Author's Note: Reading other's stories on this site makes me feel so insecure about my own writing wow. However that doesn't mean that I'm not going to try my best at this. Hope you all enjoy this next chapter.

~ Cole

Chapter III - Remaining Embers

The heat was more comforting than not for Laevatein. It was what she was used to, the heavy air, the dryness in her mouth, all of it. As she knelt before her father alongside her sister, the temperature skyrocketed. Never a good sign. Her father had the presence of a god in Múspell. Everything in the kingdom bent to his will and no one dared challenge it, including the flames themselves. Everything was under his control, including her. She didn't care, she even liked the mindlessness to it. Slaughtering innocent villagers, assassinating political leaders with families, annihilating any opposing force, she was experienced in all of these areas. It took her mind off of the past and what she had done to her mother. She was just a tool and tools didn't think. They just did what they were told.

"Laevatein."

Breaking her train of thought, Laevatein looked up at her father. "Yes my lord."

"You failed again to kill those Askrian pigs. A weapon that cannot kill is useless to me." Surtr growled. The temperature in the throne room shot up even more than before. Little embers that danced from the veins of lava flowing through the floor suddenly sparked and grew.

Laevatein liked to think that she didn't have any emotions anymore, but in truth she did. Fear was the only emotion left at her arsenal, and it was always sparked from her father's wrath. In response to her father, she simply nodded in acceptance, ready for what always happened next. Maybe today it was that her father would let the guards have their way with her. Or having her nails ripped off of her fingertips, slowly but surely.

"I want you to slaughter your sister, right here as punishment. Prove to me that the sword you wield truly is meant for my will only. Prove to me that it will cut when commanded."

The tension in the room rose. Laegjarn looked at her little sister with genuine fear in her eyes. There was no emotion or remorse in Laevatein's eyes as she raised her sword above her head, no hesitation in her movements. The last thing Laevatein saw before her sword split Laegjarn's chest open was a look of ultimate disappointment, hate, and sadness all in one.

And then she woke, throat hoarse, struggling to get air into her lungs.

Dorcas was a simple man. He cared about his family and put the ones he cared about before anything else. So when he had been assigned to guard duty for Laevatein, he was interested. What type of family life did this young girl have with a tyrant as her father? Just by having the overnight shift he could tell that it was not a good one. Her sleep was constantly broken by guttural screams erupting from her throat as if they were forcibly dragged out by a demon. Dorcas was not a particularly religious man but by the heavens he prayed for her. He was not one of the heroes that just blindly hated the girl for her actions, he understood what it meant to obey commands in order to survive. Not for one second did he believe that the young Mùspellian was not plagued by her past. Footsteps that revealed someone was descending from the staircase interrupted his thoughts. He turned and to his surprise he came face to face with the Summoner.

When he was called by the Summoner's weapon, at first he was angry that he was ripped from his wife and home but eventually grew to have a large amount of respect for him. He was a reserved tactician with intelligence and prowess in battle despite being extremely young. He cared for each one of the heroes and gladly let Dorcas visit his family whenever he pleased despite the intense war with Mùspell. He tried to understand every single one of his comrades and always showed compassion. People gravitated towards him and opened up their problems and struggles and he always put their needs before his. Nothing was more respectable than that. Many had tried to get the quiet tactician to open up about his past before he was called into Askr, but he would just smile and say it wasn't important and to focus on the present not the past. Dorcas understood his privacy and never prodded about it, but that didn't mean he wasn't curious.

"How is Laevatein doing?" Kiran asked, his voice neutral, face showing nothing. However it didn't escape Dorcas that he addressed Laevatein by her name.

"She screams a lot." Dorcas stated as if he was simply saying that the weather was nice today. Kiran was taken aback by his words.

"I-I see. And why would that be?" Kiran stuttered, a genuinely worried look on his face. Dorcas's respect for Kiran rose even more.

