“Auralie…”

Amorphous flames rose in flickering light atop small cottages and wooden structures, brought to life by the torches of the invading soldiers. Piercing screams filled the air as bloodied swords fell upon innocent necks, slicing through tendon and bone like butter.

“Auralie…”

Ari pivoted, feeling each breath like a sharp knife in her lungs. A painful, orange glow reflected in her eyes, penetrating the darkness with its youthful light. A single bead of sweat trailed down the back of her neck, and with each beat of her heart she could feel her panic intensify.

There was no discernible source to the voice.

“Auralie,” The voice chimed again.

Crimson flames rose like a pillar of burning anger from the earth around her, enveloping her; smothering her with its angry ardor. She choked on the acrid smoke that billowed out and blocked the starlight from touching the earth. She coughed violently, her lungs fighting against the overwhelming fumes that threatened to suffocate her. She raised her forearm and pressed it against her nose and mouth, her eyes burning and her vision blurred.

Aris’ heart frantically beat within her, pounding throughout her body as if on the verge of bursting. She whirled about; searching for a break in the circles blaze, a way out, but the wall of flame was absolute. Ari was trapped within.

“Auralie…..”

Aris’ name echoed throughout her mind, persistent, raining down upon her like invisible arrows meant to pierce and tear away at her sanity. Screams and whispers immersed her in chaos; filling every crevice, every pocket of her being with its turmoil. She slumped to her knees, slamming her clammy hands to her ears in a vain attempt to block out the relentless noise. Tears escaped her eyes as she felt herself drop to her side, curled in the fetal position.

Abruptly, the voices ceased; Ari cracked her tear-filled eyes, glancing about. There was no fire. She dragged herself to her feet.

In its place, Ari stood in a field of debris; burnt tree stumps and ash was all that remained of the once lively forest. Gray and white cinders calmly swirled in the wind, a peaceful aftermath to such a hellish night. In the distance, she could see the shadows of a storm brewing.

A green ribbon drifted in from the storm, dancing callously through the air in its rapid descent. Ari extended a palm as the ribbon declined, but just as it touched her skin, it too caught flame; burning now with emerald fire. Slowly, she drew the flame close to her chest, tightening her palms over it, as if protecting it. After what seemed like an eternity, the warmth faded from her hands. When she opened her palms, ashes as white as snow lifted into the air.

An abrupt gust of wind picked up, swirling around Ari like a cyclone. Her hair breathed upwards, as if the torrent of air was coming from directly below her instead of all around her. Ash soon joined this flux of wind and, second by second, the world around her was consumed by ash and air. A warmth lit up from within her chest, a peaceful feeling emanating in the form of emerald light shone from her bosom, spreading to every crevice of her body until she was naught but light in its truest form. This light spread, then appeared to collapse in on itself before bursting, scattering ash and droplets of emerald brilliance as Ari fell, and fell….

“Ari!”

*****************************************

Ari’s eyes snapped open as she jolted upright, her breath coming in quick, ragged gasps. The air in her lungs felt thick and hot, sticking to the walls of her esophagus as she took a deep breath in an attempt to pace herself. She could feel her heart pulsing in her ears as it struck against her chest, pounding almost painfully against her ribcage. Slowly, she raised a trembling hand to her forehead, trying to steady herself. Flashes of her nightmare flooded her mind like a tidal wave, and though Ari squeezed her eyes shut, willing them away, they persisted; vivid and chaotic behind her eyes. The rough texture of the sheet beneath her fingers scratched against her palms as she clenched it, trying to ground herself in the present. It was just a dream, she thought, but the fear lingered like a thick fog.

Standing, she pushed the nightmare to the back of her mind. The sweat soaked nightgown clung to her lithe frame as she pulled it over her head, dropping it carelessly on the floor behind her, before shuffling over to the rugged chest that sat dour at the foot of her bed. Ari flung open the lid, the rusty hinges squeaking in protest at its owners absent minded indiscretion. She dug through the jumbled mess of her things- everything from clothes to shiny rocks she’s found over the years- until her fingers finally met with the cool touch of leather. A simple knife in a leather sheath, small, but sharp; a gift from a friend. Placing the knife between her teeth, she clawed through her things once again; pulling out a plain, brown belt, faded black trousers decorated with a few off-colored patches, and a dark blue fitted blouse, the old fabric catching the faint light streaming in from the covered window.

Ari dressed with the ambition of an apathetic insomniac, the dark half-moons below her eyes the only physical trait of her state of fatigue. She clipped the small knife at her left hip, wondering to herself what it was her aunt wanted her to do today. The thought made her stomach turn. I just want to go back to bed, she thought. Ari touched her right hand to her lips as a yawn tore through her body, bubbling up and through her parted lips. With a flick of her wrist, she knocked the chests’ lid forward, creating a loud whoosh sound as it traveled through the air in its descent, slamming shut with a loud bang.

