Flare closed her eyes and concentrated one last time. She wasn't sure why it was so difficult on this night in particular; usually summoning fire was a fairly easy task for her. She was one of the best pyromancers back in her hometown, but that life was gone. Bringing her hands closer to the pile of sticks, she tried again and her fingertips spewed a few feeble flames that fell onto the wood. She smiled, satisfied, as the flames leapt higher into the air, stretching into the clouded sky.

Leaning against her backpack, Flare realized the true fatigue of her body for the first time that night. Walking all day will do that to a person. She dug into her backpack and retrieved a handful of berries that she had collected earlier that day. Tattered and worn, the backpack contained everything that Flare owned, which wasn't a lot. She couldn't carry much, as she needed to keep her load light for the convenience of travel. As she nibbled at the berries, she felt a nudge on her knee. She glanced down to see her Eastern Alizarin Crimson Abyssinian purring and rubbing her leg, the cat's conspicuous maroon fur easily seen. Despite the cat's lengthy breed name, her real one was short - Abby, the name given to the abyssinian by her brother when they found Abby in their trash bin a few years ago. Their breed was instantly recognizable, with the crimson fur and lanky frame. It was a fond memory, but Flare didn't like to think about her brother much anymore.

Abby hopped onto Flare's lap and sniffed at the berries. Flare held one out to her and she took it happily, curling up next to the fire. Against Abby's bright fur, the landscape appeared dull. She supposed it was, as all it was was simply Flare's fire in the middle of a grayish field scattered with scraggly trees. The sky was darkening, giving everything that hazy, dusky appearance. In the background, there were mountains, tall, capped with cherry blossom trees, and sculpted by the hands of time himself. Flare had heard the legends of the aeromancers, the air mages, who lived atop the mountains and spent their days there amongst the sublime trees, and the geomancers, earth mages, who dwelled in the breathtaking valleys which would get covered in petals once the trees starting shedding their leaves. Pyromancers, like Flare, often lived near chains of volcanoes in hot, colorful cities. The air was cold here, and it was an abrupt change from the sunny, vibrant places she grew up. Zomancers, animal mages, lived in jungles and rainforests, places rich with wildlife, thriving with flora and fauna. Aquamancers, water mages, lived by the seas or oceans. By the lakes, marshes, and swamps was where the phytomancers, plant mages, resided. Cryomancers lived in icy, snowy, and cold areas. They were the ice mages. The chronomancers, time mages, often lived in abandoned houses and buildings made out of ancient, mossy stone. They kept to themselves a lot, but not as much as the necromancers, the death mages. They lived in damp, dark areas, in caves or crypts. The necromancers weren't seen much, which was why Flare was sure finding one wouldn't be an easy task. Most said there was only one necromancer left, or none at all. But she needed to find one. They were the only people that could help her.

Behind the mountains, dark storm clouds loomed ominously, approaching quickly. Flare closed her eyes and listened to the fire for a moment, to see if it would tell her anything.

Can you sense the rain? Air thick with humidity, ground trembling with thunder. Yes, it's going to rain, and very soon, the fire whispered. Not 30 seconds later water started pouring from the sky, in a heavy, steady downpour. The fire fizzled out, releasing a heavy burst of steam. It vanished quickly, and Flare was left with a pile of charred wood, her backpack, and Abby trying to seek shelter in her shirt.

"Come here, Abby," Flare whispered, gathering the struggling cat in her arms. Flare peeled off her raincoat and set it on the ground, where Abby promptly crawled into it and curled up. The rain went on, and night approached slowly, the darkness swallowing the horizon and the moon made hazy by the dark storm clouds.

Flare stole her raincoat back from Abby and used it to cover herself, leaving Abby to burrow inside Flare's backpack. She rested her head on her arm, knowing the mud was getting in her hair, but she didn't care. If she made it to a geomancer village like she planned to within the next day, hopefully they would offer her a warm shower.

***

When Flare woke up the next morning, the warm sun was in the sky once again, and signs of a storm had almost completely vanished. Flare sat up and stretched, her muscles aching and sore, her neck stiff from an uncomfortable sleep. After the storm ended, Abby had emerged from her shelter and was now sprawled out in the sun a few feet away, her mouth blue with the residue of berries which Flare now noticed were gone, the remaining stems in the open bag lying next to the cat.

