Chapter 13: The Maiden of Fire

~Somewhere at sea~

Yuen’s ship rode the winds to where only he and his crew knew. The whole voyage, Hunter stayed alone, his blank stare pointed lugubriously at the splitting waves beneath the ship.

Taina approached him, pulling a nearby barrel to sit on. She tilted her head, strands of hair falling in front of her kindly eyes. “Hunter,” she softly called out.

Hunter knew she was there, worrying for him, but nonetheless ignored her presence. He continued to lose himself in the hypnotizing waves.

“Answer me, please…” she said, her voice beginning to crack. “You haven’t spoken to us in two days… We’re all worried about you.”

Still, no answer. Before she completely broke, Taina got up and left. Jim and Elesia were waiting for her across the ship, stressfully holding hands.

“So, what did he say?” asked Elesia. “Is he okay?”

Taina shook her head and headed inside the ship, storming off to her cabin before her tears became too heavy to contain. The siblings confusedly looked at each other and went after her. When they got to her cabin, Taina had already locked herself in. Listening through the wooden door, they could hear her weep.

“You should give your friend some time,” said a familiar voice behind them.

It was Yuen, limping slightly from his battle with Admiral Zube. His chest was completely wrapped in bandages to limit the pain of his broken bones.

Elesia clasped her hands. “We’re worried!”

“It stands to reason that you would be, but despite that, you should let his heart heal a bit before speaking to him. Hunter was his name? I’ve been briefed on the situation before coming to your aid. He just lost the remaining family he still had. No amount of worrying will cure his heartache, I’m afraid. This is a situation in which you must let time be the cure. The same goes for your other friend, the girl. She also lost someone dear.”

“Stop saying they lost him! He’s still alive!”

“My apologies. Of course he is likely still alive.”

“Not ‘likely’! He is alive!”

“I admire your optimism. I shall pray to the gods for his safety.”

“Aren’t we gonna go get him? He needs our help!”

“That will depend on many factors. As you personally witnessed, our enemies are powerful. It would be unwise to blindly chase them without being well-prepared. And though I wish for your friend’s safety, I cannot take the decision to go after him. I am not the leader of our organisation.”

“What organisation?” asked Jim.

“The Rainbow Alliance, my friends. We are a group who strive to protect the weak from the tyranny of the world. This is why, as second division commander of the alliance, I swear to you today, that I will do all in my power to organise a rescue party for your friend. I will personally lead the mission if I must. However, we must hold a vote between all seven division commanders to pass a decision. I alone cannot do anything.”

“Is that where we’re headed? The Rainbow Alliance?” asked Elesia.

“Indeed. We should be arriving at our base of operations soon.”

Led by the charismatic young man, Jim and Elesia went back outside on the deck. The air had taken a warm, somehow nostalgic smell, like that of freshly fallen autumn leaves on the forest floor. Yuen extended his arm toward an island in the distance.

It appeared on the water like a painting on a wall. A rocky mountain towered above a forest plentifully bestrewn with coniferous and warm-coloured trees. Orange and red leaves decorated the mountain’s surroundings, at the top of which rested a faint halo of clouds.

“Behold, my friends,” proudly presented Yuen. “Fierna, the Land of Forever Fall.”

The young siblings stood on the edge of the ship, mouths agape. The island before them was one out of fantasy, an island permanently bearing the colours of autumn, no matter the season.

“Is this where your alliance is?” asked Jim. “What even is this place? I’ve never heard of a place called Fierna.”

Yuen nodded. “Correct. You shall soon meet the other division commanders, as well as our leader. There, your questions shall be answered.”

Yuen’s ship sailed into a river penetrating the island, peacefully flowing inland toward the mountain. Deep into the autumn-coloured forest, the river continued its course through a rocky wall, a fallen tree uncomfortably growing on the side of the cliff above the cave’s entrance.

On each side of the tunnel, lamps hanging on a string nailed to the rock lit up the way deeper into the mountain. Here, the lamps used an energy other than coal to work, one the siblings could not discern at a glance. There seemed to be no mechanism to transfer any form of energy into the lamps to create a light.

