Pyra stirs in her dreams of ash and snow, awakening to a room washed out with a gray light. All the color seem to be a dull shade, and her mind is blessedly blank of the past hours. At least it only feels like hours since she collapsed on the street. She mentally shakes her head to stop that train of thought, tamping down the rage that smolders below the surface. That vile System had changed her, and sent her powers out of control to kill all those people. She would have her vengeance, but first she would try to make things better here. Glancing out of the window down the wall from her bed, she noticed the roiling clouds high above. There seemed to be a vast face looking down from the vortexes of the clouds.
"Well that's a questionable sight." Marshall says from the door leading into the room, and Pyra looks over to him with a curious look.
"Do you know what is causing it?" She asks with her usual neutral tone, causing Marshall to sigh loudly.
"I risk a jail break, track you across the town, manage to get past your guards, and not even a thank you?" He asks with a blank look. Pyra considers his words, but in the end they don't mean much considering the situation. Who would thank someone for the job they were supposed to be doing regardless.
"My question stands." She replies, pointing to the obviously unnaturally moving clouds in the sky, "My mana sight is clearly telling me that is magic, but you seem to recognize it." Marshall shrugs, but walks over to the corner where a oversized pack rests, and a smaller backpack.
"It's pretty common knowledge among the Beastkin," He responds, picking up both bags in his hands, "One of the most infamous outlaws in the Kingdom is the Shaman Remus, and he always makes a storm above towns he marches on. It's on the way to the new Holding, but in the wrong direction from where Remus is supposedly setup. So, perhaps the ash storm drew his attention. Though he would have had to been close already." Pyra looks hard out the window.
"If he wants to hurt people I wish to stay and defend them. I must still remove the tinder who call themselves people as well, and... and try to help those I hurt by mistake." Pyra says, her voice catching in the middle. A pang of regret for those lost that shouldn't have been. Marshall looks over at her with a speculative eye.
"Remus is well known for casting out humans, but he doesn't kill needlessly. The stories say it's because needless death is a human thing and he wants all of them gone, so I doubt anyone innocent will die." He says looking out the window again, "Of course it's hard to say what is true or not from stories, but we cannot stay here. I don't have the strength or levels to protect you from even a small group of guards. Though I guess you just need a distraction to immolate them..." He trails off when he sees Pyra's face.
"I have been changed, and my magic no longer works the way it used to. It is less than what my Mother gave me...." She says with a hard edge to her voice. "What do you know of the System?" Marshall blinks, that wasn't a question he expected. With a sigh he puts the packs back down, and falls into one of the chairs causing it to groan.
"What do you mean? Everyone has the System to show them their stats, level, and such.... Did you not have the System?!" He asks, his voice getting higher near the end. It would explain so much if she didn't and it would confirm her own story of being born from a dungeon. But what would it mean to not have the System in the first place?
"No, I used the words my Mother gave me, and the System came and changed me." Pyra says with heat, and a line of glowing red begins to travel up her hair, turning the green, swirling color to a charcoal black, "I will make it pay for these changes, this weakness I was given and the power taken from me." Marshall watched in interest and a touch of fear as her hair continued to change, the black color slowly lightening to ash gray after a few seconds. Giving her hair a gradient of ash gray to charcoal black, with a circle of blazing red-orange. There was also an aura of heat and power, without either really affecting him physically. Just an impression of great heat and power, and it confirmed his thoughts that her power was the source of the snow and ash storm. Suddenly a crack of thunder from outside drew their attention. The face was seemingly focused on the little window, and Marshall had a bad feeling that angry Pyra and her change had draw it's attention.
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"Alright, that's sad, but it's time to go!" He shouts, pulling the girl from the bed, and partly noticing that she was naked. Before throwing a heavy dress at her, "Put that on as we run, I don't know why the Shaman is interested, but it's a good idea to just go." His heart beat hard, feeling that he was trapped again, just like when he was squeezing between the rocks into the dungeon. Or, when he was hiding under the house in his village. He had to run and it felt like it was a very good idea that Pyra should go with him. Whether it was the intensity of his words or actions, she obeyed and slipped on dress as they stomped down the stairs. The young boy was cowering by the door, and Marshall realized that the fear must be a magical thing. Pyra went over to the boy, and showed an incredible amount of tenderness to the child. Enough to snap Marshall from his fear, so he only stood by the door while waiting for her to be done. She gave the boy something before heading over to the door, and heading outside without looking at Marshall. Her face was set into a look that sent chills down his back, her aura was still in place.
Pyra held her hands to the sky willing the rage within her into her hands and activating [Pyroblast], the skill from the System to replace her magic.
Skill List
Name Cost Description Ember Shaping Variable based on usage Control and shape both Fire and Cold. Flare Low Mana Release a wave of intense heat followed by extreme cold. Ash Storm High Mana Create a snow of searing ash while dropping the temperature. Pyroblast Moderate Mana Gather a mass of heat into a condensed ball of plasma then release it in a single direction. It explodes upon contact or after traveling 50 feet. Elemental Shift Free Transform into your full elemental form. Gaining physical damage immunity, and high magic weakness, except for Fire and Cold. Red Imperial Aura Free Anyone within a limited distance from you feels the need to bow and obey. Those that have ill intentions will be burned upon entering the area of effect. Dragon's Breath Extreme Mana Concentrate and release an beam of Dragon's Fire.
The air twists around her hands before forming a sphere of light and crackling heat before speeding into the sky, and exploding into the center of the face in the clouds. Marshall is both impressed and confused.
"You know that isn't Remus right?!" He shouts over the whine in his ears. Pyra looks over at him, eyes still full of anger, but nods.
"It was a distraction so we can get out of the city. Since it is likely some kind of scrying magic." She says, though Marshall points at his ears and shakes his head. Growling she gestures for him to lead the way. Marshall takes the lead and heads towards the North Gate since that should be the farthest away from the Shaman, and the direction he intended them to take from the beginning. He wanted to be as far from the south lands as he could get. Buildings blurred by as they travelled, and Marshall was surprised to see Pyra actually looking winded and tired. To the point they had to stop for a rest right near the gate.
"Another gift of the System?" He asked, gesturing at her. Her eyes flashed with more anger, causing the red circle to blaze like a fiery crown.
"I told you it took my Mother's gifts from me." She snaps at him. The impression of heat intensified to the point he almost felt a burning on his skin.
"Alright, well I can carry you out the gate." He starts, before she holds up a hand.
"You are already carrying all our belongings, and I can still walk by myself. If something happens I will fight rather than be carried unneeded." She replies, her anger cooling slightly.
"Words that I can respect." An old yet strong voice calls to them from near the gate. Both look over to see an owl Beastkin with brown and gray feathers framing his face and eyes. Eyes that seemed huge in his head ringed with golden and green light. Marshall suddenly wondered why he was so worried, and even put on a smile before taking a step towards the man. Pyra put a hand on his shoulder, and a searing pain cleared his thoughts.
"Remus I take it," Pyra asks, her voice almost cold.
"Yes, and I see my magic was right that something new was here..." He began, but was cut off as Pyra released [Flare] at him.