The Girl Who Walked Through Fire

by Dana Gricken

  The Darkwoods

  Elara took a good look around the Darkwoods, growing more paranoid by the second. It was a large forest, only slightly smaller than the Beyondlands, with black trees and dead flowers. No sunlight found its way into the forest, and the sky was a sea of darkness and clouds. Out of the corner of her eye, Elara could see blurry shadows pass by her quickly, as hissed whispers spoke directly into her ears. She clung tightly to the sword Fane had given her, willing to use it if she had to.

  “This is the Darkwoods,” Sheba began, as they continued to walk through the tainted land. “Here we are in Death Valley, the most wicked city in all of Galea. Countless atrocities are performed here daily, including rituals, sacrifices, and curses.”

  “What is that?” Elara asked in disgust; nodding towards the black, tar-like substance running through the forest in a thin stream.

  “We call it The Black River. The water here is tainted with the darkness of Malefica magic and lost souls. It leads to the Sea of Skulls, a frightening ocean of bones and blood. Beside it lies a place called The Deep – the furthest reaches of the Darkwoods – where spirits can consume your very soul.”

  Elara shivered, swearing she could hear conversations as she walked by. They were too low to understand.

  “Do you hear the voices, my child?” Sheba asked, and Elara nodded. “They are the spirits the dark witches conjure. They are the lost souls of old dragons and witches who fell to hatred and anger. They feed off of fear and paranoia. Do not indulge them, my dear.”

  They walked through the forest trees quickly, as Elara dodged the shadows of the malicious spirits. Up ahead, in a forest clearing, came a bright, white light – but it was not comforting.

  “It’s there that they have taken your girl, my child,” Sheba said quietly, pointing towards the campsite. “There appears to be a summoning.”

  Elara and Sheba watched from a distance as the dark tribe of witches chanted and huddled in a circle, around a blazing campfire. It appeared to be some sort of a ritual. Elara noticed Mayliss was placed in the center of it all and looked scared to death.

  “Oh dear,” Sheba began, and Elara dreaded what she was going to say next. “I think perhaps they’re using your little dragon girl in the sacrifice. This is why they were in the Velona Forest. She was being purified for the ritual.”

  “Stop!” Elara yelled, peering out from behind the tree and dashing over to where the ritual was taking place.

  Sheba soon followed, trying to keep up with her cane. The small tribe of witches stopped their ritual, surprised that someone had dared to step into the Darkwoods. Bella was impressed by Elara’s valor.

  Elara could feel the old spirits around her, clawing at her thoughts. She resisted them as hard as she could, by focusing and refusing to give into the fear. Bella frowned at the failed attempt to torture her.

  “Ellie!” Mayliss cried, once she realized it was her.

  “You’re an unusual one,” Bella began, and Elara tried not to think about her ever-growing headache. “I sense much power inside of you for a human.”

  “It’s because she’s not a human, but a Dragonwitch,” Sheba explained.

  “Is that so?” Bella asked, chuckling. “We’ve all heard the little tale of the Dragonwitch. Is that why you’ve come where you’re unwanted, Sheba? To use the Dragonwitch to kill us all?”

  “I only came for Mayliss,” Elara began, “And I’m not leaving without her.”

  “Oh, but I disagree,” Bella replied, gesturing towards the little dragon girl. “She’s just what we need for our offering to Kyros. His return is sooner than you think.”

  With a sweeping red mist, Bella conjured up a mighty evil spirit to break Elara’s willpower. Elara winced in pain and fell to her knees, as the spirit forced itself deeper into her mind. She was losing the battle.

  “Enough!” Sheba called out, but Bella refused to relent. “End this torture now or you will unleash a beast even scarier than you.”

  “And what do you plan to do, old woman?” Bella asked, mocking her. “You’re only a fraction of the witch you used to be.”

  A powerful wind suddenly emanated from the forest, and Elara feared a tornado was on the rise. She turned her head slightly, still under the influence of the spirit, when she saw Sheba transform into a younger-looking, almost angelic being. Her eyes glowed red and her hands grew lightning bolts.

