According to an order of mages, once every 2,000 years a person is born with the gift of magic. Wizards, Warlocks and Sorcerers are normal in Askar, but this chosen magic-user in particular is unlike anything seen before. Her name is Eden and she’s been doing magic for as long as she can remember. Her parents used to joke that she came out of the womb casting spells. Eden’s power was always a mystery to her family, since none of their ancestors ever practiced the art.

The aforementioned order of mages heard of a tale of a young girl who could cast spells. Curious, they traveled to Askar to ascertain the existence of little Eden. They were quickly surprised by her talent, but more-so impressed by the sheer power of the child. Quickly they sent members of their order to watch her and train her properly. Each day they started to realize how special Eden was.

When it came to common spells like making fire or conjuring ice, the mages were able to teach Eden in a single day. Before long, young Eden was able to throw fireballs and create waterfalls. The mages were enamored by her potential. However, it did not take long for Eden to realize how dangerous her power was. The more the mages pushed her, the stronger she became and without the proper control she could hurt those around her. The fear of pushing those she loved away and being seen more as a threat than a hope for her people weighed heavily on her as she aged.

One day while helping her mother in her garden, Eden fell and got hurt. She landed on a wooden stake and cut her leg rather deep. Her mother panicked, but Eden didn’t cry. They went to one of the healers in Askar. That’s when she saw healing magic for the first time. The healer sealed Eden’s wound, but wasn’t able to fully heal it right there and then. That night, Eden tried the spell she saw the healer use and finished the job herself.

Her mother was shocked to see her walk without pain or a limp the next day. She looked where the wound was and saw nothing. She asked Eden how she healed so fast and Eden told her that she healed it herself. Later that day during one of Eden’s training sessions, the mages were upset to find out that Eden no longer wanted to study magic used for war and battle, but instead wanted to become a healer. To help those around her instead of frightening them.

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In a last ditch effort, afraid they may lose her as one of their own, the mages suggested that Eden go on the final test. A mage pilgrimage to the Temple of Frost. Not knowing anything about this trial, her parents convinced her to at least weigh all of her options. She prepared properly and left for the temple. On the way she met others who were returning from the pilgrimage. Some were successful, at least that’s what she could piece together from the looks of them. Some were less fortunate, evident by the cuts and bruises on their bodies.

The pilgrimage was meant to take three days, though five had passed and Eden did not return home to Askar. It was known in Askar, that those who took longer than three days were truly the very unfortunate ones… Those who did not return alive. Her parents, worried, confronted the mages and asked them to look for their daughter. By the time the mages found Eden it was two days later. She hardly used any of her supplies and she was kneeling down on the road, healing someone who had triumphed during the pilgrimage.

She patched up the person and sent them on their way back home. The mages approached Eden and asked if she succeeded.

“Has it been three days already?” Eden asked with a smile.

She explained to the mages that she never made it to the trial. She told them stories of each person she helped. Their names, if they won or lost, what injuries they had that she fixed. The more complicated injuries forced her to study from a book of healing she borrowed from the healer in Askar, but she figured it out and helped the people who were hurt. As much as it pained the mages to lose such a promising, powerful mage, they could see in Eden’s eyes that this was her calling. She could really give the people of Askar peace and a sense of protection, not bring about war and destruction.

Once the mages returned to the village, they comforted the parents of Eden and told them she was alright. That they were leaving town, because there was nothing else they could teach their daughter.

“Did she succeed?” asked Eden’s father.

The mages nodded. They told her father that Eden completed the pilgrimage in the way that only she could. That she far exceeded their expectations and was unpredictable in doing so. They reminded Eden’s parents just how special their little girl was, then left Askar forever. When Eden returned home her parents were proud of her decision. In the years to come they would help Eden care for and nurture Askar. Giving it something it hadn’t had in a long time… Hope.