Morning sunlight spilled through the shutters of Holloway homestead, painting warm stripes across the small wooden table where Lily sat, tightening her belt. Samuel was already putting on his worn leather coat, checking the edge of his sword.
Lily's eyes were on him, then dropped to her hand, the one that had touched Shaelira’s fire. She flexed her fingers, recalling the violet flame. Its color hinted at an old magic. Was it a sign? Her mind raced.
"That flame, it wasn't normal."
Samuel grunted, eyes still on his rusty blade. "No. It wasn't."
“Do you think it might mean something?”
He slid the sword into its sheath with a rough scrape, then finally looked up to her. His face was calm. “I think the Guild’s fire has seen thousands of hands. And it only ever burned orange.”
"Then what does violet mean?"
Samuel didn’t answer right away. He buckled his coat, adjusting the strap at his shoulder. “We’ll keep it between us for now. No sense stirring the pot.”
Noticing his gear was ready, Lily hid her disappointment. "You’re leaving?"
“Aye. Master Theron gave me a task yesterday. Raiders on the northern road. I ride out today.”
“Already? You got a job, while I start at the bottom?”
“That’s how it goes. I’ve been here a long time. You’re just starting out. The Guild doesn’t care who your father is. You’ll have to earn your place like everyone else.”
“It’s not fair.”
He walked past her, resting a heavy hand on her shoulder. “Patience, dear. Everything has its own time. Do your part. Pass your trials. You’ll get your turn.”
She sighed as she watched him shoulder a pack and lead his horse into the sunlit streets of Solmyra. His absence pressed on her even before the door had closed. Still, she stood, buckled on her sword, and squared her shoulders.
Today was her first day as a guild recruit. She saddled Merry alone, and the mare greeted her with a soft neigh, ears flicking as her nose brushed Lily’s hand.
Lily smiled at the familiar comfort. Merry always seemed to know when she was nervous. She rested her palm against the mare’s neck for a moment, then gave her a fond pat and swung into the saddle.
By the time they reached the guild hall, the sun was high and reflected off the carved phoenix crest above its door.
Margarette waited by the entrance, her ledger tucked neatly under her arm. She brightened at the sight of Lily.
“Ready for your assessment?”
Lily lifted her chin defiantly. “I was born ready.”
They both chuckled and crossed the threshold together.
The training yard opened before them, sunlight catching steel as weapons clashed and voices rang.
The young clerk led Lily through the yard. "Every recruit gets a check: health, skills, combat. It isn't pass-fail. We just need to know where to place you."
From the far side of the yard came Mira, the Guild’s apothecary. She was a lean woman in a pale green tunic, her dark hair tied neatly back, a satchel of herbs and tools at her hip. “Lily Holloway?”
Lily gave a quick nod.
Mira gestured toward a shaded bench. “We’ll start with your physical and health check.”
Her fingers were cool as she pressed them to Lily’s wrist, checking her pulse. She shone a small lantern in Lily's eyes, listened to her breathing, and touched old scars with the tender care of someone who had helped many people heal.
“Strong,” Mira made a few quick notes. “Plenty of old wounds, but healed well. No lingering damage.”
She then traced a brief, glowing symbol over Lily's heart. A soft hum vibrated through the ribs, the guild's standard check for internal mana clogs. The light remained a steady blue.
"Spirit flow is clear. Fit for service."
Margarette wrote it carefully in her ledger.
At that, Theron himself came into the yard, leaning on his polished staff. It was a length of dark timber, worn smooth by years of use and bearing a silver cap at its tip. Even though he moved with the pained stiffness of a man made of dry twigs, he stood with the undeniable confidence of a leader.
"Your father says you're a hunter," he grumbled, shifting his weight onto the sturdy support. "We'll test that, then. Not just the sword."
He paused, his face sour as he let out a long, theatrical groan. "Though I hope the test involves less standing around. This yard is drafty, and my lower back is throbbing like a stepped-on toad. Margarette, find me a chair before my spine decides to retire early."
Lily bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing, her eyes dancing with amusement as she inclined her head.
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The instructor set up the course. Fresh dirt was spread out, twigs and hoofprints scattered, and wooden dummies marked with painted targets were hauled into place.
Theron lowered himself into a creaky wooden chair Margarette had scurried to provide, letting out a final, satisfied "Oof" as he settled his weight. He gestured towards the mess of dirt with the silver tip of his staff.
“First,” he ordered, “tracking.”
Lily crouched low, eyes scanning. She moved with patient focus, fingertips brushing the dirt, noting snapped twigs, scuffed earth, and the faint drag of a hoof. She followed the signs without pause and stopped at a wooden dummy draped in hide.
“There.” She pointed at it.
The instructor checked. “Correct.”
Margarette’s quill scratched across the page.
“Stealth,” the instructor called next.
A narrow line of dummies waited. Between them, cords with bells hung low. Lily took a long breath, her body relaxing. She moved. Her steps were quiet, her body slipping through the maze. Not a bell made a sound. At the end, she paused. Her heartbeat slowed until her chest barely moved. Then she slipped out the far side.
Theron observed her, absently tapping the timber against the toe of his boot as if counting her heartbeats.
“Animal knowledge,” the instructor continued.
Carved beasts were set in a row: wolf, boar, wyvern, and chimera.
“Name their habits, their signs, their weaknesses.”
Without hesitation, Lily answered where to strike, when to run, how to read their patterns. Her words, measured and sure, grew stronger when she spoke of the wyvern.
“Archery,” Theron directed next.
