The smell of Incense was heavy in the air. Singing in the distance, and laughter of those who were celebrating. It was night, and I was kneeling by a tree, trying to figure out where I was.

I'm pretty sure I'm lost. Trying to decide if I should go into the Village and try and gather some information, or if I should just camp in the woods,

away from those who I wasn't sure if I could trust or not.

My magics are novice at best, I wasn't even sure if I was going to properly be able to cast, ever.

My parents were both well versed in magics and were supportive and tried to teach me, but I just seemed to lack the ability. I know the spells, all the science behind them. What can I say, I'm not ignorant, I'm just different.

Which was why I am out in these damned woods, alone. I need to know if Fate has more in store for me, or if I was truly just meant to cook, and bear children.

My father insisted on teaching me how to fight however. If I wasn't going to be able to protect myself with Magics, I might as well learn another skill that would give me a chance.

I could cast some minor fire spells. The kind that could maybe send a bear in the other direction, but another spell chucker could probably just counter it, and send me to the grave. I can only hope that doesn't happen.

I can do healing spells as well. Anyone could though, healing spells were the first spells you learn as an awakened.

I'm a pretty normal person. Not tiny, Not a giant. I was well built for fighting, and farming. I wasn't worried about being overthrown by a thief. My hair is shoulder length and brown. I keep it braided along the sides, and a larger braid on the top. I have three small bones with Runes on them that I tied into my hair with leather. The Runes are strength, health, and prosperity. My eyes matched my hair color. I wear leather armor with a mail chest cover. The leather is reinforced around my waist, which is complete with two dagger slots, where I keep the two daggers my father had made for me. They have two ruins in them each. Fire, and stability. It helps me channel what little fire spells I can cast into my blades.

I looked like everyone else. Except for my marks. The marks that SHOWED people I am an awakened.

It wasn't unusual to see Magic users, a century ago, we were everywhere. Then the war happened, and everyone became afraid of magic. Awakened, and non awakened.

Of course that was all thanks to that Bastard King, King Tauro. He was real evil in the flesh. He burnt entire villages, and murdered families, all in the name of greed and power, that was promised by a God that no one knew of.

He knew he was powerful, and he became the most feared king in our history. He sacrificed non awakened adults and children. He burned their temples, and their homes. He made them give his army live stock, in return his army raped and murdered them.

Some awakened followed him, his army, and other people who really believed he was right. They used magics to torture innocent people, They helped him wreak havoc. And for that, those of us who were not evil, and tried to help the non-awakened became feared.

Do I blame them for still fearing us, even a century later? No, those were really dark times.

The gods must have taken pity on the world, and decided to take his life. A group of awakened stood up to him, and destroyed him with all their magics, and ended his reign of evil.

No one has forgotten about it and so, Magic users try not to be known except to each other, out of fear we will be murdered. Non magic folks have reason to be scared. They lost more than anyone in the war...

I guess I better go into town, regardless I will need more supplies and possibly get my hands on some of those herbs I smell.

It was a great night for celebrations, no wonder everyone was dancing and drinking.

Standing up, I could see the main entrance to the town, it wasn't busy. There were guards. Four of them standing in front, and two on the look outs. The village wasn't big, probably housed less than a hundred families.

I tried to pull my cloak up over my neck, hiding what I could of my marks that may be seen by chance.

The biggest one was a dragon. The Dragon God Chua. He was glorious. A mighty God, who grants those who deserve it, wisdom, long life, and magics. His curved body stretched down my entire right side. From behind my right shoulder, down to my right foot.

I am lucky to have received him.

Chua was given to me, by my own village's seer, Yrsa. He never gave me an explanation, or story to accompany my mark. Only that I would know what it means, when I needed to. Now, I'm not really sure I was given the right mark, as my magic is...well embarrassing.

My second mark is smaller. It is a triangle. simple, and small. This one was given to me by my village's leader. The Triangle was a sign of strength. Jaris, our leader, told me

it would give me the strength I need in my life. It sits on my neck, just below my ear about the size of an arrow head.

And my third mark on the back of my neck, the easiest to hide, it was of a bird of fire, Bennu. He is a mark of rebirth. This one was not given to me, he came to me.

