Journey of the Firess, 1

Chapter One: The Village

Jena Rinstin awoke with just one thought: her daughter. Opening her eyes to a small pot sitting on a fire being tended to by an old woman. She began to raise up off of the bedding she lay on.

The old woman, hearing her stir, turned with a smile on her face. Her face was full of wrinkles, her eyes looked closed, and her toothless grin made Jena stop where she sat.

"Praise to Iscva for your wellness," the old woman said, and reached for a ladle sitting beside the fire pit, "You've been asleep for quite some time; we were afraid you had slipped into a coma."

Jena peered around the dimly lit room. Robes of fur hung by a flap leading outside, and more beddings lay around the walls of the little hut. A pile of pots and pans, along with a barrel of water sat next to the old woman.

"Of course," the old woman continued as she began to stir the contents of the pot, "it's not surprising that you've slept for so long. We could feel all the energy you used in the Glasdestra from where we live here in the Eastern Mountains. It's good we found you when we did."

Sipping the soup for taste, the old woman smacked her lips together. Satisfied, she scooped more of the stew into another bowl and reached it out toward Jena.

She looked peaceful to Jena, and she took the soup, "Where's my daughter?" Her voice was cracked and no more than a mumbler's pitch.

The old woman continued to smile as she served herself a small bowl of stew, "She'll be outside right about now. I hope you don't mind but we began her in lessons on reading Energy."

Jena nodded and sipped the liquid from the stew. She had no idea what she was talking about. She assumed the energies must be the shield her daughter can make, as well as her own ability with fire. Although she was also clueless to her location, in a way, she was thankful to be away from the glass plains.

"Your daughter is quite the spirit, as well," the elder continued, "I swear to Iscva that no one else would have survived as long as you did in the Glasdestra."

Jena was stuffing her face with chunks of vegetables and meat, still listening to the old woman. Forcing the glob down her sore throat, she opened her mouth to ask something else, but the old woman continued with her talk.

"Lina, one of the scouts who found you, said he saw a few charred Junes beside your body. I think you may be able to achieve Guardianship if you really wanted to."

Although Jena didn't understand, she didn't have any opening to ask questions, "Lina's only a scout, but his father, Tualkinadzi, is a Guardian. He is also the village's Energy instructor. I'm sure he would be able to help you along with reading the other energies." The old woman finished off her bowl, and smiled another wrinkled smile.

"Lina approaches. Probably to see if you've awakened. Poor boy has never had a mother. He is in awe over your selflessness with your daughter."

Jena thought about the charred remain of the June vultures she had killed in the desert just before she passed on to the Dreaming World, chewing slowly on her last chunk of meat. Her black hair was a million braids and weighted with beads. She took her braids and began to weave them all into another braid, leaving three braids hanging down the left side of her face. The flap to the hut opened, and in came a small young man, probably not much older than 17.

A green cap sat on an angle, causing a tuft of hair to pour over the boy's face. His green vest was all he donned on his torso. A wind had blown in from the flap, ands Jena was instantly cold. The old woman seemed to find the chill to be a nuisance, and snapped at the boy in a tongue she didn't not recognize.

Lina jumped, and crawled into the hut, apologizing and bowing profusely to the old woman.

The old woman waved her hand, asking for silence, "The firess is awake. Take her to your father, she must want to take leave with her daughter for the afternoon. Tell Tualk the little one may continue lessons tomorrow; for now, she must reinforce the bond between her and her mother."

Lina nodded, and faced Jena with a straight face. He bowed again, and went out the flap of the hut, raising another complaint of cold wind from the old woman. Jena promptly got up and followed out the door, but stopped when the elder cleared her throat.

"The robe there, you will need it," gesturing toward one of the fur robes hanging on the wall, the old woman smiled, "I'm much too old to go out on days like this, I will see you when you return as you are bedding in my hut during your stay."

Jena nodded her thanks and grabbed a robe. She swung it around her cloth dress and paused at the door of the hut, peering at the elder.

The old woman just sat, pouring herself some herb tea, "Go see your daughter; for she's been worried."

Jena flipped the flap open and swiftly left the hut before another breeze could send its chill down the Elder's back. She stopped just short of ramming into Lina, who stood with a smile in the freezing wind with his vest.

"My name is Lina, I am the prospected Guardian of the Valley. I was also one of the scouts who found you. My energy source comes from water, and yours from fire?"

Jena nodded, and Lina nodded and began to walk away from the hut toward a larger concentration of huts. Villagers from all around greeted Jena with a smile, wishing her well on her road to recovery.

"I felt you tap into the water system of the Glasdestra. Surely, you must know that the action is known as a taboo against nature. The land is too dry to extract any water it may hold," he hesitated, "But, what have we got to worry about? You and that poor child would have surely been vanquished by the next few demons you encountered. Speaking of that little girl, what's her name again..."

Jaline, Jena thought. Her name is Jaline, and I need to find her right now.

