A magical fire of varying red hues churned with a humming sound which emanated from the glowing red crystal at the fire’s core. Short blades of light visible through the flames pulsated from the crystal, and it was almost as though the floating, fiery ball was alive.

 Lorayla sat still before the glorious flames, carefully watching as they turned into fire serpents and then dissipated. She had never had the luxury of sitting before a magical fire in Darune. Red crystals were difficult to acquire and were rarely used for something as trivial as a small campfire. She contemplated the fire as she mulled over her thoughts. Now that she could observe and meditate, her suspicions were deepened regarding the powerful force behind the elemental power of crystals.

 Eventually, Lorayla lost interest in the fire’s enticements. She laid her head on her bent knees and covered herself with her blanket, preferring to listen to the fire’s rhythmic hum. She wrestled with the plaguing thoughts of what had happened to her before Thoron rescued her. Focusing on the melodious hum helped her drown out the overwhelming emotional pain of her memories, but as time passed, it proved to be only a temporary reprieve.

 Her thoughts quickly became clamorous. She remembered her home, a place where she felt loved and accepted by her father. Yet memories of her assailants began to take her emotions and thoughts captive, ushering in guilt, shame, and the fear of rejection.

 No one can find out. Lorayla wiped tears from her eyes. Not even Pappi. I’m dirty, tainted…impure. He’d probably be ashamed of me, as would any potential suitor if they knew. She bit her lip, fighting the urge to weep aloud. But…wait, no, Pappi would still love me, wouldn’t he? I am his only child…Maybe he just wouldn’t talk to me for a while…Yes, and he’d probably still let me work and help him at the tavern. I’d work extra hard to impress him. He’d see it and soften up to me eventually…He’d eventually accept me again…I’ll still be his Dolli…right?

She squeezed her eyes shut as her thoughts assailed her. But what if Pappi doesn’t? Where will I go? What will I do if others find out? And what suitor would desire me if they knew? Lorayla began to quietly sob, remembering how her precious Zaniel was run through with a sword. I’m sure he still would have accepted me, but now…he’s gone. He was part of my dream, my future. And if Pappi doesn’t take me back, then where would I go? Who would take me in if they found out what happened to me?

 Lorayla’s stormy thoughts cycled her emotions like a whirlwind, like painful waves crashing upon her mind, upon the very being of her soul, which would smooth into a calm surface for a short time whenever she happened to glance upon the crystal fire before her.

The tumultuous storm in her mind and soul was disturbed by a trembling in her pocket. She reached blindly into her pockets and fumbled around in them until she clasped onto a cold, vibrating object. When she brought the object into the open air, its vibration stopped, and it animated with purple light.

Lorayla held before her face the purple crystal she’d found in her father’s tavern. She studied it with a puzzled look. Surely, her abusers had stolen all she’d had with her.

The crystal began to pull in the direction of where Thoron lay asleep. Lorayla’s eyes widened when she saw him. Instead of sleeping, Thoron sat upright with a pulsating, purple glow illuminating part of his face.

______________________________

Thoron awoke. He winced from the throbbing pain in his side which felt like icy pin-needles piercing his flesh. He remained mostly still, however, with his eyes closed to minimize the pain. Many times before, it had become unbearable, but Fai had always been there to lessen his suffering. He was grateful, though he would never mention it. However, inwardly he held Fai in derision for her purity of heart and devotion to the One, someone she’d never seen yet maintained a deep love and reverence for.

My time is short, Thoron thought. He reached a hand to his aching side. By the dragons! All of my striving…to come to this point where I may lose it all…my power and dominion over the darkwyrms. I’ve worked so hard, it isn’t fair!

Thoron uncovered his wound and gazed upon its icy tendrils of death. Blast that she-Vaux. Her healing abilities have helped, but she’d have me give up my power and pride to rid myself of this wound. I won’t do it! It’s my power! My inheritance I’ve strived for!

Huffing strongly through his nose, he reached into the pocket of his tattered cloak and retrieved a purple crystal. He held it close to his face and grinned wickedly, twirling it through his fingers.

There is still another option, but I’d be banished from this world and stuck in another. I’d have my life but in a different existence. If only I had an heir to live through…that would be enough to instill the hope that they could somehow bring me back. But how would I do that now, it’s too late…

Thoron’s ears discerned the sound of Lorayla crying, interrupting his thoughts. He raised an eyebrow as an idea came to him. Maybe it’s not too late…but she’d have to be strong enough to protect the heir until he was of age. One of my crystals would be enough to aid her.

Thoron reached again into his cloak. To his surprise, he discovered one of his crystals was missing. Where is it? he asked himself in a panic. What did I do with it? Did I misplace it? The man tightened his hand into a fist. I’ve been careless! I’ve been distracted by my own pleasures!