A bow was placed in her hands. Lily set her stance, drew, and loosed—
The arrow sliced wide and thudded into the dirt, far from the target.
A ripple of laughter broke from the recruits watching. One even muttered loud enough to hear, “Some hunter she is.”
Her fingers tightened on the bowstring. First, she felt embarrassed by their laughter, but anger quickly took over, making her skin tingle. She kept her aim on the target, shoulders straight, refusing to let them see her fail again.
Breathe, she told herself. Remember.
A spark of memory broke through her thoughts: rain-soaked woods, a few years ago, Lily gripping a bow too big for her. Behind her, a low, resonant voice spoke with a measured calm:
“Don’t chase the target. Let it come to you. Look past the arrow, past the string. Fix your eye on where you want it to land. The bow is only the bridge, your breath carries it the rest of the way.”
Her ex’s words. A lesson she hadn’t wanted to remember. But now, with the recruits still laughing, it helped steady her hands.
She inhaled deeply, quieted her pulse, and drew again. She loosed. This time, the arrow struck dead center.
The yard fell silent.
She nocked another arrow and released. Heart. Then another, hitting the throat. Another, the head. Each one landed exactly where she aimed.
A wry curve touched her lips as she glanced at the recruits who had laughed. Their eyes dropped, their mouths shut.
Playtime’s over, her smirk seemed to say.
Theron’s eyes narrowed, watching her for a moment. He noticed not just her accuracy, but how she turned their laughter into silence. His beard twitched, maybe with approval, though his face showed nothing. “Blade.”
The instructor drew his practice sword. Lily drew hers, the steel flashing. Their first clash rang sharp in the yard. Her strikes fluid and confident, driving him back. He feinted, but she saw through it, twisting past his guard and knocking the blade from his hand. He grunted, rubbed his wrist, and retrieved the weapon. “Again.”
They circled again. This time, he attacked harder, aiming for her ribs. Lily blocked, turned, and pushed him back with her boot. In a final burst, she knocked him to the ground, her blade at his throat.
A low murmur stirred among the watching recruits while Margarette’s quill raced across the page.
Theron gave a gesture of approval.
“Self-defense,” the instructor called next. He tossed aside his blade and motioned for Lily to do the same.
She obeyed, raising her hands.
As the instructor was about to come, Theron called him and whispered something. The man’s eyebrows went up, a sly grin on his face, before he turned to face Lily again. He lunged suddenly, faster than before. His attack was rough, meant to catch her off guard. Lily reacted without thinking, grabbing his arm, twisting, and throwing him hard onto the ground.
Cheers went up from the recruits, but the instructor only smirked, rubbing his shoulder.
“Lucky hit,” he drawled loudly enough for everyone to hear. “Let’s see if you can manage that twice.”
A deep frown creased Lily’s brow. She focused on the next attack, frustration making her more alert, anger making her tense.
They circled again. This time, he feinted, then swept low, deliberately hooking her ankle with his boot. She stumbled, caught herself, but the move was obvious.
“That’s cheating,” she said, straightening.
Theron said nothing.
The instructor only shrugged. “What’s the matter? Can’t keep up?”
A mixed reaction passed through the recruits, some smirking, others frowning.
They clashed again. Lily blocked his strike, but he shoved her with his elbow in the ribs, a move meant to hurt more than test. She stumbled back, anger burning hot in her chest.
“That’s not part of the rules,” she growled.
Still, Theron gave no sign of objection.
The instructor circled her like a wolf. “What’s wrong, girl? Afraid you can’t win without crying foul?” His words carried the mocking lilt of a bully.
Something inside Lily snapped. She started breathing faster as the light around her seemed to get darker. Her fists curled, shaking with strength. She lowered her chin, glaring up at him from under her lashes, anger rising inside her. Her eyes flashed red for just a moment.
Theron watched her closely, as if he had been waiting for this. That quick flash proved him right. He watched a moment longer, seeing the air get colder and the light fade until shadows gathered around. People shifted nervously, unsure what was happening. If he doesn’t act now, it will be too late.
“Enough!”
His voice struck the yard like thunder. He stood so quickly his chair skittered back across the floor, his body pains seemingly forgotten as he planted his staff firmly on the ground.
The sudden movement caused a heavy silence to follow.
The word woke Lily up to herself. She flinched, her breath catching as the rush inside her broke apart. She drew in a slow breath, then another, grounding herself, her chest rising and falling as she found her balance again. The red glow in her eyes dimmed and slipped away into the dark. Her heartbeat slowed, the cold feeling receded, and the light returned as the shadows thinned and vanished.
The yard fell silent. Even the recruits looked shaken, convinced the Guildmaster’s command alone had driven the strange chill and darkness away. None of them guessed it had come from Lily.
Theron’s eyes stayed on her, keen and thoughtful. He had seen it, the flash, the way she got back to normal so quickly, as if by pure will. Whatever it was, he kept it to himself for now.
“That will do.”
Margarette closed her ledger with a soft snap, hands steady despite the tremor. She tapped Lily lightly on the arm to get her attention, then looked back down at the page. “Tracking, expert. Stealth, outstanding. Animal knowledge, very good. Archery, accurate. Swordsmanship, proven. Self-defense, strong.” She lowered her tone so only Lily could hear. “Your record is amazing, Lily.”
“Rest now,” Theron instructed. “Wait in the hall. I’ll review your results myself, and we’ll speak afterward.”
Lily gave a resolute nod and walked away without a word, her boots echoing against the floor. The sound followed her down the hall, while her thoughts tangled around how Master Theron would decide.
🔮 What do you think Master Theron will decide about Lily next?
