Fire and Ice

In the world we live in, fire is fire. ice is ice. And the world is a world that owns them and turns within their tightly woven balance. But for once, I dare you to believe in a world where the Fire herself got to decide who she was and what she would be. Perhaps this world exists far away from here and all of us, where we cannot disturb the laws of the unseen. There, in this secret terebithia, lives the Fire, trapped in the form of a young girl, lively and light. To personify the fire, what sort of girl might one find? A dancer, a graceful air, but a darkness hidden behind such a warm and welcoming demeanor. Come and see, come to this fantastical world with me to discover how the characters there, the disciples of nature, came to be...

The girl Fire twirled along the forest path with sparkling eyes and with a lightness in her feet that none could hope to compare. She was beautiful in her etheral and unearthly light, her glowing eyes and face able to charm any breathing soul. She was fire itself, with the glow of warmth strewn about her form like a long gown of orange and red, and when the sun was gone, she contrasted the bland night sky with her radiance. The girl Fire blinked up at the sky for a moment of silent revelation. How different she was! And sitting alone under the blank, endless sky, she felt suddenly all alone and so very small. All alone. Fire sighed as she continued on, her feet against the soft earth suddenly becoming burdonsome and heavy with thought. Why was she all alone out here? That's right, this was one of the only places left to her. The others who also dwelled along with her in this seemingly faultless world looked upon her with harshly quizzical eyes, she was one too set apart to be associated with, they finally decided. Shame filled her heart as she reflected on all the things that she strove to bury deep within her, the things that made the others avoid and despise her. She was vile and powerful, with an anger that no one seemed able to contain or control, not even herself. Why did she destroy, was that truly meant to be her sole purpose? Fire looked down at her hands. Such small hands compared to the power that they contained. She tore her eyes away, she didn't want to see them. She didn't want this curse to follow her any longer. She wanted to be loved. But who could love her? She was nothing but walking destruction. A charing disease that spread illness to whatever part of the planet she crossed. Who had desire for that? This thought made her upset. She was afraid to be so alone as she was now. She was angry at herself for being so reckless and wild, she was angry at the earth for crumbling away like ash at her touch. She was angry at everything. And then she opened her eyes again. All around her now, was nothing but ash and ruin. She had done it again. She had lost her control. Control? Fire kicked a pile of ash into the air in frustration. She had no control, she knew not the meaning of the word! Then she crumpled to her knees helplessly and burried her face in her hands. With her eyes squeezed shut tight, she proceeded to retreat farther into herself in despair. What place was left open to her now? If she returned the way she had come, the other disciples of nature would surely destroy her. so what was left? She looked up, and saw a great mass of mysterious ground off in the distance. No one ever traveled so far, maybe it would be the place to offer her sanctum? Fire got to her feet with a rekindled spirit, and started off towards the horizon. True, the trek was long and hard for one small girl to make alone, but Fire was determined, and spurred on by a growing hope. Before long,  Fire noticed that her breath puffed out visibly before her as she continued. It was getting colder. Suddenly, she stumbled forward. Barely able to right herself in time, she glanced down at the ground in wonder. Instead of fragile grass or unfeeling earth, there was a cool, powdery fluff beneath her feet as she trod onward. Her eyes glittered in awe as she glanced around herself. She had entered into a marvelous new world of pure white, elegance, untainted. The snow fell around her like sparkles of white light, glinting from the sun and tickling her arms playfully. A chill of wind swept by, and Fire shivered, hugging herself to fight against the cold. There was a flicker of weakness that overpowered her in that moment. Letting out another puff of soundless breath, Fire leaned down, and brought her hands close to her face. She summoned her gift of art, and flame burst to life in her palms. But this was different. It was harmless, small. This place was vast enough to keep her contained. Another gust of wind crept by, and fire felt a thick drowsiness clot her mind. No, this place was too powerful for her. It might have enough power to snuff her out completely. Fire turned back to the path she had come. The snow that continued to fall around her had covered her tracks completely. There was no mark of her, no trail of sadness and ruin. She was torn, and so remained where she stood, rooted to the spot. She puffed another stream of breath and watched as it floated away and vanished like mist. The snow was falling heavier now. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered for a moment. Just then, a marvelous shining light beckoned to her from above. There, up on the rise of the snow bank, a beautiful light of many colors shown like a beacon. The beckoning promise of warmth, she thought! She hurried towards it, skipping through the snow with new life. But when she reached the place, there was no warmth or light, just a tall figure sculpted from ice. It was the figure of a long fish, with gentle waves of water lifting him as if he sprouted from the ground itself. It was flawless, beautiful. Fire reached out a hand to touch it. Maybe then she would understand it, or anything in this strange new world. But as soon as her hand reached the statue, her powers burst to life, and the sculpture shrank away at the mercy of her magic, until it drooped pathetically to the ground. Fire backed away, horror stricken by her own actions. What had she done!? Now that beautiful masterpiece was destroyed! All she ever did was ruin everything! In anger and frustration, she sank to her knees and began to cry softly. Suddenly, a deep voice boomed behind her.
