With the Beastmen dead, Taylor and the Advisor decided to continue their journey forward. Their quest was going to be long and hard, and they could suffer no delays.
Taylor sighed to herself. She honestly didn't know if she would be able to do this quest set before her. Now that the adrenaline of the battle was gone, Taylor realized her hands were shaking, and she barely had her breathing under control. She wasn't ready for this. She was a 15 year old girl. Sure, one from a tough city who had to endure terrible trials, but still a 15 year old girl nonetheless. Powers or no, she wasn't ready for this at all. At least, not alone. Not like her Advisor was of any real help. Her thoughts turned to despair as she continued forward, trudging like a zombie.
However, a shout from the cliffs above them instantly pulled her out of her melancholy.
"Hail!" The voice was rough, male, and carried with natural authority.
Immediately Taylor turned to face the source, hands at her side, ready to summon fire if needed. As she realized she was unintentionally exposing herself to whoever was calling them, she brought her left arm up once more to preserve her modesty while her right was ready to fight.
Looking up, Taylor saw two figures, a man and a woman staring back down at her. Taylor thanked whatever god would listen that her newest guests were human. The first was a stout man, probably standing a little less than the height Taylor stood at before she gained her powers, about 5' 7". But what he lacked in height he made up for in width, and the man was a wall of solid muscle. Even underneath his blue gambeson and steel breastplate, she could tell this was a person who spent all his time training and fighting. He had a scarred, ugly face that held itself in a permanent scowl. He sported a well trimmed and maintained white mustache and a beard that went down to his neck, and his head was protected by an open bascinet helmet. He had a sword and yellow shield in his hands, the shield emblazoned with the iconography of a snarling red wolf. He looked like he was some kind of foot knight, or well armed medieval foot soldier.
Meanwhile the woman was an honest to God pirate. She was a tall figure, rivaling Taylor's height in the six foot club, but she stood upright and erect with a noble grace that Taylor could never emulate. Her body was well toned and limber, and her womanly curves stood out even underneath her tight fitting black trousers, white ruffled blouse, and her long black pirate coat. Her face was beautiful, with thin lips and a sharp gaze framed by wavy blonde hair that was worn down, topped with a dark brown tricorn hat on her head. Like the man she was armed, wielding what looked like a rapier in one hand and a dagger in the other. Along her waist was a series of flintlock pistols as well.
The duo descended the slope and made their way towards Taylor and the Advisor cautiously. Once they reached the bottom, they kept their weapons at their sides, but not raised as they approached. They stopped at about 30 feet away from Taylor, the two parties stared each other down. The pirate's eyes wandered over Taylor, confused and almost amused by her appearance, while the knight seemed to not even notice her near nude state, his taciturn face remaining in its permanent scowl through iron discipline.
"Are you friend or foe?" The knight asked, grip tightening slightly on his weapons as he did.
Taylor raised an eyebrow at the question. Here she was, a scared, half-naked girl wandering through Hell and that is the first thing he asked? Taylor rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of the question. Turning her head, she gestured to the smoldering beastmen corpses behind her and said, "As long as you're not actually Beastmen here to kill, rape, or eat me, then I think we're friends."
The knight's face remained impassive while the pirate's fell, the realization of what almost happened to Taylor dawning on her.
"Friend then." The knight grunted as he sheathed his sword and began to approach. "Good work with the Beastmen. The sounds of your battle attracted our attention, and we came to see if we could render aid. But it appears our haste was unnecessary," he flatly stated.
Taylor grit her teeth. Unnecessary? It would've been pretty fucking necessary 5 minutes ago. Fuck this asshole. Narrowing her eyes, Taylor hissed out, "Glad you thought about helping."
The knight either didn't notice the venom in her words, or didn't care. The pirate however, quickly intervened.
"Oh come on Lukas, learn to read the fucking mood." She berated her companion as she strode forward, taking off her long coat. "The girl is obviously traumatized." The pirate then extended her hands to Taylor, offering the article of clothing.
Taylor's eyes flicked back and forth between the jacket and the woman proffering it. While there weren't many ulterior motives the pirate could have with giving a simple piece of clothing, Taylor couldn't help but wonder if this was some sort of elaborate trick to get her to lower her guard.
The pirate gave her a sad smile. "Come love, it's not poisonous. You're terribly underdressed and I'm sure you must be uncomfortable with present company."
