[Nexus] Those Forged by Flames 1: Fortunately Fireproof

[Recaiden]

[Outside]

That is physical!

The wolf is content, and sits to merely watch the newcomer suspiciously.
Everything's fine here.

[Aric Kale]

Outside

Allow me to explain.

Someone, the identity remains unknown, shut off all the lights in Skyside. Looters decided to ransack everything, and two super powered goons came here.

I was already here on...personal matters, but the guild master, a man known as Thatcher Jsut of the White Flame, seems to have gone off somewhere. Last I saw he was alive and screaming.

He's an odd-looking fellow.

Aric chuckles, everyone here was odd in some way or other. After all, his blond hair was now permanently white.

While they speak, Aric takes a seat on a pile of rubble and begins to clean up his spear, shield, and Damn it! My dagger is gone...maybe Thatcher went looking for it.

[Recaiden]

Some time after the wolf has departed, in the many-flamed log in the fireplace, the black and orange flame segment goes out.

[Aric Kale]

Weeks Later - Main Room

Aric has not returned to the Mansion yet...maybe because he never saw Zane here...or because he heard rumors of Darkstar joining AMEN...

Either way, it is of little concern to Thatcher.

The flames going out is quite discomforting to the pyromancer, for that means Ashna's marker is broken, or she is dead...

Still, he had more fearblaze in Wyrmfel, so his mission could go on.

The guildmaster heads down to

The Forge

This is the only undamaged area in the Mansion...the rest of the building has been repaired by now, of course, but the damage was most certainly expensive to fix.
The blue-haired man begins to stoke the flames, though first he pours the flames from Wyrmfel into a Jar of Holding.

Once all his preparations are in order, Thatcher melts down his old blade, Cerulean, as well as Aric's ancient dagger, to make this magnificent sword.

The blade will be a glowing silver, with veins of red, black, and white fire...there are also faint traces of purple, from a member whose character may or may not be permadeadtimed...

It truly is a thing of beauty and fire...
But what to name it?

[Aric Kale]

)(Sorry for the double post. Members and potential members feel free to post whenever!)(

Phone Call

Thatcher calls...seems like nobody is gonna answer in time, so here's the message:

Hello? Nobody gonna answer? Alright, I've discovered a potential threat, down here in Inside. I'm heading Outside with a newcomer to the Nexus called Rytas. I'm confident that I can handle him if this is an elaborate double cross, but this hardly seems within his skillset.

We're going to Coppercreek Town, and whenever we catch up the Threat, I'll call again. There's ice involved, and we need all the heat we can get.

[Recaiden]

[Weeks Later]

Ashna's flame segment reignites. Though it is not the same black and orange thing it was before. It is a pale blue, cold and refusing to mix with the other flames.
No other fearblaze user has come - the timeline the previous Ashna was part of is no longer the same as this one.

The door opens, click-click go heavy metal steps on the floor. Looks like everything is well repaired. Shame she wasn't here to help fix it. The pony carefully descends the stairs to the forge. Made for humanoids, everything is for humanoids. Never really noticed before, since such a majority of the intelligent species followed a similar body plan. Being transformed into something nearly as tall but much longer shows a whole different world of unergonomic construction.

"It doesn't need a name."

Thatcher might not remember admitting a talking horse to the guild, but there it is with its black coat and golden mane and empty blue eyes that can't possibly be natural and a guild marker hanging around its neck.

[Aric Kale]

Weeks Later - Main Room

What doesn't need a name?

Yes, it's Zane...a battered and bruised version, to be sure, but Zane nonetheless.
Thatcher isn't here, oddly enough, but I took the liberty of adding my flames to the fireplace.

Indeed, if Ashna looks closely, she'll see a fierce black fire taking its place amongst its burning brethren, while Darkstar fiddles with the charm around his neck.

First, what is your name?