I woke up and I felt the burning on my neck one morning two seasons ago. Marks are usually given to you by people in your life. Family, leaders, even by a stranger if you have impacted their lives. However, only the awakened can give them to you.

And not chosen. More like, fate. There are rare times when a mark appears on its own. Not sure why I received this. Which is why I left my home.

Walking up to the village entrance I could see a great statue of a Lion. It was so big that I was sure it took at least 200 men and women to carve it together.

"Stop" ordered a guard. " It's well into the night, why are you here?"

"Refreshments, trade and hopefully a night's rest" I replied as kindly as I could, Keeping my eyes down so the guards don't think much of me. I held out a small pouch that contained a few rare gems I collected along my travels, to prove I was here with currency.

Being awakened I was granted the ability to detect gems, deep in the ground, and at least had enough skill to pull them out. Having rare gems didn't scream 'MAGIC USER' either. They were common trade.

"Gems, I dig them with my family in the mountains for trade. I am also hoping to get herbs and furs and meats."

The guard grunted at me, and moved out of the way. "There's a place to rest, and a place for trade, but no trouble" I nodded and walked past them without another word.

The lion statue really was a magnificent sight. I wondered what this town was called. I haven't been out of my village except with my father hunting, and trading to the villages near us. I am a lot farther away than I have ever been. I think I'm even farther away than my parents ever have been either. Nevermind that, now to find those herbs.

I wandered down a main path and followed the sounds of the people until I found the center of town. it seemed that maybe everyone was here. Dancing, and drinking ale. The Ale smelled a bit stale to me, but that could just because I was lucky enough to have parents who, again, were well versed in magic, and created their ale with that help. Nothing like a

perfect glass of Ale. Gods I miss my home.

The smell of meat was welcoming as well. It has been at least two nights since I had a good meal. I approached a man who was standing at a door to a merchant. "where could I find some meat and furs for trade, sir? Possibly point me in the right direction to a hostel?" I asked.

"Here if you like what you see." he pushed the door open and walked through. I followed him into the building to find meat hanging and smoking, and even being cooked on a spit in the middle of the room above a welcoming fire. It smelled wonderful.

The room we were in was large and open. I could see a smaller room off to the side. a counter stood across the room just as you entered.

Furs were on the walls hanging and in piles in wooden boxes, jars full of herbs and spices on shelves behind the counter. There were weapons in a barrel, and cloaks hanging on another wall, This was definitely the place I needed to be.

"What do you have to trade, woman?" He grunted at me as he gestured to the room. "Gems, and a few furs. I also have a small amount of medicine." I replied pulling out my sack.

As I was about to show the man my Gems, another man burst through the door.

"Orik! Why are you inside this hot building, and not outside selling your delicious meats? Oh." his tone changed after seeing me. "Trading of course. It's late in the night for trading, isn't it?" This man was slim, and looked like he needed the meat. His hair was long and reminded me of seaweed. Yuck.

"Is it? I guess profit is profit, even if it's during the harvest celebration, Red. I need to sell more than meat." Orik said. Red looked at him and gave a creepy laugh.

"You are right!" he said, slapping my shoulder in a drunken state, causing me to stumble off guard.

My hood fell, and my mark showed to the two men. No one said a word. I pulled my hood back up as quickly as I could hoping they had not noticed the triangle on my neck. Red ran out of the building without a laugh, or another word. Great.

"You're a brave one, Awakened, to be out on your own at night. You would do well to hide that." Pointing to my neck, "Not everyone here is as friendly as I am." Orik said to me, Locking the door to the building.

I wasn't sure if he did this for his safety, or mine.

"I'm not looking for trouble, just to replenish, sleep, and move on in the morning." I was hoping he would do this for me and forget I existed.

"I'll trade with you and you can stay here for the night. My mothers half sister was awakened from her fathers side." Orik said as he pulled out some freshly smoked meats from a wooden box that was sitting at the counter near the entrance.

"Where are you going that you are travelling at night? " He asked.

"Tria." I simply replied.

"Tria? That's a long way from here. At least three moons of travel. Where are you from? " Orik asked.

"My village is west of here, that's all I can say. If your Aunt was awakened, then you know we don't advertise where we live." I said calmly.

