What Do You Dream About?

[Sola]

13th of Cylus, 719

Fire.

It was everywhere.

She was everywhere.

Some deep rooted part of the Tunawa screamed in pure fright at the idea of what she had become but...had she ever been anything different? Everything she touched burned away, eaten up to nothing but ash but the flames of her very being. She was fire. From her flaming hair to the tips of her flaming toes. This was as she had always been, happily skipping through the dark tunnels of the everywhere and lighting everything up so all could see and all could feel warmth. It was not her fault some things turned to ash while others stayed proud.

Without a care she skipped, each step leaving circles of bright embers, each touch leaving pyres of fire. It was freeing to be able to be so lackadaisical in a way her sleeping self could not quiet understand but clung to nonetheless. If she carried on it was possible that soon there would be nothing but endless flames to return everything to dust and ashes. A whole world just for her encased in nothing but bright, comforting, warm light. It made her powerful to think so. To be able to shine light in the darkest of corners and keep monsters at bay for surely monsters lingered in the dark where only cruel things could lurk. Anything good must stay in the light.

That!

That could be her new mission.

It would be her new mission. The Tunawa couldn't remember what her previous mission had been but this one was perfect. She'd burn away all the dark and anything that lurked there. Burn it away until it was just like her or was defeated by the wonder and magic of the--

"Fires of Justice!" That name had a lovely ring to it and as she said it, her happiness grew as did her size until she was near eight feet tall, skipping and swinging her arms to light it all aflame.

[Wald Lowca]

Wald had been in to forest his whole life, and today was no exception. He was waking deep in the greenery, the land was full of life, a deep breath would drift pollen into your nose. This breath opened the air ways, and in turn opened his senses to the world. Wald would take his time around came, he had yet to build a fire, though he had nothing to eat so it was fine for now. Gentle movements though the tent from the wind, it was moving some of Wald's equipment. Wald decided that the world was asking for him to leave. Though he would not know what was in store.

Wald began his walk into the forest, the greenery was easy on the eyes. He took soft steps, that way he could ensure not to scare the animals that live within the forest. Though, for some reason Wald had yet to hear the normal sounds of birds or squirrels. As if something was wrong with the forest itself.

After some time he would find himself in a clearing, Something told him to stop here. And while he did, the wind began to shift around him. As it happened something flew down from the sky. A large beast, black as night, with white stars across its lower half. It flew right towards Wald, antlers the size of men. Wald was paused as it spoke to him. "Wald, Keep the forest safe." The creature disappeared right in front of Wald's eyes. A blank memory came from this, as if he knew of this creature.

Wald shook his head, that is when he could smell smoke in the air. A sight that the forest was in pain. This would start him to follow the smell of ash and death.

[Sola]

Dream

Out of the black but not the dark.

All around her parts creeping shadows reached out threateningly, promising in silent voices to snuff out her joyous light. But Sola was not a quitter. They just didn't understand how much she was helping them! Once she purged them of all that was not bright, bathing them in flickering flames they'd understand. They'd know the warmth that only she could bring them. Those who fought her just didn't understand the work she was doing. In a voice far to loud and crackling to be truly understood she tried to quell those who resisted.

"Do not resist! I am here to help!"

But they threw themselves at her. Branches of dull, lifeless green tried to stop her from the path of embers she made. Even the skies tried to fight her, flinging colorless water through the clouds of dazzling, smokey fires that covered the sky. The Tunawa shook her head sadly and knew what she must do. She inhaled, inhaled as deep as she could and with each inhale her body expanded, growing ever larger so she could block out the colorless, bland skies and pant them a vivid, life giving red.

"See? Do you see what I offer you?" Sola cried out in a sizzling roar as her body continued to grow to the point of near pain, her arms flying out to encompass the tops of the trees, lighting them up like candles for a prayer. A prayer all in reverence to the wonderful work she was doing. Soon, as the flames reached the ground, soon they would know. Smiling widely she left her arms open for any and all to run to her and be embraced by all that was warmth and love. But she watched in sadden confusion as most run from her as if her mission were not the greatest thing they could receive. Determined the Tunawa grew ever brighter, her flames almost reaching passed blue into a whole new shade of heat and life. If she tried harder they wouldn't fight the mission. She just knew it.

