A small rainbow ember, soft and warm, entered her chest. While she did not know who Ignyres was and what an Ancient was, Maia chose to believe in the voice and allowed the stranger to delve into her core. Firstly, the power she sensed from the voice far outstripped the former Pavilion Master's, and she had an inkling she didn't have a choice. Her core screeched, lit aflame in dense blue flames. It felt as if she had swallowed magma, the heat burning inside her veins. Smoke leaked from her eyes and mouth, both instantly dry.

Hot failed to describe it; no word in the dictionary could define the heat burning her insides. Every fiber of her muscles, every inch of her skin, and all of her organs drowned in the searing agony. Maia held it in, wondering how much time had passed, and realized almost everyone, the world itself halted. The pain was so immense her mind stretched the moment out to pace out the suffering. No doubt, she would have died feeling it all at once. She closed her eyes; the heat pouring from the sockets made it unbearable to keep them open. More smoke hissed from her pores, thin and soft, akin to the stage before kindlings caught aflame.

Blue flames erupted from her body, engulfing her in an azure blaze, and her skin started to burn, breaking out into strange charred patterns. These black tattoos resembled coiling flames, traveling up her neck and swirling on her cheeks. Her meager Ein merged into the great inferno, and she saw it. A strange giant of flames, volcanoes erupting on its shoulders, flames of all colors on its fingers, and taller than the highest mountain. Three sun-like orbs shone on her from its probable fiery head. She couldn't tell. There were no distinct features like a nose or a mouth or even a vague outline of a head, but it burned between the shoulders where the head should be.

"When he wanted the sharpest flames that could burn through the thickest steel and sever the sturdiest foes, I merged my primordial fire to turn his flames blue." The giant cackled, pleased with himself. "Your time is short, girl. Unlike him, you don't possess the body to handle it further. One strike. Use it well. I wish to see how your flame burns in this trying moment."

One move. Maia looked down at her hands, clenching them hard, her flesh already burning away from the immense power. If she had this power during the war, the outcome might have differed, and her empire would not have suffered. But right now was no time for regrets or useless what-ifs. Reservations disappeared. She became destruction. She became the flame itself. All other thoughts were tossed aside, her mind filled by a singular drive, a devout resolve, to protect them. She had to protect Avril, Renn, and Gloria.

"Ah, what a beautiful flame." The voice echoed in her mind.

Time began to flow again as the pain subsided. The flames gnawed on her flesh like hungry hyenas, but she felt no pain anymore. She had never experienced such peace, rare since the war. Serenity rooted in her core and heart, the fires soothing and empowering as if she could accomplish anything she set her mind to. Her snake whip lightly wrapped around how a dancer might twirl her long sash around herself. Blue flames now wreathed the snake, every flickering ember sharp as blades. Lunging at Sirsi, she turned into a streak of blue flame, and to her amazement, the world brightened, showered in a strikingly beautiful azure shade.

In this beautiful world of blue flames, stars sparkled in every ember, glittering in her eyes, a notable azure gleam in the center of those crimson pupils. She found her target, a patch of darkness in the world of fire, and pierced straight through, soaring toward the other clump that shouldn't exist in such a bright world. Her whip lashed out, coiled around it, and squeezed hard, the darkness easily parted by the blue flames. Maia held the figure trapped inside and swerved back to the airship.

The blue flames faded, and the azure world disappeared. Out of breath, Maia smiled at the young man she freed, his brown eyes shaking open. "You're safe now…." She spat out some blood, heat instantly evaporating it before it could stain him. Killing Sirsi in one move was nigh impossible, even with the boost from Ignyres. The best option was to free the young man. It was a desperate, foolish, and suicidal gambit, but she won. Keeping her smile, she fell forward, blacking out.

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She left the rest to Avril.

…….

