The Dragon Wings Chronicles

Chapter Three: Burning Embers

Ali woke with the sun in her eyes, and something prodding her with a stick.

"Goodness gracious child, what in the Red Wood happened!?" Asked Gemma

Ali opened her eyes, and cried out.
The lush green forest clearing of yesterday was gone, in it's place, was a charred wasteland as far as the eye could see.

She looked down to see she wore nothing but a fine coat of Ash.

"I- I don't know... All I remember is pain" she sat Up and clutched her head," And- and a voice..."

Then she heard a hiss of air behind her, and turned to see the horrified look on Gemma face.

"What? What is it?" She asked as she stood, trying to see her back.

"Child..." Gemma spoke, her voice shaking ,"you are Dragon Marked!"

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean, that I need to get you somewhere safe! Bloody- no wonder I was sent on this mission! The whole world is gonna be after you!"

"Why? Why am I suddenly so important?"

"Because you're the Fucking  LADY OF DRAGONS!"

"What does that mean?"

"I'm not sure yet, I'll need to do some research, but something tells me,"

Gemma glanced at the charred and smoking landscape around them, her voice dripping with sarcasm,

"you might've just come into a wee bit of power"

"Oh..." Ali's voice trailed off, unsure how to process the information.

"Well, current status or no, I need to get you somewhere safe.
We go across the mountains"

"We what?"

"If I'm to research anything, I'm going north. Is there a problem?"

"No Ma'am" Lae answered, flinching and quickly looking down.

Gemma stared at her for a second, as if puzzled, then her eyes widened, and she let out a small "oh", her eyes softening in pity.

"What? Is there something wrong?"

"... No, child. here, put this on" she said, quickly taking a a folded pile of clothing from her pack.

Ali looked at it in puzzlement, but accepted it anyway.

She attempted to wear them, but couldn't figure out how.

Cautiously, she turned to Gemma, about to ask for help, only to see her standing as still as a post, with a knife at her throat.

"Ailiseu?" The woman asked

"Min-Jee?"

"Ali, what happened?!"

"Can you let go of me, please?" Asked Gemma, wary of the knife at her throat.

"Ali? Should I?"

"Oh! Yes, please do!"

"Min-Jee" released Gemma and stepped back.

"But really Ali! What happened? And who is . . . This?"

"This is Gemma, um... It's- it's a long story?"

Suddenly, Min paused, and looked at Ali as if only just seeing her.

"Ali... Why are you bare?" She asked her face turning red.

"Um- Well... Kinda... Part of the long story?"

"I will tell it" Gemma interjected

"N-no Gemma..." Ali said quietly, "I- I can do it"

Gemma glanced at her, her brow creased.

"Child, Are you sure?" She asked.

Ali hesitated, then answered.

"Yes, but first..." She paused, "can- can you help me dress?" her voice turned into a squeak as she blushed.
"I don't really know how..." She trailed off, gesturing to the pile of clothing now on the ground"

Gemma smiled at her, "of course Child"

_

Later, in a nearby cave:

"The Hell do you mean "you don't think anyone survived"!? My husband was in that village you murderer!" Min cried, bolting up from her seated position on the floor.

"Min-Jee please! I- I didn't know how to control it! I- I don't even know what was happening really, it all happened so fast! And then the pain-" Ali collapsed in sobs, overwhelmed with grief as the realization of what she had done set in.

"It's alright chi- Ali. You're alright, Min, perhaps you should go find us some food, if you don't come back, we'll understand" Gemma said softly, sitting next to Ali and hugging her, rocking her back and forth.

Min paused, then looked at Gemma in reproach, "you're comforting her? She was so sheltered she barely knew the people she slew!"

"Yes, but she still killed them. And I still remember the trauma from my first kill. It is hard"

What's hard? Killing? 'cause I've-"

"No, killing is not hard. However, accidentally killing someone you love? Or in her case, everyone she has ever known? That is hard." Gemma cut her off, "Knowing that if you hadn't slipped up, they would still be going about their merry lives. That they- that you would still be able to see them again, not just a stone in the ground marking where they fell" At this point, Gemma herself was crying, and Ali had fallen asleep.

"So please," Gemma began, "please do what you want, leave and don't come back if you wish, or you could take care of the last surviving member of your village"

Min glared at Gemma for a few moments, then turned on her heel and stormed off, snatching her satchel and gear as she left, not looking back even once.