//------------------------------// // Singed // Story: Carry the Fire // by Slywolf930 //------------------------------// Singed It’s so dark here, this place I woke up in. I don’t know where I am, or even where I’m heading. There’s a little voice in my head that tries to speak to me, but I’m too lost to hear it. It’s telling me to go somewhere, but where? I don’t even know where I am, so how am I supposed to listen. I think I’ll ignore it for now. I tried opening my eyes, but they were already open. I look down at myself, but I can only see darkness. Where is this place, where no light can shine? Who am I, to be walking in a place like this. Who am I? I… I can’t remember anymore. I don’t know how long I’ve been here, but have I already forgotten everything? Has the darkness taken what was left of me? Somewhere, the voice was trying to speak to me, but it was getting more and more faint. I tried to listen, I really did, but it was fading. I was not scared, I did not panic. If anything, I was feeling more relaxed than I had for a long time. But how did I know that I was relaxing? What part of me could understand what was happening? Was it true? Had I never been this relaxed before? Around me, the darkness was watching, it’s gaze was on my steps, reaching further and further into the darkness until my very being seemed to be fused into it. My voice was gone, and my thoughts seemed to be clouded, but I could understand that this was darkness. If I could hold onto that one thought for as long as I could, then maybe it will lead me somewhere. Perhaps if I tried, I could find a way out of this darkness. Each step was effortless, but every thought was tougher than the last. Almost as if the darkness wanted to take everything from me, until all I had left, was a vessel it could control. But did I have a vessel? I could not see my body, or the ground below me, so how did I know that I was even alive? Was this death? The afterlife? Is this where dragons go to- ------------ “I’m a dragon,” Cilia said, her eyes glancing around at the crackling flames. Cilia’s sleeping area was surrounded by black flames, sucking the oxygen from the air and burning silently. She was panting, but she did not know why, and her body was shaking, even with the fire around to warm her. “Oh good, she’s awake,” Cilia heard a voice say past the burning fire. Lis was behind the cart, watching from a distance. Cilia could see there was fear in her eyes, as she always saw when they met eyes. However, it was different type of fear she saw this time. Cilia took her thoughts away from that, focusing on the flames around her. “I’ve never seen black flames like that before, cool,” Strife said, from the other side of the cart. “I’ve seen them before,” Spike said under his breath. Cilia could hear him clearly, however, and quickly slashed the flames into nothingness. She shot a gaze at Spike, who had been watching from the edge of the flames. His eyes were on Cilia, but she could see no kindness in them. Instead, it seemed as though Spike was in thought, remembering a past event once again. “Spike, this isn’t-,” Cilia started to say. Her voice was drowned away by the fear she saw in his eyes. She looked down to the black flames that were flowing out of her mouth. It dissipated almost instantly, but Spike was already running from the camp. She wanted to go after him, but she knew it wouldn’t do any good. Instead, she turned to Lis and Strife. “What got into him?” Strife asked. “Go back to bed, he’ll be fine by morning,” Cilia said, hoping that her words would change what her thoughts were saying. Cilia laid down to rest back in the middle of the singed marks left in a spiral around her. She could hear Lis run away from the camp, over in Spike’s direction but didn’t try to stop her. In fact, she was glad that Lis had come now. Perhaps she might be the only thing that keeps the group together. As the night stars continued twinkling, Cilia couldn’t help thinking about the flames. Her body was still cold, even with her heart of fire. Those black flames steal more than warmth, they take everything… ------------ Spike was running. He didn’t know where he was going, but he wouldn’t stop until he got there. Each step reminded him of the dreadful memory. His legs gained strength in his fear, but his mind could only take so much. Eventually, he fell down on the sandy ground and covered his head, hoping to forget the dreadful memory. The black flames that burned everything. He had watched it hurt his friends and those he called his family. He could hear the cries of pain from Twilight. Even if it had all turned out okay, he couldn’t stop thinking of the darkness that those flames had inside. Even Twilight’s words were coming back. “No, Spike, I’m fine, really. We managed to stop him before it was too late—you’re the one to thank for that.” “-The pitch black flames that do not go out until they’ve destroyed everything… only the owner can stop… pure evil…” Were those last words Celestia’s? He couldn’t remember. It had been pushed to the back of his mind for so long now. The flames of darkness that resemble not an evil force, but an evil soul. The light of the flames do not give heat, but steal it. They can kill if not stopped, and it is a fate worse than death. Why does Cilia have those flames? Spike lifted himself off the ground, and turned up towards the sky. He fell onto his back to gaze up to the sky. He wished that Luna could guide him right now. If Cilia could control those flames, he never wanted to see her again. But at the same time, why was she so content to go with him? Did she have a plan? Was she going to betray him? Spike saw a shooting star in the corner of his vision. He wasn’t feeling up to it, so he let his wish go by. For a while, he sat there, looking up at the stars. Spike could hear the sand behind him, and he knew there was someone there. He didn’t want to turn, however, fearing that Cilia had followed him. His fears were dissolved when Lis sat down next to him. “They’re really pretty,” Lis said, looking up at the stars with him. “I guess,” Spike said, unsure whether or not she was talking about the flames or the stars. “I remember learning that there’s a pony who raises up the sun, and one who raises up the moon,” Lis said in a low voice. “That’s right,” Spike answered. “I guess not all ponies are bad, then,” Lis said halfheartedly. Spike didn’t answer, and instead let her continue. “I’m sure you were friends with some good ponies, and not any bad ones, right?” Lis asked, but she didn’t sound enthusiastic. “They were great, each and every one of them,” Spike said, remembering their faces. “Do you think they miss you?” Lis asked. “Yeah… I think they do,” Spike answered. “Are you alright?” Lis asked softly. “…” “That’s okay, take your time. Take as long as you need,” Lis said, not once taking her eyes off of the stars. Spike had his eyes closed but he wasn’t trying to sleep. His thoughts were still cloudy and he tried to think. Lis didn’t speak for a long time after that, and he was glad she had in fact given him so much time. “I’m not alright… I’m going to go find a train tomorrow. I know what I have to do,” Spike said. Spike turned to Lis, only to find her eyes had closed and she was breathing softly. Spike followed her example, and with his decision in mind, he fell asleep momentarily in peace. ------------ We carry a map of our life with us. It’s embedded in our minds. We know that the future will be added to our map, and no matter how much we try to forget, our past will stay with us on that map. Even if you burn out the past, the singed remnants are enough to remind you that there is something you are trying to forget.