I do not know who
you are, young one, or why you are inquiring about the child of Fire.
But I do not imagine this information to be dangerous, so I will tell
you about my last encounter with Kuna Zero, or the Wanderer as you
call him.
It was some time
ago (although time seems broken in this desolate world), not long
after he and the others had left to battle the tyrant god. He arrived
alone and in great distress. His katana was drawn, but its flames
extinguished. By his appearance alone, I deducted that something had
gone horribly wrong. I called out to him and approached him, but upon
seeing me, he fled deeper into the city. You see that I am an old
man, and have been for a long time, but I am far from helpless.
Calling upon my spirit's strength, I changed my form to that of an
owl and quietly flew after him.
He stopped not far
from here, in a park that had been ravaged by Nightmares before the
grey came. He stood before what had once been a flourishing maple
tree and then fell to his knees and wept. When the teenager's tears
had dried, he got back to his feet and pierced the tree with his
blade. He turned to leave; however, the tree had burst into flames,
as well as some of the grass that surrounded him. He let out a sigh
and turned to face the black cat who had materialized in the fires on
an outstretched branch.
“Is this what you
wish for, Kuna?” The spirit of fire asked.
Kuna shook his
head. “Of course not! But I can't be the hero you all need
me to be!” He fell to his knees once more. “I'm not my father!
Seth wins this time and there's nothing we can do about it!”
“So you are
giving up on this world you once called home? Will you reject all
that you vowed to protect and forsake all those that you love so
dearly? Will you simply turn away as each one of them falls one by
one to the darkness, even though you might have had the strength to
save them? Most of all, will you forsake me in this terrible grey,
only to be lost within it yourself?” The spirit replied with a
fiery wisdom. It is to be expected of the oldest children.
Now, at this time,
I had half a mind to intervene and tell the child that he was being
foolish and should not abandon his flames, but then I sensed a power
not much different from his own approaching downtown. I suppose he
sensed it too, as he quickly got to his feet, looked around and faced
his spirit for one final speech.
“Old friend,”
he said in solemn haste, “I am too weak, too cowardly, to fulfil
the duty that you ask of me.” He sighed. “Find yourself an
appropriate partner. Farewell.” The child burst through the flames
and disappeared into the distant grey.
As he ran, his
spirit's voice resounded through all of Montreal. “Return, oh
Wanderer, when the day of clouds is over!” Then everything went
silent.
That is the last I
saw of Kuna or his spirit, but perhaps you would like to see the
place where those very same flames wait for him?
Yes? Very well.
Follow me.
It i quite
beautiful, isn't it? Once the child had run off, his spirit sighed,
jumped from the branch, and disappeared into the ground. Flames
spread across the ground, even going beyond the boundaries of the
park. Then they too were absorbed by the earth, and in what felt like
mere moments, the radiant forest before us had formed. It is amazing
what exuberant power the child of fire possesses.
What's that? You
wish to go in? No, we cannot. I have tried before. When I drew close,
the flames erupted out at its border, blocking my path. Only those
the spirit chooses can enter, like the child of wind. I do not know
her name, I admit. Nor do I know where she had been hiding for so
long. What did she look like?
Well, she seemed to
be about the age of Kuna at the time. She stood with a broken will
within her and carried an aura of abandonment. Her hair was long and
light brown. Somehow she still retained her color. At first she was
bundled in winter clothing – for the snow had not yet vanished –
but she quickly shed the unnecessary garments and was wearing blue
jeans with a vibrant green top.
She had been led to
the forest by Anis, a spirit who has, since ancient times, served the
Four nearly as diligently as the emanations themselves. It was only
under her guidance that the child of wind entered the forest and has
not emerged since. That is all I have to tell you, I am afraid, but
if you search for the Wanderer, then there is little you can do but
wander as well in hopes your paths cross. I do not know of any other
survivors. Good luck, child, and farewell.
-Zero
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