~Now that I'm on the edge
I can't find my way
It's inside of my mind of mine
Open up and see what's inside of my My mind
My mind...~
Three months have passed since my captivity. I don't know where I am and it reeks of my blood. Its pitch black and not a sound is heard except the hushed tones that converse outside my confinement and the constant roars of anger from Ifrit deep in my conscious. I'm bound to a cold, steel wall with spears plunged deep in my body. It's painful when I try to adjust myself and even more when I attempt to build up power. I growl lowly and spit blood on the floor.
"Ugh! Curse this foul magic and weak body!" Ifrit fumes. His anger is enough to give me a slight headache—which it always does.
I can feel the other two Spirits outside my confinement. So close, just within reach of my claws. They're living so carefree and ignorant of what they've done. The lives they stole, the families they separated, and the dear son they took!
Rage swells within me. I clench my teeth holding back the torrent of fire begging to be released. The sand-like soldiers push slightly deeper reminding me why I'm unable to escape. Suddenly, a bright light shines inside the room and blinds me—it isn't the twins, instead, an avian-like being and a women. The light shimmers against his gold plated armor and I can only stare in slight awe.
"When the moment arises, we strike!" Ifrit growls.
"Are you certain Emperor Azir?" The women asks. I notice the grip on her boomerang increase. "He is extremely dangerous."
He doesn't answer. His brilliant aquamarine gaze transfixed on me with keen interest. So this is the emperor of this land? His stature is somewhat imposing but doesn't compare to Ifrit or any other Spirit for that matter. But there's no denying his presence; commanding and dauntless.
"I will take over watch for now." He says. "I have questions and he has the answers I seek." He makes a gesture with his hand and the binds that hold me disperse but the soldiers remain and keep my hands bound behind my back.
"I'm aware of your immortality evident of the months you have been captive here. I will not hold you here any longer but if you attempt anything, next time I will double them, and extend your time. Do you understand?" He asks and I nod assuring.
"Strike! Now!" Ifrit growls but ignore him.
"You're not the one who has to suffer with spears in his body. I think I'll pass."
"Impudent creature!"
The soldiers finally disperse releasing me and I wipe my chin. He isn't very gentle and I almost want to snap his neck. Patience is all I require. So much time and energy wasted trapped here. I follow behind him slowly as I wince at the pins and needles feeling in my arms and legs. He leads me through a long hallway with windowless arches that overlook the city.
It is a grand view. The sun glorifies the land in a blanket warm golden light, buildings are mighty and majestic with a floating sun-like disc above them. So much beauty that the Plains pales in comparison.
"Come." Emperor Azir orders and I resume following.
There is only us. No one else walks these halls but I sense the twins. Perhaps below us? It would be difficult to escape the Emperor within his domain. Sand seems to be his power which he shapes into anything he wants and there is an infinite amount of it here.
A large golden, double door with hieroglyphs stands tall at the end of the hall. It's otherworldly-like and I'm unable to understand the patterns.
"It reads: If you search for the laws of harmony, you will find knowledge." Ifrit says.
"You understand it?" I ask taken aback.
"Do not insult my intellect with this bastard language! All mortal languages are easily comprehensible!" He flares.
I follow him inside to a spacious and elegant room. Furniture that I've never seen before, paintings, and numerous bookshelves. Something soft smacks against my head and I growl angrily.
"Take a bath. You reek."
"It's what happens when you're stuck somewhere for months! You should try it!"
He stares nonchalantly and points a finger. "The bath is that way."
I throw the towel over my shoulder and growl as I pass him. The bath is not quite what I had imagined—it's like an entire sea of warm, green liquid. I dip a finger in and watch the ripples distort my reflection. It smells nice, gentle, like a jade, or jasmine. I strip languidly, the pain in my body ephemeral as I submerge in the tranquil waters.
I groan in pleasure, a noise I have not made in so long, and it echoes off the walls. It sounds almost lewd even but I don't care. My wounds have already healed as if the waters had healing properties. Even the dried blood that stains my crimson fur disperses and dissipates immediately. So calming in my otherwise boisterous conscious yet…still lost and unguided.
"I gave you a purpose and you rejected it!" You don't even know what you want! Your uncertainty and abstain behavior is pissing me off!" IfritI fumes. "We can ease our pains in the blood of others! Just let me take control again." Ifrit suggests practically whispering sweetly in my ear—a sickening sweet.
I bite my lip.
"How quaint," a familiar voice says which startles me. "The one called IfritI is rather abhorrent and loud. Is he the reason you razed hundreds of cities to the ground?" The Emperor asks. His arms are folded over her slender chest and his eyes meet mine ardently.
"What?! He can hear me?!" Ifrit growls.
"I can and while we're on the subject allow me to remind you that disobedience will be rewarded with punishment. I might not able to slay you but a suspect a few thousand years in a secluded area may teach you how to obey."
Ifrit growls in annoyance. "You would dare challenge me, mortal?! I have ruled over the land before you were even a thought! I have subjugated billions of you insects to excruciating pain! You tread unto territory you do not understand!"
"There's a marking somewhere on Ares's body that will allow me to subdue you. I am not worried. You have no power here."
I narrow my eyes in anger while Ifrit spits a flurry of curse words. Just the thought of another man touching me other than Leone disgusts me.
"I'm not letting you touch me," I glare. "What do you want with me?" I ask.
