Sensitive Content Synopsis

Pages 43-50: The Blacksand Raid

The Sparks of Daybreak is a story about hope, joy, redemption, and the beauty of life, but it involves some dark scenes along the way.

Synopses of these scenes will be provided for readers who don’t want to miss out on important story moments while avoiding distressing content.

Spoiler Warning: If you are reading this story in real time as it’s being released, this synopsis contains spoilers for upcoming pages. Proceed at your own risk.

Page 43:

• Fekkri’s mom recognizes the sound: Outsiders.
• She tells Fekkri to wait by the tree, dropping the waterproof dome spell and using magic to transform into a large bird that resembles a cissa.
• As Fekkri’s mom flies away, Fekkri protests: he promised to help Rikken. But she’s already gone.
• Fekkri steels his resolve and begins to run back towards home.
• As Fekkri is running, a cannonball rips through the woods, whizzing overhead in a storm of shrapnel. One piece of shrapnel slams into a nearby tree, pinning a severed hand against the trunk. Fekkri is frightened by the sight, but continues to run home.

Page 44:

• Fekkri arrives on a hill overlooking the kite towers. A battle is ongoing: the nomads are under attack by pirates armed with blades, muskets, and pistols. Several of the kite towers are ablaze.
• A few scenes from the raid are shown, showing brief glimpses of destruction, death, and distress. One of these scenes suggests that Fekkri’s rescued bird was killed.
• Fekkri spots Rikken and their dad, standing their ground together against attackers. They’re protected by magical shields - presumably his dad’s magic, based on their appearance.

Page 45:

• Fekkri’s mom swoops onto the battlefield from above, reverting to her normal human form as she lands. Without missing a beat, she casts a spell that empowers Fekkri’s dad, and he goes on the offensive, striking several gruesome blows against nearby pirates.
• Fekkri’s mom uses magic to conjure a glowing dragonfly, which she places into Rikken’s hands, causing him to turn invisible. She tells him to run and not to let go of the bug. She then turns and joins the battle.
• From the shadows, someone watches Rikken go invisible and tracks his movements through the rain: the same shoebill pirate who spotted Fekkri at the market earlier. He fires a bola snare launcher at Rikken.

Page 46:

• In spite of his invisibility, the bola snare catches Rikken’s ankles. Rikken releases the dragonfly as he trips, and the invisibility fades.
• Rikken notices Fekkri at the edge of the battlefield. He also sees that nearby pirates have spotted him, since he’s no longer invisible.
• Rikken uses a knife to cut himself free of the bola snare, then stands up and prepares to fight the pirates as an act of bravery, suggesting that Fekkri will help him.
• Fekkri pleads with Rikken to flee. When he doesn’t, Fekkri begins to run into the battle to join him, clutching his magical focus amulet.

As Fekkri nears the battlefield, he triggers a wire snare trap.

Page 47:

• Fekkri is hoisted into the air by the trap. Jangling bells alert nearby pirates of his presence, and some of them split off to approach him.
• Fekkri manages to partially untangle himself from the trap, but is unable to free his tail. He tries to cut the wire with his knife, to no avail; it’s steel.
• Pirates close in on Fekkri. He looks once more at the amulet, then to the sky, and stands up to face the pirates.

Page 48:

• Fekkri draws breath and attempts to focus. He hopes that harnessing magic will help him become strong and brave.
• Fekkri holds the earring to his temple, waits for the flash of lightning, and unleashes his fury with a scream.

Page 49:

• Nothing happens. The pirates balk momentarily, then realize there is no danger, and continue to close the distance.
• Rikken encourages Fekkri to forget about magic and use his knife.
• Fekkri draws his knife and, for a moment, prepares to defend himself from the approaching pirates. As they close in, however, fear overtakes him. He shouts an apology to Rikken, and holds the knife to his own tail, preparing to cut himself free of the trap.

Page 50:

• Fekkri frees himself from the trap by cutting off his tail, then runs away into the woods, shouting apologies as Rikken is overtaken by pirates behind him.
• Fekkri’s escape is suddenly halted when the shoebill pirate appears and grabs him. The shoebill holds Fekkri aloft and asks where he got the amulet.