Respite II

"Ugh, we've been at this for hours," Mirielle huffed, "There's nothing but static!"

"Just keep trying," Renelle said back, "According to commander Moore, these new models have more than enough range to reach Outpost Vulcan and beyond. There must be some other reason we can't reach them"

Mirielle let out a groan and kept trying to establish contact. After she did another radio check, she spoke again, "Maybe something happened to them, or they forgot to turn their radio on?"

"Seriously? I doubt that." Renelle shook her head, "Just keep trying. I'll be out here to relieve you in another few hours."

"Oh, thanks commander! I'll just keep freezing out here on top of this stupid tower!" Mirielle yelled before she did another radio check. Renelle just smiled as she walked inside the spire.

Renelle, Axia, and Mirielle previously cleared the dark citadel of Nameless Horrors several days ago but they were completely drained of their energy. After taking a day to recover, they went through the upper floors of the tower until they reached the Spire, a gigantic silver column that started halfway up the tower, then went outside past the top of the tower for another half mile.

Renelle assumed they would be able to reach the rest of their team if they scaled the spire and used the radio on the top, but all they did was waste their supplies and energy and all they have recieved so far was static. The three of them are taking shifts working the portable radio attempting to make contact with the rest of their team.

Inside the silver spire there is about a meter of platform space, then a guardrail, then a straight drop down to the bottom. Axia was shivering against the wall with her legs dangling off the platform. She was holding the remains of her spear, shattered in the last fight. Renelle leaned against the wall next to her. She attempted to charge fire magic in her hands. She put her hands together several times, but all she could make was a few sparks.

"Save your energy commander," Axia said, "These aether suits keep us just warm enough..."

"Heh, your body says otherwise," Ren laughed, "Don't worry about me, I just need too..." Ren clapped her hands together and created more sparks. She did it again and created a small flame that quickly extinguished. Ren did it one final time and created a large fireball that floated in place. She kept it cupped between her hands. "There!"

Ren leaned forward and moved her hands closer to Axia and the flame followed. Axia held out her hands to the fire. Axia rubbed her hands together several times before she picked up her broken spear again. "Thanks..."

"Stay warm Axia." Ren moved her hands away from the fireball, but the flame stayed in place, hovering a few feet away from Axia. Ren then leaned against the wall again and started to create another fireball, "Once Mirielle makes contact with the team, we'll be heading back to the bottom of the tower."

"And if there's still nothing but static?" Axia asked.

"Heh, well, then my turn is in about two more hours!" Ren then created a second fireball and let it hover in front of her. "Just try to get some rest."

Axia and Renelle didn't speak to each other much for the next few hours. They were both more quiet types anyways. Axia eventually drifted off to sleep, still holding her weapon. When her fire died down and vanished, she unconsciously grabbed Renelle's arm and moved closer to her. Ren at first tried to push her away, but then decided to let Axia sleep.

Renelle made no attempt to sleep. She stared ahead into the second fire she created. She thought back to the fight against the nameless horrors. Renelle managed to absorb the energy of the crystal core and send a shockwave around her that incinerated the hivemind, the enitre entire colony of horrors across the central part of the tower, and anything else that wasn't made of metal. Rarely has she had that level of power flowing through her body!

There was one other time she could remember, half a lifetime ago when she was in the Realm of Feylisa. She has learned the secrets of Lore Crystals and was calling on the power of Segra, the Mother of Dragons. She used that power as well to incinerate everything around her. Renelle then though about her attempts to burn away the Frost Rot a few weeks ago. She charged enough fire magic to create a miniature sun, and the result was what can be expected. Widespread incineration...

"Is that all I'm good for?" Renelle asked out loud, "Just to burn everything?!?"

"Of course you are!" A voice responded.

"Wha... it can't be..." Renelle turned and in Axia's place was a young woman, badly burned. Her brown hair was mangled and smokey and her flesh was blackened. Her teeth were visible through a burned hole in her cheeks and one of her eyes was missing. the other eye was burned completely white. Renelle looked down and saw the woman had her arms around hers. The woman's arms were so badly burned that there was no flesh on them, just ash and bone.

Renelle stood up and backed away, "Aerynn!?!"

Aerynn looked up at Renelle. Her scarred lips curled into a smile. "You still remember me!"

Ren took a step back until she was against the guard rail. On the other side was quite a drop.

"Oh come on Ren! Don't tell me you would rather jump than talk to your dear cousin!" Aerynn attempted to stand up, but her leg cracked and she fell over. She started crawling towards Ren, "Why can't you face me!?! Look what YOU did to me!"

"Th..that fire was meant for your fa.. your traitorous father." Ren shakily said, "You... you jumped in front of him!"

"heh...ha! My father, the traitor?" Aerynn cackled, "He wasn't the one who invaded your kingdom with the intention of murder. That was you!" Aerynn lifted her hand and pointed a crispy, bony finger at Renelle.

"I...I..." Ren fell to her knees. "Sorry...I'm sorry!"

"Sorry? You're going to apologize now?" Aerynn grabbed Ren's leg and pulled herself towards the shaking Elf. She slowly turned, looking up at Ren's eyes, "You destroy everything you touch Ren!"

Aerynn then caught fire, the flames covering her whole body. Aerynn pulled herself onto Ren and hugged her, "You destroy literally everything! Friends, enitre kingdoms, even your family!"

Renelle didn't move as the fire spread to her. As it made its way up her body and started burning her clothes, Aerynn pushed Renelle off the edge of the platform, causing Renelle to fall. As she fell, Ren looked upwards to Aerynn and her ash covered, scarred, smiling face.

"COMMANDER!" Ren was forced awake by someone shaking her. She looked around. Axia was to her right, leaning against the wall and holding onto her arm, still sleeping peacefully. Mirielle had her hands on Ren's shoulders.

"I'm awake!" Ren said shakily, "What happened?"

"Claudia's on the Radio!" Mirielle yelled, "Get up!"

Mirielle pulled Ren to her feet and helped her out of the Spire and into the freezing cold atmosphere of Izi. Ren kneeled down next to the radio. She picked up the headset and spoke into it, "This is Ren. Come in."

"Ren! It's so good to finally hear from you!!!" A high pitched irrelithian could be head. It was Claudia. "We've been trying to reach you for days now!"

Renelle shoved her dream to the back of her mind. She hasn't dealt with the consequences of her actions on that day for five years. What's a few more days.... Ren took a deep breath, "Did Mirielle tell you want happened?"

"She did. She said you cleared the tower of the nameless horrors?!? That's great! So... What are your orders?"

"Pack up camp and head towards the Dark Citadel. We'll start making our way towards the bottom. We're going to make it our new base camp before we finally make contact with the Fire Elves."

"Message recieved Commander! We'll head over right away!"

Renelle put the headset down and turned the radio off. Mirielle stood there listening to the entire conversation. "So I guess we should start to head down?" she asked.

"Yeah... Let Axia rest. You should rest a little too." Renelle picked up the radio and went inside the spire. "I'll make some more fire to warm us up. We leave in an hour."