Taylor bit her lip, and eventually her feelings of modesty and embarrassment overtook her sense of mistrust. She grabbed the long coat and threw it on. While it was a bit tight around her arms, the pirate was tall enough that the coat fit her new frame relatively well.
Buttoning up the front to cover her chest, Taylor muttered out, "Thanks."
"No problem, love." The pirate gave Taylor a wide grin as she patted her on the shoulders and helped straighten out the coat. "Now then, are you alright? Did those Beastmen…"
Stepping back to regain her personal space, Taylor shook her head. "Alright? No, I'm pretty fucking far from alright. But the Beastmen didn't do anything to me. I killed them all with my pyromancy before they could."
Both the knight and the pirate's eyes widened at Taylor's statement.
"She's a sorceress! A witch!" Lukas shouted, raising his shield and moving his hand to his sheathed blade.
Taylor rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to turn you into a frog," she hissed out, rage and anger swelling inside her once again. Damn, superstitious primitive.
"Perhaps not." Lukas snapped back, still defensive. "You'll just sacrifice our souls to your Dark Gods instead!"
Lukas' words only worked to incense the fire within Taylor. Who was this man to think he could judge her? To insult and condemn her? Taylor felt the fires within her start to burn hotter as the idea of burning this knight alive became more and more appealing to her. This wasn't Brockton Bay anymore. The rules of her old home didn't apply here. Why shouldn't she just let loose on this bully and roast him alive?
"Enough!" The pirate shouted, interposing herself between the two of them. She then sent a harsh glare at the knight. "I said come off it, Lukas. She may be a magic girl, but she's as much of a victim as we are. Just look at what happened to her!"
Taylor's eyes widened a fraction at the fact that there was someone who was actually willing to stand up and defend her. It was a strange experience that she never thought she'd have.
"We should not trust her," Lukas growled out.
"Do you really want to take on a bloody pyromancer?" The pirate asked, incredulous as she crossed her arms. "One that just roasted a whole Beastmen raiding party?"
Lukas was silent as he glared at her.
"I thought not," the pirate continued, gaining a slightly smug smile on her face. "I for one would much rather fight alongside a pyromancer than against. The four of us will have a far greater chance to survive in these lands together."
Lukas continued to glare at the pirate, his gaze flicking over to Taylor, before he eventually relaxed. "Fine. But I'll be keeping an eye on her."
"Good." The pirate exhaled happily before she turned to Taylor with a grin. "And what of you dearest? I hope you won't attack dear Lukas here for being too blunt. He is a rather mistrusting fellow."
With the threat of violence passing, Taylor began to relax. Suddenly she began to feel tired, the adrenaline wearing off as she no longer felt the desire for bloodshed. Her gaze jumped between the two strangers, until she eventually shrugged and said, "Whatever. Yeah sure I won't fight him just because he's a dick."
Lukas scowled at her words, but the Pirate didn't let him speak. "Grand! Well I suppose proper introductions are in order. I… am Cereza de Soto." Cereza made a grand gesture as she took off her pirate hat and bowed deeply. "Chief navigator of the Sartosa Free Company, sailing upon the feared Swordfysh under the great Captain Aranessa Saltspite." When she finished her bow, she then nodded to her companion to speak as well.
With a grunt Lukas crossed his arms and nodded at Taylor. "I am Lukas Schwarzbart, swordsman and Imperial Captain of the Swords of Ulric, serving Middenland under my Lord Grand Duke Boris Todbringer."
Taylor remained silent for a few seconds as the two stared at her, awaiting her introduction. Unfortunately for them, she was somewhat off put but their introductions and titles and Lords. "Uh… I'm Taylor Hebert. Student of Brockton Bay. If you couldn't tell, I'm from a different world than you two."
Both Cereza and Lukas blinked at that, but left it alone for now as they turned to the Advisor.
"Oh ho ho." The Advisor laughed at their attention. "No need to worry about me. I am but a mere old man, offering advice where I can."
"Lies!" Lukas hissed as he stepped towards the Advisor. "No blind, crippled old man can survive this hellscape. Not without power. I will ask you one more time, who are you?"
The Advisor didn't show the slightest hint of intimidation at the Imperial Captain's words as he laughed. "If you are asking for my name all I can tell you is that I have none. I am no threat to you and you have no need to fear me. I have no power, not anymore. Just words and advice. If it serves to assuage your worries, then I swear to all the Gods of the Old World that I will not betray you." The Advisor bowed slightly as he put his hand to his heart.
