Flames Of Redemption

64

Finally, the train's velocity seemed to go lower, as Regan could see some buildings passing by. During the travelling she had fallen into a deep slumber. When she had woken up, she had no idea where they were. Artemis only told her that they were in her realm.

"So, do these people in your realm have spells and powers?" She asked Artemis, who had stayed still and quiet.

"Most do, most don't. It depends." She replied.

Regan nodded and looked at the servant, Cora. Cora was sleeping as well, but little did Regan care. She knew there was a thing about Cora.

"So, what's the name you thought to call me?" Regan asked after some time, remembering that Artemis had told to keep her identity hidden. Not that she wanted others to know.

"I don't know. Chose it yourself."

"Cornelia," Regan said, thinking it sounded fitting. She didn't want to reveal too much about herself, but she also wanted to have a good, new name. Her own name, seemed boring and senseless for her.

"Alright, Cornelia." Artemis replied, still lost in thought.

"What about Cora? She knows my real name." Regan whispered.

"She'll think Regan was your middle name or something," Artemis answered.

They continued to ride in silence for a while, the train chugging along through the lush forest. After some time, Regan noticed a change in the scenery; the trees were becoming taller and more numerous, and the air felt colder.

"Another forest? We're on another planet but the surroundings aren't very different," Regan thought aloud, trying to make conversation.

The trees grew even taller, their branches intertwining to form a dense canopy that blocked out most of the sunlight. The air grew colder still, and Regan wrapped her cloak tighter around herself, feeling the uncomfortable chills creeping in.

They continued riding for several more hours before the train emerged from the forest and into a vast, snow-covered plain. The landscape was breathtaking; the snow sparkled in the faint sunlight, and distant mountains loomed in the horizon.

"Wow," Regan breathed, leaning forward to get a better look out of the window. "It's so beautiful here. And it's so damn cold. I'm very sensitive to the cold." She complained. "How do you live here, Artemis?"

Artemis shrugged, not taking her eyes off the scenery, "It's not a problem for me. But you, probably because you have a fiery aura, you lose heat quickly on coldness," she said, as if it was obvious, "but don't worry, Cornelia. We'll soon get off."

Something snapped in Regan's mind. Fire powers. Does Artemis have fire powers?

"Well, uh....I was going to ask you something," she whispered, not wanting to be heard from the front and behind passengers.

"What?" Artemis asked confused.

"Do you have that eternal ember thing as well as me?" she asked. The strange thing for her was that she didn't quite feel connected through magic with her.

Artemis's expression turned guarded, "That's not a thing to ask here. We should keep quiet," she advised.

Regan bit her inner cheek, trying to swallow her curiosity to ask just then.

Slowly, the train came to halt and it finally stopped. The loudspeaker instructed for them to get off. Artemis stood up first, while Regan, felt her legs wobble, having stayed sit for such a long time.

She had some uncomfortable chills but stood, nevertheless. Cora followed them from behind and they kept the queue for the passengers to land on the land.