The Moonfire Pool

I had the sensation of falling. There was no end and no beginning, no up or down, only darkness. It was so dark I could not see my hand right in front of my face. It was like thick water surrounding me completely. I could feel it between my fingers and flowing through my hair. I could not think past the darkness. Where am I? What happened? 

 Far into the distance there was a light. A star? I reached and reached toward the star. No not a star. The closer I got the bigger it became, swallowing up the darkness. Swallowing me up. It was blinding, burning bright silver. I was now close enough to reach the light. It enveloped me and started to burn. I started trashing and screaming the burning became unimaginable. So, so far in the distance I heard something, but couldn’t tell what it was. Suddenly, I’m being yanked through the silver. The light is getting brighter and brighter burning my entire body. I felt it in my blood, my heart, my lungs, everywhere. Searing pain all the way to my very bones. It felt like I was set aflame by a silver fire. 

My body breaks surface. I am being dragged onto land by strong, callused hands. I desperately gulp down the cool air into my searing lungs. My body still feels like it’s still on fire as my body starts shaking. Finally, I open my eyes. My vision is blurry and there is a loud ringing in my ears. Someone is above me, shaking and yelling something, but I can’t understand anything.  “Hello, can you hear me? Are you okay?” He says. He looks as though he is assessing my body for injuries. A groan is my only response and his bright green eyes dart back to my face. “Can you hear me?” I nod trying to think past the pain. What’s my name? Where am I? What happened? 

“What the hell were you doing in The Pool?” he snaps. What pool is he talking about? He growls lifting me from the ground and over his shoulder. “I’ll take you to Liv. She can deal with you.” was the last thing I heard before the pain drowned out my consciousness. 

~~~

“You were supposed to fix it. Not let it sleep forever.” said a deep and demanding voice. His voice who saved me from that burning fire.

“She is human and takes time to heal. Her body does not heal as ours does.” said a beautiful but powerful female voice. “Besides Prince, what do you plan do with her once she does wake?” There was a pause before the male – the prince – finally said, “I don’t know, just dump it back into The Pool and let it figure it out. Do let me remind you what happened last time a human walked these lands.” I stilled and kept my eyes closed trying to get as much information as I could. Where was I and why were they referring to me as a human? 

“Yes, do remember what happened last time a human walked these lands. That human’s bravery is the very reason you still are the legendary warrior you are today.” The woman said. There was a deep growl and a loud crash. “You know the prophecy, Prince; you know why The God of Night brought her here. You cannot run from this.” There was a slam of a door and heavy footsteps going down a hallway. The woman sighed and began to walk around picking up what sounded like glass. 

I turned my head to her and opened my eyes. The woman was crouched down, indeed picking up broken glass. She was absolutely beautiful. She has long fiery red hair that went all the way down to her waist. Her skin was tan and full blood red lips. She wore a red sleeveless top with a low vee and black pants. As if she could feel my gaze on her she turned bright green eyes to me. She stood up quickly and started walking over to me. “You’re awake!” she exclaimed. She sat in chair beside the bed. “How do you feel? Are you in any pain? What is your name...” the questions came out her mouth too quickly. I lifted a hand, and she stopped talking. “Water” I rasped. My voice did not even sound like my own. How long have I been here? “Oh, right. You need that.” she said as she ran off into a side room. 

I heard her turn a faucet on. While she was gone, I surveyed the room. It was huge to put it simply. Beautiful white and black marble walls two with ceiling to floor windows on both sides of the room. The windows were lined with what looked like gold and had deep red curtains that were partially opened. The wall directly in front of me was just the smooth marble. The floors were black and white tiles with a huge deep red rug in the center. There was a huge gold chandelier hanging in the center of the room. The bed was also huge. Five of me could sleep comfortable. The silk sheets where the same deep red as the rug and curtains and smoother than anything I have ever felt. The thick black fur blanket covers the entire bed and was perfectly warm. The many pillows on the bed matched the sheets. 

The woman came back into the room a moment later with a full glass of water and pitcher. She places the pitcher on the bed side table to my left and handed me the glass. I greedily gulped the water down. “Sorry if I came on too strong at first,” said the woman as she refilled my glass. “My name is Olivia, but you can call me Liv.” She watched as I downed the second glass of water. 

“Where am I?” I croaked and shifted to sit up a little more in the bed. That is when I realized that my body was no longer in pain, just stiff. “You are at The Moonfire Palace.” She answered. That’s when I noticed them. She had these elongated and pointy canines. My heart rate escalated, but that couldn’t be right. I am still delirious and just seeing things. As if Olivia sensed my fear she said, “You are safe here. No one will hurt you. What is your name?” My name. What was my name? Why couldn’t I remember? As if the wind whispered it into my subconscious, the name Elide came out. 

“Elide.” she said it as if the name was familiar to her. 

“How did I get here?” my voice was slowly coming back. “We aren’t sure how you got to our lands, but someone found you in The Pool of Moonfire. The only one on the entire continent. They got you out carried you here. You’ve been here with us healing you for five days. Do you remember anything from before The Pool?” she asked as she moved the hair that fell into her face to behind her ear. Her pointed ear. No, no, no. This isn’t right. I’m dreaming, that has to be it. The monsters from my bedtime stories are not real, and I am not laying in one of their beds. 

“What are you?” I asked voice shaking. Her brows drew together, like she was confused. Then as if realization hit her, she said, “Ahh, your kind no longer believe us to be true. You, Elide, are on the continent of Adria. Our land is called Silvera, where The Moonfire Palace rules. We are called Fae, but there are many different kinds that walk our land. We are not the monsters of your kind’s fairytales.” Her words do nothing to ease the fear running through me. “Us who stay here in the palace are High Fae. Now, do you remember anything from before The Pool?” she asks again. I openly stare at her still in shock. I try to think of anything I can remember but can’t keep my thoughts from the predator in front of me. Olivia sighs, then stands and says, “well, I will give you a moment to process the information I’ve so generously given you. I will come back in a few minutes, and I can show you the palace grounds. There is a new set of clothes that will fit you in the closet. Try to remember anything you can Elide.” With that she walked out the door and shut it behind her. 

Instantly I am out of the bed and walk over to a mirror memorized at the ease in my movements. The mirror is shattered. That must have been what that crash was. Something deep down told me that male had done it. Not just any male, a High Fae Prince. “What have you gotten yourself into Elide?”