From Embers to Flames

Chapter One

Forge Runeshield, a 28 year old fire genasi well known throughout Atinys as The Gentleman Barbarian, sits at his well-crafted oak bar. The Flaming Marigold is dark, desolate and depressing; which was actually quite unusual for the local bar. It was about 2 hours past closing time; Forge had already completed all of his work to close the restaurant, yet a crystal wine glass sits atop the bar accompanied with a bottle of dark and sweet smelling wine. The flames that made up Forge's hair and beard were quite dim; almost like embers against his head and face. He picks up the wine bottle and pours another glass full, as he sips he hopes that the liquor will take hold of him and brighten him up some. So far though, it isn't really working that way; as it usually does.

Just a few days prior, Forge and his significant other, Syvis, got into a rather heated argument the night before Syvis was set to embark on another adventure with their party. The longer that Forge dwelled on the conversation that the two of them had, the more sorry and guilty that Forge felt. He had been mulling things over through the better part of the last couple of days while keeping up with his business. He didn't mean to say what he had said to them, he was just stressed and didn't know how to relieve it without taking it out on them. It was every once in a while that the two of them would quarrel, but when they went to blows it was a whole affair of its own. His words had caused Syvis to leave early in the morning, without saying a word to Forge and without him knowing where they were going or how long they expected to be gone. It was the first time in 3 years together that Syvis left without a word, without a kiss even. It worried him greatly, and he had no way of getting into contact with them.

Forge downed another glass of the wine in no time flat, swaying slightly as the wine was mostly doing its job in relaxing the tense man. His gaze drifted towards the tavern's front door. The Flaming Marigold might be closed to the public, but Forge was actually expecting company. In an act of desperation, the flame elemental called upon a member of his old adventuring party; a well intentioned and insightful fairy by the name of Celestia. The two of them traveled together for the better part of 5 years before Forge decided to open The Flaming Marigold. He wondered for a moment at how long he had been sitting there waiting, hoping it wasn't too much later than the time he requested she come by.

Just as Forge began to stand up, trying to grab a smaller wine glass for his friend to indulge with him, he heard the softest little knock upon his door. Forge started to hurry over to the door, looking down at himself and sighing just before opening it. He certainly wasn't in the best condition to be seen; after the long day of working behind the bar and in the kitchen, accompanied by the mental state that he was in he didn't exactly look "presentable" which was going to be quite a shock to the person waiting on the other side of the door. Forge groaned softly to himself before shaking his head and opening the door.

Waiting there on the other side was a beautiful little woman, no more than 2 ½ feet tall in stature, with the most gorgeous brown hair and iridescent wings that shimmered seamlessly in the moonlight of the night. Before Forge opened the door, she had an excited and sweet smile on her face, but finally seeing the state her friend was in her face quickly turned to one of anxious worrying.

"Forge!" Her slightly squeaky voice rang out into Forge's contemplative silence. She quickly fluttered a bit higher and slung her purse to her side, grabbing either side of the elemental's face and pulling him in close. She looked all over her Forge's face and saw the stress and the tear stains plaguing his pained expression. She took notice of Forge averting his eyes from her, and wondered why he would be acting so strangely. He was always so open and enjoyable, that's how he liked to be. This fairy could count on one hand the amount of times that she had seen Forge in this kind of state, it was a very rare occurrence.

Knowing that the two of them had sort of a more sibling-like relationship, she pulled herself closer to him and wrapped her arms around him as best as she could. "What's wrong?! Why are you crying? You look like you haven't slept in days... Your flames are so dim..." In her fussing she pulled away and tried to force him to look her in the eyes. "I knew you sounded a little upset over the sending stone, but I didn't think that you were feeling this way... What's going on? Who do I have to beat up?"

Forge couldn't help but begin to tear up once again. He tried desperately to keep his gaze away from hers, but once they did lock eyes Forge could feel the tears start streaming down his face once again. He quickly wrapped an arm around Celestia, pulling her inside as he took notice of a few of the locals walking by the inn during an evening stroll behind his good friend. He locks the heavy tavern door behind them, letting out a shaky sigh once he was sure that no one else could get in. As soon as he was sure it was just going to be the two of them, his previously blank expression turned to one of pain and worry. He grabbed either of his upper arms and his torso shrunk inwards, letting all of his emotions finally reach the surface after so long of suppressing them.

"Celestia, I think I really screwed up with Syvis... So badly that they didn't even say anything before they left on their group mission... They didn't tell me where they were going, how long they were going to be gone... I didn't even get to apologize before they left."

Forge's body slowly began to stabilize as Celestia fluttered in front of him. She leaned forward and took out a handkerchief to dry his tears as he explained. "I don't know what to do, I'm so worried about them... and I'm really regretful about what I said... It's all I've been thinking about over the last 3 days, just replaying over every harsh thing I said to them... and what they said to me in return... I feel so selfish and idiotic..."

Celestia listened closely, her expression becoming more and more worried for Forge the more that he explained. "Alright, alright... let's take a breath, okay? I'm here to listen." See, she was the one that introduced Syvis and Forge in the first place. Syvis was actually Celestia's apprentice for a short time while she was going through her college training. From the outside looking in, it seemed like the two of them were simply made for each other. Right from the start Celestia thought the two of them were perfect together. Hearing that the two of them were on rocky ground now was quite surprising. She was actually pretty proud of how well the two of them communicated day to day.