[Wald Lowca]

Wald followed the smell of smoke, as he did the lively green turned to black. Something was cutting a burning trail into the forest. Though this was both good and bad for the forest. Forest require a burn to clear the undergrowth, so they can become reborn into a mightier green. But this amount of unwanted burning, was threatening the upper canopy of the forest. As he followed the trail it became higher and higher, it also seemed to be getting warmer. The flames that made the burns were gone, as the water still in the plants stopped them once the source was away.

The heat of something began to hit Wald's face hard as he looked ahead. He heard a voice crackle in the air as this happened. "See? Do you see what I offer you?" Wald would stay just out of the blacken trail for a while. watching from a distance, as the heat increased. He saw the light of fire, towering to the height of trees. The figure was humanoid in shape, but was comprised of nothing but flames.

At this moment Wald traced his quiver, debating how to take the monster down. It was one of two things, an elemental gone rogue, or a mage gone feral. Either of those would be hard to take down. But he may have just the thing for this situation. If you want to beat a fire, burning it out is a easy bet. With this thought, Wald took out five glass tipped arrows. Aiming to hit the creature, not caring where, He fired. Each one of the arrows shattered, and spread a flammable fluid made by a master chemist. This would grow the flame, but consume the inner core.

[Sola]

Dream

At first she thought they were finally aiding her. Finally succumbing to what was inevitable and understanding her mission. A kinship and she burned even brighter for the thought, even when the arrows hit her she felt now fear for these arrows lit her up from the inside. In all new ways her flames roared, in all new ways until it almost felt like she too was being consumed by all of her own light. At first it was glorious! Her flames licked higher and she laughed with delight, twirling so she could bright warmth to everything her flame dress touched but then it--

sputtered

and flickered

then began to die.

It hurt.

It was like being suffocated.

He'd stolen her air.

Ripped it from her until her lungs burn but not with the fires of life but with the sting of death. All around her her gifts still spread but she herself could not. Even though it was her fire, her flames, her frenzied gift of warmth it crumbled inside without her consent up it exploded out in one final righteous fury. An explosion of wind, ash and smoke that may have daunted anyone else but she had a mission. They just didn't understand but that was okay, because part one was complete and even without her, her children licked onward to light up all they touched.

And Sola?

She was free.

The air hadn't deserted her nor killed her at all. Now she was one with it, dancing along joyously. Now she could still complete her mission, breathing life into her life giving, dark fighting flames. Giggling and echoing her voice danced through the chaos, "See? Even now my mission is true. Even now I will give you my warmth and love! I am not angry you fight for I understand your fear, so dance with me until we chase it away with all the light of my children!"

[Wald Lowca]

Wald watched the flames grow to a greater height, then slowly consume itself in its hunger. The flames quickly turned to a smolder surrounded by ash, though the flames of the creature had still spread. This was not the worst thing that could happen, as long as there was not new flames Wald could stop it. He began to move towards the flames heading south, as he knew what was north would stop it.

Wald moved though the ashen forest, small creatures of the forest who could not escape scattered across the ground. Wald had done several forest fires on his own, it was needed at times after the leaves fell. The forest floor would become renewed after the flames. But the flames from the creatures were not controlled, and would take many lives of the smaller animals.

Moving through the flames which started to slow as the flames grew thinner. The wind was carrying the flames further as if on a mission. Wald began to go through his things, pulling something out of his waist sack. Wald began to pour a liquid down on the ground in a line, counter the line of fire. Once he finished the pour, he lit the liquid with a match. It quickly grew in size and scale, burning in all directions. As it did, Wald slowly stomped out the flames going away from the fire, and stoked the flames going towards the fire. This was to eat the fuel the fire was consuming, Ending the mayhem that was going on.

Wald continued to hear the screams of rabbits, and rodents that were to slow, or hiding in burrows from the flames. The sound of the animals' suffering was echoed into the distance. Wald knew he could not save them, but he could safe the others that had yet to meet the flames.

Wald was the defender of the forest here, he would keep the fires controlled. After all this was done he would gather the dead, and make sure they did not go to waist. Even in tragedy no one wants to die without a purpose.

[Sola]

Dream

They finally understood her!

