaten those with powers like his. But Star had other ideas; she knew of the dangers that came with predators - and the mortals were just that. They had begun to prey on mages, nearly wiping out covens by the dozens until only one was left. So Star begged and pleaded because she knew to keep their magic a secret - that any spell they cast would only come to haunt them tenfold.

But Ash refused to listen to Star's warnings and, one day, in the center of the mortal city, cast a fire spell that was too much to control. In moments, a small flame had grown to a giant blaze that even Ash couldn't quell. He tried to run from the mortals, but they chased him down - and held him captive. The mortals knew there would be many if there was one, and they demanded that he tell them where the rest of The Fallen were held.

He kept quiet, and for that, they kept him caged. 

Star knew the moment Ash had been captured, she heard the calls from her dark companions telling her to run, that she and her small family were now the ones being hunted. Gathering her belongings, she ran through the corridors of the tiny home she had with the groups, waking them all up from their slumber. She could barely contain her tears when she told them what she had been told - that Ash strayed too far from them and now was a prisoner of the ones who hunt mages down.

Barley and Oak refused to run, hoping that they could fight the horde and reclaim their friend. And so they let Star and Rum go to plot a way to get Ash home while they stayed put to fight the mortals.

It was going to be the only way to set this right. One final battle to show that though the mortals could create all their weapons to kill them - they could never win over magic.

A few days passed, and Star told them their plan was in place. Oak and Barley were to cause a scene in the center of town, just like Ash had done, and during the mayhem, Rum and Star would break into the small facility they had Ash in and take him home. She didn't say what they did after, but they went through with the plan.

Standing in the center of the main square, Oak cast a spell that caused the ground to rumble. The horseless new cars swerved around the paved road, and men and women scattered as the buildings shook. At the same time, the tree roots deep underground shot out through the cracks as Barley raised his arms, directing the roots to crash around.

And then they ran. Feet pumping, they ran from the angered men who had caught on to their little games. They ran to the beacon that Star had placed, a spell-encrusted object that would teleport the pair of them back to their safe house.

On the other side of town, Rum and Star were creeping through the echoey hallways of Ash's jail. Different barred rooms lined the corridor, holding different mortals who weren't paying attention to the two newcomers. 

At the very end of the hallway, there Ash sat. In a straight jacket and a muzzle, his eyes widened as he saw Star and Rum running his way. But they were stopped short as an officer in the jail yelled at them to stop. Star spun around, facing down the mortal, and shot out a spell. From her chest emerged a shadowy beast. The mist obscured its shape, but two bright red eyes stared at the officer from it. A moment passed, but then the shadow beast pounced. The officer shouted and tried to run, but it was too late. The shadow beast jumped on the officer, the shadow mist dispersed in the air, and the officer passed out on the floor.

Rum bent down, grabbed the set of keys off of the fallen officer, and walked his way to Ash. Once the cell was open and the shackles undone, Rum put his index finger on Ash's forehead, and immediately, Ash was compelled to spill the truth.

All of the pent-up resentment and anger he had been feeling spilled out. He had been aching to join the mortal world for years. After feeling rejected his whole life, he only wanted his family to feel safe amongst the mortals.

It was enough for now. Star begged Ash to come back home with them, and he readily agreed. He had been in jail for long enough now—he was honest when he said he would never try to integrate with the mortal world again.

The trio ran out of the jail, with Star's shadow beasts attacking any officer who came upon their hasty escape. Running towards the beacon, they all touched it at once. 

The group was finally together again. The safe house was miles away, in a secluded area unused by mortals.

Weeks go by, and it's all silent until one terrible night.

Everyone was in their rooms, all asleep save for Star. She had been playing around with a newly discovered ancient spell that would help rebuild the magic world when there was a booming knock on the front door.

"We know you are in there, you magic having runts! Come out before we shoot down the door!"

Star's heart dropped into her stomach, and she didn't move, afraid any movement would alert the mortals who crowded the house outside. Without another word, there was a boom, the house shook, and Star got up and ran—this time, screaming out to her brothers to get up. They were all up and alert at the sound of the front door being beaten down. Ash came running out, but Oak stopped him from lighting a tiny flame.

"Star, cast that spell you have been working on." Star shook her head at Oak, not trusting herself. But he shouted at her to do it; they were running out of time. The mortals were now climbing up the stairs, fully loaded weapons aimed at them. Instantly, Star spread her hands out as shadows came forth, and her beasts stood tall over the crowd of men.

The mortal's face went pale at the sight of the beasts. 

Oaks' tall form came from behind them - wanting finally to put an end to this folly. 

"You will hunt us no more, puny mortals. While you might outnumber us - you can never overpower. Unless you men are willing to die today, put your weapons down and walk away. I cannot promise that my sister's beast won't make a quick meal out of you."

The coupe ended almost as soon as it had started, but The Fallen knew they could no longer stay on the mortal lands. It was time to look for a new home.

***

I wanted to end this here. Otherwise, it would have gone on for too long. This was a fun prompt to write, and it's incredible how quickly you can build a world with only a few sentences.