DESPERATION

DESPERATION
Chapter 31

ROYANNA

My boots crossed the edge of the fire and I stumbled into a streaming hot pool. Splashes of the water touched my skin and I gasped.

“Oh Goddess!”

“Oh Goddess!”

“Oh, moon Goddess…”

Panicked gasps rose from the group, the fire hissing as the narrow entry sealed shut, cackling loudly.

The heat struck harder, beads of sweat dropping down my forehead in heavy flows.

I raised my hand to shield my face from the devouring heat but it was useless. It was suffocating, the air thick with smoke. I covered my mouth, but it didn't stop my lungs from screaming for breath.

Everyone coughed, the smoke hitting them hard. Our boots barely protected us from the steaming pool beneath us.

Beside me, Clio whimpered, her eyes wide with terror. “It burns… oh Goddess, it burns!”

Jira’s arm brushed mine, slick with sweat despite the cold air beyond the flames. “We…we can’t stay here!” she shouted, her voice shaking.

But where could we go? Every side was walled in by towering fire. The snow that once blanketed the ground had melted into a steaming pool. The air was a blur, filled with nothing but orange and smoke.

A fierce gust of wind blew from the east, cold and sharp, but it wasn’t enough to quench the fire; instead, it ignited it, making it hiss louder.

I tried to shift my footing, but the ground was slick, and my boots sank further into the slush of boiling snowwater. Droplets splashed against my legs once again, and I bit back a scream.

Kithara’s voice broke through the chaos. “These people are out to kill us, this is what they want. No! I can’t do this…it's too much! I am not dying here, I won't!” she shouted, walking toward the wall of fire. She attempted to leap…

The flames flared violently, pushing her back like a shield protecting the real world from us.

“Ahhh!” Kithara screamed out an agonizing cry as she staggered and plunged into the steaming water. “Kithara!” I gasped, crouching to help her up, Clio joined in to lessen the weight.

Kithara's face was scrunched up, red from pain, as she trembled in our arms.

“Oh Goddess,” Clio sobbed, staring up, “Please save us…”

The others turned to me, their faces dulled with fear and panic; each pair of eyes was terrified, pleading to be saved.

But my mind was blank, and I could barely think.

“I…” My voice came out hoarse. “I don’t know what to do!” I revealed, tears gathering in my eyes. Clio hugged me tight, sobbing on my shoulder.

I glared at the fire, the orange hue blaring and mocking my stance. It was hot, scorching, and repulsive. “I need to jump in,” I whispered to Clio and she retracted her head, shaking it.

“You will be burnt alive, Royanna.” She warned, worry etched in her voice.

“I know.” I simply replied, and found myself walking forward ready to leap into the inferno, but it reacted harshly, pushing me back with a blast of unbearable heat. My forearm burned; I could smell burned fabric and charred skin.

“Hmmm.” I winced, grabbing my arm.

“We are going to die!” Someone screamed, and the rest joined in, completely losing their fate.

Clio clutched my hand, tears streaming down her cheeks. Jira held Kithara, crying uncontrollably. Wails and sobbing filled the burning atmosphere.

We were going to die here, by Saphena’s cruel hand.

This wasn’t a test of survival as she claimed; it was a mass execution to get rid of us without looking intentional.

I closed my eyes, saying a prayer.
“Goddess, please,” I whispered, letting my tears fall. “Give us the strength to get out of this fire, please …”

The flames roared louder, as if making a mockery of my prayer. Anger and desperation snapped inside me, my heart swelled with undeniable rage seeing Saphena’s smirking face in my head. Proud and happy she got rid of us.

No!

It can't be that easy, I won't let her.
I clenched my fist, “No,” I muttered. “You won’t win, Saphena. Not this time.”

I glared hard at the fire, shutting out my mind from receiving any contradicting thoughts.

I ran.

Straight toward and into the fire.

Heat clawed at me, tearing at my armor, and my skin. I screamed, but I didn’t stop, my strength waned, sweat poured out of my body, but I kept moving, pushing through the blinding pain.

Until suddenly I felt the cold.

I had burst through the other side, and I scurried away from the flames to where the cold dominated. I collapsed onto my knees.

I greedily inhaled the icy air, letting it seep into my lungs. I gasped, choking on smoke and frost. The wind slashed at my burnt skin, making me groan aloud.

I was alive.

I turned, panting, staring at the fire that still held my friends hostage. Clio, Jira, and The others.

“I am coming…” I breathed out, forcing myself up.

I stumbled toward a patch of snow, taking off my heavy armor, dropping to my knees, using the hollow plates to scoop up as much snow as I could.

And then I ran back to the fire, dragging my feet with the little strength I had left.

I stopped a few inches from the fire, drawing a little closer. I dumped the snow on the burning wood, but it just melted off in the blink of an eye.

“No. No. No.” My lips quavered as I hurried back to the spot and secured another handful of snow on the armor plates.

I ran back to the edge of the fire and hurled the snow in, but it sizzled, vanishing instantly in a burst of steam.

“No!” I screamed, slamming the armor against the ground. “Please!” I cried desperately.

I turned and ran back again, kicking on a pile of snow. “Stop melting for Goddess’ sake,” I screamed out my frustration.

“If the land is truly cursed, then prove it,” I whispered fiercely, “quench this fire. Rise against it, destroy its very essence!” I screamed at the snow like a madwoman. Fear clogged in my chest as I scraped more snow together with my hands, my fingers felt numb from cold and heat alike, but I didn't stop, I filled the armor once more, and sprinted back to the edge.

I threw the snow into the flames…

It didn’t melt, to my greatest surprise.

The damp white powder clung to the fire like frost, slowly, impossibly, it began to spread, curling around the flames, devouring them in silence.

The fire hissed and fought back, but the snow grew stronger a gust of misty air rising along with it, smothering the light until the blazing ring was gone, leaving only burnt woods, steam, and a hissing water.

Silence fell.

One by one, everyone stumbled out, Jira, Clio, Kithara, Susan, and the others, coughing, crying, shivering.
Jira and Clio ran toward me, throwing their arms around me.

“You did it,” Clio sobbed against my shoulder. “You saved us, Royanna.”

I held them tightly, my body shaking
from exhaustion and pain. My skin burned, my muscles trembled, but I barely felt any of it, just an undeniable numbness.