Ari released an exhausted sigh as she made her way to the front of the cottage, rubbing the last little bit of sleep from her eyes. As she crossed the threshold into the modest dining area, she noticed her twin, Oriana, seated at the beat-up table, sipping out of a wooden bowl. She rolled her eyes at her twins impeccable posture; her back straight, elbows resting on the table while her hands cupped the bowl and brought it to her mouth. What a ridiculous way to drink water, she thought.

Though Ari and Oriana shared the same face, they shared little else. Oriana, for instance, had a pedant for all things neat; she didn’t tolerate disorder and would scold Ari for even the slightest mishap. Ari, on the other hand, made a habit of ignoring her sister’s overt perfectionism; and was even known too, on occasion, angle the few paintings hanging on the wall so that they would be crooked, or leave the chair in the kitchen pushed away from its spot against the table. Sometimes, she would even make a mess of their shared bed just after Oriana had made it, just to see her perfect expression crack.

Of course, Orianas appearance was no different. Today, she wore a faded green dress with an old, cream-colored sash wrapped around her waist, a slight sheen left behind from its old, glossy material. The staple of her outfit, as always, was an emerald green ribbon, that sat just above the dark curve of her tangle free ponytail; tying together her entire appearance into the ideal picture of perfection. The flawless older twin.

A slight flame of envy burned in Ari’s chest as she watched her sister delicately bite into an apple, as if the fruit were made of glass and would shatter at the tiniest infraction. The bow had been a gift from their mother, and as such, Oriana never removed it other than to carefully retie the fabric back into her tidy hair. She even slept with the thing on. Of course, Their mother had also left a trinket behind for Ari; a small, sapphire ribbon braided into the shape of a bracelet. But she had no use for such things, and the last time Ari had come across it, it had lay callously at the bottom of her trunk amongst her other less used items.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Oh, good! You’re both awake.”

Ari twisted in her seat to see Lily, their aunt, standing in the entrance to their meager home. She clutched a jar in her right hand, filled with a brown liquid, and a bag hung from her left, straps dangling from her fingertips. A mischievous glint glittered in her tired gray eyes, and a playful half smile danced on her cracked lips. Her mouse brown hair was tied back into a messy bun, with stray extrinsical strands poking out every which way. Her pallid complexion held the beginning stage of age, as small wrinkles had begun to form around the corners of her eyes and lips.

Ari sighed, slumping forward and cradling her head in her arms, her chin resting against the cool wood of the table. She could feel her twins gaze on her, lingering, burning through her flesh with a discontented gaze. She wished she could have just stayed in bed today; gone back to sleep and dreamt of anything else. Nothing would have been better than the same nightmare she had had every night for the last fortnight.

Ari's favorite thing had always been sleep. In her dreams, she could be anything, do anything. There was never a wrong she couldn’t right, never a moment too dull, never a time she couldn’t say no. Nothing was ever expected of her, no one permanently disappointed in who she was. It was the only time she ever felt free.

But two weeks ago, that changed the first night she dreamed of her village, Amistar, burning away against the night. The nightmare had always been the same; the soldiers pillaged and burned Amistar, and Ari had ran, until a pillar of fire blocked her path. Normally, that’s where the nightmare had ended. Last night’s addition of the storm and her sisters ribbon- that had been new.

She knew this probably had some weird connection to her life. Stress manifesting as nightmares, maybe mixed with something she’d read. It wasn’t common for those in her village to have the ability to read- especially girls- but Lily had insisted on the twins learning, and paid a man- once a scholar- to teach them. That was five years ago, and she was sure Sol must regret it, as Ari spent so much time in his home, reading his various books and scrolls and asking him far too many questions.

Ari could hear the rotten floorboards creak and groan under the burden of Lily’s gait as she limped across the small dining area. Lily had sustained some sort of injury to her left knee when she was younger, but never really went into detail. When asked, she would dart around the question with a short “answer" that changed every time; like she was shot with an arrow during the battle of broken ridge (Lily had never been in a battle, and the Battle of Broke Ridge happened some two hundred years earlier), or how her sister pushed her out of a tree (She doesn’t have a sister), or how she took a tumble down a hill saving her beloved dog from a nasty rat. Eventually, Ari and Oriana both quit asking.

Ari raised her head just as Oriana scooted her chair back, placing the apple down and ever so gracefully hustling forward, gently taking the jar of liquid and bag from Lily. “Oh,” Lily breathed, stretching her arms. “Thank you, dear.” Pointing towards the curtained room just opposite of Ari, Lily instructed Oriana to “put them with the others,” before carefully lowering herself into the chair Oriana had just vacated, a sigh of relief escaping her parted lips as her body came to rest. Ari could hear her twin rustling around in the pantry, with the occasional quiet thud of glass gently hitting wood. After a few moments, Oriana returned, a small glass jar filled with loose tea in hand.

As her sister was busy making tea, Ari leaned over the table and snagged the once bitten apple Oriana had abandoned and took a bite. Lily, used to Ari's tactics by now, simply shook her head as Ari devoured the fruit, juice dripping down her chin. Ari was nearly finished with the apple when Oriana returned, three mugs (the only three actual cups they owned) in hand. She placed one in front of Lily who smiled and gave a cheery “thanks", before placing another in front of Ari.

