A Girl and Her Demons

The Night Before

Chapter Eight: The Night Before

                The two of them returned to the inn to find the lobby area once again filled with people. Volde had seen them come in and waved them over to their table. Greenhorn was there as well. Tempest walked over with his arm around Scarlet’s shoulders.

                “Was your day as good as mine?” Volde nearly shouted as they sat down. The two of them nodded their heads and laughed a little at the question. Volde told them all about the day he had with Elder Darkbeam. He said that he learned the weapon technique and that he could make weapons out of his darkness control. He learned some other things about how to better control his techniques and had begun to learn how to create darkness without his glasses.

                Once he had finished describing his day in full detail Greenhorn broke in. “I am sorry to add a bittersweet note to what I am sure was a great day in Capitol but the Council has prepared the chamber for your ritual. They told me to inform you that they want you in the palace at high sun. You may have to wake up earlier than you want but they were set in their time.”

                “Not a problem. Thank you, Greenhorn.”

                “Also, I was unaware that you were staying with Tempest last night and you did not get the change of clothes provided because the servant did not find a third room occupied on the second floor. So, tomorrow you will have a fresh pair of clothes to wear tomorrow.” Scarlet nodded.

                “I’m sorry but Tempest and I have had a long day. We are going to head up to bed since we have an early start tomorrow.” Tempest agreed with Scarlet and Greenhorn wished her luck in case he did not see her before the ritual. The two of them stood and walked through the crowd to the stairs. They reached their room and Tempest went over and sat on the bed.

                “I am going to get out of these clothes and take a shower. I feel disgusting.” So, she went into the bathroom and turned on the hot water. The bathroom began to steam up as Scarlet undressed. The steam was very soothing. She loved steam because she was able to control this gaseous form of water. She had learned a few years ago a technique that relieved her stress. She raised her hands above her now naked body. She concentrated the steam above her at first and then she spun the hot steam around her body. The warm steam pushed against her body giving her a make shift massage. She closed her eyes as she moved the steam along her body enjoying the release of stress.

                She stepped in the shower and washed away the filth of the past two days. As she washed her hair, she held the long red hair in her hands and looked at it. She knew her hair was different than the other air Elementalists but she had never thought that it made her different. She exited the shower and picked up the bathrobe that resembled the robe that the deskman had been wearing but made of the same material as the towels. She left the bathroom and Tempest was already tucked into the bed underneath the covers. Tempest looked over at her with raised eyebrows. She clenched the robe tight to her as she sheepishly moved over to the bed. She tied the string around her tightly, pulled down the covers, and lay down next to Tempest.

                “Tomorrow morning things will change. Life isn’t going to be easy anymore. We are going to be asked to do the near impossible. I am going to be some powerful being with little control over my magic. I do not know what will happen. I know your answer already but I want to hear you say it.” Scarlet turned over to face Tempest. Their eyes met. “Will you come with me?”

                “I will journey with you wherever you go. I will be there to fight whatever evil threatens you.”

                “I know you are worried that tomorrow I will be a different person. I cannot guarantee that will not happen. I want you to know that this person that I am now is me. Tonight, Scarlet wanted you to come with her. She wants you to be by her side for this. I want you with me. Remember that.” Tempest nodded. Scarlet leaned forward and kissed Tempest. She then turned over and snuggled in close to him as she once again blew out the lights with her magic.

                Scarlet waited for the inevitable to happen. She wondered what the scene would be this time. However, it seemed that no matter how long she waited her mind stayed blank. She eventually realized that this was the scene she was looking at. Complete darkness. She attempted to move her hands and she realized she was able to. She touched her face so she was in the next nightmare.

                “Are you there? Can you hear me?” She spoke aloud. There was no answer. She spun around and nearly fell down because there was absolutely no light anywhere. She remembered back to her last nightmare; she had been able to conjure fire. She was not able to control it but she could summon it. So, she did not attempt to perform any technique but simply create fire so she could see where she was. She looked down at where she thought her hands might be as she could not see them in the compete darkness. She focused and attempted to create fire.

                She felt the sensation that she felt when using her air magic occur but she looked down at where her hands were and still could see nothing.

                “No light exists within my realm. I wanted to show you where I come from. You told me last time that I should be afraid of you. Tell me, how does one fight what it cannot see?” Scarlet stood still hearing the voice very loud within the space. The voice had stopped and two bright red spots appeared in the distance. They were getting closer. She immediately recognized them as the eyes of her enemy. They stopped just short of her just as the minions had in her last nightmare. She attempted to summon the fire she had summoned last time, she clenched her fist, and threw both fists toward the two sparks.

                A loud laugh echoed in her ears. “You cannot harm me, Scarlet! I am the strongest Elementalist ever. No one can compare to me!” Scarlet grew angry and without any thought she recreated as best she could the pressurized ball of what she hoped as fire. She could feel some sort of energy move through her. She felt a power she couldn’t control within her hands again and attempted to throw it toward the sparks. She heard a large explosion as she had heard in her previous dream. After the echoes had stopped, the laughing returned. “You mock me yet again, Scarlet! You do not have the strength that I have! I have joined myself with the element itself. No Elementalist has ever combined with their element until now. You will never know the full power I possess!”

                Scarlet felt a surge of energy course through her body. Her body once again fell out of her control. Her body began slowly moving toward the two sparks. As she approached the sparks, the area they were in stared to become visible. She did not realize what was causing the light until she looked down at her body and realized that her entire body was in flames. She looked back up at the sparks and started to make out the body of the onyx skinned man.

                “Scarlet!” She heard her name being yelled. It was Tempest. She was confused but she had no control of her body. “Scarlet, no!” She heard the laughing of the onyx skinned man again and a blinding flash of light.

                Then, silence.