Pheonix

Chapter 3

Wearily opening her eyes, Daniella took in her surroundings. She was on the ground. Dirt clung to her as she tried sitting up. Under a canopy of branches and surrounded by woodland, she knew she wasn't in the tropics of Bermuda anymore. Alone, Daniella knew that this place was in the middle of nowhere and not where her mom must have landed, for they must have seen her come through if they came out here too. Sighing, she began to rub off all the dirt that was caked on her dress and arm. Everything was going to be okay, she thought. You are alone in the wilderness, in who knows where, earth or not; she must stay calm. As Daniella took a deep breath, a strong breeze glided, wafting pine into her nose, and ... a burnt smell?Daniella turned around and saw that the terrain that was underneath where her head had been was singed to a crisp. Causing immediate attention to her head. She grabbed her hair and brought strands close to her face. This is not my hair. All she could say to what was once her normal straight red hair was now a wave of glowing, almost as if it was living, hot magma flowing from her head. Her bag and sword were still intact, but her sundress was partially black and ripping in some areas from the heat. This could not be happening. Hair cannot be able to do this. But it did in her mom's stories; just like your red hair, my dear, her mom said. Like the prince in the stories, her hair was bright and a living flame.This cannot be earthly possible. How is her skin not burned like her clothes? How, biologically, can hair do this? Hair cannot glow like a lantern and look like it was flowing magma from a volcano. And why were her dad's things not being affected, but hers? Many thoughts confused Daniella's mind. She had to cover it up. She slowly placed her hands on her head, and her hair did not seem to burn her hands either. Pulling the hair back slowly, she took off the bag and sword, and without letting her hair touch anything else, she rummaged through the bag for some cloth. All the Clothing that she found, fortunately, was inflammable as well. Her father's hair must have really been the same. Rapping her hair with one shirt tightly around her head so no strand was showing, tucking the leftover cloth underneath the seam. Daniella changed into some of her dad's pants and shirt. Baggy, but it would have to do. Placing her dress into the bag and putting the bag back on with the sword, she took more of her surroundings.The last afternoon rays shone through the branches. The lush greenery sprang up close to the sun pockets, whereas where she was standing, the ground was a mix of moss, rock and dead fallen debris from the trees. Everything looked like a normal forest, but that was as far as it went. When Daniella listened, sounds from nearby animals were not from animals she knew of. Wails, caws, and chirps from animals that were not birds caught her attention. With a tremble, she placed a hand on the handle of the sword, forgetting what she was told about the sword not being real. Her hands jiggling, the sword moved an inch out of the sheath, and Daniella froze. It was able to unsheathe? But Thomas said it couldn't, or at least they couldn't unsheathe it if the sword knew something about its potential wielder. Unsheathing the sword entirely before her, the iron gleamed in the sun. The sword still felt hot in her hands, pulsing, driving her attention to it somehow. Steady like her breath, it continued to pulse harder as time passed; she felt her body's energy sing with it. A feeling she could not understand. Daniella could never have been prepared for what happened next. Flame. Starting near her hands, the iron slowly was coated in a sea of flame, spiralling to the top until you would not believe there was metal underneath. Like it was a living fire on a stick that did not melt the golden hilt or hurt her hands to be so close to it, this was definitely not what she signed up for. Holder her breath, the sword immediately went out and, when she blew out, lit up again. Holding her breath again, Daniella slowly sheathed the sword once more. Hopefully, she didn't have to do that again; her shoulders sagged with relief.With a shaky breath, Daniella took a step and decided to start by trying to find a path of some kind or at least go in the opposite direction of any sounds. It would get dark soon, and she had no shelter, food or proper equipment for being in a forest alone. There had to be some hideaway; she thought, hopefully, a cave. Daniella was on a slight incline, and the rocks became more frequent. Nothing was going to be more hopeful in her current situation. Shaking off a cold sweat. She must stay calm, she thought. She will find her mom somehow. Daniella at least knew she must be in the right world if her hair was now fire. Using her mom's stories, she would get through this. With her confidence high and an hour's hike, Daniella fortunately found a large cave. Which was the best shelter possible if the weather changed, that would make things worse. The cave had a high ceiling and seemed to go on back ways, though too far for light to make it down. Groaning, she dropped her things on the cave floor and slide down. This was insane. The reality was not making sense anymore. How was she going to survive this? What does she do now? She has no supplies for this or knows where she even is. Certainty is clearly out of the window now. This