Playing with Fire [COMPLETED]

30 ~ a warning

We stand outside, gathered around the pedestal that the silver stone is rested upon, as it eminates the silver light that surrounds the Court like a dome, making the wards stronger and more powerful. Ruin stands beside me, and he gestures to the silver stone, and I focus on it. My goal is to fracture the wards, like Mirage did in her anger and need to escape.

Mainly to test my powers, but also, to ensure that they can sense when the wards are fractured again.

I focus on the shimmering light, the wards that are keeping us safe. I don't need to dismantle them, I just need to break a hole in them. I picture a hole the size of my fist, and just focus on spearing my power toward it, trying to make sure that I don't accidentally splinter the wards in the way we don't want.

There's a crack, and a hole begins to form just in front of me, widening until I stop focusing on it. Ruin claps behind me, his approval a wave of emotion down the bond between us. Fear smiles, his face still creeping me out, but now that I know he's on our side, I know I shouldn't be afraid of him. He claps too.

Death pats me on the shoulder, and closes the hole and fortifies the area around it. "This is good. If we can keep this up, we can work out any weaknesses in the wards."

"Good job," says Rogue. "Maybe next, we should teach her how to fight? Not just this and flying. She needs to know how to handle herself in a real battle."

"Rogue is right, as usual," says Fear. "Perhaps we can teach her some basics, like how to fight as we do."

"We should start," I say.  "Who knows when they're gonna attack us next?"

"True," Ruin muses. "Alright. Come here."

I follow him away from the pedestal, and up to a balcony that overlooks the autumnal Court below us. "Flying is first, but we will work the fighting into it, too. After all. We fight with our wings, too.  It may give us an advantage."

Nodding, I look at him. Ruin wears a red and black shirt, and gray pants over his typical boots. He bounces in place for a moment.  "It helps to get a running head-start"

He then takes off running so fast that I'm taken aback by his sheer speed. He then leaps into the air, flapping those gorgeous wings of his, and he ascends fast. He banks sideways and flies over my head. I laugh, watching him as he swoops left and right.  He stops, hovering in place.

"Try it," he says.  "If you fall, we will catch you"

Anxiety curls itself around my stomach, but I shove aside any doubt. I sprint toward the other end of this balcony, and then I jump, pushing down with my wings as hard as I can. It hurts, but I surge upwards, flying up to meet Ruin.

We work on my flying skills well into the night, and the next few days, while the others are planning for what our next move in the war is, Ruin teaches me how to fight. It's the basics, stuff to keep me alive if I engage in battle with someone. He teaches me hand-to-hand combat skills, as well as how to fight with my wings, and how to use swords and daggers.

He teaches me how to aim and fire a bow and arrow. He shows me the best places to strike a foe with the weapons we are training with. He and I search the Court, looking for any signs of weakened wards. Then, we learn how to use my fire to help me fight.

One night, after yet another long day of training, I lay down in my bed in my room in Death's Court. Ruin is down the hall with the others.

I lay there, half-asleep, when I hear a strange warbling noise from across the room. I sit up, looking around. A strange orb of greenish-blue light hovers in the center of the bedroom, its eerie glow shining on me. The light builds and grows into a bigger orb, until it starts to take shape.

Nervous, I draw the dagger Zariah gave me, and hold my fire in my left hand.

Suddenly, a green image of Mirage appears in the room, her white hair flowing around her head like it's blowing in the wind. She doesn't look happy.

"Mir? What's going on?" I ask, lowering my flame and dagger.

"They're coming for you," she says.  "You don't have much time."

"Who's coming for us?" I demand, standing up.

"Erasmus is bringing his army to Death's Court. Someone is going to let them in."

"Who? How do you know this?"

"Go to your demon boyfriend. Tell him to get ready, because if you don't.... all of you in Death's Court will be dead or worse by morning!" She vanishes.