As they pondered the curiosities surrounding them, the ship arrived at a small underground lake at the end of the river. Yuen’s crew moored the ship at one of the many available docks connected to a large rocky platform.

The underground harbour was a busy place, ships going and leaving from the many rivers all converging to this one point. It had every characteristic of a regular harbour, from the jobs being worked, to the hectic atmosphere, down to the lingo being utilised by the more seasoned individuals.

“What is this place?” asked Jim in awe.

“We are in the Rainbow Alliance headquarters,” responded Yuen. “Right now, we stand in the harbour, from where we depart via our five different natural waterways to go on missions. Come, follow me. We must inform the others of our return.”

Yuen walked off the ship onto the rocky ground, where he was immediately interpellated by a young woman.

“Yuen! Why are you all bandaged up! What happened!” she shouted as she ran toward him.

She was a short, bubbly young woman, with as much vigour in her dark eyes as there were colours in her hair. She had a violet headband tied around her right arm, just under her shoulder, squeezing the fabric of her purple blouse. She wore a matching purple and pink skirt twirling slightly above her knees with the swaying of her body. The exposed parts of her limbs were covered in fishnet clothing.

“Ah, Violet, it’s good to see you,” greeted her Yuen. “You are exactly the person I wanted to see.”

She returned a sarcastically belligerent look. “What the heck, dude? You look like a mummy. What trouble did you get into?”

“As you no doubt know, I was charged with the rescue of a group of runaways.”

“Yeah, I know that much. Did you fight a leviathan on the way?”

“One could compare him to such a beast, yes.”

“Oh no.”

“Through twisted luck, I had to square off against the mighty admiral of the Vasilosse Royal Army, the ogre.”

“And you survived! Did you win?”

Yuen shook his head in disappointment. “I will retell the events of my mission with the others, so please be patient.”

“Okay, whatever, but follow me, first. Lemme have a look at your wounds.”

Yuen turned back to face his ship. He waved at the siblings, who had just been standing still, taking in their surroundings. “Gather your friends and meet us in the next room,” he said, pointing at an open corridor across the harbour.

Jim and Elesia nodded rapidly and ran off in the ship’s interior. Meanwhile, Yuen and Violet made their way through the hidden harbour, at the end of which an open metal gate gave way into a wide tunnel emerging into the alliance headquarters’ central room.

It was a vast circular room, built vertically across tens of storeys. The architecture was basic and rugged, taking advantage of the natural resources of the location as much as possible. Despite its lackluster polish, the headquarters contained everything the alliance’s members needed, and more.

Violet hopped to a hallway across the room like a rabbit hightailing away from a predator, hurrying her colleague with impatient hand gestures.

“Violet, calm yourself,” pleaded Yuen. “We must wait for our guests.”

In response, Violet snapped her fingers at the nearest person. “You, go wait for the people who came here with Yuen. Bring them to the infirmary.”

“Yes, ma’am,” obediently answered the man.

As the man ran past Yuen, the commander let out a sigh and followed Violet. They made their way to the infirmary, where the young woman forcefully sat down Yuen on a bed.

“Lay down,” she snappily said.

“Why the attitude?” confusedly asked Yuen. “Have I done something to offend you?”

“No, I’m just worried, is all!”

“You have a peculiar way of showing concern.”

“Just shut up and let me do my job.”

As Violet examined his body to determine the extent of his injuries, Yuen lay with his eyes closed, relaxing. Suddenly, he felt a presence standing beside him. He opened one eye and glanced over to meet a tall, red-haired man.

His hair bore the same brightness as the trees of the island, and his eyes were somehow even redder, almost like glowing orbs. Around his left thigh was wrapped a red headband, and on his wrists, long, tube-like silver bracelets. He wore his beige buttoned shirt with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing even the hair on his forearms to be red in colour.

“Ah, Commander Red,” greeted him Yuen. “I would stand to meet you, but I’m afraid Violet would not take kindly to me interrupting her examination.”

“You’re damn right,” agreed Violet.

