A/N~ Wow only a couple chapters left! Quick thing: I don't own; Lackey does!
Chapter 31~ FIGHT!
'Flame turned her dead eyes on him. She smiled, showing nothing but sharp white teeth. "Yes, I am." She reached up, releasing her hair. Shaking it out, she looked at the mage. "My hair should be white. Instead I bear this red. Do you know why?" The mage shook his head, looking slightly frightened. "Because, a few years ago, I was captured by some mages. They tried to use me to create a node. A mage storm came up, disrupting their little experiment." Her eyes were still flat and dead, her expression hadn't changed. "I was Changed in that Storm. As was that horse I've been riding. I survived." There was triumph in her voice.
The mage gulped, looking unsure for the first time. Then he raised his hands, invoking a spell. 'Flame didn't move. She felt the spell's compulsion and negligently waved it away.
The Changechild smiled evilly. "My turn."
The mage shrank back, his face draining of any color. The barrier sprang up without thought. The gold/blue shields surrounded them in ready answer to her call. She hadn't tapped a ley-line yet. She felt them there, ready for her. Amazingly, she also felt the Heartstone of k'Varis, lying quietly, waiting for her Call.
"You see," she said conversationally. "I was Changed by the Mage Storm. You made me stronger. Your blunder gave me the power you had craved." She waved her hand and held him in place. "I am now what you wanted to be. A powerful mage. I have the power you wanted." Now she tapped into the ley-lines. They answered with their power. Then she Reached and the Heartstone's power surged toward her, answering her Call. The power coursed through her.
She held it with her will, feeling it race along her skin. "Now you are mine."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wanderstone didn't dare interfere. The look on Shadowflame's face frightened him. She'd taken on a small pack of wyrsa with little help and survived. Now she had enough energy to not only fight the mage magically but control power from the Heartstone. He could See her vibrating with the Power. She held it lightly, like jesses on a raptor.
The Power filled her to capacity, giving her extra energy. Yet still she held her hand. It didn't seem to bother her to have all that at her call. In fact when he Looked again, he could see excess draining off into one of the ley-lines feeding the Heartstone. In essence, she was recycling her power.
Neither he nor Rrussin moved, both standing as still as statues, waiting for something to be done. He looked over to see what Ayren was doing.
Ayren sat in a tree above his bondmate. He didn't look concerned. Her horse was no where to be seen. Wanderstone wondered briefly at that before turning his attention back to the battle.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The light hold she had on the mage ripped away as he wrestled back control from her.
"You wench!" The mage snarled. "You should have died in that Storm, along with all those other fools! I wil have your power." A levin-bolt lashed out without warning. 'Flame smiled calmly and let her personal shields deflect it. The levin-bolt was absorbed by her shields.
The mage smiled and began firing at her. Levin-bolts were followed by fireballs, followed by rocks. On and on till 'Flame could see the sweat beading on his forehead. Not all the missiles (magical or physical) were deflected but the only ones to break through were the rocks, causing bruises but nothing more.
She concentrated. She wanted to punish the mage. He would pay for Changing her, making her more outcast than she already was. What she wanted to do she had to get close to him for. Lightnings crashed around her, one knocking her off her feet. 'Flame picked herself up, her control and strength running low from holding so much Power. Another fireball burst close by, singeing her hair. She flung up an arm rolling out of the way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wanderstone cursed seeing her almost burnt by the fireball. Still, he held his hand. This was her fight and he had no right to interfere. He held his breath watching the duel.
'Flame cursed, rolling again out of the way of another lightning strike. She hadn't regained her feet yet. Rolling again, she finally got her feet under her. She stood, fire sparking in her, until then, cold dead eyes. "Nice try," she said, smirking. Then she unleashed the power she held.
Lightnings rained down out of the sky, pinning the mage to the edge of her barrier. Levin-bolts herded him, taking down his shields as fast as he could put them up. Finally, his power fizzled out. Sweat rained down his face, his breath coming in gasps.
Advancing on him, a cat stalking its prey, a small wicked smile playing about her lips. She held onto the power. It fed her, guided by her strength, controlled by her will, directed by her rage.
Around her, a white aura coalesced, making her appear ethereal. She grabbed the mage and broke into his mind, past all shields, using the power of the Heartstone to fuel her.
Up close, she could smell his fear. The sweat added a tangy, salty scent to the air. She wondered if he realized just what he had created. She then knew he couldn't, because she wasn't very sure herself. She backed off the power, disconnecting from the leylines, leaving only the Heartstone to feed her. She scanned his mind, unwilling to leave anything to chance.
