Do I know you?

Little story inspired by F2 and a Discord chat with Mari Mancusi. Special thanks to Lilyviolin and WinterMoonQueen for all your help and to Frost for the original idea.

-o-o-o-o-

Time is hard to get for elemental spirits, whose existence isn't limited by those finite, mortal, human concepts. But somehow the spirit knows that the rage flowing through his little body and lighting him up day by day is particularly alive for the first time in thirty four years.

He runs. He runs through the forest, fueled by the same rage that's consumed him since the intruders betrayed the reindeer herders. It's a feeling as supernatural as himself, following that supernatural voice that woke him up a couple days ago and called him to the north, beyond the dark sea, beyond Nokk's domains.

Nokk is also furious, he can feel it. And Gale and the Earth Giants. The old treason is an open wound that never healed and none of them want their unhappiness to be left unheard.

The mist barrier that covers the forest has the same origin as the spirits, so they all can feel when, for the first time since the treason, a bunch of souls broke through it and set their feet on the enchanted land.

So he runs. He runs with all the strength of his little limbs. He goes across the forest as fast as he can until he finds all of the humans in a clearing and the rage grows so much it escapes from his body.

And then the fire starts.

First a tree, and another, and one more. Bushes, dry leaves, fallen branches and everything in his path starts to burn. And he feels one of the strangers following him and putting out the fire with ice.

How dare she?

He keeps running. The stranger follows his path.

Who does she think she is?

He runs through the camp and zigzags between the tents. The stranger is cornering him.

Why doesn't she run away?

He's cornered. He's trapped against some rocks that won't burn and now there's no way to evade her, so he steps back, crouches, shows his teeth and grows the flames on his back, trying to look a bit bigger and scarier.

And he waits for the last ice blast, but it never lands. The stranger is looking at him with a furrowed brow and crouches to get closer. He takes the chance to spit a fireball behind her, but she moves her hand nonchalantly and freezes a tree branch without breaking eye contact.

And then he really sees her.

Do I know you?

Her eyes are familiar but strange. They look so much like those of the girl that played with him and Gale a long time ago.

Do I know you?

He tilts his head, curious. Her eyes are big and blue. She also tilts her head with his.

Do I know you?

There's something in those eyes. There's magic, compassion, an immense pain and something else that immediately connects them. The stranger has something from that girl, there's no doubt of it.

I think there's something in you that I know...

He comes closer shyly and touches her ice cold hand. And it feels so nice!

He hurriedly climbs to her palm, walks around a couple times and enjoys the freshness that envelops him. The stranger somehow feels like she's part of his universe too. He feels his rage melting and evaporating while the stranger talks to him and all of the forest residents look at them.

The siren sings again and now he knows the stranger is hearing it too. He can feel it too. An immense joy flows where the rage was before. The spirits are not alone anymore.

The stranger with his beloved girl's eyes and the icy magic knows they have to head north.

And soon, Ahtohallan will reveal what's hidden.