Sooo... I've been rewriting my entire Spellfyre playthrough based on all the choices I made, while expanding the story to make it feel more personal and immersive.
There will be some flirting with multiple love interests, but don't worry they won't all end up together. This story has one endgame romance, and that will be Bardric. 🤍💚
This is my first time ever writing a story like this, so please bear with me as I learn and improve along the way. I've been having an absolute blast writing these past few days, and I can't wait to share it with you all!
You jolt forward, trying to catch your breath as you wake. Your body pulses like it’s just been put back from somewhere it wasn’t meant to reach…feeling like it can't fully settle back into itself. And for a moment, you don’t know where you are. You try to pull the dream back into focus, but it keeps slipping out of reach. White hair… bright blue eyes… shaking it off, you stare above, the sky is fading into late sunset tones. Gold bleeding slowly into soft blue. Lying beneath a tree on a grassy hill. Its roots twist up through the soil nearby, exposed where the ground slopes downward. Below the hill, the land drops sharply- ‘The Cliffside’. And beyond that, an endless ocean stretches outward under the dimming light. The surface catches the sun in fractured streaks of gold that scatter and disappear as the waves move.
For a moment, you just stare. Trying to slow your breathing. Trying to separate what was real from what wasn’t. “What was that?” You hear yourself say. Your voice sounds too sharp in the open air. Too loud for how quiet everything is. “Good morning, sleepy head.” You sit up quickly. The voice comes from right beside you. You turn to see Mara standing close enough that it feels like she’s been there longer than you’ve been awake. That familiar presence settles beside you, easy and casual, You feel an arm wrap around your shoulders without hesitation. Familiar in a way that makes the tension in your chest loosen before you can think about it. “dreaming about anything interesting?” she teases. “You certainly sounded like you were.” You blink, still half caught between sleep and something you can’t quite hold onto. Your thoughts slip for a second. Then words come out before you can stop them. “Oh… I was dreaming about a handsome man. He was so strong and sexy… I’ve never seen a man like him before.” A quiet pause…..your face warms instantly. “That explains the moaning then.” You shove her lightly, as your face goes a deeper red. For a moment, it almost feels normal... The wind shifts again-cool, steady. You turn your gaze back outward. The ocean below stretches impossibly far. Light fractures across its surface in scattered gold reflections, breaking and reforming with every wave.
“The golden lights of Austerea… do they live up to your expectations?” she asks. You exhale slowly. “They blow them out of the water. Every expectation I had.” you turn to look at her “Thanks for sneaking me out here. It’s the best name-day present I’ve ever had.” Mara shifts beside you, a small smile grows on her face “Given you’ve never had a name-day present before, I feel like the bar was tragically low… but I’ll take the win.” You let out a small laugh. It’s easy with her like this. Easy in a way that feels dangerous if you think about it too long. Your eyes drift down the cliff again. The ocean keeps moving like nothing else in the world matters. “How much did you have to bribe the cellar guard with the horrible little mustache to cover for us?” you ask. “I'll have you know that Colyn was quite reasonable once I explained the situation" puffing up her chest “And I think his mustache makes him look distinguished.” You snort. “Oh, so it’s like that now? Is “Colyn” the reason you came back last night wearing a shirt that wasn’t yours?” There’s a beat of silence. A quick laugh breaks the tension again, a little too fast to be casual. You smile anyway. Moments like this almost convince you life is simple. Normal almost….Almost. “Enough about that,” she says, brushing it off. “We should head back soon. The envoys from the Order of Arcanes will be arriving for your annual test.” Your stomach tightens slightly at the reminder. “Don’t remind me.” deflating into the tree. “Look on the bright side. If you make it to twenty without showing any signs of magic, you’ll be free to leave Wysteria and live a normal life.” You stare out at the ocean a little longer. Then your voice comes out quieter. “Yeah…Just one more year. Then I can finally build my dream home.” The image forms easily in your mind. A small cottage on the outskirts of town. A big yard. Space for animals running through the grass. laughter coming from everywhere. Full of people who want to stay. Not just pass through. “I don’t need anything fancy,” you continue. “Just somewhere that feels like mine that can't be taken away.” A soft stillness settles between you two. Truly believing you can make another year. “Can I come visit?” The question comes lightly, but there’s something behind it. You glance toward her. A ginormous smile forms before you answer. “Sounds like a plan, First drinks are on…..”