"Jaline!" Lina almost yelled, causing a few villagers to cast a confused gaze, "Yes, that's her name. She has an amazing gift you know. Healers only ever get just that ability, She demonstrated her techniques, and we are quite astonished a healer can cast a shield spell."

"From her father," Jena lied, knowing all too well her father did not know anything of their abilities, "I am not a teacher, I can't explain how I can do this. But I realize my daughter will have to learn to control her powers more than I can."

Lina looked at her warily, "You cast fire, it's not good for you to say you can't control it. Fire lives in every thing. You can ignite it all with a single movement. Learning to control that is better than waiting for something disasterous to happen.

Jena's lips tightened, but she did not say a word. Tears began to tinkle in her eyes. And Lina turned to look at her, he smiled encouragingly, "It's okay, though. My father is one of the best teachers in the village. Trust me, if you need to learn control, then coming to the Eastern Mountains is the right thing to do. Iscva, our spirit leader, will protect us with all His holy might."

Jena smiled at Lina's enthusiasm for the village. Her arms folded under the robe, she walked with a slight shiver from the cold, "How do you manage to walk around like that... In that vest?"

Lina seemed surprised by the question, but then laughed, "How did you live with your ability before this? I told you, I take the energy from water. The cold is just frozen water molecules, and I warm them up before it touches my skin. I guard the valley, which can get really hot in the middle of the afternoon. Gleda is there for now while I deliver you to Father."

"You were waiting for me?"

Another laugh, "No, I wasn't. I was guarding the valley, keeping myself amused and out of sight. Elder Kasce called me once you awoke."

Jena inquired the name.

"All that sleep must have stopped your brain or something," Lina stopped and looked her over, then shrugged, "She's the elder you just had lunch with."

Jena pursed her lips. She knew the Elder spoke to her for most of the meal, and there was not a time she heard her mention Lina except for announcing his arrival.She dismissed the thought when she saw Lina run into a hut. She hesitated, wondering if she should follow or wait. Before she could decide, there was a tug on robe.

A little girl, about Jaline's age, stood smiling under a mound of white fur, "It's okay. Teacher will be happy to see you. He said he would tell us a story when you woke up. Please, come in and listen to Teacher's story with us."

The little girl took hold of Jena and began to tug her to the hut. Jena followed slowly, unsure of what to think.

Inside the hut, sat four children, three girls and one boy. The little girl removed her robe and sat in the middle of them all. Jena saw Jaline, who smiled and waved silently before returning her attention to her teacher. Lina, who was mumbling to the teacher, blocked her view of Tualk.

Jena smiled, relieved to see her daughter looking for full of energy. She, too, removed her robe and sat down next to her daughter, wrapped an arm around her and took her first look at Tualkinadzi.

He was a tall man, looking awkward squished into a small matted cushion. He avoided her eyes as he listened to his son. The look of seriousness in his eyes never seemed to leave, even after Lina left.

"My children, students" he paused and looked at Jena, "And a mother. We shall not learn any new techniques today for the Firess has awakened. Instead, I will tell you all a tale you need to hear...."

---

Fourteen thousand years is a long time, and our Holy Iscva has seen the destruction capable in so much time. He says we were born into this world because the energies were dying. Things across all the land shriveled to nothing but dust; not even the wind had energy to carry it away.

The energies feel life, because they are a part of it. With life comes pain, and they were enduring all they possibly could in the time of before. With the realization of their demise, they wished to live on, and together created a new life. We human beings were born into different elements on one day. People of Water, Fire, Mineral, Air, and Growth began to form all over the lands.

With these new beings, the energies converged with one chosen out of their beings, and taught them the way of their land. That one person, in turn, taught their people. This continued until the world was healthy again, as the human beings shared the energy with the world. This created a balance of life over all the land: The energy we take from the land is replaced by the energy we give to it. Our emotions became closely connected to the Elements Energies.

As this unintentional evolution began to take full effect on human beings, the world split into three planes of reality. The human beings, although born with the abilities, were not given any means of controlling that ability. Mountains shattered overnight, deserts grew out of the oceans, and plains rumbled its way into highlands filled with deathly cliffs.

Poisons from the forests, decaying animals, and technology of mankind began to affect the animals, as well. Though many herbivores were spared, those that tasted blood went insane. Red eyes and silent, these animals were called demons. They prey on the living, perhaps with a taste of vengeance as well as blood.

We are not only blamed for the destruction of our land, but there was a small group who opposed of the energies from the very beginning, having rejected the Elements as soon as they were created. They came to call themselves the Council, and rushed in with the changes and demonizing with all their might.

Elementalists of all kinds were exterminated within an instant, for the Council used a weapon secret to all modern knowledge. Anyone who encountered the weapon did not survive, and we people as Elementalists became a rare sight even for the world's energies.

Although we are here, the Council still exists somewhere today, giving the human beings rule and order to follow. Holy Iscva says there comes a time for a rule to end. That is why we sit here in the Village of the Valleys, and await for his Holy light to tell us we can live in peace with the Whole world again. Until then, we must learn our lesson and make sure control is tightly in our grasp.

