Frozen Flame

Chapter 72: Awake the Phoenix

Fire Temple Arena

His eyes glazed ahead, arms crossed as he leant against the wall. Soldiers stared in through the bars, observing his every moment as ordered by the Fire Lord. Sighing, he closed his eyes, waiting silently for what he knew was coming.

Footsteps trod across the floor, echoing through the silence as Svorn entered the room, eyes trained on Thorn. He stopped afront the door of the holding cell.

Thorn opened his eyes, stared tiredly at Svorn. "Are you going to bring me out now?"

Cocking his head to the side, Svorn bit his lip, closing one of his eyes slightly in thought. "You are aware that this is the end for you, correct?"

Thorn chuckled, leaning back against the wall and tilting his head up. "What, are you going to kill me? I thought you needed some information out of me. Isn't that what you've been desperately attempting this entire time?"

Rubbing a hand against the side of his head, Svorn stepped forward, stopping with a hand on the bars in front of him. "I don't have to kill you to get information out of you. There are methods."

"Your 'methods' haven't worked so far. Unsurprisingly."

Svorn glanced down, brushing fingers up and down the bar. A sad smile rose to his lips. "This one will." Looking back up at Thorn, he leant in closer. "When you go out there, whatever happens, you will never be able to escape Fire again. Most of us thought you were dead when you left with that potion. Even the Council – majority thought something must have killed you... because, when you first went missing, everyone was searching for you. Everyone. And, of course, they couldn't find you. So, now they know you're alive for certain, they'll begin suspecting where you were hiding out that was so impossible to find."

Thorn smirked. "Then they'll start suspecting themselves and tear themselves to ribbons. Fire will become chaos. And then, maybe, it'll start sorting itself out."

Svorn swallowed, gripping the bars tightly. "No Thorn, if Fire erupts into chaos, our world will erupt into chaos. The entirety of Fire will be at war with itself and rip each other to shreds. And they won't mend. They'll kill each other. Everyone. Eliza's parents, the Council, any friends you once had, every State, everyone will die. Laws were instated to create order. Fire is a military stronghold, a place based on scaling, training, leadership, trust. If that falls, everything falls. We will not survive." His eyes directed strong towards Thorn, his lips rasped together. "And I will not let that happen. Never. If it comes to it, I will tell them the truth. I'll tell them where you were. And make war."

Thorn looked away, breathing deeply. His arms broke apart and his fists spread on the wall behind him as his mind twirled. "And?"

A pause. Svorn's head tilted slightly, eyes flickering in confusion. "And what?"

"And, what if I escape?"

Svorn's eyebrow raised. "You can't escape. Look around you! We're not in the throne room or dad's office or the Fire prison anymore. This is the Fire Temple Arena. With thousands of people, almost all the State leaders in attendance. There is no way you could ever escape."

"But what if I do?"

"Then the war will start."

"And if I die."

Svorn pursed his lips. "If you die without giving me the information I desire, a war... will also start."

Thorn swallowed. "So, a war will begin any way you look at it?"