She Who Walked Through Flame: Chapter 1

No one should die needlessly. Always help those who cannot help themselves. No matter what, never look away. Those were her tenets. This is the tale of the young woman who saved me, though at the time I didn’t understand why.

I first saw her as she walked through the flames towards me. She moved through them effortlessly, though that same blaze that was already licking at my feet. She was bathed in it, but she didn’t flinch or burn.

Around us I could hear the mob’s agitation, as rocks were thrown at her. To her credit she didn’t cry out when struck, though she winced at each hit. That pained reaction, that striking bit of humanity, convinced me that she wasn’t simply a pain-addled dream.

“Can you run?” I nodded as she untied me from the stake. Surprisingly she took me in her arms rather then set me down, which was probably the right decision as underneath her were those painful crimson flames. I was at a loss as to what she had planned, I may be freed but those who staked me still surrounded the bonfire. The farm implements they wielded may have seemed almost comical in another context, but right now they were frightening tools of brutality and reached far to close to us for my liking.

In a sudden movement she kicked several of the smaller logs and embers towards one side of the crowd. As they panicked she was already through them, running full tilt into an alleyway. We zigzagged through the alleys in a manner that lost any pursuers and left me completely disorientated. I wasn’t sure where we were or where we were going, I could only trust that this girl had a destination in mind.

Finally exhaustion overcame her as we huddled out of sight behind some boxes. I gasped at the air just as hard as she did. Between the town’s manhunt, the painful burns, and the smoke I could barely inhale in the sweet air fast enough. My feet and legs weren’t in much better shape, red and painful with swelling. They would support my weight though, as I gingerly stood. My rescuer gave me a wry smile as she watched my stilted movements.

“Sorry I didn’t arrive sooner, Derrick should be able to help with the pain once we get to him.”

“Don’t take this ungratefully, but who is Derrick and who are you?” I grimaced as I walked around on my painfully sore feet. I realized I hadn’t lied, I could definitely run on these feet. It wouldn’t be the most painful thing I had ever done, though it might be close.

“I’m Rachel, and Derrick is my partner. He’s waiting with our things at the Inn.”

“No surnames?” Surnames denoted allegiances, organizations that would claim your membership and who would protect your interests. The rank and file unlucky enough not to claim membership elsewhere either pledged to a nobles family for protection or went nameless as a subject of the kingdom. Needless to say the vassals of the Dairegnum itself had few protections.

“Not yet for me, but that will be changing shortly,” she said with an impish smile. “Derrick is Derrick de’Merlon, an accomplished librarian from Merlon University.”

“You really don’t know what you’ve gotten into,” I sighed and leaned against the wall. This girl had saved me for the moment, but my hope seemed to have been a bit misplaced. There was no plan here, just impulse and action. Then I felt her hand touch my shoulder and her steady gaze met mine.

“I don’t need to know, mob justice and stake burning are outlawed in the Deiregnum. Even a murderer deserves a trial… you aren’t a murderer are you?” I almost laughed as her previously determined eyes faltered for a moment. I waved her concern away. “No, I wasn’t being burned for murder.”

I went silent as she waited for me to continue. I motioned for her to stand. “We’ve been here too long, we need to keep moving. I’m guessing you don’t have a plan.”

“Of course I do! We need to meet up with Derrick at the Lone Wanderer. Once we grab our things we’ll head right out of town,” I frowned as Rachel spoke, the Lone Wanderer was a cheap inn known as the namesake and birthplace of a popular folktale. More relevant was that that it was also farther into town and right in the path of the pitchfork wielding locals.

“I think I’ll take your leave here. If I stay it’ll just be more dangerous for both of us.”

Rachel grabbed me by the shoulder as I started to leave and pulled me back to face her. “Where do you think you are going? The nearest town is over a week away, and I’ll bet this mob will be chasing you. Foraging for food would be out of the question while you’re being hunted. And how far do you think you are going to get with your feet looking the way they are? Not very far I bet. Derrick has some talent with healing and we have supplies in our packs.”

I began to argue the point then choked off a scream as Rachel nonchalantly stepped down hard on my foot. I pulled my leg back hard and stumbled to the ground as my eyes started to tear up. She bent over in front of me with the hint of a smile on her face. “If that hurt, how much will tripping hurt when you’re running through the wilderness hunted like a wild animal. You won’t be able to stop then.” I withstood the urge to punch her grinning face and instead took the hand she offered as she pulled me to my feet.

“I think we’ve come to an understanding, don’t you?” Ignoring her, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. I focused my mind inward and readied myself to touch that place deep inside of me, the wellspring that darkness flows from. I opened myself up to it, allowing it to cascade over me. I felt its coils settle around me, engulfing me. As I spoke a word I felt a brief piercing pain, then darkness invaded my veins like venom. I reveled in the revitalizing strength I felt. As I opened my eyes I expected to see Rachel’s frightened face. Instead she simply looked curious.

“You are a shadow adept? Was that why the townspeople turned on you?” I hesitated for a moment, then nodded as I flexed my renewed legs.

“I’m told I’m a Tenebrae Accerso, I summon the shadows of creatures. That was a caduceus shade, the healing serpent. Its venom acts as a restorative, giving a temporary boost in vitality as well as suppressing pain.”

“That was amazing! First I felt the magic welling up inside of you, then that crazy python coiled around you. I almost tried to drag it off before it disappeared.”

She could feel it welling up? She was more skilled then I thought to sense that. “I can run for now, though I’ll pay for it later. Since you seem so determined that I come with you, then lead the way.”

We headed out, moving through the alleyways as silently as possible. I thanked the Deimagica, source of magic, that the clouds obscured the moon tonight. The lingering shadows made our movement much easier. I was almost convinced that our excursion would be uneventful before the arrow hit me. Pain lanced through my shoulder as I quickly took cover under a overhanging windowsill. As I pressed hard against the wall I tried to gauge where the shot had come from.

“At least one archer is on the roof directly above us.” I winced as I grasped the arrow and broke the shaft off close to the wound. I’d properly treat the wound later, this would have to do for now. “They’re using piss poor hunting arrows, and the arrow didn’t penetrate far enough for it to have been shot from a decent bow. The archer shouldn’t be accurate at any kind of range…” I halted mid sentence when I realized Rachel had closed her eyes and started whispering to herself. This must have been what I looked like earlier. I watched as her crimson hair began to change shade. Her flushed skin took on an almost ethereal air and I could feel gusts of wind starting to form around us. Finally her sapphire blue eyes opened, framed by a mane of white-blonde hair. “You’re an elementalist aren’t you?”

“Not really, my grandpa just taught me some tricks to protect myself.” These seemed like more then tricks to me, I thought, as the winds intensified. “Stay close to me and the gusts will deflect the arrows. Come on!” She grabbed my hand and we ran. The sound of their shots were drowned out by the powerful wind gusts, but occasionally an arrow would pass by us. True to her word they never seemed to hit us, though many times the arrows came too close for comfort. Finally we outdistanced them, and headed straight for the inn.

“Well, this looks menacing.” We hid only a stone’s throw away from the inn, glued to the darkness of the alleyway. As we glanced out I sighed. Though the inn wasn’t surrounded, at least five or six of the mob stood outside. They were sharing a drink together jovially, though the sickles, hammers, and pitchforks made it obvious who they were waiting for. At least it was obvious to me. Rachel seemed to be unfazed. “I take it you have a plan to get past them?”

“Not at all.” Her ready smile belied her words. “We’ll just have to get creative.”