The Apprentice

Submission for Ironage Media's prompt "The Firmament"

          “It is coming for us.” The Master had never spoken truer words. An ancient evil had been unleashed, and Nara had been the one to awaken it. Unintentionally, of course. But she had to accept the fact that she was responsible for the end of the kingdom and this era. 

          She swallowed. The Master was understanding, and that surprised her. If it had been her in his position, she would have scolded and berated herself for her idiocy.

          “Master,” she said, daring to speak, but unable to finish. The Master was held in such high esteem, that to question him was unheard of.

          “What is it, young Nara?” he asked. “You question me in your heart, do not deny it.”

          “Master,” she began again, “forgive me. I did not mean it.”

          “But you did.” The ancient man had a smile upon his elderly lips. “Say what is on your mind. You are better than the council in this rerspect, for you will say what you want, at my prompting, and they will not. This is refreshing to my frail heart. I never hear anyone’s true opinions on any matter.”

           “Why are you treating me like this?” she was near sobbing. “Why? I have doomed our entire civilization, this age. All is lost because of my mistake. And yet you act like I have done nothing at all.”

           “You did not know what you were doing,” he replied. “And besides, what good are harsh words in a situation such as this? Will it help?” She opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say. “Yes, Nara, this era is ending, but that does not mean there won’t be another. The council will die. They will save as many people as they can, but they will die. Their sacrifice is necessary, since none but they can make it. Your fate is different—you must meet this ancient one in battle.”

          “Me?” she asked incredulously, forgetting why they had been speaking. “But surely, you are better suited for this?”

           “My young girl, your strength far exceeds mine, even though you have not yet reached womanhood. You will only increase in strength. This battle need not be done now, nor must you kill this evil; you must only restrain it.”

          “I do not see how it is possible.” Tears started to run down her pale face.

          “My child, what will be will be. If you are meant to win then you will. I will do my best to instruct you.”

          “What are to become of the other students?” Nara asked after she had regained her composer. They could not hope to survive this devastation. She had even less hope for herself.

          “They must find their own way,” The Master replied. “I will help them escape, but then they will be on their own, safe as they can be. We will be on our way after that. There is no time to lose.”

“Yes master,” Nara said, worry gnawing her stomach and twisting it painfully.

          “Go now, to the boats—you know the place.” She did. The place he spoke of was near the harbor, hidden under a tower. It was an underground river, though to where it lead Nara had never learned.

          Gathering up the few possessions she wanted to keep, and those that she needed, she hurried to the meeting place. Outside, the sky was red and hazy as if there was a great fire in the distance, and the smell of ash faintly met Nara’s nose. The air was hot and dry. And it was still despite the obvious wind in the distance. Hugging her robes to herself, Nara made her way through the streets.

          She picked up her pace as she heard the castle collapsing behind her. Fearing that the Master could not have survived, she made it through the door in the tower. Nara forced herself not to cry, curling up in one of the boats to wait—either for the Master to appear, or till she could wait no more.

          As she had been going through the door, she had caught a glimpse of it rising over the mountains. And Nara knew deep in her heart that no matter how strong she became, no matter how much she learned, she could never hope to do anything more than die quickly and painlessly. Truly, it was the end of everything.

 
The End, 
God bless