"What are you doing here?!" Fire scrambled hurriedly to her feet and faced her intruder. There stood the artist himself, glaring down at her from behind a darkened brow.
"Ice!" The girl stammered, taking a step away from him. He knelt by what was left of his once glorious masterpiece, and hatred flashed in his cold eyes.
"What have you done?! You foolish wench! Was there not enough for you to destroy elsewhere?! Why must you come here of all places and ruin what little joy is kept me!?" He fumed madly, looming over her. She flinched at his words.
"Ice, I'm sorry, I- I didn't mean to- I never wanted...." She sighed. "I'm so sorry."
"You have nothing but spite towards every disciple of nature! You follow behind our hard labor and you transform everything into wreckage!"
"I said I was sorry," Fire suddenly found herself on the defensive, "do you think I wish to be this way?! I don't want to harm anything! I am the Fire! I cannot be contained nor controlled! Not here, not anywhere! Not even by you!" She snarled at him. Ice clenched his fists and burrowed his eyes into hers. She didn't back down.
"This world would be much better off without those who contend to do harm to others." Ice growled. Fire stopped, her fists unclenched and fell at her sides. Hot tears filled her eyes.
"I know." She whispered. Ice stared at her. Before another word could be said, she turned from him and ran away, vanishing in the thick white curtain of falling snow.

Ice paced back and forth in frustration. Then he kicked a pile of snow angrily.
"Oh, that wretched child! She is relentless! She mocks my hard work by shattering my sculptures! She should be- She should be-" He paused for a moment, a dark eery thought creeping into his mind. "This world would be much better off without those who contend to do harm to others." A deranged and strange obsession filling him, he set off to build his most elaborate and time-consuming creation yet...

Fire sat by the cool creek and leaned forward slowly to peer at her own reflection. Puffy red eyes, ugly, colorless eyes. Awkward, reckless, lonely little girl. She bowed her head as another tear slowly fell down her face.
"uhhh... Fire?" Fire jumped in fright at the voice. Then she wiped her face quickly before turning around. The second time that day that Ice had frightened her. She looked at the ground.
"Hello... Ice."
"Hi." Ice swallowed hard, trying to keep calm.
"Um Ice, listen.. I'm really sorry for-"
"Eh," Ice waved his hand, "it was.... just a sculpture." He sat down beside her. She stared at him for a moment, not sure what was happening. Were they appeased? Whatever it was, she made sure her guard was still up. Ice was glancing this way and that, as if looking for something, waiting for something. Fire sighed. She dipped the tip of her finger in the bright blue water. Steam curled away from the water gracefully. Fire smiled. Ice smiled too. Then he leant down close to her and he stuck the tip of his finger in the water as well. Swirls of frost spread along the surface of the water, and soon a sheet of ice covered the water. Fire's eyes gleamed in wonder.
"That was beautiful!" She exclaimed. Ice looked at her in surprise.
"You think so?" He asked. He tried to be patient. The time was coming. Soon. Very soon.
"Oh yes! What a wonderful gift you have! Why, I..." Her voice faded away. "I wish that my powers were like yours." She whispered, hugging her knees close to her body. This startled Ice. He had never expected to hear such a thing from her. He thought she had been arrogant and prideful about her gift, wasn't that why she paraded around and destroyed things the way she did? He got to his feet. Now. It was time.
"If you thought it was beautiful, then come with me. I will show you many other things!" He offered an innocent smile to her. She blinked. He knew she was wary. He offered her his hand. She smiled and took it slowly. Oh! Her hands, they were so warm. In his. He led her through the snow a short while, before a giant glacier loomed above them. To the side, there was a hollow in the side, a secret cave entrance. Fire hesitated. It was dark, and cold. Ice noticed. He summoned every convincing bone in his body forth, and forced a gentle smile.
"It's alright, I'll be with you." He told her. She looked up at him. She wanted to believe him. She took his hand again and swallowed her fear. She took a step inside the dark opening and slipped on a piece of ice. She flew backwards sharply, but Ice caught her around the waist.
