The Jewel Of The Forest Part 1

There was an explosion of colour emerging, greens, yellows and reds all begin to blur together as the trees grew narrow with every step, the foliage danced in a tender breeze as a creeping fog embraced the lands.

Coiling and wrapping itself around the base of strong barks and through the thick brush that was already hard enough to maneuver through.

Of recent days it seemed the air had begun to grow quite close, dry and hard to breath in, bringing with it an undesirable heat and lack of humidity to the people.

Traipsing through a forest in this kind of situation was never a good idea but there he was, one foot leading the other with pure determination and clarity. So sure of himself that today was the right day to be out here, that the skies would open and bring forth their gift of rain.

His eyes would often seek out the sun when he came to a break within the trees, watching it descend into the greying clouds. Clouds he now noticed had a hint, a slight tinge of yellow to their fluffy nature.

As he came to a small opening in the forest, the sound of water crashing having lured Asher to this point, his eyes lit up with relief at the sight of a stream.

His feet pushed forwards until he could lower himself to the edge, large hands cupping at the running waters and bringing it up before dropping the refreshing liquids down, upon his head, shivering with a resounding "ahh" as it trickled it's cooling touch down his shoulders and over his back before the worn shirt began clutching to his skin with each handful.

Sitting back and lifting his head up high once more, the want for the rain was quenched just a little as he sat there, fighting to get his breath back.

There was something here in these woods, something or somebody but he didn't know which exactly.

The rumours were elusive, a random string of words thrown together by some drunkards in local taverns, even when sober, it was hard to decipher with their broken clues.

No one else seemed to have found whatever it was that could grant wishes, this "Jewel" that they all sought.

Even now Asher only found himself in the forest from a the recurring dream that had been plaguing his sleep this recent year, if it wasn't for the fact that he was so desperate for an end to his torment, he'd not be so sure to have come out so far on such little information.

Pulling his shirt up, over his shoulders as it tried to cling to his wet skin still, he dipped it into the stream, washing it out slowly whilst sitting on the balls of his feet, his eyes cast down to the gentle ripples as his mind filled with it's own fog to match the one around him. With the water now being wrung from his shirt, the fabric twisted between two large muscular hands. Dripping down his wrist, along his arms as he held it up to do so, feeling the slow relief from the droplets raining down onto his now glistening skin before looking down into the his reflection.

A heavily scarred face gazing back up with such obvious sorrow in what had once been bright blue orbs. A lower lip abused between teeth as Asher found himself lost in thought as his eyes lingered on the scars. "One day" He whispered, lowering his fingers to the reflection before sitting back and watching the blue skies above.

Asher's eyes began to close as time crawled along, the blue skies replaced with a darkness as he shifted out of consciousness.

Darkness, surrounding, swallowing his mind before the sound of screams filled his ears, the sensation of his heart racing, trying so hard to break free from his chest.

Opening his eyes, Asher found himself rushing down a cobbled pathway, his feet tripping over themselves as his bloodied hands would push on the ground to keep himself upright. The village he now hurtled through had illuminated the dark skies above with an orange glow as flames engulfed every small hut, the screams intensified as he came to a sudden turn, barging through a burning wooden door. "Asher!" A voice called out, sending cruel chills down his spine. His name was called out again and again, each time growing more pained as he fought his way through the flames until coming upon a woman crumpled upon the ground, a young child in her arms. They lay limp, lifeless as he fell to his knees. "Asher" the voice called out again, this time calm yet weak. "You were too late" the words hurt life a knife through the chest as he felt the familiar hand upon his shoulder from behind. "I'm sorry" He whispered, turning to see nobody behind him as he expected, yet a small piece of him had hoped, wished... demanded that his wife and child be standing there. Instead, a woman's face appeared in the flames as it always did in this instance. Gazing upon him and yet feeling no pain from the flames that licked at her body,

"You know what you must do. She is your answer"

His wife's voice echoed as the flames continued to grow, overtaking his image, the heat he felt upon his body brought Asher to his senses as he woke with a startle, bolting up into a sitting position as heavy breaths inhaled all the fresh air they could, painfully filling his lungs as he struggled to calm down. A slight echo in the air from his own shouts and screams as he slept. His hand clutching the fabric of his shirt still as his eyes began to open.

It took a moment to realise that as his view came into focus, there was a familiar face across the waters, a set of dark, piercing eyes staring back towards Asher.

His body frozen in time as their eyes connected. It was almost impossible to see the woman without a backdrop of flames and he was certain to still be dreaming somehow. His wife's voice returned to the back of his mind.

"You've found her, my love"