Malion: Up In Flames

Step It Up

"Decoda..." my name echoed in my ears.

"Decoda." It came more clearly. Dim light poured into my eyes and I tried to shake the blur from my eyes.

"Decoda, come on, dude. Get up..." another plea floated towards me. I let out a heavy groan and suddenly a horrible pain overtook my whole body and I felt something ripping at my wings. I shrieked as my body uncurled and everything trembled violently. The tips of my fingers stung as if being stabbed and my head felt like it was going to explode. Every one of my limbs felt like it was being pulled away from my body. In a sudden shock of cold, someone held onto me and cradled me in their lap. Once the pain finally faded, I went limp, the room spinning.

"Fuck.. Dec talk to me. Tell me what's on your mind." That voice pressed me.

"Alex..." I groaned. "Safety... She... she needs to be safe." Swiftly, warmth returned to those hands and she leaned over me.

"It's ok, Princess. I'm here. I'm safe." Alex's sudden voice reassured, "Come on. Come on, let's get up. We gotta head out. I think I've nearly found Michelle." She picked me up and I looked into her crimson eyes. When she set my feet onto the ground, I held onto her.

"Gah, hey, let up on the claws, ok, Princess? It's ok. I've got you." She said in a soft tone. I gasped and whimpered an appology.

"Let's get outa here, alright? Brace yourself." She warned and wraithed us out of the bars. The flash of another cell washed over me and I shook my head, sending a shot of pain through my skull.

"I'll be back, Princess. Stay here. If something comes for you, just... I donno. Say "hi" in Infernos or something. Something Orin won't understand." She instructed. I looked at her and smiled.

"City in the swamps. Verross en te Sluff." I told her.

"Sanmar. Nice." She said with a nod and wraithed off down a hall with cells lining each wall.

Alex's P.O.V.

I nodded at her and wraithed off, hoping she'd be fine. I replayed those Infernos words over and over, hoping not to mangle them or mix them up. I glanced into every cell as I crawled along the cieling. Suddenly a glimpse of gold caught my eye and I gasped, turning back and reforming in front of the cell. Fuck yeah! I was right!

"Michelle?" I called, containing my excitement. When the golden locked figure turned, my excitement only grew. She ran up to the bars and took my hands.

"Alex? Wait... fuck off, you dirt eating, slimey witch. I'm not falling for another one of your stupid illusions. Get the Beneath out of here before I personally rip your eyes out and save 'em for my chickens." She growled.

"Norvek, Michelle what's going on?" I asked, stepping closer and reaching my hands through the bards towards her. Sudden realisation washed over her gaze and I grinned as she got up.

"Is that really you? That dirt munching, pig-eared bitch keeps transforming into our friends and faking this shit." She huffed, stepping closer and taking my hands into hers. She looked at me, visibly relieved and I wrapped my arms around her.

"Brace." I muttered and felt her tense before I wraithed and stepped back, freeing her from her prison. She yeled and hugged he tightly. I pickdd her up and twirled around.

"I'm so glad to have my pocket-sized cutie back." I told her, kneeling down and grinning at her. Shr planted a heavy hand onto my head and ruffled my hair, glustered.

"Damn it, Alex. An 'I love you' would have been fine." She muttered. She grunted and fell into me.

"Michelle? Chell, what the -"

"Great, now I need to free up another cell. Maybe I'll put you in the Pit. With all the other wastes of life." Orin growled, dark chains forcing me to my feet and letting Michelle hit the ground. I glared at her and grinned.

"Taking me hostage isn't that easy, bitch." I growled and wraithed. She grinned and as soon as I materialized something clamped onto my leg and shrank so quickly that I didn't even realise what had happened before I shrieked and fell to the ground. My leg hit the ground after me. My first instinct was to grab hold of her ankles and bring her down with me. When she hit the ground, Michelle got back up and sent a barrage of heavy punches into Orin's face and throat. Next I remembered the Infernos words and yelled them out as loud as I could manage, praying that Decoda could get to us soon. As my head started to feel less heavy, I wraithed and kept it up. I was not going to loose consciousness in this cursed place.

"Alex, your leg!!" Michelle yelled and picked me up. Her hands were bloody.

"Leave it. I should be lighter now. Get me to Decoda. We need to get.. We need to get the fuck out of here." I commanded and held onto Chell.

As my vision began to gain a haze over it, I pressed myself into her and focused on her heartbeat and counted each one. I heard footsteps and turned in time to see Decoda limping while trying her best to run. She met us and started to freak out but Michelle grabbed her by the waist and kissed the top of my head. I took a deep breath and wraithed, taking both of them with me at a running pace towards that creepy throne room. When I crawled over the door and along the cieling to avoid those wiers shadow spindly things, I headed for the room behind it and materialised in my wraith form in front of it. Chell let Decoda go and we finally made our way through into the Gaian forest of Skladmir.