Blood Ties

Chapter 12: Ally Aliyus

She woke up in a crater, ear bleeding, head pounding, heart screaming. What in the name of the Kingdoms had happened? There was smoke everywhere. Trisa realized the trees were on fire. She couldn't think. Clearly, she didn't know what had happened.

"Can you hear me?" A man's voice, thick with fear and dripping with concern. Who? Who was it? Choking on the smoke when she attempted a reply she just nodded. She couldn't see who it was, part of her didn't care the entire forest was on fire. Did she cause this? Hoisting herself up on one elbow Trisa examined what was left of her surrounding, through the smoke she couldn't find Goliath. Aliyus was kneeling beside her, and Trisa's heart was in a conflicted state of exuberance and pain. How could such pure forms of terror and joy exist inside her at once? They were completely surrounded by fire the entire parameter of the clear had caught and the fire was fast spreading outward. Trisa couldn't see this as much as feel it.

Has the flames licked the tree they danced their joyous song of fire and consumption. The trees were screaming pain and indignation. Wouldn't she save us they called out? Like a chorus of teapots whistling together as their branches began to crackle as a sign of imminent death. Trisa began to gather herself, she put aside the numerous unanswered questions she had, because the only way out was to quench the fire. Unable to stand she just started to listen to the flames. They were expansive and joyfully dancing, almost with the mantra of let us be, let us be, let us dance and devour. Looking inward Trisa did the only thing she could think of; she brought the flames toward her.

The fire left the trees snaking around her body. Suddenly, she felt wooden every inch of her body burned. She held onto the fire, and her skin started to burn. She looked to see her clothes burning off her body. A scream ripped through her throat, and just as she began to lose consciousness, she saw Aliyus stricken expression as he was knocked flat on his bum helpless her last thought was, "crap" and everything went dark.

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Aliyus regained his composure, quickly there she was lying in the crater 3rd-degree burns covering her forearms and legs. Mostly naked, with smoldering ashes encircling her, this was most definitely not the way he'd wanted to see her naked. Aliyus knew he didn't have much time, so he tore off his shirt and dressed Trisa with it. She was so small compared to Aliyus that it covered everything sufficiently as a nightgown might. He lifted her again gingerly into his arms and began walking briskly deeper into the forest. They couldn't go directly back to the compound, if indeed at all, already the sound of the barbarians marching towards the site of the attack. While Aliyus wasn't sure what had attacked Trisa, he was sure it was intentional.

Has he bounded into the forest, he was relieved to feel her faint breath against his chest, he'd have to find somewhere to dress her burns. Trisa's condition was serious, and although he was mildly surprised her powers for the fire were so uncontrolled. Hadn't she practiced them before in the guilds? Or was it something she recently discovered? Aliyus knew she'd been decent at conjuring with wood. He'd experienced that first hand. At the request of the other diplomats he'd provoked that fight in the hall, the first day they'd met has a kind of hazing ritual.

Aliyus thought of how that fight had ended; he surmised that getting stabbed was so worth kissing Trisa. She'd been so cute and vicious, just like a tigress. Aliyus recalled the moment fondly, as he gazed at her unconscious face. He'd have kissed her then, but it just wouldn't feel right. He wanted Trisa to burn with desire for him. Well, maybe burn wasn't the right word.

After about two miles of jogging, Aliyus stopped them by some falls created by some of the rocky cliff formations that dotted the continent. Sitting on the edge of one of the slabs of rock he gently placed Trisa arms in legs in the pooling water to soothe her burns and remove debris. Next, he began ripping the edges of his trousers to create long strips of cloth to wrap up her burns. Aliyus could only imagine Trisa reaction would be upon waking draped and wrapped in his clothing. Hopefully, she'd remember what had happened in the clearing.

After all was said and done, Aliyus only had enough trousers left to cover his loins and his boots. He didn't mind much really; he'd never been self-conscious. He always thought he looked great naked, women never seemed to mind, maybe Trisa would like him this way too. Aliyus realized during his contemplation of nudity that he needed to hide them until Trisa woke up. Behind the little falls was an enclosure too shallow to be called a cave, but it large enough for two, although slightly snug. He decided it would have to suffice and carried Trisa into the enclosure. He sat with her head in his lap her hair splayed against his bare thighs and waited.

It was a few hours later when Trisa finally started to stir. Aliyus decided to wait until she woke up on her own, it was partially for selfish reasons. He was enjoying the unwarranted contacted. When she woke up, her eyes popped awake, staring directly at Aliyus. There was no screaming nor the immediate indignance that Aliyus had expected from Trisa. Instead, she calmly said, " So, I'm alive huh?"

"Yup!" He said a little too cheerily as he moved a lock of her hair out of her face. At this gesture, Trisa sat bolt upright. She turned herself about slowly and winced to face him. Her eyes bugged at his attire or lack of it.

"Where are your.." as the unfinished question died on her lip Trisa looked down at herself. "Oh," was the only verbalization she could muster.

" You're Welcome," he said back calmly. Though he tried to stop himself, he couldn't help but tease her, so he added, " You look cute in my clothing."

Trisa maintained a blank expression and said flatly, "Do you remember what happened in the clearing?"

Aliyus sighed, it almost burned the way he couldn't affect her like most women. " I got there just before the flames enclosed us. Speaking of which, do you remember anything that happened in the clearing?"

"Not really," Trisa replied grimly.

"Well, then we are in quite the predicament since we don't know who started the fire."

" I think it was me. I mean I remember speaking to Goliath and then my hands began to catch fire. After, that I was in a crater with you kneeling over me." She sounded so disappointed in herself. Aliyus felt like he was almost bleeding inwardly to see his little tigress so upset with herself.

" I don't think it was you, since when you finally called upon the flames, they left a blazing path right toward you. Only the edges of the clearing were on fire prior to that point. Also, what about that crater? Unless you somehow conjured explosive fire, which is something difficult for even advanced fire magi, then we are looking at another mysterious third party."

Trisa grimaced replying, " Or perhaps the same third party, that stole the serum from the S.T.L."

Aliyus nodded now completely serious.