Revelation
VII: A Kindled Flame
The sun began to peak over the treetops and into the encampment of the gypsy band, while Storm was down by a river enjoying the river's background noise. He had already put everything he needed into his pack again and was ready to continue the mission. Storm was sitting on top of a rock in the river with his feet in the shallow water. He didn't know how much time had passed by, but he heard someone walking towards the river. Serena appeared further down by the river and sat down by the edge. She didn't notice that Storm was just a couple feet up the river and put her hands into the cold, morning water. Storm watched as he saw bubbles begin to form around Serena's hands while they were in the water. He continued to watch the bubbles form, but once she removed her hands flames began to form around them. Storm stared at the orange flames for a while, but something connected in his memories and making him stumble back into the flowing river. Serena looked up towards the sound of the splash and saw Storm floundering in the water. She yelled out, "Storm what are you doing here?!" she stared at him as he floated by waiting for a reply, but the mongoose didn't stir. "Storm?" There was still no response. She extinguished the flames and went in to retrieve the unconscious mongoose. After she brought him ashore, Serena pressed on his chest and shook him slightly to get him to wake him up. Storm began to cough and sat up to shake out the water in his ears. "Are you alright Storm? I saw you- well more your splash, but I didn't notice you there." She asked him. The mongoose replied, "I saw a piece of my past when I saw the flames." Serena rubbed her hands together and looked away from Storm. "I would have told you earlier, but I've always been afraid of my powers. Seamus doesn't even know. I alleviate the urge to use my powers by doing what you saw." Storm blew a drop of water off of his nose. "Don't worry about it Serena. To me it just means that I have one less elementalist to track down. Saying that doesn't mean I think any less of you as my friend, but in the job I was assigned, that is why I said it that way. Let me dry off my clothes here and then I'll head back to the camp. You can finish what you were doing, and don't worry, I won't tell anyone what I know. It's up to you whether you want to tell the others. Not me." Storm rubbed his hands together and created a spark of electricity that evaporated the water, but left him with fur that was poofed up from the static. Afterwards, he headed back to the camp leaving Serena by the river.
Storm arrived outside of the camp and tried to reduce the static in his fur as much as he could before anyone saw him. "If anyone asks I can say that I accidentally overcharged and was shocked." He said to himself. Ruth and Faron were outside tending the coals from last night when they saw Storm enter. "You sure are an early riser Storm." Faron said. Storm replied, "I like to have a little bit of quiet relaxation. I used to do so by getting supplies for a monastery in the morning." "I didn't know you were from a monastery Storm." Ruth said. Storm walked over to a log and sat down. "I grew up in the monastery in Oaktree, but I wasn't born there I know I was born in some type of valley, but I am slowly getting more of my memories back. All I can say is that I woke up in one of the monastery's dorms. Other than that, I don't remember anything else before hand." "Maybe the Storyteller could help you with remembering where you are from. I heard he doesn't live far from here." Ruth added. "A Storyteller?" Storm asked. "Not 'a' Storyteller, 'THE' Storyteller. He's said to have even helped Tiberius when he was younger and on a path for something. If anyone can help you with your memories, he can." Faron said. Storm looked into the slowly growing fire. "Perhaps we'll go look for him, once we get packed up and ready to go." Storm said.
The day progressed as usual, and more members of the band of gypsies began waking up and doing their usual duties. Serena arrived back, and glanced at Storm to check up on him after what happened that morning. Seamus was helping his parents with carrying crates or rolling barrels across camp. Madeline walked towards where Storm was sitting. "Where do we plan on going now Storm?" She asked. "Ruth told me about someone called The Storyteller that can interpret dreams and tell us things we don't know ourselves. I thought we might want to go and visit this person. At least that's the basic idea I get from what she told me." He replied. Madeline sat down next to him. "Do you think he'll be able to help you with your blocked memory?" The mongoose sat and stared up through the tree canopy. "I hope so, but I would also like to hear some of the stories he or she is willing to share with us. Give us a break from the traveling and events- just a nice visit to someone. Nothing too complex." "That's true. I'm guessing we'll be leaving as soon as we can." Madeline said already knowing the answer. Storm nodded, "I know that we just got here, and all that, but I have a feeling that the longer we stay here, the more danger we put the band in." The cat nodded and walked away to locate her belongings and begin preparing for when they leave.
