Dying Ember
By: Mrs Sousuke
Prologue
Ember is the dying fire of peace and loving. Blue Blaze is the ambitious fire of darkness and fury. Flare is the growing fire that is attentive and virtuous. When Ember is pushed to the precipice of insanity, caused by the coldness growing inside him, he faces a difficult battle that he must face by himself against himself.
Chapter 1
A growing fire illuminated in the night city from a distance. Sirens signaled the start of the great riot. Guardsmen gathered their troops and weapons and headed towards the site. The violence forced them to collect some of their youngest recruits. Amongst them was a young girl, named Flare with long brunet hair she wore in a ponytail over her shoulder. Her onyx eyes sparkled in the dim city lights. She was dressed equipped for a battle standing next to Kage, another young recruit. His black hair was spikey and his eyes were an icy blue. Kage had a gaze that could send shivers down your spine. He wore relatively black clothing and wielded no weapons. Lastly, Ember, who stood out with his fiery ginger hair; and amber colored eyes that seemed to burn fiercely. His frame was small compared to the other young recruits, and he was not at all muscular. He wore a basic uniform and carried one weapon a 10 inch dagger.
Ember’s eyes flashed back and forth at the guards around him. Nervous he tried his hardest to block out this terrible voice. They might be your comrades but I don’t trust any of them. The voice rang inside his head. “Well I trust Flare!” Ember argued back. Ember eyes followed her as she joined the others. Well you shouldn’t, “Why not?!” What is it going to take for you to learn? Are you waiting for them lift you on a stake and set you ablaze. The whole guard force is against you. They hate how talented you are! “They hated me before I became talented! Flare, she always believed in me!” Ember’s eyes rested on Flare as she settled next to Kage. No one believes in you. Ember admired her beauty. How could a girl such as Flare, so kind, so caring commit such cruel accusations? The voice continued on. Flare just wants to gain your trust so she can double cross you like the others. She needs you because you make her look like a genius. She’s just feeding off you. Ember’s mind flashed back to the exams, Flare had asked him for his help and barely made it but it couldn’t have all been for Ember thoughts trailed off. “No!” Ember protested in disbelief. Some of the guards flashed him a troubled look. He felt hot with embarrassment when he realized he had spoken out loud. He could hear their low murmurs, “That boy’s not sane” …Another one added “Who recruited him?” One by one the guards eyed him. His skin prickled with unease. “Great, now their staring at me.” Ember stared at the ground avoiding the gazes that seemed to burn through him. After organizing amongst themselves the guardsmen gazed up at the captain who walked in front, he stepped on an elevated stand where he could be seen and heard. “We should start by heading for the fire, and save whoever is left. Split up in parties no less than three. Avoid the rioters and use excessive force if necessary!” Ember walked towards Kage and Flare. “Can I join you guys?” Kage rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to respond but it was Flare who answered, “Of course. We’ve been a group since day one.” Flare brushed against Ember’s side and gave him a gentle nudge. Was it the flames that made Ember hot or was it Flare. He couldn’t help wondering.
Ash fell from burning buildings. All that stood were steel frames of buildings. Ember could feel the flames scorching his brows; the smoke and heat made it hard for him to breathe. He took short shallow painful gasps. Ember found himself falling behind Flare and Kage. Kage glanced over his shoulder and saw Ember trailing behind. Pathetic Kage thought as he curled his lip in distaste. “Keep up; have you had no training at all?” Kage teased. Surely Kage didn’t expect him to keep up with full-fledged Guardsmen. After all they were still only trainees.
