– … –

~ Within an pitch black void ~

“FoH. In the absence of FoR, take over his role.” A figure shrouded in a white cloak said, walking upon the empty space within the void.

“And you shall take over FoL’s.” A figure shrouded within a red cloak replied, walking past the one in white.

The one in white paused.

“This, will work. FoH. Trust him. Trust her. Trust us. Recall the freedom we had, years ago.”

The one in red continued to walk away – the one in white’s words seemingly falling on deaf ears.

– Aeryn –

“Dinevar is near, make sure you are ready at a moment’s notice!” Lily yelled from atop the central watchtower, a crowd of guards dressed in gleaming silver below.

A clink of metal and the guards saluted, then dispersed to prepare for anything that may come.

Lily backed away from the edge of the tower, walking down the quiet staircase slowly. Lost within her concerned mind.

I withdrew from the inn’s open window, and flopped onto the soft mattress below.

Lily was really good at her job, when she spoke.. you’d feel inspired, but not overly praised.

‘Dinevar… hey..?’ Thoughts of the unfamiliar nation swarmed my mind as I surrendered control over the body to Lewis, and sunk back into my own mind.

– Lewis –

Its tongues leapt erratically between the bones of the once proud hall I was trapped within, eagerly succumbing its primal nature of growth as it rapidly consumed the rest of the walls. The piercing ringing that was plaguing my hearing faded and the pain of finding myself within a burning building quietened as my body filled with adrenaline. Using a chunk of fallen wood, I ripped a messy chunk of my shirt off and wrapped it around my head, slightly alleviating the terror of suffocating – like I was attempting to breathe underwater, only ending up swallowing water.

Escape.

The notion of it dominated my mind.

I had awoken to the sulfuric stench of smoke invading my nose, and a ceiling beam falling on top of me – a small part, but my leg wasn’t in a good shape.

I looked up to where the beam that fell on me earlier had come from – an opening in the burning roof stared back.

My arms and hands began to glow that familiar shine and a soft, reassuring feeling traveled through them as sparks flowed throughout my streams.

Orue. The dark green word hovered at the top edge of my vision and grew lighter as I continued to pump sparks around my body.

Suddenly, the green light rapidly faded and a minor sense of fatigue presented itself. I glanced at the small, dark gray platform that now hovered just above me.

‘Success!’

I jumped and grabbed onto the edge of the platform, and pulled myself up. My elbows groaned under the sudden usage and started to draw out what little oxygen was within my lungs. A sharp stab to my sternum reminded me of the lack of breathable air.

The smoke had grown thicker, risen higher.

My knees cracked as I jumped and swung myself up onto a beam that had almost snapped under the sudden pressure. My breathing came in rapid chunks, replacing most of the smoke inside my lung, but failing to remove the burning acid like sensation within my throat.

From upon the blackened roof, I watched the village burn. The same scene I had just crawled out of, was playing across all of Miaenn – each house a cinema to a burning movie.

A shimmer of light caught my attention – a fallen guard’s armor meekly reflected the flames around it.

I jumped off the roof and landed next to the body. I tried to recognise the person, but their blackened skin yielded no recognisable features.

After taking the fallen guard’s sword, I dashed towards the screams, while anger steadily took over my mind.

--~~~--

The veins within my body glowed a dark green that pulsed and strengthened as another gray platform formed to stop an enemy blade. My bloodshot eyes faded in and out of focus in time with my heart that boomed like a war drum.

“GET TO THE SOUTH GATE!” I yelled at a cowering family, my voice feeling like serrated knives that ripped my throat whenever it passed through it.

“LEWIS, GET BACK AND REST, YOU CAN’T MAINTAIN SPARKSHOT FOR-”

Lily yelled at me, interrupted by her opponent and barely blocking the attack.

I shot towards Lily’s opponent and flew into him, knocked the sword out of his grip and then plunged my own into his unprotected neck in a single, graceful move.

“Get. Back.” Lily commanded, glaring daggers at me.

“I can, maintain this, for longer.” I stammered, my voice sheared my throat again.

It was surprising how long I had maintained this, I myself found it confusing, and I had little idea of what it was.

I could tell it was power. My sparks were flowing like a dam who’s walls had collapsed. But, I could tell it wasn’t sustainable. It was sapping at my core, sapping at my soul.

I turned to run back into the fighting, back to the enemy, but my legs refused to listen.

"MOVE!" I yelled downwards, panic quickly attempting to overthrow the anger within me.

Thump Thump.

My ears fell deaf as my heart beat sped up and grew louder and louder.

My eyes lost and regained focus at a speed my brain couldn't fully process.

Thump thump.

Thump thump.

Time seemed to stand still forever in that moment, before suddenly fading to black like a curtain being drawn over my vision.

Thump thump.

Thump thump.

Thump.