  “I am the Grand Witch,” Sheba began, and her voice had transformed into something deeper and more menacing. “I speak under the authority of The Source. Leave now and return the dragon girl to us. Free Elara from the torments of your evil spirits. Failure to comply will result in your immediate termination.”

  The witches wasted no time as they scurried away deeper into the Darkwoods. All that remained was their campfire, discarded clothing, and Mayliss. Elara gasped as the evil spirit abandoned her, and she turned around to see Sheba still in her younger form.

  “You’re the Grand Witch?” Elara asked, rising to her feet. “Tavia told me about the legend. She didn’t think it was true.”

  Sheba’s eyes flickered as she returned to a seemingly innocent elderly woman. “The legend is true, my child. I have lived among the Miracari for many decades, disguised as an elderly woman, but I am as old as Mythania. I regenerate and change bodies to continue living upon this earth. I have been waiting for you all this time.”

  “Ellie!” Mayliss cried, as she ran into Elara’s arms and they embraced each other.

  “You’re safe now, Mayliss,” Elara said, but Mayliss shook her head.

  “But I saw daddy kill mommy. What’ll happen now?” Mayliss asked, as her big golden eyes peered into Elara’s brown ones.

  “I don’t know,” Elara replied, honestly. “But I swear to you that I’ll make things right again. Everything will be okay.”

  Sheba gestured back towards the path. “We should return to Deniva, my child. The Darkwoods is not a place to be tardy. But I must ask that you – both of you – keep my true identity a secret. I lurk in the shadows, my dear, and it must remain that way.”

  Elara and Mayliss nodded, as the three of them made their way out of the evil forest. Elara had seen enough of the Darkwoods for a lifetime.

  BY THE TIME ELARA, Mayliss, and Sheba had returned to Deniva, dawn had fallen upon the sky which produced a warm, orange glow over the city. Tavia had returned as well, informing Aria that she had arrived safely. The dragons and witches were hard at work, preparing their fighting skills for the battle ahead. They couldn’t afford to be weak or vulnerable.

  Fane was busy sparring with a fellow dragon and was dodging and throwing punches. He was sweaty and out of breath, realizing just how little exercise he’d had in his pre-transition form. Fane heard Elara’s voice and turned around quickly to get a better look. As soon as he let his guard down, he was tackled by his opponent. Fane shrugged it off, cursing under his breath to be more careful next time, but he couldn’t help how his mind always focused on her. Fane admitted defeat and walked over to Elara, who was handing Mayliss to Aria.

  “Fane!” Mayliss screeched, hugging Fane’s legs.

  Fane nearly fell over as the young girl leaped at him. “It’s good to see you too, Mayliss.”

  Mayliss let go and looked up at Elara, adoringly. “Sheba told me that there’ll be a great battle. Dragons and witches will come together again to fight the evil knighted men and the mean Fallen Ones! Can I join?”

  Elara bent down to Mayliss’ level, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I don’t think so, Mayliss. You could get hurt.”

  “But I can help!” Mayliss cried. “Just watch – I can be a dragon, too!”

  Mayliss tried her hardest to transition into a dragon as her ears and tail grew larger, but it was only for a few seconds until they quickly shrunk back down. Disappointed, she gave up, sighing.

  “I’ll never learn how to be a dragon, will I?”

  “Don’t give up, Mayliss. You have to believe before you try. You’ll get
there one day,” Elara replied as she stood back up, motioning towards Aria. “I’d like you to stay here with Aria for a little while, okay? Camena isn’t safe right now, and I want to make sure you’re protected.”

  “And then after, can we play hide and seek?”

  “Yes, Mayliss. In fact, we can play many games of hide and seek,” Elara smiled, looking around at her friends. “All of us can.”

  Mayliss giggled and jumped up and down excitedly before Aria escorted her into a nearby home where she wouldn’t get in the way of training.

  “How was your journey? What were the Darkwoods like?” Fane asked after they were alone. “I’m relieved to see that you survived.”

  “The Darkwoods isn’t a place I’d like to go on vacation,” Elara replied, shaking her head. “It’s pure evil. I can’t describe how awful it felt.”

