Hope Released

Storming Sun Shower

     The flame , the size of a pinky finger, glided through the air like myself through water. Slowly but surely to stop an arms length away from us. 

     It started to rain as I thought it would. I felt a single drop on my arm and the flame twisted and spun into a thin disk like a roof over our heads. The relaxing aurora about this flame was like a campfire with friends or a fireplace at home in the late evening hours with a pet or loved one. There was nothing frightening about it and not a single thought of anxiety dared pierce my skin and tear through my mind. In fact, only the rich thick goodness of happiness rang through my body; a bell calling for a feast or a call from a friendly face at the door. 

     Then a young women stood on the now closed hatch. Where the rain hit her, steam rose and she remained dry. Her smooth skin appeared tanned with a sunny glow, slim but built strong with eyes that reminded me of Roses. Dark brown in the center but faded into a dark orange then encircled with a passionate red. She had red hair. Red like the rose but the edges really were ablaze like the embers in a campfire. Smoke escaped her fingertips and drifted to our right away with the slight wind. She wore all black, or it seemed it might have been coloured differently before but soot smudged and darkened it overtime. Patches of her clothing were burnt away. Nevertheless I couldn't take my eyes off of her beauty. A long face with pursed lips , thick eyebrows and pointed cheekbones and a small chin looked to us with careful patience. 

     "Harquil?" I mouthed but couldn't voice. 

     She nodded and moved to stand before us underneath the flamed shelter. Her flower petal lips and different parts of her face glowed for a fraction of a second here and there, as if lava flowed beneath her skin and reached its surface as she moved. "I've been awaiting you Taseaya..." she respectfully nodded her head at me and then acknowledged the other presence who found my hand to hold again ".. Nixon." 

     "My grandmother was right! You knew her didn't you?"I asked with all confidence as the guilt I felt at leaving my friends, with uncertainty that I would find our saving force would be found, ran from my body. 

     "Correct." she replied with a bright smile with her arms clasped together before her gently. She continued "I understand you do not have much time. Let me explain, I have heard your hearts calling for me. Just as I control fire I feel callings or feelings as strong as the element itself."

     The wind changed direction and a few drops of the now more steady falling rain hit my arm. I stepped quickly into Nixon's side where his arm automatically swept around me. Harquil opened her hands and spun a finger once and the flaming shelter which floated above our heads spread down and semi-circled behind Nixon and I. 

     "That was close love. I feel you understand Taseaya's condition? The effects water has on her as well as her ability over it?" Nixon asked.

     Harquil smiled again. Something proud came over her features when she looked at me and responded "Yes. I heard a great deal about her. Not by word of mouth , but as I mentioned, in the hearts of those her existence has impacted. I would have come back to Awetony sooner but you see I had left the moment I found I could bring back people's glows. The Rebel land is vast and there have been many lost Awetonians I was able to gather to bring back, the first of which you have found."

     "Could you help us then? Stop the attack the rebels have planned on the small town we came from?" I asked , desperation in my voice. 

     "Yes." She stated. Her young, soft smile never left her blossoming lips. 

     "With all respect, I beg you to come with us then!" Nixon exclaimed, motioning with his free arm towards the direction we came from.

     " I will join you. It has been my intention to do so in fact. However you must understand my mission is different than what you seek at this very moment. I will do what I can in this dire need but I must continue my search for the lost souls of Awetony." Harquil responded. The passion in her eyes at the mention of Awetony was fierce. Fierce in a way a mother bear protects her young cubs.