122 Family Like Roots

Ignis and Felmenia's conversation lasted a few hours. The many days the group had travelled had allowed for Ignis to focus on the points he would need to share and create a sturdy, pointed, and information filled talk.

The conversation covered these points. The Order of the Dark Mother. Val falling into their hands and being used as a tool regardless of her status. Their connection to the man with caged ghost fire. The towns he had passed through being burned to Ash and filled with the dead he manipulated. And the the fact he was either on his way to the city or already within its walls.

Felmenia's face grew more and more grim as they talked. Her eyes became sharper and one could almost smell the anger building up in her body. Her shoulders trembling from the effort to remain somewhat calm and collected.

By the conversations close she was taking deep breathes and gripping the arms of her chair. Her demeanor seemed to calm somewhat as she called some of her helpers and began to give orders.

"We must put the watchers on full alert. But send only by word. And only to those we trust. This vandal Pallison..." Her voice filled with Venom as she spat the words.

"Not one ember will be unleashed in this place of sanctuary. Not even smoke will remain if it is. So make sure every one of them know the importance of what I order." She said to a maid of similar height. Her hair was darker and her ears were shorter in comparison. But her features gave Felmenia's a run for their money.

And though she was standing she bowed low and quickly left with a stack of parchment pulled to her chest.

The Queen then turned to the rest of them.

"Knowing my daughter has been brought home I cannot hope to repay your kindness. But I am sorry to say I must ask for another favor." She said looking at Ignis. Her eyes filled with fear and hope. Even as she slowly moved out of her chair to bow low in front of Ignis.

"Mighty one. Risen in the night with the power of balance within your wings. I plead for your aid. For your pity and mercy upon my people." She said as she bowed her head to the floor. Her hair slumping to the floor looking like the dishevelled roots of a tree.

Seeing a royal bow like this was a first. But despite all the things he'd seen from the living in this place. He could tell the heart behind her words. The pain she was willing to bear with her hands spread out. Her pristine palms to the ground people walked on. Her forehead touching that same floor.

She didn't care about what she looked like. She only cared for her people. For her family.

"I take it there will be no more spying elven queen?" Ignis said as he stood up.

She seemed to shiver a little on the floor.

"No more. Even if I must be punished for that... I am more than willing if it saves my people." She said with her face to the floor still.

Ignis nodded slowly in thought. "What of you Val? What do you think?"

Val nodded as she knelt on the floor next to her mother. "Please lord Ignis..." She bowed just as low as her mother. "Please save my home."

Ignis nodded at the pair before him. Their devotion was worthy of his help.

"Very well. Then evacuate the citizens as though it was a drill. One building at a time. Claim it's something like a preparation for a new festival. I will put up the fireworks and materials needed to put them at ease. But we must find Pallison. He must be here. If that flame is unleashed I will face it. Noone else will be allowed to. Even this one." Ignis said as he gently pulled little Nox from beneath his wings and passed her to Kyle.

"She won't be able to withstand the flames as she is. But I will. And I will conquer them. Before I return the pain they've dealt to the master they've served for so long." He said as he gritted his teeth together in a growl.

His wings shuddered as his anger rose.

"I will find him while your guards do their due diligence. As my powers are more than sufficient."He said as he rose from his chair. The queen likewise slowly rose from the floor with the help of her daughter.

But before he could leave the queens maid returned. The door quickly and quietly opening to reveal a couple people behind her as well.

Their faces were covered with hoods and their height reached just below the doorway at 7 feet. One could hear the clacking of scales and claws as they slowly walked forward before bowing low to the queen.

"We have come my lady. As requesssted. The appropriate guards have been warned and only the trusssted ones know the sssecret of what we are searching for." A growling voice sounded from the right. It was like hearing a serpent speak if it could talk.

"We should have everyone evacuated by nightfall my queen. Though some are resisting calling the request suspicious and daring." A cat like voice echoed out. It was like hearing a purring cat. Smooth and relaxing almost.

