When I first saw her, it was during one of my nightly sojourns to the edge of the Enchanted Woods to escape the harshness of the camp.

She was dancing alone in a glade to the music of an unseen flute, gracefully weaving her headscarf around her as she twirled around. She was one of the fabled Sages, although I did not know it back then.

When she saw me, she danced closer to me, the light scent of fresh jasmine permeating my skin. Smiling coyly at me from behind her veil, she trailed her silken scarf out behind her, inviting me to take the other end.

I made a move for it but she pulled it up so that the threads just brushed my fingertips. I stumbled and fell as she laughed softly, like a tinkling of bells. She flicked the scarf into the air, teasing me.

As I got up and caught the scarf, she twirled even closer. It was then that I noticed that her silver-blue eyes were beautiful. The only way to properly describe them was to use the words ‘hauntingly-beautiful’. Though I ignored the sadness and melancholy I saw in them, I knew that that particular shade of silver-blue would haunt me for the rest of my life.

But our love was forbidden and tragic, like most stories with sad and poignant endings. Soon after we met, we found out we were each from factions who were at war with each other.

During the day, I could not think of anything else but her; she intruded in on my thoughts every minute. I would find every chance I could to linger about the edge of the Enchanted Woods where I first met her, hoping that she would come out from her sanctuary. I did not dare to set foot inside the Enchanted Woods – rumours were that the trees welcomed only Sages, those who could speak the language of elements.

Because I was a Man then, I was not a Sage. And because I was not a Sage, I did not speak the language of elements. And because I did not speak the unique language, I could not step into the Woods and still hope to live.

But my agony was healed every night. We would meet at the edge of the Woods and then run off into the lush, rolling plains. There she would teach me Sage-craft and I would teach her the art of combat. When the stars were bright, we would fall asleep together on a huge, flat stone that towered over the plains, snuggled against each other for warmth. Then when dawn came, we would go our separate ways, she returning to the Woods and me to my training camp.

In a few weeks’ time, I chose the element of Wind to be my unique power. I had to practise in secret, for if anyone saw me I would have been arrested for wizardry and conspiring with the Enemy.

Those were the innocent days.

When tensions started to rise between our factions, we each were called away to more and more Council of War meetings. Neither of us could stay for more than a few hours when we met each night.

That night, which would lead to that fateful day, we met and she said softly, ”We have to end this.”

I pleaded, ”We could always keep it a secret.”

”Then we would be living a lie…and sooner or later, someone would find out.” She avoided my eyes, and I saw her shoulders bobbing. I put my arms around her and gently drew her down beside me on the rock, murmuring that we would run away come morning.

That night, we tasted our forbidden love physically out on that rock, her cries echoing my grunts. We fell asleep in the afterglow of our lovemaking, our limbs tangled.

When dawn came, we parted once more. I was called to report to my supervisor once I stepped into the camp. I was dishevelled and sweaty from running back from the plains.

Without any preliminaries, my supervisor said, ”Are you mad? We are about to fight a war and you are dallying with one of the Enemy?”

”Nnn…no, Sir.” I stammered.

”I SAW YOU TOGETHER!” He bellowed and came around from behind his desk. ”I'm resigning you, Second Warrant Officer. LEAVE!” With that he tore off my medals.

Without a word, I walked out of the camp, not bothering with any of my belongings. I walked into the Woods, looking for her.

I saw her sitting on the roots of a grand tree, talking with a group of elders. When she saw me, she stood, excused herself and came over. We did not speak as we embraced. She had already heard the news and she understood my silence and need for vengeance. I was warmly welcomed into the Guild of Sages, as they called themselves.

And then one day we went to battle together. I returned; she did not.

I am Ketsby Gregaris Lonan, Wind Sage.

Let me tell you about her.

If I should die this very moment…

She wove her blue flames around her like a sword, her staff moving faster than the eye could see, acting like a shield against the blades and elements directed her way. Her silver-blue eyes smouldered with reflected light from her flames and her wrath knew no bounds.

And then she saw him; the crowd of fighting men and Sages parting like curtains. His face was a mask of pain as he deflected blow after blow from his attackers, once his own friends. For all his armour, it seemed like a few blows had connected with his weak spots, injuring him.

But now that her fiery temper was revealed, it would not be contained again.

She had to get to him. She had to save him.

Her anger surged like a cresting wave. Without a thought, she sent a fireball hurtling towards a warrior who was charging towards her. The blue flames splattered over his armoured chest with enough force that he flew backwards and landed a few metres away with a sickening ‘thud’, his head at an odd angle and his eyes glazed over.

Then she held out her staff horizontally in front of her and sang in a low voice, focusing her innate energies in the bronze-red crystal atop her staff. Blue flames flared into existence from the crystal, issuing forth to form an oversized shield. She paused a moment to contemplate using Teleportation, but then decided that it was far too risky with so many other elements present. In the realm of Telepathy, other elements that were in use moved at the speed of light and if she got caught in the line of fire, she would be dead faster than one could blink.

…I would not fear…

With a cry on her lips, she sprinted towards him, using her shield to plow her way through the battle. Many fled upon seeing her in the full glory of her wrath, and those who foolishly opposed her were burnt to ashes.

A stream of water suddenly caused her to back-pedal. Then it was directed straight at her. She leapt, twisting in mid-air to avoid it. As she landed in a crouch, she instinctively brought up her shield to protect herself. Her flaming shield hissed and spat angrily as the stream of water kissed it, hungrily quenching the flames. She groaned in pain as her element rushed back into her unprepared body, parching her insides. She fell to her knees in agony, eyes tightly squeezed shut as she fought to tame her wild Fire element.

