The Promise Path

~ Chapter One ~

Authors' Note: We hope you like our story! Feel free to voice your opinion, ask any questions and point out any mistakes we make.

Avery wakes up from a nightmare, the screams of the two adults as they burn echoing in her head. She glances out of her window and sees that it's still the middle of the night. Knowing she won't be able to fall back asleep, Avery sighs and gets out of bed. She pulls a pair of black trousers out of her wardrobe and slips them on under the baggy linen shirt she wears as pyjamas. She's always warm, no matter what temperature it is. She is a Fire Witch after all, or half of one anyway.

After putting on a pair of black boots, she slowly opens her window and slides out. She easily lands on her feet. She's used to jumping out of her first storey bedroom window. It's easy. The hard part is landing right, but she can do that too.

Avery decides to go on a walk through the forest to clear her head. When she steps into the dark, shadowy forest, she conjures a flame in her right palm to light the way along the path so she won't get lost. These woods are extensive, and are too easy to get lost in if you don't know them well or if you're not an Earth Witch or Warlock.

Only a few minutes into her walk, Avery hears rustling from behind her. She conjures another flame in her left palm, ready to throw it if necessary. She takes a small step forward and shines the fire in the area where the noise came from only to see her best friend Lucy walking up the path towards her. Avery immediately extinguishes the flames resting in her hands and runs to Lucy, hugging her, relieved that it's her best friend and the only person she trusts fully.

"Avery, is everything okay?" Lucy asks Avery, knowing immediately that there is something troubling her best friend. Avery sighs, lets go of Lucy, and answers,

"I had the dream again." Lucy smiles sadly at Avery,

"I had a feeling that you would've had it again. I felt you enter the forest."

"How?" Avery questions.

"Your fire freaked out the forest animals." Their grins widen, but quickly disappear, "I know how much the dream bothers you so I wanted to find you once I knew you were out here. Good thing you're predictable, I always know where to go to find you when you're upset and need to clear your head." Lucy replies with a tinge of happiness in her voice to lighten the heavy mood. Avery and Lucy both grin at each other.

"I'm glad you came to find me. Thank you." Avery says. Lucy's grin slightly widens, and Avery can't help but think how beautiful Lucy looks when she smiles, especially in the little bit of moonlight shining in through small gaps between the leaves. But, Avery pushes these feelings aside, reminding herself that it is wrong to like her best friend who will never like her back.

"Avery, you don't have to thank me. We've been best friends for years, why wouldn't I help you? Anyway, I think the dream bothers you so much because it's fire that kills them and you can't do anything to stop it. You're so used to controlling fire that when you lose that control, you feel helpless. But even without your powers, you're not helpless. You're strong and one hell of a fighter, so don't you forget it." Lucy tells Avery in a cheery tone, trying to boost her best friend's self esteem and make her feel better. Avery hugs Lucy again, whispering her gratitude to her,

"Thank you." The two girls stand in silence for a while, resting in the comfort of each other's embrace. They eventually pull away and start walking back home.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Well, this is me." Lucy jokingly says once they reach her house near the edge of the forest. Her family consists mostly of Earth Witches and Warlocks, so they like to live in areas with a lot of nature. Avery chuckles and briefly hugs her friend one last time before starting to walk home, calling behind her,