"She was, but she was also killed for using her magic in a village, by villagers that didn't like it. So I didn't get to know her well in the end." Orik said with a smirk.

"Sleep here and leave in the morning, that way if Red has gone running his drunken mouth, you can avoid anything, and leave peacefully. There are some people here who would use you for your skills."

"I'm well aware of the abuse people put us through. I have no plans anyways to help others. I have not finished my training" this was a lie I told when I was confronted about magics. I may have been a novice, but I'm not stupid enough to tell people that I was limited.

"Orik, what's the name of this Village?" I asked to change the subject.

"Lionel, and our village leader is called Uri. He is wise, but old. I'm sure his sons will be

in power soon. At Least one of them. They are also wise. Well versed in history. Uri has had a long life of collecting."

He stopped and stared at me. " You know my name, what is yours?"

"Kaida." I told him. He didn't make any notion, just smiled. He took off his Cloak. Walked to the other side of the room, pulled out two glasses, filled them with Ale

and sat back across from me.

"An awakened, huh? Great people who have great feasts and live a wonderous life. Magics provide what people really need."

Orik was more or less asking me, rather than telling me. I smiled. "We don't use magic to provide. Only to assist and protect. We only use it against others when we need it. Growing food and raising animals is the same for us, as it is for anyone else. Ale though, maybe we use some magic there. " We both laughed and drank the Ale Orik brought.

I went to sleep on a hay bed in a quiet corner in Oriks home. A luxury I have not had in a while. I woke up to the sounds of arguing.

"No, Red. I will not tell you that girl's name. She's gone, Left after we conducted business. She was not an awakened. You were drunk and have no idea what you are talking about"

Orik was an ally it seems.

"I don't think so Orik. What direction did she go then? I want some magical assistance! I am tired of being poor!"

Red was getting angry. This is what people thought about the awakened. That we could magically provide profit for people. While I could pull Gems from the ground, it wasn't an amount that would make anyone rich. I started to worry.

"Be gone, Red. Or by the Gods I will have the guards take you to the end of town and tie you up until you are sober. Get it!" I heard a bit of a scuffle, I assumed Orik was removing Red from the building.

I got up and peaked around the corner. "It's fine, he's gone. He's a drunken idiot. Most people wouldn't believe him if he was standing there holding proof that an awakened person was in town. I'm sure you are fine to leave now, but I will take you to the far end of town and you can leave through there. I know the guards. "

"Thank you, Orik. I hope to meet more people like you on my travels. I will see you again, my friend." I put the pouch of the gems I had left in Oriks hands, and whispered a health spell for him. It was the least I could do. Really, it was the most I could do, but who would know better?

Orik took me to the edge of the village, the guards there regarded me as Oriks secret friend, had a laugh and let me leave.

I was relieved to leave town after hearing Red this morning, and Orik had got me everything I needed for my journey. When I was far enough from town that I was satisfied I wasn't going to be spotted by Drunken Red, I pulled out my map and Marked down the Village Of Lionel, and wrote down Oriks name as a friend. I had been through a few other villages on my travels, but this was the first time I had met someone I could trust. It was nice.

I stood up to leave and thought I saw a White horse in the distance, but was gone when I looked a second time. Am I seeing things now?

It was hot, and I was tired. A lake wasn't too far off from me, and I could use a mid day meal of fish.

I headed towards it, while trying to practice spells I knew I wasn't great at. "Damnit! how could I be the only one awakened in the world that really can't cast properly?" I angrily growled at myself while walking. I thought about Chua, and Bennu. How could I have been given and received these marks? I was weak with Magics. My skills with a sword though, were something I could be proud of. I trained hard growing up, both magics and combat.

Obviously Magics wasn't what I was meant for, so combat became a sort of obsession for me. My father was proud. He trained me well, and I fought beside him when I needed to. I poured myself into learning everything I could. If I was great or not was up to the Gods.

Hunting was easy. That I could do with no magic. And the forests are full of life. Enough that I survive well enough on my own, however it was greatly appreciated when someone does all the work preparing meats and other foods for you. A luxury everyone enjoys.