"Can't you at least watch where you step, foolish child!" His voice was harsh but his eyes were soft. Fire felt the blood rush into her cheeks as she drew away from him. They walked down a dim corridor before another cavern opened into a huge room. Fire gasped. It was beautiful! There were icicles and beautiful fixtures of ice hanging from the ceiling. But best of all, was the way the light that came off of her danced across the ground as she danced and twirled with glee.
"Ice, it's beautiful! How marvelously wondrous!" She exclaimed as she twirled again. But as she stepped forward, she slipped on the floor and nearly toppled again. She looked up into Ice's face as he caught her a second time. He glowered.
"You know something Ice, everyone is always saying how heartless you are, and how you don't care about anyone but yourself, but I can see that isn't so true." Ice blinked at her in surprise as she righted herself. "I mean, if you were heartless, why would you save me?" She gave him a sly smile and a wink. Ice felt his heart freeze.
"No, I just- didn't want you to break anything else of mine!" He furrowed his brow at her. She only smiled again and flitted off to admire the rest of the room.
"These things you make Ice, they are so beautiful!!" She stepped slowly around a giant ice figure that resembled a tree. Ice watched as her warm glow shone through the branches and purple lights danced across the floor. It was an elegance that proved unmatchable. Ice looked up at the girl again, speechless. She was beautiful! She had brought something here, something that had been so absent before. What was it, this wonderful magic she possessed? It was... Life. All of Ice's pieces had been so dead before this moment, without meaning. And now the whole room came alive vibrantly. He just watched her silently as she twirled this way and that, graceful and carefree. She had no worries, nothing to hold her back, as he did. "Ice, your work is all so marvelous, but there's something so hauntingly serene about them. They are beautiful, but silent and stilled. Quiet, and without life." Her voice captured him, the way she saw a thing for what it truly was. Why, those words described not his work alone, but his heart and his feelings. Well, how they used to be anyways, before this moment. He watched her eyes get round in wonder as she delicately touched a wind chime of ice, and lights danced across the walls like fireflies. Ice felt a new feeling inside him, and he ducked around one of his ice trees shyly. "This is all wrong! This isn't what I thought she was! I thought I would find a selfish and unruly thing that didn't feel anything! Isn't this what I wanted though!? Aren't I getting what I asked after all!?" Ice shook his head, now suddenly too unsure of himself.
"Ahah! I found you Ice!" There was melodious giggling above him. Ice looked up to find Fire leaning over one of the ice tree branches with a grin on her face.
"Hey, be careful up there!" The words hadn't even left his lips before the giggling child misplaced her hand and came tumbling down. Ice dashed forward and grabbed her before she struck the ground and they landed on the floor in a heap. Fire breathed in surprise as her eyes met his. He stared back. Ice had never known anything that called for his protection like this. A warmth within him, a longing.
"You... saved me?" Fire asked quietly. Ice couldn't force his eyes away from her.
"you're not what I thought at all... You really are like a helpless kid, you know that." He said to her. "You must be getting into trouble all the time!" Fire stared at the ground nervously.
"I suppose I am.. But usually there's no one there to help me, like you. So I... just fall." There was a silence.
"Fire, is that why you break things all the time?" Fire looked up at him.
"No one ever seems to understand. I don't mean to be so wild... I just..." She looked down at her hands. Then she shook her head. "I'm sorry Ice, I'm not so used to pouring out my feelings like this, and I hardly know you!" She turned to skip off somewhere else. Ice grabbed her hand.
"We could... change that, you know." His voice was quiet. Fire's eyes got big and round. She pulled her hand away nervously. Something in his voice scared her more than anything she had ever faced before. She looked up into his face slowly. Oh, those big round eyes!
"Ice, you don't want to know me. Trust me, I just wreck everything..."
"You say that Fire, but underneath all this wild, destructive visage... You're just a little girl."
"Stop it." Fire took a step away from him.
"You're afraid. You're afraid that no one will ever truly love you once they know, but I can see you. You're a frightened little girl-"
"Stop it, Please!" Fire shut her eyes and covered her ears as she stepped away again. It was then that the horrific realization struck Ice. She was headed right for the trap. The one he had set.
"Fire wait! Don't!" He lunged forward to grab her arm, but this only served to frighten the poor girl further, and in an attempt to escape his grasp, she unknowingly stepped upon the spring to his deadly snare. The floor crumbled away uselessly, the whole cavern shook angrily, and the floor jutted into the ceiling with a wild crunch. Fire was thrown from her feet and smacked against one of the glacier's groaning walls.
