Fractured Soul

Chapter 3: Questions

Myra looked down at Mella. Few things had been cleared up. She still didn’t know enough about this strange girl to decide her fate in Berna. She took the cup from Mella and went to the kitchen to put it in the sink. Myra felt lost.

Trust your heart.

Myra jumped. She knew that voice, even if she had only ever heard it in her head. Long years had passed since the voice of the fire spirit had been heard to Myra. She had almost begun to believe that the spirit had left her.

“Sister Lea, what do I do? My heart is uncertain.” Myra said to empty air.

No it isn’t. You just need to let it speak.

“Who is this girl? There are vast gaps in her memories. She doesn’t know where she came from, but she speaks Ivayan and understands Rhynish.”

The voice of the spirit was silent for a while. Myra though she had left, but Lea spoke again.

You’ve heard of the chosen one, yes?

“Yes, but the King and Queen killed her, so wouldn’t the next elementalist appear here, in Rhydona?

No, the girl isn’t dead. She suffered a fate worse than death.

“What could be worse than death?”

Do not make me answer that. Just care for the girl, teach her the way of fire, and help her in any way you can.

"How?" Myra still felt lost and confused, as Mella surely did right now.

Trust your heart.

"I don't understand. I need help."

But the spirit was gone, and her plea was met with silence.

She said trust my heart and let it speak.

Her heart. She felt pity, and empathy, and an overwhelming urge to protect Mella. But how could she feel all of this for a strange girl who appeared from nowhere? Maybe since she looks so much like her…

Memory dragged her down and Myra started to relive a different time…

The darkness radiating from the capital hadn't yet reached Berna, and Myra prayed to Lea that it would avoid them entirely. Stephen was raising an army, with his twins rounding up anybody of age gifted by the spirits. She feared for the children, and--

"Mom! You've been staring off into space for ages! What did you want to show me?"

Myra turned to look at her daughter, Frey. Her black hair with orange streaks was tied back, and her elven face was shining with excitement.

"I'm sorry. Happy birthday, darling. I have something I want to give you. Fire isn't just a weapon like you've been taught. It's also art and beauty. Watch."

Myra made a spark, and blew on it gently. It grew brighter and brighter. When it turned white, she tapped it and made a fist around it. Then, she opened her hand.

It was literally a flower blooming. The spark had grown and had blossomed into a fire-lily.

Myra gave Frey the lily.

"Something beautiful for my beautiful daughter. You're of age; find the beautiful things in life for yourself now."

"Thanks, Mom." Frey threw herself around her in a hug.

Myra heard footsteps and looked up. Rei, Frey's teacher, was standing before her, her gold eyes worried.

"Rei, what happened?" Myra asked, releasing her daughter.

"A fire message just appeared in the square. Roxas and Rin. They're coming."

"I told you you should have sent that message earlier.'

"You see, we're already here."

The trio turned and stared, and the royal twins stared back. The three bowed but they ignored them and strode right past. The girl had white hair and cruel red eyes, while the boy had jet black hair and fathomless blue eyes. They acted as one, yet looked like polar opposites.

"Lady Rin, Lord Roxas, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Myra asked politely, straightening up. She was hiding the fear in her voice, because she knew exactly why they were here.

"We've come to see which children of the age of seventeen can be escorted to Ulma for advanced elemental training. This is the first time it has been offered by the King and Queen. It's a very high honor." Roxas said. Myra recognized his father in his voice: all airs and graces, knowing exactly what needed to be said.

"You won't find many, I'm afraid. Only two or three teens here are elementals. I'm sorry you took the time to come here just to find this out." Myra lied, praying to Lea that the royal brats would leave the village in peace.

The girl, Rin, laughed coldly. "You honestly think we would believe that? Lying won't gain you any favors. We know there's at least thirteen here of the proper age that are elementals, including this one." she spat, pointing at Frey.

"How…how do you know that?" Rei spluttered.

"Rin here is an aura sensor, all more of a reason not to lie to us." Roxas said quietly. He raised his voice. "I know you've been listening this entire time. Send out the twelve other teenagers, or Rin will come get you, and life will be much more difficult than it could have been."

Roxas's words echoed through the town seemingly magnified. Doors started to open, and there was the sound of shuffling feet. Most everyone had poured out of their houses, to watch their loved ones leave. Nine teenagers stepped forward, seven girls and two boys, to join Frey and the twins.

"No one else? Very well. Rin, find the last three to join our little group." Roxas gestured casually at the town.

Rin was already moving, a veil of fire burning in her tracks. She knocked down the doors of two houses and emerged with the twin sons of Rei and Myra's nephew, Spark.

Mothers and fathers called out for their children, pleading with the prince and princess to let them go, but a blazing look from Rin stopped their cries.

"Be happy, citizens of Berna! Your children will have bright futures. They may even become heroes." Roxas told the crowd.

The royal twins turned to each other. They spoke a rapid, complicated incantation and turned back to the teenagers. Frey looked desperately to Myra before they all vanished, and Myra felt the connection with her daughter snap.

And tears finally fell.

Her hands were wet, and Myra realized that she had been crying in real life. Frey had been gone for almost a year now, and she thought the emotions were gone, buried underneath everything she had ever known. She was wrong, they had never left.

She looked back at Mella. I'll do it for Frey, so she won't be forgotten. So Myra decided. Mella would learn what had been passed down to her from her parents. A fire elemental would return to Berna.

Myra didn't know if Mella was blessed by a spirit, but if Lea said to train her, then the blessing must be there.

Myra heard a noise, but it was just Mella turning over in her sleep, pulling the blanket over her head.

She even looks like she's Frey's age. But she shouldn't dwell on thoughts of her daughter. With that Myra went out into the street to find Rei, after leaving a note for Mella if she woke up. Hopefully she can read Rhynish.