Torva Messor

Chapter 3: Goddess Of Fire

I was twenty-two when everything changed. I had defended the line for three years relentlessly. The normals grew impatient, and the mages grew furious over the years. Even though I had bested Zulu and he upheld his word in not waging war, many mages still wanted blood, and sought conflict wherever they could. I knew soon both sides would react to one another, and it would not end well for either side. I would hold the line, even if it cost me everything, I would do it.

I heard rumors of a grand assault, and I could feel the normals forming in masses. On the other side, mages trained, growing stronger, more powerful, dangerously so. I would need all the strength I could muster to push both sides away from one another. Maybe I'd need to be more powerful than I am now. At the thought of that an almost alluring feeling strikes my stomach. Something once again was pulling me in a direction, drawing me to the idea of more power. More. More. Almost irresistible the idea of more as time went on and I patiently waited.

Eventually, both lines came closer to one another inch by inch, minute by minute. Any second now the first rounds would be fired, and it would be up to me to stop it. I floated high above the area and drew in deep calming breaths. I needed to keep my mind in check to keep my power at its peak.

There was a volley of bangs and explosions from the normal's side, and I could feel large shells soaring through the air toward the mages. I blew wind between them, splitting the volley into two halves, and made sure each one floated to either side of the peninsula and splashed in the water. The mages responded, launching fireballs like catapults. With another wind, my winds blow through the flames and snuff them out.

Below me, the opposing lines converge. Soon they will be in sight of one another, and conflict will ensue. I draw a line with my finger across the ground like a painter and the world shifts. It erupts in thick flames and jagged rocks, blocking their advances and sight of one another. The cut spans from one end of the peninsula to the other. Doing something on that scale that quickly drew a lot of power from me, but I was fine, I needed to be. I still had work to do.

In the distance, I heard something screeching across the skies. Jets, flying faster than I was still capable. I cause the air around me to get denser with water and cause the jets to shake in their rapid approach. Their bombs are thrown off course, and extra wind directs them into the water. I release whatever strength I have left over the area, and let it weigh down on everyone's presence. The normals respond more negatively, but they still press on. Both sides were far too ambitious, and the battlefield far too expansive. My energy couldn't spread everywhere and it was already reaching its limits.

Another round of bangs from the normal, another round of fireballs from the mages. Soldiers were climbing my wall of jagged rocks after putting out the fire. Mages were flying slowly and methodically over. In mere moments it would all come crashing down. I needed to act. I needed more.

That feeling came back with a vengeance. It was tired of being suppressed. It was addicting the feeling as it called to me. Let me free. Give in to me. Abandon everything for the sake of strength. Pure, unopposable power. I needed more power to end this war. I let my body relax. I felt magic soaring through every fiber of my being, giving me strength, but taking something along with it. My anger poured out into the magic and fueled it further until it was a violent mix ready to burst any moment. I wrapped both hands around the sensation welling in me and brought it to the surface.

All the magic within me and around me exploded, sending shockwaves for miles. The earth itself vibrated as winds blew around in an invisible vortex. At the tips of my blond hair, red hot flames burned endlessly soothing and warm. Over my chest and back flames formed in the shape of the "V" stopping down over my abdomen. Down the sides of my arms the flames flowed across my skin down to my elbow, and from my knees down to my toes. The flames were bright and fresh, the power I could feel coursing through me was amazing. This was everything I ever could have asked for and more.

With another swipe of my hand, the line I once drew split, and a large ravine divided the peninsula from the mainland. This would not be enough. Normals and mages would build bridges, or simply fly across. They needed to be separated, forever. I flew down swiftly to the gap I created and with a sturdy push the peninsula shifted and began to drag away from the mainland. Water gushed into the gap that was created. I continued to push the peninsula back, further and further. Until the mainland was nothing but a distant speck, and the peninsula was now a lonely island.

I drew up land from the ocean floor and raised it to hold the land above water. My project was complete. The two sides would never face each other again effectively. This conflict was settled. For now anyways. Before I would have needed all of my energy and hours to do something like this. Now it took mere minutes, and what I felt to be maybe half my strength.

There was still a yanking feeling, more stronger now that I allowed it to pull on me once. It wanted to wash over me, change me into a beastly mage, one driven by the soul desire for power. I would not allow it, I suppressed the feeling once again until I could feel it no longer.

I landed on the island where the lands were once connected. All of the mages were still there and had witnessed my actions. They stared at me in disbelief. I drew in my emotions, and the flames around me slowly died away, and my energy was no different from theirs. They backed away from me fearful, some curious, knowing my face and realizing who I was.

"What have you done?!" I heard from a familiar voice. Zulu's voice.

"I have separated us from the mainland, they will not bother us, and we cannot bother them." I glare at him, but he surprisingly holds his resolve after everything.

"We could have won! Crippled them! Then washed over the mainland with our extraordinary powers! Your powers!" The crowd shifts in his favor, everyone here had been seeking vengeance for their own reasons. I had my reasons for wanting it, but my reasons for not taking it.

"I will not be used as a weapon for other people's ends." I stand firm despite the unanimous opposition towards me.

"You're a coward." He spits at me.

"Come again?" My energy flares out and weighs down heavier than ever before over everyone. Even Zulu struggles to conceal his fear for himself.

"You are not welcome here anymore," Zulu says, which gives everyone something to point their fear and aggression towards. I can feel their energy pushing back against mine one after the other as he gets the crowd in his favor.

"Fine. I did what I intended to do. Neither side can effectively battle the other," I bring my energy back in and turn my back towards the mages, "Live long lives." My final words before flying in the direction of the mainland.

I couldn't fight the mages. Though they outcasted me, they were the closest thing to family I had since the first invasions. I wouldn't kill anyone, I have done well to not do that yet, but I found the thought of even harming them revolting. The mainland, though treacherous, was vast, few if any knew my face, and I could live out my life in the shadows. Were I to be hunted, I could hold my own, and leave for a new area. It was my best option of the two.

I flew slower than normal, and higher than I have before as well. I hadn't flown over the ocean before. The deep blue sea under me with the bright blue skies above me with clouds dotting the area was calming to see. It was blissful for a few moments before the mainland came into shape, and I was tense again.

I flew over soldiers as they gathered and prepared to return home. They were likely too busy to notice me flying overhead. From this high, they probably didn't have a clue what I was if they did see me. I'd fly deep into the mainland, far from them, and live my life. What would that look like? I couldn't imagine never using my magic ever again, but never in public. It would be a habit I had to break quickly.

Nevertheless, my world was open to many possibilities for the foreseeable future. Or so I thought anyway...