Flames of Betrayal

-Tatiana Skybrooke-

The aches and pains kept coursing through my body as I stood outside of the apartment door. The idea of my missing limb was still fresh in mind, like a flame that had just begun to burn. Not quite a raging inferno yet but also an ever-present warmth, as I stood there like a sentry, thoughts and assumptions raced through my mind.

Who was ranika? And why is it he was able to kill such a fearsome creature alone? Not only that, but the auras and presence he had exerted recently were not on the level of any demon-kin I had ever met. 'Just what kind of monster are you? And why did you save me...?' I thought, my mood becoming melancholy. Maybe he had done it just on a whim, or he had another goal in mind?

While being lost in my own thoughts, a familiar sound passed by me. It was faint and almost imperceptible, but I immediately knew it. It was the sound of a flame racing across the ground eating away any kindling it found along it's way, the faint sound of crackling fire had drawn me out of my thoughts and had me looking around for it.

Then, I was able to see the small glow of a purple light. It had been racing directly toward me, almost as though it had its own sentience. Taking a half step backward, I clad my body in whatever essence i could muster, which in turn caused a wave of indescribable pain to assault me. Using my aura would've been more effective, but I also had already imagined this scenario. Fire, or heat, would trump my defense based aura in a heartbeat, so this was my only option.

Through gritted teeth and raspy breaths, I yelled out to my assailant, "Oh come now, gram! To attack a fair maiden from the shadows doesn't suit you! Come out and at least let me see that face." I tried to force a confident smile, but I'm sure to anyone else I just looked like a mad woman in the throws of pain.

"You are right, tatiana, this doesn't suit me." He responded, his voice had come from the shadows around the corner of a building, but it was the clear confidence in his tone that made me feel a hint of fear. 'He knows I can't fight in this condition....he wants to kill me..' The realization struck me like a dump truck.

"You know, even injured, you continue to be a pain in my ass tatiana. I wanted to end your life quickly and quietly. However, it seems I'll have to get my hands dirty." The charming grin on his face was a direct betrayal to the mocking tone in his voice.

Making an attempt to buy as much time as possible to think of some way out of this. I continued speaking. "So....you going to explain this betrayal, or am I just going to have to assume you've always wanted me dead?" I tilted my head slightly, a sheepish smile on my face, trying to play this revelation off as a game.

"It's nothing personal. Even though you piss me off, I never wanted your death. Let's just say my benefactor now wants you gone along with ranika, and you know me. I always follow my orders." His usually charming smile had twisted into a wicked smirk, sending shivers down my spine.

"Why me, though? I didn't think I'd warrant anyone's ire, certainly not enough to want me dead anyway." My tone had become that of confusion. It made no sense, I hadn't gone out of my way to make enemies or piss off anyone I shouldn't have. At least, I don't think I did?

"Because he chose to save you, and by extension, that means you are important to him." With that final statement gram flicked his wrist casually, the flames that had been sitting still on the ground flashed forward with unprecedented speed toward me, they grew incredibly bright, chasing away the darkness around me with a purple glow.

As soon as they landed on me, I felt it, the searing sensation of my essence, along with my flesh being burned away like a dry cloth. Gritting my teeth, I focused harder on trying to keep the thin veil of essence from eroding further under the flames, but I wasn't successful. The flames had already eaten through my barrier and were now devouring my legs like a hungry beast. Feeling the pain gnaw away at me, I couldn't help but let out a guttural scream. The pain was like nothing I had felt before, almost like they were burning away each individual molecule one by one, consuming everything without hesitation.

Just when I thought I'd black out, the pain would spike, making me reel myself back to consciousness. It was torture,one that would never seem to end, that is, until a brilliant red flame suffused my body from behind, relieving me from the incessant torture. Instead of feeling heat or pain from the bright red fire that now wrapped around me like a suit of armor, my body felt like it had jumped into a warm bath, washing away every ache and pain that grams flames had inflicted.

Confused and exhausted I turned my head to see what was going on and where the red flame had come from, and standing in the doorway was a woman with pearl white hair that had a radiance that rivaled anything I'd ever seen, her captivating ember eyes seemed to burn with their own flame as she stared down gram, not an ounce of fear to be seen. She was one of ranikas' friends, that I knew. Her name, however, seemed to slip my mind.

"Tatiana, are you ok? I'm sorry I didn't hear the commotion earlier." Her voice was a mix of comfort and relief in my ears. 'Almost like his...' I thought.

"I-I'm okay... I just need to catch my breath.." I said, the pain was still evident in my voice.

"Olivia, can you take tatiana inside and treat her wounds? Me and gwen will be more than enough to deal with this shit stain." The last words she spoke came out like venom, making gram take a step back.

Feeling a small and gentle touch on my shoulder, I turned to see who it was, and there she was. The little girl ranika had taken in. Her gaze had a look of pity and sorrow in it. "Come now, miss tatiana, they will handle the rest." She said, her tone calm and comforting. With a slight nod, I followed the small girl inside, 'Have fun, gram...I'm sure you won't, though.' I thought to myself, a small smile appearing on my tired face.