"I assume that she has constant nightmares. Ones of her past I can only guess," He said, a slight tone of sadness in his voice, "You know how much family means to me. Everything I did in my past was for them. Even though I don't know her past, I can tell that her family was not like mine. Caring. Loving. Loyal. Supportive." Kiran nodded a look of understanding dawning on his hidden face. He opened his mouth to begin speaking, but a scream pierced the room. It sounded like it was practically torn from the depths of Laevatein's heart and out of her mouth. Kiran winced visibly. Dorcas nodded at him. "Each one sounds just like that. Just as painful. Just as heart wrenching." Kiran's face was hidden under his hood as always, but Dorcas could practically see the mixed emotions distorting his face just by looking at his mouth. "This young boy has no limits to his empathy." Dorcas thought. He watched as Kiran carefully approached the cell with a concerned look on his face and gave a small smile to himself. Maybe that prayer for the girl he made before would be answered.

As Kiran peered into the cell, his heart pulled at the sight of the state Laevatein was in. She was in her skintight black romper, drenched in sweat. Her breath was ragged and she had a look in her eyes that he had seen before. Pure fear. Huddled in the corner of her bed, knees tucked to her chest, arms wrapped around her legs she stared back at Kiran. Unwrapping herself calmly and carefully, she met his gaze with an attempted look of disdain, but he could tell she was shaken by whatever she had experienced in her nightmare. Kiran rarely felt anger, but it swelled up in his chest pulling memories from long ago to his mind. He pushed the past away like he always did and focused on the present. Right now Laevatein needed someone, and he impulsively decided that he would be that someone. He wasn't sure exactly why, but that was a lie he was telling himself and he knew it. He knew the repercussions of being her friend wouldn't be pleasant, but he couldn't ignore her distress.

But the real reason he was lying to himself was because he didn't want to admit a simple fact. That she just reminded him of a ghost from the far away past.

"Dorcas give me the keys." Kiran said, his voice uncharacteristically seething with anger.

Both Laevatein and Dorcas looked at Kiran, shock plastered on their faces. Dorcas was the first to recompose himself, a look of pleasure on his face. He gently placed the keys in Kiran's outstretched hand and whispered, "Be careful. Fjorm is on guard duty outside tonight." Kiran nodded in appreciation earning a surprising wink from Dorcas. "Just know what this young girl really needs to be okay again." Kiran would have blushed but he knew what Dorcas truly meant.

Kiran moved to unlock the cell door but Laevatein spoke, her voice practically a whisper. "Why?" Kiran looked at her with a face set with determination even though it was hidden by his hood. "Because you deserve to be free."

Laevatein just looked like a lost child at that moment. She wanted to cry and hated it. All she wanted to do lately was cry. She knew she was at her lowest, she knew she was desperate, she knew she was alone. So for the first time in her life, she accepted a hand that reached out to help. For some reason it felt relieving.

Laevatein had never liked the cold, but for once she appreciated the crisp breeze of the night. Despite the skimpy romper she wore, the wind felt soothing and gentle, like it was gently brushing her skin as to comfort her. The one part of her that felt warm was her hand as it was intertwined with Kiran's. She could feel his calluses that covered his palms and his long fingers that covered the back of her hand. At first she had adamantly refused to hold hands. But she would learn quickly enough that Kiran was very persistent. So she eventually gave in, locking her fingers with his, surprised at how normal it felt. She hadn't felt a sense of normality in too long and began to cherish the moment. As Kiran lead her through the maze of hallways and rooms throughout the castle, she was in awe at how the Order of Heroes Castle seemed to glow even during the dark of night. She didn't have enough time to appreciate each room but despite that it still felt like she was walking through a dream. A glimmer of a smile broke out on Laevatein's face.

Eventually smelling fresh air, Laevatein picked up her pace, excited to be outside after a week of confinement. As the two reached the archway leading outdoors, they could faintly hear voices speaking.

"-if only he would listen sometimes. Or think with his head. Or do anything logical at all." An exasperated voice said.

"Well I don't understand half of what you're saying Fjorm, but if you really care that much about whatever it is just tell him!" A younger voice exclaimed loudly, "you gotta appreciate everything so don't let bad people ruin your friends! I love the Black Fang, they're my family so I always tell them how I feel, no matter what!" A giggle followed the surprisingly mature statement. "I'm surprised that Nino could say something like that." Kiran thought to himself in amusement.

