Nightspun (#ONC_2020)

Chapter 10 - Sunspire

The blast could have been big enough to wipe out every Outcropper in the district.

But it wasn't. Thank the Laia it wasn't.

The sight of Dewdrop protecting them from Niasi Igniting her Gathering rune was the only thing keeping Amira going as she trudged up the Endless Steps towards the Sunspire. It had taken ages to get here and the walk was 'treasured' as being enlightening to the soul. She would be having a word with Rayner about making changes to the transportation in Floodbound if that were meant to be the case.

But knowing the High Lawmaker that would never happen.

Amira gritted her teeth as the load on her back became too much and forced her a little to forwards than she would've liked. Without her left arm it was harder for her to find the right balance to manage the weight but she made do with what she had. Her burns screamed in agony, not sure what part of her body hurt more but the reminder of how hard it had been with her first days on the Stone Bouy made it bearable.

"Come on, Mira. For Syb. Do it for her and it'll be worth it. She'll owe you twenty greevy burgers if you do it. Maybe get that nice item chart with the colour coded edges if ya do. Yeah. I can put it up with the other one."

Amira was clutching at straws, cursing every golden tipped step like it was the last thing she'd ever see. But it was Sybil she was truly worried about. She was the one Sunspell she'd climb the Moving Mountains of Arracrosta for yet here she was strung sideways to a crippled Nightspell's back and completely unconscious from the effort.

The Sunspell elf was very pale and covered in injuries too unusual to decipher where due to how covered in dirt she was. Dewdrop may have saved the entire district but he couldn't stop her from taking the blow herself. Her Sunspell was almost dormant, running on empty despite the dawn of a new day threatening Amira's efforts to climb higher. Hopefully, it would renew her somehow but the Nightspell needed to get inside unless she too ended up with the same blackened burns.

"Damn it all, why does a pompous bunch of healers need so, many, STAIRS!"

The image of her accursed aunt fuelled her more than any greevy burgers ever could. Her blistered feet followed suit at the thought of that witch harming the only friend she ever had. No amount of stuff could compare seeing Sybil smile but the ice in her veins told her she was long out of Nightspell to release such anger. Although a Portal rune would have been nice right now.

"Stupid woman. Igniting a forbidden rune already full of Sunspell, my rune she stole just to win a petty fight. Probably gonna blame me for it despite the witnesses. Stupid, corrupt, order. Stupid, cowardly, Rayner."

Her thoughts drifted to happier things, brighter things as her breathing settled into the climb. Only another seventy steps to go. The sky was mottled with grey the night almost over but still perfect weather for harvest just as the Stormspells had predicted. But once the sun rose in a few minutes things would be far harder for a Nightspell without protection. Feversun would be the least of her worries.

Instead, she thought of her well concealed home in the Warren and her beloved nook of Shadeleaf plants hidden in the shed. She had asked Claud to keep an eye on them while she was gone but secretly knew that Malik would follow his brother anyway. She hoped they hadn't accidentally drowned them with the wrong plant food. 

"Who am I kidding? They're probably long dead thanks to No Quarter Niasi. High Lawmaker my ass. She couldn't pick out jackanapes from redderbies."

But the two Stormspell elves had proved themselves in more ways than one, protecting them both with what little Cloudswell they had so Amira could make the journey as safely as possible. They had vowed to 'carry on the Sun Puncher's work' whatever that meant and since they were far enough away from the blast when it happened, they would harvest the mandraroot in Sybil's absence. She had plenty of choice words to say if she didn't.

"What do you think, Syb? Think we should hire them on probation? Pay them with produce or the two bottles of Gemdrop we've been saving?" She joked, just to keep herself sane. 

Fifty steps left. 

But there wasn't enough time. 

Amira could already feel the morning heat on her back, the sun changing from a warm glow to a harsh hiss of steam against her skin. Suppressing a yelp she clung to every ounce of strength she had by focusing on how unfair the lack of Peacekeeper guards were. Or how the patrols at night were nonexistent or how they should have at least had a sentry at the door to let her in or at least see her no matter what time of night it was.

"Come on, come on...being a Combat Mage was worse than this. Losing your arm was worse than..."

Amira collapsed, unable to take the pain anymore. The heat made her drowsy, instantly long for and cling to what dwindling shade she had. Soon the Sunspire would partake in its namesake being bathed in light, leaving her a singed corpse for passersby to step on. Sybil would be OK, alive but OK. Maybe they'd make a suitable entrance for Nightspell elves this time or start a new 'Lightbane law' in her honour for stupid non regulation buildings for all types of elves. 

Most of all, she longed for the speed of a Sunspell, weightless and free with the grace and strength to combat any obstacle. She could almost feel her body lifting up off the scalding Sunspire but the heat soon dragged her back down into a haze of reality. 

Amira never thought death by sunburn would be her undoing but here she was. At the top of the Unending Steps being lifted inside without a care in the world. 

The cool breeze of the silver doors of the Waneward filled her with more life than she ever thought possible, the gruff voice of her rescuer somehow managing to drag two 'idiotic Outcroppers' out from being barbecued from their staffs lack of common sense.

"The High Lawmaker ordered us to lockdown all…"

Amira could hear the fuzzy response though barely audible was immensely satisfying despite the stinging pain in her chest. A small smile graced her lips at the sight of no less than seven very flustered Crestmoon healers scattering at the sound of such a commanding yell. She knew right then and there who had lifted her to safety despite the strange cloak he was wearing.

"Thank you, uncle."