Red puffed a laugh. “No need to stand, then. I must inquire, though. Yuen, who managed to put you into the infirmary? Will you be alright?”

Yuen shook his hand. “I’ll be quite alright. Minor bruises, nothing more.”

“You have at least four broken bones,” retorted Violet.

“Feels like no more than two! As I said, minor bruises.”

“You’ll end up with more if you keep being a jackass.”

“I can always count on you to both hurt and heal me, Violet,” snickered Yuen. He diverted his attention back to Red. “To answer your other question, as I arrived at the rendezvous point, I had an altercation with Admiral Frankrick Zube of the Vasilosse Royal Army. Needless to say, he is as strong as the stories claim.”

Red crossed his arms and lowered his head. “I’m terribly sorry, Yuen. I should have foreseen they would send out an admiral to recuperate the runaways. My carelessness could have cost us your life.”

“No, commander, it is I who must apologize. During the fight, after I was injured and lost the battle, I failed to leave with all targets. One was abducted by their forces.”

“No apologies needed. That you survived is what matters most.”

“Okay, save the bromance for later,” said Violet as she rebandaged Yuen.

“So, what does it look like, doctor?” asked Red on a more playful tone.

“He’s lucky. No major injuries and no internal bleeding. I just briefly looked him over, but he seems to have suffered only small fractures.”

Yuen pumped his fist in the air. “I’ll be good to go again in no time!”

Violet slapped the back of his head. “You need to rest.”

A voice called out to the trio from the infirmary’s entrance. “Commander Violet, I’ve brought them just as you asked.”

Next to the man Violet had given the task to escort Hunter and the others, the group of four stood awkwardly, now without Luck or Ken by their side.

Jim and Elesia, albeit circumspect in behaviour, stood in awe of the base they found themselves in. The atmosphere felt different from back home, like they were in a completely separate world.

Hunter and Taina, on the other hand, stood on opposite ends of the line they had formed, each with a sulking expression. Taina’s eyes had reddened from the overflowing tears swelling her cheeks, while Hunter carried himself sluggishly, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his head hanging low, an apathetic look on his face.

Red turned around and stepped forward to meet them. “You must be the ones Ophelia talked about. Welcome to the Rainbow Alliance. I am Red, first division commander and leader of this organisation. Please, make yourselves comfortable. You’re safe here.”

“Ophelia?” asked Jim with widening eyes.

“Yes. I do believe you’ve been acquainted? She’s my younger sister.”

“Your sister works for the royal army? I thought your organisation stood against tyranny.”

“That we do. My sister is attempting to use her position in the Vasilosse military to better the kingdom from the inside. It is a slow process, but one she wholeheartedly believes in.”

“That makes sense,” cheerfully said Elesia. “She’s really nice.”

Red smiled at her remark. “That she is. Am I correct to assume you two are Jim and Elesia Kareese?”

“Yeah, how’d you know?”

“Did Yuen not tell you, then?”

“Tell us what?”

Yuen sat up on the infirmary bed and spoke to his commander. “No, I thought it would be best if you delivered the news.”

“Very well then, allow me the pleasure of gifting you some good news in these trying times,” said Red to the siblings. “Your sister is a part of our organisation.”

Jim and Elesia remained speechless, eyes wide, staring at the red-haired man. “Huh?” was all that escaped Elesia’s mouth.

“Catherine, your older sister, is the third division commander of the Rainbow Alliance.”

“She’s here!?” exclaimed Elesia loudly enough to burst a window.

“W-well, not currently, no. She’s away on a mission at the moment, but she should be returning any day now.”

Elesia grabbed her brother’s hands and jumped excitedly on her feet. She was so ecstatic, any word she tried to pronounce came out as an unintelligible bundle of noises.

Jim, while being shaken by his older sister, regained his senses. “Catherine is here…”

“I’m quite certain she will be equally pleased to see you here in good health,” said Red. He turned his attention to Hunter and Taina. “Forgive me, but I’m not as familiar with your names. Might you be so kind as to share them with me?”

