Yeah just to clarify the first part of this chapter is a flash back. Some of the poeple who read it got confused so just a heads up. Enjoy!
Chapter 7: The Blazing Fire Within
"Pyra, please stop this!" a voice yelled as an enormous fire started to build.
"No… don't get close or you'll go too Surcana," Pyra answered. The flames licked their lips as it curled around Pyra's arms and legs. Surcana held onto another woman as she stared into the flames.
"Please, Shella, wake up." Surcana shook the young woman.
Shella weakly opened her eyes and looked up at Surcana. Surcana clutched onto her to give her comfort as the flames grew. The fire lashed out and formed around Pyra. Pyra's skin, hair, and clothes were surrounded by fire as she rose into the air. Surcana placed Shella down and stood to face Pyra.
"Surcana… let me help… please…" Shella asked, struggling to get up. "I can use my water to save her." Shella stumbled into Surcana and leaned on her for support.
"No… you have not enough energy to help. If you use your power now you will kill yourself!" Surcana exclaimed.
The fire was so strong that Surcana had to shield her eyes from it. Surcana walked closer to the flames and spoke out to Pyra. "Pyra, listen to me!" Surcana yelled into the flames. The fire shot out at her but Pyra stopped it and stared at Shella with weeping eyes. Surcana could see that the tears that were once so cold came out in hot liquid, running down Pyra's face.
"Pyra… I can't change what has been done but don't you see? This fire of rage is consuming you. Please, please sister, come back to Shella and me and cast this rage away," Surcana pleaded.
The fire roared with impatience and forced Surcana back. Pyra sobbed with grief but the rage in her heart was realized. "Raging fires hear my plea. Release this sadness within me. Give me power beyond what is known and heal my broken heart."
"Pyra, listen to me, please!" Surcana yelled in desperation.
"I give up my soul to thee!" Pyra yelled.
"NO!" Surcana screamed.
Fire erupted from Pyra as flames grew in her eyes. Pyra stared at Surcana and gave a small wave to say good-bye. With that, she was consumed and the flames rose into the sky.
"My butt!" Boyd yelled as he tried to put out the flames.
"Quick Jess, put out the flame," Shinon said as he ran to the scene.
Jess focused on her power and the water shot from her arm, putting out Boyd's flaming behind. Boyd sighed and sat down to rest. Ike ran over and hugged Mist, who was completely frightened of the flame. To Jess the flames seemed alive in some way.
"Hey Kieran, do those flames seem different to you? Kieran… Kieran!" Jess turned and looked for Kieran. "Hey Boyd, where's Kieran?"
"It wasn't my turn to watch him!" Boyd exclaimed as he got back up.
Jess looked around and saw a bunch of soldiers lying around a blue shield. "Oh dang!" Jess exclaimed as she realized what she forgot. She ran over to the shield and quickly focused her energy on the water. She let it go in her mind and the shield dropped, revealing Rhys and Kieran sitting against a rock.
"Finally!" Kieran exclaimed, getting up and getting ready to fight. Seeing that everyone was gone, he sighed.
"Quick, grab Rhys and follow me," Jess said.
"Why me?" Kieran asked.
"Because you are stronger and a man!" Jess yelled back.
Kieran picked Rhys up and grumbled as he followed Jess to Mist. Mist ran over and started to heal Rhys. Kieran walked over to Jess and stared in the fire.
"This fire doesn't seem right," Kieran said.
Jess could feel some sort of fear within her rising as the fire moved. She reached out towards Kieran and he took her hand for comfort. The fire lashed out and a hand reached towards Jess.
"Surcana." The fire spoke with an eerie voice.
The fire hand looked over Jess and then backed off, going in a different direction. Jess felt weak and her knees gave way. Kieran caught her and noticed that Jess had cold sweat on her forehead. He wrapped his arms around her to warm her and hold her up.
And I'm still stuck to the tree
I gathered my power and made a wind bow. The fat man noticed me and smirked. "You can only use one hand. How do you expect to kill me?" he asked, laughing.
