I wandered through the desert for what must have been hours. The Sun bore down on me constantly as the temperature of my outer shell began to reach dangerous heights. I had begun to use my wings as fans by buzzing them rapidly in some vain attempt to cool myself. You may have been wondering why I didn’t just fly my way out of this desert using said wings.
Well ordinarily you would be right but it appears as if my memory loss also included that simple skill. That didn’t stop me from trying though even if that did mean taking several more face-fulls of sand. At least I wasn’t alone though, Atarah’s constant cheering on and attempts at tips certainly eased the wounds my pride was receiving.
Another vestige of my previous life it seemed, this need to be above or respected. Even if I was, for all intents and purposes, completely alone with a companion that wanted nothing more than to help me. The feeling of failure that every face full of sand gave me struck deep, even if I knew it shouldn’t have to that degree. Atarah’s presence did ease that sting with her words of reassurance that ‘Every newly Risen has gone through this, you’ll get through it soon enough’
So I continued to wander through this desert. And wander…and wander… there really isn’t a single cloud in the sky huh?
“Hey, Atarah?”
‘Yes?’
“How much time until Sunset?”
‘About, hmmm… Six hours?’
“Huh, okay.”
Hey visions…starting to get a bit blurry now…
Is…is that…smoke I smell?
Y-yeah…I think…I think I’m going to go lie down now…
*thump*
I gasped loudly as my consciousness returned and my eyes wide shot open. Instantly realizing my mistake I bought my hoof up to block the blinding light that was no doubt awaiting me. I braced myself only to feel…nothing?
Now that I thought about it, the air around me seemed…cool? Cold even, what?
I squinted my eyes and opened them ever so slightly. It was dark, no… I could see the moon, it was night! Sitting up from my lying down position on my back, my spine gave multiple satisfying *pops* as I stretched myself out.
“What happened?” I ask as Atarah floats down into my field of vision, her green eye illuminating our surroundings.
“Well… you died, again. Heatstroke and 3rd-degree burns across your body did you in. I decided it best to wait until nightfall before resurrecting you!” The construct responds cheerfully throwing my mind through a loop.
“Oh…well, thank you,” I respond absently, my mind trying to process what the Ghost had just said.
“Don’t mention it!” Responded Atarah happily once again, unknowing of my shock, as she began to orbit around me once again. “ Now let's go! Maybe an hour of walking and we’ll finally be out of this desert!”
“Okay…” I can’t believe I died again. I-I didn’t even feel any pain or well…anything! Everything just went black and poof awake again! I…I need a moment.
“Hey, uhh, Queen? You, alright? You're kinda just…sitting there.”
“Yeah, I’m fine just…give me a moment to think.”
“Oh, I understand what's happening.” Atarah flew down and began to rub against my cheek. It was… comforting. “You’ll get used to it. It's just a natural part of being a Guardian now.”
“I get that. You’ve said so multiple times before but that won’t make it any easier on me these first few times.” I responded. If anything I was disappointed that was how I died and got resurrected the first time. It felt…really embarrassing, would be the best way to put it.
“Just you wait, Queen. Once you manifest the Light for the first time you’ll forget all about this!” The Ghost exclaimed enthusiastically. “And don’t you look all ashamed of yourself there, I knew of a guardian that died mere moments after being risen the first time because they tripped and broke their neck!” She began to giggle and I couldn’t help but feel my own starting to build up.
“You think he would have learned after the first time but nope! They died seventeen more times via tripping before they were found by the others!” Atarah laughed heartily at the story and I soon found myself laughing loudly alongside her.
“W-what happened to them afterward?” I managed to ask through my laughter which was beginning to die down. Atarah continued, a smile was audible in her voice.
“They actually became a pretty well-respected guardian after a time, he actually takes that moment in stride! Even calls himself ‘Trip’” Huh…that’s nice to hear. Atarah continued after taking a moment to calm down. “So you got nothing to worry about, Queen! Eventually, you’ll look back on this moment and smile. That the strong warrior you're destined to be had such humble beginnings. A nice story to help inspire people dontcha think?”
She had a point there, it would make for an inspirational story if what she said would come to pass. And frankly, with the confidence her voice was emanating, I was starting to believe it myself.
Getting up to my hooves, a slight smile on my face, I turned to look at Atarah. “Well, I’m not going to become that warrior just sitting here am I?”
“That you are not, so let's get moving.” Responded Atarah happily as her singular eye closed once more in thought. “ The end of the desert isn’t too far away now, if we go now we should reach the bordering forest by daybreak.”
“And daybreak is in?”
“4 hours”
“Ah…well, at least it’s not hot”
After hours upon hours of walking, I had finally made it. Soon I would be out of this damnable desert that had killed me twice already and I would be damned if that happened for a third time. The sand beneath my holed hooves began to harden as its malleable surface was replaced with hard rock and dirt.
Plants began to become visible and I could see light green trees against the rising sun. Clouds dotted the sky above the canopy and I couldn’t help but curse them slightly for not being there yesterday. It might have saved me the death back there if I had some sort of shade.
I looked down at the offending jet-black exoskeleton. I am sure it will be incredibly useful in the future, having built-in armor and all that, but it did get me killed out there in the sun. I made a mental note to avoid any future deserts for the time being.
