Hey guys! Sorry it has been a while since I uploaded a new chapter, but I was doing major updates on the first two chapters, and I havnt had much time to write :/ but I was free today so I spent four hours of just nonstop writing. I'm quite worn out now, but I think this chapter turned out quite good. (If you figure out the secret hint in the last paragraph, keep it to yourself, don't ruin it for others ;) )
As always, enjoy and please review!
Chapter 3:
From the Ashes
Fenrir groaned as he regained consciousness. He could barely breathe; the air was so dense and blisteringly hot. Memories of the explosion came flooding back to him. What was that device? He struggled to come to terms with the fact that the simple metal sphere had that much power. If the White Fire Dominion had discovered something as powerful as that, and didn't require magic to operate it, then Alagaesia was in much more danger than he had previously thought.
He tried to get up and a pain shot through his stomach. He felt something in his body that definitely was not supposed to be there. He tenderly ran his left hand over his abdomen until he found something rough protruding from stomach and realized there was a piece of wood stuck in his abdomen, just above his left hip.
Dear Gods, give me strength.
He mentally prepared himself then yanked it out. The preparation didn't work. A scream escaped him as the wood shredded his flesh on its way out. Fresh blood seeped from the injury. Fenrir whispered a healing spell and sighed as relief flooded through his body outward from the injury. There was a tingling sensation that drove him crazy as the splinters of wood were pushed out of the wound and the gash was sewn shut.
After the relief wore off, he was reminded of where he was by a burning tree falling somewhere behind him. The smoke was so thick he could barely see a few yards in front of him. Embers flew through the air like glowing spirits. The flames roared like rolling thunder, crackling and popping as they engulfed the once beautiful scene. He stood and stumbled through the burning air. He was badly bruised and thought his right wrist was broken. Wisps of smoke clogged his lungs and the heat stung his eyes. It took all he had to not just sit down and rest. The forest was falling apart around him as the flames of the explosion ravaged the woods.
The forest began to blur and twist as Fenrir slowly suffocated on the burning air. He franticly searched for the edge of the woods, praying for a way out. He had never longed for clean air more. The simple act of breathing was now the greatest pleasure in his eyes. No amount of the finest wines or fairest maidens in all of Alagaesia could compare to the bliss of filled lungs. Images of loved ones danced across his vision, some were pleasant memories, and others were horrible waking nightmares. He saw Evalette sitting in a sunlit meadow that didn't belong in the raging flames. Her fierce eyes met with his and she smiled briefly before the flames took her. He saw his father working in the mines of Teirm. He was covered in sweat, not from the fire, but from the hard work of trying to support his small family. On multiple occasions, Fenrir was attacked by White Fire soldiers only to have them disappear just before their weapons sliced him open. Even his nightmare tormentor paid him a visit. Fenrir had fallen to the ground in pain as the figure's knife sank into his heart once again.
Suddenly, Fenrir felt a breeze. A breeze! His mind cleared slightly at this hope of escape. He ran with his little remaining strength, searching for the source of the cool air.
There it is!
He sprinted towards the forest edge with everything he had left. Burning branches clawed at him and he had almost no air in his lungs. At long last, he burst from the inferno and out onto the plains. He slowed to a stop a dozen yards from the edge of the woods, then collapsed onto the ground. The clean, cool air flowed through him. The hard, cold dirt welcomed his tender, burnt skin. He was bleeding and badly burned, but couldn't bring himself to do anything about it. In fact he couldn't bring himself to do anything at all. The immense relief of escaping certain death blanketed over his mind. The adrenaline that had kept him going now left him dazed and weak. The smell of singed hair and burnt flesh made him sick. He slowly allowed rest to take over, though in the back of his mind, he knew he may not wake.
Fenrir faded in and out of consciousness. He caught glimpses of the sun, of the ground beneath him. His thoughts wandered as his subconscious took over. His mind filled with memories from throughout his life. The memory of his first fishing trip surfaced, brought up from when he was only twelve.
Fenrir and his father went down to the docks of Teirm looking for something to do in the free time they had. Evalette had not joined them, claiming she already had plans with other friends. A man had walked up to them and started them in conversation. He was an old sailor and had just bought his own ship. Because he didn't have a crew yet, he offered Fenrir and his father a spot on his ship for the day. Promised a third of any profit, Fenrir and his father had accepted and the three had set sail shortly after.
