Faith

Chapter 6: Blizzard Moutain

I struggle to put on my fur coat before finally wrapping it around myself. I look at the others who're putting on their own winter clothes. In the front, Joseph and Rose are talking about the mountain and it seems like Joseph is still upset about going to get the clothes. In the middle, there's me and Angel. In the back, Silvie's keeping a close eye on the twins. Before I get a word out to Angel, the wagon comes to a sudden halt, making me bite my tongue.

"This is as far as they'll let us go folks!" Rose informed us.

"Buh why?" I said, through the pain.

"If we went any further the wagon would get damaged, at least that's what the sign says." Joseph said, hoping out the wagon.

I step out and look at the sign. It has a picture of a wagon with an 'x' on it and 'no driving past this point' in red under it. I help Silvie get the twins out of the wagon as the others move forward. Joseph stays behind to move the wagon to a safer place while the others stay at the bottom of the mountain. As I approach the mountain, I feel the temperature drop and I start shivering a little.

"Great, were all here! Everyone ready?" Rose smiled, waiting for a response.

"Yes!" We all said, beginning our ascend.

It didn't take long for most of us to get extremely cold. I say most of us because Rose was hiking up the mountain with ease. Each time I moved my feet through the snow, I could feel the harsh wind blow harder and stronger.

"Yo-you don't have to show off Rose!" Joseph blurted, as his teeth chattered.

"I'm not showing off! I've been through this mountain multiple times and I'm from a family which loves the cold. It's only natural I'm not affected by this." She explained.

"Is there any stopping areas?" Angel murmured.

"There's a couple of watch towers but they're near the top and mostly unmanned, since any intruders probably don't make it that far." She said.

Everyone stopped talking because of how cold their mouths felt by speaking. My whole body turned numb from frostbite as we carried on. I heard a voice echo in my mind, and I knew who it was.

"Are you finally gonna use the power I've given you?" The voice asked me.

"Right now I don't have much a choice, but in one condition."

"And what might that condition be?"

"I get to control how I use them. And I don't want to hear you tempt me to use them again, Carla."

"I see... I think I can meet those conditions, my sweet Emanuel."

I feel a surge of warmth run through my body and the start to feel my limbs again. Like a black coat, my flames form around the others and I see the relief on their face.

"I didn't expect to see these again, with the way you were acting." Silvie chuckled.

"Ah, now I don't have to feel like I'm gonna freeze to death any second!" Joseph said.

"Thank you for the warmth, Emanuel." Angel smiled.

Because of my black flames, everyone felt better and I started to believe we could make it up with no problems.

"How long will it take us to get to the summit?" I ask.

"It usually takes a day, but the way we're going will normally take half the time. Oh and don't worry, I know some places we can set up a little base to rest. But from here, one is about an hour away."

"Oh tha-" I tried to say, but a rumble startled everyone.

The rumbling stopped and I looked up in front of us. I didn't see anything, but seconds later I could see snow tumbling towards us.

"The fire caused an avalanche, duck!" Rose screamed.

Before I could listen to what she said, the snow crashed into us. Pain swelled in my stomach and I went under the snow, passing out.

I entered the forest near my Aunts house at night, knowing my brother would catch me if I went earlier. I made sure he was asleep and wandered out. With my  flashlight, I looked around for any clues about the mysterious flames Aunt told me and my brother about. She would always speak about how a woodland creature would help lead you to these dark flames, but no matter how much I walked around, there was no clues about anything!   

"Damn it! So it was just a lie..." I said, throwing the flashlight in a fit of anger.

Realizing I threw it into some bushes, I hurried to grab it again. I went past the bushes, but a steep hill was behind them. I stumbled down the hill, onto some rocks. I groaned in pain but retrieved my flashlight.

"Now I've done it. How am I supposed to get back up?" I sighed, looking for a way to climb up.

I feel something hot touch my leg, and I pull it away instinctively. I look down and see a small bug flying around my leg.

"What're you doing bud?" I said, holding out my hand.

It floats into my hand and I examine it. After looking at it some more, I realize it's a fairy! I flys off and I chase after it. After running after it for minutes, I get too tired and lose it.

"No! My ticket to the flames... Wait, now I'm lost." I whimpered, hearing sounds from all around me. I hear a hiss coming from behind me and I turn to face a huge snake eyeing me. I try to run away, but it grabs my legs and slams me into a tree. After flinging me around for a while, it throws me on the ground. I try to get up, but all of my body hurts, making me wince every time I move. I limp away as it chases after me.

"Someone help me! Please!" I cried out, bleeding from my mouth.

I stumble and fall. I look around trying to figure out my surroundings. I ended up somewhere with a bunch of rocks but no trees. I see the large snake slithering towards me, and I cry out for help one more time. I close my eyes, accepting my fate, but I hear someone whisper in my ears.

"Do you really want my help, my sweet child?" The voice says to me.

"Yes! I'll do anything, just help me!" I said, desperate.

A women in a black dress with red hair appears in front of me. She grabs my hand and black flames appear in my palm. She aims my hand at the snake and the flames shoot out of my palm, setting the snake ablaze, eventually killing it. I look in disbelief of what I just saw.

"Are you... the red witch?" I said staring into her red eyes.

"Yes, I am. Thank you for accepting me, but it seems like your heart isn't in the right place yet. You can't fully accept me. Until you fully accept me, you're eyes won't turn that beautiful red I want them to." She smiled.

I try to ask her what she means but something goes into my neck. I grab it and yank it out. I look at it, and realize it's a needle. I fall to the ground and people in robes walk towards me.

"I'll be waiting to see how you can fully use my powers, Emanuel." The red haired women said, kissing my head and disappearing.

I wake up and pull out my daggers. I look around and notice I'm in a cave, and not dead.

"You finally woke up. Took you long enough." Rose said, giving me some tea.

"Where are we? A cave?"

"Yes. Me, you and Angel got trapped in here after the avalanche shoved us in here. I don't know what happened to the twins or Silvie and Joseph. All we have to hope is that their alright." She said, sipping her tea.

"I will also like to add you'll be staying here for a while." Someone said.

I turn myself around and see a dwarf carrying a kettle.

"Howdy, I'm the one you'll be stuck in here with for about a week." The dwarf said sipping straight from the kettle.