Myne stormed down to the front of the ruins. It seemed to be a trend these days, her time with Velvet being broken by outside events. She wanted to treasure it as much as she could, as one never knew what the future held for them, but fate always seemed to want to intervene. It was to be expected she guessed, given the scope of what they were caught up in and the changes that they had already endured, but even so was it too much to ask for even a days peace? At least she wasn’t hungry at the moment, her head clear and focused on the current situation. She wasn’t worried about what Velvet was going to face, as she had grown a lot in a short space of time, and was more than capable. As long as she realized that she was. And Ashling would let her know if anything was amiss anyways. He’d become quite talkative with her over the time that Velvet was away.
Ruby was already waiting in the antechamber for Myne, Alice standing with her.
“Cammine is waking the others, and bringing them here,” Ruby answered as Myne walked in. “Alice was already here.”
Alice smiled innocently, then looked serious. “The initial traps will slow them a bit, the following ones are a bit more volatile. The large one triggers at eight with a slight delay. After that, it all up to you. The area at the foot of the stairs is clear.”
“Can you do anything about the damage the Academia de Magica is taking?” Myne asked.
Alice shook her head. “I think it’s time is finally up.”
The scene outside the ruins was eerily familiar. Myne could faintly see the magic lines of Alice’s traps on the ground in the small clearing by the entrance, spreading out into the depths of the forest, and floating all around were numerous wisps in their dormant state, their colours right across the spectrum. The last time she had seen this many was at the Southern Temple, and while she hadn’t thought about it then, she was actually impressed at how many had been summoned both then and now. They were a minor familiar that fire aspected Casters were able to summon in very small numbers, though they never lasted long, and took some effort to form. Their use was also questionable in most circumstances, but here they were a perfect fit.
Howls of annoyance emanated from the forest as the last of the bird life made its winged escape. Alice had been busy it seemed, and the demons were having some difficulty approaching. Myne’s sensing confirmed this, their progress much slower than she had seen thus far. The first of the demons eventually appeared through the trees directly bordering the ruins as Myne & Ruby finished descending the outer stairs, vines and branches stuck all over it. It paused ever so briefly, glancing around, before its howled, eyes glowing brightly as it charged forward, lopping across the clearing. The wards glowed brightly to its presence, and Myne could feel magic moving within the ward, but nothing else happened.
“We’re going to need to pull enough of them into it,” Ruby observed.
Myne nodded, reinforcing herself with her magic, flames dancing around her horns. “Let’s do this.”
She stepped onto the ward as the demon made straight for her, the glow unchanging as she did so.
“Good. It’s specialized,” she noted quietly.
She pulled flames to her fist as the demon closed in, wings of flame unfurling as she counter charged into it, catching it by surprise and punching it solidly in the face before it had the chance to swing its poison coated claws at her. It tumbled back into a purple wisp, arcs of lightning temporarily stunning it as the wisp exploded, shards of energy flying out around it and causing the nearby wisps to vibrate. Ruby reacted to Myne’s unspoken plan, charging in past her, laying into the demon as three more appeared.
Myne smiled in anticipation, the desire for combat slowly awakening up in her. She’d been noticing it more and more of late, the need to fight and challenge herself. It was a drive inherent to her magic, to the Hellfire. It demanded to be used, drove her to use it. The more she used her magic, the stronger the pull became. Just like her hunger, Velvet’s blood also sedated the desire somewhat, but right here, right now, the challenge that she was facing was bringing it to the surface, strong and euphoric. She charged at the demons, feinting and taunting them, baiting them into the wisps which exploded upon contact, irritating and disorientating them as Ruby followed by behind, darting around them with her halberd. Slicing, taunting, and herding them some more. They weren’t trying to kill this lot. They just needed to hold them in the area long enough for the number to reach critical mass, their bond allowing them to work together just like a highly synced rider and familiar.
Guttural howls announced the arrival of another three just off to one side, the wolf like demons charging straight in, heedless of what was going on. Small explosions shook the air, the newcomers being thrown back by lesser traps laid out around the larger one. It didn’t do them a lot of damage, but that wasn’t their point. Delaying tactics set by Alice. Their screams tore the air as they picked themselves back up from within the trees, and rushed back in, choosing a slightly different path. Only to be thrown back again by a new trap. By the time that group finally managed to avoid Alice’s traps and make it into the central area two more had appeared from where the initial one had come from, the lupine demons streaking straight out of the trees.
‘Now!’
