Darkness enveloped me; the weight of the Rider's Council was pressing heavily upon my mind. From a young age, I was chosen to be a Rider for the Hall of Stars, something I always understood to be an important role. However, to my surprise, it did not mean growing up in princess gowns like a noble elite as I once believed. No, I had learned it meant I was sworn to protect and defend life from the terrors that stalked the shadows and ever-looming darkness throughout the realms. The responsibility was a burden I bore with honor, but it weighed heavily on my soul.

As I drifted into a deep sleep, my dreams carried me back to a memory of painful defeat. As I fell asleep, I began to feel an intense dull pain throughout my body. There was a deep stab wound that plunged upward into my chest from the left side of my rib cage. Suddenly, I realized I was lying all alone in a cold, dark cave. There I lay, broken and battered in the cold embrace of a small, isolated cave. My body, once strong and agile, was now rendered useless by broken bones and wounds cut deep into my flesh. The darkness of the cave seemed to seep into my very bones, sapping my strength and will to live. I must’ve been unconscious because when I awoke, the light was fading from the cave’s entrance. All that mattered was that I needed to get out of here. So, I used my strength and started to drag my body towards the entrance of the cave. Despite my desperate efforts, I knew that I’d die without anyone to help, so I called for help hopelessly.

"Please," I whispered through cracked lips, choking on the blood that filled my mouth. "Help me."

But there was no answer, only the echo of my voice bouncing off the cold stone walls. As I lay there, alone and defeated, the fickle hands of fate seemed to abandon me. A feeling I knew all too well.

My blood pooled around me, the metallic scent filling my nostrils and stinging my eyes. And as the shadows crept closer, threatening to swallow me whole, I couldn't help but wonder if this was truly the end. "Father," I murmured, reaching out to the ghost of the man who had shared my gift – the power to control time and space with me.

"Guide me," I begged, tears streaming down my cold, deathly pale face. "Show me the way."

Only mocking silence answered in the cold, unforgiving cave as my eyes slowly closed, only to find myself lying alone in an old cottage bed. My body still felt cold, and I could still feel the all-encompassing pain throughout my body. My hands felt the blood still oozing from the gash wound on my chest. This was not the first time I had awakened like this, plagued by the past; I accepted it as a cross I bore, a constant reminder of how close I had come to meeting death.

Now, I just needed to get my friend's attention. "Phoenix!" I gasped, my voice breaking through the silence with a desperate plea. In an instant, a young lady with fiery red curls dancing around her face like a halo of flames came to my side. She moved closer with such grace, like an angel in the night, her tiny feet barely making a sound on the creaky wooden baseboard. Her thin, flowing, lily-white nightgown draped over her gracefully, with her legs silhouetted underneath the fabric as the light of the lantern she was carrying cast a warm glow over her.

Her emerald eyes, alight with soft, attentive care, met mine as she knelt beside me. I was relieved to see Phoenix Barnes kneeling beside me. She was a fellow Rider, Hall of Fire. I knew she was capable of healing my wounds.

"Oh, my poor friend," she murmured, her soft, soothing English voice wrapped around me like a warm embrace, like a warm, heavy wool blanket. The day we met in the cave replayed in her mind. She remembered how she miraculously healed my wound that should’ve proved fatal if she hadn’t saved me, "You'll be alright. I've got you." She placed her hand on my chest, and I could feel her energy coursing through me, seeking out the source of my pain. Her warm healing touch felt like the warmth of the sun soaking into the earth on a spring day after a long, cold winter.

As Phoenix's warmth flowed over my injuries, I felt the searing pain subside, replaced by a tingling sensation that spread throughout my body. My breathing steadied, and for a moment, I allowed myself the comfort of feeling safe, as I had before.

"Thank you," I whispered roughly, my voice still hoarse but strong and filled with endless gratitude towards her skills and her selflessness.

"No need," Phoenix replied, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I'm just doing the best I can do."

I gave a little nod as the last remnants of pain dissolved into nothingness. With every passing moment, my vigor and strength surged back, coursing through my body. I knew what she meant by her words, saying this was the best she could do. Her words held a poignant truth: this was the extent of her abilities. She possessed the power to mend my wounds, but the curse that haunted my dreams was beyond her capabilities. I felt a terrible tug of guilt pull at my heart.