Bound #Wattys2017

Epilogue

A/N: Hi! It's just me, the author of this book. Um, this is the first original fantasy story I've published on here and I hope you guys enjoy! It's a little all over the place and I'll try to make it as not confusing as possible :) ~Kay

P.S. Yes I know it starts at the epilogue and I also know you people are going to skip that Author's Note up there ^^ Anyways, you'll see why the first chapter is called the Epilogue soon enough

A wave of his hands- the girl watched as he looked downwards at his simple wooden work table littered with paints and clay and magic, inspecting the desolate world. The empty space. One where stars did not exist, and neither did life and planets. An empty black vacuum.

Neither spoke. He didn't acknowledge her presence, while she only silently watched as he stood in the dark room lit by candlelight- and built a world, a world full of stars and planets and life.

She only stared in wonder as matter gathered together, crashing towards a center in a burst of colors. Blues, greens, browns- all layered on top with swirling white mist. No, clouds.

She watched in stunned silence as he continued on, creating eight more additional spheres. Nine identical planets in all, lined up in one neat little row. A line, trailing from one end of the messy workspace to the other.

She watched, her curiosity hungrily gobbling down every detail, every gesture of his hands.

Not daring to breathe, she only stared unblinkingly as he picked up a clump of formless yellow material without touching it. Forming it slowly, kneading it with his magic, he created a perfectly round circle. A star.

It was a star that could give life- he only needed magic to bring it to life. She marveled at the perfect roundness, wishing she could be the one to give it the most vital thing it lacked. Only... her magic was flame based. Unlike his great power of wind and ice that was calm and monitored, her power was unbound, as free and uncontrollable as wildfire.

If magic truly was a visible representation of your heart, your soul... then she felt her magic was pretty accurate. Only, she wished her power didn't just destroy. She wished it could create.

She remembered the accidents in her past, small buildings and other structures falling apart like a house of cards. Where she walked... she left behind embers and ashes.

"Would you like to try?"

The words caught her off guard.

She looked up from the project and into the sapphire eyes of its creator. Cold and unyielding as usual; she sighed. How could he have changed so much, yet still be the same? How could they be so similar... yet polar opposites?

They were almost of the same age, the same youth; yet his soul was indifferent and arrogant, cold and calculating. One which required perfection in its daily routine. Hers was one of kindness and warmth, like the comfort in front of a small fire. She was humbled- it was in her posture. Humility; it was in her eyes. Yet that uncontrollable power was a wildfire, more magnificent than all the jewels in the world, always seeking to burn, to destroy, and to protect while his was indifferent to all human life. Like his soul, his power only looked out for him. Only protected him. Yet, the opposite was achieved of their purposes. It was often her who ended up hurting, burning, and maiming, while he was the one who surged to protect both others and herself from... her.

They were partners. Protectors. Defenders. And before that, blood bound. Soul bound. Fated to save the world. And when that cursed evil had been destroyed, when all the ass-kicking was over, they were celebrated. In a way, they... retired. He was once again the way he was when they had first taken the oath to protect each other and use their powers for good. He became cold and distant once again...

But something was different in his eyes today as he offered her this chance.

"Yes," she breathed as she approached the work table.

"Focus on your feelings; it depends on you what the star will be like. Burning hot, or ice cold depending on how you feel."

"I know," she snapped irritably.

"Memories help," he added quietly.

She dug through the deep tresses of her memory, pulling up that moment when the two of them had finally entered the final fight. That moment when she had realized what the dark god's true power was.

She focused her uncontainable fire and centered it at the round yellow ball.

She didn't know why this memory was the one that appeared. It had been one she'd desperately tried to shove down, one she'd been afraid to face. One she never had the courage to fight and accept.

A/N: Yes, I know. You're thinking- "That's it? It was short." Yes, compared to my usual 4000 word chapters, it was short. But it's being broken up into different chapters so please go onwards!