Ignis glared at them a little as he eyed the Queen. "I would ask why beast people are your most trusted aids but I would say they would be the least suspected of the people here." Ignis said. His voice echoed in a low time throughout the room as he seemed to examine them from where he was standing.

His eyes caught the slightest movement as the two began to nervously twitch a little in front of his gaze. "Our apologies." The cat person spoke. "We did not realize the queen had guests. And that such a powerful dragon man was among them." She said as she bowed a little lower.

Ignis nodded. "All is well. But our work has just begun if the threat is to be dealt with. And swif-" Ignis was suddenly interrupted by a howling screech from outside. The sound of a person being cooked alive might be akin to this scream. True pain without escape. Someone just desperate to be heard or helped. But not receiving any.

Ignis approached the closest window to find his worst fear realized. A cloaked figure held a dark small cage aloft with its door open. And what poured out was black flames. Dark as black ink would be the best description for it's color. And it's movements like a starved wolf. And in that wolfs jaws was one of the guards by the castle gates.

"Argh!!!!!!!!!!!" The man screamed as it lifted him off the ground. His armor began to smolder as his skin turned grey and his cheeks shallow. His screaming soon turned quiet as his form became malnourished and flames leapt from his mouth.

His hair fell out as his flesh burst into flames and his armor turned molten before falling in a puddle to the floor.

And the man with the cage? He just stood there with the thing held aloft. His face still covered.

"Felmenia!!! I have come to claim what is rightfully mine! The throne! And my bride!" Pallison shouted loudly. His voice echoing across the distance to where Ignis stood at the window.

The flames began to move on to other victims. Two other elven guards were within its jaws now as the door to the castle crumbled before the fire. The roots holding them up withdrawing before the flames.

Felmenia rushed to the window to see the horror that was beginning to spread.

The closest townsfolk began to run and rush from their homes in fear as the fire turned on not only the guards but the other people in the area. Houses began to burn as roots caught fire in the heat.

And the great tree trembled. As though it could feel the pain of burning. The queen trembled and quivered as a look of rage appeared in her face. But it was nothing compared to the look Ignis bore.

His face was dark and the ground rumbled and the sky turned dark with thick black clouds. Energy seemed to crackle in the air as though a single thing could make the sky go off. Perhaps fire would rain from the heavens or lightning would split the very ground some thought in fear.

But such was noth the case.

A small sprinkle of water started. And the sprinkle turned into a storm. And a storm into a monsoon.

Large droplets of water rained down from the sky in hordes. The very air seeming to become a wall of water as if trying to extinguish the flames below.

And what was Ignis doing? He was walking out of the castle. His steps seemed calm and slow in the midst of the now muddy, wet, and sticky ground. But not one spot of mud could be seen on his claws. No. Because the ground below him was so hot that the water evaporated and the ground cracked.

A shield of heat evaporated the rain in a dome before it could even hit his scales.

And this did not go unnoticed by Pallison. This stranger walking toward him was the calmest opponent he may ever face. But he had a feeling this would be a tough battle.

The fire from his cage had retreated within to escape being extinguished. A seemingly living thing hissing at the rain from with in its sheltered abode.

The rumble of thunder shook the sky and ground making the stones tremble further as the two squared off. Ignis on the one side his arms behind his back with an ice cold look on his face. As though he felt nothing at this moment.

And Pallison. Hood still up. His clothes drenched and miserable looking in the storm. But his hands were by his side. One with the cages flame. The other now holding a curved dagger that seemed to emit a dark mist of sorts.

"So it seems the Bitch Queen found another champion to fight for her!" Pallison growled as he drew up the sleeve of his left arm which held the cage.

"But you'll fall just like the others before you." He then did the most unexpected thing.

He stabbed his forearm clean through with the dagger. You could see the dagger sticking out the other side. But there was no blood. Not so much as a drop coming from the wound as Pallison left the blade where it was before he started chanting.

"Dark and dreary souls who wonder. Pitiful and full of spite." He said as darkness visibly filled his veins making them stand out against his skin.

