The Return of Fire

The Return of Fire

            It was almost his turn to present the three gifts he had brought, and already Marblan’s internal flame was ready to rise to the height of his nervousness. Within Marblan’s hands was a doll, an arrangement of flowers, and on the tips of his fingers a gold neckless containing intricate gems. He fought back the burning feeling in his palms as he waited. His sister the moon goddess was next before him. Her bright, orangish gown lit up the Gray Mount’s granite pillars. Every eye was upon them both for they were the last to present their gifts to the youngest of the Sholineus, Storianna.

 It was Storianna’s five hundredth year, but unlike everyone else she was the source of all tales told. Marblan considered her purpose almost greater than his. To be the source of all man’s imagination, he thought, was more important than being lord over what kept humans warm and granted them sight by night. He gulped when his moon goddess sister ascended into the sky to be the world’s second form of light once again.

“Come forward, Marblan.” said Boldaran, standing at Storianna’s side and acting as he was, god of all mountains. He gestured with a hand made of granite as Marblan tried to remain calm. “You have brought three gifts of man for our sister I see.”

“Yes, brother. I have.”

Storianna focused her almond shaped eyes on him, leaning forward on their brother’s stone throne with her mouth open in excitement. Marblan’s other siblings did the same, making the already crowded mountain top palace smaller by the second. His eyes began to burn as he looked up at the heart shaped face framed by long black braids belonging to his youngest sister.

“Go on lord of fire.” Boldaran huffed. “Present what you have brought.”

Marblan could feel every fiber of his being grow hot as he raised his gifts, prepared to speak, but all at once, with all the attention on him, his hands ignited with his body. Screams let out from every goddess, and every god including his brother, Boldaran, pointed and bellowed for him to be punished. The neckless melted as the doll and flowers formed a ball of fire. Marblan fell to knees, dropped the burning gifts and huddled before them as if he were a human seeking warmth.

“You dare break the tradition I have started,” said Storianna, fuming. “And on its first night. I do not wish to see fire in the world again.”

“But all of our father’s creations will suffer if I do not—”

“Father left this world after he created his first two humans,” said Storianna. “Now, Boldaran, cast our brother from your mountain.”

Boldaran stomped forward, seizing Marblan by his flame licked shoulders. He tried to resist by growing even hotter, engulfing his entire being in flame and begging Storianna with eyes a golden yellow. But she turned away as their brother’s rock like skin resisted every burst Marblan let off.

They were at a cliff top just before his brother’s vice like grip left his shoulders. It appeared that Boldaran had some final words, but they weren’t what he expected from his prideful brother.

“I’m only on her side because she controls all our fates,” said Bolderan. “I said what I did in hopes that you will rise above your nervous nature brother.”

“I do not know if I can.”

Bolderan grabbed him by the shoulders again but this time Marblan didn’t resist.

“Well, until you are able.”

Marblan felt himself raised high overhead. He bent his head backward and saw the lights of one of man’s city’s fading with his confidence.

“Hide in that distant cave beyond the city and trees. She will expect it of you.”

“But.”

A great thrust sent Marblan hurtling headfirst from the Gray Mount. He wanted to spin backwards and then rear up. The city came faster and faster and his brother’s palace a top the tallest of mountains grew further and further away. The wood structures were almost countless, and by a faint glimpse, one appeared to be made of stone. But that is not yet possible, he thought.

Before he could blink screams cut at his ears, wood broke and splintered against his head and shoulders until all was in flame. Marblan swallowed his fear for a split second just as he found solid ground at an arch with symbols across it. He looked back to the trail left from his fall. It was like a flaming lash from the whip of his brother, Selfpatai. A whip invented for all to use when in self-doubt. Marblan was in doubt. The deepest he had ever been as he ran for the trees ahead. His external flame sank into his skin until he was as black as spent coals.

  The nights were going to be much darker now. Though once he found the cave he kept going until he could no longer see the glow of the city in flames from its mouth. He crouched just as the cold of the cave began to nip at his skin. Heat seeped from his lips as he pondered what Bolderan had said. It was in his nature as fire to be nervous. He would try to be a slow burn for humans who fed him wood as he drank the air of their homes, and even aided in what they called forging. But eventually the pressure became too much, leading to others in need of him.

            He stood and then readied to meet the moonlight his elder sister emitted this night. Slowly, he came upon again the heat and light of what his fall had done. Fear ran over him and with speed reserved for duties too numerous to comprehend Marblan spun on his coal black heels and retreated

           

***

            As he approached the cave entrance several mornings later, smoke no longer appeared beyond it. Screams remained like lacerations after a battle in his ears. The city had been the first of many of man’s great achievements and as he met once more the caves mouth, nervousness found him again.

            Marblan ignited his external flame. A breeze sent it licking to his left as he stared into the distance. The fall had been so fast that Bolderan was but a spec before he had crashed into the city. Tents circled its gray cress crossing fallen timbers, leaving an emptiness in need of filling within his heart.

