Kuro: A Land in Eternal Night

Chapter 9.1: The girl who could make Sunlight

Mina

Mina woke to the sound of a crackling fire. The welcome sound reminded her of days long past, of Joab and the times she had spent with him sitting by the fire during the hours of the Winding. Light was very expensive so Joab lit a fire instead. It was fairly common during those days in the Utter Darkness. She considered herself very lucky.

The fire provided comfort against the cold. Mina looked up and saw both Mykall and Vannah, looking over at her with concern. She smiled, remembering the events that had led to this, and the satisfaction of seeing the Marauders meet their end. Mina realized that the satisfaction she drew from these events made her no better than the men she had killed.

Then she realized that something else was bothering her. Fire! They could be seen from afar! She moved suddenly, straining to get up. "Hush, little one," Vannah said, laying her hands reassuringly on Mina's shoulder. "They will not be back for a while. They do not have a plan of attack. They will need to regroup, get orders from on high."

Mina looked around. They were in a small cave, sheltered from the elements. The cool stone was comforting against the warmth of the fire. The cave opening had been covered up just enough, carefully concealed. A breeze blew above them. There must be an opening high above, good enough for the smoke to disperse.

"Are they really gone?" Mina's voice was hoarse. She realized her throat was parched. She started coughing. The rumblings in her stomach told her she was hungry.

"Yes, for the moment." was the answer Mykall gave. The warrior was sitting calmly cross-legged across from Mina, looking at her thoughtfully.

Mykall solved both Mina's problems in short order. He produced a canteen, taken from one of the fallen Marauders, filled with drinkable water. In his other hand, he offered her a roast rabbit on a skewer, freshly caught from the woods. The fire served a dual purpose, keeping them warm and well-fed. Mina gladly took what Mykall offered, biting greedily into the roast rabbit without hesitation.

In all the years she'd been alive, it had been very rare for anyone to show her even the slightest bit of kindness. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she remembered Joab and the life she left behind.

Mina smiled in spite of herself. "Vannah, Mykall, thank you for being here, for staying with me. Your knowledge has kept me alive so far."

Vannah shook her head. "We are here right now, solely because of the power that you have in you," she said. Then she wagged her finger at Mina. "Now, you have much explaining to do, little one," She then crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "The warrior and I were wondering exactly how it was you pulled the little stunt you did on the knoll earlier."

Vannah continued, a hint of a smile on her lips. "After all, one does not just go about creating sunlight in the darkness. At least not in a thousand years has such a feat been duplicated."

Mina nodded. She carefully chewed her rabbit. It was tasty, well-seasoned even. She tasted mint, which grew plentifully in the darkness. Yet another of the warrior's seemingly endless talents, she surmised. She took a few swigs from the canteen she was holding.

"I was seven when I first learned I had the power." Mina looked across her at both Vannah and Mykall, who were listening with undivided attention.

"It was during the Great Storm. I happened to be near the sewers. The Rains hit us especially hard, the water corroding everything. By accident, I fell into an exposed opening. With the power out city-wide, I found myself in total darkness. I was stuck in the sewers, unable to see as the Rains continued to pour above. I began to cry, terrified that no one was there to help. I worried I wouldn't be found until it was too late. I had sneaked out to play in the sewers against old man Joab's advice, so there was no one to help me. I prayed to the Goddess for light. I prayed to her to save me, to give me something I could use. It was then that my palms started glowing. The light from my hands gave me what I needed to get out of the dark hole I had fallen into."

Mina smiled as she recalled her sudden joy at her initial discovery. "Over the next few days, I found that I could control the light. I could expand it beyond my person and it would obey me. I practiced for a few weeks until I could master controlling the light." Mina paused, taking a few more bites of the roast rabbit, savoring it and smiling contentedly to herself.

Noticing that Vannah and Mykall were observing all this with mild amusement, Mina blushed, her face turning bright red. "I...I'm sorry...it's just that those of us who live in the Utter Darkness, it's not everyday we get to enjoy such a good meal."

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