Riley twirled a curl of red distractedly round her finger as she surveyed the sky. Pinks and oranges spread like watercolor across the wispy clouds. The golden sun peered halfway above the water, tempting her to come away with him. Waves lapped hungrily at the shore, pulling toward her bare feet, then receding into the sun's light.
Her red lips puckered. She longed to follow the sun but was afraid of getting burned again. The first time was from a star. Too bright and racy for her gentle personality to keep up with. It left her behind in a burst of sizzling flame, never to be seen again. Riley had cried for days and refused to leave the beach after dark.
Come awayyy,
the frothing waves hissed. Riley stepped back from them and shook her head. Not this time. Not again. The rejection left a scar upon her heart and singed feet. Its cough of sparks had marred her perfect complexion, and mirrors were avidly avoided lest they remind her of the pain.
She twirled another lock, deep in thought. The sun slipped out of sight, casting the sky above in a vengeful scarlet. Riley knew he would not give up so easily. Stars had the advantage of night and the moon, yet it was the sun who controlled the skies, comfort, and warmth, and worked alongside Luna to control her beckoning waves.
Every night as he sank further into the sea, the moon lured sweet souls into his brilliant embrace until they were consumed completely. "Sol Fever" they called it. Some said it burned like a thousand tongues of flame; others claimed it to be painful yet regenerating. These were the ones who bore permanent scars. Much like what the star had done to her.
If a comet could do such damage, imagine what the Morning Star might be capable of?
A tingle raced down Riley's spine and she shivered. The warmth disappeared with the sunlight and bumps spread rapidly along her exposed skin. Hugging herself, the redhead turned and walked slowly back up the beach, the sounds of urgent whispers hissing behind her.
The logs were deserted. Driftwood wasn't the best home for a nymph, but at least two or three resided comfortably among them. As Riley stepped through the abandoned haven, she noticed something strange. Something about the texture of the wood wasn't right. Black shards of the likes she'd never seen scarred the bark where smooth ripples were supposed to be.
Fear mixing with fascination, she brushed it with her hand, admiring this new texture and wondering what might've created it. Was this why the other nymphs had fled?
Thankfully her normal place in the crook of a particularly large log was untouched. Riley pondered this odd phenomena as she smoothed the sand around her and curled up to sleep. Slumber had barely opened his mouth when a sensation invaded her mind.
Riley rolled over and squinted into the star-lit darkness. Nothing tangible lurked about, but something else, some sort of presence, stood not far off. The hairs on her neck prickled. Her stomach dropped lurchingly when a driftwood's shadow moved. Rubbing both eyes did nothing to rid her vision of the specter. It glided from the shadows until it floated right in front of her.
Then, astonishingly, the darkness of it melted into a brilliant golden light that began to ebb and grow. It pulsated pure energy, pumping, pumping, the light intensifying until Riley was forced to look away with a loud cry.
"Please, what are you?!"
RRRRRrrrrrhmmmm.
She jumped at the thunderous thrum of energy. The blood drained from her already pale cheeks as the face of a man slowly materialized amidst the burning power. Eyes wide, she took in the serious gaze, the strong nose, the defined jawline. Stubble that better resembled baby flames at a child's campfire lit the full lips and proud chin. The brilliance pulsed again and more features emerged from this mass of light.
Arms stretched forth, defined and muscled. Strong wrists attached to large, capable hands. Thick thighs. A ribbed torso, wide shoulders, hair.
Gradually, the glow began to dim until all that remained was a tall, extremely handsome yet fearsome god. Her hand clenched a fistful of sand and she realized she'd fallen sometime during the transformation.
The colors of fire ebbed from his skin and she immediately knew who this was.
Impossible.
Sol responded before she could find her voice. A rumble of raw power blended with the searing heat of the sun.
"You are surprised."
Riley opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened and shut it again. Heat flooded her cheeks as she knew she must resemble a fish gaping for water. No matter what she tried, the words refused to form. This god-man smiled dazzlingly.
"Ah, because it is night. Who do you think gives light to the stars?"
Riley blanched. He gave a deep, booming laugh. It flung her backwards against the logs from sheer force. Wincing, she blinked, the binding spell seeming to shatter from the impact. Her voice was small and shaking.
"I-I never considered that."
"Of course you didn't. You don't consider the Sun at all."
Riley winced again, but from a different hurt.