'What was that that, Maia?' Avril stared, stunned by her friend's sudden action that blew away Sirsi and saved Auren. She quickly set aside the question and knew the one moment had arrived, her heart aching for Maia on the ship. Sirsi had yet to retaliate. From a single glance, Renn and Gloria nodded, springing into action. Gloria forced light to descend and engulf everyone, and Renn slashed his sword not to harm but to distract, sending hundreds of black slashes onto Sirsi.

Beads of sweat crawled down her back. She could barely make out Sirsi recovering from Maia's blow, putting out the strange azure flame. The homewrecker shouted something about primordial flames with a flushed face and wide smile, clearly shaken and excited. Avril's staff unfurled fully, the last instant spell and the two remaining Ein empowerment sections glowing, distinct from Gloria's light. Four large vines once again converged on Sirsi, empowered thrice-fold, the ensuing shockwave forcing Avril back to the ship and propelling it away. The vines writhed and tightened around each other, entrapping Sirsi again.

"Escape!" Avril shouted.

The airship bolted away, reaching the limits of its speed, the wood creaking as a crack split a part of the edge. The sound of an enraged scream reached Avril as the vines collapsed. Waters cut and erupted from the fine fibers, revealing a furious Sirsi, her face darkened by rage, the ocean churning under her. But she didn't give chase. Oddly, Sirsi swallowed a breath and laughed, waving goodbye. Avril couldn't hear her but made out parts of her lips.

"See you in Fallen Heaven." Sirsi mouthed out.

Avril stuck her thumb down in response and covered Oscar from Sirsi's gaze. Like hell, she'd let that woman have her way. As the airship sped away, Remulus appeared at the helm, catching his breath, faint burns on his hairless scalp. He kept quiet, but the pained grunts escaping his lungs despite the control of a King Exalt worried her. Gloria's healing light extended to him.

"You're not strong enough to heal wounds from a King Exalt, little Gloria." Remulus chuckled, waving his hand in a gentle rejection. The light swept back to Avril and Maia.

"Master, can you help Maia?" Avril checked Maia's pulse, which was very faint and weak but most alarmingly erratic. She poured a sip of grade-four healing elixir into her lips, barely anything happening. Horrid burns reduced her into a nearly charred corpse, the chest barely lifting to take in air. Anyone could see that Maia was dying; Gloria's frantic pleas for her aunt to wake up fell on deaf ears. Her friend, her close sister, was dying. The young man underneath was unconscious, seemingly awake briefly after being freed.

"These burns are not ordinary. They are on her core as well. I don't know where she got that power, but it's not ordinary." Remulus frowned and mumbled something, pointing his finger at Maia's forehead. A layer of Ein wrapped around her like the linen wrappings used for a corpse. More layers of Ein overlapped until they hid Maia's figure. Remulus slumped back, relaxing his legs to sit. "I have stalled the progression of her deterioration. Luckily, she hasn't crossed the border yet, unlike another…." He rubbed the bridge of his nose, sadness trailing at the end of his words.

"How much time do we have? Tears fall. She can't handle losing another and grabs master's robes." Avril bit her lips, shaking Remulus frantically.

"A week at most. That's the limit I can stall it." Remulus gritted his teeth, regret darkening his gaze, shame lowering his head. "It's my fault. I forced her to accompany us."

"If you hadn't, we would all be dead and Dad taken," Renn interjected, holding back his tears. "She chose to use her powers to end up in this state. The least we can do is give her a proper burial."

"Renn!" Gloria smacked Renn on the face, crying loudly. "She's not dead yet!"

"Enough!" Avril stopped them from arguing, holding her head and scratching her hair in distress. Not even an extract of Divine Essence could bring someone back from the brink of death. She glanced over at Oscar, currently blindfolded and deafened, wishing he was awake and able to help as he had always done. No. She couldn't burden him more. What was her best option? Who could help them?

Recalling the miraculous Pools of Ascension and the great tree that seeped out rejuvenating sap, Avril clung to that hope. "Hurry to the Lands of Zeret. That is the only place that may be able to help us. She refuses to let anyone die."