Warm Darkness

Frozen Heat

The sidewalk is damp with a thin coat of ice overtop, a cool spring wind dancing with the trees. Footsteps approaching the corner, the sound of the cool surface underneath running shoes. I look up and see yet another human turning the corner. Nothing to be alarmed of, this one was wearing a big baggy coat with track pants. They have such an odd choice for this particular morning. The wind is starting to pick up and play with my hair and caress my cheeks as I walk along. My pale grey skin is unaffected as I am part Ice Jötunn, the confusing part is to why my hair is a reddish colour unlike the rest of the ice clan. I am also half fire clan, my powers were strong but they were taken away when I was thrown out. Farther down the street, there's a dim-lit light licking the edges of the dark street. At 5:30 am, it was surprising to see a human out walking. Now I was on my way to the train station on foot, making it past tall shadowy buildings. Nothing really scared me, not even the thought of being alone. As I made it down the road, past the flickering light, I had decided that I would turn right and take a shortcut. It was unfamiliar with the darkness swallowing up this alley, shadows danced and a street light of guidance at the end of it. My feet picking up the pace and crunching on the not yet melted snow. I was unafraid but this alley had a different kind of feeling, almost like it could feel I was in its presence. I lied earlier when I had said they had taken away all my powers, they attempted but failed and that left me with enough to get by. The tip of my right index finger shot up a bit of warm light, a flickering flame, illuminating the way for each foot. I made my way through but suddenly I felt a hand raise up behind me and grab my right shoulder. I turn around and shriek "Christ on a cupcake!" The stern husky voice behind me says "Wrong religion but keep it down or they will hear you" he whispered. My finger flame was flickering with adrenaline, I wasn't used to be taken by surprise like this. "Who are you?" was the only thing that managed to escape my open mouth. "Just follow me and I'll explain later"

***

Gentle footsteps in a dark damp forest followed by the sound of cracking branches. Something was off, it just felt wrong. The trees all around us just seemed like they were watching us, or maybe even imitating the people who crept around. It's not every day you see two people, innocent-looking running around a forest at 6:30 am. Yes, it has been an hour of walking with this stranger, whom I still don't have a name for. Looking in from the outside makes my situation seems so naive but trust me, it's not. There was a sort of comfort he carried with himself, a lost ruggedness which I had never before encountered. At this point I was too tired to keep going, I sat down under a tree on the damp snow. "I need a break, we've been walking for what seems like more than an hour" I exhaled. "Come on Anya, we need to keep moving...They will catch up" he explained. "Not until you tell me who you are and what you're doing" I turned around and looked right at his face, it was dark but I could still make out the details that made up the tall figure of a man. "You mean...you don't remember who I am?" Surprise was now written all over his face, all of his sharp features overcome with exaggeration and a small look of annoyance. I look at his eyes and they looked back at me with familiarity, I had just met this man but it seemed like he has known me my whole life. Now I haven't known myself that long, partial memory erased but it seemed like I hadn't lost anything important except for my rightful place and half of my powers. "You can't be serious right now Anya" His eyes were full of confusion at this point. "I have no clue what is happening right now, you'll have to explain" I had to be gentle, he is a stranger and his eyes are like daggers. "Alright, I'll try my best. So my name is Annar and I am a Jötunn giant from Jötunnheim." Silence rose up and our gazes met. I opened my mouth and all that came out was "oh". I was caught off guard, I hadn't noticed his tattoos in the dark but now that the sunlight was peaking through the branches they illuminated his body. His scruffy hair was over his eyes but I caught the glimmer in his eyes. There was a fire setting in him, I had still no idea who he was. "Anya, how do you not remember me?" he asked frantically. I pushed back my hair out of my face to get a better look at him. "I just don't okay... now, what are we doing?" I wondered. He was wearing a hoodie but I could still see his forearm lighting up as he grabbed my arm to keep walking. "We need to leave" He just kept moving, as he walked, his grasp went lower till it finally found my fingertips. Our fingers interlocked and I felt his warm damp skin for the first time, something familiar. He had a tight grip, almost like he didn't want to lose me as he needed me. We finally arrived at the end of the forest, which happened to be a cliff. "Why did you bring me here?" I looked around and all I could see was an edge with a forest wall behind us. "I want you safe, you can't roam this world without your full powers, plus you're being hunted" He grabbed both of my hands and I felt that same caring familiar grip. "Anya, come with me to Jötunnheim, it is safe there and we can get your powers back." His eyes were interlocked with mine, a deep connection with this strange man was apparent. My memory was just screaming, something off and nothing was adding up. A quick flash in my head, the same wall of trees, tall as can be. Warm summer sun and a dark ravine met, where they met, the soldiers killed. A War. I let go of his hands and turn away. I have to start walking back to the trees, they feel safe. "Where are you going Anya, what is wrong with you?" Suddenly the trees start making noises, terrible ones and at this point are violently shaking. "RUN," he says, grabbing my hand and pulling me to the ravine. Resisting didn't seem like a choice at this point, finding out who was making those blood-curling battle cries seemed worst. As we jumped, our eyes met again, mine was filled with worry. His were boiling with anger, something so powerful that his tattoos started to glow again. Then nothing. We were falling.