Here he sat at his master's feet. He looked up, hoping to hear more of what his master had planned. "Ahh my young apprentice, you shall be the one. You shall capture me a Hawkbrother and then a Heartstone." His master died that winter without ever telling him how.
'Flame drew back. The malevolence she had felt from the master had poured itself into the apprentice, warping him from everything sane. When his master had died so quickly, he had blamed everyone and had never been able to go beyond what his training had been. No one had been willing to take him on, leaving him to wander alone.
She released him, disgusted at herself for feeling anything nearing pity for the bastard. She created a containment field, linking it to the Heartstone of k'Varis. The mage would not be breaking free from that.
She slumped as she released the power. Tapping a line lightly, she drew enough energy to replenish herself but nothing more. Wanderstone dropped to the ground. "Are you alright?" He asked, seeing her eyes calm and her breathing returning to normal.
"I c-c-can't k-k-kill him." She stuttered, reaction finally settling in. He caught her as her knees collapsed. He placed her on a blanket, going to clean up the mess the wyrsa had made. Hoofs thundering through the forest caused him to draw his bow again.
The Shin'a'in stallion snorted at him and trotted over to nuzzle 'Flame. Wanderstone relaxed, seeing her stroking his cheeks. He began carting away the carcasses. The wyrsa went first, followed by what was left of the bodyguard. Everytime he came back, he glanced over to where she sat, surrounded by her bird and her horse, the support almost palpable.
It was well past dusk when a scout's whistle hailed the camp. Wanderstone stood. Shadowflame was asleep, curled next to her stallion, looking like a young child next to his bulk.
"Well, Wanderstone, you've caused a commotion back at k'Varis." The scout said, melting out of the trees. "The Elders are up in arms, the dyheli are holding two horses from flight and that one," he said pointing at Darkfire, "Scared years off of several lives."
The man's tufted owl settled into a tree, near Jaarthe without a rustle. "So what was this all about?"
Wanderstone sighed, waved a hand toward the fire and got settled to tell the story. "Well, someone asked for help…."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Firesong was sleeping fitfully when the MindCall roused him. :She's fine! I'll be damned if I know how. But she's alive and well!: Snowblade's excitement and relief bubbled over. :Shadowflame is alive and well!:
Firesong closed his eyes against the tears of relief. He didn't know how and he didn't care. She had somehow survived the wyrsa attack. All that was left was the mage. How well would she fare against him?
:I also have a message for you.: Snowblade continued. :She has the mage contained and is leaving him here with us, while we strip him of his abilities. We have a Healing-Adept already on her way. Her message is: I'm not him. I'm not a killer. I couldn't do it. I'll be home soon.:
Firesong sent an acknowledgement and broke the link. She was alive and well, her demons purged at last. He stood without waking Silverfox, something he wasn't able to do very often. Padding quietly he tapped on his father's door.
Starfall was at the door quickly. "What is it?" He asked, worried. Could 'Flame be dead? Had the wyrsa gotten her? Or had the mage figured out who she was and destroyed her?
Firesong smiled. "She's fine!" He whispered excitedly. "They don't know how. But she's alive and well. She'll be coming home!" Starfall sagged in relief. It was over.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You mean to tell me that she's Shadowflame k'Treva?" One of the scouts asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "I heard stories about her. She was banned from the Vales!"
There were murmurs of agreement. Another one spoke up. "If she's banned why are you helping her?" she asked shrewdly.
Wanderstone sighed and kept his peace. He knew she hadn't been banned from any Vale, not even k'Vala. He didn't know the whole story but he was sure that no one truly banned would have been helped in anyway. The woman in question was still asleep, exhausted from her day. She murmured occasionally but then her stallion would nuzzle her and she'd go quietly back to sleep. Ayren sat in a tree just above her, probably asleep himself, whereas Jaarthe was avidly watching the little council happening around the fire.
"Look," he said, losing some of his patience. "She asked for help. Elder Snowblade agreed to give her the help. I don't think it's our place to question his decision."
Someone snorted. In the shifting light of the fire, it was hard to tell just how many were in the little gathering. Wanderstone knew that there were only six of them. The shadows made it seem like more. "Yes and since he's your father, we should listen to you."
"No, you should listen to me." That voice brought heads up and hands to belt knives. Shadowflame had stood and walked up behind Wanderstone without anyone noticing. Her face was pale, eyes bruised and tired looking. She stood erect, but even in the faulty light everyone could see how much it cost her.
