“Want some more?” Amri asked, interrupting Ezra’s thoughts.
She nodded; her throat still sore from what felt like hours of screaming.
Amri filled the cup again. “Thia’s been letting us stay here while you recover. In exchange we’ve been helping her with chores and other odd jobs.”
“Like what?”
“Well I was cleaning in here today.” Amri gestured towards the wet cloth she had been using to clean the inside of the cupboards. “The others are helping Thia tend to her forest and garden. We agreed that one of us should always be here though, just in case you woke up.”
Ezra accepted the fresh cup of water. “What happened? I remember taking the power from Gillian… then…” She paused, not sure how, or even if she should tell Amri about the battle in her mind. “I remember Commander Illian, and I…” She shuddered. She had killed them all with a single thought, it had been easier than it should have been.
Amri looked away and considered her words carefully. “When you touched Gillian… it looked like her power went into you, and she… she died. Then you were on fire... I thought you were going to die too… I tried everything... I couldn’t put it out…”
“I don’t think anyone could have.” Ezra replied coldly feeling the flame licking at the edges of her mind.
She looked down at her hand that had touched Gillian and, for the first time, noticed the flickering green marks that now decorated her left arm, from her fingertips to her shoulder. Coils of green flame bent and curled around every inch of her right arm, leaving only narrow strips of her pale skin untouched. It glowed and moved like a fire was burning just below the surface. She felt the flame within her roar up at the sight. An anger burned at the involuntary tattoo that now burned across her flesh, a brand that marked her as belonging to the flame. She glared at it; she had traded one master for another. No longer bound by her mother’s cruel wishes and now slave to the fury of the flame.
She could feel the fire coiling tighter in her mind as her anger boiled, and she realized that was exactly what it wanted. The room had gotten uncomfortably hot for Amri and she had taken a nervous step back from Ezra. She needed to calm her mind, if the flame fed on anger, she would have to master her temper.
Suddenly self-aware, she closed her eyes and calmed her mind. There was nothing she could do about the mark on her arm, but there was something she could do about the flame in her mind. After a few deep breaths she felt her anger subside, and with it, the flame.
“Are you sure you’re ok?” Amri asked, slight beads of sweat from the brief moment of extreme heat had dotted her brow.
“I will be.” She repeated and forced the smile back on her face. “What happened next?”
Amri looked at the tattoo on Ezra’s arm with a frown. “The others found us, but the heat from your fire was already too much… the Shrine was melting, and we fell into a freezing river.”
“I kind of remember that.” Ezra realized. The flame had hated the cold water and given her a moment, but it was hardly a moment of peace as she tumbled down the icy rapids.
“I guess the river flowed all the way through the mountain and we spilled out in the valley again. Then the soldiers found us…” She trailed off and looked at Ezra with a modicum of fear.
Ezra nodded, the power within her had scared her too.
“You passed out again and Thia found us. We’ve been staying here ever since. Thia has been keeping us busy with repairing the damage your fire made to the forest. That and the general chores around her home.”
Movement above caught their attention. The roots of the great tree above pulled aside and revealed a sunny summer sky. Ezra smiled as she recognized the rest of her new friends descend the stairs.
Miri led them, her thick curly red hair still a neglectful mess. She was back in her simple Elven garb, of greens and browns, that wrapped around her body, allowing for ease of movement through the woods. Her pointed ears gave away her illegal heritage but what drew Ezra’s attention first, was always her face full of freckles. Her soft blue eyes lit up as she noticed Ezra was awake and she hurried down the last of the steps.
Behind her was Browen, he still wore the dashing garb of silver and blue that were his family colours, although they were as badly damaged as Ezra’s clothes. Even with his blue and silver filigree shirt missing buttons, he still looked very much like a nobleman’s son. His thick dirty blond hair had been poorly finger combed and his light blue eyes held the weight of all the decisions that had brought him to this moment.
Ralis followed behind, his expression bright, despite all that the world had thrown at him. His skin was pale like Ezra’s, but his eyes were black, like his fluffy hair that always seemed to be intentionally messy in an attractive way. Even Ezra could not deny his supernatural good looks, as he smiled wide at her. Peeking ever so slightly from his hair were a pair of small black horns that protrude from just above his temple. He was still shirtless; his black wings had made most shirts uncomfortable for the half Na’tyr. His black pants were just as damaged as everyone else’s clothes but had once been of a fine quality. His wings had been pulled back tightly and behind him his long black tail swished excitedly as he hurried to embrace Ezra.
Last to enter was Thia, who sealed the roots to her secret home behind them. Despite her very Human appearance she wielded powerful magic, like Ezra and her mother. She moved with an inhuman fluidity as she descended the stairs, her clothes a strange mismatched blend of repairs and homemade pieces. Layers of thick shawls and scarves were wrapped tight over her torso and her back protruded slightly as if a large backpack hid beneath the layers. Thia kept her curly brown hair short and her skin was even darker than Amri’s. As Ralis tackled Ezra in a loving hug, she looked into Thia’s ancient brown eyes. They were eyes that had seen empires rise and fall, they were eyes that would live until the end of the world.
