Elementum

Two

I wake up with a burning on my lower back that spreads out to my sides and up around my hip bones. Once the feeling has faded, I un-scrunch my eyes.

I'm looking up so, I must be laying down on my back. I think I'm in a cave of some kind. Tree to cave. Yep. That's not weird at all.

The ceiling is grey with bumps and groves on it. Turing my head to the left, I'm right up against a grey cold wall. I stretch my hand out. Yep it's rock. I take in a much needed breath and turn my head to the right. I come face to face with bright ember eyes and snuck in air holding my scream at bay. I scoot as close to the wall I as I can possibly get whispering, " Nice kitty."

"Calm yourself dear." Comes an aged voice from behind the beastly.

I don't even look for the person, my eyes only on the thing that's about to eat me. Calm, yeah right.

It's huge. As big as a bear or larger, with sleek deep dark fur, a huge head and rectangular ears. I think it might be a really large cat. Maybe. Maybe not. At least it hasn't tired to make me for it's dinner. Yet.

"It's alright dear."

Gods he's annoying. And it's definitely not alright.

Taking my eyes off this..... this cat for a second, I find the owner of the Irish lit voice. At least I think it's Irish.

It's an old man. Grey hair and wrinkles everywhere. He's standing slightly of to the side behind the beast, but my eyes don't stay on him. They snap back to the huge creature.

It titles it's head to the side, I stiffen up as it stretches out beside the pile of blankets I'm on, examining me. It seems sorta of human like. The way it's eyes are taking me in.

"He won't hurt you dear. He's your souls heart."

"What?" I snap my mouth close before I say anything else. He's crazy, just like mom and well me. I did imagine being sucked through a tree.

Souls heart. Shooting flames. What a nightmare.

Remembering what mom said I got to speak, " Custaodia. Advoco Ingis Dux ducis." I let out a relieved breath when it sounds sorta similar to how mom said it.

The cat finally decides to move. I watch it like a hawk as it stretches again and moves towards my feet. My tense muscles loosen up a little bit since its no longer at my head.

I look over to the old man to see it he heard me and notice his black eyes are wide and wonderment is written across his aged face. He lets out a laugh making me flinch as his chuckle shakes his old frail body.

"You know the language of the old, huh. Well what's your name dear?"

"Custaodia. Advoco Ignis Dux ducis." I say a little forceful this time.

"Ok. I'll be back in a moment dear." He retreats to a lighted opening and now I'm left alone. Well not really alone. The monster of a cat is still here.

That was easier than I thought it was going to be, but this is still some kind of nightmare. Right? Gods I hope so.

I start to slowly stand up checking every so often. Making sure the cat stays put and thankfully it does.

Once I'm up and no longer under the covers I get a cold chill from H. Looking around I spot a small fire pit in what I guess is the middle of the cave. A table and four chairs set off to the right of the fire pit. Further back I spot some kind of bed with a trunk at the end of it. I'm in the stone age.

Nightmare. Nightmare.

"I sent a messenger dear."

I jump at the sound of the old man's voice. I didn't even here him come back in.

"Come sit." He points to a chair and shuffles over and takes a seat.

I slowly walk over and sit down. When that cat gets up and comes to lay behind me in the shadows, my tense muscles tense up more and I get that nervous butterfly feeling in my belly.

The old man notices, " He won't hurt you like I said."

I give him a shrug and scoot closer to the table.

He gives me a curious look, " So, where are you from?" Pause. "What about a name, hmm."

We stare at each other and he offers me a smile, " Ok. Well, I'm the Gate Keeper. Do you know where you are?"

I think about his question. Mom said not to speak but she didn't say anything about shaking my head. So I do just that and shake my head no. Of course I don't know where I am. A dang tree gobbled me up.

That gets me another smile from the old gate keeper, "Well then it's a start. This is Elementum. To be more precise the Neutral Hills. Ring any bells dear?"

I shake my head no again.

Just a nightmare. A strange nightmare. Wake up.

"Well it seems your from the Ignis Gen and also a warrior." He states like I should know this.

I just shrug and shake my head. Ignis Gen? Don't know what that means and I'm definitely no warrior. I'm tiny barley reaching 5'1 and small boned. I wouldn't make a very good warrior more like a sprite. That's somewhat believable than me being a warrior.

"Ignis means Fire dear. I thought you would know that, considering you spoke in the old tongue." His old eyes hold confusion along with a hint of curiosity in them while he looks me over.

"This better be important Gate Keeper." A deep booming voice echoes out of the dark, causing me to jump.

"Ah Commander. It is. It is." The Gate Keeper says seriously, giving his head a couple of bobs.

A man comes into view and he's huge. Like over six foot something with nothing but bulky muscles clad in some type of black armor with hints of red swirls. He's like a Viking with deep black hair. Hell, he might be for all I know that crazy tree to be back in time.

This must be the man mom was referring too. He hasn't noticed me yet, which is kind of relieving. Before he speaks again I speak up in a frighten whisper, " Expeto Ignis Eligere." Gods he's scary.

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Thank you for taking the time to read. I hope you enjoyed Chapter Two as much as I did writing it.

New parts will be posted after comment (s). I would gladly give a smile to votes and shares. Once again thank you :) Oh, and don't forget to follow me for future updates if you like what I have so far. :)