"I asked for help. It was given. And I will tell you why." She had found her own conclusions in her dreams. It was she who had denied herself the Vales, taking one man's word over all else. "I was given help because I am Shadowflame k'Treva, Tayledras Ambassador to Haven. I speak for all the Vales in front of many allies. I live daily with those allies, telling them of our way of life. I was chosen by the council of Elders to take that position. In reality what that means is I outrank every scout here. I was given help because I asked. Does anyone have a problem with that?"
Wanderstone looked at her, amazed at her commanding presence. He looked up into her eys, hoping to catch a glimpse of the laughing woman he'd first met. Instead, all he saw was the cold mercenary that had worked for the mage.
Murmurs came from the others, all acknowledging her seniority. "Good," she said flatly. With that she returned to her original spot and draped an arm over Darkfire, falling back to sleep almost immediately.
Wanderstone turned back to the scouts who had all gone quiet. He didn't say anything more. He didn't have to. Shadowflame had said it all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rrussin was the first to notice something amiss. His swift MindCall woke all the sleeping scouts and roused the sentries to extra alertness. Wanderstone watched the mage closely, looking for every nuance of his behavior.
'Flame stood, a shadow even in the firelight, her black clothing hiding her from all eyes. She stalked closer to the small enclosure where the mage was confined, watching.
A light grew in the confines of the barrier, brighter and brighter. It lit the clearing, as bright as day. The scouts shielded their eyes as it grew still brighter.
Then to every one of them, no matter what level mage they had acquired, there was the sound of something being ripped away, torn forcibly from where it had been. The mage screamed, mentally and physically, causing everyone to clap their hands over their ears and wince as it reverberated in their skull. The light had vanished to pool around 'Flame and her closed fist. The mage's mental and physical voice suddenly cut off, leaving blank silence in its wake. Everyone was watching the two mages. Breath was held, no one stirred, waiting for what might happen next.
"My shields are not so easily broken anymore," 'Flame's voice uttered from the dark. "Before you had me starved, dehydrated, blocked from tapping any mage energies. Not this time. This time I have the not only the leylines but the Heartstone at my Call. I Reach." She did so, showing them the energies now flowing to her by coloring them. The Heartstone Power was a green color. "It answers my Call. It leaps to obey my will."
She cocked her head to one side, studying the trapped mage. "I wonder if you know what a Heartstone truly is." Even without his Mage Sight, Wanderstone could see her begin to feed the energy into the mage. "See? The power is intoxicating is it not? Yet the control is not yours, it is mine. Your end would come ever so much quicker if I were to allow you to try to control this power. But that is too simple. No I let you taste it, let it tempt you." She smiled, not looking totally sane.
Wanderstone wanted to interfere, to stop her. Darkfire interposed himself before the scout. :No. Let her fight this out. The last of her demons must be purged for her Healing to be complete.: The deep voice was sincere and worried. The stallion looked back over at his bondmate. :I worry for her too.:
Ayren came over to settle in the tree above Wanderstone watching Shadowflame taunt the mage. Even he looked worried. None of the other scouts moved, transfixed by the power she wielded with such ease.
Advancing on him, she dismissed the shields with a thought. "No, I think I know what to do to you. You will never be safe, never be able to wield any power again. When I am done, you will be nothing resembling any type of mage."
She tightened down her control of the Power, compacting it. Then she jumped, grabbing the man's arms, locking his eyes with her own. For many minutes they stood there, staring deeply into each other's eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shadowflame ruthlessly released her power. All along his channels the Power ripped through him. It burned, cauterizing as it went. Every mage channel he had was burned. They cauterized themselves, closing them off, never to be used again. She could Feel him fighting her. She could Feel him trying to regain control of the power he so wanted. He grasped after it, a child reaching for a toy held just out of reach.
She Felt the last channel close, sealing him off forever. He sobbed, mentally and physically, feeling his power forever fade away.
Releasing him, she staggered. Her knees gave out and she slumped into Wanderstone's arms, where he appeared suddenly behind her.
She looked up into his eyes, all madness gone. "He'll never hurt anyone again," she whispered. Then she promptly passed out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N~ Yes 'Flame has issues.
Etcetera-cat~ Here's the clip you beta'd and a bit more…. Had to extend the chapter was too short otherwise…
Hawk~ umm.. No that's ok… scratches for Kyrette are good… for me? That's just weird…
Queen's Own~ I used to be a farmer… So I only accept hard working muses.. *glares at Jelana*
Wizard116~ won't be able to say that for very much longer.!
Shahanna~ 'Flame has a little right to do it though don't ya think?
Officially there are 2 chapters left… I hope you enjoy