Wielder of the Flame (28 page)

“It is quite magnificent,” Laura saw him staring up at the
city, “The ruins of Zheund.”

“Ruins?” he asked, “How could that be called ruins?”

“It was once a great deal more than just what you see a city
that enveloped the whole of this valley, some say.”

He looked at her. Her hair fell over her shoulders like the
waterfall nearby.

“You were saying something about a gift?”

She nodded.

“Come with me,” she said, giving him her hand, “I think it
will be better if I show you,”

He took her hand. Her skin was smooth. He felt his heart
flutter again.

“Follow me,” She gestured towards the waterfall.

Then she seemed to momentarily lose her courage and let his
hand drop, fidgeting with her own hands then, trying to find something else to
do with them.

Oh how I wish to hold it though
.

They both thought.

The rushing water grew louder as they approached, and yet it
was soothing. The forest undergrowth was unusually thick were Laura walked.
They struggled through, parting branches and stepping over fallen logs.

“This isn’t exactly a pathway,” Marc noted.

“Just wait,” She replied. She could hardly contain her
enthusiasm.

Finally they broke free from the underbrush to a small jut
of rock coming out of one of the cliff faces. It was not too far a fall but
jagged rocks poked out of the large pool below. Water cascaded over the cliff,
spray spattered against the stone. The outcrop seemed to lead to nowhere.

 Laura stepped out onto it.

“This seems dangerous,” He noted.

He practically had to shout over the roar of the waterfall.
He could feel himself starting to get wet from the splashing of the falls, but
it felt good, cleansing.

She continued on, not seeming to hear him. She was getting wet
as well, more so as she passed under.

“Laura!” Marc hissed.

She quickly disappeared behind the waterfall.

“Laura?” He called.

Nothing.

Is she alright?
 

After a moment or two she appeared again, smiling. He was
relieved. It was impossible not to notice the fact that her wet clothes hugged
her body very closely. Marc forced himself not to stare; he didn’t want to seem
rude. She gestured for Marc to go under the falls as she had done. He shrugged
and followed her lead, just as the last threads of light were disappearing.

The waterfall roared over him, quickly soaking him. He had
to closely hug the wall as he moved.

Finally he was through.

Laura was there. It was dark but his eyes were rapidly
adjusting to compensate.

The roar was deafening. Laura opened her mouth as if she was
going to speak but she shook her head and pointed to the waterfall. Marc
understood she didn’t want to try shouting over the crashing water.

And then she took his hand again.

He felt tingly all over. A calmness spread over him, a
warmness that counteracted the cold feeling from having gone underneath the
fall. He smiled.

She led him through a small opening into a tunnel in the
rock. For a long while all he could see was darkness. But he could feel her hand
and that was enough for him.

After what felt like ten or fifteen minutes to Marc there
began to appear a light at the end of the tunnel. The roar of the waterfall was
now nothing more than a dull hum in the distance behind them. The light began
to grow brighter until it was a golden sparkling glow. He began to see Laura
more and more clearly.

There was an opening up ahead

Laura stopped and leaned forward towards him to whisper. He
held his breath. Her scent poured over him.

“We have to be extremely quiet when we reach the overlook
there,” Her voice was barely above a whisper, “I have a special magic,” She
began to explain, “I can move in the blink of an eye distances that would take
a man many a fortnight to walk.”

He looked a little surprised, “Teleportation?”

She did not know what that meant but continued speaking, “I
came here only a few days ago by accident. This place, the Ruins of Zheund, is
deep within the Wildlands, far from any city or town that I know of. I arrived
in the dark, confused and dazed and stumbled in the blackness, I almost fell to
my death. But I was rescued, twice, by a Fae One. They built me a little
dwelling, the one you saw back there, and for the past few days have brought me
food, fruits and nuts. I have been trying to return home for several days, but
I have not yet been able to. Then, last night, I followed the Fae Ones to this
place. I do not think anyone has seen this place for many, many ages.”