“You have finally awoken child of dark.” Thia mused as she placed a basket that she had been carrying on the table. “Is the flame yours to control now?”
Ralis pulled away with a blush, allowing Ezra some air as she answered flatly. “No.”
“Wise answer.” Thia smiled and began to remove her many shawls and scarves to everyone’s surprise. “I owe you some truths.”
She discarded the many layers onto the tangle of roots that coiled into a trunk at the end of the bed. As the layers were removed, she slowly revealed a pair of beautiful feathered wings. They were brown and spotted, like that of a barn owl and she flexed them as they were released from their cage of fabric. Her skin more exposed, it was easier to see the faint, yet intricate, brown tattoos, only a few shades darker than her skin, that curved and spiraled across the natural shape of her body. Everyone looked to her in awe and surprise, unsure how to respond.
Once the initial shock wore off, Ezra felt slightly disappointed. She had hoped that Thia was the same race as herself and her mother, that this ancient being would have some answers. But neither the Queen nor her children had such magnificent wings.
Ralis beamed. “I knew it!”
She looked warmly at the young half Na’tyr. “As you well know, wings are not so easily concealed.”
“Then why were you hiding them? Did you not trust us?” Miri asked with a wrinkle of doubt on her brow.
Thia’s expression fell into deep sadness. “It is not that I did not trust you. I have always concealed my heritage when travelling beyond my tree. I am one of the last of my people and there are those who hunt me. Again, something you unfortunately know all too well.” She looked to Ralis with an understanding frown.
“I’ve never read about a race with feathered wings before.” Browen noted as he looked to Thia in awe.
“Of course not.” Thia sighed.
“Why are you showing us now?” Amri asked.
Thia looked nervous for a second and turned away as she
answered. “I wanted… I wanted to warn you that this has happened before. That failure could mean an end to the world you know, as it was for my people.”
Ezra’s eyes trailed curiously along the tattoos that marked Thia’s body and she looked down at her own tattooed arm. “What do your tattoos mean?”
“Ezra has recovered, you can no longer stay here. As part of our agreement.” Thia’s tone made it clear that the conversation was over, which only made Ezra more suspicious.
“But we do not know where to go…” Miri squeaked
“You haven’t had a vision yet?” Ezra asked.
Miri shook her head with an apologetic frown.
“Travel south east. The remaining four Elves went that way. I am certain you will learn the path forward as you go.” She sighed. “I have decided that I should warn you, that I should have warned you before you bonded with the flame. These ancient powers you are seeking… They have a mind of their own and if you are not careful, they will destroy who you are.”
Ezra swallowed nervously at the warning. She could feel the flame tempting her to get angry, to burn Thia to ash for withholding such valuable information. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing as she struggled to resist the temptation.
“Gillian said that the power would kill mortals and drive immortals to madness.” Amri recalled.
“That is not entirely false.” Thia sighed deeply again, her thoughts clearly burdened by something. “It is possible to resist the elemental powers call. If you are careful, even the mortals among you should be capable of wielding it. But I must warn you, even the strongest minds have fallen to the will of an elemental power.” She then looked to Ezra. “Remember who you are.”
Ezra could still feel the power licking at the edges of her mind but managed to resist and opened her eyes again. Everyone was staring at her and her anger was tempted to flare up again.
“Is there anything else you can tell us?” Browen asked as he played nervously with his signet ring.
Thia considered for a moment, then nodded slowly. “Queen Zarrennia knows much about the elemental powers, and she will stop at nothing to claim them. But her lust for power is her weakness, it blinds her. I am not sure if knowing that will help you, but at least you better understand what you are dealing with.”
“Will you help us?” Amri asked with determination.
Thia shook her head. “This is a path you must walk alone. And forgive me, but… I dare not face Queen Zarrennia.”
“Why not?” Ezra asked, her voice containing more fire then she had intended.
Thia closed her eyes and shook her head. “This will be the last evening that you may stay here, then you must leave.”
Determined to end the conversation she turned to the basket of greens she had collected and began work on preparing dinner.
Ezra felt her flame flare up again within her and had to force herself to calm down again. It infuriated her that Thia had answers but seemed unwilling to give them. At least the others seemed to share her sentiment as they each became silent and considered what was next for them.
Chapter Two
Miri
That night Miri’s nightmares were filled with the sound of coins piling high, of menacing shadows reaching towards her, of thick smoke, the smell of burnt flesh, and the sight of a body swinging from a noose. She woke with a gasp and had to remind herself of where she was again.
Her most recent vision had thoroughly disturbed her in a way she could not have anticipated. She could not get the sights and smells of her friend’s deaths out of her mind. It had been vivid to the point where she nearly wretched at the mock nightmare of it.
She had kept it a secret from the others, they didn’t need to know how they were destined to die, not when it could be changed. She had heard whispers that things seen through the Sight did not always happen, especially once they had been seen. She had vowed the night of the vision, that she would prevent what she saw from coming to pass. She could not let them die, not just for the good of Madaria and Elves, but for herself. She could not deny that she had found friendship among those she had been fated to travel with and she did not want to see anything bad happen to them. Even Ezra.
