Author's Note/s: Since I'll be on a long break, might as well post this as a gift to you, Reader. Enjoy!
A fifteen year old Lina watched from the window of the traveling carriage the scorching sand dance with the wind. It was a very beautiful show. This desert south of Misrule sure lived up to its reputation: the place is so hot that it is sometimes referred as the surface of hell.
As she turned her head away from the window, she studied the other passengers. These folks were visitors like her and all are sweating profusely. To prevent dying due to dehydration, there is always a stash of bottled water available just under the seats. Lina, however, does not need water nor she sweat like a pig. She is very comfortable with the scorching heat that feels like you are cooked inside a fiery furnace.
The carriage finally stopped in front of a building. All passengers got off to meet with relatives waiting for their arrival. As Lina is the last to step off the carriage, she was also met by a relative.
"Hello, auntie." greeted Lina as she kissed her aunt's cheek and her baggage is dropped beside her by the port man.
"Hello, Lina." also greeted the aunt with a smile as she kissed Lina's cheek. The aunt has graying hair covered with a wide-brimmed hat and her voice is soft and gentle. "My, look how you've grown! The last time I've seen you, you were, hmm, eight I think. Oh, it was a long time. I'm glad you came to visit me. But where is your sister Rylai?"
Lina smirked. "So mom and dad never mentioned the real reason I'm here." She shrugged her shoulder. "Doesn't matter anyway."
"What do you mean about that, Lina?"
"The reason I'm here is I've been banished while Rylai is sent packing to the north."
The aunt gasped. "That sweet child Rylai is sent to the north? That's horrible!"
Lina took note of her aunt's expression. "Why aunt? What's so special in the north?"
"Special? Good grief! That place is an uninhabited wasteland!"
"An uninhabited wasteland?" Lina laughed. "Oh, poor Rylai!" she said in a mocking voice.
"Lina! It is no laughing matter!" gently rebuked the aunt. "What were your parents thinking? Sending Rylai to the north?"
"It's because she's a cold-hearted bitch."
"Lina!"
"Don't worry, she also calls me a hellfire bitch." The aunt gasped again. "And it's true that Rylai is cold. Cold like her element."
The aunt became skeptical. "Cold like her element? What do you mean by that?"
Sometimes, Lina hates her aunt because she is daft. Kind but daft. And it reminds her of her gullible sister. Lina sighed. "Because she can control the element ice. That's a reason why she's sent there."
Understanding dawned upon the aunt and she knows why Lina is here, yet she still asked just to be sure. "And you Lina? Why are you sent here?"
Lina smirked. In a cocky posture, she showed her aunt her hand, palm up. "Because" a fireball appeared from Lina's palm "I'm hot! My element is fire!"
Those who were present the time that Lina revealed her ability to control fire spread the news. Like a wildfire, all the somnolent townspeople of Misrule knows about Lina and would try to get a glimpse of her as she and her aunt passed through the streets. Lina noticed their curiosity and she concludes that she will have fun staying in this desert.
As days pass, Lina knows she is getting looks from the insolent locals but she cares not. Head held high and brimming with confidence, the proud and mischievous Lina never hesitates to use her fire magic anytime and anywhere, making sure the locals get the message of not messing with her: if a snobbish bitch turned up her nose, Lina would send a spark of flame at the hem of the woman's skirt; when the owner of a shop never acknowledge Lina's purchases, she would burn an object inside the shop; if a group of teens would like to gang-up on her, all she had to do is fling fireballs and watch them flee like dogs with their tails tucked between their legs; when arrogant, young, hot bloods woo her and make unwanted advances, the pups get scorched.
There was also a time that Lina went to the forbidden part of Misrule where everything is barren and desert wyrms lived. Lina loved watching the reptiles breathe out fire. Once, a wrym would like to eat her but she showed that she is no easy prey. With fiery passion, she fought the wyrm. Some say she managed to kill the wyrm, others say the wyrm fled from Lina's wrath. No one knows but from that day on, the wyrms never bothered her. Lina had the opportunity to study and manipulate the fiery breath of the desert wyrms. And she likes to practice it on local law enforcers who tried to stop or arrest her for trespassing on forbidden land.
Lina also learned to use the sun's energies as a source of fire. As she experiments with the energies, she realized the heat makes the air around her become torrid and allows her to float above ground. With glee, she loves to show off to the locals that she can fly as she passes by the streets while flames appear on her hands. With her cleverness and mischievousness, she is able to cast a ray of light using the sun's energies and a very intense fire bolt that when she cast it, a white-hot lightning would be seen. Those who tried to dampen her fire get scorched.
Her patient aunt could not do anything to prevent the rebellious Lina from doing what she wanted to do. All she can do is apologize to the people who believed they were wronged by Lina and pay for the damages. But sometimes, the aunt is thankful that if Lina is present when someone tried to ask for money, Lina would give threats such as 'I'll burn your house down if you ask for more' or 'Have your gold in your hands and I'll melt it for you'.
Because of such behavior and antics, Lina has earned the reputation as 'the Slayer', for those who tried to oppose and anger her will get scorched.