An Ember's Tale

Chapter Seven

 Ember blinked away the dizziness until only a couple of black spots darted the corner of her vision. She leaned against a smaller tree at the edge of the village with her hands tangled in her hair. Her mind echoed with familiar screams as she blinked away the tears threatening to fall and stung her red eyes.

Breathe, the voice inside of her told Ember. Just breathe...

Continued flashes of flames and gold consumed her mind. Her fingers gripped her hair until it felt as if they were ripping out of her scalp.

Why? She asked. Why now?

Because until now, you have suppressed it.

"Red!" a voice called.

Ember opened her eyes and looked over to Mark, rushing toward her with wide eyes. "Are you insane?" he asked her before he stopped and noticed her panicked expression. "You passed out just moments ago... you can't-"

"Don't," Ember snapped as she got up from the tree. "Ever tell me what I can and can't do. You are my guide, so guide me or leave."

"You don't trust me?" Mark asked her as his eyes darkened. "We need to have some sort of trust if this is going to work."

"And you trust me?" Ember scoffed. "In the short time we have known one another, you have accused, insulted, and questioned everything I do. You can lie and say you do, but you're just as skeptical of me as I am of you."

Mark's lips pursed together while his jaw clenched. "The jewels are up the hill," he mumbled.

She nodded and walked past him toward the vast hill overlooking the town. Ember found a stone path, hidden behind trees and thick bushes she pushed out of the way. It was leading up to the old ruins that sat desecrated on the top. She began to walk up the steep path, listening to the sound of Mark's heavy boots stomping behind her.

Part of her wanted to apologize, but another part told her that she wasn't the one who needed to. Even so, faint feelings of guilt flooded her while she looked up at the world of green before her. Ember hadn't expected the hill to be so long, but it seemed to take forever until she finally reached the old ruins covered in overgrown grass and vines. She looked down at the village and the vast rainforest before them. Her eyes glanced over at the merchant behind her, who was watching her with flashing eyes.

She wanted to say something... anything, but her lips just pursed before she forced her gaze away and walked past him. Ember looked over at the ruins to find ancient symbols. She moved the vines away to find one that looked like a flame as her eyes widened. Something stirred inside of her until she felt a pull to look over at what looked like once was a castle.

Most of it had crumbled to dust, with old stones lying over the ground covered in ivy and thick vines with thorns that stuck out almost as a warning. She stepped toward the ancient ruins while her powers inside of her began to burn against her chest. Ember looked over to what seemed like an old archway into the castle with faints remains of tapestries blowing in the breeze above her. She stepped inside and looked around at the other faded tapestries. Some looked singed while others were moments away from fading into dust with the passing breeze.

"This is where it all began," a voice said from behind her.

Ember spun around to find Mark looking over the castle with a frown as he leaned against one of the walls with his arms folded over his broad chest. She was surprised such an old wall could even support him, but he just relaxed further against the stone with his violet eyes scanning over her as if she was on display which made her frown.