[Dated a year previous to the current date]

Today is my fifteenth nameday, and I faced it well.  I had no idea of what to expect, but it was better than I had hoped.  Even if I did feel terrified at moments.  My mother gifted me with this journal, so I could practice my writing.  The village's schoolmaster said my penmanship is already good, and could be exquisite with practice.  What good that will do me within the village… I do not know yet.  But it least gives me something to practice.  Other than having to hide. Maker bless me, but I am still scared.  But I will write on the good things first.  Father presented me with a beautiful shawl in a deep blue, the fabric is something I've never felt.  He said it comes from a place across the sea, and the fabric is called 'silk'.  He also promised that the next time he travels to Adeluna, I will go with him as another part of my present.  I have always wanted to see more of the world, and I cannot wait.  This book will definitely go with me.  My older brother and his wife found me a pair of  riding boots, which will be very handy when it snows.

The feast was wonderful, I think most of the village was there.  I think Father is still hoping for a match with someone in the village.  Most of the boys my age danced with me.  But I could that their parents whispering when they thought I wasn't looking.  And I know why.  Ever since the old school house burned down after… after those two boys tried to hurt me behind it.  Everyone seems to think I'm a witch or something, though I've never done anything else to prove that right.  But… I can make things catch fire.  It frightens me.  I don't know where it comes from, though I am slowly learning how to control it.  I can only hope that I can keep this… power under control.  I don't want to hurt anyone else.

[Current Date]
Oh how little has changed in a year.  I am still matchless, which I am oddly fine with.  Though I wish the reason was something else.  Only a few days after my nameday feast, a call to arms went out, and most of the young men in the village left to fight in a war.  We received news a few days ago that the war has ended, and that at least some of our people will be returning.  Everyone is on edge, as every household sent someone to fight in this… Godslayer War.

Liam returned a few weeks ago, recovering from a broken leg.  He has refused to speak of what happened, but I can only hope that my brother won't be the only one coming back.  There is something of his old self coming back though when he realized what day it was getting close to being.  He promised to have something even better for me this year, though in truth I'm just glad to have him home.  His wife is one of the few that either doesn't believe or doesn't care about the rumors, and I've been helping her with my little niece for the year that my brother was gone.

Hm, another messenger just rode by the house.  We're on the outskirts of town, so we know of whomever comes here first.  Time to go investigate, I think.  Hopefully it is good news.

A week has passed, and it is almost my nameday again.  And the gift from my brother… I could not have imagined it.  I've heard of such little creatures before, but I never imagined I would have my hands on one.  He found me a familiar.  Liam told me that the men in his unit were scavenging for rations, armor, weapons, whatever would keep them going.  He told me that he found it curled over the body of its master on a battlefield, and he felt sorry for the little fiery creature.  Somehow, he kept it alive until he came home.  He said something about keeping a torch nearby at all times, but I don't think that's the whole story.  But I don't want to ask Liam, I can tell he's still haunted by the horrible things he must have seen.

For now, the little creature is curled up by my fire.  It takes on the form of a fox, though it does not have a name yet.  We've spoken a little, and it showed me how to bind it to me.  I had to cut my palm, and let it feed on my blood.  That way it always knows my essence.  I need to pick it out a name, though for now I am very content to watch my familiar.  All the colors I know of fire ripple through its form, and it's even let me pet it.

I feel a little fear though… from the bit I know about familiars (Liam recovered the sorcerer's journal too) they only bind themselves to people powerful in a particular element.  Or those who have the potential.  So… that means my ability to use fire magic isn't full developed yet.  I have to learn more.  I need to learn control, and how to use it.  I can't lose control again, like when I burned down the schoolhouse.  Maybe my familiar will be able to help me?  I can ask it again after we've both rested.  And after I name it.  Hm…

Keegan likes his name, and with that, he's started to develop a personality.  He knows when he needs to hide, and I can always feel where he is.  It still scares me though… magic of any kind has always been regarded with suspicion in the Highlands.  But it has popped up every now and again.  Mother told me about her grandmother, she was able to do a bit of magic related to healing and earth.  She said that's why this village's crops always grew well.  And they still do, partly because my mother honors her ways. 

My nameday is tomorrow.  And I will be sixteen winters old.  I am starting to think I might be better off leaving this village.  I know there is a whole world out there, and I want to see it.  And maybe I can find someone that will help me learn of my magic.  How to hide it, and how to use it better.  Keegan has told me about some of the places that he's seen with some of his former masters.  One place sounds so amazing, a floating city!  But it is over on the other continent… Parvpora.  There is an airship that could take me there… perhaps I can ask Father if he knows about it. 

It's time to sleep though, Keegan's been helping me learn a little bit of how to control fire.  I can keep it from catching things on fire, so I can help a little if the situation happens.  I'm looking forward to learning more… but the potential scares me too.  I guess I will just have to see what happens.

Another year has passed, so little time but so many things have changed.  Today is my eighteenth nameday, and I am finally making a dream of mine come true.  I made it happen, I did not wait for someone to help me.  I boarded the airship in Egjora, and I've already seen more in the past few days than in all my years.  I've come such a long way already, but there is still a long way to go.  I am currently headed to Iria to enter the mage college there, and I have a special apple from my friend.  I've not yet decided to use it, but I know I will make the right choice.

I've taken charge of my life, finally.  I've left behind that dreadful little village, with only a few regrets.  To make things brief, and to remember everything, I found a lovely piece of jewelry that turned out to have the conscience of a demon inside it.  It guided me to other pieces of jewelry with himself in it, and I found one of the final pieces in Kurayo.  And it was there I also met Xunatar.  He is quite the interesting character, and I'm glad to consider him a friend and mentor.  I found the final piece near Jasumin Lake, another place I would have never seen had I not left my home.  And it was there I wrestled with the demon, once I found out his plan.  Little pieces of him had been hidden within the gems, and now that I had found all of them, he wanted to consume my body and make it his own.

Well, needless to say, that did not happen.  Thanks to Xunatar's warnings, I had enough warning.  I subdued him instead, and now…  well, I'm not entirely sure what I am.  But my talent for fire is much greater now, and I've been experimenting with psionics as well.  And I've learned to disguise what the demon's essence did to me, which makes traveling much easier.  Having horns does make one stand out a bit. 

Time for sleep though.  I had a pleasant dinner on the deck of the airship for my birthday, and in two days we will be in Iria.  And from there, I have much to do.  But there will be time plenty for plans and schemes now.