Entry 15: A trial by fire

by Hayley Thomas

Dear diary,

The night at Caern Fussil passed quietly, giving us a much-needed break from our eventful journey. Over breakfast, Luke buzzed with excitement, sharing his conversation with Amarra from the evening before. She had performed a ritual on him that revealed his strong connection to the element of fire and the feywild. This surprised him since most people are linked to two elemental planes, not just one.

Intrigued by his experience, I agreed to undergo the ritual myself. My results weren’t surprising, revealing only a singular connection, in my case to the element of air. As I pondered the implications, Luke mentioned he’d been offered the opportunity to take the test of fire to join the tower as an apprentice. He asked for our help, and we eagerly agreed.

The test turned out to be less challenging than anticipated. In the first room, a puzzle awaited us, but we swiftly cracked it, opening the door to the next chamber. There, time was not on our side, as lava began to creep into the room. I quickly rearranged the ice crystals to block the flow while Luke blasted the frozen doorway with his fire magic. With teamwork, we passed the test in no time.

Amarra seemed pleased with our performance during the test, and Luke was clearly elated. He said he’d consider returning to Caern Fussil as an apprentice, especially given his strong connection to fire magic. As a token of appreciation, Amarra gifted him a few scrolls.

Well-rested, with full stomachs and the success of the test lifting our spirits, we set off toward Keralon. The journey took most of the day, and as we neared the city, the road grew increasingly busy. I’d never seen so many people in one place, and we weren’t even inside the city walls yet!

With the sun dipping toward the horizon, we decided to stay the night at an inn, unable to reach the gates before dark. Elsa and Edward, worn out from the long walk, lagged behind, clearly missing the comfort of their cozy carriage.

The inn we chose, the Southroad Tavern, was a bustling place filled with travelers. Brok, the innkeeper, greeted us warmly, especially after we booked all his available rooms. The price was steep, but I’d expected nothing less this close to Keralon.

As we savored dinner and a complementary slice of cake for dessert, our attention was drawn to a group of men at the next table. They whispered furtively, their voices low, as they studied a flyer. Curious, I sent Fiachna to eavesdrop, but the best she could glean was that the men were discussing something about the Freehold Guild. The mention of a guild was alarming, considering that any such organization had been banned here since the revolt against the crown a hundred years ago. The crown's crackdown on guilds and magical items was well-known.

We decided not to meddle in their affairs, choosing instead to focus on our own quandary: how to manage our magical items within Keralon, where they were strictly prohibited. The group debated various options, but I kept quiet, as my intention was to keep my dagger, regardless of the rules.

Unable to reach a firm conclusion, we called it a night, determined to rise early the next morning and finally reach our destination. Keralon awaited us.

14th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

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Entry one: The trials

Entry two: The bramble

Entry 3: Rosebloom

Entry 4: Hearts and Dreams

Entry 5: of ghosts and wolves

Entry 6: Hillfield and Deals with Fae

Entry 7: mysteries and pastries

Entry 8: The scarecrow ruse
6th of Lug, 121 Year of the Tree

Entry 9: A betrayal of satyrs
7th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 10: The fate of twins
8th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 11: Cursed twins
10th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 12: Loss and despair
11th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Hayley's rules to being a Witch

Entry 13: the price of safety
12th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 14: A golden cage and fiery tower
13th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 15: A trial by fire
14th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 16: Keralon
15th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Letter to Luke 1

Letter to Luke 2

Letter to Luke 3

Letter to Luke 4

Letter to Luke 5

Letter to Luke 6

Entry 17: I shall wear midnight
1st of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 18: peace in our time
2nd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 19: Caern Fussil falls
3rd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 20: I see fire
4th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 21: Cultists twarted
10th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 22: Ravensfield
14th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 23: The Hollow Hill Horror
15th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 24: Burn your village
16th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 25: Ravensfield burns
17th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 26: There will be blood!
21st of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 27: A happy reunion
22nd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 28: The embassy ball
23rd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 29: The fate of Robert Talespinner
24th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 30: A royal summons
28th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 31: of Dogville and Geese
29th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 32: A boggle named Pim
30th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 15: A trial by fire

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