Ran, Running, and Will Run By Maddiff Rel

Danger

Your ears captured a clung tight to the drips and drops of water descending from the stalactites on the ceiling. You couldn't feel any of your limbs. You felt like you were weightless even as you felt the cave floor beneath you.

There was an eerie blue glow among the walls of the cave. You knew there was a reason for you being here, but your memory was still quite hazy. All you remembered was a buzz, and being so close to escaping.... well... something or somewhere.

But you remembered one other thing: a small being standing a few feet away from you. You felt an antagonizing feeling from the.... whatever it was. You also felt its presence was close.

You felt cold. Not just the chill of the cave's walls and floor, but on the inside. You could feel your flowing red hair freezing your now unarmored shoulders. You started to feel your hands. You squeezed. Cold air filled your clammy palms. Your heartbeat started to to slow to a dull vibration deep within your chest. You felt alone...

You felt tired, hungry, weak, vulnerable but overall, you felt the need to run. To get away. To quickly stand up on your naked feet and sprint. To get away from this place that falsely smelled of blossoms and sweet honeysuckle.

But, in spite of that, in spite of all the feelings that were welling up inside of you, you couldn't do any of the things you felt you needed to do. You didn't want to run. You didn't want to curl up into a small insignificant ball of flesh, tunic, and red hair. You didn't want to feel anything.

The overwhelming buzzing pain felt like a glass dagger in the back of your skull and forced all other thoughts out of your head...

You eventually got to your senses and agreed with all of your extremities to sit up and examine the cave around you. When you sat up,all you could see were five metal, barred cells lining the walls. You were in the middle of the room.

On closer inspection, you saw small, detailed chests with flowery designs on the top of the chests along with flame designs in the bottom. They were all in the top left corner of each room. In the top right corner of the room, you found what gave away the illusion of the pleasant sent of the room. Instantly, when you saw the piles of bones and purplish flesh stacked high in the corner of the cells, the sweet sent faded, and a waft of rotting flesh invaded your nostrils. You covered your nose on instinct.

On the wall by the door of the dim cave, you saw a pile of gear. You didn't see Accidental Flame or the magic armor your parents gave you.

It is bad luck to put on another's magic armor, you reminded yourself as Josh had told you one day, The magic in the armor or weapon won't except you as its owner, and it may kill you.

"Why can't I ever teach him anything..." you said aloud to no one in particular. You started walking out of the room with cells in it down a hallway that you couldn't see the end to.

■ ■ ■

The wings that used to be on your back had faded away hours ago. The trees around you stand tall, all except for the one that had burned down to ashes within seconds. You had asked the purple-black flames what it wanted, but it wouldn't tell. All it said was, "I will destroy the competition. That is you madam."

But he didn't do anything to you. He had taken control of your body, yes, and taken you to an unfamiliar place, yes, but what else had he really done to you?

The hours start to pass and this question still remains. Then, you remember your village, Pui. You remember how the houses burned so quickly, how the people tried to run, only to be burned to nothing once they got far enough from the village, and how you could barely see these things through squinted, teary eyes. Nothing can change between the Flames of Destruction and you. You will always hate it, and it will always hate you, no matter what.