Rage came over Thoron, and the crystal in his hand faintly lit up. He almost cried out in anger but quickly calmed himself. He extended his thoughts toward the crystal, and it became more luminous. He thought of his missing crystal, its central property being lust, and wondered about its location. Blurry purple wind materialized around the crystal and flowed around it, causing it to appear almost like a mirage. Thoron focused intensely on the flow of wind, from which came a vision of a familiar cavern and a woman holding the crystal he desired.

A purple brilliance appeared from Lorayla’s direction. Thoron bit his lip and sat upright, the mirage around his crystal fading away. He gazed at the woman and found her looking in his direction.

“It’s an interesting thing when you think you can trust someone,” Lorayla heard Thoron say, terse with agitation. “Normally, I’d kill someone for taking one of my precious crystals, but knowing what you’ve gone through, I’ll be lenient this time.” His voice softened. “I believe that crystal led me to you the night I rescued you, which means you procured my crystal on one of my visits to your tavern. It’s kind of sad, really. I rescued you, though I doubt you’ll have much to return to. That crystal might be all that you have.” Thoron’s words struck a soft spot in Lorayla’s vulnerable heart, reminding her of the shame she felt. She was almost certain she’d be rejected if she returned home. Part of her was grateful Thoron had saved her, yet she also wished he would have let her die.

Lorayla longed for comfort. In her hand was the crystal that had mysteriously remained on her after her attack, and not even a stone’s throw away sat her rescuer. Against Fai’s advice, the woman pushed aside her blanket and rose to join Thoron at his fire. The moment she moved away from her spot, the warm, peaceful fire that had been left for her suddenly extinguished, its flames and red crystal core fading into particles of red light.

She stumbled through the darkness of the cavern, navigating by the faint light from her crystal. She eventually gave up using her crystal to light her path and focused on the light emanating from Thoron’s location. She felt strange following it, for she knew Thoron was sitting before a crystal fire, yet somehow its light had been slightly eclipsed by the light from the man’s purple crystal. As she drew nearer to him, the light from his small crystal fire overtook the purple light and illuminated her path, allowing her to walk freely without tripping or stumbling.

Finally arriving at Thoron’s fire, Lorayla cautiously sat opposite of him. The crystal in his hand was similar to hers.

With an imaginative thought, Thoron created purple wind around his crystal and released it into the air.

“Another purple crystal,” Lorayla said just above a whisper. “It…it led you to me?”

Thoron fixed his malicious gaze upon Lorayla, and she shuddered. Her attackers had the same, piercing look in their eyes. She looked away, her discomfort compelling her to leave.

“Indeed it did,” replied the man, turning his gaze to his crystal.

Lorayla glanced up and was slightly comforted now that Thoron’s attention was no longer on her. “How?” she asked. Her voice quivered as she teetered on the idea of leaving. “Are these crystals the same?”

“You ask a complicated question that would take much time to explain, which I do not have the patience for,” Thoron said gruffly.

“Then…can you just tell me how you rescued me?”

He sucked in a deep breath. “I doubt you will like what I am about to tell you. Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Lorayla replied reluctantly, feeling a sudden pain in her chest.

“When I awoke that night from my dream-state, your tavern was ablaze and collapsing. Whatever happened had happened suddenly. There were still many people inside, most of whom appeared dead.”

Lorayla’s head spun at Thoron’s words. She would have collapsed, had she not reached out to stabilize herself before falling. A knot formed in her throat. Everything Pappi worked for…gone. Her throat constricted. “And…my father?”

Thoron shook his head. “I saved the two idiots at the counter, but your father…it was too late.”

“No—” Lorayla’s breath hitched, and hot tears fell from her eyes. The pain in her chest intensified, and the lump in her throat prevented her from mourning aloud.

“Father,” she whispered in deep anguish. Tears fell upon her hand that was perched on the ground, and she was reminded of her father’s thick, strong hands that would never again comfort her.

Thoron was unmoved by Lorayla’s display of emotion. He never knew his father, nor did he ever have a paternal figure in his life. Though he watched her with silent detachment, he was envious of the loving bond she shared with her father.

“I hope…he didn’t suffer,” Lorayla choked through her tears.

“I believe it happened quickly,” Thoron replied. “He was under a heavy beam and appeared already gone when I saw him.”

Lorayla’s dimly lit crystal flashed a shade brighter and then went back to its dim state. The woman’s eyes opened wide. Her sorrowful expression shifted to one of anger.

“They did this, didn’t they?” she said, tightening a trembling fist around her crystal. “The same ones who killed Zaniel…the ones who hurt me?”

Thoron grunted. “Don’t know for sure. If it’s any consolation, I squashed two of them into oblivion when I found you.”

“I wish I’d been the one to have done it,” Lorayla seethed through gritted teeth. “But there were more than two.” As she spoke, her dim purple crystal brightened, and its core darkened, taking the shape of a symbol.