Filed to story: The Chosen Saga Novel PDF Free
“No, it was horrible, and then it was just gone.” She shrugged and got up off the floor. “Where is everyone else?”
“Already gone through to the center, and into the keep seeing about mates.”
Araiya yawned. “Let’s go meet the elemental and get to the keep. I don’t think I will stay up and mingle, I am exhausted.”
Araiya was led through a lava tube to the throat of a volcano. She followed the staircase down into the central vent and across a bridge to a platform suspended above a vast bubbling lava pit.
Once they crossed the bridge, there was a massive hunk of lava stone in the center of the platform that glistened in the low light. Araiya walked up to the rock and as she reached her hand out to touch it, the lava below exploded. Fire ignited and surrounded the entire platform. She spun around hoping to run. Her friends couldn’t come to rescue her, and she couldn’t leave until she met the elemental. She turned back to the center and the lava stone was cherry red. Fire flicked over the entire surface. Araiya felt a presence in her mind and Fire’s smoky voice floated in to her mind.
Come Young Mother. Come and touch my hearth. See if you are truly worthy.
What do I have to do?
Just come and give me your thanks Young Mother, simple and easy.
It definitely wasn’t simple or easy. The fire would burn her, but the red-hot stone would melt her skin. She knew that this was Fire’s test but knowing that fact didn’t make her any less scared. She knew this was something she had to do, but it didn’t make doing it any easier. Knowing she would completely melt her hand made this trial so much worse. She stepped up to the stone and drowned out everyone yelling.
“Araiya what the fuck are you doing? Araiya this isn’t the normal test. Step back from the stone. You are going to fucking hurt yourself. ARAIYA!” Talon screamed from behind the ring of fire.
Araiya focused on her breathing and ignored everything else. She had to keep her head. She reached out to the element.
So, what should I call you?
My brother and sister seem taken with you, Young Mother. I can say you don’t hold much sway over me. If you pass this test I will give you my name, but you can call me Fire for now.
Why not just give me your name?
There is power in giving your true name to someone, Young Mother. Power is control, and control is essential to me. Without control, my element will run free and burn the world to the ground.
Run free? How?
Fire is consuming. It consumes air and parts of earth. Depending on how close to water it is, it could be unstoppable. Fire needs to be guided by a steady hand, someone brave of heart. If it is let loose without care, spewed from a maw without thought, it will burn the hand that feeds it. Fire burns hot and needy; my son’s mate will come to understand.
Why do you say that?
My son is fire incarnate. Hot-tempered and passionate about what he believes in. He doesn’t always stay in control and has burned people he cares about. His mate will also understand and hopefully be willing to have a cooler head.
Why are you worried so much about his mate?
Why are you asking so many questions? Are you scared, Young Mother? To overcome the element fire, you have to be brave. Perhaps my sister and brother were wrong about you. Make your choice Chosen.
Araiya squared her shoulders and leaned in to place her hands and forehead on the molten stone.
“ARAIYA NO!” Talon screamed again, but she paid no mind.
She made contact and white-hot searing pain slammed into her body. Her brain short-circuited and she couldn’t even scream or breathe. Once her mind kicked back on, and she felt every bone in her hands and forehead starting to melt she managed to pull in a breath and screamed.
Young Mother, focus. Take control.
It hurts. Oh god it hurts so much.
Everything in life worth having is going to hurt in one way or another. Now take control of the element. You were born for this. Fight for this and prove your strength, worth, and commitment. Now take control or die.
Araiya struggled to focus on anything but the pain, but she pushed harder into the stone. She focused on feeling the pressure on her body and not the pain. She would be dead by now if she believed the pain, but she wasn’t. So the pain, while real to her, wasn’t real in the world. Yet? she could feel the bones in her hands grinding against the stone proving that the fingers she was sure were gone were still there. The illusion, while so real, was just that. The stone started to heat up, making the illusion feel more real again. The elemental was releasing control, and it was up to Araiya to wrestle the control of an element she had no power to wield.
The elemental released even more control, and Araiya struggled. She had no idea how to take control of the fire so that it didn’t actually hurt her. The lava stone started to become hot, her fingertips became hot, and sweat began to bead on her forehead.
Earywyn, please help me. I don’t know what I am supposed to do.
Young Mother? What is wrong?
Fire is testing me, and I don’t know what to do to survive.
You have to take control.
I don’t know how.