Lukas's face remained grim, until Cereza slapped him on the shoulder. "There's no point in making an issue of it, Lukas. We're all friends here now."
Lukas stared at the Advisor down for several more seconds, before he just grunted, letting the point go.
"Thank you for not killing me," the Advisor chuckled. "It is doubly good since I am the one who knows where we are to go next."
Cereza's eyes went wide at his words. "Do you know a way out of this accursed realm? Lukas and I have been wandering for some time, but have found nothing but rock and daemons."
"We have a lead on how to get out, yes." Taylor answered curtly. "One that we could use your help in achieving."
Lukas's frown deepened while Cereza's grin only grew wider as she said, "Truly? And what, pray tell, is this lead?'
Taylor's eyes flicked over to the Advisor, silently asking how much she should say. The Advisor only shrugged in response. "There's an artifact that we need to acquire in a nearby forest. It's not the way out, but it's the first step," Taylor answered, trying to remain vague.
To her surprise, Lukas nodded his head first. "A first step is better than what we had before, which was nothing." He then gestured to the Advisor. "Well then Old Man, point the direction and I shall lead the way. Best I am first in line if we are waylaid during our travels."
The Advisor simply nodded and pointed in the same direction that he and Taylor had been traveling already. With a nod of his own Lukas turned and began moving. Cereza gave Taylor a wink as she then spun around and followed in the swordsman's footsteps.
Taylor chose to wait a moment, allowing her and the Advisor to lag behind the two, giving them a bit of privacy and she whispered, "So.. are these two…"
"Indeed," the Advisor answered in a hushed tone of his own. "They are like you. Souls of the Old World lost in Chaos, long since dead but not knowing it."
Taylor frowned at the backs of her new companions. "That's… so sad. To be walking this place for eternity, not knowing how to escape or that you're even dead." Despite the less than cordial introduction to Lukas, Taylor still felt some kind of empathy for her two new companions.
The Advisor chuckled under his breath. "I'm surprised you still have the capability of pity, my Lady."
Taylor's frown then focused itself on the Advisor. "There is nothing wrong with showing sympathy for others."
Despite her protests, the Advisor only continued to chuckle. "We shall see, my Lady. We shall see."
The group of wanderers continued their journey through the rocky crags of the wasteland for several hours, until they found a clear divide between the territory they currently occupied, and the so-called pestilent forest of Nurgle. The border was a strange site to see, as sprawling out as far as Taylor could see in front of her was a swampy, decaying forest teeming with insects, fungus, and who knew what else. It was a stark difference to the rocky barren flats they had been traveling.
Normally, there would be gradual shifts in terrain when two biomes met, such as desert becoming grassland before eventually turning to forest. But here, it was an immediate change from the rocky, arid wasteland to a dense swamp. It was like someone, and Taylor could guess who, ripped out the Florida Everglades and placed them right next to the Mojave Desert. The transition was jarring to say the least.
"What is happening?" Taylor asked as she slowly approached, examining the putrescent swamp.
"Why, we are at the border of Nurgle's territory my Lady." The Advisor said, drawing all eyes to him. "As you all should know, Nurgle is one of the four Gods of Chaos, a being of such great power that his will warps land claimed by him. The very ground and air changes to suit his needs, as it would for any of the other three."
"Disgusting." Lukas spat out, cutting a mushroom with the tip of his sword. The fungus puffed with green spores as it died and shriveled.
Disgusted herself at the sight, Taylor sent out a small torchlight of flames which burned the spores out of the air.
"Best you don't disturb such organisms, Sir Knight," the Advisor warned. "Had you breathed in those spores, you would've come down with a painful disease that would have claimed you within hours through fever alone."
Lukas paled a bit at that, before he coughed into his hand and said, "Right well. Thank you for the warning. Now let's keep pushing forward."
"Indeed." The Advisor nodded. "Best be on your guard as well. The first treasure Taylor requires is located in the middle of this swamp, protected by Nurgle's Beastmen Pestigors. It will not be an easy journey."
"Nothing in this realm is easy." Lukas grunted. "But we shall endure. For there is nothing else we can do."
Treading lightly, Lukas advanced into the forest, disappearing into the brush.
"He really needs to lighten up." Cereza shook her head.