Taina’s dim eyes rose to meet Red’s warm, bright ones. “Taina…”

Hunter, mayhap because his mind was lost in a haze, returned no answer, instead continuing to stare blankly at the floor.

Taina answered for him with the same monotone voice. “That’s Hunter…”

Red nodded. “Taina and Hunter. I understand a person close to you has been captured. Your anguish and worry are completely normal feelings to experience at a time like this. However, I must ask that you please remain strong while we come up with a solution.”

“You’ll help…?” The hope in Taina’s voice was meager, ready to be extinguished at the slightest breath.

“We will do all in our power, that is a promise.”

Taina nodded weakly, mostly to try and convince herself that everything would be alright.

“Come with me, everyone. I will show you to your rooms. You’ll be staying with us for as long as needed.”

“Try not to worry too much, you guys,” said Violet. “We’ll figure this out. I’m Violet, by the way, seventh division commander and medic in chief here. If something is bothering you, physically or mentally, feel free to come see me.” She gave them a friendly wink.

“Well said, Violet,” said Red as he made his way toward Hunter and the others. “Come.”

While Jim and Elesia followed him unhesitatingly, Elesia even having a hop in her step, Taina and especially Hunter, dragged behind.

The Rainbow Alliance’s base was massive, extending far beyond its impressive central room. Its many interconnecting rooms and hallways gave it a maze-like appearance to newcomers; it was almost like an entire town hiding beneath the façade of a mountain.

Somewhere near the end of a seemingly perpetual hallway, so long the entrance they had come from appeared to be no more than a dot in the distance, Red stopped and extended his hands toward two doors on opposite sides of the hallway.

“This is where you’ll be staying. The cafeteria and the showers are adjacent to the central room where we came from and are both open all day and night. If you get lost, follow the signs. Please, rest a while. I’m sure your journey here has been tiring.”

Taina was the first to enter a room, followed by the siblings going into the second one.

The rooms were identical, each with two single beds taking up a significant portion of the floorspace. A small wall-mounted bedside table sat between the two, a lamp using the same strange energy from the rest of the base resting on top. The floor and walls were built with cheap wood hiding the raw earth underneath, giving the room a homier atmosphere from the rest of the headquarters.

As Hunter was about to enter the room Taina had gone into, he was interpellated by Red. “Excuse me,” the commander called out. “Hunter, was it? Could I speak with you for a moment?”

Hunter turned his tired body around to face his interlocutor.

“Not here. Come with me, if you will,” said Red as he began to head back down the hallway.

Tired and broken, Hunter breathed a weak sigh and followed the red-haired man. They walked back to the central room, where they took an elevator to the highest level of the base. It moved upward for a long time, as if it were headed into heaven. At the top, the doors opened directly to the outside.

Hunter and Red were met with a fresh gust of wind carrying a subtle floral aroma. Red took the lead once again, stepping onto the rocky path engulfed in a cloudy haze.

“When my sister informed me a group of children were running from the Vasilosse Royal Army, naturally, my sense of duty obliged me to step in and offer assistance,” said Red. “But there was something else my dearest sister told me that prompted me to act. Hunter, am I to believe you have in your possession the necklace of the gods?”

He had almost forgotten, with how distant his mind had been recently, but Hunter regained a bit of his composure. He rummaged in his pocket to find his mother’s necklace still intact from when he had run into the sea.

As soon as Red’s eyes caught the glimmer of the gold coming out of Hunter’s pocket, his facial expression changed to betray his calm demeanour. “So it’s true.”

“Why is everybody so interested in this? It’s just a gift from my mother.”

“It is most certainly more than just that. Tell me, do you believe in any gods?”

“I don’t know, should I?”

“The gods are real.”

Hunter tossed his hands in an uninterested manner. “Okay.”

“What do you imagine they’re like?”

“I don’t know man. I’m really not in the mood for this kind of talk.”

“Most would think of the gods as omnipotent, omnipresent, all-powerful beings, and while those assumptions stem from the truth, the gods are in actuality a lot more human in nature than their title suggests. They’re not much different from you and I, in a way.”

“Why are you telling me all this?”