Miri took a shuddering breath as she looked over to the Bearer of Flame. The mark on Ezra’s arm was the only physical sign that anything was different, that she now housed an ancient and deadly power. She had been happy to see Ezra finally wake, yet she did not recall Ezra being so quick to anger before. What was more concerning was the heat and flame that followed it. Miri took another breath, she needed to trust in Ezra, that strange woman from her dream had insisted on it.
The memory made Miri pause, she had never experienced anything like that dream before or since. It started normal but had been infiltrated by another presence. Perhaps an ancestor, maybe the legendary Hero Arris Cavadash herself. No longer fearful in a prison cell, she had so many more questions, but her nights had been alone and full of nightmares.
She pulled her blanket tighter around herself, determined to get some sleep before they left for an unknown road ahead. She feared what it meant that she had had no other visions since the one that spelled everyone’s death. She worried that they had already made a mistake that would lead to that eventual failure, despite their recent success. The soldiers who had caught them had undoubtedly reported to the Queen and they would have to be extra cautious as they travelled forward.
Sleep had come quickly, but the night remained without any guiding visions or, thankfully, further nightmares. Thia had spent the night outside as she had every night, allowing her guests the shelter of her home. She had silently returned before anyone else had awoken, her wings hidden again by layers of fabric. With care not to wake those still sleeping, Thia began to prepare another leafy breakfast. Miri wondered if the strange woman even slept, for she had never seen her asleep. While she waited for the others to wake, Miri started to pack her things.
“Any visions?” Browen asked when he awakened shortly after Miri.
Miri shook her head as she tried to conceal the worry and dread she felt so keenly. She had tried everything to coax a vision, even Ezra’s advice from weeks ago seemed ineffective.
One by one the rest of her friends slowly woke up and together they enjoyed the salad that Thia had prepared for them. Miri was almost sad to leave the small one room home behind, it had been cozy and safe, things she had not felt since leaving her clan behind. That was another thought that brought a lump to her throat. She had accused Ezra of betrayal and yet she had put an arrow into two of her clanmates. It pained her to remember that moment and she wondered if her friends, Effran and Ellis, would ever forgive her. She had fled her clan, disobeying the wishes of Councilor Vistari. But it was for the greater good, she would not have gotten as far as she had with them following and protecting her. She only hoped that everyone would understand when she finally returned.
After a mostly quiet breakfast the group collected their things and prepared to leave. The goodbyes were brief and after a final thanks the group took the stairs up to the surface. They watched as the complicated root network of the giant tree sealed away the secret home once again. Then everyone looked to Miri for direction and she tried to hide just how lost she was feeling.
“Thia said we should start heading south east.” Amri offered noticing, Miri’s hesitation.
“But let’s avoid Snow’s End this time.” Ralis both smiled and cringed at the too soon joke.
Miri looked up at the summer sky and sought out the sun to guide her. It was warm upon her skin, and even in the shade of the trees she could tell that this was going to be a hot summer.
“This way.” Miri led them towards the south east.
As she maneuvered her way through the forest path, her doubts relentlessly buffeted her. Even still, it felt good to be moving again. Growi
ng up in a nomadic lifestyle had made staying in one place too long almost uncomfortable for Miri. Yet of all the places she had stayed, Thia’s home was one that she would not have minded having stayed a little longer.
They travelled in mostly silence, each of them with pensive looks on their faces. They maintained a good pace and found themselves on the edge of the valley as night started to fall. Everyone had agreed that they did not want to camp so near Snow’s End and continued further east, away from the small sleepy town. It was getting late by the time Miri felt confident that they had put enough ground between them and the town of bad memories.
Once they had found a suitable clearing to spend the night in, Ralis and Browen got to work starting a fire, while Ezra and Amri worked to erect the tents. Miri smiled with pride at how well they were working together now that they had been through so much. But the smile faded as she knew that they were only at the beginning. There would be more challenging trials that they would have to face in order to reach their goals.
Miri disappeared into the woods to search for dinner. Being gifted with the Sight had made her exempt from many of the duties that the other clan members were expected to contribute to. But she had always loved the hunt and offered to aid the scouts and hunters whenever she could, despite Councilor Vistari’s instance that she was too important for such tasks. She was good at it too. She was a deadly shot with her bow, and rarely missed her target. But it was more than that, she was skilled at reading the woods around her, at understanding the subtle clues found in the scenery that so many missed.
She passed a brush of blackberries and paused to pick as many as her bag could carry. They looked almost glossy in the moonlight and she popped a few of them in her mouth as she worked. They were tart yet sweet.
Once her bag was nearly full, she looked around for something heartier for their meal. Her bow had been smashed in the icy rapids that they had tumbled down in the aftermath of the Shrine. Without it she would have to use other methods to hunt. Tracks by the brush caught her attention and she crouched low to investigate them. Their long shape indicated rabbits and lots of them. Miri took out her rope and quickly tied off a loose snare to set at the base of the bushes. She tied the other end to a nearby tree, at least they would have an easy breakfast in the morning.
Sunken Wind Page 2