If Orianna was upset that Ari took her apple, she didn’t show it, and that irritated her. Oriana leaned against the wall behind Lily, cupping the mug with both hands as she stared out of the window that faced the nearby forest. Oriana didn’t seem to like being outdoors, unlike Ari, but she would catch her gazing out throughout the day with this longing expression on her face, as if Oriana where a bird trapped in a cage, yearning for the open sky.

Maybe if she weren’t so afraid of her hair becoming unkempt, or her dress wrinkling, she could enjoy herself; even just a little. Who is she trying to impress, anyway? They were the villages apothecary; important to a point, yes, but only for services rendered. They weren’t important, and they certainly were not nobility, even if Oriana pretended otherwise.

Ari pushed the cup of tea away before standing, heading past Lily and Oriana to the cottages front door. She’s been awake for half an hour and already she felt done with the day. She was exhausted; and aside from wanting to climb into bed, the only thing she wanted was to be alone.

Ari collected her old, shabby cloak that hung on the wall near the door, its black material faded from time and wear. She threw it on none to gently, before plucking the basket she used to gather herbs from its place just under her cloak. She turned the knob and stepped outside, and just as she tugged the door shut, she heard Lily call her name. Ari ignored her, however, pretending she hadn’t heard, and hastily made her way down the trail that led into the forest.

The sky was overcast as Ari sauntered through a narrow deer trail, gray light filtering down through the trees above. A chilly breeze gusted by, red and orange leaves dancing by her in a flurry as they descended. Ari shivered as a cool chill ran through her, pulling her cloak tighter against her body.

She had no idea why Orianna annoyed her so much. Sure, the perfectionism and I'm-better-than-you attitude was part of it, and so was the you-stole-my-apple-so-here’s-a-cup-of-tea-ness. Ari wasn’t even sure why she went to such lengths to get on her sister’s nerves in the first place. She didn’t have to do that. Maybe, though, it was just nice to see her perfect façade crack, even for just a second. Maybe it was nice to see a real person, instead of the doll she made herself into.

But even so, Ari felt bad. She always felt bad, though she would never admit that. And so instead, she'd come to the forest to be alone, and if she happened to find any Lions Mane flowers- which just so happens to be Orianna's favorite tea- she'd always pick some for her, leaving them in a jar next to the other teas.

Ari pursed her lips, her thoughts drifting back to her nightmare. Maybe she should visit with Soren. She didn’t have to tell him about her nightmares, after all. He had plenty of books on just about everything; from ballads of heroes long past to how one properly dresses a wound. In fact? Ari had never seen so many books in her life. She was sure that Soren owned more books than every single soul living in Amistar put together. Surely he’d have something in there about dreams.

The sound of rushing water broke Ari out of her thoughts. She turned to the right, squeezing herself through a small gap between the undergrowth, her cloak catching on the thorny brambles. She twisted around and carefully liberated the fabric, slicing her thumb as she freed the last snag. She hissed, sticking the tip of her thumb into her mouth. The metallic tang of blood greeted her taste as she flicked her tongue across the laceration.

Ari trotted up to the waters edge and sat down, placing the basket next to her and drawing her knees up to her chest. She stared ahead, towards the water fall, watching the thin stream of water as it fell into the nearly still body of a small green lake. Thick curtains of moss clung to the rocks jutting out, forming a blanket like appearance around the waterfall. This was Ari's favorite spot to think; to her knowledge, no one else knew about it. She had found it one day, four years ago, after a nasty fight with her aunt had led her out of the house and down a deer trail to blow off steam.

Ari absentmindedly picked at a few blades of grass, letting her mind wander. Her cheek rested against her knees, her right arm crossed over her waist. Slowly, her tired eyes began to lull, and she drifted.

A large, white wolf stood tall on the precipice of a narrow cliff face, her sharp muzzle pointed up towards a full moon that seemed so very close. She let out a mournful howl – a deep and haunting sound that tore through the fabric of the night like a storm cloud spilling from a jar.

As the last echoes of her howl faded away, Ari’s gaze locked with the wolf’s. Its eyes were as mesmerizing as they were unsettling, mismatched like glittering molten gold and the pale blue of the morning sky. And that’s when she noticed it- small droplets of red that slowly seeped from its snow white coat, staining it a deep crimson. In horror, Ari watched as the wolf collapsed, it’s body succumbing to the spreading stains of red that dotted its coat in incongruous patches. And in the distance, beyond where the wolf lay, there was fire dancing against the silhouette of trees, lighting the storming horizon with an terrifying glow.

The crash of thunder shook Ari from sleep. It was dark now, but whether that was from the storm or the passage of time, Ari wasn’t sure. She pulled herself to her feet as a streak of lightning tore through the sky, the first droplets of rain splashing against her upturned face. The rain was gentle for only a brief moment before the drizzle turned into a deluge, pelting against Ari like tiny, icy daggers that tore and bit at her flesh. She pulled her hood up, though it did her no good, and sprinted through the line of trees and back into the relative safety of the forest.