"I could help with that." Taylor said, extending a finger and creating a small candlelight at the end of it.
Cereza snorted and began walking forward. "I'll keep that in mind. And being suspicious of him is not a bad idea. Best you remember love, no one in this realm is truly your friend." Cereza disappeared into the Forest too.
"Ominous." Taylor muttered to herself.
Steeling her resolve, Taylor advanced into the swampland as well. It was a horrid, fetid place. Brockton Bay, not being the cleanest city, had its fair share of dumpsters and ramshackle homes that smelled of death. Taylor even recalled the locker she had been shoved into, the stink of the bloody tampons fermenting in her locker for who knew how long.
Walking into the swamp was like walking into an entire world that smelled like the locker. Taylor's eyes teared up from the stench, but she shoved the feeling of revulsion down. If something as simple as a bad aroma stopped her now, she could forget about going home. And so Taylor focused on putting one foot in front of the other, each step her feet sinking into the mush. Taylor was glad that at least her shoes had survived the fight with the Beastmen.
Together, the group continued through the forest for several hours. The trek was arduous, and more than once one of the members had to be pulled out a bog of tar, or assaulted by plagues of flies. It was nothing their physical strength or unique abilities couldn't solve, but Taylor found it grating on the soul. The assaults from the environment were incessant, constantly whittling away at her sanity and morale.
The mind-rotting malaise of a hike stopped however when Lukas dropped to a knee. Immediately Cereza followed, with Taylor droppin down last.
"What do you see?" Cereza whispered as she moved up, Taylor trailing behind her.
"Beastmen." Lukas muttered as he pushed aside some brush for the others to see.
About 50 feet from the bush they hid in, the environment opened up into a clearing centered around a large, monolithic rock decorated by runes, skulls, and a variety of other nasty elements.
"A herdstone," Cereza whispered. "A stone placed at a nexus of magical power that Beastmen use to commune with their gods."
"Not only that." Lukas added on, pointing to the side of the herdstone. "There is wyrdstone as well."
The wyrdstone he pointed at was a noxious green, crystalline formation that pulsated with wrongness. From her brief lessons, Taylor knew it by another name, warpstone, crystalized Warp essence that was used by the giant rat people as an energy source.
Surrounding the herdstone was a small band of Beastmen as well, a raiding party about the same size as the one that assaulted Taylor previously. An armored Bestigor leading a smaller pack of gors and ungors. A jolt of fear ran through Taylor as the memories of her attack hit her. But just as suddenly as the fear hit her, she felt another emotion quickly replace it.
Anger. Rage. Hate.
These monsters that attacked her, tried to violate her. How dare they? They are nothing more than braying animals worth less than the shit they excrete. She wanted their blood for what they did to her. She wanted their skulls. Even if she had to use her bare fucking teeth she was going to kill and maim and burn her way through them until-
"Taylor?" Cereza's voice pulled Taylor out of her destructive spiral.
"Huh?" Taylor said as she looked at her companions.
Lukas frowned at her, obviously displeased. "Look alive girl, we're planning our attack."
Taylor blinked at them. How did she miss that entire conversation? She shook her head. "Sorry, I zoned out. What's the plan?"
Lukas' frown only deepened, but he explained the plan again anyway. "You two will start off with a volley and catch them off guard. I'll charge in and draw their attention. While they focus on me, Cereza will flank and hit them where they're weakest. Meanwhile you will hit them from afar with your magic. Just don't burn down the forest when you do."
Despite the anger within Taylor at Lukas' lack of faith in her abilities and control, she nodded, acquiescing to his more veteran tactical mind. "Got it."
Lukas returned the nod slowly, obviously reluctant to trust his back to a pirate and a witch. Not like Taylor was much happier about having to work with the man either. But Lukas seemed professional about it and returned his focus on the beast men.
"You ready love?" Cereza asked as she gave a reassuring pat onto Taylor's shoulder with her left hand, while drawing a flintlock pistol with her right.
Taylor nodded to her as well, mirroring the action by creating a small flame in her left hand. "I'm good."
Cereza grinned a wide, almost viper-like smile at her. "Good. You go for one of the gors, I'll take the big boy for myself. On three. One… two… three!"
At her count Taylor popped out of the bush and flung her firebolt. The soft-ball sized fire flew forward, slamming into an unarmored gor and splashing across his hairy, matted back. The smell of burnt flesh and hair joined the other foul odors as the gor was set alight.