“How could she force me to abandon our father’s most prized?” said Marblan, the glow of his flames was dim in comparison to his brother’s sun light. “I must find a way to warm and light the humans before all goes to ruin.”

            A deer trotted past him through a field he had gone through last night. It was brown in its thick coat and had multiple points to its antlers. Marblan waved but the deer turned its head up in disappointment.

            “The humans kill us for sport now instead of survival, and consume what we once shared, Lord of Fire.”

            Marblan firmed up his stance and stared at the deer straight on but the deer saw through him.

            “I have been banished for burning gifts to the Mistress of Stories.”

            The deer gasped.

            “What made you do a foolish thing like that? You must find new gifts. The humans demand pounded metal for them from what the birds have seen.”

            “They no longer offer tribute to the Sholineus?” Marblan’s flames retreated into his skin until his worry made the black of his face ignite again to hide his emotions. “When did this begin?”

            The deer snorted and shook his head.

            “No. Tribute is made more now by what the temple mice gossip about. It’s mostly for,” the deer sighed. “your return. We all miss you. Even those humans who lost their homes from your fall.”

            A lump formed in Marblan’s throat as his flames hissed into his face like water thrown onto a cooking fire. He needed to return to his duties, and this time to bring balance to man and beast.

***

            The tents were close nit as Marblan kept himself determined in his pace. A small market stood among what must have been thousands of displaced humans just waking from the night. Far ahead of it was the first building of stone he thought an illusion. His low burning heart flickered, the wish to rocket upward came when he saw the same three brother venders. All were dressed in the same but slightly tattered robes. Their hair was almost more orange than his external flame.

            “Good morning, Marblan.” said a brother.

            “We were hoping you would return.” said the second.

            “What can we do for you?” said the third brother. “We’ll do whatever it takes to get you back. I’m tired of berries.”

            The other brother’s half chuckled, and half sighed as Marblan found they had kept to their craft. Bright flowers, freshly stitched and painted dolls, but the last brother to speak had necklaces partially melted by his fall four nights before.

            “I am sorry for what I have done. I must ask for similar gifts, but I have no pounded metal to give for them.” He made a fist then wished what he also needed wasn’t so. “I am in need of someone to carry such gifts as well.”

            The first brother cleared his throat and said. “We have heard of your nervousness. The way you used to twist and turn on candle wicks said as much.”

            “So, will you help me return to my duties?”

            The three brothers circled him once out from behind their makeshift stands. Marblan eyed each one, keeping his flames dulled the best he could.

            “When do we start.” All three said.

***

            To fly would have been faster but Marblan didn’t wish to leave the three brothers to travel without him. A new doll was made without a stitch out of place and its hair was clean and from a human’s head. The flowers were bound together in such a way that it was as if a cloud resided in the brother’s grasp. And unique white shining stone were added to a new necklace forged link by link with help from Marblan’s heat.

            A great commotion came as they entered the palace atop the Gray Mount. He stifled a chuckle long missed. His brother Joyous must have insisted the party continue as he always did for celebrations. A wave of gasps mixed with muffled chuckles came as Marblan clenched his teeth. The brothers were just as nervous. The crowd of his brothers and sisters parted until Storianna came into view. She had perfectly placed herself upon a newly chiseled throne of stone. It was larger than Bolderan’s and in the exact same spot. What has she done to him? He rose to full height to show the confidence his brother spoke. It was what he needed most as he felt as if he were reliving the same moment from nights ago.

            “I believe I banished you brother,” said Storianna. “Return to that cave of yours.”

            “The humans need fire to live sister. A balance once between man and beast has been tipped.”

            She studied him for some time until noticing the three brothers.

            “I may allow a balance to return … if, you present those new gifts, I see, without destroying them.”

            Marblan turned back to the brothers as every glowing eye focused on them. He remained in his coal black form, but his nerves stabbed at his skin to give in again.

            “You can do it.” said one brother raising up his flowers.

            “We believe in you.” said the second.

            “You came this far,” whispered the third. “so, don’t be nervous. It not like anyone is going to die.”

            The other two brothers smacked the third across the back of his head, raising laughter from all around. Marblan breathed deep and took each gift. Memories of carcasses stripped of fur surfaced from their journey towards the Gray Mount. Baskets filled with berries meant for both human and animal rested outside tents far behind them today. His eyes burned and his scalp tingled as he turned to approach Storianna. Soon, he was down to one knee as his arms shook. A faint chuckle came from her, and when he looked up, a smile graced her face and no gift was burned or melted.

            “I forgive you brother.” she said. “Now rise and restore balance.”

            “I shall.” he said. “But first, tell me where is Bolderan?”

            “He is crafting more thrones such as the one I sit upon.”

            A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he took her gifts, smiled, then said with a certain delight.

            “What? Did you believe I had him made into a place for me to sit?

            “Well. Yes. I … I did.”

            “Oh, Marblan. You worry far too much.”