“So Atarah now that we are out of that damnable desert, we should find civilization. I take it?” The sound of Atarah materializing filled my ears as she appeared before my eyes once again.
“Yep! Now let me see.” She closed her eye as her shell spun around her core briefly. “Aha! About twenty minutes away is a road, we can follow that and we’ll end up in a town in no time. There you should be able to find some answers. Oh oh maybe someone there is in need of help!”
“I doubt that”
“You never know…” Atarah finished with what sounded like an attempt to mimic a ghost as her voice wobbled before she vanished back too… wherever it was she went doing that. I just smiled slightly and shook my head at her antics as I continued into the forest.
It wasn’t a particularly dense forest allowing me a nice amount of visibility in every direction. The canopy above me however was thick with leaves, allowing for only little rays of sunlight to shine through. Birdsongs filled the air and it was quite soothing on the ears. A nice change of pace compared to the silence of the desert.
Some leaves began to rustle above me but I paid it no mind, it was probably some bird searching through the leaves for food. Speaking of since I awakened after my second…death. I haven't felt hungry at all. Was it perhaps a side effect of my new status? The birds had since ceased in their singing since I began my ruminations.
The leaves above me rustled once more with much more force knocking multiple branches loose. What is going on up ther-AAAA!
I gasped as oxygen rushed to fill my empty lungs. I opened my eyes and jumped up to my hooves. I remembered that feeling, I didn’t need to be told by Atarah what had happened. Loud growls and the sound of gnashing teeth filled my ears as my eyes locked with what had just killed me.
It was an animal, a large avian carnivore of some sort with light-blue and green feathers covering its wings and torso. Big slitted orange-colored eyes met my eyes and stared. The creature began to crouch low, jagged and green bloodied teeth bared and snapping.
This was not good. I didn’t have any weapons and my armor would only halt those teeth for so long. My horn could have worked as a makeshift weapon as it did look quite sharp but I doubt that creature would allow me to get close enough to impale them upon it.
My eyes frantically searched for anything I could use to defend myself. A rock, a branch I would have even taken a slightly larger than average leaf if I saw any lying around. There were none, I was defenseless… and then I remembered what Atarah said.
The Light… She said I could use it as a weapon, but how?! The creature took a step forward and I took a step back in response. The predator didn’t like that apparently as it snarled and began to sprint towards me. I had but seconds before I would be yet another smear of blood against its feathers.
That's when I felt it. A whisper at first, then a sentence before finally a scream, as I felt the dormant energy inside of me explode outwards with the force of an exploding star.
Flames engulfed my body, and yet, it did not burn my carapace. My insectile wings began to buzz and glow as they were engulfed by flames that expanded outwards behind me. Creating a large pair of flaming wings that extended from my back. Instincts I didn’t know I had until that moment took over as I dodged to the right leaving a trail of burning Light in my wake.
The creature howled in rage and pain as their flesh was burned leaving their side open to attack. Not one to let an opportunity like this waste, I instinctively gathered my energy towards the tip of my hoof. Right before my eyes, I watched the flames coalesce and reform into a blade of pure burning Light.
With a battle cry, I drove the blade into the creature's belly and twisted. Their flesh vaporized and turned to ash the moment it came in contact with my blade, but I wasn't done yet. Energy began to gather at the base of my horn before coalescing towards its tip creating what can only be described as a miniature sun.
The creature, now writing in pain and attempting to remove themselves from my burning blade, struck out and managed to sink their teeth into my other front hoof. Pain exploded throughout the limb as my chitin began to crack under the strain. But in the creature's desperate attempt to kill me they had only sealed their own demise.
With a whip of my head, I drove my horn into the creature's neck before willing the ball of flame at the tip of my horn to explode. Seconds later the creature was gone, its body having been vaporized to ash leaving only a black silhouette against the green grass below.
The flames that had engulfed my body began to recede and extinguish. My wings returned to their original coloring as their flaming extensions vanished as if they were never there.
“Eeeeeeeeeee! You did it! You used the Light!” I looked to my side and found Atarah floating happily next to me before her eye suddenly locked onto my injured limb. “Oh! You're hurt.” She flew down to inspect the damaged chitin. Suddenly a bright light emanated from Atarah’s eye and within moments my exoskeleton was healed.
Curious, I brought my hoof up to eye level to inspect it. It looked good as new as if there was never an injury there, to begin with. I nodded towards Atarah with a smile as thank you.
“So how did it feel?! To wield the Light for the first time?” Atarah asked enthusiastically, her shell turning into a blur at how fast it was spinning.
“It felt…really good,” I answered honestly. Its feeling was…indescribable but it most definitely felt… really good. “Is there a name for what I did?” I ask, might as well name that ability if it was to become a permanent part of my arsenal.
“Yes! You used an aspect of the Warlock Sunsingers, an ability known as ‘daybreak’ where you let your burning Light explode and radiate out from you like the sun itself!” Now that sounds…interesting. Sunsinging, huh…. if it weren't for the fact the Sun and I weren't on the best terms right now I would find that name far more appealing.
Deep down I could now feel the light inside of me, its power warming my insides as if I were sitting comfortably in front of a cozy fireplace. I wonder if there were other ways to utilize this Light. If it's able to create fire from nothing, what else could it create if I gave it the right…push.
My mind began racing with possibilities as I continued towards the distant road. My next stop would be civilization and hopefully some answers regarding my previous life.