Simultaneously Cereza popped up as well, flintlock-pistol aimed unerringly at the bestigor. She fired, the crack of sparks hitting gunpowder thundering through the air as the lead shot slammed into the bestigor's back. There was a metallic clang as the bullet pieced the plate armor, causing blood to pour from the wound. The bestigor stumbled forward, obviously hurt, but more than alive as he turned towards the group with a hateful snarl on his bestial face. A single bullet alone wasn't enough to put it down.
"You should've gone for its head." Lukas growled as he drew his sword and shield, charging out of the bush. "For Todbringer! For Ulric! For Middenland!" He bellowed, his voice a battle cry that overtook all other noise, drawing all eyes onto him.
Two gors roared in defiance of the swordsman and charged him, carrying a spear and an axe. The first gor thrust his spear at Lukas, but the foot knight was surprisingly dextrous in his armor, side stepping the thrust while simultaneously deflecting it with his shield. He then shoved with his shield, pushing the gor off balance as he thrust his own blade forward, sinking it deep into the beastmen's neck.
When the second gor tried to bring its axe down on Lukas' head, he pivoted and with the body of the first gor still on his sword, interposed the corpse between him and the axe. The axe sunk deep into the gor's corpse, and the second Beastman paused, confused as it tried to register what just happened. But before it could do anything in response, Lukas brought his leg up and kicked the gor in the stomach, knocking it to the ground. Lukas drove his blade into its chest before it rose, watching as the blood poured from his wounds.
A roar from his side drew his attention as the Bestigor charged right for him. Lukas braced, raising his shield up and pressing it against his shoulder, but it wasn't enough. The mighty bestigor sent Lukas flying back with the impact of horns against steel. The squat knight flew 5 feet back before falling to the ground.
The bestigor then approached, axe raised high and ready to bring it down on the knight, when a flash of white and yellow appeared behind him. With a burst of speed and skill, Cereza lunged with her rapier, driving it through the tendons and muscles of the Beastmen's right thigh and forcing it to its knees. As it fell, Cereza then drew a parrying dagger from her belt and shoved it into the bestigor's throat, severing its major blood vessels and killing it instantly.
Cereza withdrew her rapier from the beast, smiling as her blade made a sickening squelch, when the roar of more beastmen at her flank drew her attention. Turning her head, she saw a trio of ungors, all aiming bows at Cereza, outraged by the fact she killed their leader. They loosed their arrows, but Cereza's smirk only deepend.
Taylor heard Cereza start to mutter under her breath, and to Taylor's surprise she actually understood some of what Cereza was saying. She was saying math equations. Why she was muttering equations, Taylor couldn't ask before her rapier moved in a swift motion and began deflecting the arrows out of the air like she was a fucking Jedi.
When the arrows fell to the ground around her, Cereza flourished her rapier through the air and shouted, "Your arrows fly without grace or skill. Tis no wonder your people have never been able to truly make way against the fay folk of the woods!"
The ungors, who were shocked by Cereza's skill, turned to rage at her taunts. They reached for their quivers to shoot again, but were unfortunately disintegrated when Taylor hit them with a fireball while Cereza distracted them. With that the Beastmen were slain, and Taylor popped out of her hiding place in the bushes.
"Well then, that was easy, was it not?" Cereza asked as she helped Lukas up.
Both Taylor and Lukas gave her a flat stare.
Cereza only blinked back at them. "What?" A powerful, bestial roar that shook them to their bones echoed in the nearby forest. "Ah." Cereza wilted a bit.
"You'd think a sailor like yourself would know better than to court superstition." Lukas growled as he pushed past Cereza and moved towards the source of the roar.
From the source of the roar, the earth quaked, shaking the ground in a rhythm and pattern that could only be identified as footsteps. Within seconds, they watched as trees parted before them as a minotaur roared his way through the trees. Probably 10 to 15 feet tall, rippling muscles covered with pustulant boils and maggot holes buried into his flesh, the minotaur was a wide, wall of flesh, ready to kill. In its hands was a rusted, bloody double-headed axe.
"My, my." Cereza said. While her voice didn't lose its outward confidence, Taylor could sense the trepidation underneath. "Anyone have a plan?"
Taylor immediately considered a Flame Storm, the same spell she used to burn the first warparty of beastmen she fought. But she decided against it, it was too wild and uncontrollable, and would probably kill all of her allies along with the minotaur. Not to mention she wasn't even entirely sure how to use it.