They filled her with their love until she was near bursting, until she was more than just fire she was all the warmth and love the world would ever need and she could--would spread it everywhere until there nothing left. Nothing but the wondrous gift she offered and they had finally chosen to accept it!

Finally!

But...it was too much, too much for her to bear. Too much for her body to hold, the warmth seeking more of the warmth until there was nothing left in her to offer. Nothing left but a fluttering ember that stuttered around to survey the work around her. The work that had left nothing but the darkness she had tried to fill with light. Nothing but patches of dark that consumed her embers until they were nothing but ashes. Her figure danced in the breeze, floating up and around to those who would continue her work.

The man who lit her flames anew even as they ate themsleves. An endless cycle of love.

"You understand me." She breathed as she swayed in the air, nothing more than a dying ember, eyes burning bright, "You continue my work child, continue until there is no more warmth to give."

As she spoke parts of her broke, more dying embers that tried to start new fires wherever they landed. Small, easily put out things that struggled to be as large as they once were the longing clear in their eyes as they grew into tiny version of the ember, dancing around as children would so they could continue their mothers work as the last of her edges began to crack. The flicking embers of her eyes shattering between a particularly rough snap of wind.

[Wald Lowca]

Wald watched as the engorged flame sputtered away, releasing weak embers to try and rekindle the land. As they began to float down, the red glow of each one threatening the forest once again. The hunter pulled a single golden arrow from his quiver, slowly he put it onto his string. The tip of the golden shaft had a single sapphire, it was not sharp nor was it carved into a head. It seemed to be just a rough gemstone, as it began to fly into the clouds in the sky.

Clouds swelled over the forest, lightening rumbled in the clouds casting light on the darkened land. A waterfall of rain drenched the land, the embers dying as the fell into puddles and damp leaves. Were the large flame once was, water began to seep into the ashes and coal. As it did the blackened ground began to sprout greenery, the forest itself was healing from the damage. Using the very destruction of the forest to breath new life, the burned corpses of the animals sunk into the ground growing into mighty trees. Vines reached throughout the forest, connecting all the life they could. The animals of the forest had turned into the plants, as the old plants gave them root.

The large ember was soaked into the ground, where it began to be used to make life. It is unknown why the creature was so intent on burning the land, but now it would be a part of nature itself. The small embers they tried to plant like seeds of death all failed, as nature's forces took back the hold of life from the death of fire. Though even in death, life finds new hope to continue on forward.

During the rain, Wald walked slowly to where the final steps of the fire creature once stood. A single flower began to grow, its peddles slowly blooming into a white daisy. The last piece of the creature was used to bring life, perhaps it was all in part with the cycle. Wald checked his quiver, no golden arrow was in there, as he used his last oasis arrow to heal the forest. Taking a knife from his waist, he dug the daisy out of the ground, taking it to his camp. "You caused so much death, little flame." He spoke to the flower, as he cupped the dirt in his hands. The man walked slowly, careful not to break the roots of the small daisy.

Placing the flower into a pot, Wald softy packed the soil. Even though the creature had caused so much, he still left the single flower to live on. Even if it was under his watchful eye, in case the fire spirit were to return one day. Wald sat next to his campfire, letting the flower watch the flames though never letting it close to them. As Wald sat there, his body turned into a shadow, slowly the man would leave. He was no longer needed the forest had been made safe for the creatures within.

Wald woke in the cold frozen tundra of Viden, not even a fire to keep him warm. The morning air pushed into his tent, chilling his bones before he could even wake to make a fire.

[Kasoria]

Review Rewards

Name: SOLA

Points awarded: 15

Name: WALD

Points awarded: 15

Notes:
Welp, not a huge deal to say here, mainly because of how stripped down your requests were. The first thing that struck me, though, is Sola? You really need to change the font color. It merges too well into the background of your post template and makes it very hard to read. Aside from that, I can offer no critique. You both did a fine job of fleshing out both sides of this narrative: Sola's delusions, Wald's sense of duty permeating even his dreams, the danger of ironclad conviction causing more damage than good vs. pragmatic acceptance of some destruction, but nothing wholesale. Your characters were very well-defined and unique, too, and were apt foils for each other.

I liked it very much, and the Emea was the perfect place for it.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns in regards to this review, feel free to PM.