"Abby!" Flare reprimanded, exasperated, and began to gather up what little remnants Abby had left behind. Abby startled awake, glanced at Flare, then began to lazily drift off again.

"I know you're sleepy, but we have a busy day today," Flare said. "We have a long way to go, so you'd better get moving."

Abby stood up and stretched, her tail quivering, then padded over to Flare's legs and wound herself around them. Flare scooped her up and Abby nestled into Flare's shoulder, her soft ears tickling Flare's chin. She kissed the cat's furry forehead and set her down.

Often, Flare wondered if Abby could understand her. Animals were very intelligent in Sarbor Akuot, the country in which Flare and many other mages made their home in. In the past, most countries had banished the mages for fear of their power and what they could do, so they fled to Sarbor Akuot. There, they had lived in harmony for as long as anyone could remember without intervention from other countries or the rule of a government, and luckily, most preferred to keep it that way. Her suspicion about Abby had never been confirmed, but she supposed she could find out if it was true or not if she met a zomancer. She had never met a zomancer, who could supposedly communicate with animals just like she could communicate with fire, although she would like to so that she could have them talk to Abby. However, where the zomancers lived was too far out of her way to make a detour. She needed to get to the geomancers, then aeromancers, then hopefully, through who-knows-what-else and beyond to the necromancers. Flare began her walk to the mountains, her heart fluttering in her chest. Abby minced along behind her, her steps short and quick. However, as she neared the mountains, she began to notice the canyon that sat in front of the mountains, acting as a barrier.

Canyons, rather, trenches, often contained trolls. In this region, Amazon Howlers. Luckily, violence wasn't their first response; they were among the smarter of the troll species. However, they were rumored to give impossible riddles, and if you didn't solve them, they would tear you to shreds. The only other rumor she heard was that you had to show confidence towards them. Otherwise, they would think less of you and most likely give you harder riddles.

Flare sat down, stunned. She didn't know if she could take on an Amazon Howler, mentally or physically. As she approached the canyons, she saw they were draped with vines and trees. And she began to hear noises, and she began to understand why they were called Howlers.

She neared the canyons and picked up Abby, holding her close enough to feel the cat's tiny heartbeat, and felt small compared to these ancient, wise, brutal beasts whom she had heard much about but had never encountered. She had no idea what to expect.

"So you wish to answer our riddles, girl?" A large voice said as soon as she kneeled at the edge of the canyon. Glancing around, she saw no source of the voice, so she simply spoke directly into the jungly abyss.

"I wish to pass," she responded. She heard a light chuckle and an enormous, furry creature, what she assumed was an Amazon Howler, crawled up from the darkness, latching it's spindly fingers onto the vines and pulling itself up. It vaguely resembled a monkey of some sort, but it was enormous and covered in wispy white fur, with bright red eyes and sharp fangs. It was soon followed by two more, smaller, but still enormous.

"We haven't had a meal in quite a while," the largest one sneered at her, and the other two cawed in amusement.

"Then it looks like you'll have to wait a little bit longer, because I intend on passing."

"Very well then," the largest Howler swung over to Flare and perched on a branch directly in front of her. The other two returned to the shadows where Flare could barely see them.

"Here is what will happen. I will give you three riddles. I will only say each riddle once. If you solve them, you will get a prize for each puzzle you guess and you may go on your way. You have as much time as you need to solve them, but you only have one guess. Do not speak unless it is your final answer. If you try to escape or sneak past, I will not hesitate to devour you. Do you agree?"

"Yes," Flare said.

"Good, because if you didn't, you would have been eaten," the creature smiled cruelly. "My name is Adarar, the great Amazon Howler of the Great Canyons. Who are you?"

"I am called Flare."

"That's a pyromancer name," he grumbled, amused. "What brings you to these parts?"

"I'm trying to find a necromancer."

"The necromancers are the most dangerous mages," Adarar warned. "I would advise you not to mess with them, unless you know exactly what you're doing."

"I know the risks," Flare said, narrowing her eyes. "How about we begin the riddles?"

"Surely," the Howler grinned evilly. "We'll start with an easy one. I have rivers that possess no fish and roads barren of people, I have deserts without heat and snowlands that aren't cold, I have mountains that have no height and canyons lacking depth. What am I?" he asked, his fangs curling into a twisted smile. Flare was silent as she thought.