"I command your violence be captured in my blood. Ugh!" He vomited a mouthful of grey liquid as the dark veins reached his neck.

"And make me a servant of your vengeance and hatred to Enact." He groaned as his legs seemed to lengthen and bend. The darkness in his veins beginning to spread through his skin turning him darker. His arms began to lengthen and swell and his teeth grew into fangs.

"Make me your arbitrator of hatred and Malfeasance! Pay for my blood with power!" His voice howled as it changed into a more bestial tone. Patchy fur sprouted as the dagger began to be absorbed into his flesh. The metal twisted and churned till it had moded itself into him.

Small bony blades began to protrude from this beast. From the sides of its arms and the heals of its feet. A single bladed horn burst from this creatures forehead.

It was now official. The elf had gone beast mode. But what was that before a god? Nothing. And he was about to find it out. The hard way.

He charged at Ignis swinging his blades at him quickly an viciously. But no matter how he desperately struck out Ignis would always dodge. It was as though he read every move and every attack before it happened.

Soon Pallison became agitated. "Is dodging all you know how to do!?" He roared as he dove at Ignis.

Ignis dodged the creature easily. "No. I can also rhyme. For instance. Hmm." He cleared his throat.

"There once was a little twat,

He believed he was owed a spot.

But he fell ass of kettle and now his ass is hot."

He dodged another strike as Pallison grew angrier. " You little!" He growled. But Ignis continued.

"Perhaps he's off his rocker.

Or perhaps he's just a sucker.

This chickens a mother clucker,

Who's mother's milk makes him pucker." Ignis chortled a little as he danced around Pallison making him look like an idiot.

Ignis knew the rhyme made little sense. But the point wasn't to make sense. But to piss off his opponent. And it was working like a charm.

Pallison had lost his cool and was now savagely swiping left right and center. At one point Ignis was balanced perfectly on the end of a claw.

"This dog is bold that's true,

And his fight is overdue.

But if his brain is unglued,

well you good sir are screwed." Ignis rhymed again and one could hear a certain dwarfs laugh from the castle.

Kyle and the others were laughing at how embarrassing this fight was. Ignis had not struck once but Pallison looked like he had run a marathon.

"Pant.... Pant.... Stop.... Dodging..." He said as he reached out again to swipe with his claws. But this time Ignis didn't dodge. The claws met scales and they all heard the light scraping noise. But not so much as a mark was left behind.

Pallison seemed bewildered. Partially due to tiredness. Partially due to knowing he could cut steel with these claws of his. So what type of being would it take to not take damage from his transformed self? He was about to find out.

A gold scaled hand suddenly grabbed his wrist. "A bastard like you was too much effort to use my real strength on and you expect to survive. So instead wearing you out was my next option. And now I'm going to have my real fun." Ignis said.

Earthen walls rose around the two and a small stone ceiling covered the opening above. Pallisons eyes grew wide with fear. "My turn." Ignis growled as his eyes glowed red in the darkness.

Screaming followed. Audible squelching and crunching sounds were followed by howls of pain and smoke was sometimes seen welding out of the corners of the lesser gods construct. The caged flames in the corner seemed to sweat at the sounds if that was possible. Not because for the sounds. No. But because of the power that it felt before the screaming was induced.

Something powerful was torturing it's master. Something so strong it knew it could not leave the cage if it wanted to survive. Or it would die a very quick and painful death.

Three days went by filled with the screaming and crunching sounds. Three days unimaginable horrors being enacted on Pallison within those stone walls.

And on the fourth day everyone was grateful to see the walls come down. Ignis seems to be in a fine mood. But what of Pallison?

If one looked behind Ignis they could see him. Legless, armless, and his body seemed thinner and paler than before. A thin elf's face could be seen with grey blind eyes. Saliva dropped out his mouth and one could smell feces and urine from him. Scars adorned the elf's body in all sorts of places and Ignis held no shame as he threw this thing down in front of Kyle who was seated close by with a book of some kind.

"I believe we are done here." Ignis said before going to sleep in the castle. Something he had not done in days.