Chosen by Stone

As I walked down the seemingly endless road leading to Sonaro, I could not help but think that it would all soon be over, that I could finally put all the troubles I had faced and the things I had done over the past year or so behind me, and return to the relative normality of my life before. With the grand silhouette of the royal palace appearing before me in the distance, I felt my cheeks tighten as a smile crept onto my face. I unknowingly began to dash as quickly as I could towards the city gates. But no matter how fast I ran, desperately trying to move forward, the gates never got any closer. It was then that I realized that I was still stuck, and there was nothing I could do.

My name is Eli Sparks. I was born on August 8, 2094 in Sonaro, the great capital of Forstilus. Some people call it “The Imbued Realm” because we Forstiluns are known for our affinity with all aspects of the natural world, from having the best healers to the most skilled of magic users. But what we are more famous for is having the last surviving branch of the fablers, an ancient order of protectors sworn to preserve the sanctity of the realms, still operating within our walls. The fablers are guided by The Fable, a magical book that relates to them the natural order of things – the way things need to be kept to maintain balance in the universe. When a change occurs, as supposedly inevitable as it is, The Fable reveals the steps that must be taken to return things to an equilibrium, preventing an imbalance of forces that would otherwise cause chaos and darkness to descend.

It was on my 18th birthday that my adventure began. My uncle, King Selwyn Sparks, throws a party each year on August 8 in the grand ballroom for all in the city who are 18 years of age, both as a celebration as well as to identify the next suitable candidates to join the fablers. You see, becoming a fabler is not as simple as signing up for the Battle Quest team in school. Only two people are selected each year by the Imbued Stone (it glows when the someone suitable touches it), to train under the wing of the fablers. When they turn 20, they are tested to see if they are worthy to become full-fledged fablers. All my life, I had been told that I was destined to be a fabler, because my birthday coincided with the selection day. So when it was my turn to approach the Stone, I was filled with the dual fear that I might disappoint my family should I not be chosen or that I would be compelled to join the ancient order and leave them for two years.

Slowly, I walked with the poise and posture that had been drilled into me since I was a little boy, making my way towards a dull gray slab that had been placed in front of Uncle. As my hand made contact with the Stone, its drably surface started to emit rays of light in all directions, turning it into a brilliant white. It was decided. I would be joining the fablers as an apprentice. All that was left was to see which other person the Stone would pick. After waiting for seemed like forever, the final person in line went to the Stone and touched it. She was Athena Emmon, daughter of Amelia Emmon, the one responsible for the technology that runs the city. Everyone in the room waited for it to glow, because there was no one left but her. At first, the Stone remained gray as her eyes. Then, it went into a flickering luminescence before arriving at full glow.

Most people were glad that Athena was picked but I could see a hint of doubt in the eyes of Commander Wolfson, the leader of the Fablers, as was also present in those of Uncle and my father, Seamus Sparks.

Athena and I were then brought to the center of the room, where Uncle formally announced our apprenticeship with the fablers, which was followed by the commencement of the ball. Step by step, word by word, I got to know more about Athena and she I. In many respects, we were very similar: we both graduated from Sonaro Academy, the premier institution for the brightest sparks of Forstilus (at least that’s what the ad said); we had both lost a parent in The Shift; and we were both raised with high expectations from our parents. Our main difference was in how she had never managed to escape the shadows of her mother’s success, while I had always been in the public light.

We were both stoked about joining the fablers, as it would present us the opportunity to create a name for ourselves while training under the highly respected protectors of realms. Who could say no to learning how to fight, living on an island floating in the sky and, of course, going on amazing quests!

As the festivities wound down, I noticed Commander Wolfson, Uncle and Father secretly engaged in a conversation at a corner in the hallway. I could not make out what they were saying, but I did hear Wolfson raise his voice saying the things would not end well. In my mind, this was a sign that something bad was to happen, uncertain as I was about the situation.

Returning to my room on the top floor, I saw that my bags had already been packed, ready for my journey that was about to begin. I would be going to Fabler Island while my brother Eddie and sister Evelyn, both 16 years old, stayed behind in the palace with Father.

When the sun rose the next morning, a crowd had gathered at the palace entrance where Athena and I awaited the arrival of the transport that would bring us to what would be our home for the next two years. As the massive skyship pulled out on road, I said my goodbyes to my family while Athena simply boarded because her mother was not there.

With a heavy heart, we lifted off the ground and were on our way…