Can You Tame This Fire? (Sakume)

OoC: Grr. I finally did it. Muahaha. <3

BiC:

A gentle breeze caressed a young pixie's flowing brown hair, the strands of orange blending seamlessly with the rest. His brilliant hazel eyes squinted slightly as he progressed down the shoreline. To his left were the foamy waves of an ocean, swaying in and out. To his right, fine white sand stretched several dozen feet before reaching a gravel like ground. Even further down were plains of grass and trails to various locations, but none of that mattered to the pyro. After all, it was his time to relax.

Yet, who would expect that someone so delved into the element of fire would be on the shore of a beach, watching the waves roll in? Truth be told, Quintana wasn't sure why, himself. But, he would enjoy himself nonetheless.

He was by himself. No need to laugh, make jokes, or poke fun. And, as his staff made a single fading trail in the sand, a small smile crept onto his face. Momentarily he stopped, looking back at his footprints in the sand, seeing most of them being melted away by the waves. For that moment, how he could wish he were those footprints, extinguished quickly, painlessly.

For, he knew that his flame was going out. It wasn't like these steps in the sand, quickly drifting back to whence they came. It was slowly, and with each person he met. His resolve faltered and his humor cracked. It's hard to consider life one big joke anymore... But the sand. It's always shifting changing, knowing all that there is to see without any problem and without anything to hold it back.

Perhaps it was suiting that it was here, next to a massive body of water that he, Daniel Quintana, would find his flame to be tested for all that it was worth. And, as he saw the sand beneath him, analyzing its very existence, none could see his staff glow a radiant shade of orange. None would ever see his staff glow that color as he turned back to his walk, striding down the beach with the same placid demeanor.

~ ~ ~

It wasn't long before the sun began to set, making for Quintana's favorite time of day. The reds and oranges on the horizon gleamed and reflected on the fluctuating surface of the water. His eyes, emotionless stared deep into the heart of the colors, thoughts of fire and flame engulfing him, like a real fire would. And, silently, he planted himself on the shore, watching the sun, slowly and steadily, move down.

But, his content gazing didn't last long, as someone else was walking down the beach. The last thing Daniel wanted was a confrontation with anyone on his vacation, and, yet, he could not remove his eyes from the sunset. How he wished he could will his body to get up and move, but just as he could feel his knees bend, it became obvious that a confrontation with this person would be inevitable.

Letting loose a sigh, the mage prepared for any type of person. Here it comes.

OoC: So this is where my plot begins to unfold.

BiC: In and out the waves sloshed, clawing for the land, the imprints resembling giant hands of hatred. Out on the horizon, as if sensing the impending battle, gray imprints floated in on the horizon’s bright glowing hues. His boots sank with each step deep into the sand, weighing heavily upon his heart. He recalled his earlier discussion with Raziel subconsciously, replaying it in his mind. Each strand of his hair played in the wind’s breath, swirling around his eyes.

“Pyralis? Who’s Pyralis?” The lycan asked, seemingly to himself. Anyone who didn’t know he shared his body with another would have thought him to be crazy upon sight.

“Pyralis,” replied Lucien, “is the most evil source you have ever known. No, he’s not spawn of the devil or something like that. He was… is the prince’s main enemy. He is the reason Atlantis is now pure ruin. Most humans, I’ve learned, assumed it was caused by something else. No, it was Pyralis. He grants wishes of others, but he doesn’t do it like the fairy tales explain. He twists the person’s deepest desires, causing nothing but pain and torture. He cannot be defeated, not now, but it’s up to me.”

“How do you know so much about him?” Raziel asked, fingering the pearl about his neck. “And if he’s so evil, why would he focus on Atlantis itself? Why not the world?”

“This was… before.” Lucien sighed softly. “I recall everything, Raziel. Let me share my past with you. It is the least I can do. This will ensure you understand.” He paused for a moment. “ I was, still am, the prince of Atlantis. I fell in love with a princess upon land, where we were forbidden to go. Soon, after I helped her find the luna bracelet and help her people in her village, I found out she already had a fiancé, a lover, named Johnathan. He and she were both so happy. They lived near the now inactive town of Red Hill. Do you know why it is called Red Hill?”

“I believe Mark, the scientist there, told me once it was because of the trees in the fall. They turn shades of bright crimson when the sun sets, right?”