-Sophie Flamestone-

Seeing olivia take tatiana inside my house, I returned my attention to the assailant who dared to attack my home. My flames began to move rhythmically as I stepped forward. My intent was clear, this man attacked someone dear to ranika, on my front door no less. Now I'm going to burn him from the inside out.

"What's this? Is ranika too weak to come face me, so now he has to send his crippled guard dog?" The man said, a wry smile on his face. 'So, he knows about my disability....but how?' I thought, slightly caught off guard by his questions.

"Who are you, and why are you here?" I said, my voice cold and frigid.

"I go by division commander Gram Havenfall miss guard dog, and as to why I am here.." His wry smile quickly changed to a demented grin. "That's easy, I'm here to kill everyone in that residence and take what belongs to my benefactor."

Before I could even process what he had just said, a purple flame lashed out at me, poised for my throat. Reacting quickly, my aura suffused my body, protecting me, not as much as I would've liked, however. The searing heat alone was enough to make me want to drop down to my knees. It was almost inconceivable.

Knowing that things would get worse for me after doing this but not caring, I released all the essence I had in body to supplement my aura in protecting me. The effects were immediate, and the heat disappeared as if it was never there.

The exchange for the relief from Gram's attack, however, was the blood that was now pouring from my eyes and nose in a constant stream. The puddle below me continued to grow as the flow refused to cease. The sudden onslaught of pain from behind my eyes had made me look down toward the ground, making me stare at the quickly forming puddle below me.

Glancing up from the puddle of my own life's blood, I saw Gram standing proudly as his flames went after not just me but gwen as well.'I'll take care of this? What a joke...I cant even utilize my own power correctly without almost dying every time...' I thought to myself, as I watched the purple flame draw nearer. I didn't even bother to resist or block as his flame burned through my own, like mine had never even been there,wanting to just embrace the unconsciousness that was quickly falling upon me, I closed my eyes.

Then I heard thunder crash down from all around me, forcing my eyes back open in shock. At first, I was struggling to focus, and then the scene in front of me became clearer. I couldn't comprehend what I was seeing, though.

Standing at his full height, he towered over gram, yet the horns protruding from his now pink and black hair made him appear even taller. They swept up from his temples and then circled back, framing his head like a crude obsidian halo. Only one name came to mind at the sight of the man.

"Caleb?" I whispered out, the last of my strength now gone, the image of the one who gave me such responsibility etched into the backs of my eyelids as sleep finally embraced me.

-Gwenavere Harlow-

The sheer pressure placed down upon me was unbearable, for the longest time I had thought I knew what power was, that I knew what strength was. I was wrong, so wrong, the power radiating off of gram and who I could only presume was ranika was so intense I felt as though I was in the presence of two deities about to fight to the death. For the first time in my life, I had felt small, insignificant, and weak.

I had thought I was going to die, the tendrils of fire that gram had thrown at me and sophie only failed because his focus had been taken away from us, ranika had appeared out of nowhere wreathed in black lightning that charred the ground where he now stood, the only reason I wasn't sure this person was ranika, was because of how he appeared. The horns growing from his head and the pink tinted hair were both traits I knew my smartass subordinate didn't have. As I had been lost in my thoughts, the two began to speak, catching my full attention.

"I knew your little pet couldn't actually fight. It's really such a shame. To die only because your essence, the one thing that keeps your disgusting race alive, was more akin to a poison for her." Gram said, his voice full of judgment and pride.

"You will suffer for what you have done here, and I promise, I will make this as painful as possible." Ranika's voice came out hollow and ethereal, like it was here yet not. But the sheer hatred he had in those words were enough to make both me and gram flinch back in fear.

"Make me suffer? Please, after what he has done to me, you don't stand even the slightest chance against me, you little shit. No matter how many makeovers you go through." Gram said, a smirk plastered in place of his usual charming smile.

"He? Who is it you speak of?" Ranika asked. Though I couldn't see his face, the tilt of his head from behind let me know he was genuinely confused and curious.

Not bothering to respond to ranikas' question gram Instead chose to flick his wrist in the same familiar motion I had seen earlier, making me involuntarily shudder. Instead of a tendril of flame, though, a curtain of purple fire rose in between him and ranika, obstructing my view of him. My panic began to rise as the thought of ranika being defeated by gram flashed across my mind.

The rising panic I had was quickly doused. However, as ranika vanished, a streak of the same black lightning as before the only thing remaining where he had stood a second earlier. Awestruck and confused, I scanned everywhere in front of me in search of either of them, then the sound of a thunderclap hit my ears, making them ring in pain.

After recovering from the shockwave of the thunderclap, I gazed up dazed, where there once was a curtain of purple flames now sat a crater, and in that crater was gram laying on his back. Blood was spurting from his mouth like a fountain, and his limbs bent in ways that made me feel like I was going to be sick. Above the crater was ranika, hovering as if he had wings, looking down on gram with what appeared to be a look of disappointment.

'Just what the hell happened?'