is unlike home, where everything is regulated, stable and typical. She could not tell what would happen next at all; she wept.Growls were echoing through the cave. Too loud to be her stomach, too feral. Slowly turning her head, her eyes met those of a yellow glow, peering through the darkness deeper in the cave. "Can I not catch a break" Daniella whispers, stomach sinking, as the beast crept forward. The fur was midnight black, with blaring yellow eyes; it looked like a mix of a leopard and a wolf to Daniella, with its long belly and paws of a leopard or cat but with the hair and head of a wolf. But that would be it if you missed the two giant sabre teeth coming way past its jaw and were taller than her 5' 7''. Slowly, she backed away; keep calm, Daniella; it can probably sense your fear. She gulped as she was able to pick up her sword. But wait, was it a real sword or not, she thought. She did not even check that yet. The beast growled louder, and as she flinched, the beast pounced."Watch out!" someone yelled, and Daniella screamed. She waited for her end to come, but it never did. Opening her eyes ever so slightly, a man came into her vision, a vast long sword in his hands as the beast bared down on him.A pair of hands then grasped her shoulder, " Come on, hurry," the girl urged; her long wispy blond hair blowing between them. Standing up, they both ran towards the nearby tree line.From farther away, the young man came into better focus. He had similar hair to the girl, standing about six feet tall. Looking around, Daniella found another man standing back, arrow drawn. The two of them worked in tandem. The first one drew the animal back with his blade. Giving the second moment of time to shoot an arrow into one of the beast's eyes, making it fall back in pain as the first man slashed it's stomach, dead. A long breath releases from Daniella's lungs. Thank goodness."Well, that was a close one," sighed the second man, strapping down his bow. "Hopefully, the guild will pay well for this catch. Luck has been terrible today.""Well, a kid was in the way. What were you thinking of trying, hun? Defeating a demon beast on your own. With no armour, too?" the first man retorted. Daniella arched her brow. Eyes roaming over his basic set of armour compared to a knight in books."Raynard, that's not nice," said the girl, glaring at him sternly. So the smart ass' name was Raynard. He had a sharp tongue on him. "I'm Lillianne, by the way. Sorry about my brother, he's like this with everyone. What's your name?""Daniella," Daniella replied. "That's a pretty name. The names Felix" said the second man. Holding out his hand, Daniella takes it. These people seem alright, but they came out of nowhere and helped her without a second thought, could she trust them, how was she going to explain why she was there in the first place? "I agree with Lilli; Rayn won't touch ya." He grinned."You're not hurt, are you, before we got hear? I'm a healer," Lillianne asks. Did she mean something like a medic?"She looks fine to me. Let's go," Raynard states, sheathing his sword and starting to walk away."Wait!" Daniella calls; Raynard turns to glare at her. "Can I come with you? I got separated from the caravan I was in. Unfortunately, I do not know where they are; I was only hitching a ride from them. I knocked my head earlier," placing a hand on her clothed head. " Please, could you take me to town? I don't have much money to pay you, but I could," remembering the pouch of coins in her bag still in the cave. Hopefully, the rest was a convincing lie too. Daniella was not used to lying to people; she was usually straightforward. But she had no choice. She needed to get to safety."Sure we can; helping others is part of the job description as an adventurer. Right, Raynard," Lillianne smiles, grabbing her arm. Wait, what? Adventurer? "Fine," utters Raynard, hauling the beast over his shoulders."That's the spirit, Rayn," Felix cheers, helping with the other end of the beast. Daniella quickly goes back to the cave for her bag and sword."Oh, at least you have a sword with you. Why didn't you use it?" Lillianne asked, staring at it.Daniella flinched. "Oh yeah, it's actually my father's sword but its unusable. I brought it with me to try and find him," Daniella tries to explain. She hated having to lie to them. But she had to survive somehow. Plus, who would believe her when she said it was a sword that could make a fire?"Well, I hope you find him. By the look of the fancy handle, you would have better luck in the capital in an outskirts town like Arden," Lillianne adds."Is that so, that must be where the caravan must have been going," Daniella comments, hoping to be convincing."We go to the capital every once in a while on escort missions. But Arden has always been, for the most part, home base. Stick around, and maybe we can get you another ride there," smiles Lillianne. Daniella mentally sighed; Lillianne is such a nice girl. She had to, unfortunately, use this to her advantage, on one hand, she wanted a new friend in this strange place, and on the other, she had to survive somehow. Then there was Lillianne's brother. He had a strong tongue on him and a hard gaze that stared into her soul. He had a soft spot for his sister, she noticed. Giving in with only a few words from her. Maybe if Daniella could make a boon to that side of him, this whole situation towards getting to the capital would be eased.