The Travelers:
Enchantress' Flame --
Part Three
by supergirl309

Twin Flames


With a hiss, the flames blew out. Dane gasped. Tila shrieked. Herin and Ryill woke instantly.

The fire, Ryill breathed.

They were lost in total darkness, the persistant rain still beating down. Lao's face was illuminated by a flash of lightning as he said softly, We are in grave danger.

* * *

So, the Eyrie has returned, mused a slender silver Lupe with blue-fire markings. She rose from her stone throne and glided to the door of her cave. Below, she glimpsed five dim shapes against the rocks.

A cool smile spread across her thin lips as she snapped her fingers and watched as the magical fire relit itself. This is too easy, she hissed, and trotted back to the back of the cave.

* * *

As the flames of the fire billowed up again from the pile of charred logs, Tila gasped and drew back. she said shakily, she's really here, isn't she?

Lao nodded gravely. Yes. I... have a feeling she knew I was left under that cart when she left my father for dead. She must've had a good reason not to kill me, or she most certainly would have.

Dane was staring deep into the flames of the rekindled fire, eyes alight with a similar sort of flame. She's waited a long time for you, Lao, she said softly. she raised her head and glanced to the sky where a bolt of lightning drew a ragged crack across the blackness, ...maybe she was waiting not for you, but for those you brought with you, else she would have killed you when she had the chance.

Lao pondered this for a moment, then moaned. Dane, I'm a such a fool! he cried. I should have let her kill me back in the forest when she killed my father! He glared at his reflection in a pool of water, his mind screaming silent beratings at him. I led you here, he spat at the reflection, it's my fault entirely.

Tila shook her head slowly, staring at Dane. No... you two are wrong. How in the name of the Faeries could she have known you'd come back here someday with us?

Lao sighed heavily. She's an enchantress, Tila--I'd bet my own skin she used magic to see the future or something. His tired expression melted back into one of intense self-hatred. I can't believe I led you here! he cried in anguish.

Dane put a paw on his shoulder. she said softly, it isn't your fault. It's... she paused, pondering her next words, then continued, Call it... fate, she said.

Lao grimaced and pounded his forehead with a paw. Yes, a cruel twist of fate, he said vehemently.

Dane nodded slowly. Yes, I guess it's just that... but maybe, in the end it won't seem so cruel.

Lao sighed. We can only hope, he whispered. But... what do we do for the time being?

Ryill spoke up. There is naught we can do, he said darkly. We wait.

* * *

At the back of her cave, the Lupe pulled aside a rough stone slab, revealing a shelf of dusty tomes and scrolls. She reached in and with great care withdrew a yellow, torn scroll. She pushed the stone slab back in front of the shelf and walked over to a rough oaken table near the center of the room. She set the scroll down on the table and unrolled it gingerly.

she called, her voice echoing around the main cavern of her cave.

A royal blue Blumaroo dressed richly in a velvety forest-green cloak came bouncing through one of the hallways leading to the main cavern. C'n ah do anythin' for you, Lasæa? he said in a slightly lilting accent.

Lasæa said, gently putting a paw on the scroll. I want you to tell me where you found this thing.

Illuno, the Blumaroo scratched his head. Erm, why--

The silvery Lupe glared at him. You don't ask me why' ever, Illuno, she snarled. You just do what I tell you.

Illuno hopped back uncertainly, bowing his head. Sorry, ma'm, won't happen again, ah promise. He glanced at the scroll, a pondering look on his face. Well... ah think ah found that old thing in this river bed--'twas dry--up in the north somewhere.

Lasæa nodded slowly. Alright, then, she said with a dismissive wave of her paw. You may go.

Illuno hopped away out the doorway he'd came in through, muttering beneath his breath, All ah did was ask...

Lasæa pulled a stool up to the table and sat down, staring at the scroll. Twin flames, so alike, yet so different, caught in a struggle for the world they live in.', Laslæa read the shaky script on the faded paper in a soft voice. Seperated they once were, but united they shall be again. One will be with a band of travelers, the other alone. Together, they may bring destruction upon their world, or grate light.'

Lasæa smiled smoothly and gently rolled the scroll back up. She left it on the table and padded to the mouth of cave where she stared out at the five pets huddled in anxiety around the flickering magical fire.

Twin flames, she hissed. United once more. That Lupe can bring despair to this world, and at my paw, she will.

she called, backing away from the mouth of the cave, I have a task for you!

* * *

The rain was falling just as hard as ever, and the fire still burned bright. Tila was staring at the flames shivering and shaking. Ryill reached out and hesitantly put a firm but gentle paw on her quivering shoulder.

Calm down, he said gently.

Tila's shoulder stiffened beneath the Poogle's paw. How can I be calm about this?! she said hysterically. I'm going to die--we're all going to be killed!

Ryill whacked her soundly across the face with his other paw, staring sternly at her. I said, calm down! She won't kill any of you--as far as I can tell, you're much too valuble. His expression sagged with worry. But as for Herin and I... we're probably quite useless... he trailed off, sounding both annoyed and aprehensive.

Herin shrugged mildly. Aye, but what's two useless lives in her great scheme of things, eh? Despite his mild expression, there was a hint of bitterness in his voice as he spoke.

Tila looked thoroughly stunned, but had stopped shaking and shivering. Ryill patted her shoulder uncertainly. Erm, sorry if hurt you... Just needed to calm you down.

Tila shook herself once, then nodded. It's alright, she muttered, I was being stupid...

She went back to staring at the flames, a sullen look on her face. Loa was across from her, and she watched silently as he glared into the flames intensely, still looking hateful and angry. She heard him muttering something and strained her ears to hear it.

Magic... flame... curse it all, he hissed beneath his breath.

Tila shook her head sadly. Magic is dumb, she whispered. Until now, I just thought it was all a Faeries' Tale. ...I didn't know it was real.

Dane glanced at her. You were always like that Tila, she said softly...

Suddenly, a long sigh erupted from Dane. It's just so. . . boring Nothing ever happens. Everyday it's the same old thing: Wake up, go to school, come home, and tend the vegetables for granny. I'm sick of it! I want to do something. . . worthwhile. She sighed again, and stared down at the ground. Like that'll ever happen, she muttered.

Tila shrugged. I guess it is kinda routine. But I'm fine with it. I like a little order. She paused and shuddered. Besides, why would you want something to happen. I hate excitement. She gave another shudder.

Dane sighed and said softly, I guess that's where we're different.

Dane shook her head. I wish now, that we were still back home, she said quietly. This has been nice... traveling; wandering... but mortal danger was not something I expected... and definately not something I wanted.

Tila opened her mouth to comment, but just then, she saw a shadowy form illuminated by a flash of lightning leap down onto the rocks nearby. What came out of her mouth was naught but a strangled

Lao's head shot up and he stared as a glimmer of silver reflected off of a large puddle. She's coming, he gasped.

Suddenly, the clifftop was flooded with light. Standing at the source of that light was a slender silver-fire Lupe. She eyed the band of travelers with glinting greedy eyes. She snapped her fingers and a flame erupted from her paw and hovered in the air above it, flickering warmly.

Reykalora Lao, she whispered. So we meet once again. She snapped her fingers again and another flame appeared and hovered by the first. With a single nod, its color shifted instantaneously to blue. She glanced at Dane, who in turn looked from her, then to the flames.

Red fire.

Blue flames.

Dane's face lit up with mixed fear and puzzlement. What... do you want, she said hesitantly.

Nothing much... sister, Laslæa hissed softly, and the flames dissapated.

to be continued...