Yet love compelled her mind to clear and refocus. Without thought, she levelled her staff at the enemy Water Sage. Scorching blue flames spiralled towards the gloating Sage and engulfed him. Faster than the fastest wind, he was dead.

She eyed the battlefield, dusty from the battle. A fit of coughing overtook her as her wild, restive element coursed through her body, ravaging her internal organs in both protest and the shock of suddenly being forced back into the small container of a body. She coughed up ruby-red blood and her chest heaved as she pulled herself up by her staff. Gritting her teeth against the protesting pain, she limped to him.

Stumbling the last few steps, she fell down beside him and lovingly took his hands in her own, resting his head on her lap. She sang the words of healing, infusing him with her element and restoring his damaged tissues.

…for I've never known completeness, like being here…

Even as he stood, she crumpled to the ground, curling up into a foetal ball, whimpering in pain. She coughed again, spitting out a mouthful of blood mixed with body fluids onto the dusty ground, staining it a deep crimson.

A shadow suddenly fell over them. He looked up to see a warrior who stood at least a full head taller than himself. The warrior wielded a blackened morning star the size of his foot and wore full-body armour.

He drew his sword, squaring off with the warrior. The warrior struck first, but not at where he had expected.

The morning star’s spikes bit deeply into her heaving chest and she screamed in shock, her back arching off the ground. The spikes lodged so deeply in her chest that when the warrior lifted the morning star to strike again, her ravaged body was pulled up along with the weapon by a few inches before flopping back onto the ground. The spikes gouged deep wounds in her chest cavity and he slammed the morning star into her wound again, this time causing her chest cavity to explode.

Before the warrior could strike the fatal blow, he moved, getting over the shock of the moment. With a gust of wind, he knocked the warrior away. ‘Knocked’ is perhaps too kind a word. The warrior slammed into a tree with so much force, the wood was splintered and the tree groaned in agony.

He sheathed his sword and picked her up carefully, cringing at the mess of red tissue and torn threads of her midnight-blue robes that was her chest wound. He allowed his much calmer element to flow into her, soothing her roiling element. When her breathing grew less ragged, he hugged her close and took off, heading for his home in the Enchanted Woods.

He moved through the battle with unnatural swiftness, dodging various weapons till he reached the edge of the Woods, where he changed into his element of Wind, streaking past the trees to the house where he called home.

…wrapped in the warmth of you…

Once in his home, he laid his beloved down tenderly on his bed, arranging the pillow so she would be comfortable. He sat beside her, stroking her limp hand and murmuring, ”Oh, my sweet Anikita, my dearest love…don’t leave me. I wouldn’t know what to do if you weren’t here…Wake up, Anikita…please…wake up.” His voice caught in his throat and he could speak no more.

She stirred and her eyes weakly fluttered open, ”Are the stars shining tonight, Ketsby?”

It was a greeting between the both of them and every time he had answered that they were. But this time Ketsby spoke gently, ”No, milady. They are in darkness, mourning the one who will die.”

Anikita’s lips parted and she choked out, ”I'm dying, aren’t I?”

”Shh…Save your breath.” He took her shoulders into his lap, holding back his tears and forcing a smile for her sake. A spasm shook her body, and in the silence of the afternoon, Ketsby could hear her heart skipping as she started to die.

…loving every breath of you.

Ketsby hugged her exhausted body tightly, trying to force some of his life force into her. Instead, he felt Anikita’s element flow into him, pulsing and strong.

”You mustn’t….” Ketsby said despairingly.

”There is only enough for you. You’re our last hope.”

”No, Anikita…I couldn’t survive without you….” He whispered, burying his head in her arms.

Why live life from dream to dream…

”All who are born, die. All who die are reborn. Such is the way of Life.” She quoted matter-of-factly, her breathing growing more and more ragged with each passing second.

”But I don’t know how to say goodbye.” Ketsby said brokenly, his tears finally starting to fall.

”Then don’t. Let’s just say ‘Till we meet again’.” Her eyes closed and she drew in a fluttery breath. Tenderly, her slender hand brushed his tears from his fair face. Ketsby took her hand in his and squeezed gently in answer.

When she reopened her silver-blue eyes, they were bright and she squeezed Ketsby’s hand tightly, ”Till we meet again, my Wind Sage, my Ketsby…my love.”

”Till we meet again, Anikita, my love…” He gathered her closer to him, her body already turning cold.

…and dread the day…

With an enigmatic smile on her lips, the youngest Fire Sage to have ever lived, died. Her eyes closed peacefully and her body went limp.

Ketsby let go of her body and stood a small distance away. It started as a gentle heat rushing through the room, then slowly built up to the crescendo of a full blaze on the body. The flames consumed Anikita’s body, returning her to the elemental realm.

A new, almost savage power surged through him as he stepped out of his home. It felt alien to hold the two conflicting elements of Wind and Fire within him at once, but the Fire element felt strangely familiar to him. The newer Fire element had Anikita’s fierceness as she did battle and yet at the same time, it had her sensuality and coyness when she danced.

He smiled despite his tears, eyeing the road that led back to the battle. It was not over. This battle was part of a war that would most likely outlast him. It would not even be his fight soon.

But he chose to make it his fight. Not for himself, but for Anikita, the woman who so strongly believed that he was going to rebuild the Guild of Sages once the war was over.

Ketsby started to run down the road and back to the battle.

He had many other Sages to protect and save if he was ever to fulfil Anikita’s fondest wish.