She turned her head to the side eyeing Ren with what could only be described as annoyance.
"How long are you gonna play at being weak? I may only be a soul fragment with merely a fraction of my original self's cultivation but it's more than enough to destroy that body you're so fond of!"
Ren didn't move, of course he wouldn't, under this pressure even I was having a hard time how could he move even if he wanted to?
"Fine, I'll destroy you all and start over!" She turned her attention back to me before smiling wickedly "I am surprised though even if you do have the blessings of vehetra managing to cultivate in this wasteland is commendable and as your senior I'll show you something interesting, you may consider it a parting gift!"
She raised her hand and effortlessly used a hou technique pulling an enormous vortex of flames from thin air before letting it hover over her open palm, and then with her other hand another technique one that compressed the flames to a mere point of their original size.
Instinctively I brought up hou and wove it-into a defensive wall a split second before the air burst and we were bathed in light a fraction of a moment before a deafening roar followed.
For a moment I stood dazed by the bright and sudden explosion.
What the hell was that?!
The hou barrier I had put up was heavily damaged but ultimately still erect. I looked behind me at Aurelia and Ren both of whom were fine. Fortunately the barrier deflected the blast to an area opposite of the two.
Unfortunately most of the town, the upper district and the left side of the city walls were no longer standing, and in their stead blue flames burned strong.
Try to understand, we were in an area relatively far from the buildings not to mention the town, lower and upper districts were quite big so the fact that such a large portion of it was so suddenly gone was...
"All those people," I stepped lightly in the direction of the carnage. How many families died? How many futures extinguished so suddenly? I turned to the strange woman again. "You, how could you?" I stepped towards her slowly and steadily making my way to the floating woman. I could feel my anger rising again and with it my core opened slightly and like a vacuum all the in the area floated to me, entering into my core.
**********
"How could you?!" I asked through my anger.
"Those people did nothing to you!"
"They were innocent!"
"What was that now?" She looks at me sternly "these people coveted the resources of the sanctuary and even go so far as to plot against the monarchs who created this realm! These ungrateful people who are like a plague to this realm."
she paused a little turning to look at the destruction before-
"Do you think I need a reason to raze this this tiny city?"
"What about the rules?" i asked.
"What rules?"
"Hurting others with hou is wrong isn't it?"
She laughs. "Are you stupid? Why would such a rule constrict me? Do you even know who you're talking to? I am the very law which flame adheres to! I am law, one of the world principles, soul fragment of the monarch of flame! Creator of that very same rule you so freely try to use against me."
"The real fun begins when my true body and the other monarchs arrive to bestow you all with the gift of sublime and eternal destruction!"
"Why, why would you go so far?.."
"You clearly know nothing, did your master not tell you about me?" She seemed amused at this revelation.
"Are you, smiling right now?!"
"Don't you feel any remorse for what you just did?"
"Insect, your insistent prattle begins to annoy me!"
"I get it... ha, finally I understand. All of you.... each and every one of you Dragonborn scum, you're all so, hateful..." I could feel the ki intent over my core begin to unravel, unfurling with my rage.
I simply didn't know how to process the carnage and cruelty. My mind went blank and I remember nothing else.
***
I awoke in the arms of an Aurelia who was very happy.
"Ugh let go of me!" I tried but my whole body ached. She shook her head and instead opted for a simple "this is the only way I can thank you." And "at lest let me do this for you." She happily beamed with the brightest of smiles.
"What happened? Where are we?"
She finally let go enough to explain. "Well our lodging got destroyed in the blast and most of my men were... they...." she seemed to be stuck on this but smiled through it anyway, not forcibly like I would've thought but more like she didn't want me to feel sad about... something. "This town, and all its inhabitants owe you a great debt one that cannot easily be repaid."
"That still doesn't answer either of my questions." I'd given up on trying to get her to let go when I noticed she had bandages in multiple areas, her arms too, she had also changed out of the clothes she was wearing. But... Did she get hurt and how long was I asleep?
The images from before I had blacked out were blurry at best. I only remember being so angry. Why though, was a question to which answers eluded me.
Aurelia.
She seemed to be slightly out of it a little sad even though she smiled not that this was of any concern to me.
I looked around to finally get my bearings but it was mostly difficult. The room seemed very clean like a hospital would except there were no machines.
Instead the clean white walls pulsed with an azure so blue and light that it was barely visible. Those were, runes? The thin lines
"Aurelia." I looked at her, locking eyes. She was definitely hiding something.
"What happened?"
She smiled "you're in a care center in the upper district, you know... what's the word for it... ah it's like a hospital."
"So care to explain to me why you're in bed with me?"
"Oh It's nothing like that, I promise, there's a shortage of resources and rooms and as everyone thinks I'm vehatra I managed to be one of the only people to get a private room, everyone else is having a hard time."
"Aurelia, thanks for taking care of me but surely you understand my feelings towards you right now." I mustered up the strength I had left and pushed her away leaving us with a noticeable gap between.
"Now, please explain clearly."