Playing with Fire [COMPLETED]

14 ~ war in the snow

The air is bitterly cold. But I do not care as I run through the deep snow toward the bloody, mushy battlefield. I see the army of Pain's Court, and the army Ruin was able to muster in the short span of time he could. I follow the tug within my heart that feels like Ruin. He is out here, somewhere.   I just have to find him. Before it is too late.

I search the battlefield and am not paying attention to the area directly around me, as something slams into my side. I cry out, collapsing into the muddy, bloody snow. A figure stands over me, wearing a bloody mask, their white wings streaked with blood as they bring a huge sword up over their head, aimed at me. My heart. I feel my power coursing through my veins, and it feels hot and delightful. It feels almost.... soothing.  I unleash my power, like letting go of the warm sand on a beach.

Flames, just like the ones I summoned in Ruin's room, explode forth and engulf the person standing over me. I cry out as they explode into ash, which showers me. When I stand up, I see that all around me, in a twenty foot radius, is burned ground.  And ash. Lots of ash.

Did I just kill everyone around me with my fire? I look up just as a new figure bores down on me. They cut into my stomach with their blade, and I throw my dagger at them, only for them to catch it an inch away from their throat. I gasp.

"Destruction? What the hell?"

Destruction stands before me, their eyes burning. "I do not know you.  But you wear his colors." They rip the sword from my stomach and bring it up, ready to kill me. My fire explodes out, singeing the being before me.  Destruction snarls and their sword begins to glow red.

Just as they bring their blade up to my throat, a figure materializes between us. Lucian is slashed across the throat, slitting it open like a wide, macabre smile. Lucian gags and collapses, and Destruction backs up, shocked.

Destruction glares at me, their gaze severe. "You will die, Mortal-Heart."

They raise their bloody sword once more, and I sink to my knees in the mud, clutching my wounded stomach. Pain and her army are killing me. They killed Lucian. They're going to kill Ruin. All because Pain allied with Destruction.

"Elorha!"

I look past Destruction, who looms over me, and see Ruin. He appears between us just in time to parry the swordstrike from his sibling. Ruin shoves Destruction back, and they look at him, their eyes wide.

"You .... this girl .... she's the one you went to war for," says Destruction, eyes wide.

"I did not ask for war," Ruin hisses.  "You brought it to my doorstep. Now, pay the consequences."

Destruction vanishes into nothing, and Ruin turns around, seeing Lucian dead on the ground. He then sees me, wounded. He scoops me up into his arms.

I am drifting off .... falling asleep....

"Stay awake, Elorha," he says softly.  "Please, stay awake."

But I'm so tired. I'm so cold, and I am so ... so weak ....

I welcome sleep like an old friend.