An Ember's Tale

Chapter Twenty

 Ember was once again in the white void.

She slowly opened her eyes at the bright light and groaned, thinking about what horrible thing awaited for her there. She looked down to see she was also chained to the ground like the previous night, and when Ember moved, she saw the new dress she wore.

The dress was a deep royal blue color that draped off of her shoulder elegantly. Black lined the top of the dress, making an intricate pattern. It flowed out into a ball gown shape in several layers of royal blue. The dress was far too big for Ember to move comfortably in, but she did manage to sit up and looked out into the void.

Ember looked over to find her Aunt appearing from a cloud of black dust. It looked as if she was walking through some water as her boots splashed in the void. She looked around hurriedly, her blue eyes wide with fear. She muttered something to herself as she clutched her long grey dress and began to run. An ominous chill blew throughout the void, and even Ember shivered despite the several layers on her dress.

Ember tried to move, and to her surprise, her chains dissolved slowly. She got to her feet and ran over to her Aunt. The woman who had raised her for so many years. The woman who had been like a mother to her. The one who had died tragically like the rest of the people in Ember's life.

"Aunt Talia!" Ember yelled. "Aunt Talia!"

But Ember's Aunt didn't even look over to her. Ember realized that she couldn't see her or hear her, but she still desperately called her name. She had always wished that she could have had one more moment with her Aunt. One more moment to say goodbye, but she had never gotten that chance, and even if she said goodbye now- her Aunt would never know.

Her Aunt suddenly froze and turned around slowly when another chill went through the white void. This one seemed more sinister- crueler. It almost seemed familiar to Ember, but she could seldom tell where she had felt this kind of fear before. She did recognize the stench of death that followed the chill. With all the end that plagued Ember's life- she had grown to know whenever he was near. And he was far too near for her liking.

"Where is she?" an unfamiliar voice boomed. Ember looked around, but she didn't see anyone else in the void.

"So..." her Aunt said in a powerful voice, but Ember could see the fear in her eyes. Her arms began to tremble, but she still maintained a powerful and brave face. "You didn't send your minions this time?"

"I'd thought I'd come out to play for once," the voice chuckled. "Since all my minions seem to be having all the fun."

A figure began to appear, but it remained blurry. She could hardly make out any of the traits or details of the constitution. It looked more of a shadow than anything—phantom stalking in the night.

Ember's Aunt turned to run, but another deep chill ran through the air. This one felt different from the last two. It intertwined with death's stench to make an ice-cold feeling that ran up her spine and made her want to tremble in fear.

Ember looked down to see the water beneath her Aunt turn into blue ice. It slowly crept up her feet, freezing them in place. It spread until her ankles where they stopped. Ember's Aunt struggled violently, but her legs wouldn't move. She grabbed her leg and tried to pull her feet out of the ice's hold, but it was to no avail.

"Tell me..." the shadow stepped toward her. His voice came out so cold, like the ice that froze Ember's Aunt's feet. "Where is she?"

Her Aunt stopped struggling and laughed emptily. "Her parents died to protect her. You think I will give up so easily?"

"Would you like to join them?" The shadow was now only a few feet from Ember's struggling Aunt.

Her Aunt's face went starch white at the shadow's proposition. She cleared her throat and looked back at the shadow. She then smiled, startling both Ember and the shadow.

"Go to hell," she spat.

The shadow chuckled a deep, cruel, and empty chuckle. He reached out a hand and touched her Aunt's shoulder. The shoulder began to freeze as it began to spread to the rest of her body.

"Oh, but my dear," the shadow watched her Aunt freeze with amused eyes. "I'm already in it. But I shall see you soon there. You were no saint either. Send the devil my regards- I'm sure he is expecting me."

"No!" Ember yelled, but she couldn't do anything. She tried to grip her Aunt's hand, but Ember's hand just went right through hers. "No..."

Her Aunt completely froze as the shadow chuckled once more. He thrust his hand out, and she shattered to a million pieces. Ember released a blood-curdling scream as ice flew all around her.

The shadow smiled. "Such a pity..." he ticked. "You were quite powerful in your day. You could have been quite useful. Oh, well. I have all the time in the world..."

It then slowly turned around and looked at Ember straight into her wide eyes. She gasped when she saw the cold, cruel blue eyes he wore.

It reached a blurry hand at her, but for a moment, she could see what looked like skin, warmth, and flesh.

"At last..." it whispered. "The Fire Element."