"I can probably make a fireball big enough to take it down," Taylor said. "But I'll need time to create it."
"A tall request," Lukas said, his mouth a thin line behind his beard as he raised his sword and shield.
"Oh come now Lukas, don't be so glum. This will be fun," Cereza said with a grin as she flourished her rapier and dagger. "He doesn't look so tough."
In response the minotaur roared in rage, aimed its horns, and charged.
"It seems your words upset him." Lukas muttered.
"I'll give him something to be upset about." Cereza hissed as she moved forward to meet the minotaur head on.
As she built up the Winds of Magic around her, Taylor watched in fascination as the much smaller Cereza charged directly at the minotaur. The bullman seemed to only grow in anger at the challenge and picked up speed as he tried to gore her with his horns.
Before the horns could strike however, Cereza dropped low, almost like a soccer player as she slid on the ground beneath the minotaur, and between its legs. As she passed beneath the monster, Cereza drove her rapier into his knee, hoping to hamstring the minotaur as she did with the bestigor.
Unfortunately for her, the minotaur seemed to be made of sterner stuff, as instead of dropping it roared, caught itself, and kicked Cereza with its opposite leg. Cereza went flying through the air, before crashing into a tree.
The minotaur moved to finish her, but was stopped when Lukas entered the fray. Charging forward like a bloody battering ram, Lukas tackled the same knee Cereza stabbed with his shield. The shield bash had enough weight and force behind it to actually force the minotaur to its knees.
As it dropped, Lukas raised his sword and thrust it deep into the minotaur, right where his chest met his shoulder. The minotaur howled in pain as Lukas drove his blade deeper into its chest, hoping to skewer the beast's heart. But as with Cereza, the flesh of the minotaur was hard like stone, and eventually, Lukas's blade was stuck.
Lukas realized he lost the opportunity to kill the minotaur, but before he could retreat the minotaur grabbed him with his off hand. Raising Lukas into the air with its hand, the minotaur then flung him away. Lukas's armored body crashed onto the dirt, stunned but not down.
With the knight gone, the Minotaur's attention was then drawn to Taylor, who was glowing with arcane might as flames swirled around her. Seeing her for the threat she was, the minotaur lowered its horns once more and charged.
Had Taylor been an experienced cape with a multitude of fights under her belt, she may have had a witty one-liner before she threw her attack. The closest thing she had however, was a simple roar of rage as she flung a fireball the size of a small car. The fireball slammed into the minotaur, sending him flying back and setting him ablaze.
The monster howled and screeched in pain as his body cooked alive, the smell of burnt flesh and overcooked meat overtaking the putrid scent of Nurgle's forest. Within seconds, the Minotaur was dead, granting the group of lost souls a temporary reprieve.
"Well, that was quite the show." Cereza said through a grin as she picked herself up and approached Taylor. She cradled her arm, but only just looked bruised.
"Thanks," Taylor said softly.
"It was indeed powerful, but you should be careful about embracing the flames." Lukas bluntly cut in. "I've seen Pyromancers of the College go mad with firelust, and it is not a pretty sight."
Taylor frowned at him. Was it so hard for him to say anything that wasn't a criticism?
"Blah blah blah, that's all I hear from you Lukas. If it means burning out all of the rot in this forest, I say Taylor should embrace her powers." Cereza defended.
Lukas however, was stone faced. "I simply caution restraint. You do not know the power which you wield, and reckless use is likely to doom you as much as your enemies." The knight shook his head. "But we should focus on the quest ahead of us. We have five minutes to rest, then we shall move on." He ordered.
Taylor scowled at Lukas as he moved to sit down and examine his wounds. When she looked at Cereza, the pirate only gave her a shrug before sitting down herself.
Deciding to take advantage of the rest, Taylor sat down as well. While she wasn't hurt like the others, using her powers did take it out of her. As she rested, she mulled over the advice her two companions gave her, wondering which to heed. Whether she should embrace the flames, or embrace restraint. She felt the raw power her pyromancy gave her, but she felt the danger of it when she drew too much, how she could sense she was drawing too much and risked destroying herself.
Taylor shook her head. This wasn't something she could answer yet. All she knew now was that she needed to get stronger. Wiser. And with both she could decide what path her future would take. For now, she needed to focus on the Armour of Morkar.