The fire made strange shadows as the flames flickered out of
control. It seemed almost as if the shadows were alive and dancing with glee
upon the bodies of the inferno’s victims. Such a cruel act, to burn the
villages of those that would stand against tyranny. To char the families of
those that stood in opposition of corrupt leaders that had seized control of
these lands. As always, we were too late to prevent the destruction. Just a
step behind the demons that did the bidding of the one who would control all of
existence. My attention was drawn to
the dancing shadows-perhaps there was something I was missing here. Some clue that I could trace back to
wherever the fiend was hiding himself from us. The hissing of the flames grew
louder, until the sound overpowered even the beating of my own heart. Once I
could speak to the beings that dwelled there,
Once I could have sought aid from the Salamanders that I had helped to
create. But that was before, long before, when I walked the hallowed halls with
my brothers and sisters from the ether. I found myself falling back through
time, until the crackle of the blaze turned to the smoky voice of an old man.
“He hides in a land that no longer believes Mother,” the voice whispered in my
heart, “seek the world that believes itself’ to be alone, and there you will
face the final battle”.
The voice of my sister snapped me back to the village of
smoldering ash. “A---, I asked if you had any ideas, didn’t you hear me?” she
scolded. Only M--- could speak to me in
that manner without reprisal. Only M--- dared
to speak to me at all most of the time. I felt a slow smile spread across my
lips and took in the chilled glances of those that followed my dear sister. “I
know where he is,” I stated, “but to follow, we must change the very essence of
what we are, we must become as the beings that dwell on that plain”.