https://inkarnate.com/m/4rdmLr--the-firelands/  There was very little that they could do to combat the raging flame. Zane stood by and watched in shock as Bert smacked the red flames with a wet sack, and Iggi ran back and forth from the house with a bucket of water to douse upon the fire. Black plumes of thick smoke rose from the hills in agony from the assault. Zane tried to help, but he was pushed away and ordered to stay away by his parents. All he wanted to do was help end the tragedy he was responsible for. Instead he had to stand back and watch as if his parents were already punishing him for his actions.

It took until the run was fully over the horizon before the flames died down and the hills were left charcoal black and covered in ash. No words were spoken for none could measure to the gravity of this event. Bert just sat down facing the direction of the smoke while Iggi hugged him from the side, both of them were crying. Zane stood away from them unable to share in their grief. He stood on his own staring at his mistake, his mind racing from how the hills caught fire to how he can redeem himself in the eyes of his parents. One scenario was most prevalent within: the seeds which he wanted to add to the farm were not even coal fruit seeds and ended igniting into a small fire which caught the bushes. He felt a powerful need to explain this possibility to them, but seeing them coupled in sorrow, combined with his now forever expanding guilt, made him remain silent.

Finally, words were spoken from Iggi half weeping, “How… how could this have happened?”

Wiping his face, Bert replied to his shaking wife, “I-I don’t know. I checked on them last night, a-and they were just fine! Perhaps a damn wild elemental walked through!” His last words were spoken through clenched teeth.

“No no no, it’s not fair to blame them just yet. Maybe a ripe fruit fell down and landed near anoth-”

In the middle of his rage, he interrupted her, “What else could it have been?! Those damn things tramp around the desert burning everything in their way! I checked the bushes last night and they were just…” He trailed off in a mix of anger and sorrow.

She looked around them before speaking in a soft calming tone, “I don’t see any scorch marks, my sweet.”

Zane listened to them talk, full of contrition. He thought about joining them in their embrace and offering what little comfort he could, but fear of accusation kept him away at a safe distance.

“How much did we have saved away? Surely we aren’t completely ruined, right?” Iggi asked.

Bert sighed and stood up, “Maybe enough to last us one month. I’ll need to head over to Horick’s and Katrahn’s to see if they can help us rebuild.” He was talking about the other two farms on either side of theirs. Katrahn is on the other side of the river towards the East close to the borders of the Firelands, while Horick is situated in the West on Kazok’s Claws, two stretches of land that go out into the sea shaped like claws. There was mutual respect between the three since they were all hard working farm owners, and have helped each other expand or grow crops times before.

“Maybe Zane and I can ask to see the City Council for help while you’re away?” The optimism was clear in her voice.

He sighed and tried to let her down as easy as he could, “You can try, but it might take weeks before they give you an audience. In the meantime, we can stay at Tisha’s place. I’m sure she’ll be able to let us stay for a while.”

Zane had met his aunt Tisha several times before. The first time was one year after his adoption, and she was beyond excited for the new addition to the family. He would visit her when they travelled to the city on Lucky Sweat Days or months’ ends, and she would always give him a little treat when he did.

Iggi nodded her understanding and then turned to Zane, “Come on, sweetie. Let’s go pack our things.”

It took him a while before responding to her. He was still looking at the hills smoking away in the morning sun. The weight on his shoulders seemed to grow heavier when he turned his eyes away. He felt his eyes well up with tears, part from the stinging heat and part grief. He forced himself to look away and return to the house running at full speed. His hysteric breathing brought the attention of his mother while he was packing. She hugged him tight and rocked him from side to side hoping to calm him down. She whispered soothingly into his ear, “It’s going to alright, it’s going to be alright…”

Her embrace was the tipping point. His tough shell shattered upon itself, and he cried in her supportive arms. Her misunderstanding was the twist of the knife in his heart. He just knew that if she was aware of what he did, she would not be comforting him right now. Through broken words he replied, “N-no! I’m s-sorry! I am s-so sorry! I… I-I just…” He could not bring himself to finish talking.

She hugged him tighter and hushed him, “Shh, shh, it’s okay. I understand, but it wasn’t your fault, okay?”

Another twisting knife into his heart. He could not even speak to her this time, instead he continued crying in her arms. He looked up to see her crying with him, but she was smiling towards him. It was the same smile she gave him years ago while she offered him her piece of bread during dinner. That smile stayed within his memories ever since. It was how he recognised it now. Seeing that smile coupled with tears running down her cheeks made him stop crying, and yet he did not know why he stopped. Why? Why are you crying? This is all my fault, he asked himself. They broke from their embrace and resumed packing. 

When they finished, they met Bert outside who was attaching the salamander to the wagon. No one said anything as they took their seats upon it. The journey to the city was just as silent. It was the first time that they travelled to the city with nothing to sell.

The silent journey gave Zane a moment to fully ponder on his actions. In fact it was the only thing he could and was thinking of all morning. The wagon ride just made it worse, for he had nothing to distract him from the guilt. He thought about the seeds he acquired, whether or not they were real coal fruit seeds, and the subsequent aftermath of fire. He knew that it was his fault and there was no argument about it. His mind drifted onto his mother’s smile again. Playing it over and over again made him want to scream his frustration out into the surrounding sands. Once again, he was a burden on their shoulders, something he promised himself would never happen again. He looked over to his mother who was watching the city grow closer, and promised himself, nay, made a vow to repay his debt in full this time. No more small acts of kindness to fulfill his debt little by little, but one powerful and selfless in equal measure to his parents saving his life.

