Michael Foster - She Who Has No Name

From the darkness, a single tiny point of light appeared. It hovered for long moments and then flitted about like a firefly dancing within an inky void. As it fluttered, it began growing in intensity, transforming from a pale,lingering mote to a fierce and angry butterfly that flashed red and yellow. The wavering flame grew and a pale face became illuminated just above it, wide-eyed with amusement, cast in shadow from the flickering light. Fire was dancing on the watcher’s finger, but it did not burn or consume him. It seemed to spring from and burn from nothing and this no doubt explained the young man’s delight.

‘By the gods, Marrag!’ came a gasp of disbelief from somewhere in the room. The scene was utterly black, except for the face, the finger and the fire.

‘What you said is true!’ said another voice, sounding from beside the first.

Marrag then opened his hand, palm up, and the flame spread to each of his fingers. The light still clung to him stubbornly, making him seem to be just a head and a hand floating amidst a void. ‘Of course it’s true,’ he declared, with his eyes still locked in fascination upon his fiery creation. Then he glared up towards the first speaker who had broken the awed silence. ‘And as I shall also show you, there are no gods-none that would challenge us, anyway. What the Council has told us are lies.’

Shutters were thrown open, filling the room with blazing daylight and transforming it from a darkened mystery to an unremarkable dwelling in the blink of an eye. Furniture and figures leapt into being at the flick of a wrist.

It was a simple and functional living space and the man called Marrag was sitting at the central rounded table with one elbow restingonits surface. The fire upon his hand was now scarcely visible-barely a shimmering of the air-as the daylight was invading the room with such ferocity. Still, Marrag regarded the marvel in his palm with delight, engrossed as it danced and moved amongst his fingers like a throbbing, living thing.

‘This is forbidden, Marrag!’ the first speaker affirmed, stalking over from beside the windows. He was dressed in an expensive suit-the very fashion of the day-but somehow the effort was wasted on his thin and gangly frame. His nose was bulbous and his hair thin and combed in an effort to cover his balding and liver-spotted scalp. He moved erratically and nervously, rubbing his chin and scratching at his scalp in the same movement. ‘This is beyond the laws. You will be condemned for this!’

‘But it is incredible, as you said,’ stated the second man, much younger than the first and looking much smarter, despite beingcladin only simple garments. He stood purposefully and with confidence, with faultless posture. Two more opposite men could not possibly have inhabited the same room.

Marrag closed his fist deliberately and,with flawless concentration,he willed the flame to vanish; its final blue-hued gasp escaping between his fingers. With sweat on his brow, he stood and faced the other two. ‘But why is it forbidden, Poltamir?’ he asked of his moreunfortunate-looking companion. ‘Why are we not allowed to do such wonderful things? Such feats are ever whispered about and alluded to, but never attempted-all because of the Council’s stubbornness. I have gathered up every inkling of knowledge I could find, and now, after all these months,I have achieved the forbidden-the incredible! What the Council of the Wise said was futile and impossible has proven within reach. Why would they want to deny us this wonder?’

‘Why,indeed?’ agreed the third man.

Poltamir looked set to boil with frustration. ‘Why? Why, Thann?’ he asked. ‘Because they are the Council of the Wise. That is why they are the ones who speak and we are the ones who listen. Who are we to ask such questions? Such knowledge and actions are forbidden and that is that!’

Marrag slowly shook his head. ‘I do not think so. I think,rather,they are jealous of anyone who can do such things. They deny us the opportunity to explore our potential, while they are ever-reliant upon their wands and machines and devices. This first achievement is just the beginning. Who knows what we may be able to achieve given time? We can draw power from the heavens!’

‘This is insane!’ Poltamir declared, throwing his hands up in frustration.

‘Can you show me how to do this?’ Thann asked eagerly, ignoring Poltamir altogether.

Marrag nodded solemnly. ‘I’m sure I can teach you. Now I have mastered the first difficult steps, it should be a simple task to teach others. I have so many new ideas already on how to direct this power,but each one leads to so many others. The possibilities just keep popping into my head. It’s so exciting!’

‘It’s madness!’

‘Oh, calm down, Poltamir,’ came the honey-dewed voice of Rei as she stepped from the corner of the room. She moved over and snaked her arms around Thann’s waist and,pouting, looked at Poltamir. ‘You are always such a spoilsport.’ She was as beautiful as any woman could possibly be, with soft flaxen hair that nestled over her shoulders, and Poltamir fell to pieces under her demure gaze, already shaking and trembling on the spot.

‘You knew about this?’ Poltamir responded with obvious disappointment.

‘Of course I did,’ she replied,a self-contented smile on her cherry-tinctured lips. ‘Marrag tells me everything.’

‘I cannot stand for this. You must stop at once.’

‘Oh, please, Poltamir,’ she pleaded. ‘Let Marrag teach us what he has found. We have nothing to fill our days and we sorely need something to keep us amused.’

‘Just because our parents are on the Council does not mean we will not be punished.’

‘They will not find out,’ Thann stated, holding onto Rei’s arms around him. ‘Who would tell them?’ and he eyed Poltamir purposefully.

At once, the gangly man began nervously shaking his head. ‘Oh, I won’t tell anyone,’ he promised.

‘Then,will you join us?’ Marrag asked him, pinning the man with a serious gaze.

‘Of course I will,’ Poltamir confirmed, now nodding furiously.

‘Good!’ Marrag declared with a sudden smile. ‘Then we can begin immediately. I will need all three of you to help.’

‘We are yours to command,’ Rei responded dramatically as she kissed at Thann’s neck.

Marrag reached under the table and drew out a small cage, which he placed before the others. Kept within was a small kitten, which was lying quiet and still.

‘Veron? What’s wrong with her?’ Rei asked with concern, coming out from behind Thann and peering in at the motionless animal.

‘She’s tired,’ said Marrag. ‘I’m afraid I have used her too much.’

‘We need a kitten to work these wonders? What is this about?’ Thann asked with surprise.

‘Not a kitten. Anything will do.’

‘She doesn’t look well,’ Rei said. ‘What if it hurts her?’

‘Then we’ll find something else,’ Marrag replied with a shrug. ‘Any living thing will suffice. The bigger the better, so it doesn’t tireas quickly.’

‘Let’s go out and find somethingelseso poor Veron can have a rest,’ Thann stated.

‘This is really quite worrying,’ Poltamir put in.

‘Oh, stop being such a sourpuss,’ Rei told him and he shut up at once.

‘Then it’s settled. I, Marrag Lin, will teach the three of you what I have learnt and together we shall discover this wondrous new power,’ Marrag spoke.

‘What shall we call this strange new thing that we have discovered?’ Thann asked of the group.

‘Oh, it has a name already,’ Marrag replied. ‘It’s called magic.’

‘Magic?’ Rei asked. ‘What a silly name. Nevertheless, let’s set out and learn this magic and see what fun it can bring us. We shall keep it a secret between justthefourof us.’