1 Chapter 1 : The Choice.

The sun rose in a pool of crimson and gold, spilling light all over the land and the white clouds. The day was scorching hot, and people took shelter in their homes to avoid getting sunburnt.

It was mysterious, how the weather changed so much in just a few days. Two days back, it was pleasant, a cool breeze flowing through the clouds, marking the end of winter. But today, the sun seemed to have been overworking itself.

There were hardly any chirps heard, and the soulful voices of the small children had seemed to vanish.

A young woman, barely fifteen, was seated on one of the seats which wasn't broken. She looked over at her right to see the old and worn out door completely still and shut. Her slightly fidgety eyes shifted over to the brunette sitting in front of her, a thin book in her hand.

The two didn't know each other, despite living in the same town.

The door creaked open, gathering attention as a girl with shabby hair walked out, a hand scratching her head.

"Who's Faila among y'all?" The girl asked, her eyes shifting towards the slightly nervous girl of the two who stood up.

"That's me." She answered.

"Well, get inside now. Your turn." Faila simply nodded, walking over to the door. "Good luck, you will need it. The old hag is a pain in the ass. As creepy as those witches out there."

Faila just blinked before simply turning around and walking through the slightly broken door.

The smell of something rotten, or maybe even dead filled her nostrils and she stopped herself from gagging.

"This place is hideous." She whispered to herself as she walked down the musty hallway filled with cobwebs. She was successful in not tripping over the scattered items and inwardly patted herself on the back.

"Hello?" She called out, hearing her voice echo.

"How many more of you rug rats are there? Its almost time for me to get some shut eye."

Faila finched a bit at the sudden presence and turned around swiftly to come face to face with an old, stout woman with wrinkles all over her face.

"Who are you again?" The Sage asked.

'I thought she knew everyone residing in this town. Maybe that's a lie.'

"Faila Stone."

"Ah. One of the Stones, I see." She said, limping over the scattered objects on the ground. Faila followed after her into her hall which was as messy as her corridor.

'Does she not have anyone to clean up her house?'

"Well what are you staring at me for? Sit down, lass." The Sage sat down on her slightly worn out couch and Faila sat down across her.

"Tea?" She asked, as she poured the tea into two cups. Judging from her place, Faila was afraid of putting anything into her mouth, but she had to be polite as her mother had warned her before letting her go.

Faila grabbed the tea cup out of her outstretched hand and sipped it a bit. The taste of lemon hit the back of her tongue and she sighed a bit.

"Faila, was it?" She suddenly spoke. Faila nodded in response.

"You're the only daughter and the fourth child of the house, am I right?" The Sage asked.

"Yes."

Silence covered them and Faila had to bite her tongue from letting something offensive slip out of her mouth. She was known to spout whatever was on her mind before thinking but lately she got the hang of thinking before speaking.

'But why is it even bad to be purely honest and reveal your true thoughts?'

The Sage seemed to have smirked a bit, as though reading Faila's thoughts.

"You've got a sharp tongue, don't ya, lass?"

"I'm not sure what you mean. But if I'm allowed to say this, I'd like you to give me my choices if I have any that is." Faila answered, staring at her cup.

'Its not like I'm actually excited to know what path I'm going to follow. The Stone family has always produced mages. Becoming a dragon rider or having a desk job have almost negligible chances.'

"You seem not too interested in knowing what lies in your future."

Faila blinked at the Sage, placing down her now empty tea cup.

"I didn't know the Sage could even predict the future."

The Sage shrugged. "We could, a few hundred years back. But we now leave it to the witches. They enjoy such crazy things."

Her eyes snapped up to Faila who involuntarily gulped a bit.

"You seem to have your mind set that you would only end up with the choice of being a mage. Or maybe, its your family that has forced you to believe so."

"Well, every single person from my family has always had the choice to become a mage. There has been neither a dragon rider, nor a person with a desk job. That is enough for me to believe that I will follow the same path as well." Faila answered. The Sage grinned, her lips turning up a notch.

"So you don't know your own family secret. Its sad that they haven't told you that yet." She mumbled.

"Secret? What family secret?" Faila asked, utterly confused.

"You have a twin brother, what was his name again?" The Sage ignored Faila and asked her about her twin.

"Zander." Faila answered.

"And I suppose he thinks the same like you?"

"I don't know. I never asked."

"Not such a strong bond between you two, huh?"

"And what is it to you?" Faila spluttered out before she could think and bit her lip.

"So now you're showing your true colours? Good." The Sage seemed satisfied, as opposed to what Faila thought. "Now, would you mind helping me out a bit?"