The man seems oddly comfortable, sitting on the armrest of one of the comfy chairs placed around the room.
This is the mutant clone, so he retains the memories of Zane, but his blood is fearblaze and his eyes are black, not the piercing blue of Thatcher's eyes.

[Recaiden]

[Weeks Later - Main Room]

"The sword."

"Oh. What's happened to your eyes?"
She turns and glances at the fireplace, then back to Zane.

"Oh, a new member. I'm sorry. I mistook you for Thatcher."
The longer member gives a respectful bow.

"Well, my name is 'Ashna', but most people mispronounce it, with the 'z', and that's fine. And a lot of people call me 'Alizé', not to get into true nicknames. We sort of pick up names as we go along, you know? Who would you be? Wait. I know. You're not one of ours so you must be...Zane Darkstar?"

[Aric Kale]

Weeks Later - Main Room

Zane raises an eyebrow, curious. Oh? And what blade is this? Has he finally found Wyrmfel? It eluded us for years...then I heard he had a new sword, the blue one, had some ridiculously simple name...

He snaps his fingers, summoning a flicker of fearblaze on his fingertips.
Oh? Did you know Thatcher before he went through his blue period? I thought his disguise was rather elaborate.
He nods his head in response to her bow.
Ashna, I am not the first to claim the name Zane, but it had a vacancy, so I claimed it.

Oh, I should warn you, AMEN may be on my heels. I took an inside job to destroy their cloning vaults...it could have gone better...but it could have been worse.

Now Thatcher makes his appearance, though it's a silent one at first.

When did you get here, and what happened to you? He asks quietly.
To save us all from self-RP, Zane gives a quick rundown of the situation.

Alright, if AMEN comes knocking on our doors, they can face our fire...for now, stay low.

[Recaiden]

[ Double Zane - Main Room ]

"The guildblade. Three swords and their magics forged together."

Ashna tilts her head, managing to frown.
"I've heard of him, is all. Not the first? What happened to the original? You'll notice we've lost the fearblaze ourselves. For now."

A snicker at his reason for hiding out here.
"Someone finally got them, did them?"
She raises a hoof for a high-five.
"Well done then."

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

I don't even need the money...I just wanted an excuse. He accepts the high five, allowing himself a wry smile.

Thatcher shakes his head slowly, his face betraying a grin.
Yes, well done. Now, exactly how did you come to be?

Zane notes the finely crafted blade at Thatcher's side. It has no scabbard, so the silver blade shines in the light of the fire. White veins of metal wrap around the blade, occasionally fading between the different colors of the fireplace...except these flames stir from within.

Enshadu.
He had your DNA and he wanted to make clones, free fearblaze, in case you died. I think I'm the only one that worked, but my blood is fire...I got cut, and it cauterized instantly, as per usual, if your memories serve me well.
But when I looked in a mirror, my eyes were black...and I noticed that my veins are black.

That's certainly something...what do you think about this...Horse...ma'am?

Poor Thatcher, he doesn't realize that this is Ashna >.<

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

"Ashna, Thatcher. You don't recognize me?" She glares at him, feigning offense. "Tsk, tsk."

She nods slowly.
"A good disguise, then. We didn't recognize you all this while. Impressive what a little blue can do."

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Thatcher sighs, Ashna...you're a horse now...even your flame is different. How was I to recognize you?

He has a point.
I'm just full of clever ideas, aren't I?

I figured if I dressed like a ranger before, now I should hide by making myself visible...

Thatcher sits down in arm chair between Ashna and Zane, where he can face them both.
Ashna may note that the two men adopt the same posture.

Well, Thatcher...Ashna...what next?

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

"Same voice." Obviously.

Ashna faces the others, standing, making a nice triangle.
"I recall we had a plan? But I don't know the details. One minute."
Her scarf lights up as she messes with the flow of time, and if no one interrupts, poof, there's the Hermit who accepted the fearblaze way back when, standing next to her, releasing the end of the scarf.
Her robes have been changed out for a Deep Insulated Purple but otherwise there's hardly a change.