"No!" Ice yelled, but he was thrown back, away from her. The whole cavern was collapsing! Ice had to find a way to get to her! Ice and snow crumbled away and cracked as the cavern turned in on itself and all the creations inside were shattered against one another. The whole floor split into pieces as the cavern gave way into the black icy water below. The shock of the cold even stunned Ice, and he ducked under the surface to escape the enormous chunks of ice and snow tumbling in after him. Nothing but cold dark abyss below, swallowing everything. Ice burst to the surface again, gasping for air, and he clung to a large remain of his cavern's thick wall. He felt the numbness returning to his heart, the stillness, the death. He couldn't go back to that! Not now, not when he'd found meaning at last! Things were clear for the first time, something to do! Someone to protect! Something to live for!
"Fire!" Ice screamed. He dove back into the water, and reached out to find her, the once source of light in his life. He had finally reached an equilibrium of life and the stillness that one feels when deep in reverence. He was altered, no longer what he had been before. And now he couldn't bare to feel, to feel and go back to unfeeling. He reached out and by some miracle of fate, her hand was brought to his. Ice grabbed on tightly to her, and burst back to the surface of the water. He had her, he couldn't let go. The feeling, the great wave of powerful emotion came at him again, to the point of intense pain and confusion, so much so that it made it hard for him to breathe. He stared around at the monstrous catastrophe that had become at his bidding, how he was fighting for not only his life, but he had another to protect now. Nothing could take her now. He wouldn't allow it.
"ENOUGH!!" He bellowed, with the pain evident in his great strong voice. And his power returned to him with strength doubled ten times. The lake obeyed him, and lifted them as it solidified, the walls freezing over and silencing their panic. And all became still, Ice standing to his feet and stepping over his useless works, shattered and worthless to him now. Only one thing could matter. Ice got to the floor gently with her held tightly.
"Fire.. Fire!" He cried. But there was stillness, silence. What had once been wild and lively, was now silent and still, like everything else of his. "NO!!" He yelled. "Can I not preserve one thing of life! Am I good for nothing but making all dead and cold?! Fire, return to me! Sweet Fire, you cannot be gone now!" He pounded his fists against the floor in agony. He had never felt a feeling so strong.
"Oh my repulsive intent! Dare I live after such action! How could I hope it, for what I've done to the only one who managed to make me feel?... Fire..." It was this wretched creature that Fire's yes beheld as they opened slowly, and found him by her. But she looked away, and they filled with weak tears. Her light was fading away like the mist, she felt no strength within her.  
"Ice, you hated me so much? Enough to desire my death? You brought me here to end my life when all I sought was your regard?" She shook with tears. This could not be covered up with anger, as everything else. She was done fighting, she didn't want it anymore.
"Fire! Please look at me! I didn't know you! I saw only myself before! I saw only my own selfish wishes, but now my blindness has left me! I need you! You bring me something I have never known, but I cannot lose you now! Fire, I am a terrible soul! Terrible and torn! I have been all alone for so long! Doomed to be cut off from everyone else, in this world made up of death! But then... you came to me. I love you Fire-"
"DON'T say such things! You want me to believe you again, as I did. You cannot love me, we are too different! Leave me alone!! I will die as you wished, alone and unloved..." Her voice was low and distant.  
"Fire, please!! Hold on to something! Hate me, hate me with all your being, but live! Don't dare speak of death now! I cannot bare to lose you! Never have I shed tears for another, and now they are yours, ALL yours! ALL OF ME BELONGS TO YOU!! Take the very life from me if you must! Just- Please, please don't give up. I... I love you! I love you!" The words he had been longing to say, there they were. He knew it was the only truth, he couldn't turn those words away, he couldn't just shut this out like everything else. Oh why had it been so hard to say before?!
"How I wish I could hate you as you hated me!" Fire's words stung and pricked hot pain in Ice's heart. "How I wish I could despise you and all that you are, as you so despised me and mine. But I cannot hate you Ice. I hate this power you hold over me, I cannot hate you... How could I both hate you and love you?" The words seemed to freeze in Ice's chest. She had said it. Love. Fire's eyes closed again as the coldness seemed to suck away every feeling inside of her, and for a moment of relief, she felt no pain. Maybe it was better that way, to feel nothing as Ice did.
