Shifting Sands (2)- A Spark Ignites

Welcome my friends to another round of Weekend Writing Warriors blog hop. As summer cools into autumn I’m preparing for cozy writing season with warm tea, blankets and fuzzy socks. And what better to add to the prime reading season, then these weekly 8-10 line snippets. Don’t forget to visit the rest of this week’s participants once you leave here. There’s something for everyone and it’s a perfect way to sample other writer’s work.

I’m introducing a new work in progress that’s been on the back burner for a while now. Last week we opened with Ambrose, a student Mage, as she competes in the Academy’s end of year practical examinations. We continue with the duel with a rival student Evi.

Snippet:
Evi stood opposite her with her dark oak emerald staff poised for the next attack. Usually, Ambrose would have an advantage over an Earth Mage like her, but her timing was off today. She even fumbled the simplest of protective barriers. But as Evi’s crooked smirk creased her lips, she imagined rubbing her flawless face into the dirt.

She moved her staff to the front of her body, inhaling to steady her nerves. They dueled against each other for five years and this final practical wasn’t anything special. She knew Evi used her speed to gain the advantage—which worked— considering how many times she ate dirt during this duel.
Another deep breath, she shifted her feet to prepare for the onslaught about to descend upon her.

Evi extended her staff, pointing the glowing emerald at her feet and made a spectacle of tapping the ground three times. She relaxed her shoulders, rubbing her palm over the translucent sandstone crowning her staff.

And to finish the scene:

The ground under her quivered; Evi was ready. Ambrose’s staff pulsated under her palm. Obeying the call she drags the tip across the arena floor as a fiery spark ignites at her feet.

It seems like Ambrosse isn’t ready to back down just yet. But will she have what she takes to win or will her magic fall flat? Until next time, stay safe my friends.

Potential Blurb:
In Umara, two races dominate the continent. Mages, those who possess the ability to harness magic, and Innocents, those who can’t. Never is this divide greater than the Kingdom of Ancients. Here the Mages serve the Gods while the Innocents serve the Mages.

Ambrose, a Mage at the prestigious Academy, struggles to reach the top academic ranks. Wanting a break from her studies she volunteers to escort an disgraced official through the campus to a secret meeting with the headmistress.  Little does she know he will set her on a dangerous path as she stumbles on the Council’s terrible new enterprise. 

Caught in the middle is Rebekah, a servant to the powerful Mage Chancellor, who dreams of her freedom beyond the sand dunes. However, Innocents are owned by their masters and few free their servants on their own accord. Chancellor Godfrey isn’t an exception. If she wants out, she’s on her own. But the Council halls hold deadly whispers and one misstep spells disaster.

Can both girls survive the desert and make it out of the kingdom alive? Or is their fate as precarious as the sand under their feet?