She laid down and stared up at the night sky. She tried to empty her mind of the swirling thoughts about everything happening so she could get some sleep, or she would end up being of little use tomorrow on the trip. After about twenty failed meditation attempts, she gave up and sighed into the darkness. Her sigh was drowned out by Alyson’s snoring. She envied her friend. Even on a night like this, she could still sleep like the dead. She was about to give up all hope of sleeping when she felt a tiny, cold hand press up against her forehead, followed by a wave of calmness pouring over her. She looked up to see a sprite fluttering above her. “Why are you restless little one?” The sprite looked at her with so much worry that Viri couldn’t help but giggle at the irony of the tiny sprite calling her little. “I don’t know who I am anymore.” She didn’t know why she’d chosen to answer so honestly, but it felt like the right thing to say. The sprite landed on Viri’s chest and laid her hand on it. “Who you are doesn’t come from what you know. It comes from what’s in here.” Viri felt the pressure of the sprite’s hand over her heart.

Viri couldn’t help but laugh to herself. “I should’ve known that I'd get some poetic pep talk.” Sarcasm laced her tone. Enough so that the sprite huffed and flew over her face again. “Just because you’re a firebird, doesn’t mean you have to act like one.” The sprite began flying away and Viri jolted up into a sitting position and turned to ask her to wait. The sprite stopped, but she made no moves to turn around. Viri sighed. “I’m sorry I offended you. I may be confused right now, but that’s no excuse to take it out on someone that was just being kind to me.” The sprite turned towards Viri and nodded to let her know that she’d accepted her apology. “What did you mean when you called me a firebird” The sprite cocked her head at Viri and asked, “Why are you in the forest?”

“I’m searching for the Ember Sea Stone. Now, what did you mean when you called me a firebird?” The sprite stared at her. “The gem can give you the answers you seek.” Viri held in her sigh. She didn’t want to piss the sprite off again. “Is there any way I can get a less cryptic explanation?” The sprite smiled playfully. “Well, that wouldn’t be any fun.” Viri gave up on holding in a sigh that time. “Fine. At least answer this question then, why does everyone in the forest know I'm something that I don’t, but no one in the city ever mentioned it until a few days ago?” The sprite smirked. “The forest is ancient. We know all when it comes to magical beings. Your city is foolish. So stuck on modern technology, they’ve forgotten their history and will soon forget their very natures.” The sprite flew away and Viri didn’t try to stop her. It obviously wouldn’t grant her any answers. Although, she wondered if all the forest creatures felt that way. She shrugged. It wasn’t her problem. She had enough of those to focus on.

She laid back down and held her hands out in front of her face. She tried to wield flames from them, but nothing happened. Of course, that would be the case. No one in the history of any story ever magically knew how to control themselves from the jump. She rolled her eyes at how cliché the moment was. She did, however, notice that her thumb was fully healed. There wasn’t any blood, nor was there a scar from the cut on her canteen. She dropped her hands back on her bedroll with another sigh. She was suddenly too tired to be frustrated or emotional, so she stared up at the stars again and silently asked them to keep her safe on her journey to reveal the truth.

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

She was asleep before she realized it. She was underwater staring at those eyes again. They stared back so intently. Looking at them was like watching the depths of the sea. The golden specks tugged at a memory that she couldn’t quite grasp, but it reminded her of the woman who requested the stone. The small kernel of a memory disappeared as she noticed the eyes blink at her. They had never done anything but stare for so many years. “Who are you?” She whispered as if speaking too loudly would scare them away. The eyes stared back at her for a long time, before a strained voice answered, “Who I am does not matter. It is who you are that is most important.” She stared back. “Fine. Who am I?” The eyes begin fading. “You’re our only hope.” She rushed to speak before they fully faded away. “Why have you spoken to me now?” As the last speck faded into the waves, the voice responded more strained than the first time, “Because you are closer to the truth.”

Viri woke up and realized she had been crying as she touched her face. She took a deep breath to settle herself. Maybe her subconscious was releasing everything for her since she didn’t know how to deal with it. Her thoughts were cut off as soon as she realized that she smelled meat. She looked over to see Alyson cooking a rabbit over the fire as she smiled at Viri. “I figured we needed fresh meat to make up for last night and this was the only thing I could catch easily in my crippled state.” Viri laughed so loud that the birds in the trees around them flew away. “I don’t know what I’d do without you Aly, but I do know that we need to get you somewhere we can put a proper sling on that arm.” Alyson arched an eyebrow at her. “Where? We’re in the middle of nowhere practically.”

Viri pulled her bag over to her and unpacked the map and compass. “There are destination resorts in each of the reservation forests in the country. I think it’s stupid to put a five-star hotel in a place that you’re trying to keep civilization out of, but it’ll come in handy today. People can only arrive by flight, so they don’t disturb the surrounding forest by creating roads. I planned to just walk around it, but it’s on the way so we can stay there a night and head out tomorrow morning. There has to be a doctor there that can make sure everything is set properly.” Alyson shrugged. “Fine with me. That means I can shower and wash my hair.” She picked a stray leaf out of her hair for dramatic effect and they both chuckled.

They ate a quick breakfast of rabbit and cheese and headed in the direction of the resort. Viri carried Alyson’s bag so her shoulder could rest and by the time they reached the resort, she felt like her own shoulders were at risk of being dislocated. Alyson noticed Viri’s wince when she un-shouldered the bags as they walked up to the gate. “You could’ve just let me hold my bag you know. No point in us both losing arms.” Viri winked at her. “Arms? I lost those hours ago. It’s the shoulders that have been on the way out for the past thirty minutes.” Alyson rolled her eyes. “Still as headstrong as ever.” Viri grinned wide. “Always. Now let’s go find the entrance to this Watercress Falls.” Alyson picked up her bag before Viri could re-shoulder it. “Seems like a pathetic name for a destination resort. I was expecting something a little more majestic.”

They found a ticket holder waiting at the entrance and asked to book a room for the night. He tapped loudly on his computer keys and stared at them with disgust. “That will be one hundred and fifty thousand gold coins.” Viri opened her bag, took out her credit card, and laid it on the counter. The ticket holder’s mouth fell open as he swiped the card, and the purchase was successful. Alyson leaned around Viri and spoke, “We’ll be taking the keys to that room we asked for whenever you’re ready to close your mouth and finish the sale.” The ticket holder immediately closed his mouth, straightened his shoulders, and went back to typing. He handed them two key cards and a receipt without saying another word. Viri took them from him with a wink and they walked inside the resort.