She nodded her head in the direction of the opening and they
moved forward carefully.

She motioned to get low and lay down on her belly herself.
Marc followed suit. They inched forward, the light grew brighter.

Finally, they peeked over the rock and down at the most
amazing scene he had ever witnessed.

It was a lush little grove laid out in a large cavern which
almost completely covered it except for a few cracks above in the ceiling where
the starry night sky and moons shown through. There were thick vines creeping
along the wall up to and through the openings with large wide leaves of the
most vibrant green. Flowers of all colors and varieties blossomed everywhere. A
small pool sat in the center of the area. But the lively flora was not the most
amazing thing. All around the space little glowing beings with vivid multihued
wings floated all about the cavern. A sort of miniature village was constructed
there, covering the entire cavern floor. The hovering creatures went about the
little structures and holes carved into the stone. They talked with each other,
some ate, some worked, and some slept, but all seemed content and safe in their
goings on. The air was crisp and clean and the temperature of the small cave
was neither too hot or too cold. The flowers gave off a strong, but not
overbearing, smell that Marc imagined he would find at a flower shop.

Marc touched Laura’s shoulder and she looked into his eyes.
He showed her his amazement through his facial expressions and she nodded
knowingly, a smile across her face.

He carefully and slowly scooted backward motioning for her
to follow.

She did so.

When they thought they were at a safe enough distance to
whisper without giving away that they were there Marc leaned near her and
whispered,

“What are they?”

“Little spirits, the Fae Ones!” she whispered excitedly
back, “Marc, they are not supposed to exist anymore!”

“What do you mean?”

Make-believe Fairies was not strange to Marc.

“What do you mean what do
I
mean?”

“I come from a faraway place, a lot of things I don’t
understand here.”

She nodded, trying to comprehend, “The Fae Ones used to
thrive abundantly, roaming the lands freely and peaceably, spreading harmony
and goodness to all they touched. They are thought to have been completely
obliterated in the first cycle of the War of Power.”

“But here they are,” He said.

“But here they are,” She confirmed.

Then Marc remembered, “Zildjin,” he said, “My friend, he
received an ancient relic with the engraving of a fairy—Fae One, on it. Then my
other friend Sesuadra said that anyone who would glimpse a Fae One would be
extremely lucky.”

Laura shook her head, “I do not believe that something like
this has to do with luck. I think that a force greater than I could ever
imagine has come forth to bring us together to this place, at this time.”

They turned suddenly as a light appeared before them.

A group of the little floating people hovered about head
height in front of them.

Marc stood frozen. They had been discovered! They hadn’t
been lead here by one of the little Faeries, had they broken some sort of law?
What kind of trouble had they started?

But the little floating beings did not try and chase them
away, did not fly at them angrily. Their movements were so gentle. They were
beautiful little creatures, humanlike in appearance with long hair in different
vibrant colors that moved as if underwater, but they did not appear to have a
particular gender. They were adorned with bracelets, necklaces, and trinkets,
and delicate flowing robes. Their pale skin glowed with a comforting light.
They were so small Marc could hold a single one of them in one of his palms.
The closest fairy seemed taller than the others, adorned with longer, heavier
robes and had dark blue hair. It floated towards them, looking at Marc, and
then Laura. It motioned with its arm and head to come with them back to their
village. Then it turned and began floating back with the others to the cavern.

Marc looked at Laura and she looked back. Marc shrugged,
then followed the Faeries, Laura reached out and took his hand again. He smiled
back at her at her touch.

They soon arrived at the little overlook peering down at the
Fairy village. As they approached the taller fairy directed some of the others
down to the rock. The little beings split off into two groups, floating down,
and knelt on the surface of the rock. They touched the ground and the rock
began to glow and a sort of calming hum filled the air. Marc and Laura watched
in wonder as steps began forming out of the rock like clay being shaped by
unseen hands. Slowly at first, and then more quickly a staircase began to
emerge, just the right size for Marc and Laura to descend into the little
village. All the Fae Ones in the village began to gather in a circle around the
large pool of water in the center of the cavern. The blue haired fairy directed
Marc and Laura to follow it to the center.

