Burned Out [Completed]

Family Reunion

Confronting mystic old guys in togas? Just a day in the life. Getting shoved into lava portals, sure why not? Fighting mythical creatures in fiery realms? No problem, I fight dragons for breakfast. But Sute's palace took my breath away.

The floors were made of the blackest obsidian flecked with quartz. Pillars of the same material lined the walls at even increments. The walls themselves were composed entirely out of flames of all colors. There were reds and yellows and oranges, but also greens and blues and purples. I had no idea that fire could be so colorful.

Sute led us through the halls. We passed saunas with strange humanoid creatures that looked like they were made of charcoal lounging on benches with tiny dragons curled at their feet. A few glanced up and waved as we passed. Some of them bowed to Sute.

At one point we walked along the edge of a massive courtyard. It was decorated with the same trees we had passed on the trek in, but they didn't seem as ugly. Arranged in the gardens, they could almost be seen as beautiful.

More of the charcoal creatures strolled along the gravel paths. Some were playing frisbee with larger dragons. I spotted a few beings made out of flames. These creatures also sported pairs of ram horns on their foreheads.

"Flaming goat men?" Martin gaped.

"Those are the adar izaki. They are the servants of my castle." Sute waved her hand dismissively, but I could tell she was eating up our amazement.

"What about the gray coal guys?" Wynn asked.

"They are the ikatz izaki. They are the caretakers of the dragons, and if I need them to, they make a good militia."

"I really appreciate this tour," I interrupted, "but you said you'd show us where our parents are?"

Sute sniffed at me. "So impatient. Very well, just through this door."

She pointed an obsidian door that resembled a bank vault. A pair of the horned servants, adar izaki, appeared out of thin air and opened the door for us. We walked through. Martin whispered thanks to the creatures, but they ignored him.

Once we all passed through, they bowed and promptly disappeared, leaving the door to swing shut on its own.

This room was nothing like the rest of the castle. The floors were backwards; quartz flecked with obsidian instead of the other way around. The walls were regular oak panelling, but the wood looked rather gray, like it had been formed from the stumpy trees.

A natural stream of lava spouted from a fireplace and snaked its way through the middle of the floor. The space was decked out like a rich person's library.

Puffy chocolate brown sofas lined the walls and bookshelves were standing everywhere. Some of the shelves had cubby holes stuffed with scrolls, some of which looked like they were written with flames.

At a round table in the far corner, two figures sat hunched over several piles of books and parchment. One was a woman with rich curls the same color as Assana's.

The other was a middle aged man. I recognized the tousled brown hair from the picture Martin had found online.

"Mother?" Assana took an uncertain step forward.

The woman sat straight up as if they'd been shocked. "Assana?" She leapt up and raced towards us.

Assana ran to meet her and they embraced with tears in their eyes. What a happy reunion.

Meanwhile, my heart felt like I had just eaten fifty burgers then ran a marathon. The man had stood up. There was no doubt in my mind that he was my father, but what if he didn't recognize me? Why should he? The last time he saw me I was still a toddler.