Thick forests encircled the settlement of Eldewood, and the howling wind through them heralded an approaching storm. The villagers rushed to get their work done before the heavens opened, since they were used to this kind of weather in the northern countries. Warm light streamed through the tiny wooden dwellings as hearth fires burned, but an unexpected force was about to upend the tranquility of the evening.
At the edge of the forest, at the farthest end of the settlement, stood a young woman whose auburn hair was as wild and uncontrolled as the same fires she was about to discover. Eira was her name, and although she was unremarkable to those who knew her, she had always experienced a pull, an odd bond, to something more intense that blazed within of her.
The sky got darker and the wind more menacing as Eira collected herbs for the local healer. Her pulse was pounding, and she felt a shiver of fear run down her spine. Through the trees came a faint but distinct sound in the distance: screaming. She dropped her basket and ran toward the village as panic took hold of her.
It was soon obvious where the pandemonium was coming from. The bandits had arrived in Eldewood, their lights illuminating the community like destructive beacons as they were merciless and ferocious. Homes were set on fire, locals ran away in fear, and the sounds of people who were unable to go filled the night.
While Eira hurried through the village, her thoughts were racing in a maelstrom of anxiety and fury. Without a weapon or battle experience, something inside her flared—a heat that was unlike anything she had ever felt. The air around her seemed alive with electricity, causing her skin to quiver.
She arrived in the town square right as the robbers hauled Hilde, the local elder, out of her house. After Eira's parents vanished years ago, Hilde—thin but wise—had reared her. Something instinctive moved within Eira at the sight of the elder in jeopardy. She moved forward without thinking; her hands lifted as though to protect the elder.
"Release her!" With a shaky voice from fear and resolve, Eira yelled.
The towering man at the head of the robbers, dressed in tattered fur and carrying a bloodstained axe, turned and sneered at her. He snarled, "And what are you going to do, girl?" "Hide and run back to your little herbs."
Despite her shaking hands, Eira didn't give up. She could feel the fire rising within her, demanding to be let out as it pushed through her veins. "I told her to go."
Before the bandit leader could reply, Eira's hands burst into a dazzling flash of light. Her fingertips burst into dazzling, furious flames that engulfed the bandits in a wave of intense heat. The leader let out a cry as the flames quickly engulfed him, reducing his corpse to ash. With fear imprinted on their features, the other robbers scurried away from their raid.
Eira remained still, gazing at her hands, shocked. She couldn't understand how or why the town had been spared by the fire—her fire. She had never understood that there was a part of her that the flames felt like, like an extension of her body.
Hilde approached Eira warily, still shaken but uninjured. "Child," she said in a raspy voice. "What actions have you taken?"
"I... I'm not sure," Eira said, her voice almost audible as she fixed her gaze on the blackened ground where the bandits had been.
The people started to assemble, their terror of her having taken the place of their fear of the bandits. She was far more deadly. It was evident in their eyes to Eira. They looked at her with fear and distrust, whispering to one another. In an area where the traditional forms of magic were with the power she had just shown, Eira was banned and looked unearthly, something to be dreaded.
With concern and empathy in her eyes, Hilde put her hand on Eira's shoulder. "Eira, there's something you should know," she muttered. "This power is not a random phenomenon. You have a past that you need to now explore.
Eira shook her head, her hands still shaking. "What topic are you discussing? I'm only... I am who I am. I am just one person.
Eira knew in her heart it wasn't the case, though. Power and fires have always been simmering under the surface, waiting for the proper opportunity to burst forth. And now, as the fire's dying embers began to fade, Eira understood that her life was about to permanently alter.
The only sound in the village that night was the crackling of embers from the destroyed houses. Eira was sitting by herself at the forest's edge, bearing the burden of her newly acquired strength. She recalled the robbers, the fire, and the unbearably hot feeling in her hands. She had changed from being the shy girl who lived a humble life and collected herbs. She was not the same; she was something far more perilous.
Hilde discovered her again just before dawn, this time carrying a tiny, aged chest. When the elder held the chest in front of Eira, her eyes were serious.
Hilde remarked, "This belonged to your parents." "Eira, these were not your typical folks. They were components of something bigger that resulted in their deaths. It appears that their legacy is still there in you now.
As Eira opened the chest, her heart raced. She discovered an odd luminous amulet within, its hot center throbbing like a beating heart. Beside it was a scroll with writing in a language she was unfamiliar with. Eira knew what they meant, though, even if she couldn't understand the words.
Whispering, Hilde said, "Prometheus." "The Titan who gave humanity fire by challenging the gods." Eira, he was your ancestor. You were born with the ability to control fire.
Eira found herself gasping for air. She was aware of the myths surrounding Prometheus, the man who defied the gods by stealing fire and earning an eternal punishment. However, to consider that she had his bloodline in her veins...
"This is just the start," Hilde murmured. "Much bigger forces than you can comprehend are at action. You have to discover the significance of this power's emergence in you and the planet.
Eira balled her hands, sensing the heat rekindle under her skin. She realized she had no option but to accept the answers, even if she wasn't sure whether she was prepared for them. She would have to adapt to the way the world was changing.
With the amulet firmly grasped in her fingers, Eira stood watching the first rays of dawn emerge from the horizon. Her adventure had started, one that would carry her far beyond Eldewood Hamlet and into the world of long-forgotten gods, monsters, and tales forgotten.
And so Eira set off on her journey toward a destiny she could neither comprehend nor avoid, her heart heavy and a spark burning deep within her.