Bulletin #10 - The Fire Unquenched - NoQu 2025

NoQu 2025

Day 30

Total Words: 49,999 Words

Chapter 10: The Fire Unquenched

 "…they only saw mist and flame and fire rising from the spot, and when these had passed, there stood…"

—The Brothers Grimm, "The Juniper Tree

The rest of the island was thickly wooded, like the hill you'd started on weeks ago. The sun had come back again, the centaurs had dared set hoof back outside, and you had taken your leave. Now mapless, you feel even more lost, blank paper such as it was. You wander in circles for who know how long and finally sit to rest. "Somehow that darn phoenix ought to show up. I have his trinkets. I've learned his lessons. I am QUITE ready to go home!" You slump with a huff of defeat. All these trinkets— for what? You pull them out one by one to look at them, hoping if they were set up right, maybe they would somehow summon the phoenix.

"It's hopeless!" You mutter bitterly. No matter how magical these tokens were, they weren't doing a lick of help for you. If only someone knew where you were supposed to be and could tell you.

Prompt: "Are you ready to go home?"

Your gaze lingers on the tokens, and a quiet memory stirs: the very first token was an Elfin Help-Whistle. You weren't sure how it worked, but but this point you were desperate for anything. You snatched it up and blew it shrilly.

Out of nowhere, an elf appears: the same one who helped you in Luvothien.

"Please help!" You plead. "I just want to go home and I don't know how to bring the phoenix back!"

He smiles and beckons you to follow him. "The Phoenix Ruins are at the very top of the island. Legend says he comes at midnight."

It's sunset now. Midnight is a long ways away. The ruins, however, are almost just as far away. You find yourself very grateful that the elf has night vision as you traverse the calm woods.

Ambiance: Enchanted Island 

At last, as the bright full moon reaches its zenith, you step foot in the ruin courtyard.

"I can do no more, but it will be enough," says the elf as fire springs around the walls of the ruins.

You turn back to him. "Thank you," you say, as he disappears into thin air.

You turn back towards the heart of the ruins, and there in the moonlight sits a white bird with eyes of swirling colors.

"Hello again, my Herald. You have completed the tasks required to continue the protection of this land and rekindle my fire to its fullest power. Are you ready to go home?"

"More than ready!"

The phoenix bobs his head towards an altar. "Place the tokens here in a circle."

Dare: Attempt to write 300 words in 3 minutes 3 times.

He flies over to the tokens and curls among them as in a nest. You blink, and he catches on fire with such fury you have to stagger back. As quickly as it came, it leaves again, nothing to say for it but a pile of ash in the moonlight.

A gentle breeze blows the ashes into a swirl, and it begins to glow. The fully realized phoenix breaks out of the sparks, majestic and covered from beak to tail in flowing pink and blue flames. He raises his wings, and a white archway appears behind him.

"Thank you. For everything. Even though I hated it sometimes."

"There are yet more lessons in your world to learn, and you will not love all of them. They await you eagerly. Go."

You smile and shift your weight slowly forward. You can't believe it. Home is right there! You spring forward through the white.

You're finally home.

Question: What lesson has your writing taught you this November?

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