Flame of Cytherea 01

With that feeling rose something else, that he had never felt before. Power.

He burst into white flame. It was not normal fire, it didn't even give off heat. His chains turned quickly to rust and fell off of him, turning to dust before reaching the ground. His tired aching and tortured muscles felt refreshed. These were flames with the power to change, to restore, to heal, and to protect. He instantly understood this power could not be used to destroy in anger, it could not be used to kill at all... It had been his compassion that summoned it, and he knew now, that anger and hate would smother his power.

It had been his earlier anger that had stopped him from finding it earlier in the fight.

White fire exploded from his body in a giant expanding ring of flames, carrying the intent to protect the woman, and the rest of the town folk. The soldiers left alive around them were unaffected, but their weapons along with all the chains on the young townspeople turned to dust.

The captain gaped around in disbelief. "What magic is this?"

The stranger, the woman who wielded air said as she stood, no longer in pain, no longer tired and sheathed in a protective flame, her voice ringing with triumph, "The harbinger of your death."

He watched as a blade of compressed air shot from her hand and grew to body width when it reached the captain. The captain opened his mouth and gasped in pain as his body split in twain. The remaining soldiers started to attack with their bare hands and some tried to use their talents. Fire, earth, telekinesis... they were all transmuted and absorbed by his protective flames.

They did have some luck with hand to hand combat, his power could not take a life. Or perhaps would not. Three of the villagers died before the woman of air and the rest of the townspeople overwhelmed and killed the remaining soldiers. When the last of the danger was gone, the flames all returned to him and dissipated.

He understood now, why most people would not want to talk about their talent. He had felt her, felt the goddess through an almost intimate connection, had felt her love for him. It would be wrong, crass, to share something so private with someone. Worse than a player bragging at work the next day about the hot bitch he bagged. It was personal, his connection to a goddess he know knew, beyond a doubt, was real.

He went over and checked on Kat, she was fine and gave him a hug and a kiss. He was filled with relief and elation, and not a little wonder at the magical talent he discovered inside him. When he was able to tear his eyes of Katrina, who he wanted badly right now, after the adrenaline of the situation, he was startled at how close the stranger was standing to him.

He recovered and smiled at her, "Thanks, you showed up at an opportune time to save us."

She just snorted. "I'd be dead if it weren't for you, so thank you for that. Now I get to kill a lot more of those fuckers before I die."

Now that she was closer, and standing still, he could see how attractive she was, but overriding that assessment was the look of fierce hate on her visage, and the offhand comment of her own death was chilling in the matter of fact way she delivered it. It was what she said next though that caused his mouth to drop open, then close in shock.

"You need to come with me, join the army. Those pieces of shit fuckers from Egeria won't stand a chance if you're there to nullify their talents. I'd rather continue through the towns killing the bastards, but you are too important to not make that happen."

She frowned which gave him the impression she was unhappy to take time away from her killing until dead spree that she seemed to be on.

When he didn't answer right away she said, "You will come won't you? The goddess gave you that power for a reason, didn't you feel that captain's power? It was evil, which means a dark god... Wake up and stop gaping at me!" she barked the last of it.

He looked at Kat, mostly for an opinion he trusted, but partly for reassurance.

Kat nodded slightly, reluctantly, and said, "She is right. It's your choice of course, we have free will. But for reasons we may never understand the goddess gifted you with a key power for this fight. A Flame of Cytherea hasn't been seen in the last thousand years. I know we haven't known each other that long, but I don't believe you would turn away from that. No more than you could when you were powerless with a couple of hatchets."

He just nodded, she was right, he needed to go. It was just taking some time for his brain to catch up. "I'll go, when are we leaving?"

The stranger said, "Now, sooner if it were possible, and by the way, my name is Nora," softer she said, "Last surviving member of the Elite women warriors," she made a face, "Stupid name I know, but the king named it, and he is just a man after all."

He ignored the jab at men the world over and replied, "Very well, my name is Justin, and this is Katrina..."

He trailed off suddenly feeling very alone. It had only been maybe thirty six hours, but she was really the only person he knew, plus, he didn't want to leave her, at all. Not after last night and the way they got along. He just looked at her and she smiled, then claimed his hand with her own. She must have read the way he felt in his face...

Katrina snorted, "You don't think I'm letting you get away do you? I'm coming too. Ben and Cynthia can watch the inn while I'm gone, not a problem," she looked him straight in the eye a mischievous smile on her face, but her voice sounded quite serious, "I just found you after all, can't let you wander off alone now."

They went back to the inn long enough to grab supplies, then Nora took the lead since she knew generally where the army would be and they were off running to meet the army.