---

Jena stared into Tualk's eyes, unsure of what to make of the story. Jaline had held her hand the entire time, and as they both pondered the story, their grips tightened.

"Alright, children. Story time is over, I shall see you when it is time for us to return to lessons, now go have some fun," Tualk spoke softly, his eyes still serious.

Jena got up to follow her daughter outside, but felt his hand touch her gently. Jaline turned with a questioning eye, but Jena gently shooed her out the door.

Once they were alone, Tualk inspected Jena's cloth robe, "You will need some more clothing. I will see if any of the villagers have spares for you. But before we do that, I require you tell me the truth. I am the Guardian of The Village, and it is my duty to interrogate you."

Jena was taken aback, and did not say a word.

"I want you to tell me where you came from. What were you doing in the Glasdestra? Why did you taboo against the will of nature?"

Jena still kept silent, she thought of the first question, but could not find a way to explain it.

Tualk looked at her closely, "You have no control... You followed the energy of the land, you had no destination." he concluded.

Jena looked at him fiercely, "I came from a small village in the south, I was driven out after the death of my husband. They... did not accept me without him."

"And your daughter? Why is she with you? She could have been killed going across that damned desert, don't you have any sense?"

"I had no where else to put her, she would have died if I left her!" Jena practically yelled across the small room.

Tualk smirked in the dimness, "A village will not forsake the child of promise. We all know healers are greatly valued in this world. Now stop lying!"

Jena closed her eyes, and saw the orange light begin to well up inside of her. Flashes of fires and burning buildings plagued her mind. She could hear the screams of people, all helpless to the rage of the flames. She opened them, andf they faded into the background, "I'm not lying... I was protecting my daughter, and I know she uses the energy. She told me to follow it."

Tualk looked down to the ground, "She said the same thing, but that cannot stop you from holding your own secrets. We do not like the spirits of secrets, for they will cause the person to fail us when we need them most."

"That is not me, I swear to you."

"Prove it," was all Tualk said.

Jena hesitated, not knowing what to say. She wanted so hard to prove herself to this village, and find a means of giving thanks. But she knew Tualk was right; she had no control of this power, nor did she know how it worked. Her temper was just hot enough to kill anyone she got mad at. Hearing the birth of the Elementalists was the first time anyone explained the energies to her.

Not only that, but she recalled the conjured waster in the desert. She only did it as a result of knowing she could do it with fire. She needed the water and was confident she could do it. But how did that work? What was it about the energies her daughter knew so well?

"I cannot teach you, however. Your lack of control is far too dangerous to practice among the children. It's a miracle your daughter was not killed already," Tualk said, his voice full of authority.

Jena held back a few tears, she needed to learn control, and she realized that. She also understood what Tualk was telling her. She did not want to hear it, so she chose to continue.

"Who will take care of Jaline while I'm gone?"

"The Elder Kasce has offered here hut as refuge for you and your daughter. She's allowed both of you to call it home as long as you wish," Tualk stooped to the floor to started tidying up after the children, "Of course, she will not be surprised in the least to find out you'll be leaving shortly. I could delay leave until tomorrow if you wish, to say goodnight and goodbye to your daughter."

"How long will I be gone?" Jena asked, still trying to grasp the idea of being taught how to grasp her abilities.

"However long it takes. Some are gone for years, while others return before night fall. Others have never returned. It's all in how well your Teacher thinks you've learned."

"And who is my... teacher?"

Tualk stopped bustling about and genuinely smiled at her for the first time, "My son, Lina, has agreed to journey you to Southeastern Ebitoke. He believes you will have learned to use your ability before you reach the coast."

"And what do you think?"

"Does it matter? Go spend time with your daughter before you leave, and let Lina know when you are ready to go. Just call him when you're ready."

Jena smiled wryly, and left without another word to him. The village was full of these people called Elementalists. She supposed she was one of them, but had somehow gone her life without that knowledge. But she felt young again, not like she was at her old home, always afraid of the villagers, even while her husband was alive.

Before she could set off to find her daughter, she felt another tug on her robe. It was the little girl who had pulled her into Tualk's hut. She did not look as care-free but had Tualk's seriousness in her eyes.

"Follow me, and I will tell you why we summoned you," the little girl said. As quick as a bunny, the little girl bounced off a snow drift and out of sight.

Dumbfounded, Jena stood for a moment before she struggled her way up a narrow path of a nearby snow dune. Almost at the top, she lost her balance and her hand fell elbow deep into the snow. Her first real contact with it.

Almost letting out a scream, Jena pulled her hand back, and it was a bright, pink-red. An instant later, her hand exploded into flame and melted the top part of the dune, allowing her to climb steadily onto the top. She stood up uneasily on the ice and attempted to walk forward, but the first step caused her to slip and slide over the other side of the dune.

After a few feet's worth of falling, she made more contact with snow, and began to roll down an endless hill. This time she did let out a scream, but she was too blanketed in cold to hear herself.