by Laura R Cole
*
Layna looked around in confusion. Where am I? Though she had only thought the question, the words bounced off translucent walls. Colors swirled around her with no definite shape or purpose. She exhaled and her breath formed a blue cloud in front of her, dripping icicles. She reached out to touch them where they hovered in the air in front of her, and they burst apart in her fingers. So cold.
Her head whipped up as a familiar sound pierced the icy walls around her and she searched for the source. But like a house of mirrors confuses the sight, her frigid prison masked its origin. She frantically thrashed about, not yet recognizing the sound for what it was, but knowing instinctively that it was something important.
It felt closer now, but the walls of her prison encased her, suffocating her. She gasped for air, but the icy breath she inhaled clamped down on her lungs. The more she struggled, the tighter her bonds became.
As she sank down in submission, something began to glow warmly in front of her, beckoning. She watched as it grew brighter, melting the ice from around her. Slowly, the pressure released, and she added her own fuel to the fire of warmth spreading outwards from it. Starting as a tiny ball, the glowing sphere grew wider and bigger, growing stronger and warmer as it did so. Rays of light burst out from the center, burning holes through the walls of ice.
A hand appeared from within the rays of light, held out to her expectantly. She clamped her own hand around it firmly, feeling the power grow strong within them as she did so.
It was Gryffon. Magic exploded around them, shattering the remains of the icy prison.
Phoenix was near.