The seas were rough that day, but the nets were bringing in a generous supply of fish. The sailor, who never mentioned his name, had taught Fenrir all about fishing. He learned how to haul in the nets, how to repair them when they snapped, where to search for fish, and even showed Fenrir how to sail the ship itself. Fenrir and his father had a great time as they indulged in this Teirm tradition.
It had grown late in the day, and the sun was beginning to set. The sailor had begun to steer the ship back to port, when a frighteningly dark storm cloud caught them from the north. They had all noticed it looming over the thrashing sea a few miles away before but thought they would be back in Teirm long before it hit. The storm had apparently been pushed by a strong trade wind, causing it to hit them much sooner than anticipated.
The sailor began shouting orders at both of them, franticly trying to keep the ship from taking on water. Fenrir knew all too well how dangerous these coastal storms could be. His friend, Draj, had lost his older brother in a storm a few years ago. Fenrir followed the sailor's orders as fast as he could, knowing their lives depended on it. He scrambled around the ship, adjusting ropes and moving cargo. The sea water splashed over the ship, making it difficult to move without slipping.
Fenrir had noticed his father and the sailor arguing. From what he heard, his father wanted the sailor to release the fish they had caught to lighten the load. Needless to say, the sailor was not keen on the idea. They argued for a few minutes, his father claiming it was the only way to escape the storm, and the sailor saying he could not afford to lose the day's haul. They were shouting at each other furiously after a few moments. Then the sailor had punched Fenrir's father across the face. Fenrir hadn't thought of what he was doing, he simply ran at the sailor and tackled him. He punched madly at the man, furious at him for harming his father, who was only trying to save their lives. His father got up and pulled Fenrir away from the man. The sailor recovered and got up. He ordered Fenrir and his father off the ship. They had protested, but in the end they were forced into a small row-boat that was strapped to the side of the ship.
They rowed as hard as they could, trying to keep the small boat afloat in the raging waves. After what seemed like days, the storm began to clear. They rowed to shore and found they had landed far south near the town of Kuasta. They had caught a carriage and, after a day of travel, arrived in Teirm to find a very worried Evalette. Both of them were drenched and tired, but they couldn't bear to leave her side again, even for a brief time to sleep.
After a couple days, things returned to normal, but Fenrir and Evalette were always much closer after that. The sailor however, never made it back to Teirm.
The memory faded away. Fenrir had no idea how much time was passing as he lay there in that field. Then his view changed. After a while he began seeing boots, hearing voices, and feeling himself being lifted. He felt fingers on his neck. They were too soft to belong to a man, yet whoever it was did have combat experiences. He tried to tell them he was alive but he couldn't form his thoughts into words and he faded out of consciousness again. When next he regained some level of awareness, he was inside. He didn't know where he was, but it looked to be a wooden shack and the air was warm and dry. He heard whispering. He couldn't figure out how many voices there were, or which direction they came from. It sounded like it was meant to be soothing, but he couldn't tell what they were saying. His eyes wandered, searching for whoever was speaking. He saw two figures knelt on either side of him. Through his blurred vision he could tell they were dressed in dark green cloaks. The one on his right was taller, and so he assumed they were older. The other figure looked to be younger, and had their hands stretched out above him.
They must be healing me.
He tried to thank them but still couldn't speak. The older figure placed their hand on his forehead. This time he knew it was a woman. Her hands were slender and smooth, yet he could feel the strength that comes with combat hidden within. There was something strangely familiar about her touch. His mind slowly calmed and his senses became slightly less dull. He caught a quick, clear glimpse of the woman. She had dark hair and angled features, and Fenrir knew immediately she was an elf. She looked young, maybe in her late-twenties, but her eyes told of wisdom far beyond that age. He had a memory of seeing her before, but it was a memory that he could not gather. The images slipped around his mind, evading his every attempt to form the complete picture. The woman murmured something in the Ancient Language and Fenrir began to slip back into unconsciousness. He tried to stay awake but couldn't fight the magic. He fell asleep with the sweet smell of crushed pine needles filling the room.