21/06/337

Liz

It took a long time for the guard to leave Liz alone but she didn’t mind, it gave her time to digest the, shit flavored food, that way it wouldn’t come back up when she began to run out of this hellhole.

Quickly unlocking the cell Liz looked down the stone hallway, she reasoned that since the guards always made their rounds coming and going from the left that she would go right to avoid an early detection. She sprinted down the hall and only found more and more halls. Everything looked the same to her, there were no markers to tell her where she was just more and more halls going in the same four directions.

Liz felt upon her link to Erefus, nothing came back, it was like feeling for something in a thick fog, knowing there was supposed to be something there and finding nothing but air. Trying not to feel too discouraged Liz continued running straight. She’d have to come to the wall of the structure sooner or later.

After a long time of going straight she found a hall that led to three different directions, straight ahead of her was a wall, she had found the edge. She couldn’t decide which way would lead to where, or how large the structure was. Not knowing where to go she decided to go left, hoping she’d eventually find an exit. She heard yelling in the distance, seems they went to her cell earlier than she had expected. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, which wasn’t very fast in her current state. Praying to whatever deity was listening she continued in one direction hoping she would find the exit out of there.

21/06/337

Audra

Audra floated endlessly, the tree within her soul nowhere in sight. Magic flowed freely through her body, the satisfaction of taking a deep breath of air ran through her body endlessly. The water had become deeper and the coolness of it felt more and more inviting the longer she floated in it. It felt like her and the lake were one in the same, every movement she made she could feel the disturbance in the depths of her senses.

“This is mine.” She said to herself, as if to reinforce why everything felt so natural. She sat up and began to tread the water, she held her breath and dived down. She could feel the disturbance in the lake as she swam, along with another humanoid shape somewhere in the distance.

The water wrapped around her and pushed her down towards the bottom. She planted her feet and looked up. She saw that the lake was at least twenty meters deep, she pushed off the bottom and began to swim upwards, the water listening to her every will.

Hitting the surface Audra took in a deep breath of air. That’s when she felt the other human coming up towards her. Lusalene burst through the surface, like a shark launching it’s prey into the air, before landing on her feet, as if the water had become as shallow as it had once been.

“It’s nice isn’t it?” Lusalene asked. “Having so much magic running through your fingertips. We can both thank Nuul for that.”

“Nuul is your father right, what was he like?” Audra asked.

“Not like any father you’ll ever hear of, he was quick to throw me to the front lines. I was simply created then forced as the spearhead of the war. All memories I may have had outside of battle were all erased.” Lusalene claimed, sitting in the shallow water.

“So you were more or less just a soldier all of your life.” Audra said. Lusalene nodded.

“Yeah, I was. I had hoped after I defeated Noelem and won the war I could start a life I had seen all the people having. I wanted to know what it was like to be...normal. But we both know that it didn’t work out that way.” Lusalene laid down in the water just as Audra had been earlier, “It’s nice to see how you live your life. Not having to worry about war...yet.”

Audra pulled herself out of the water, the lake becoming shallow once again, allowing her to stand.

Audra walked next to Lusalene as she floated in the water.

“I have a question.” Audra said, breaking the silence.

“What is it?” Lusalene asked.

“Boreal...was he…” Audra began.

“Boreal? He was a friend, a good friend at that. But if your insinuating that we were a couple, no. Hard pass for me. I’d fuck Faust before I cuddle up to Boreal.” The mental imagery of Lusalene with a giant demonic sea serpent quickly appeared in her mind, and she quickly pushed it back out. Lusalene gave a chuckle at Audra’s face.

“Was Boreal really that bad?” Audra asked.

“When I met him he thought he was the top dog of the world. Still probably thinks that now, I wonder how he died.”

“He’s dead? I thought he’d still be alive right now...wait how do you know he died?”

Lusalene gave Audra a bland look that seemed to ask ‘Are you joking?’

“Seriously?” She stopped laying in the water and pulled herself out of the lake to stand in front of Audra, “I hate that your taller,” She mumbled, “Yes he died. You saw it for yourself. Boreal is Vasuki’s Ascender.” Audra was astounded then remembered her vision blurring, Boreal was there for a second only for Vasuki to take his place. Lusalene continued to complain.

“And for the second lifetime, I’m stuck with that buffoon, it’s not nearly as bad when it’s through Vasuki, but what are the fucking odds that the person that will practically replace me in history getting hit on by the person that will replace the guy that hit on me!” That took Audra back a bit.

“Vasuki’s hitting on me?” She asked. Lusalene appeared astounded.

“ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?!” Audra backed up as Lusalene shouted and put her hands to her face.

“It’s so obvious, Audra! He’s always finding ways to hold on to you, the scale touching? You think that was an accident? The compliments, him checking you out? Hello! Anyone home?!” Lusalene said waving her hand in front of Audra’s face.

“I don’t think it’s like that.” Audra claimed.

“Are you blind? I gave you truesight and you still can’t see the tip of your nose!” Lusalene exclaimed. “Go practice on your magic, before I smack you harder than I did Vasuki!” She ordered out of frustration.

