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Prologue
A bright white light.
That was the first thing I saw.
It was sweltering, and it was bright, and I was scared.
But then.. then I saw the moon.
It was so big and so bright! It kind of seemed to... chase the darkness away. And when it did, I didn't feel scared anymore.
I was floating above a volcano, alone. Alone... but not alone. I landed on the rim, my nimble, bare feet balancing on the teeter between lava and land. I looked down at my hands, my feet, examining them. I seemed perfectly normal, but it felt different. Were humans always so hot? Was I even a human? What was I? Who was I? Where was I? Why was I?... Why was I all alone?
But I wasn't alone. The moon shone above, casting the volcano in an eerie light, illuminating every dark corner. The moon was comforting. Like a friend. I didn't remember ever having a friend. I didn't remember anything.
I glanced down at my hands again. Pale and smooth, five fingers on each. I frowned, rubbing one hand over the back of the other. Then, something amazing happened.
A dust, just a small dust brushed off my hand, but it glowed. The glowing dust didn't settle to the ground, but instead was whipped up in the wind. I watched it in awe, swirling and spiralling into the distance. Curious, I looked back at my hands, my fingers. Something was strange about this. I waved my hand in front of myself in a sweeping motion. The glowing orange dust flew from my fingers, but instead of being blown away, the dust ignited into a flaming blaze. I stared at its brilliance, the light reflected off my awestruck eyes.
I laughed. The sound burst forth from my lips, uncontrollable, giddy, not quite hysterical, but strong enough to shake me up. I waved my hands about in the air, watching the dust fly and ignite. I could make fire! What the heck was fire? How did I know what it looked like?
The dust flying in the air paused for a moment. I tilted my head to the side, then all of a sudden, it morphed into a pattern. What was that?... Wings?
Hmm, if I could create fire, what else could I create?
My lips twisted into an impish smile. I moved my hands in a pattern, repeating the motion, as if I was stretching taffy between my fingers. I clamped my hands shut, and when I opened them, a lovely, gracefully glowing, like the ember dust, butterfly fluttered out. It floated, as if on a breeze, up to my face. I felt a strange tickle on my nose. Then the butterfly fluttered off into the night. I blinked, smiling as I waved to it.
Then, all of a sudden, the giddiness was back. I ran, tripping over my own feet, racing around the mouth of the volcano. My arms were wide, the ember dust flying all around me like magical lights. I was curious, an overwhelming curiosity, an ecstasy, taking me over, limb by limb, feet first. The night was alive with my light and creations, dust whipped up in the rising wind. It was amazing! It was-
I was suddenly, the wind whipped me off the ground, carrying me high up off the ground. I blinked, staring below at my creation as my hair and cloak whirled around me.
The narrow pathway around the rim of the volcano was dusted over with light, the dust embers. They'd settled into patterns of swirls and beauty. My breath hitched in my throat.
Then, the helpful force that had been keeping me airborne seemed to have lost interest. I was dropped rather abruptly onto the steep side of the volcano.
I didn't stop. Not until my cloak caught on a rock. Luckily, the sturdy material didn't rip. I crawled my way to a steady point, unhooking my cloak. A sigh escaped my lips as I looked on into the night. That was when I saw the village lights.
I once again was whipped away by the wind. It seemed to almost know what I wanted. I smoothly flew to the village. My landing, however, was not quite as smooth.
I stood up, brushing myself off. First glance showed the village was made up of small timber buildings. Near the center of the area, several children stood, warming their hands by a fire. They were cold. I frowned, maybe I could warm them up. I glanced at the sky, and a warm wind blew by. The children stopped shivering.
Satisfied with my work, I glanced around at the other villagers. A woman walked by on the arm of a man wearing a hat. I smiled, waving slightly in greeting. "Hello,"
The villagers never spared me a glance.
Frowning, I turned to another person, a man, walking by. I curtsied, holding my cloak like a skirt. "How do you do?"
This one also ignored me completely.
I tilted my head, confused. I shook my head, turning to the next person I saw. I woman in conversation with another woman. I approached them both. "Good evening, ma'ams." I bowed, my red curls falling into my face.
All was silent. When I opened my eyes, the women were gone, walking away.
What was going on? I understood I was young... was I? How old was I? A quick glance at myself said seventeen, but I couldn't be sure.
Playful laughter reached my ears. I turned to see a child run past me. Another chased him, coming right towards me. I smiled, crouching down to the boy's height. "Excuse me," I said as the child came nearer, never slowing. "Can you tell me where I-"
The boy passed through me, sending a shock of cold through my body. I straightened up with a gasp, placing a hand on my chest. What...
Another jolt of cold penetrated me as a man passed through me, then a woman, walking through me without a care, as if I was a ghost. As if I... didn't exist...
"Hello?" I cried out, feeling the comfort and warmth from before slip away into a cold, unhappy darkness. fear beginning to set in.
My shocked expression was replaced by a scowl. They didn't see me... I turned away, walking off into the forest, slipping into the darkness and away from the village. But not away from the cold feeling.
My name is Jessica Blaze.
How do I know that? The moon told me so.
And that's all he ever told me.
And that was a long, long time ago...