Lightning flashed in the dull green skies as the deep rumble of thunder sounded in the distance and a restless wind blew through the treetops. The deathly silence of the night was interrupted by the jangling of keys that hung from the old monk's waistband as he hurried through the damp corridors of the monastery. An acolyte stood ready with his korro beside the door of the Alkaenwen, he bowed deeply as the monk approached, quickly rising to place the korro over his shoulders.
"They are all gathered within, Sema" he said.
Sema Visak pushed open the ancient doors of the Alkaenwen and entered, bowing to his fellow council members, who were already seated in a circle around the inky pool at the centre of the room.
The Alkaenwen was at the very heart of the monastery, it was said to be the first structure to be built on Myrriah, its name literally meant ancient dome. The Alkaenwen's walls were the colour of yellowing paper and had been painted with the ancient tales of the monks. The only light in the Alkaenwen came from low hanging fire basins suspended at even intervals around the dome's upper level. At the centre of the room was the Sumike, a pool of black inky water brought from the distant planet of Sumi, which allowed the monks to collectively view into the aether. The Alkaenwen had long served as the meeting chambers of the Kurukumi, the Council of Heads of every division within the monastery.
The Kurukumi collectively placed their hands into the Sumike and began their low chant, the black water first turned transparent and then transformed into the scene of a battle. Two figures stood facing each other, one encased in an armour of reflective ice while the other shot blast after blast of swirling fire toward the first.
"Which planet is this?" enquired Sema Visak.
"Earth in the Alros System", replied Sema Jela, "They've been there for nearly six years in local time."
"How advanced are the natives?" asked Sema Pilwine.
"Four point six on the Steithart scale. This will be a reported global incident for them, but, not one large enough to instigate exploration, they are quite self-absorbed", Sema Jela replied. She leaned closer, examining the scene, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion, "Is she using aetherial fire?"
"She is using aetherial fire. She means to kill him, even if it means tearing herself apart to do it and judging by how things are going so far, she might just succeed on both counts", remarked Sema Pilwine, a faint tremble in his voice.
"Do not fear Sema Pilwine, the outcome you foresee is one that we all desire. We have known for a long time now, they cannot be allowed to survive, if Sahana-kah insists on simplifying our task, all the better for us. Although as their former master, I must say, I am proud of their abilities", said Sema Kali, her deep voice rumbling through the Alkaenwen. The others simply nodded in agreement, nervous anticipation settling around the room as Sahana's speeding form collided with a dome of ice shielding Valyn.
~
Sahana watched as Valyn crafted a dome of ice around himself, she knew this particular zekai well. He would root himself into the ground, allow her to shatter the dome and then rise to engulf her and extinguish her flames. Normally, she knew this would work but, not today; not today, when she finally had an opportunity to put the technique she had spent months mastering, into practice; not today, when she existed in two planes, drawing energy from both to create the most powerful element known to her species; not today, when she wielded the power of the gods.
Today, she would burn through that dome and stand in the wake of his swirling ashes.
She retreated several feet and planted her fists into the ground beneath her, pulling from the very energy of the Earth and creating a small crater around her. Sahana felt a blast of pain shoot up her spine, her skin blistered and her vision blurred, her body was at its limit. Snarling, she retreated into her mind momentarily. Back in the aetherial plane, everything was calm – too calm. She needed to concentrate harder, she had to find the source of her power within the plane. Allowing her instincts to guide her through the labyrinth to the very source of her power, she found herself standing before a wide well.
Delicately balancing on the narrow, raised circumference of the well, Sahana moved through the various motions of her energy binding zekai. The dark, viscous liquid that was once at the far bottom of the well bubbled upward, giving off a feral heat. Concluding her zekai, she stepped onto the liquid and channelled it through her body.
Snapping back to her physical form, she rolled her head from left to right, ironing out the kinks in her neck and clenching her teeth before propelling herself forward into Valyn's perfect dome. Just as she had predicted, the dome shattered on impact but, Valyn did not rise from it to enshroud her in ice. In fact, he was not within the dome at all, nothing was. Sahana had just spent the entirety of her most precious energy on a hollow dome of ice.
The strain she had felt earlier began to overcome her, her legs felt like they had turned to jelly and her arms collapsed heavily to her sides.
'No!'She cried out mentally, 'I killed him, I finished it. I won.'
Just as she began to reform her stance, she felt it, an icy breeze that grazed her ankles and spread a chill up her back, making the hair at the base of her neck rise.
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