Theurgy: The Citadel of Light (Book Three)

Chapter 4 Fire Magic

Fire elemental. Such creatures were the things of myths as far as Massia was concerned. These beings comprised purely from avra embodying the very concept of fire itself was a threat only sought after by the most prestigious mages of Torlak. Never in her life would she believe that she would ever have to face one, especially like this. The air around them immediately became thin as the hair all over her body tingled with fright. Every fiber of her being told her to flee. And yet she couldn't. She stared into the vaguely skull-shaped face of this fire elemental, nothing but void cyclones of dark flames that glared through all it saw. How was she going to fight this thing? How could she fight this thing? The spear she held in her hands, she might as well have been carrying a frying pan for all the use it could give her. This isn't something people like her can fight. And yet, Gideon stood firm. His body, radiant in dark mystical powers, flared in the face of this creature.

"Get behind me," he shouted to both her and the cowering coach driver, still in shock at the circumstances unfolding. But as the creature seemed prepared to attack, it stopped, not of its own will, but by another power. Around its neck, a collar made from blue flame materialized around it. The creature immediately began to writhe in protest and pain, howling like heavy gusts of wind before two more of these restraints appeared around the wrists and torso of this beast. Its flames, which made up its body, slowly began to die in intensity as it fell to the ground. Gideon sighed, then lowered his vision towards the origin of these chains, where the monster fled. In the darkness, there, illuminated by her own magic, was a woman followed by a man carrying a large ceramic jar. The woman's hands were outstretched, each finger providing purchase for the chains to hold to as the creature was pulled into submission.

"Got you now, you oversized bastard," she growled, closing her fist and dragging the fire elemental towards them Massia witnessed as the brilliant white and yellow flames grew a dull orange, then red, and finally a sputtering mass of smoke and sputtering flames. At this point, the man sat down in the large container and pulled off the massive cork from the top. Immediately several sigils around its base lit up, and the creature's form seemed to be drawn into the jar. Its flawed hands dug into the ground, desperate to get away but all the more futile as the ground simply melted and gave way. And thus, the being was entirely taken into its prison, the man quickly placing back the cork he had removed. The blue runes on its side flashed red before going out ultimately.

The man sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow. He addressed the woman to his right. "A fire elemental of this caliber? How do you suppose it came to our world, general?"

"Unimportant," the woman told him. "We got to it before it could cause trouble. Our job here is done. I'm sure that jester of a grandmaster would be more than curious. Now then."

Golden eyes fell upon Massia, making her back straighten. It felt like she was being chastised by her mother without this woman even needing to utter a word. She was about her mother's age, with tanned skin, a narrow face, and striking red hair kept within a long braid down her back. But what was more striking were her eyes, a deep orange glow that writhed like flames within the iris like flames.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "And what are you doing in these woods? This is private property of the state."

"Ahh," the coach stepped out into the open. "I believe I am at fault, ma'am. I . . . did not intend to come about this danger, but . . . uh . . . my griffons were attacked by that elemental, knocked my passengers and me to the ground."

"So that's what drawn it here?" the man rubbed the stubble upon his chin. "Odd. General Sol'Louche, I shall tend to our new friend here and meet up with the rest of our party. May I leave these people in your care?"

"You are dismissed, Captain Grayson," the woman said with a small sigh. The man immediately saluted and marched away with the large jar in both hands. The general watched him leave into the forest before directly looking past the driver and to both Massia and Gideon. "And you are his passengers? You do not look of Torlak. Identification, now."