In total awe of the wonder and magic around him Marc, hand
in hand with Laura, slowly walked down the staircase, following the blue haired
fairy. With each step he felt a little bit warmer, and calmer, like snuggling
up under a blanket next to a fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter
night. A number of Fae Ones floated by Laura and him, they placed necklaces and
bracelets on Marc and her, giving them their gifts. The glow from the faeries
and the rock grew brighter as they approached the center. A path began to
magically appear through the village, faeries lined up on each side and they
dipped their head as Marc and Laura walked forward.

As they reached the pool Marc paused. The water was very
clear allowing him to see that the pool was quite deep. Seeming to understand
his concern, the blue haired fairy floated down to his feet and waved a hand
over his and Laura’s boots, which began to take on a glow. The fairy motioned
for them to enter the pool to the center of the circle of glowing beings.

Marc glanced at Laura and she shrugged. Marc nodded his head
and took a tentative step forward. Though it should have, his foot did not sink
underneath the surface of the water. Awestruck, he took another step, Laura
followed close behind.

Finally they were in the center of the pool. All the faeries
were gathered around the pool now, all linked together to form a circle. The
blue haired fairy hovered in front of him and Laura, it began to glow brightly,
brighter than the others. Marc felt filled with a very powerful feeling of
comfort and strength in the presence of this fairy. He suddenly thought he
should be a bit more respectful and he knelt down. He stayed on the surface of
the water, though he felt it lapping against his clothes as he moved. Laura followed
his lead, kneeling by him. They still had their hands cupping each other.

Then the blue haired fairy floated down and gestured to see
their hands. Marc and Laura let go of each other’s hand and held them up to
show the fairy. The Fae One put a tiny little hand on the tip of Marc’s finger.
Immediately Marc felt an increase the strength he had felt before and he felt a
hint of his own power, of the fire from the dream. Then the Fae One put his
other hand on Laura’s finger, linking Marc and Laura together. Marc suddenly
felt another presence within his mind’s eye. It was Laura. And then for some
reason he knew she could feel him too, she could feel the fire within him. The
circle of Fae Ones began to glow brighter, and they began to flap their tiny little
wings, rising up slowly. The blue haired fairy who was touching Marc and
Laura’s fingers lifted its head back and opened its mouth. A wonderful sound,
like a note in a melody escaped, ringing in the air with a beautiful tone. The
others chimed in. It was music, magnificent, magical, and yet it was more than
music, it was something that transcended anything Marc had ever before heard.
As the faeries slowly rose, the sound rose, the lights grew brighter, and the
power coursing from the blue haired fairy into Marc and Laura grew greater.
Magical lights began floating all around, rising up from the pool of water like
tendrils of heavenly radiance. He felt happier than he had ever felt before.
The happiness was so great that his eyes began to water. He looked at Laura and
she looked back, her eyes were beginning to tear up from joy as well. He closed
his eyes and felt tears run down his cheeks. Never before had he experienced
such emotion.

He felt his body suddenly shooting upwards and he opened his
eyes. He was flying upwards through a magical world of bright light and energy.
Laura was by his side and they were holding hands once more, both hurtling
upwards. The song of the faeries surrounded them and the feelings of joy
continued to pulse through him. He knew his face was permeating pure joy just
as he could see from Laura’s facial expression. It felt right with her there,
beautiful, joyous.

And then suddenly they broke through the magic and light
like breaking the surface of water, the light and energy tumbling away from
them. They were surrounded by a sudden oppressive darkness that eked the
happiness away. And they saw horrible images pass by them, visions of dark
creatures tearing through innocent faeries trying to run and escape. The little
faeries were burned, maimed, and eaten whole by the evil monsters.