From the Ashes(Original)

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This is a work of fiction, all works included are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and may NOT be used without the author's express consent!

“You need to learn some manners!” Ember growled. “I know you were brought out to be the bad ass that can handle these situations BUT you need to learn that not everyone is your enemy. If you do something like that again I can and will send you back by force.”

"I wouldn't if I were you!” Helphyre warned. "You might turn Saphyre against you for good."

“I figured you’d try something like that…” Ember said smugly, with her arms crossed over her chest. “That’s why I took the liberty of creating a link between us and Saphyre, she’s been listening in the whole time.”

“And?” Helphyre asked cocking a hand on her hip.

“And, she’s heard all about your plans to take over.” Ember pointed out. “You’re more of a threat to her than I am; and now she knows that. I can hear her thoughts Helphyre, even as tucked away as she is. She's got questions; she also knows I'm her friend and mean her no harm, which is more than can be said for you at the moment. Think that over while you're gone. Goodbye Helphyre!”

Ember made a small gesture as if brushing away dust and a wall of flames engulfed them as they arrived back in Ember’s office. A surprised look flashed over Helphyre’s hardened features as she realized Ember had made good on her earlier threat then she faded away leaving behind the more innocent sweetness that was Saphyre.

"Welcome back Saphyre." Ember smiled.

“Was all that real?” Saphyre asked; as she slumped into the chair in front of Ember’s desk.

“What do you think?” Ember asked; the sooner Saphyre realized what an opportunity she was being offered and what she was up against on her own, the better!

Saphyre’s blue eyes rested on Ember conflicting emotions wrestling for dominance on her pale face. She wanted to believe that she wasn’t alone, that there were more people like her! And that her grandmother hadn’t been filling her head with empty stories all those years and magic really did exist in some form or another.

“I… I.. Think so… but, I’m not sure.” Saphyre finally answered.

“Oh, you believe it and have for years.” Ember smiled. “How long have you been able to create fire balls? Must have been some time, since you’ve also managed to tap into other levels of your powers.”

“Since I was ten…” Saphyre tossed her head to flip her hair over her shoulder as if it were no big deal. The truth was, she’d never discussed this with anyone before and she wasn’t used to being able to be candid about it. "I got lost, and needed a fire to stay warm, it was an accident, I thought a wild animal was going to eat me.

“So it was survival instinct, I see.” Ember said softly. So young even for a firestarter and with no one to guide her through it; it must have been very hard. “When did you create Helphyre? She was a bit of a shock.”

“I don’t know, I didn’t even know she existed..” Saphyre trailed off realizing what Ember had said. “Did you say I created her? That…she’s one of my powers? How many do I have?”

“That’s what we need to find out.” Ember smiled. “We’ll train you to gain control over your powers and develop new ones if you have more. Right now the most important thing is control, because if you don’t learn to control Helphyre… she really could overpower you.”

“Really?” Saphyre squeaked. “How? I mean… I created her!”

“Look, there’s a lot you don’t know.” Ember sighed heavily. “First off, all those people you were filing cases on, weren’t people. They were evil creatures; just like we have angels, fairies and the like; there are vampires, demons and other nasty things bent on creating chaos and mayhem in whatever form they can. You could say we’re at war with them because we protect people from them, and we kill or vanquish them to other realms. All those files and cases were information we’d gathered and then acted on.”

“So you’re like the police department for the supernatural?” Saphyre asked wide-eyed. “Or FBI or something?”

“No!” Ember burst out laughing. “Although it’s not all that different I guess. The point is, we have information on people who might become strong fighters for them, and they most likely have the same kind of list about our side.” She paused to give Saphyre a heavy look, as if waiting for her to understand some hidden meaning in her words; but when Saphyre just looked at her, she finally continued. “You’re a firestarter Saphyre, they’re rare… how long do you think it would take for them to find you?”

“What? You mean… one of them might come after me?” Saphyre gasped. “But I didn’t know about you, them..” She shook her head. “Whatever! I mean Why?”

“Because of what you COULD become.” Ember said grimly. “First they’d try to recruit you, and if you refused, they’d kill you.”

“You’re trying to recruit me now, what happens if I say no?” Saphyre asked pointedly. “I’m just going to be allowed to leave here? Knowing what I know?”

“We’ll let you go, if that’s what you want.” Ember nodded tiredly. “It’s not what we want, but you’d leave here thinking you were let go for downsizing… You won’t remember anything if you decide to leave. We can’t risk being discovered, so you’d be on your own against them. They don't fight fair Saphyre, they'll use your family and friends to get to you; torture and killing it's all the same to them.”

“But no one knows about me!” Saphyre protested, unable to believe her somewhat normal life was, for all intents and purposes, over. “I’ve kept it hidden for eight years, no one knew about this until now! Not even my parents!” She got up to pace the office. “Do you know how many times I was grounded for smoking because my parents found burn holes in my sheets or carpet? Let me tell you, there’s only so many sheets that can go missing before someone notices! Do you know what it’s like to worry about going to sleep and burning the house down?”

“Yes and no.” Ember answered.

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