“No. That’s what everyone believes now. The true reason is because of the volcano. There is an inactive one near the town, and when it would seldom awaken from its dormant state, the sky would turn a reddish color. Tell me, did Mark tell you of the disaster that befell his family there not too long ago? The entire town, in fact?”

“Yes, why? The fire when he was a child?”

“Pyralis.”

“You’re… not serious. You can’t be. You mean this Pyralis caused the fire? Killed everyone?”

“Yes,” Lucien paused for a few moments, “searching for me. Enacting his revenge.”

“But why would he want revenge on you?” Raziel questioned, still walking silently through the dense forest, towards the beach, their destination.

“When I was young, as I said, I discovered that the two, Johnathan and the princess were going to get married. He was to propose to her on the bridge just above the dormant volcano, which had been so for years. It had never erupted before… but it did. Just as he was over it. The bridge holding them snapped, and to save her, he let himself fall into the center of it.” Raziel shuddered, but waited for Lucien to go on. “I was the cause of the activity. I made the volcano awaken. I was so jealous, so angry. I never meant to kill him. Johnathan and I, before the princess came into the picture. We were the best of friends. The most unlikely.”

“So you killed him? What happened to the princess? What happened to you? How did Pyralis come into the picture? What does he have to do with Johnathan?” Raziel asked multiple things, Lucien taking note of each one.

“Yes, I killed him… I felt so guilty, so hurt that I had murdered my own best friend… that I fled. I sulked down in the depths of the ocean, where nothing could reach me. As for the princess, I never saw her again, but I heard legends. They say that when her lover died, she was so heartbroken, that she took what he meant to propose to her with, a silver heart necklace, and sealed away her own soul within it. I am to blame for that as well, I taught her the methods, showed her our magic. As you may guess, I did the same with myself, only instead of the necklace, I used the pearl.”

“I remember Mark saying something about Red Hill being famous for its silver deposits... but what does Johnathan have to do with Pyralis?”

“Johnathan is Pyralis. The evil force behind him must have needed a servant, some way to enact hatred and despair upon the world, so he used a shell. Pyralis is that shell. He took Johnathan’s previous soul, body, everything and formed a new living residence. But he made a mistake. When Johnathan proposed to the princess, he used a silver heart, symbolizing his own heart. Since the evil force doesn’t have that piece of Johnathan, he can’t take full control of him.”

“Does Pyralis know this?”

“Johnathan. No, he doesn’t. He doesn’t remember hardly anything, I’ll bet. The only reason I do is thanks to your help, Raziel. Thank you. Sincerely. But I must continue my quest. I’m sorry we could not complete yours sooner, but this can no longer wait. You know you may not survive once we undertake it.”

“With you on my side, I’ll come out, Lucien. We’ll find him, and we’ll tell him the truth. He’ll understand. What should we do?”

“… thank you. We need to find the princess and the heart. They should be nearby, in fact… wait. The girl, the sister of Mark. Did she not have a silver heart around her neck?”

“Yes,” Raziel commented softly, “Mark told me it was a family heirloom, one that had been passed down as long as he could remember.”

“Mina. She must be the descendant… and she has the soul of the princess in her hands. She doesn’t even know. We have to find her and tell her before it’s too late.”

“Then why are we going to the beach?”

“We must train our abilities. Both of us together have more strength, enough to defeat Pyralis. But we have to discover it. It must be enough. Come, hurry.”

The glimmering sunset began to twinkle dimmer now, sinking deeper behind the cover of the edges of the sea. Lucien’s icy eyes surveyed the waves, studying them. I have to learn how to control it… have to learn. Father… He kneeled before the waves, the water barely touching his knees. Reaching both hands behind him, he slowly drew the sword, the coral easily piercing the soft sand. The instant it touched the water, a low, though noticeable glint flew from the tip to the hilt. Give me the power, I pray. The power of the sea. Make me the White Knight. His pearl dangling about the lycan’s neck glowed a deep white, enveloping the warrior for what seemed ages, but in reality was a minute or so.

Now, as the light faded, his body had been encased in the signature ebony armor, tougher even than a sea turtle shell as he normally carried. His head lifted from that spot, his body completely appearing in the dazzling white. Then, he noticed the one on the beach. Not far from him, watching the whole thing, with a staff nearby. Slowly, Lucien stood up, the armor not the least bit heavy to him. He approached, sword at his side. He needed to know who the man was, that he dare interrupt such a moment as this.