"Like the twins, you hold great power. Power that I can use to bring Shurima back to fruition, power that will bring those who thought to darken Shurima's grandeur to their knees."
"So you freed me, brought me to your chambers to bathe to convince me to help you? How romantic." I spit.
The avian king shakes his head. I bought you here you reeked. I stated that. The other baths would bring you into contact with one or both of twins which I will not allow as you are. Do not be coy." He responds. "In fact, I brought you here to show you something. I would like you to accompany me somewhere."
I sigh with aggravation and swim slowly over to him. His gaze reminds locked with me.
"Do you have a change of clothes for me?" I ask. "Don't want you to get jealous."
"Naturally," he says and leads me back to his room. "I am bigger than you, by the way." He smiles and I roll my eyes.
Ifrit laughs.
"What're you laughing at? Maybe I should let him touch the mark so can hear you moan like a bitch."
Ifrit snarls at me. "I cannot wait for the day when I have you on your knees begging for mercy!"
"Keep hoping motherfuc-!"
"How strange." Emperor Azir says and stares with child-like curiosity. "I actually cannot hear you, Ares when you converse with him. I can hear him clear as day but not yours. Why is that? Does the chaos drown out your voice?"
"He's just too loud. Can't you hear Shiva and Tenebrae?" I ask.
"No. I can hear Shiva but not Tenebrae. There appears to be a veil around his mind."
I shrug. "Depending on the echo of the Spirit, you can hear some but not all."
"Echo?"
"Echo is like their will. Shiva's echo is peace and solitude. Tenebrae's is mysterious and hypnotic. And you can guess Ifrit's."
"So can he hear me?" He asks with visible amusement.
"You low-life creature! It does not work that way!" Ifrit growls.
"Stop shouting! Use your inside voice, damn!" I poke my ringing ears.
"Miserable fucking swine! I am inside your head! I am using my inside voice!"
"Do you two always bicker like this? It is like a one-sided conversation but I am sure he is not talking to himself." Emperor Azir asks.
I shake my head. "No actually. This is the first time we've actually talked this long," I say as I begin dressing myself in the clothing that was provided. A dark blue robe that only covered the left side of my body with black pants. "Kind of pissing me off honestly."
"What is this?" The Emperor asks as he touches the metal-like coil around my bicep.
I shrug off his touch. "My people call it hono no amo. It means arm of the flame. Once we captured Ifrit, I had no direct way to access his power. It's a weapon that allows me to harness his power freely…with minor drawbacks."
"Drawbacks such as?"
"You ask a lot of question, you know that right?"
"Knowledge is power but I suppose that is it for now. Allow me to show you why I brought you here." He says and makes gestures with his hands.
Immediately sand-like people emerge all around and down the hall. I arch a brow in curiosity and watch him as he walks ahead me.
"You and I are share the same story actually," he says. "A story that is still fresh in my main and haunts me in the waking." He gestures me to follow. "When I was young, I had little potential to be emperor and I always invoked my father's ire. So I secluded myself in the Great Library and there I met one of my father's servants."
Suddenly, some of the sand around him exploded while others seemed to disperse into thin air. But it didn't sway Emperor Azir so he must be doing this…The sand-like people must be from his past, servants, and maybe other nobles.
"He had no name and over time we became like brothers," he pauses briefly as more of his sand creations disappear. "I named him Xerath." His creations dispersed with more animation as if running from something or someone but I couldn't see that. I followed him through the carnage and destruction and up a spiral staircase. The slaughter didn't end. At the top was a throne room where several creations stood not yet destroyed by the impending reality.
"My wife," he says and strokes her cheek. "Still carrying our next child. My son and my daughter both so beautiful and young."
In an instant they all disappeared, faces stricken with fear, and silent screams they I practically hear. I close my eyes remembering almost the exact same thing that took place here. My loved ones were taking from me…so sudden and wrong. I hold back tears and grit my teeth harshly.
"Xerath had slaughtered the great people of Shurima for his quest of power. He betrayed me and took everything from me. Everything!" His voice raises an octave in anger which crumbles the wall I placed around my heart.
I kneel at his side and watch his balled fist tremble with anger. "I know your story all too well, Ares. I've lived it. I understand the vengeance you seek because I seek it too. But killing the twins will not heal you. They knew not what they did and it only occurred out of desperation to save their mother."
I wipe my face with my arm and ball my hands into a fist. I do understand that…it's just too much to bear with no answers, no redemption, no purpose…Nothing.
"And so I ask you again, not as Emperor but as a father who lost everything. Will you aid Shurima in making sure the dawn rises for every child and family, so that they will never know pain like we have?"
"Use me as you see fit," I say and wipe my face once more. I think it's a great cause. My chest even feels a little lighter with renewed hope that I thought lost forever.
"Then what?" Ifrit scoffs. "What happens when you fail again? When you watch more loved ones fall from your weakness!"
"It won't happen again." I assure him.
Ifrit growls lowly." I will be waiting for the moment when you give into me completely. What you hope is nothing more than a fabricated ideal that YOU can protect everything. My power only brings destruction. You think to use me for good? Foolish mortal!"
"You're right that he cannot protect everything, Ifrit. But with a little help, we can do anything." Emperor Azir rests his hand on my shoulder and smiles. "I've learned this over time."
Ifrit laughs amusingly. "You have three Spirits of destruction at your side. I look forward to you regretting this decision."
I rise to my feet and nod with affirmation. "I am Captain Ares, the Eternal Flame. What are your orders?"