Audra held the water in the air, gallons upon gallons of water floated above her, slowly freezing and liquefying every repetition, pushing her limits to do it and not let it fall on top of her. She kept doing this until she felt the world beginning to spin around her, her legs were wobbling underneath, threatening to crumble from the energy being drained from her. Her hair was matted with a mixture of water and sweat, both of which dripped down her cheeks.

“Ten more.” Lusalene ordered, “I won’t let it land on you.” She added. Audra swallowed against her sore throat.

Freeze, inhale. Liquefy, exhale. She could do this, she had to do this. One...two...three. The world became heavy, her left knee dropped, some of the water escaped her control, Lusalene commanded it above her and tossed it to the side. Four...Five, she gasped for air, the water was so so heavy. Six...Six and a half...Seven. She dropped to the lake below her, she waited for the water to hit her on the back but heard it land in the lake somewhere in the distance.

“You did good Audra. But you’ll have to do better than that.” Lusalene claimed.

“If this...is my soul, how does magic work in here?” Audra questioned, out of breath.

“It’s actually draining your magic, it works exactly like it does in the outside world. Did you think it was endless because it feels free-er?” Lusalene asked sarcastically.

Audra laid in the lake for what felt like hours, she felt more exhausted than she usually did. Her eyes began to flutter shut. She felt ripples from the water brush against her.

“Seems you’re getting called back. But you’re not better yet, you still got a day or so of rest you need to get before you recover.” Lusalene claimed.

“And what happens after that?” Audra asked.

“Then we stop playing games, your real training will begin.” She replied.

“Fuck.” Audra sighed, falling into slumber. She wasn’t sure how sleeping in her soul worked or how any of this whole Ascension thing was done. She did know that she was sick and tired of it though.

Her eyes opened slowly, the setting sun shone through a window. She was alone in an unfamiliar room in a large queen sized bed. She tried to sit up but couldn’t find the strength to do so, her head throbbed and every muscle trembled from fatigue.

“Vasuki?” Audra mumbled, the body she had in her soul was strong, her physical one felt like it had been run over by herd of galloping horses.

“Vasuki?” She said, just a bit louder, almost as loud as someone speaking. She heard footsteps behind the door in front of the bed, Vasuki burst through it.

“Audra!” He said sitting on the other side of the bed. “Are you okay?” Audra weakly lifted her hand.

“I’m fine, just...so so tired.” She turned her head to look at him. “Where are we?”

“We’re in the Rising Bull Inn, Cabana’s here too, she’s paying for our stay. Daren told us to take our time, and if we need anything to let him know.” Vasuki explained.

“Food and water?” Audra asked weakly. He nodded his head and opened a small box that was sitting in the corner of the room. It was made of wood and adorned with runes that gave off a cold blue aura.

Vasuki produced a sandwich and a waterskin from the box and handed it to her, they were both somewhat cold.

“Thank you.” Audra replied before taking a long gulp of cold water, enjoying the pleasure of the cold liquid soothing her sore throat.

“Don’t mention it, just take your time, I’ll make sure to thank Cabana for you, you know for bringing that thing.” Vasuki claimed gesturing towards the wooden box.

Audra, recovering some of her strength, ate and listened to Vasuki as he explained what was going on, how Cabana had made it to Daemerall that afternoon. Noelem was helping them hide in Daemerall. How Cabana had killed Felix in Nevenal. How–

“What!?” She yelled, coughing and choking on her food, Vasuki patted her back.

“I was shocked too. Something about Felix keeps him alive, no matter how many times he’s killed.” Vasuki explained. “Said he was the only Phoenix Variant known to exist. So he’ll only keep coming back.”

“He was the one that saved Kiaveen, he was the one that saved me. It feels wrong to turn my back on him, but I’m not going to do something that I don’t want to do. Kind of hard to keep going on with this, knowing he’s immortal.” Audra explained.

“The Storm, that’s what he wants us for. Because he can see that we can Ascend, but why us? I’m sure there are hundreds of people like us.” Vasuki assumed.

“How are we going to fight against something that can’t die, will he just come after us until we give in?” Audra took a gulp of water before realization struck her, “Are we...wanted? Because we ran from Felix? Because Cabana fought him? We’re wanted aren’t we?” Vasuki shook his head.

“Cabana told me that we’re not criminals, but we will be hunted down and forced to join the Royal Knights.” He said.

Vasuki readjusted himself on the bed.

“Did we sleep in the same bed?” Audra asked. Vasuki’s face turned red.

“Yeah, you had a large portion of the bed. I kept my distance don't worry. Daren reserved a room for two, but I think he thinks we’re a couple.” Vasuki pointed out.

“Oh about that. Lusalene said something weird to me.” Audra started. “Said you were hitting on me.” She said.

“No no no, I’m not interested like that. You’re just a friend of mine, that’s all. Nothing more, nothing less. You’re my best friend, I’m not interested like that all, she’s just talking nonsense.” Vasuki said standing up and heading to the bathroom. Audra had a smug smile on. “Told you Lulu.” Audra thought as she took another long gulp of the waterskin.