An Ember's Tale

Chapter Fourteen

"Engoni..."

Ember opened her red eyes to find she was standing in her Grandmother's home. She looked down to see she was in a black dress with several layers of tulle and silk. There was a collar on her neck that went down to a plunging neckline that showed more of her chest than she cared for. Still, the dress was enchantingly beautiful as she spun in it, briefly watching the edges wrap around one another.

"Ember."

She turned around to find her Grandmother smiling at her with faded eyes.

"How are you here?" Ember asked her with wide eyes. "You're... you-"

"Dead?" her Grandmother smiled wider. "We are all connected, my dear girl. Through blood and so much more. I came back one last time."

"Why?"

Her Grandmother slowly gestured before her. "I didn't get much time to tell you why I did what I did. I just hope that once you see it, you can forgive me."

She slowly began to fade into golden dust as Ember reached out toward her.

"I love you, my Engoni." She closed her eyes before she turned into dust and floated away.

"Anahita!"

Ember spun around with tears in her eyes as she saw a younger version of her Grandmother chasing a girl who looked only a couple of years older than Ember. She had long, curly blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and light brown skin that glistened in the bright light from the skylight above.

"No, Mother!" the girl spun around to face her Grandmother. "I won't stay another minute!"

"How dare you!" Ember's Grandmother shouted. "You have an element, and that needs to be protected!"

"I am not some child," the girl told her. "I am eighteen, but I have not lived a single moment of it. I want to see the world beyond the Sea Island. I want to experience all life has to offer and not be stuck in these walls."

"All it has to offer is pain and sorrow for an element. The world out there is too cruel. Don't do this..."

"I'm sorry," the girl shook her head. She grabbed her bag from the table before she turned toward the edge of the hut. "But I need to leave."

"What about your sister?" her Grandmother called. "You're just going to leave her too? Family does not abandon family!"

"She will understand," the girl froze as tears began to stream down her cheeks. "But family also supports one another- not trap them."

The girl left as Ember's Grandmother began to sob as a small child appeared. She looked so familiar to Ember, but she couldn't remember where she had seen her before. The child had the same blue-green eyes and blonde hair as her Grandmother.

"Why are you crying, Mom?" the child asked.

The scene began to slowly fade away until Ember was standing in the same hut, staring into her Grandmother's tired eyes as she kneeled at her table, drinking a familiar tea. Another girl was kneeling next to her with wide grey eyes and long, dark red hair.

"This tastes strange," the girl eyed the tea suspiciously as her face twisted. "I don't like it."

Her Grandmother laughed with a small smile. "I think, one day, you will like it, my Engoni."

Suddenly, more figures began to appear as dust swarmed around them. They entered the hut with terrified gazes. Ember's eyes widened when she saw them. There was a woman with long blonde hair that shone like the sun. Her bright blue eyes were wide with fear and terror. It was the same woman she had seen in her trance. Her mother. It was also the same woman she had seen earlier, leaving the small hut and going off into the world.