Chapter 20:

A small flame that barely pierced the dark

Taccilas awoke, unsure what his dreams had been about. “Good morning.” Mitali spoke, seated on the bed.

He rubbed his eyes, a gem lantern on the ceiling was dimly lit, as if trying to replicate the morning sun. “Hi Mitali…” Breathed Taccilas. “...Did you stay awake all night?”

“Nay, I slept for a short moment.” Despite Mitali’s words, her appearance was no different from what it had been last night.

Her clothes not ruffled, her hair not disheveled.

“‘Tis clear dawn is near. The officer requested for us to be at the square at 5, we must go.” She continued.

Taccilas took a deep, long yawn- he still hadn’t even made his way out of bed.

Is it even morning yet?

“I guess we should.” But without delay, he was on his two feet and walking towards the door.

The sky had a slight tinge of pink when they exited Taccilas’ room, one so subtle they had to squint to even notice it. The gem lanterns scattered across the roof of the hall did a better job at illumination than the unrisen sun was attempting. It was as quiet as the night before.

Two doors lay open, yet one remained closed- suggesting Izuchi slept still undisturbed.

Knock

Knock Knock

But no one replied to Taccilas’ prompt.

Knock Knock Knock.

“Izuchi? Are you up?”

But no voice was heard within the chamber.

“...Izuchi? We have to go down to the plaza, remember? Suisse needed us there by 5.”

But it was as if Izuchi wasn’t even there-

-as if someone had taken her away.

Was she right in being worried?

But Mitali or me would’ve heard if someone tried to break into her room, right?

Taccilas took a deep breath.

…Maybe I’m letting her ideas cloud me, maybe she’s already down at the plaza.

He tried to turn the knob, but the door was locked from inside.

…Who locks the door when they’re gone…? Unless someone wants us to think she’s still inside…

“Where is the princess’ response?” Questioned Mitali.

We need to know immediately if she’s here or not.

“Mitali, can you take down the door?” Taccilas’ request was clear.

“‘Tis a trivial matter.” And with one swift kick, the door found the floor of the chamber within.

Dust rose and enshrouded the room in its blinding blanket- no light could pierce within.

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Yet light was emanating from the room, its source not a lamp.

A small flame floated. As the dust settled, a sand-colored hand was revealed under it, and then a girl with hollow purple eyes sat on a bed with her back pressed against the wall.

Her hand remained frozen, but the flame danced regardless on top of her palm.

“Oh, you’re fine.” Sighed Taccilas, failing to notice her burrowed frow and an expression lost behind a shroud.

He tried stepping into the room. “Izuchi…?” He asked, but she was unresponsive, as if entirely frozen in time. Thanks to the flame she wielded in her right hand, Taccilas knew she wasn’t dead, but the paralysis her body showed brought to mind the idea of a corpse. “Do you think she’s still asleep?”

Mitali observed the princess, cold and paralyzed- one arm hugging her legs and the other breathing fire. “...Nay, she slept not. ‘Tis clear that awake she did remain for the entirety of the night.”

Taccilas sighed. “Hey Izuchi, it’s time to go down, come on-” He gently grabbed her shoulder, but the instant their skins touched-

“Who do you think you are to touch me like that?!” Izuchi bellowed, her voice like the roar of a volcano, and she leapt forward, pinning Taccilas to the ground and holding her flame as close to his face as she could.

The fire revealed both of their visages in the darkness. Taccilas was terrified after being caught by surprise, his only remedy now being assistance from Mitali. Hope that she would throw Izuchi from on top of him was the only thing that remained.

And then he saw Izuchi’s expression- she was frightened. Her body didn’t shake, and it conjured strength that any man could be proud of, yet her face reflected nothing but a child lost in echoes of the dark.

“...Ah, it’s you.” Yet upon seeing Taccilas’ face, her expression was covered by another shroud.

“Can you… Get off me, please?”

Izuchi, realizing he still held Taccilas pressed against the floor of the chamber, hastily jumped away from him. “Hmph, you absolute animal. Maybe think twice before kicking down my door.”

Taccilas looked her in the eyes, it was true that oftentimes Izuchi was confrontative, but this was one instance where it wasn’t entirely her fault. “...I’m sorry, we didn’t hear a reply from you and we got worried.”

“I apologize as well.” Came Mitali’s response, though her tone didn’t indicate repentment. “There is a matter of further relevance, however. Are you a priestess?” Instead, it signaled curiosity.

“Hm? Priestess?” It was then Izuchi noticed she still held a small flame, no larger than her palm, floating over her right hand. “...Yes, a Fire Priestess.” Her voice faltered.

“I see, I see I see… I understand.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Taccilas commented.

“I do not.”

“What does that mean, Izuchi?” Prompted Taccilas, his two feet now back under him.

“Why do you care?” Taccilas was annoyed at her return to form, yet relieved she didn’t remain stuck in that paralyzed state they had found her in. “I can do stuff with fire, like make figures with it and punch fireballs, that’s all.” As she spoke, Izuchi demonstrated her technique, drawing a star out of fire in the air and punching a fireball right through it.

“...Cool…” Taccilas’ eyes sparkled like stars at the idea. It was a wonderful thing he left, they were going to rob him of this wonder- of this and so many other discoveries he kept making everyday. “It’s real, right?! It’s not magic?”

“Magic? Are you stupid? Of course not, it’s gifting.” Izuchi let another flame alight on her remaining hand and released a fireball onto the hallway, passing between Mitali and Taccilas.

“Woah… It’s warm!” Taccilas cheered and followed it with his eyes and saw it dissipate before it could burn anything of relevance.

“Remarkable.” Stated Mitali.

“Do more, do more!” The boy insisted, never had he seen fireworks up close.

Izuchi frowned and with long steps began walking down the hall. “I’m not a circus.”

Taccilas and Mitali followed her towards the steps. “Then, can you teach me how to do it? I wanna know how to chuck fire out of my hands too!” Gleefully requested the former.

“No, fire isn’t for you to play around with like it’s some toy. It’s sacred.” For the first time, Izuchi spoke with something akin to respect, though Taccilas hardly believed his ears when they heard that tone.

“I’ll treat it with the respect it deserves.”

“Yeah right. You can start by treating me with respect and not lying to my face.”

“I’m not lying!”

Mitali smiled behind them. Izuchi and Taccilas together brought her back memories.

Even if she couldn’t piece them together.

Even if she wasn’t sure what they meant.

The view of them together- nearly fighting- brought her feelings she didn’t quite understand, yet she didn’t dislike.

A group of men flashed before her eyes, cans in their hands and jokes running through the candlelit air- and then there were none.

Her heart dropped.

Memories still evaded her, but she began to understand what her new mission was.