Myne flew straight to Ruby and the ward grew blindingly bright, grabbing her and then flying straight up. The ensuing explosion was more powerful and larger than she had expected, and she wasn’t quite quick enough, the ruins shuddering in response. Flames rolled under them, waves of intense heat throwing Myne off balance and causing her to lose her grip on Ruby as it tossed them in opposite directions. Myne smashed into a smoking tree on the far side of what remained of the clearing, sliding down it and landing with a thud. The smell of burnt flesh was strong in the air, flames still licking the ground. The three demons at the centre had been incinerated and nothing remained. The remainder were still alive, if you could call it that, but were struggling to stand. The power of the trap was both awe inspiring and terrifying, but given what Alice had inherited not surprising. Instructing Ruby to make sure that they did not rise, Myne turned to face the forest from which the rest would come. Nine down, three to go from the first batch.
Rising into the air, she sensed the area again, pinpointing the remaining demons. Typical. The rest of the first lot were sticking together in a group of three, the remaining dozen split into four even groups. Their normal tactics wouldn’t work here. Whoever was commanding this lot wasn’t stupid. It was finally time to get serious, and release the restraints she had imposed on herself, something that she hadn’t let herself do before, as she rightly feared the consequences. But now the time felt right. Ruby would be able to take care of herself, as the bond they shared would give her warning if needed.
Myne relaxed, letting her magic flow freely within her and without, giving in to it’s desire that she usually fought to keep restrained as it built up. The rush of battle, the taste of blood and the need to conquer flooded her mind. It wanted to fight. She wanted to fight, needed to fight, needed to feed, and She Would Win. Her magic rushed around her, intensifying to the deepest hue of black, and wreathing her entirely. She was reinforcing herself with her magic, but more than just the normal buffs that Riders and Ferals naturally used. She was letting herself become her magic. Become the Hellfire, avatar of Destruction. Her vision went red, her focus entirely on the three demons closest to her. Then she plummeted straight into their midst.
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Hellfire slammed into the leftmost demon, bones breaking in a sickening crunch as the ground around it cracked and gave way, a pulse of flame flying outwards, searing the surrounding area. The middle demon reacted, lunging towards her to find that she was no longer there. Hellfire appeared behind the rightmost demon, fists slamming into it, once, twice, three times, each blow sending a shockwave of flames out from it, tearing through the trees, eating everything in its path. The demon staggered back, then collapsed, unable to move any more. The middle demon spun around, swinging wildly, fear clawing at its soul, a previously unknown emotion to it. The attack was halted suddenly as she appeared directly in front of it, hands laying on its temples, an intense flame ripping through it like the Demon King had once done to her, it’s lifeless body then toppling to the ground. The first demon picked itself back up, limping badly as it approached her, its eye wind in berserker fury, it’s current state of no concern to it. It howled to its brethren as it charged her, the magic of its master flowing into it, causing it to shift form as it bones became its new weapons.
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Hellfire grinned, a hundred small flames appearing in the air around her, coalescing in front of her into a wall as the demon reached her, bones charring as the demon slammed to a halt. It tried to make it’s way around the small barrier, frustration echoing in its snarling as it moved with it. Hellfire sniggered, the flames separating as she slammed her fists into it, flames searing its wounds as it was thrown through trees, the following shockwave shattering its bones again. It howled, trying to rise as a halberd impaled it from above.
Trees parted at the edge of the fresh clearing, as the next group of demons emerged, three in all, led by one demon twice the size of the others. Multiple limbed, a Chimera of man, beast and bird, covered by thousands of needles and wielding blade and flame, the Alpha of the group howled, the air around the demons shimmering in response as the ground bubbled.
Hellfire shrugged.
Wings unfurled, she charged the group, flames boosting her speed, slamming into the outermost one, trees splintering again as it flew from the group, the following shockwave consuming everything both before and after it. The Alpha battered away her flame wall as she twisted out of its reach, wings keeping her aloft. Forming spikes of intense flame, she drove them through the next demon and into the ground, pinning him down temporarily, her following blows sending it to its knees, the Alpha dodging the initial shockwave and then bearing the brunt of the following ones, grunting in displeasure as his hide smoked. She dodged the Alpha’s flames, deflecting his blades that followed, flaming blood splattering the ground as another hundred dancing flames slowly appeared around them, following their movement and forming circles, each flame a distinct shape.
“Die.”
Hellfire suddenly flew up and back from the Alpha, the air becoming heated and dense. It tried to chase after her, but its fate was already sealed. An intense pillar of pure black flames erupted from the ground, bounded by the dancing flames, completely engulfing the Alpha. Nothing remained as it died away.
Hellfire then stood, hundreds of impatient little flames dancing in the air around her. She was hungry and only just getting warmed up. The next pack would not be far off, so why not go and meet them...
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Myne stood, exhausted, and surveyed the area around her. The ground was charred black, void of any life, forming a fresh clearing more than rivalling the size of the ruins itself, with black flames still licking at the edges. The remains of a dozen demons littered the area, Ruby systematically ensuring that each was indeed dead. Ruby’s armour was cracked and singed, and physically she looked worse for the wear, though her demeanour was saying otherwise. Even with their bond, it looked like Ruby had still suffered the side effects of Myne’s fighting. Ruby would recover easily enough, a good drink and Cammine’s attention would do wonders. Myne recalled the remaining flames to her, letting them dance in her palm before sending them off. There was beauty in her power. And absolute destruction.