"You're right Nino. I can't let that bitch ruin what I have with him." Fjorm's voice was filled with an icy hatred. Kiran winced inwardly, looking to Laevatein. Her face was stoic, no emotion showing. He was surprised that Fjorm had openly swore in front of Nino since she was so young but he pushed that thought aside. "C'mon Laevatein, this way." He whispered, gesturing for her to skirt around the large group of bushes behind the two guarding heroes. Eventually making it away from Fjorm and Nino, the pair walked through the garden of the castle. Laevatein marveled at the vast amount of colors that contrasted against each other. Each flower and plant had a different intricate style and color to it. Kiran looked at Laevatein admiring the flowers in awe. She didn't notice him coming behind her and whispering in a quiet voice, "Try smelling this one." He held up a rose, it's red hues still vibrant even in the night. Laevatein had a childish look in her ember colored eyes. She breathed in deeply, savoring the scent that she could not describe other than it smelled like life itself. "There is nothing like this in Mùspell." Laevatein breathed. Her worries seemed to be forgotten for just a single moment, but it passed just as quickly as it came. A gust of wind blew through the garden, ruffling the flowers, trees, and bushes that surrounded the two. Laevatein unconsciously shivered, crossing her arms over her chest. This didn't go unnoticed by Kiran and he did something he never thought he would do in the year that he had been in Askr. It was impulsive, foolish and caring all in one. He took off his robe and draped it over Laevatein shoulders, revealing his face that he had shown to no one in the year that he had been there. She immediately froze as she felt the cloth being placed on her. The robe was...comforting. It felt like she was cuddled up in the blankets that her mother weaved for her and Laegjarn when she was just a child. She instinctively closed her eyes, a smile forming on her face. Then it hit her. This was Kiran's. He wasn't wearing it. So she slowly turned around to face the Summoner that had caused her so much pain in the past, but was helping her so much in the present.

He returned Laevatein's gaze as she stared at him, her eyes quickly taking in what he truly looked like. He noticed her mouth was gradually turning from a shocked expression, to a slight smile. Her eyes were ablaze with emotions he couldn't read. As much as Kiran wanted to feel uncomfortable, he didn't. His robe was a source of comfort to him, the hood always protecting his expressions and emotions from others passing glances. Not to mention it was for security reasons. No one knew what he looked like and he knew that could play to be a tactical advantage. Yet here he was, showing the Mùspellian Queen his face and letting it sink in. "I'm a selfish idiot for this." Kiran thought to himself in slight anger of his impulsivity. But then he really looked at Laevatein. Her red eyes which were usually filled with hate or fear practically glowed in the dark. Her dark complexion contrasting against his white and gold embellished robe, revealing despite the torn skin tight romper she wore, the messy hair that was still in her usual pigtails, she was radiant in this moment. He let a small laugh escape him, knowing that in this one moment he could tell Laevatein had grasped at something that wasn't despair or sadness.

If Laevatein had to describe Kiran in a single word, it would be disheveled. She had seen his mouth before, but now that it was not in the shadows of his hood she noticed his lips were thin, but had a charming curve to them as he laughed. His nose was on the small side but still endearing in a way. His ears were bigger than average and she noticed that he had a small freckle on one of them. His complexion was much lighter than hers and it was as if his face had never seen the sun. However, it was really his eyes and hair that made him look so disheveled. His hair was straight but still messy, sticking up in different directions. The color matched the night, pitch black. She didn't know where to begin with his eyes though. They were a brown hue, more dark than not, but all scattered throughout his irises there were flecks of green that reflected against the stars and moon that hung above their heads. She had heard from many men that her eyes were stunning, but his were outright vibrant, showing he was still at a young age and full of life. They held so many emotions in them that Laevatein couldn't read and that only drew her in closer. As she watched Kiran laugh, something sharply pulled at her locked heart. But this time it didn't hurt her chest like it always had. So in celebration, Laevatein let out a laugh too.

Author's Note: This chapter took a lot of effort from me and I really hope it shows. I know that no one actually knows what Kiran looks like in game, but I described him in a way I thought was fitting. Either way, hope you all enjoyed and don't hesitate to give me any suggestions or criticism.