  “You did very well for a beginner, my child,” Sheba began. “With time, your abilities will improve, and no spirit will be able to control you, my dear.”

  “Have you heard anything about Hadrian?” Elara asked. “Do you know if he’s all right?”

  Fane shook his head. “We’ve heard nothing, Bria. Don’t worry too much. He’s the son of a King, after all. I doubt they’d hurt him.”

  The distant sound of galloping horses began to get closer until a small group of unfamiliar warriors stood in the middle of Deniva. Aria exited her home to see what the noise was and fumed once she recognized who was standing in front of her.

  “Is that you, Aldrick Leone? The Departed are not welcome here!” Aria spat, pointing her finger at the tribe of ex-witches. “We have no place for those who hate our people – especially when they used to live by our side. Don’t test me, Aldrick.”

  One elderly man who was heavily coated in armor - who Elara guessed was the leader of The Departed - clutched the sword that sat on his hip. It reminded Elara of the same one the Grey Knights carried. He sneered at Aria, shaking his head.

  “Listen, I don’t really care what you want, Aria,” The elderly man said, as he shrugged her threats off. “I’ve heard about a little dragon girl that was brought here by the witches of the Darkwoods. We’re here to tell you to return her, or else. It’s bad enough that you practice wicked magic, but do you have to host one of those fire-breathers as well?”

  Emperor Sarv heard the elderly man’s comments and his face scrunched in anger. “I bet you won’t be calling us fire-breathers after I blast your tribe into oblivion!”

  The leader, whom Aria had called Aldrick, scoffed at Sarv. Before he could respond, a young woman around Elara’s age leaned over on her horse and whispered in his ear. Her features resembled him slightly, with tan skin, short dark hair, and brown eyes. She was wearing heavy-plated armor, much like the rest of The Departed, and gripped her sword tightly. Elara wondered if she was his daughter.

  “No, it can’t be. Are you sure it’s her, Hallie?” Aldrick asked quietly, as his eyes briefly gazed over at Elara.

  “I don’t like secrets,” Emperor Sarv began. “They make me angry – and you don’t want me angry.”

  “My daughter, Hallie, believes you’ve brought the wicked Dragonwitch to Andora. Is this true?”

  “That’s up for debate. Everyone has an opinion,” Elara replied, as she revealed her mark. “I’m not hiding from the world anymore. This mark doesn’t change who I am. If you have a problem with it, then I’m not sorry.”

  “And before you ask, she’s not going anywhere,” Fane interjected, standing his ground.

  “We believe what the Grey Knights do, that the Dragonwitch can only cause war and destruction,” Aldrick replied, as he eyed Elara warily. “But we know better than to stick around if you’re really who you claim to be. We’ll leave, but it goes without saying that trouble is coming – and soon. I’ll pray to the Creator that we won’t suffer like you will.”

  The younger woman named Hallie flashed Elara a dirty look before they rode off into the fading daylight, and Tavia laughed. “Finally, we meet someone who’s scared of the Dragonwitch for once. I was getting tired of all the fighting and running.”

  “Whoever opposes us will realize it was a mistake,” Sarv interrupted. “Now, where will my dragons sleep? We need our rest for battle.”

  Aria gestured to the hundreds of homes. “There are more than enough beds to accommodate all of you. The witches here have been so grateful as to make room.”

  Wordlessly, Sarv and his legion of Kohra dragons found their desired homes to sleep in. Soon, the rest of the dragons and witches followed, and everyone turned in for the night. Elara decided it would be best if she tried to get some sleep for tomorrow before everything would change.

  AFTER SEVERAL HOURS of tossing and turning, Elara decided to spend a quiet night by the fire again. She snuck out of the home that she was sharing with Tavia and Mayliss and started a campfire underneath the darkened sky. She was tired, but not enough to sleep.

  She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gotten a good night’s rest. Maybe it was a week ago? Her life had been turned upside down by a silly legend and the mark on her arm. She couldn’t stop the endless questions running through her mind. What if Hadrian was in trouble? What if they couldn’t defeat The Fallen and the Grey Knights? What if she couldn’t live up to the expectations of the people around her?

