City in the Clouds

Chapter 10

(*Flame's POV*)

I sat on a fallen tree, my head in my hands- tears streaming down my cheeks.

My head was spinning around, unable to stop. A sea of thoughts were raging around in my head, like a hurricane. I had to focus as hard as I could just to prevent myself from throwing up.

I wanted to run, that's all I wanted.

To run and never stop until I died.

But I couldn't, I had to save my little sister. She was the only thing I had left in this universe and I couldn't lose her... but the pain.

The pain was so great I though I could just die from sitting there. 

I felt as though my insides were submerged in icy water but my skin burned beneath my own finger tips.

I cried out in pain and held my hands out  in front of me.

Flames burst from my hands and scorched the surrounding trees. Happiness pulsed through me, pure joy.

Standing, I walked away from the clearing-- my feet leaving footprints of fire behind with every step.

I scanned the dark forest until I saw what I was looking for.

A smirk made it's way across my face as I walked toward the unsuspecting deer. My hands burst into flames and the doe turned to stare at me, wide eyed like it was staring at the head lights of a car.

I raised my hand, ready to strike.

"Flame, what are you doing?" I lowered my still blazing hand so it was level with my chin and turned around to face a shocked looking Drew and Crystal. The doe took this moment and dashed away, into the dark forest beyond.

I closed my hand into a fist, extinguishing the flames, and Crystal smiled.

"Don't worry about it Drew, Flame was just trying to be helpful and catch us some dinner... Weren't you?"

I nodded, unsure what I had actually been doing.

Crystal laughed. "Flame, I told you that I already had food for dinner. I promise you, as soon as we run out I'll let you hunt for our meals ok?" I nodded again. "Alright then! Would you like to make the fire then?"

I nodded and held Crystals hand and walked back to the clearing with her. She threw down the sticks into a pile and I pulled some flints from my pocket and began to hit them together.

I noticed Drew staring at me. "What are you looking at?" I snapped.

"Nothing." He mumbled, looking away nervously.

I went back to stricking the flints together.

"Flame, Honey." Crystal said gently, taking the flints away from me. "That only works in movies, I need you to use your powers."

I pouted and shook my head.

"Come on please?" She begged. "Where do you even get a flint anyway?"

I simply looked away from her. 

"It only has to be a tiny flame, like one on a candle or a lighter."

"Just leave her alone Crystal, she's sick, tired and probably hungry. She's in no condition to be using her magic, she just can't do it."

I threw my right hand at him, flames shooting from my palms. Thankfully (or unfortunately, I'm not sure), it missed  Drew and hit the fire pit.

"Ha, and you thought she couldn't do it! You know, it's very insulting to judge other's magical abilities." With that I could feel Crystal touch my shoulder and my eye-lids drooped.

"Don't worry, I promise to wake you up in time for dinner." Crystal said soothingly.

"Pea..." I mumbled.

"I told you- it's Crystal."

Then I was all alone in the darkness of my dreams.

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(Crystal's POV)

I stared at Flame, tears nearly forming in my eyes. It hurt me to see her tormented like that, I had to do that to her.

"What did you do to her?" I turned my head to see Drew staring at me in an angered shock.

"It's ok, she's only unconscious... besides it will be good for her, she hasn't slept since we got back from Oridessania."

"What do you mean?"

"She stays up late every night and cries. You're such a deep sleeper that you don't even notice it."

"But why? What's making her so sad?"

"Don't you get it you idiot? She lost everyone she's ever cared about. She had felt like she had belonged in a place where she actually didn't. Can you even imagine that? All that time she spent in Oridessania she thought she was a Princess. She thought she had a family... I mean wouldn't you? Her whole life she had been made fun of because of her abnormally red hair and then all of the sudden she's in a place where people have blue hair and green hair and yellow hair. She felt normal for once! And then it turned out she didn't belong, she doesn't know who or what she is anymore. Now Flame feels all alone."

"But she's not all alone she has you!... and she has me."

I looked up at him and I saw sorrow in his eyes. "Are you sure that you really like Flame?" I asked, casually standing up to look through my bag.

"Of course! I love her!"

"Are you sure you do?" I paused, unsure of how to put it. "Sometimes when people go through a stressful situation of near death they jump to drastic conclusions... For instance, in every fairy tale the Princess falls in love and agrees to get married to the Prince or Knight... Why do you think she does that?"

"I don't know... probably because she loves him?"

"No, she feels she owes him her life and she wants to repay him. It would be awkward for her to say 'Thanks for saving my life! Bye!' and never pay him back. Also considering she's a Princess the only thing  of real value that she actually owns is herself." I turned to look at him. "Do you understand what I'm getting at?"

"Yeah, but that has nothing to do with Flame and I!"

I laughed scornfully as I set to work making dinner. "I wouldn't be so sure about that Drew."