The World is Burning By Shelby Ford
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Shelby's entry won third place in the North America category of our Chronicles of Tyria anniversary contest for 2019.
You can find out more about Shelby on Instagram and Twitter:
@hunniepotter
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Lucy Teagardyn looked at the iridescent staff in her hands and grew afraid.
Chatot, her griffon, lay sprawled out while preening its feathers. She softly crooned at her as the mesmer sat rolling the staff between her hands with the gentle roaring of the waterfalls nearby. Nightly birds flew to their nests while lizards scurried under rocks to sleep and wolves distantly howled their haunting songs. All the while, Lucy continued to manipulate the staff between her hands, her mind wandering.
The world was burning. No matter how much she had tried to put out the flames, another one just began elsewhere. It was as if the forces of the world were working against her. She began to wonder if it was in vain to try and stop the blaze before it consumed everything. Maybe the world was supposed to be ashen. Maybe it needed to fall to start anew: to be better than what it had been. It didn’t seem right. She desperately tried to keep a brave face on around her companions. Just beneath the surface of that bravery, Lucy was afraid of losing everything she held dear. The world was burning, and she felt helpless to stop it.
Lucy sighed heavily, setting her staff down beside her as she curled up into herself, resting her eyes and letting the nocturnal sounds of the desert lull her.
A gentle tap on her shoulder startled her awake.
“Huh? Wh-.”
“Relax, Luce. It’s only me,” came a familiar voice. Jethro sat down next to his fiery-haired companion.
Lucy wasn’t surehow long she had been asleep. The sky was still littered with glistening starsagainst the inky sky, and there was no indication of the rising dawn on thehorizon. The mesmer gave a frustrated groan, rubbing the sleep away from hereyes.
“Sorry. You juststartled me is all, Jet,” she murmured, unfurling her limbs to stretch themwith a quiet yawn.
“Something on yourmind?”
She shook her head.
The male mesmer rolled his eyes as he too stretched out upon the rocks, directing his gaze to the stars. “You know, Luce, in the years we’ve known each other, one might think you would’ve learned to trust me. Open up a little maybe.”
Lucy’s pink-hued eyes darted down to her hands wringing themselves around the staff currently not occupying her grasp. He was right, of course. He was right of course, but nothing ever came easy for Lucy. To be vulnerable was to admit she wasn’t as strong as she would like to have herself and her companions believe. The world was burning, and she had to give them something to hope for.
She sighed heavily.
“I-I’m afraid of what might happen if we don’t succeed, Jet. If we fail, then it’s over,” Lucy dropped her gaze and her hands had found their way to the staff beside her. Pale, trembling fingers traced the smoothed intricate pattern of the pole while her face began to flush the same shade as the eyes that now stung in the onset of heavy tears.
“Oh, is that all?”Jethro smiled and leaned back on his elbows once again, keeping his sights onher still. “We’re all afraid, Lucy. I’d be concerned if you weren’t afraid. Weare in the middle of the most chaotic storm this world has ever seen. Out ofcontrol magic, dragons that want to see us perish, no gods to call on for aid.It’s all messed up.”
Lucy looked at himin disbelief.
“Is that all? Jet, the world is on the brink of ending and you’re making jokes?” Shespat, eyes wild with frustration.
“Listen,” he began,shifting his weight onto one elbow to face her, “we have to be able to makejokes in times like these. We take our victories where we can, and one of thosevictories is being able to appreciate the calm when there is some. We must feelthe fear and keep moving forward. It’s the only way we will make it througheverything.”
He placed his handon top of her own and held her gaze steadily. Chatot trilled in what could onlybe interpreted as agreement. The tension filling Lucy’s heart dissipated, and hergaze softened.”. She looked out over the horizon.
“You’re impossible,you know that, right?” She gave a slight smirk as she said it. Impossible as hewas, she wouldn’t know where she would be without him.
He beamed at thisand sat up, staring out onto the horizon with her. “I know, but you wouldn’thave it any other way.”
She nodded andcurled back up into herself, chin resting on top of her knees.
The two sat therein silence and stillness for some time, enjoying the calm they had before thenext bout of chaos ensued. The waterfalls roared in the distance, and thesymphony of the wildlife accompanied it. Life continued on, unaware of what wasto come, and if it did, it simply did not care.
Lucy broke thesilence, “Do you remember when we first met, Jethro?”
Jet gave a slightscoff. “How could I ever forget?” He asked, grinning with a smile as wide as ariver.
Lucy had never had much luck in her life, but meeting Jethro was probably the luckiest she had ever been. They had met in a tavern in Lion’s Arch during her visit to the city. Back then, it was a bit rough around the edges and it had its problems. However, currently it was lively, vibrant and a jewel even if not in the traditional sense. She was young, looking for an adventure and to find a place where she could belong. The life she had back in Divinity’s Reach never quite fulfilled her, and she never felt that she was ever really home there. Sure, it was where she was raised, and the environment was familiar. It just wasn’t home.
Of course, itdidn’t take long for Jethro Myndlocke to overhear her conversation with thebartender about any guilds looking for fresh blood. The way he had commandedthe room when he moved, so confident in his stride and speech, didn’t gounnoticed by a young Lucy. He had seen something in her when she walked intothe tavern. She had potential and something of a spark, or at least that’s whathe told her. Maybe he had just been sweet-talking his way into getting new recruitsfor his guild, or maybe he was genuine. Whatever the case had originally been,Lucy and Jethro hit it off, and she joined his guild. It took a little whilefor her to find her place within the group and to get a sense of who she wasand what she could do. All the while, Jethro had been there every step of theway guiding and supporting her. He had always been a good mentor, but he was aneven greater friend. Here he was again, being both of those things and notasking for anything in return.
The two of themlaughed as the conversation continued on with tales of incredible feats orembarrassing failures. They talked about what their lives had been like beforethey had crossed paths, and what they wished to do when all was said and done.They poked fun at each other’s flaws and drank in the beautiful desert vista laidout before them. They were comfortable and content in their little bubble ofpeace. Nothing else mattered.
It was only whenthe first cracks of daybreak crept over the horizon line did the spell they hadcreated disappear like dust on the wind. Chatot perked up her ears and gave amorning call to the waking world. She lifted herself from her place, walkingover to Lucy and Jethro. After a quick nuzzle into Lucy’s neck and a pattingfrom her mistress, she was off into the sunrise, stretching her wings andenjoying the breeze run through her feathers.
Lucy stood, usingher staff as support for her tired body. She watched as the griffon soaredthrough the clouds without any care except for the warmth of the sun and thecooling breeze. Jethro also stood, taking his place next to his friend.
She looked at him. “Jet?”
“Yeah, Luce?”
“If the world is going to burn despite our efforts…”
“I’ll be with youas it rains ashes.”
Jet took her freehand in his and smiled at her. Lucy returned the smile before turning to watch thegriffon fly through the morning’s crimson sky.