It was also indiscriminate and excessive. There was a time and a place for everything, but she wouldn’t be doing that again in a hurry without good cause.
She was also now very very hungry. The power took its toll.
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We have a problem.
That we do.
The Kingdom of Avaraline is screwed, not matter what we do.
Laphir’s fears have become well founded. He’s been muttering about it for years. But is the rot now so deep that there’s no hope? Are they so blinded by the power?
You heard them. They tell the truth too. I underestimated Zorthac, and his Masks as well. Severely. His capabilities are far beyond what I had imagined.
You were very limited in what you were able to achieve. It’s not your fault. In the end the Kingdom itself has to carry the blame for its actions. It is the path they have chosen. But could we have even stopped it from happening?
There was more that I could have done, if I had been more aware.
Regrets don’t suit you. We need to focus on the now and future, not the could have been.
Heh. That you’re right. But lessons can be learnt.
It just makes our task at hand all the more important, if somewhat harder, especially given how we will be viewed. While they are still part of the kingdom, the innocent should not have to pay the cost.
Who is innocent in the end? The ignorant are just as guilty, as are those who chose not to get involved or take a stand.
True. But we have to act. With power comes responsibility after all. The consequences will be far reaching either way.
It isn’t going to be as easy as that though. Even in a perfect world the ‘how’ would be monumental, and we are so far from that it isn’t funny. In the best case scenario the kingdom is likely to tear itself apart if we remove the head, and if we don’t then eventually the others will fall as well.
The surgical approach isn’t going to be viable is it?
No. It’s too far spread. Too many have tasted power. We’d have to be the sole judge and jury. That is a massive burden to bear, even for us, and we aren’t really suited to it. Nor can we afford to take that many lives. It’d be more a case of removing the cause and the worse of it, and letting the kingdom itself handle the rest of it, if it is still capable of doing so.
They’re going to hate us, aren’t they. Even though it’s what needs to be done.
Some will, some won’t. It depends on if they see the truth of it, once the shroud has been removed.
And what they choose to believe, What they want to see.
Yes.
Voids will be made, ones that can’t be left. We’ll need to find the right people to to fill them. Those who haven’t been blinded.
It’s going to take a lot of time to hand pick them. If such even still exist.
We’ll need to though won’t we? It’s going to take a special lot to turn things around.
That is the unfortunate truth of it. Even then we could make a mistake in those choices, which would undo everything. We’re not infallible. We’re not gods, all knowing. And that’s why the kingdom is screwed, that it got to this point in the first place. It is going to be a monumental task at the very least, even with our current direction. If achievable at all. And it’ll never be finished either. It’d almost be easier just to start again from the very beginning.
Which isn’t really an option. An invasion wouldn’t do us any favours either. It’ll be just like before then, at the forming of the kingdoms. It could even fail.
I know. All too well. But that much harder this time round. In the end though, I have committed myself to this path, and I don’t intend to stray from it.
We won’t be alone this time.
That we won’t, but the others will also have their own lives to lead, and fates to fulfil. They won’t always be with us.
I know. I’m going to miss them.
We both.
The Riders are going to be the biggest problem for the kingdom. Or more accurately, the lack there of.
That, or a mass uprising, which is also a possibility. But the Rider issue is a certainty.
I’m still shocked at the sheer numbers involved, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t reflected in other kingdoms as well. They’re well outside our capabilities to deal with, whether or not we manage to locate Lady Knight Sylph.
Amber’s betrayal was a shock, and unfortunate. Things would have gone much differently otherwise. At least Ruby is still with us. We do need Sylph, though I fear she may have fled to another kingdom, which if it is the case will present a new bundle of worries. They would act, they couldn’t afford not too. But the risk to them as well is massive. The best solution is actually for Velvet to take over the Clan, but...
But you don’t see that happening, do you?
No. Not yet anyways. It just doesn’t seem to fit, for some reason. Call it a gut feeling.
I don’t see it either. We might have some more success with the Guilds however. There is also the issue of the throne. Is there any truth to Melody’s little ballad?
I don’t think there is, but that isn’t to say that we can’t make it become true. First though, we need to deal with the wedding situation. There is more to it than meets the eye, and even now I have the feeling that we are already too late, especially with what has already happened. The Demon King has been up to something, and his openness about his current plan makes me think that he is highly confident about his ability to succeed.
On that I agree.
The fit of all of this with the dream seems... off though.
Interpretations are always subjective. It’s the nature of the magic.
True.
Alice stood up and stretched, having finished the last of her meal. She had always enjoyed eating on the top level of the ruins, but the view was so different now. Times ahead were going to be very busy. Though that in itself was an understatement.