Voices in the Dark (Part 1)

The night had passed into day and both Hirow and Talia grew weary as the morning sun showed its face. Talia had many questions that Hirow answered to the best of his abilities and throughout the entire night, she never stopped asking. Hirow began to nod off as Talia asked another one not realizing what state he was in. Wrapped in his cloak she sat watching the sun as its light covered the land below. A thick stagnant fog had risen from the lakes in the distance, concealing the sparkling water.

Talia turned toward Hirow and saw he was beginning to doze off, "Sorry, I should've let you go to sleep a while ago. I never thought I would keep you up all night."

"You'll just have to repay me by helping me find out who you are."

" I already told you," she said, wrapping herself tighter in the cloak, "I don't know anything other than my name. So how do you expect that to happen?"

She waited for an answer but none came. Hirow had already drifted off. It was strange, she didn't feel tired at all and she had been awake all night like him. Right now that was the least of her worries. Staring into the dawn she remembered something had happened moments before she woke up. She had felt scared and trapped, in a darkness that would not yield. Confusion had filled her and everything was silent. She lay there in an endless void wondering if time would move once again. Then she remembered hearing someone weeping. One person became several until the sound filled the blackness. Their oppressive cries came from many directions yet no one appeared. She had reached out to find the location of those weeping. Then a voice cut through the darkness outweighing the cries. It was laughing. The wicked laughter echoed around the void bearing down on her never ceasing its wordless onslaught. Then it stopped and the voice became colder with sharpness in it.

It said, "Your own life and the lives of all others you endanger are yours to bear. The guilt, the regret, the despair let it consume you for no one waits in the heavens above. Never will you find rest or peace from this hardship. For pain is everlasting until it drives you to the brink of madness may the blood of the Gods run through your veins and curse you, for this burden is yours alone to bear."

Then as quickly as the voice came, it left. It left her alone to ponder the cruelties that would follow. Then she awoke. A kind gentle voice different from the one she had just heard welcomed her into the world. That was when she met the boy who called himself Hirow. What did it all mean? That was the one question she couldn't ask. The one question she needed to be answered most. The voice had said that any life she endangered would be hers to bear. Was she endangering Hirow? The boy was able to answer how she got here but why. It remained up to her.

Sitting there pondering what was to come Talia watched as the sun reached above the horizon. Wrapped in the cloak and basking in the warm sunlight she began to drift off until the darkness consumed her.

She suddenly awoke cold and stiff. The void. The dark endless all-consuming void. She didn't want to go back. The light provided comfort. If she fell asleep all of this could slip from her fingers and she would be back. The cries of the anguished and the laughter of the wicked. She couldn't return now, not ever. Talia sat straight up, eyes wide gripping her legs tightly until she felt pain and let go. She looked down and saw that her nails had dug deep leaving pale white indents. So staying awake Talia sat there waiting. Something felt strange about this scene before her. It was too peaceful. Maybe the voice was wrong and she could find peace. Maybe she was worrying too much.

The wind blew through her hair rushing off to uncover the lakes ahead. Talia sat there letting it wrap around her until she felt something touch her hand. Raising her hand a small piece of ash lay upon it. Then she felt something flutter onto her head. Using the other hand, she tugged at her hair until several large white flakes fell off. Glancing up she beheld a multitude of ash gliding down from above. Ominous black smoke rose in the distance blotting out the sky. The trail of ashes carried a repulsive scent of burning flesh along with it.

Talia quickly got up securing the cloak around herself and dashed towards Hirow in a wild frenzy of panic. Shaking him he wouldn't wake.

She gripped his shoulder tightly, "Hirow, wake up! There's a fire. Hirow hurry I don't know what to do." She continued shaking him growing more panicked by the second, "Hirow you need to wake up!"

Hirow began to stir. He yawned as he stretched his arms toward the sky. Standing up he turned toward Talia and asked, "What do you need?"

Her eyes were wide and full of fear as she pointed toward the sky. He turned to face the west and saw the dark smoke rising.

"No. It can't be," he said, shaking. "Talia, come on we have to hurry."

Hirow started running towards the smoke leaving her behind, who was unsure of what was happening. After taking one last look at the fallen star she took off after him. He was sprinting with every ounce of strength he had. Talia remained behind, not able to catch up. He thought he was running away from it all but cruel fate had dragged him back. The first thing that came to his mind was Haddrung and Clement, the only two people in the village he carried about anymore. He had so many questions. He couldn't know for sure if Celestate was burning if he hadn't seen it yet. They could just be setting fire to crops for all he knew. They did that sometimes if there was a bad harvest, but it was the middle of summer. There was no reason for them to be doing that now. He tried to push away the horrid thoughts with wishful thinking while the foreboding smell seemed to only confirm his worries.

Hirow kept running in the direction of the smoke, never stopping. His legs began to tire, his heart beat rapidly and his breath became sporadic. Yet he never stopped. He couldn't stop.

Talia shouted from behind him, "We have to stop, I can't keep up."

"We can't, what if people are in trouble." He turned to face her exasperated, "What if my friends are in trouble I can't let them die."

"What do you mean?"

"My friends, they're in danger," he said, getting frustrated.

"What are friends?"

She really did know nothing. "Well, friends are… people you like. They're people you enjoy spending time with."

"Am I your friend?"

"Well, I only just met you so I'm not sure." Hirow stopped unsure of how to respond, "I guess you're a friend. I didn't talk with you the entire night for nothing." He walked to Talia and stretched out his hand. "Come on, it's just a little further. We can't stop again."

She took his hand and got back up onto her feet. Then Hirow took off and she followed.