“The necklace your mother gave you is more than a simple family memento. It is meant to hold the very essence of the gods. I’m sure you’ve come to notice it’s missing five ornaments.”

“I’ve heard what you’re about to say before.”

“Then I suppose it shouldn’t come as a shock that without those ornaments, the necklace of the gods is nothing more than a trinket, a novelty worthy of a souvenir shop.”

“I’d rather it be kept that way.”

“You must understand, if complete, it would hold the power necessary to change the world, to alter the course of history.”

“Why should I care?”

Red’s eyebrows shot up. “I must say I’m surprised. I was under the impression you of all people would be eager about that possibility, after what happened to your family.”

“My family’s been destroyed already. I just want my cousin and uncle back. I don’t care about the rest.”

“How shockingly selfish.”

Hunter let out a sneer. “Did you bring me up here to lecture me? I don’t even know you.”

“I was hoping to show you something.”

Red and Hunter ascended the mountain path beyond the halo of clouds. They emerged from the haze into a clearing atop the mountain.

Despite the high altitude and otherwise rocky terrain, the clearing was verdant and covered in autumnal flowers. The air was warmer here than anywhere else on the path leading up, bringing Hunter a soothingness he thought only possible to feel back home.

In the open area resting directly under the clear sky, a young woman sat next to a pond, gently waving her finger beneath the surface of the water, trying to lure a school of small fish to her.

She had a small stature, a kindly face, and an affable aura. Her tender smile and positively glowing orange eyes were too pure to belong to anyone of this world. It only took a glance, but Hunter wondered if she was even human, perhaps an angel.

Red could see how suddenly captivated Hunter was by the girl. “Welcome to the Gardens of Fierna.”

“Fierna. What even is this place?”

“I’m sure you’re sharp enough to have ascertained by now that Fierna is not part of the Five Kingdoms you know.”

“Yeah… Something about this place is different from back home.”

“You would be correct. Fierna is an island far removed from the Five Kingdoms of Vasilosse, Mara, Centari, Finhro and Estru. Thousands of miles of sea separate us from those lands.”

“Thousands?” Hunter shook his gaze away from the girl and gave Red a puzzled look.

“Yes. I assume now, that you must be wondering how it is you came here so quickly if the distance traveled was so great.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you see where we are, Hunter?”

Growing impatient of Red’s discursive rambling, Hunter clicked his tongue and sighed annoyingly. “Fierna. We made that clear already.”

Red shook his head. “That’s not what I mean. We are nearly three thousand meters in elevation, yet it is warm, as if we were on the beach on a sunny day. Flowers and trees are blooming as they would down in the forest. Animals are thriving in a habitat that should be hostile to them. Do you know why that is?”

Hunter’s eyes were once more driven to the girl next to the pond. There was something enticing, enigmatic about her. “Is it her?”

“You are astute in your observations. The reason why such a place can exist on top of a mountain, why autumn is in perpetuity in Fierna, and why you were able to travel thousands of miles in such a short time, is all because of her. She possesses unimaginable powers.”

“And who is she?”

“The girl you see is Ash, the maiden of fire.”

“You say that like I’m supposed to know what that means.”

“Do you remember moments ago when I told you that your mother’s necklace was meant to hold the essence of the gods?”

“Yeah.”

“That essence can be found in the hearts of the five elemental gods, and although those gods have long since passed, their hearts remain.”

“Are you gonna tell me she has one?”

“Not quite. She doesn’t have one, she is one.”

“What…”

“Indeed. Just like humans, gods are born and die of old age. Their powers, however, remain, for without them, the world would be chaos. Have you heard the story of how the elemental gods infused a necklace with a piece of their hearts to control the elements?”

“I have. The necklace was given to someone from the Asakiwara family.”

“That is correct. It was someone whom the gods trusted with such power. However, trust is brittle, and the beholder became drunk with power. Before he could bring catastrophe upon the world, the hearts of the gods were scattered throughout the lands, where they now reside inside those we know as maidens.”

“So, she’s like a reincarnation of the god of fire?”

