Crown of Daelin

Chapter 1: The New Kid with Wind

    Fire, all around me. I kept running and running, my vision obscured by the blinding flames. I had to get out. I had to make it, or we were all dead. As I barreled ahead through the city, the only sound to be heard was the roar of the smoldering buildings that surrounded me. It was when I passed the ruins of an ancient tower that I fell for the first time. My foot snagged on a stone that had fallen from the tower, and down I went. As I laid on the rough sand, everything that had thus far gone unnoticed seemed to be unleashed upon me all at once. I became aware of how tired I was, and of the ache in my limbs. The venomous smoke had already seeped into my lungs, constricting my airways to where my breath came out as a pitiful gasp. I longed only for the chance of clean oxygen. How easy it would be, just to lie here and will the fire to consume me. But I could not do so, for my life was not the only one at stake. With a giant heave I pushed myself up from the ground and continued to run.

It was not long before I fell for the second time. I stumbled along a flaming alleyway when the smoke became too much. I fell to my knees as a fit of coughing overtook me, my throat burning in agony. I tried to call out for help, but there was no one. No Simon to help carry my burden, no Veronica to wipe my face. I was alone. I collapsed onto my back and took a look at the world in flames. I knew I would not fall a third time, because I knew that whatever strength I had left had vanished, and I could not get up. A bold laugh, terrible and wicked, shook deep into my soul, just before a crevice opened up in the earth and consumed me. And so I fell; down, and down, and down.

    I woke with a chill, and cold sweat was clinging to my face. I knew then it was only a dream. I had been having nightmares for the past couple weeks now, and I scolded myself often for being such a baby about it. I looked up, remembering where I was, a golden light shining through the emerald leaves. I sat up, and my pre-calculus book fell from my chest to my lap. I guess I must have fallen asleep, falling victim to the soft gurgle of the creek, and to the monotonous scribbling of my homework. I closed my book and stuffed it in my bag, deciding that I would have to finish it later. I sat there for a moment, watching my own reflection, the long brown hair and green eyes, the distortion of the ripples causing my face to grow long, then fall back and shrink, then continue on in the ever-moving cycle. This was my favorite spot. It was peaceful, quiet. No one knew of this place, no one except for me. I shook off my leather boots and threw my socks aside, then gently slid my bare feet into the frigid water. As if it were a spark of electricity, or perhaps a double-shot espresso, I once again felt the strange energy of the water surge through me. A wave of power spread over my body, causing my limbs to feel stronger and my vision more focused. It was a connection, it was almost... magical, as if-

    My thoughts were interrupted by a rustling of branches behind me. The epiphany disappeared and faded, already forgotten. And why not? I had always had such a mysterious connection to water. I didn't understand in the slightest what it meant or where it came from, but I had learned to accept it as a part of who I was. However, that hardly meant that I wasn't curious about it from time to time.

     I felt a great wind pick up, blowing in my face and all around my body. I closed my eyes, basking in the coolness, but then I realized something was wrong. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what it was. I listened, and I realized that there was no sound of the leaves rustling in the wind. I opened my eyes, and the trees were still. I turned to see a tall figure emerge through the pines and bushes, the sunlight shining off of his golden hair. His eyes were what caught my attention; they were blue, dark blue, and deep as if they had no end. It was an unnatural blue. He looked about my age, although considerably taller and muscularly built. He had a friendly, handsome face and tanned skin. He wore a plain white tank top and navy basketball shorts, and the strap of some sort of pack was slung over his shoulder. He held something long and thin in his left hand, but I couldn't see from a distance what it was. He looked at me and smiled. I just stared at him, one because he was very attractive, and two because I was wondering how in the world he found me here. I was in the middle of the forest. I had wandered across this place years ago, maneuvering my way through branches and boulders and thistles. No one had ever been here before except for me. And now him.