My stomach started to rumble, I remembered the meat from Oriks. I stopped and pulled out a chunk. It was cooked in herbs and smoked with juices. Nothing like great food I thought as I bit into a piece of smoked meat. It was tasty. I will have to savor them.

I heard a cracking sound behind me and froze. Great, I hope it's not Red. He seems like he might have some serious problems, and might try to do something crazy in the name of being a rich man.

I crouched down and pulled out my sword, and started to move towards the sound. Quietly, with my sword ready, I waited to see my follower.

A brown cloaked Person was creeping by. I held my breath, waiting. I was prepared to kill if I had to, although I didn't like to kill if it was avoidable.

The cloaked person passed and I sprung out behind them with my sword, pressing it against the person's back. "Who are you, and why are you following me?" I demanded. The cloaked person froze, and raised their hands. A deep voice came from under the cloak. " I am not an enemy. I have come to find you, if you are Kaida of Duskenhills"

The man turned slowly, as my blade scraped all the way around his body until it rested on his chest, and looked me straight in the eyes.

He was blued eyed, light brown haired, with a scar between his cheek and right ear, and a mark above his left eyebrow. An arrow. He was wearing armor, but only leather, so I was fairly sure I could kill him. I could move fast enough. Being awakened however, I did not let my guard down. The opposite in fact, I was scared, and that made me more ready than anything.

Not all Awakened are good people. Not all Normal folks are good people either. The difference is, the Awakened have the ability to cast in your direction and kill you.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Bellator. Bellator of Parifrey. I have come to find you, Kaida." He responded.

"You have come to FIND me? How do you know about me at all?" I demanded again.

"As an awakened, I'm surprised you even ask that. Does your village, Duskenhills, not have a seer?" Bellator asked.

"Yes, but he did not say anything about you." I responded, holding my sword out straight, ready to strike if I had to.

"The seer of Parifrey has asked me to find you. To bring you to her, in Parifrey. Told me you would be by this lake, and to make sure we connected. I have been waiting" He said with a touch of disappointment.

Bellator seemed to be a serious person. I studied him for a moment. His sword was in its sheath, and his bow on his back. Again, he could use magic, probably better than me, and destroy me without a second word. I dropped my sword, but kept it out. "Why?" I asked sternly.

"We will find out when we arrive in Parifrey, I suppose. It's not for me to question a seer." He smirked a bit and then asked, " I didn't anticipate you to be a fighter." and paused for a second. "Will you come to Parifrey?"

In the same words as Bellator, who am I to question a seer? " Seems fate has already decided that I would." I sheath my sword.

"I want to catch some fish first." I wanted to take my time before leaving with someone I just met.

He agreed and we headed towards the lake.

I had heard of Parifrey. Only because it was where the Magus was from.

A short while later, after we had caught a few fish and I was satisfied I wouldn't be hungry tonight, I decided to ask Bellator a few questions.

"Bellator, Why you? Who are you in Perifrey?" I was curious who my escort was.

"I'm a soldier. No more important than other soldiers. The Seer asked me to come to you, and bring you to her. I have been here for at least 9 days waiting. It was rather annoying having to wait so long" He told me as he gutted a fish.

Tossing the guts into the water, he looked at me and asked, "Why didn't your Seer tell you I would meet you on your journey? I thought you would have been with your father, Treydon. Why is he not here?"

"My father? What do you know of my father?" I questioned.

"Treydon is Kai's brother. Kai is our Village's leader. Kai is also known as The Magus." he told me, watching for my reaction.

The Magus is The Awakened leader. I knew he was from Perifrey, not that he ruled in Perifrey. I had a lot to learn it seemed.

"My father is the brother of The Magus? Are you kidding me? Why wouldn't I know this? Are you sure that's the truth?" My mind was running away with questions. How is it possible my father, a farmer, was the Magus's brother? He would have told me, wouldn't he?

What the hell was going on? Bellator was looking at me as if I was insane. "Let's not talk about this anymore until we get to the Seer. It was her after all who sent me. Not the Magus. The Seer will have the answers you need."

I agreed to this and started to pack up. When I looked up, a white horse was coming towards us, and Bellator was waiting for it. At least I wasn't seeing things. Although right now, at this moment, I wasn't sure of anything.