The Ember's Echo :: Chapter 1: The Fading Light

In a world where magic is rapidly fading, Lyra Moonshadow, a young apprentice mage, struggles to master even the simplest spells. The once-great magical city of Lumina is now a shadow of its former...

Welcome to the first part of our newly released interactive fantasy story... The Ember's Echo. Each week, a new part is released, and community members like you have the chance to vote on how the story progresses. If you'd like to participate, head to sagaforge.org to catch up on the latest part of the story and help shape this saga.

Without further ado, here is Chapter 1, Part 1...

---

Chapter One: The Fading Light

The candle guttered and sparked, casting wild shadows across the cramped workshop. Lyra stood before it, her brow furrowed in concentration, fingers splayed toward the faltering flame. Sweat beaded on her forehead, not from the heat of the day�"for it was a crisp autumn morning in the city of Lumina�"but from the sheer effort of will she was exerting.

"Come on," she whispered through gritted teeth. "Just a little more..."

The flame danced and swayed as if caught in a breeze though the workshop's windows were shuttered tight. For a moment, it seemed to stretch, grow, and reach for her outstretched hand. Lyra's heart leapt. Then, with a soft pfft, it winked out, leaving only a thin trail of smoke curling from the blackened wick.

Lyra slumped, her shoulders sagging with disappointment. Behind her, Master Thorne cleared his throat.

"Well," he said, his voice a low rumble, "you managed to keep it alight for nearly three minutes this time. That's... something."

Lyra turned to face her mentor. Master Thorne was a bear of a man, broad-shouldered and barrel-chested, with a wild mane of steel-grey hair and a beard to match. His dark eyes, usually twinkling with mirth or mischief, now held a somber weight.

"It's not enough," Lyra said, frustration coloring her words. "Three years ago, I could have conjured a ball of witchfire with half the effort. Now, I can barely keep a candle lit. How can I call myself an apprentice mage if I can't even�""

"Enough," Thorne interrupted, not unkindly. "You know as well as I do that it's not your fault. The magic is fading, child. From the realm, from the very air we breathe. It's all we can do to hold onto what little remains."

Lyra nodded, having heard this lament countless times before. She crossed to the window and threw open the shutters. The city of Lumina spread out before her, a sprawling maze of crooked streets and leaning buildings. Once, it had been a beacon of magical learning, its spires aglow with arcane energy, its markets bustling with enchanters and alchemists. Now, it was... diminished. The famous floating gardens had long since crashed to earth. The ever-burning streetlamps sputtered and died. Even the great shield that had once protected the city from storms now flickered like a candle in the wind.

"There has to be a way to bring it back," Lyra said softly, more to herself than Thorne.

The old wizard sighed. "Many have tried, lass. Many have failed. Some say it's the natural order of things, that magic was never meant to last forever. Others blame the Cataclysm or the breaking of the Celestial Seal. But the why matters less than the what, and the what is this: our world is changing, and we must change with it."

Lyra was about to respond when something caught her eye. A flicker of movement in the street below, a shadow that seemed to move against the flow of the crowd. She leaned out the window, squinting to get a better look.

There�"a figure in a dark cloak, moving with purposeful grace through the throng of morning marketgoers. As Lyra watched, the figure paused, looking up directly at her. For a heartbeat, their eyes met. Then, the stranger reached into their cloak and produced a small, glittering object. With a flick of the wrist, it sailed through the air, arcing high and true.

Lyra's hand shot out, snatching the object before it could fall. Heart pounding, she drew back into the workshop and opened her fist.

In her palm lay a small, intricately carved stone disk. Symbols danced around its edge, written in a script she didn't recognize. But at its center was an image she knew all too well: a blazing star, the ancient symbol of magic in its purest form.

"Master Thorne," she called, her voice trembling with excitement. "You need to see this."

As Thorne lumbered over, Lyra's mind raced. Who was the stranger? What did this disk mean? And why did she feel overwhelmingly that everything was about to change?

---

Want to control Lyra's destiny? head over to SagaForge.org and cast your vote for what happens next!