"Zane. Other Zane. Is it time?"

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Oh, yeah.

Crimson...it's been too long, though I suppose we haven't met, technically.

Thatcher nods solemnly, Yes, it is time, and this time we won't need the slag...

See, Thatcher was bleached, and his fearblaze was forcibly removed, but since his magical core was already in tune with the dark fire, presumably, if Zane and Crimson were to work together, they could saturate his core with fearblaze, giving him control over the element once more.

Wow, that was one sentence. My apologies.

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

The Hermit smiles a shy smile.
"Nice to meet you. But, well, there's a bit of a problem."
Crimson laughs, bitterly, and lifts a hand. A disk of...fearblaze(?) solidifies, in a frisbee shape that Thatcher might remember.
"Catch."

She tosses the disk right between the two Zanes.
Should they catch it, or even before, they should notice that it's cold. Not just cold, but actively, hungrily antithetical to thermal energy. If one should fear it, the temperature drain intensifies by a factor of ten, even if that should require dropping below absolute zero or changing shape to present a different surface area.

"Something" - she spares a glare for the pony - "has happened to our powers."

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Zane catches the disk with practiced ease, but drops it when he feels the antiheat. He feels no fear, only surprise.

It's wrong.
I could tell...any ideas?
...
Maybe.

The two pyromancers look at each other intently, each trying to interpret the other's thoughts.

Is there anything you can do with my blood? It's hot...it's fire.
It might just do the trick...the only issue is drawing the blood. We need something heat resistant that will let us draw out the liquid fire.

I'm willing to try it, but I have nothing to lose from it. Thatcher shrugs. Truth be told, he was concerned, but that was an emotion he would have to erase...rapidly.

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

"Thank you."

Ashna heads down to the forge, having no part in this.

"I have heat-resistant, but not also sharp."
The Hermit glances at Zane.
"Are you willing?"

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

The guild blade is sharp, but we'd need a funnel or something to allow the blood to flow...he grits his teeth, not envying Zane's role.

Zane looks to the woman intensely, Crimson, it is necessary, so I will do it. His face takes on a solemn tone, and his burning eyes glower.
Thatcher dashes off to the kitchen where he looks for something that could hold the blood, and a funnel...why is everything plastic? Damn it... wait. he says out loud, interrupting his inner monologue.

Everything is fire resistant...it may melt, but it should last long enough.

He returns to the main room, funnel and bowl in hand.
Zane is busy giving himself a makeshift tourniquet with some curtains and a broken table leg...yeah, he busted some furniture to do so, but now's not the time to lecture the man.

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

"Thank you."
The Hermit heads downstairs for a moment, returning shortly thereafter in her proper crimson robes.

She raises an eyebrow at the medical preparations. How much of his blood are they going to need?

And then takes the bowl and funnel from Thatcher if she can, as he will use the blade. Presses the funnel near Zane's arm, bowl carefully held under it.
"Ready?"

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

You are welcome.
Thatcher replies with quick words. He's ready to act, but he doesn't like what he has been called to do.
We're not going to fill the bowl, but we need something to catch it without spilling. Zane explains, catching Hermit's expression.

I have no idea how much blood they'll need, so we'll just say however much is necessary and safe...relatively speaking.

A flash of steel, and a cut appears on Zane's arm. ****ing HELL FIRE! He shouts in an agonized rage, which will only increase when Hermit uses the funnel.

)(Note: I am not a surgeon, do NOT use a funnel to keep blood flowing from a wound...I don't know what prompted the thought, or why they wouldn't use a syringe, or a vial...
It made sense at midnight when I first thought it up.)(

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

Because they don't have a syringe that wouldn't melt. They do have a fireproof funnel and bowl.

Ashna twitches an ear in concern from downstairs but decides its probably going to be fine. The three of them can take care of themselves.

