The Flames

Sam stood at the entrance to the cave, his palms were sweaty, and it felt like his heart was going to break out of his chest. The cave was full of warm light, and the night was cold. Sam took a step forward clenching his fist as he prepared to die. A roar rumbled through the mountain from deep inside the cave, and he heard a sound like the rushing cries of a thousand papery beings of knowledge being consumed by fire. Suddenly he was blinded by an intense burst of light, energy and heart coming from the cavern and he fell to his knees, hands on top of his head, his eyes shut tight. A few minutes passed, and he realized that he was still alive. As he opened his eyes and looked around, he realized that the Diusian guards who had brought him up her to die were gone. The rock beneath his feet was scorched and what flowers had been there were gone. He stood and examined the cave, his shoulder burning. The air inside the cave convulsed and writhed with an unbearable heat almost the same as the heat that suffused the wound in his shoulder.

 

His Heart Ached. His sister was dead, he had seen her lying dead in the dirt. His mother and father had probably suffered the same fate, or worse. He looked at himself, he was covered with countless scars, marring his skin with the memory of death after death. He had no reason to live. I shall give life for death, and cleanse my soul in a baptism of fire. He stepped toward the flames.

                            

He entered, and a sudden euphoria filled him. The Flames were beautiful, they twisted and circled around each other, consumed with meaning. He expected to die at any second, but the flames twirled around him, encircling with comforting arms. Then, when he had gone so far into the flame that he was blinded, the Flames took shape and color, having been void of any detail whatsoever. His Family stood before him, and reached toward him with flickering arms, Their faces were perfect and young, smooth of any blemishes. The Old Scar that his Father had on his cheek, from when he fought in the Battle of Hragin Dulkin was gone. His mother’s silver hair that he was so familiar with was gone, replaced with silky raven black. They beckoned him forward, and he followed

 

Through the winding tunnels they walked, amid brilliant ribbons of light wound around them. Shadows could not be found in the cave, not could they have conquered the light. Sam Followed his parents for a long time, so long that it seemed it would be years before he could find his way out of the cave. Then the ceiling rose, and the floor widened, and Sam Found Paradise. Wisps of light waved on the ground like grass, but burned bright as ribbons of heat transformed the air above the grass. The ceiling of the roof was made of bright crystal, shattering the white light of the Flames, and scattering them around the cave in thousands of vibrant, and verdant hues and shades of Colour. They created a masterpiece, an ever-changing story of The Light as it danced upon the walls, within and beyond. It seemed as if the walls were made of Blue Glass, speckled with Brown-Gray stone. They magnified the colors until it looked like they were traveling through time.

 

Then Samuel Ezra Haeyan saw the Source of the Light. It was a Man Dressed in a pure white robe. Eyes flashing like Fire as he Conversed with Millions of Lights around him, seeming to flicker and dance like Heavenly Stars in The Story of The Sky. He Saw Sam, and Beckoned him forward, and the stars ceased their movement. It was as if they were all watching him. He realized that his parents had been waiting patiently by his side, and when he looked toward them, They Spoke

 

“Come, Sam…”, they turned and began to walk, “Follow us Closely, but Watch the Flames…” And with that he began to follow.

 

Somehow; Sam just Knew that Now was Not the Time to Talk. It was Time to Do. And so he walked. He was shocked when his feet touched the Flames. Until now, they had just been pleasantly warm, but the Flames in the bottom of the prarie had a heat that was like a piece of broken glass. He continued to walk at a leisurely, always keeping his Parents in sight, but the heat grew unbearable, and so he began to run, at first it was just a jog, but then he ran; at full sprint. He ran so fast that he Passed his Parents, Fast enough that the Grass began to Cut his Feet.

 

“That’s alright,” He thought, My parents will tell me if I am going in the wrong direction!

 

Suddenly he hit a tree, having been looking backwards to look at his parents so that he could run where they were walking. It threw him to the ground where he writhed in agony. Having the wind knocked out of you and having tongues of fire lapping at your back was not a pleasant feeling. Suddenly, out of nowhere, his parents came walking up, tears were streaking down their faces

 

“Why didn’t you Listen to us!” They cried, “Didn’t we tell you to Follow us!”

 

Sam screamed in terrible agony begging for them to help, to do anything. They both bent over and tried to lift him up, but they couldn’t touch him. Then Light filled his vision, The Man he had seen stood above him, and he realized where the tree’s had come from, Trees had risen above the grass like towering giants. The Man Lifted Him Up, and Carried Him On his Shoulder. They were walking on a Stone Path. The stones were mostly Grey, but there were a few that were extremely hot, and glowed with heat, and every now and then, the Man’s Boot would hiss as it touched a red-hot stone. It seemed to take forever, but finally they reached their destination, The Patriarch of The Forest. They entered and Time ceased to exist for Sam.

 

Darkness covered his vision, and the light faded from the cave. A dragon lay on the ground, weak and dying, he met its eyes, and Psycheion bonded with him, and they became one.