I held onto the bow with my left and some how managed to grab my arrow with my teeth. "Thish ish hows you die!" I said through my teeth. I aimed my arrow and was about to shoot when the fat man cried out and burst into flames. In shock, I dropped my arrow and just starred. Realizing I had just lost my only weapon I panicked. "Gosh darn it!" I yelled, trying to reach my arrow.
Ranulf stood up and looked at me with a smile as I pathetically tried to reach the fallen arrow. He leaned down and picked up the arrow. I stopped struggling and looked at him as he gave me a tender smile. "Hey Ranulf…" I said softly.
"Yes," he answered back.
"Would you mind getting me off this tree?" I asked, completely ruining the moment.
"Oh, yeah, of course!" he said quickly and nervously.
He grabbed the arrow and with a slight tug. It came free of the tree. I looked at it, baffled and noticed that I wasn't as strong as I thought. I shrugged it off and stretched, not remembering that I had an injured shoulder. I hunched over, grabbing it in pain and Ranulf panicked. As he reached down to help, I heard a sad, eerie voice.
"Surcana." It said.
"Who!" I asked as I sprang up, looking around. My body tensed up as I looked over the ashes of the fat man. A floating hand of fire was speaking to me.
"Surcana." It said again, weaving back and forth.
"Right… I think I've completely lost my mind because that right there is not supposed to happen…" I said.
"Run!" Ranulf yelled.
He grabbed my wrist and ran. He didn't even care what direction we were going as long as we were physically moving.
"Ranulf, what's wrong?" I asked as I looked back. The fire shot towards us and circled around us.
"Brenna, stay close," Ranulf said and I started to feel frightened.
I could see that Ranulf was tense and I obeyed. The fire was circling faster and it made me so dizzy that I closed my eyes and buried my head in Ranulf's back. The fire moved in closer until it was a yard away. Ranulf turned and held me close as the flames licked their lips. I could feel the heat on my back and neck and it frightened me. Without warning, a shield came between the fire and us.
"Pyra, why do you intervene?" the fire asked.
"I will not let you harm my sister. Bring them to me," another voice replied. The new voice I heard was different. It seemed sad and lonely, plus it was a woman.
"Very well," the fire said. The fire lifted us up in the air and carried us off. The shield protected us but I could still feel the heat's intensity.
"Ranulf, did you hear those voices?" I asked, looking up at him.
"Yes, I did. This is not good. Just stay close and you'll be safe."
I nodded and he held me tighter as we were carried off.
"Is it just me or do I see a floating ball of fire in the air?" Jess asked bluntly.
The fire started to pull us into a huge enclosed circle of fire. My heart raced as I stared into the flame. The only thing I could make out in the flames was a body but I didn't know who it was. Enchanted by the fire, I leaned forward.
"Brenna!" Ranulf yelled as he grabbed me. "Snap out of it!"
I heard his voice but a feeling inside of me didn't want to let go. I wanted the fire to glide over me, filling my body from head to toe. I was about to step into the fire when I felt a rush of cold and I felt wet. I shivered, holding my arms in and Ranulf embraced me. I heard the living fire shriek and back off a little. I looked down and saw Jess desperately trying to use her power. The fire shot out at her in rage but Kieran grabbed her, pulling her against him and out of the way.
"Brenna! You have to get down here!" Jess yelled at me. "Staci is stuck in the flame and we need your help!"
"Staci's in there?" I asked. My body tensed up and a new power flowed over me. A small tornado formed and I plunged into the fire.
"Brenna!" Ranulf cried out.
I heard his cries but I didn't care. As I fell through the fire, something lashed out at me the whole time, saying the name Surcana. I finally hit solid ground and I winced in pain at a few cuts and burns the fire had given me.
"So you've come," a female voice said.
I looked up and saw a woman in a red fiery dress. She was over a girl who was lying in the air with a red necklace above her.
"Staci…" I said under my breath.
BUM...BUM...BUM! Who is this lady? Will Brenna be able to save Staci?
Find out in the next chapter of Three Sisters of Hope! Thank you and please R&R.