“In a way, yes. There are four more maidens, though their whereabouts are unknown to me, as they are to most. Somewhere out there are the maidens of winds, of the earth, of the seas, and of storms.”

“Okay, I know where this is headed. I’m not giving you my mother’s necklace.”

“I know you aren’t. Hopefully one day in the near future, you’ll understand how important it is to world peace.”

“World peace, huh.”

“Yes. Isn’t that what we all want?”

“Sure.”

“Well, I have matters to attend to. I’ll leave you to go back to your room on your own. I think you might find it interesting to have a chat with Ash. Goodbye for now, Hunter.”

Red promptly started to walk back down the mountain path, leaving Hunter alone at the edge of the gardens. It was truly like an oasis in the desert, like a refuge in a storm.

Ash had yet to notice her visitor, too absorbed by the fish venturing closer to her fingers.

Hunter entered the maiden’s grounds, taking slow steps to admire the peacefulness and beauty of his surroundings. As he breathed in the warm autumnal air, he stepped on a dry leaf, the crackling of which alerted Ash to his presence.

The young girl jumped upon losing her focus, scaring away the fish she had spent so much time charming. She locked eyes with Hunter, her light brown hair swaying gracefully in the breeze.

“Hi,” awkwardly said Hunter, trying to avoid being mesmerized by her eyes.

“H-hello,” she responded with an angelic voice. “Can I help you?”

“I-I don’t know.”

“You… don’t know?” Ash covered her mouth with her hand and laughed. “Are you lost?”

“No. I don’t think so.”

“You don’t think so? Are you alright?”

“You’re the maiden of fire?”

Ash was taken aback by Hunter’s sudden question, even if it was easy for her to answer. “I am, yes.”

“Do you live here? On top of this mountain?”

Ash sat down on a wooden bench next to the pond and invited Hunter to join her by tapping her hand on the free space next to her.

Hunter politely obliged and took his seat.

Ash smiled at him the way only a dear friend would. “I do live here. My house is over there.” She pointed behind them, at a homey wooden cabin surrounded by beds of flowers. “Where did you come from? I’ve never seen you before. Not that I see many people… but you know.”

“I’m from a place called New Wind Town in the kingdom of Vasilosse.”

“I’ve never heard of that place. Where is it?”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t know. Apparently, thousands of miles away. That’s what he said, anyway.”

“Who?”

“Red. You know him? Tall, red hair, annoying.”

“Oh, Master Red!”

“Master?”

“Yes, Master Red is like a father to me. He’s been taking care of me since I was young.”

“How old are you?”

“Seventeen.”

“Huh, just like me. And you’ve lived here all your life?”

Ash opened her mouth to speak but remained silent, thinking. “I don’t know. I have these vague memories of another place, other people, but I can’t remember if it was a dream or not. What do you dream about?”

“My mom, my home.”

“That’s nice. Do you miss them?”

“Yeah. All I can do is dream about them, now.”

Hunter’s eyes were facing down at the grass tickling his toes when a soft hand slid into his. He looked up to see Ash holding his hand, her eyes glowing with sympathy.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

For some reason, Hunter found himself unable to speak. His lips trembled lightly as he was trying to articulate an answer. His lips closed when a single salty drop came trickling between them. He was crying, without feeling more sorrowful than usual. He could not explain it, but soon one drop became silent streams.

Ash let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She took him in a comforting embrace, her hair absorbing the tears on his cheek. What was it, he wondered. Love, compassion, kindness? In that instant, Hunter felt transported back in his mother’s arms, back to his childhood. He wished he could have stayed like this forever, shielded from the pain around him.

Ash pulled away from Hunter and took his hand again. “Your mother and your home will forever stay in your memory. Do your best to honour them. Are there people you care about?”

Hunter nodded. “Yeah.”

“Make sure you look out for them, okay? They need you, probably more than you think.”

Hunter got up. “Thanks, Ash. Oh yeah, I suppose I never told you my name. I’m Hunter.”

“It’s good to meet you, Hunter.”

“Same here. It was good meeting you. I’ll go, now.”

“Come back soon, okay?”

“I will.”