I am their only hope. I hope everyone back home can understand why I have done what I have done. Once this story reaches them, my purpose will surely be fulfilled. I can only hope that I shall succeed…

* * *

My name is Moneesika Myre. If you are reading this, my story has finally reached you. Please take the time to read this and do not shun me. My story is anything but fictional.

I suppose I should start at the beginning…

* * *

“Moneesika! Moneesika!” A little girl came running into the ally that Moneesika called home.

“Yes, what is it, Annaleisa?” the girl called Moneesika scrambled to get around. It was just after sunrise, and Moneesika was in the middle of her daily ‘hygiene’ routine. That meant getting up, getting dressed, and splashing some muddy puddle water on herself to get ‘clean.’

“There is an old man waiting just outside the alley! He demands to see you, Moneesika.”

Moneesika finished her routine, and came out of her small makeshift house. She turned around, hand on hips, and looked at her home. There was dirty clothing that she had made herself out of scraps in one corner, and a few jars that contained dried-out food in the other. The house itself was made from empty containers and pieces of wood scrap.

“I’m going down there to see what’s up. Do not follow me, Annaleisa.”

“Yes, Moneesika.”

Moneesika turned and walked to the end of the alley. As she looked around, she realized that the man could be a palace guard, sent to kick her out of the alley. But, all she could do was hope that he wasn’t.
She got to the end of the alley in a matter of minutes. There was an old man dressed in rags, shaking, standing before when she reached the end.

“Please,” he said in a voice no more than a whisper, “Please take my secret.”

“What secret?” Moneesika demanded briskly. She had no time for nonsense. She had to go clean up her home, make more clothes, and ‘borrow’ some more food!

“Please,” he said in that whisper-voice, “Come with me.” The look in his eyes was so pleading that Moneesika followed him into a lavish home. Moneesika wondered if it was his. After seeing him dressed in rags so much like hers, she had assumed he lived like her.

But this was not the case.

“Please,” he repeated, “Hear my story.” The pleading look in his eyes came back.

“Fine,” Moneesika said in the same brisk tone, “But make it quick.”

“Very well,” the man said. And so he began.

“Once, long ago, there were a line of magic people called mages, or magi. They were here long before man like we know today. They looked like us, only they could control things such as the elements. When man as we know arrived, they shunned the magi. One by one, we began to pick off their kind.

“In the year 986, we had the ultimate war with the magi and wiped them off completely. Or so we thought.”

“As it turned out, four of the magi had survived the attack, two women, and two men. Now, there are still magi in society today, even if they don’t know it. We, being the magi who know that is what we are, try to pick them out. You are one of them, Moneesika.”

Moneesika’s mouth was hanging open. Her eyes were wide, and she was shaking her head rapidly. It was obvious that this old man was quite insane.

The old man put a hand on her shoulder. Moneesika shrugged it off.

“Just try it. Try to start a fire in the fireplace. Jut concentrate on fire being in it.”

Moneesika didn’t see a point, but seeing as this man was stark raving mad, and could be dangerous, she decided to try anyway.

She closed her eyes, and concentrated. When she opened them again, there was…nothing in the fireplace. That proved the man was mad.

She tried again. She concentrated on nothing but what she was trying to do. First, she felt an intense pain in her head. She opened her eyes, and… there was fire in the fireplace!

Moneesika began shaking her head rapidly again. The man must have started the fire while she had her eyes closed.


To Be Continued…