The city was as busy as it was the previous day, if not more. The final preparations for the entrance exam to the academy was currently underway, and more people had arrived to either apply or to watch the ceremony. Iggi and Zane jumped off the wagon with their things in hand, but just before entering the city, Bert spoke, “Give my sister my regards, will you? And I should be back in two weeks.”

“Two weeks? Why? I mean Horick’s isn’t even a full day away.” Iggi replied in confusion.

“We have to widen our options. That’s why I’ll be heading for Warmfoot to stock up on supplies for a trip into the desert once you two are inside the city. I plan to go to Deepburn Valley and the Summer villages after Horick and Katrahn. Maybe they’ll have land we can bargain for. The whole trip should take around two weeks.” The Summer villages were a trio of small towns and farm plots situated in the lands beneath four mountains that marked Deepburn Valley.

She inhaled a deep breath in her nose before asking another question, “And you’re telling me this, why?” The look in her eyes was not kind.

He hesitated before answering nonchalantly with an innocent smile, “Just so you don’t have to worry about me.” He was already unhitching the salamander from the wagon, indicating that his decision was final.

She knew better than to try and argue over the matter. It was that sort of action that needed to be taken or else worse consequences could follow. Instead she turned to Zane and motioned that he should follow her.

It did not take long for them to reach Tisha’s place. Iggi knocked on her door twice before waiting for it to open. A woman with red hair and freckled skin opened the door with a strong push. Her eyes lit up when she saw the two standing before her. It was always a treat for her when family visited, “Hello, Iggi! Hello, Zane! I didn’t expect to see you two back so soon! But I thought you weren’t coming back until month’s end?” She asked with an equally excited smile.

Iggi replied with a solemn tone, “Hello, Tisha. May we come inside please? I’ll explain everything.”

Tisha further opened the door and stepped aside allowing the two to enter. Her smile slightly changed once she noticed the grim looks her relatives were giving to the floor. She closed the door behind them and then asked again on why they were here. Iggi dropped her bag onto a table, and then turned to fully answer the question. Having to relive the moment nearly brought her to tears again. The joyful atmosphere slowly changed into despair after every sentence. Tisha’s excited tone changed with it. She went to brew a pot of tea once Iggi finished explaining.

After a while, she returned to Iggi with two cups of tea in her hands, and then offered one to her, “So what are you going to do now?”

“Well, we’re going to wait for Bert to return. Hopefully then we can start over.” She replied in her hopeful voice.

“What about little Zane? How is he holding up after all this?” Concerned eyes turned towards Zane, sitting on the far side of the table.

When he did not speak, his mother spoke for him, “He’s distraught over it. Him and I both. I don’t know what we’ll do while Bert is away.”

“You could always find another job? What’s stopping you from doing that?”

Iggi thought for a moment before giving an answer, “Because farming is all we know how to do, and because we’re content with just that.”

She scoffed in response, “I don’t understand you sometimes, honestly. What will Zane do in the meantime then? Join the academy?” Her last words were sarcastic.

Iggi took them seriously however, “No, he has not shown any signs of magical potential. Besides what could he learn there?” She never was adept in the language of sarcasm.

There was a sigh of defeat in response, “I didn’t mean it like that, Iggi. But now that you ask, the academy has loads of courses he could take that don’t require magic like archaeology. People find loads of old stuff in the desert, why not let him make a living out of it?”

“Like I said before, he hasn’t shown any signs of magic so he won’t pass the entrance exam. It would also take years before he could begin working for the academy or anyone else.” She took a big sip of her tea while waiting for Tisha’s response.

“And in that time, he would be fed and looked after by the academy, right? Better than risking going into hunger again, I say.” She poked Iggi’s leg to draw her attention.

Zane locked eyes with his mother. Inside hers was a glimmer of hope in a swirling pool of sadness. He could tell that she was considering the option, but she eventually shook her head, “We just can’t.”

That was the moment when Zane stopped listening to them talk, and instead listened to his own thoughts. So far, he was unable to think of a way to redeem himself in his own eyes, and repent his sins against his parents. The truth was still not an option for him. Guilt and humiliation prevented him from it, and with the presence of his aunt it fuelled it more. Although unlike his mother, he was seeing potential in joining the academy and considering joining it. Even though it was true that he had not shown any magical talent, something inside him was begging for him to register for the entrance exam. A gut feeling pushing him onto that path. In his mind, it was the most sensible path. He knew how much his parents cared for his well being, and by joining the academy he could alleviate that weight off of their backs. However, in his heart it was the opposite. Honor compelled him to stay with his mother and find another way. It was his guilt and mind that prevailed in that conflict in the end. No longer did he want to be a burden for his mother and father. No longer would he need their help. From this point onwards, he would make his own decisions for himself, and be the one helping them. He was determined to keep his vow, and as of that moment, he made the decision to join the Fire Academy and become a mage.