Upon entering the dark ruins, a mirage of Leo's back appeared before me. Fire erupted from his body. The lights were dazzling. Red, orange, and yellow hues blended in a lively dance. Though it was just a faded memory, I sensed a great power.
Leo's... no... it was just a memory of the fire spirit when it materialized in its human form. The spirit's walk progressed to a run.
I remembered the animosity of the spirit towards these ruins. A disagreement between the vampires and the spirit probably happened.
With no one in the ruins, I followed the spirit's guidance. The gleaming path seemed to be my destined route. Suddenly, the fire spirit halted, causing me to collide with it. I braced myself for an impact, but nothing happened as memories weren't physical. Despite its lifelike appearance, I couldn't touch Leo. I went through something like mist, though, naturally; it wasn't wet. It was difficult to articulate the unusual feeling, yet it wasn't unpleasant. A glimpse of the spirit's past brought me joy. I wanted to learn more about my travel companion.
The memory lingered, prompting me to observe from a distance to witness its full resolution. The spirit unleashed powerful flames, directing them at the darkly clad figure seated upon a throne of shining metal.
"The above rules are inapplicable here," the vampire stated, deflecting the flames with a wave of his hand.
"Let her go!" the spirit yelled.
"She wronged my brothers. We punish everyone who disobeys the rules on our territory," the vampire furrowed his brows when he said it.
"Solelay didn't do it on purpose. It was to protect others!" the spirit angrily said.
The vampire bared its fangs. "My people are under my protection, too," it hissed.
Solelay? The Solelay? The famous fire witch who was a close friend of the fire spirit? She really existed! Her myth was true! That was wonderful news. Perhaps the other myths were also true. This was such a pleasant surprise. A smile spread across my face naturally. My excitement at seeing what happened next vanished as quickly as the memory mist, leaving me clueless. That was really disappointing.
I sighed deeply, concentrating on conjuring flames, when someone tapped me. I jumped up in shock.
"Now, now," someone said.
I was face-to-face with a wrinkled old man as the place became brilliantly lit. His ashen hair was a mess; tangled, with missing strands. His ruby eyes, like piercing daggers, met my gaze. He wore old, ragged clothes, suggesting long-term self-neglect, yet the materials were clearly expensive.
""Hello there, Calytrix," he greeted, his voice like that of old friends. "You are the witch the fire spirit favors at this age."His rude behavior made me step back, shaken, after his careful examination.
"I apologize if I caused you discomfort, but the fire spirit and I share a lengthy past. It is quite interesting how you have absolutely no resemblance to Solelay." he said. "My name is Lemniselenis, the last of the old ages vampires."
Pronouncing his name seemed challenging. I didn't know what to say next. I didn't introduce myself, as he already knew who I was.
"Is the reason you summoned me your past dealings with the fire spirit?" I asked.
"No. The fire spirit memory was just a lure to catch you interest," Lemniselenis said.
Sadly, this conversation won't be about the spirit or the old ages.
"I called you here because I wanted to talk about Akios," Lemniselenis continued.
"Akios?!"
I was so surprised to hear his name that I blinked a few times.

YOU ARE READING
Calytrix's Journey
FantasyCalytrix is a young witch who just turned 20. As is customary for all witches of her age, she must leave her home village and explore the world. She journeys to find her own place within it and a purpose, but magic is declining and only a few witche...