The sun started to reach its zenith in the sky as the band of four were saying their goodbyes to the gypsies. "You make sure to stop in if you here our song. Do you understand me mongoose?" "We will Iris." Seamus was saying goodbye to his parents while his friends were elsewhere. "I know we were just reunited, but understand we also know that we can't keep you here. You have an important part in this that is more complex than anything you've come to know. Just make sure you'll come find us when this is all done." Faron said. "I'll make sure to find you afterwards. I lost my family once, and I don't plan to do the same thing twice." Ruth sighed and wiped away a few tears that began forming in her eyes. "You make sure to stay safe Seamus. You're an O'Gutthrey, so anything that comes after you, they better hope they can take you on or run faster. Make sure to see your brother also. He misses you, and it'd be good to go see him." The O'Gutthrey family finished up with their goodbyes. "Are you guys ready?" Storm asked. They all nodded. Serena was still a little nervous from what happened this morning, but she hid it from Seamus and Madeline. As they set off in search of the Storyteller, Serena pulled Storm back from the others. "Listen Storm," She started, "I want to tell you about my history with the fire." "Are you sure Serena? You know you don't have to." She looked down. "It's not that I want to, but you need to know what can happen if things get… out of hand." Storm gave her a puzzled look. "Continue on with your story then." "It was back when I was a little girl."
A young wolf sat crouched next to a small river letting the water move around her paws. She giggled at the funny ticklish feeling the water did to her feet. "Hey if it isn't the firebug! Trying to extinguish your torch Serena?" The black wolf turned around to see a badger with two rabbits behind him. "Leave me alone Jorge. I don't want to deal with you today." Jorge looked to his two friends. "Do you hear that boys? She doesn't want to deal with me today." The two rabbits laughed as their ringleader advanced on Serena. "I'm serious Jorge. I'm not in the mood to deal with your attitude today." "What are you going to do about it?" The badger shoved her and she fell backwards into the river. Serena stood back up and turned around. "I'm not kidding Jorge. It's for your own safety." Steam started to rise off in curls from Serena's dress with each word. "My own safety! Oh dear!" He said mockingly. Serena growled and small flames began to flick on her arms. "I told you… TO STAY AWAY!" Flames shot out and water started to hiss with the heat. Jorge fell backwards wide-eyed. His two lackeys bolted, but he was rooted to the spot. Serena started walking forward towards the badger. When she spoke, her voice was hollowed and echoed with the crackling of fire in the background. "I warned you, but you've never listened! I'm sick of your attitude and I'm sick of you!" The badger scrambled and ran from the rampaging fire wielder. Serena calmed down and looked at herself and then around her. Her dress was lightly singed on the edges, but she was horrified at the land. The area was scorched and burnt, and the riverbed was baked into hard earth. As water flowed back over and it caused the earth to crumble into mud once more. Steam still rose from the receding heat, and grass that was further away was dried as if in a drought. Serena crouched in the river and began crying. "How can I ever control this?" She sobbed into her knees.
Serena finished her story and a few tears started to fall from her eyes. Storm put a comforting arm around her shoulder. "You'll be able to control it now. If not, you have us to help you out." "Thanks Storm." Seamus called over his shoulder, "Are you two planning to catch up or are we going to have to leave you behind?" "Sorry Seamus. We were just talking. Guess we lost track off our pace." The Mongoose and Wolf lightly jogged to catch up with their friends. "How far off is this Storyteller person?" Madeline asked. "Ruth said he was this way, and in a field of some sort. In that field is a small grove of trees. That's where we'll find the Storyteller." Stormsurge said. "Seems kind of odd when you think about it. A grove in the middle of a field." Seamus said. "At this pace we should be arrive there hopefully before the day ends. That's if it is close by." The four of them continued to walk on through the afternoon sun.
Morgan walked out from the trees and saw the town of Oaktree. "This is where he was when I last left him." She pulled a hood over her head and walked into the town. As she walked around the people were unfazed that a cloaked figure was in their midst. Morgan was wary even though they all seemed friendly and cheerful. "The monastery. They should if he's around." Before starting up the hill she overheard a conversation and stopped to listen. "I heard he left on a mission for the High Council. Something important." "It must have been. That cloaked feller took him and Madeline to the castle right away after that lightning strike. I did see him afterwards when he came to say his goodbyes. Him and Madeline then left for who knows where." Morgan turned around and began walking towards the forest again. "Stupid is what I am. I should have just asked them in the first place. If anyone knew when an elementalist was found they would. Stupid stupid!" The mongoose stormed out from the village without anyone noticing her presence. Morgan strove out in search for the one she was looking for on the same path he took when he began his journey.