"Take as much time as you need, Flare," Adarar spat her name and vanished into the depths of the canyon. Flare pondered the question. She was certain she had heard it before, but she doubted it; the Amazon Howlers were known for their obscure, challenging riddles.

After nearly half an hour, the sun's heat had intensified and Flare had put up her hood for shade. She was just starting to grow uncomfortable, and wasn't sure if she'd be able to get it when the answer popped into her head. She laughed aloud. Now that she had it, it seemed so obvious.

Adarar heard her laugh and crawled back up, reassuming his perch on the stump.

"What is the answer?"

"A map," Flare said, then stuck out her hands triumphantly. Adarar reluctantly deposited a map into them, glaring at her coldly.

"May I ask what the map is for?" she said, unfolding it and examining the worn lines on it.

"You may ask, but I shall not tell you. Are you ready for your second riddle?" the Howler asked, lacing his fingers together and staring at Flare like he was analyzing her. Uncomfortable under his ancient gaze, Flare scooted back a bit and nodded her head.

"What force and strength cannot get through, I, with a gentle touch, can do. And many in these twisted halls would stand if I were not, as a friend, at hand. What am I?" Adarar asked with an intimidating stare, and once again returned to the depths of the canyon.

Flare recited the riddle again a few times to burn it into her memory, then dug into her backpack to retrieve some water for Abby. She noticed her water supply was running low as she let a few droplets drip into the cap which Abby eagerly lapped up.

"Abby, do you know the answer?" Flare sighed. Abby simply stared and blinked. As Flare assumed, Abby did not, and if she did, she did not express her knowledge to Flare.

"So, it's something used gently that always works, whereas force may not. And many would remain in the halls if it were not there. Could it be a metaphor?" Flare muttered aloud, then clamped her mouth shut and hoped Adarar didn't hear.

Noon came and went, and the sun hung suspended in the sky. Flare guessed it was around 1 or 2, but she still hadn't figured out the riddle. She was dizzy, and tired, not having eaten or drank, and her brain felt foggy.

"A key," she exclaimed suddenly, and Adarar slithered up from the darkness.

"What is your answer?"

"A key," she sighed, relieved, and held out her hands. Adarar handed her a worn, copper key, weathered so that the intricate designs had almost faded away. Flare smiled and tucked it in a secure pocket in her backpack, along with the map.

"I suppose you won't tell me what the key unlocks, either?" she asked.

"I shan't. Are you prepared for your last riddle?" Adarar sneered.

"I am," Flare gulped.

"I never was, am always to be. No one ever saw me, nor ever will. And yet I am the confidence of all, to live and breathe on this terrestrial ball. What am I?" he said slowly, and disappeared for the final time.

Flare hadn't believed her luck so far, but this time it seemed her luck was about to end. She had never heard anything remotely similar to the riddle, and had no idea how she would wrap her brain around it. What could it mean?

Flare dumped out a tiny bit of her water and rubbed it on her face, hoping it would give a refreshing and invigorating effect. It didn't. Instead, it simply smeared the existing mud around her face. The day only seemed to be getting sunnier, so Flare tugged on her raincoat to protect her skin. Almost instantly, it felt better now that the heat was off it. She knew the pleasure was only momentary, though. The heat would return, from the inside, it always did. Luckily she was used to it, being a pyromancer and all.

Hours later, it was late afternoon and it was cooling down. Flare lay with her head on her backpack, thinking through the riddle for the umpteenth time.

"Tomorrow!" she shouted giddily. Adarar appeared on the tree stump.

"It's tomorrow!" she exclaimed again before Adarar could ask her. "But what's my reward, then?"

"Exactly that. Tomorrow. I am letting you live another day," the Howler explained. He looked resentful, but Flare also thought he held a little bit of a respect in his old eyes. "Grab onto my back."

Flare precariously walked on the log that led to where Adarar perched and grabbed onto his long white fur as soon as she was able. He swung across to the other side and let her off.

In front of Flare stood the most magnificent gates she had ever seen. They were gigantic in size, made out of golden wood and rocks and leaves. In large letters written above the gates with the sun reflecting off of them, she read Welcome to the Geomancer Kingdom.