The darkness only seemed black when stared directly into. In his peripheral vision, he could see the black fading, even lighting as far as a white-grey. The edges caused a slight sensation of vertigo and displacement however, blurring in that manner. He appeared almost to be at the edge of a tunnel viewing the darkness before him that way. Severe nausea creeping through him, he kept his attention on the area before him; yet without his conscious consent, his mind continued to drift back to the odd phenomena plaguing his sight.

Growing ever more frustrated, though it was not his usual nature, he spat out, "What do you see?"

Seated before him in a relaxed pose, the elderly man ignored the question posed by the restless adolescent and cast more scented herbs on the fire; the flames bellowing up and sparking various colours. Jasmine and Sandlwood filled the air. The boy took this as his cue to silence and directed his attention to the brightly coloured fire; it was the only other thing visible besides the old man's cowled and shadowed form and the withered hands illuminated by the strange shimmers of light. Perhaps it was not even the fire that allowed him that sight, for not even the ground was visible beneath the wood.

"You see the colours?" He almost didn't hear the ancient mage, captivated as he was by the swirling flames and flickers of the magically brightened fire.

"Yes," he breathed quietly, lest he disturb the flames, his eyes never leaving the flickering light. "Four colours. The divine ones dance along the wood, leaving trails of blue, green, violet and gold within the deep red to scorch the limbs to ash."

The old man nodded, and the boy knew he was pleased. "You know the lore."

"I am well versed."

"You must be for who and what you are." The old man's voice grew misty and distant again as he stared once more into the fire instead of at the child seated before him.

He hesitated before asking the question he'd wanted to know for so long. "And who, or what, am I?"

"The Fire."

Crimson eyes closed slowly with the enormous revelation. "What if I am not strong enough?" he whispered to the old man, fear tinging his voice.

"Darkness."

Eyes opened again, determination and confidence dancing in the crimson depths. "What must I do?"

"You must draw them and keep them together. Face their hardships with them and be strong for them. You will be the backbone and the vanguard, their power and their heart."

"And if I cannot do this?"

"Darkness."

"What is the darkness?"

"Something you must all eventually face when it is time. But it is not time yet to know." The old man waved a hand over the fire and the colours changed to silver and gold.

"What do you see?"

"A town. South."

"Where?"

"I know not. By the sea bordering the jungle and the grass. The mountains to the east and enemies to the west."

The boy nodded, understanding that names had no meaning to the fire. The man threw more herbs onto the fire and it once again shimmered with the four colours of the Powers intwined within the deep red heat.

"How will I know them?"

"Like will recognise like. You will be drawn to them."

"But what if I am wrong?"

The old man shook his head. "I know nothing more than what the fire wills."

He nodded again. "What hardships shall we face?"

"To each his own destiny forged with the others to overcome it. The Air will seek triumph. For Water, solace. The Aether will seek knowledge. And the Earth… the Earth shall need Fire and Fire shall need Earth to face the darkness. For the Earth is your strength and weakness and Fire shall not survive without Earth."

The crimson eyes widened. "So I need Earth to face the darkness?"

"Fool." He drew back at this callous remark."You shall need all to face the darkness; to merely survive, you will need Earth. Without the others you shall both fall prey to the Wolf and the Falcon's tamers."

The boy froze as he heard this. "The Tamer of Wolf and Falcon? No, it cannot be!" His eyes widened and he shifted backwards, as if fearing the old man's words would mainfest from the fire. "Even with all five, the Dark Lord is immortal! We cannot face him!"

The old man shook his head. "Such little faith in what you are," he whispered sadly. Looking back up his eyes were visible as chips of ice within his cowl."The darkness will be faced when it must. You must decide if you shall be victorious, or if you shall fall." The old mage clapped his hands and the fire disappeared along with him.

The grey faded into his vision again, darkening and shifting to a deep navy blue as stars slowly made their reappearance with the silver of the wanning moon. Still the boy sat and stared at the place where he had been visited by the greatest mage in history.

"A vision," he whispered aloud to the wind. "My destiny."

Quickly the boy gathered his belongings; folding his bebdroll and blankets. He doused the small fire he'd kept alight for warmth in the cold barren desert at night. Making sure he had everything in his pack before pulling on his cloak and scarf, he buckled on his sword belt and tucked his daggers securely into their sheaths, fastening his sheathed sword properly to its leather straps.

"South," he murmured as he set off, trotting quickly over the wastelands; following the path of the stars. "By the sea, bordering the jungle and grass, mountains to the east, enemies to the west. A quest. I have finally been granted with a quest." His faint smile of excitement faded as he contemplated the severity of the situation he was still in; stuck in the middle of the Forbidden Desert still hunted by fierce nomads after so long in exile.

Still, I must carry on.