A Couple of Years Ago

Dark clouds covered the sky, rain poured down as the wind howled. The whole land would light in a flash and then return to the darkness. Only for a roar to follow.

A small cloak figure sprinted through the forest as she forced their hoodie to stay on. Mud tracks up her legs and rain soaked her clothes, barely allowing any warmth.

The whole lit in a flash, making the girl stumble and fall onto the ground. Now fully covered in mud the girl tried to clean herself in the rain. She hugged her arms as she tried to contain any warmth. Supporting herself on a tree, she slowly stood up feeling a piercing pain in her leg.

Limping through the dense foliage, the girl wanders in the forest. Until she noticed a distant glow through the rain. Debating if she wanted to get closer, she decided it was better than the forest. She adventures through the forest till she sees the outline of town.

Anything was better than the storm, that refused to quiet down so she walked into the town. She glances at the signs trying to spot a tavern of some sort.

“Love, are you okay?” The girl whipped her head around to see an old lady. She wore a plain beige dress that didn’t suit her fiery hair and had a few gray streaks.

“I got lost?” It came out more like a question, but she didn’t what to say.

 The lady seemed to take a few seconds until, “Come on inside dear. It must be deadly cold out there,” she urged the girl into the house. Taking the coat from the girl, it revealed pearly white hair and lavender eyes. “Oh, you poor thing.”

“Excuse miss, what is your name?”

“Silly me, my name is Jemzel. And your is?” The girl's head went blank as she tried to think of something. She fumbled for a while as her mind spiralled for a grasp of a name. The girl noticed Jemzel's golden eyes that faintly illumined and had a heavenly presence to her.

“Celet,” she blurted out without thinking.

“That’s a pretty name,” Jemzel gave her a blanket, “do you need anything else?” Celest just blinked at her as her mind tried to process. Humans were never just kind for no reason. What did she want from her? “Dear, your soaking wet. Do you need a bath to warm up?”

Celest knew she shouldn’t trust Jemzel but she was tired and freezing cold. So, she left it up to her future self. “May I have a bath?”

Jemzel smiled warmly as she showed Celest her bathroom. Celest thought she was going to have a cold bath until Jemzel's hands lit up with a fire. Celest would have been tired if she hadn’t seen the fire magic leaking from the woman. But what was the mage doing in the middle of nowhere? They weren’t even close to the capital.

“Have a nice bath dear,” with that Jemzel walked away from her. Celest moved towards the bath and slightly touched the warm water. She also notices the piles of floral scents or soaps. What was a rich mage doing in a small town?

Sinking into the water, Celest herself breathed as she drank herself into the water. She felt a warm magic flow through her body as the pain slowly disappeared. Her mind felt happy at the water surrounding her as her gills and fins started to show.

Maybe this wasn’t too bad?

When Celest was done she let the water run off her, as she dried quickly. It was a benefit of being a siren to control water.  Jamzel knocked on the door and slid some clothing to her.

“Thank you,” Celest whispered.

Celest never thought she would stay for a place so long, but she grew closer to the woman. She learned also had a daughter who would come join her mother soon. Celest’s missing part of having a parent was filled.

Celest felt her heart ripped to pieces when Jemzel passed. No matter how hot the fire is, it can blow out.

Celest returned the cold.