  Her thoughts were interrupted by Fane, as he cleared his throat behind her. She turned around and stood up once she got the feeling he wanted to talk to her about something important.

  “If I disturbed you, I apologize,” Fane said, but Elara shook her head.

  “No, it’s fine. What’s the matter? You look like you have something to say.”

  “You can always tell, can’t you?” Fane sighed. “There are some important things I need to tell you before the battle. One of them is regarding your mother.”

  “I thought you couldn’t tell me anything more about her?”

  Fane shrugged. “To be honest, I don’t want to. I believe you should be the one to find out on your own. But time is running out here, Bria. In battle, anything could happen. I guess for starters, I should tell you that your mother couldn’t have children and she was devastated.”

  Elara was confused. “What? Then how am I here?”

  “As I told you before, your mother wasn’t just involved with the New Dawn. She created it. Without your father’s knowledge, she’d sneak out of the Wards late at night to help dragons and witches. This was before she designed the tunnels. One night, several weeks after learning she couldn’t have a child of her own, she had two visitors. She believed one of them was the Grand Witch, who had a close relationship with The Source. She believed the other was Roth, an ancient Yagara dragon, who once lived in Mythania. They chose her. No other human would’ve agreed.”

  “They chose her for what? What did they want from her?”

  “They came to her with a message, telling her she’d give birth to a pure child, one free of discrimination and hatred. This child would unite the races, lead the way for peace, and become the Dragonwitch – a legend that’s been circulating in dragon, witch, and human fables for centuries. This child is you, Bria.”

  Elara was stunned. “So everything’s true. What did my Dad think?”

  “She chose not to tell him until the night of your birth. She feared he’d make her give up the child if he knew. He hated the dragons and witches, and he is still mistrustful of them. Unfortunately, she died during childbirth. The visitors told her this would happen. The birth of such a powerful child was too much to survive. She chose to sacrifice herself so you could be born. Rest assured, she wasn’t pressured to make this decision. The visitors gave her the choice to say no, but she insisted. It was a selfless act.”

  “My Dad said she died from an accident on the farm,” Elara replied. “How do you know all of this?”

  “She told me. In return for saving me from those thieves I told you about, she made me promise that I’d watch over you. Since then, I’ve watched you
every single day. The Stone of Magic has given me dreams of what’s to come, although they’re usually hard to understand.”

  Elara reached into her pocket and was relieved to know that she still had the locket. “What about the locket? Who gave it to her?”

  “She made it herself with the help of the visitors at your birth. It was an early present for you. It’s to remind you of who you are – to remind you that there’s always hope.”

  “I don’t know what to say,” Elara began, shaking her head. “Why would you tell me all of this?”

  “I thought you’d like to know.”

  “Well, I didn’t! It’s bad enough my life is ruined, but now I have to learn that my own mother died for something I never even wanted?” Elara snapped, as her eyes welled with tears. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude to you. This is a lot to take in right now.”

  “I’m sorry for that, Bria. It is a lot of information, but it’s necessary,” He paused, sighing to himself quietly. “There’s something else you need to know. I don’t even know how to tell you.”

  “It’s all right, Fane. You can tell me anything. Nothing could be worse than what you’ve already told me.”

  “I have seen a dream of your death in the coming battle. I promise you, I’ll make sure this is one dream that doesn’t come true.”

  “I was wrong. That was worse,” Elara muttered. “Fane, if I’m meant to die, why should we fight it? If my mother can sacrifice herself, then I can too. Maybe it’s better this way. Maybe it’s necessary.”

  “To let you die would mean I’d fail my promise to your mother. I will protect you, Bria, if it means giving my life for yours.”

  Elara didn’t know how to respond. “Thank you for everything you’ve done, Fane. I really mean it.”

  Fane nodded. “Try to get some sleep, Bria.”

  Elara watched Fane walk away and enter the home he’d been staying in. She fiddled with her mother’s locket and examined it within the firelight. She couldn’t believe Sheba was there at her birth and that her father had lied to her all these years. She didn’t know if she could forgive them, but she did know that nothing would ever be the same again.