"You don't need to go," I said obviously worried about her
"Yes I do"
"It's dangerous, you don't know what could happen in there"
"I don't know what could happen now, she could make me kill you or do worse," Samai said
"Let someone else be the hero, please I can't lose you again" I sacrificed too much to keep her safe "If I'm not going to be then who is? Most of the people here are brainwashed into obeying the Goddess without question, they kill children on her command" Samai explained "they don't deserve to die because they believed in the wrong thing and no I don't know what I'll do maybe I'll petition her or something, but what I do know is that she keeps screaming in my head trying to claw her way back up so that she could complete her mission, to come back, I can't let her do that,"
"So offering yourself to her is the best solution? You don't plan on petitioning shit, do you? You want to kill her, don't you?" I said
"Yeah, my blood magic is coming from somewhere but it's not from The Goddess, maybe I'm just as powerful"
"She's a Goddess, Samai"
"Goddesses are only monsters seen through ignorant eyes, think about it, why do you think that a Goddess, a creator is being weakened? she could just kill a nation regain her strength, she might not be as strong as people think she is and if anyone can kill her it's me", I knew that she wasn't going to listen to me, she was going to whatever she thought was right, I guess it was a Flaria thing, "then I'm coming with you" I said, I knew she wanted to refuse, to convince me to stay but she knew that I wasn't going to let her "we need to find something that'll lead us to The Heart" she said, going through drawers again. I walked to a bookshelf to hear a creak. I was desperate and I checked everything else, none of the other floorboards creaked. I felt around the floorboard, I felt a small hole, I used it pull the blood the floorboard up, I felt a jolt of what I could only describe as tremors running through my arm "ah!"
"What's wrong?"
"Something is under the floorboard" I pointed to it, she reached out "be careful, I felt something run through me"
"Oh, probably a protection spell, give me your hand"
"Why?"
"You're Ashen, Blood and Fire are opposites one weakening the other, give me your hand" I do as she says, I feel the blade force its way under and in between my skin and then pulling even more of it apart as blood started to leak out, she grabs my hand and squeezes it for all the blood that would leave it. I heard it drip onto the floorboard, she chanted something so fast that I couldn't discern any words "It should be clear now" she feels around the floorboard and then pulls it up. I could still feel the tremors pulsing through my arm, it hurt, the pulsing was quick almost like lightning. I just ignore it and hope that it passes. She reaches into the gap in the floor she pulled out a map of Skotash. She gets up and spreads it on the desk. The light was piercing through the ash clouds more often than it should, the ash was falling like rain, pelting the window silently and falling away. I look at the map. I see lines twisting and winding through Skotash. I was completely ignorant of whatever this map was meant to show, Samai seemed more knowing of whatever this was supposed to be, her eyebrows furrowed and eyes narrowed, "what is this?"
"Aima currents, this shows the Blood Goddess' magic output, what I'm trying to figure out is why The Archaima hid this" if it was any more obvious that she realised something then eyes would be glowing "this shows all the magical output, all... Most blood magic comes from The Goddess, she resides at the Heart of Skotash, we need to find a place where all the lines converge" she said I look and find a convergence point,
"there" I pointed to the place close to the NNE point of the map, we found it. Samai rolled up the paper and put in her waistband she kept her dagger I notice the room start to get darker, more ash was starting to starting to hit the window faster than the ash could roll off "Samai I think that we need to hurry" I look at the window, the ash was starting to fall extremely fast. I knew that even if we succeeded with the Goddess there was still the threat of the other God "we're running of time" she said, we turn around to see a myriad of guards standing in front of us blocking our way "Samai and Daxfoss Flaria you are under arrest for crimes committed against the Goddess, these include disobeying the wishes of The Archaima, tampering with the Archaima's magic without his consent, defiling his sanctuary after his death, harbouring the Ash Marked, not turning the Ash Marked in or contributing any known information, impersonation of Sword of Aima soldiers, assault of a Sword of Aima official and attempted robbery of the Archaima's possession" one of the soldiers listed our numerous crimes. They were going to kill us on the spot. I looked towards the fire. I got an idea.
I back away slowly enough that they don't notice but fast enough to get the torch in time, that turned out to be extremely slow. The guards were advancing on us "there's nowhere to run stop resisting" one of them is "we have the upper hand"
"Surprise" I put my hand to the flame. It burns, my mark glows, swung my hands through the air creating a shock wave of fire "how long were you waiting to do that?"
"I didn't know I could do it" The ground shook, "what was that?" I asked
"The Ash Cult, their attacks are gonna collapse The Citadel" another tremor ran through the ground, I fell to the floor. I felt a tremor run through my arm and now my shoulder, it was more intense than it was before "we need to go" Samai said, I got up and we ran out of the room.
"Stop right there!" one of the guards shouted. We ran through the red hallways. The tremor returned, I felt the tremor in my neck. My arm was stiffening. I struggled to make sure that the tremors didn't make me fall to the ground as I stumbled through the halls. The guards were getting closer, I could keep running I was used to it, but they were still drawing nearer and nearer. The tremors were causing my arm to stiffen.
We run through hallways. My sister was behind I hear her cry out when they grab her. I turn around, they pull her away. I felt helpless and weak, as I watched them haul her away "Go!" she screamed. I sacrificed too much for her safety. I was tired of feeling helpless, running, always in fear that the next day would be my last. I felt rage consume me, I raised my arm so that the fire could burn it, giving me power, I focus as I raise my arm holding it out in front of them, "lower your arm, or we'll kill the girl" I knew they were lying, they needed her. I could tell. I focus on their heartbeats and I could hear the blood rushing through pathways in their body like Aima currents, all I needed to do was find a convergence point, "we'll do it" their voice was shaky. It was their turn to be afraid, I found it, I focused on their heartbeats, burn, they cry out, I hear swords clatter to the ground, then their bodies, I hear their blood bubble and boil. I open my eyes as to watch their veins burn as the skin above their currents reddens, then blackens and blisters they go still. "I think that just bought us some time, ah!" another tremor runs through me as I feel my veins shake and probably tear "what's wrong?"
"The tremors from that floorboard they haven't gon--ahh!" I try to suppress a cry, It felt like tiny pieces of me was being ripped apart. I heard the footsteps of more guards "Go!" I said. I needed her to leave to go to The Heart, I wanted her to go, I knew that it was dangerous but it was either face certain death or an uncertain fate against a godlike monster, "I'm not leaving you"
"Please do it for me, do it for your brother when you are ready, leave as soon as possible be happy, your brother loves you, remember that"
"I can take you with me, I can find a place to make a door so that we may escape"
"Listen to me, there's not enough time," I said "please, go" Samai ran.
I pushed myself up. Samai is going to the Heart but there was somewhere else I had to go. I heard it call out to me. I see a walkway that stretched out for metres, the only place that could receive light fully and unfiltered. I pushed myself up as the tremors grew in strength I hear them coming for me. I limp onto the walkway the sunlight pierced my eyes, I was happy for the pain. I ignored the blinding light and kept walking the footsteps grew louder. I reach the end. I look into the sea. I saw the ash swim in the ocean I look up as fire sand rained from the sky. The guards arrive, they were too late, I threw myself over the edge. I feel myself crash into the Black Sea, I felt myself being pulled down into the Sunken Places as they rose up.