As his hands lifted higher, the light spiraled around him with increasing velocity.

Date: 441 Passes Ago

Two trails struggled side by side through the looming snow drifts. White seared the landscape until both sky and ground were faded mirrors of nothingness. From time to time, a scraggly tree limb poked through the ice like a desperate frozen hand.

Zento’s mother warned that it was too late in the year to make such a risky trip through the Highlands. His father didn’t listen, claiming the freezing season was still another month away. The migration of the Gathering wouldn’t wait and their family set out with their few belongings in tow. As it happened, the weather decided to favor his mother’s way of thinking.

Unannounced, the blizzard raged down across the land. Of the six that set out on the journey, only two remained. Zento’s father and older brother vanished one afternoon during a hunting expedition. Only days later, Mother caught deep chills that grew worse until she didn’t wake up one morning.

Heart heavy with grief, Zento forced his two sisters to keep moving. Kari was the first child to succumb to the freeze. Now SaRa, the youngest, barely had the strength to continue. When she finally fell stiff and shivering in the snow, her brother carried her on his back.

Two trails became one, struggling through the looming snow drifts.

All Zento could feel was a stinging numbness both inside and out. Each breath shot a stream of crackling white smoke in the air. Even the warmth of their bodies pressed together gave little comfort.

Still he walked, step by tedious step. He didn’t know where they were going or where they would end up. He only knew he had to keep walking. His father taught them to always move forward, even to the last breath. It was the way of the Clans of the North.

The snow grew abruptly shallow and in mid-step, the toe of Zento’s fur-lined boot caught on stone. The boy didn’t realize that he had fallen until he found himself sprawled out on the ground.

SaRa’s weight was so great upon his back that he didn’t know if he could push himself up again. For a long moment he simply laid still, his breath streaming an ice-flower decoration on the naked rock under his cheek. Lifting his green eyes, Zento realized that they had stumbled into a cave.

It looked very deep and dark, yet, it was warmer inside where the stone walls provided shelter against the frigid winter winds. Half crawling, the boy gathered up his sister and dragged her away from the mouth of the cave. With the last of his strength, he curled up next to her and wrapped his cloak around them with numbed fingers.

SaRa was not moving anymore.

A wrenching pain gripped Zento’s chest as he leaned forward and touched his forehead to hers. He knew she was there even though he could not feel the last of her pale warmth. As desperation rose up within him, the boy gave an internal cry.

Please, give me the power to save her!

Then, Zento’s eyes fell closed, heavy with the weight of the cold.

*****

It was like a dream.

Everything was white here, too. Yet, it was a different kind of white. This white was warm. It glowed and tingled wherever it touched.

Zento found a surprising new strength flowing through his limbs, enough for him to push himself up on his palms. SaRa was shivering under the cloak next to him, but for some reason, he wasn’t cold anymore.

The light was everywhere, tiny shimmers of sparkling white dancing through the air. It enfolded him in a gentle embrace and he knew that it was the light that made him warm.

What are you doing?

He wasn’t sure how he knew the light would hear his thoughts. It just seemed like the most natural way to speak to it. He was also not surprised when it answered him with a gentle voice in his mind.

~I am granting your wish.~

I didn’t make a wish.

~I am granting it anyhow.~

I don’t understand.

~You wanted the power to save her, yes?~

The boy nodded.

~Then make a fire.~

Zento looked around, feeling a gentle nudge against his shoulder. He turned to see a small gathering of dry twigs scattered across the cave floor. But…

I don’t think I can. Father always used a fire-making device to start the fire in the camps. I don’t have one.

There was a good-natured snort.

~Device? Maybe they needed help to make a fire. But you don’t.~

Zento stared at the shimmering lights in confusion.

~Relax. I’ll show you.~

At first, he felt a quiet tickle in the back of his mind. It was like an itch, but it was on the inside. It was an itch that he couldn’t scratch. Then a sudden power rushed through him with such intensity that the boy gave a startled gasp. His eyes grew dim, turning inward as pulsing visions leapt through his mind. The world became so clear and he suddenly knew what to do.

Zento found himself standing on his feet. As his hands lifted higher, a new light spiraled around him with increasing velocity. He could hear SaRa’s weak voice speaking in alarm from somewhere in the distance, but he couldn’t answer her. He couldn’t even answer himself. There was nothing but a new awareness and the power that filled him.

With a striking motion, the boy’s hands swept forward. At his command, a tiny pillar of flame leapt from the middle of the wood pile. An immense, triumphant hum filled the cave as heat pulsated from the growing blaze, as if the presence within the light was encouraging him.

Zento shuddered, his mind still reeling as the vast touch slipped away. He stared for a long time at the glowing heart of the flame. Somehow, he knew that the fire was created by something within himself. It was both exhilarating and frightening.

SaRa crept closer to the fire. Her eyes were already more clear and alive. When she looked at Zento, her expression was calm, yet apprehensive. Then she looked up into the dancing spirals of light.

“Hello?” she said, somewhat quizzically.

A soft hum filled the cavern. It sounded like laughter.

~Hello, little one. Do you like the fire? Are you feeling better?~

“Yes,” SaRa nodded and nodded and nodded.

~ZenToYa has quite a talent, if I might say so. You never knew your brother could command fire, did you?~

The girl’s mouth cupped into the shape of a little letter “o” as she turned to stare at her brother. “No…”

“I didn’t even know!” Zento spluttered quickly in his own defense. Then the boy pointed at the light, “He showed me how!”

The girl tilted her head, “Can you show me how, too?”

~Maybe when you’re a little older.~

“How did I do that?” the boy’s voice was low and shaky. “Was it some kind of magic?”

~You can call it that if you like. But it’s really nothing that wasn’t already there within you. I’m surprised your people haven’t discovered it yet.~

“It’s not something evil, is it?”

~ The one who uses this power decides what the power will become,~ the voice was very grave. ~Promise me that you will not use what I have shown you for wicked things, ZenToYa.~

“I won’t!” he shook his head back and forth.

~Good. I won’t tolerate Chaos in my Myfyriwr.~

“Myfyriwr? What’s that?” Zento echoed the unfamiliar word.

~It means… I’d like you to stay here for a while. I’ll teach you. Would you like that?~

“But, what about Mommy and Daddy?” SaRa’s lower lip trembled.

The light held a long moment of silence.

~I can feel your pain, though I don’t understand the emotion clearly. I can’t replace what you have lost, but I’ll take care of you, if you’ll let me. I’ll protect you and teach you. That’s all I can offer.~

The boy asked slowly, “Who are you?”

~I’m known as Zemi Dreigiau. I’m a guardian Arweinydd.~

“Arweinydd?”

~It means a Guide. Teacher. Patron.~

The light rose slowly, a motion not unlike someone getting to their feet. Zento knew the voice was leaving.

“Where are you going?”

~Little Earthians require more than flame to survive, yes? They require nourishment. ~

“Earthians?” the boy echoed.

The voice did not answer. Instead, a flurry of lights danced at the mouth of the cave. Then it was gone.

“Did you see it?” SaRa asked, her mouth still slightly open.

“See what?” Zento was staring towards cave’s door, trying to make sense of everything.

“The dragon in the light,” she clarified.

He had seen it too, but he found himself saying something much different, “It was just your imagination.”