"Fire! Wait! Don't go! You CAN'T!!" Ice's voice didn't reach her. "No!" He couldn't let it happen! Ice searched himself quickly, and a great impulse took over his entire body. He felt something inside of him burning hot, as if part of her had found its way inside of him forever. He lifted her and stood to his full height, he knew what he had to do. The one thing that the ice would never do. He had to go to the land of sun. He had to make her live. He had to.

So the ice traveled to the land of green, where he had never been before. He was stronger, faster than he had ever known himself to be. He had reason now, things were clear. And now he had a battle to fight. There, he laid his beloved against the grass below the burning sun and begged the warmth be returned her. He felt the sting of the heat teasing at him and attacking him from all around. But he wouldn't be beaten before it. Even here, the fire did not glow, the girl did not stir, the fire was cold. Ice lowered his head in great agony. It was over. How? He dropped to his knees with nothing left. But how could she truly be gone, if these hot feelings still remained, burning within him. These feelings for her. They couldn't be his, they were HERS. Her gift to him, he was changed, made into something entirely new. And what had he given her? Death. It was too much for him to bare.
"Well done Ice... Well done!" Ice looked up, searching for the new voice. The voice belonged to the very imbalance and hatred of all living things, embodied into the form of a man like himself. He smiled over the body of the fallen girl of fire. "The first disciple of nature to be destroyed, ended completely, abruptly. Every nature maker saw her as destruction, as you did Ice. But limiting her to such is insulting. Fire took away the death of the forests and removed all dead plants to make room for new life! More than that, she fed them with the lives of those plants lost. The balance of life is destroyed for this world forever!" Ice stared. He found what he had been missing before. Even the fire was vital to the life and balance of every other. No world could be without every one of them. That was their purpose of living after all, wasn't it? He had sought to end the life of destruction, but had harbored the destruction himself, and in doing he and killed every other weather maker with her. "Now I will kill you Ice, and use your deed to shroud this world in darkness completely, the creator was foolish to believe that your kind could be taught to understand how to live in balance with the others!" But Ice couldn't fight, he desired nothing anymore. He deserved to die for killing her. Without her he was but dead anyhow. Here was his escape. So the darkness beat him over and over, driving him back, beating him to the ground over and over. Ice stood each time, refusing to fight, refusing to resist. The harborer of death hit him so hard he flew into the ground sharply, and he rose shakily only to sink back to his knees. "Fight me Ice! What's the matter, you have it in you to kill one nature maker, but not enough to face another?!" But Ice didn't rise from the ground again. He looked away. He didn't want to remain in a world without the Fire.
"You deserve to die Ice, you've killed them all..."
"Stop!!" A third voice rang out triumphantly, and a blaze of fire blasted the dark creature away from Ice. Impossible... Ice glanced up and saw her standing there, a figure more radiant than any ever to be seen. She seemed like a dream, her power ablaze in her hands wildly, her eyes glowing like stars. "Enough!" She glared.
"Fire..." Ice's voice was raspy as he whispered her name. She smiled, and every wonderful and warm feeling filled him with life and meaning once again. She was there.
"Ice lookout!" The darkness came up behind to finish Ice off. The terror in Fire's voice brought that strong feeling back to him. Ice blocked his blow like lightning, and rose to his feet and towering over the creature of the dark easily. Even in a world against him, he couldn't lose now. He had her. Feeling the new power overflow into his hands, Ice released his wondrous new magic and threw it full force at the destroyer. In a great blast of light and ice, the darkness shrank away and shivered from the power Ice possessed. His face was filled with fright as Ice grabbed him and leaned down close.
"Enough." He hissed. Then he shoved him aside, and the darkness fled. Ice looked back to the hill, to be sure he had not be hallucinating. She was there, she was really there, smiling at him brightly. He had fought for her, and he had won. All was beautiful. Ice ran towards her wildly. She nearly stumbled into him as she met him on the hillside. He grabbed onto her as she fell into his arms. She was still weak, but she was alive.
"You foolish girl." He whispered. "Trying to fight even like this." She looked into his face with glittering eyes. "I had a reason to now." She smiled. He moved a long curl of fiery red hair and laughed.
"Fire, I love you."
"You have... tamed me Ice."
"And you brought me to life. Come with me Fire, you will never be left alone again." He twirled her around as she released her laughter. That wonderful, perfect sound. How could any be more beautiful?
"I am yours." She whispered softly.

And so it became that the two most opposite creatures that ever were become one new creation, gave each something to hold on to, and the most unlikely fell to each other in love. No life is dispensable, and no love is escapable.... Fire and Ice <3

Proposal: Who can depict my characters? I want to see other artists use their imaginations and draw me my creations. (: Thanks