Snow Angels and Demons

[Ignis Glaciesque]

Well, that was traumatizing.

The girl shivered, petrified, long after the death had played out in front of her. This guide had been about to torment her, then kill her. She knew she appreciated being saved, yet... A death as painful and horrific as that?

As the immediate adrenaline left her body, she felt the full effects of Berevar's climate setting in on her. Sure, this cave was warmer than the outside, but it was far from summer heat. That, and she was dripping wet. Shuddering, she gasped when her horrifying savior told her to get up.

What should she do? On one hand, this... creature... terrified her. On the other hand, it saved her life. Either way, both fear and appreciation drove her to the same conclusion. For now, obey.

But will he imprison me like my grandfather?

She stood to her feet, struggling to stand correctly. She was practically vibrating from the cold. First thing was first, light and warmth.

"I-I'll ge-et some li-igh-t-t-t."

She pulled out two pieces of wood from her satchel. They were sadly soaking wet, but they would have to do. The girl rubbed them together rapidly, gritting her teeth as she awaited the sweet flames of fire. After what felt like ages, a weak spark formed. It was all she needed. She held the two sticks and willed the fire to get burning. As she magically forced the flames to stay alive, she looked around anxiously. She eventually laid eyes on what appeared to be a wall mounted torch. She stumbled over, feeling frigid and stiff, and touched the two sticks to the flames.

A chain reaction happened.

It was not just a torch, but an entire network of flames that slipped through the walls and illuminated the room. As precious light flooded the dilapidated cavern, she gasped. Sure, she saw the full effects of her would be murderer's murder, but she also saw a pile of other skeletons pilled up in one corner. The pool she had immerged from was brown and still, and the rest of the cavern was all too much just that, a cavern.

She got a good look at her new companion. He was a towering creature with some kind of draconic heritage. Was he from Dheathian? But no, that made no sense. He apparently had been sealed here. He appeared... like dead man walking. Grey skin clung to bones and marrow, and sickly green energy coursed through his skeletal frame. She gaped in clear fear, feeling like a helpless child before him. Would her ice and fire even do anything against such a monster if she was driven to it? She stared with wide, paranoid eyes at this monster, the flames on her wet wood fizzling out.

She looked down to her drenched clothes, then looked to the pile of bones. Travel gear and winter clothes were mixed into the pile, some hanging onto the frames of corpses still. She grimaced, feeling awful for playing with the bones of what she could assume were girls who were not as lucky as her. Yet, if she did not change soon, she would die from these elements.

"I... Be back."

She already was pulling off her outer layers as she approached the bones, feeling sick and defiling. She winced as she slipped behind the pile, picking out what clothes would fit her and peeling her soaked layers off. As she slipped a red coat over her thin body, her clear nixstella necklace reflected the burning flames around her.

She eventually immerged, hair still wet and clinging to her new travel gear, but she was far warmer. She looked back to the pile and frowned.

Rest in peace, sisters. I am sorry.

She then turned and faced the abomination they had been sacrificed to contain. What could she expect of this undead creature? She clenched her fists, fear pulsing through her veins. Yet, she needed to be smart. And put on a brave face.

"I don't mean to hurt you." She paused, not wanting to make her words sound like a threat, "I believe we both want out of here."