"Yes, that's kind of what we need."
The Hermit presses her blood-letting implements in until there's a cup of burning blood gathered, and then sets the bowl aside.
"Here now, you don't want that so tight up there. You could lose an arm. Let me patch this up."
*proper bandaging attempt go*

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Haha, Zane would laugh if his original self hadn't just sliced his arm open or had a funnel just stabbed in said wound.

Still, all goes well, with no complications. Darkstar does grit his teeth, but he should be fine.

The liquid flames on Thatcher's blade drip to the floor and diminish.
Could've been worse...at least Thatcher didn't cut my arm off.

I do what I can...the blue-bearded man smirks.
Now, before this stuff fades away, if it does, I suggest you find a use for it, Crimson...make a potion?

Maybe drink it just like that? Or would it work for me to drink it?

No...not enough of it for that.

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

"There, good as new."
The Hermit folds the spare bandages back into her pouch and takes up the bowl again.

Ashna is heard coming up the stairs.

"No, certainly not enough to just drink it. To reintroduce the flames requires you to be submerged by them, all but consumed, remember?
But it should be enough just to spark ourself back to warmth again."

Ashna drops off a moderately large box next to the hermit.
"You're about to need this for alchemizing and what-not. Salvaged it from your place in the Frozen Forest right before the ice golems got there."
And then she heads back downstairs to finish her project.

The Hermit, after blinking in confusion once or twice, gets to work potion-making.
"We'll need it burning as hot as it can. To scare me. Can you two come up with something?"

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Zane nods his thanks to Hermit before taking a seat on one of the armchairs. He needs to rest before his real job begins...

What scares you, Crimson? Thatcher asks, standing tall. He likely towers over the Hermit, not that she'd be intimidated by him. She doesn't seem like she'd scare easily.

Still, Thatcher radiates control and strength. He has the aura of one who is confident in himself and his own abilities...that could be handy.

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

The Hermit is 1.85 m tall, just over 6 feet.

She holds the fearblaze elixir carefully.
"I would say not anything."
A shiver runs through her.
"But really, everything. Everything I see. My perceptions, thoughts. Memories."
She waits a few moments, listens to any response, then closes her eyes and drinks the whole thing at once. Ice crystals start to form in the air around her, and then flicker away an instant later.

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Oh my...Thatcher definitely doesn't tower over her then...

Zane watches from his seat, little tongues of fire dancing on his palm as Thatcher takes action.
The guildmaster stands behind the Hermit, speaking softly.

Everything? Do you fear failure?
What if the potion doesn't work?

Thatcher's voice turns harsh, as the two men speak interchangeably.

All of our work...wasted by your own inability.
I'm using my lifeblood for Thatcher...but you can't even properly summon the flames that I gave you...

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

The Hermit shakes her head.
"It won't fail. I know my work."
Yes, she's supposed to be afraid, but she's too proud for that to work.

She turns to face the guildmaster, the Zane she met, but then there's the other behind her, sounding so alike. Spins around.

"No. I'm not a waste. Am I?"
"After all this, it-"
It feels cold. Empty. Whatever happened, she could have stopped it. She has failed, just like they said. Failed one of the few people to ever help her.
And all of a sudden it isn't cold. It burns.

Crimson lets out a shriek as the fearblaze burns them from within, and traces of the black element fall from her hands, pour from her eyes, mouth, nose.
The cry of pain turns to a harsh, triumphant laugh as she feels the heat.

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Fear of failure...I figured out how to beat that one a long time ago...he laughs, clenching his fist and extinguishing the flames.

Thatcher steps back while the Hermit adjusts to the returning fires.
Congratulations...you've managed to do two rare things...
One, returning a cold flame to a true flame.
And two, you survived feeling fear while facing the wrath of fearblaze.

Our element does not forgive. Both of them clap for the pyromancer between them. She had done well.

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

The Hermit takes a few moments to steady themselves, to let the flames die down and be under control.
"Thank you. I did not do it without help."
Her voice is back to normal, sounding properly alive again.

She steps to the side and turns to face Thatcher.
"But we're only half done."