Ashetta
THE STORMBRINGER
The Spire gave another mighty shudder, and her lightning fizzled out as she stumbled with a gasp. On reflex she looked up, her heart stalling as she realized she couldn’t see the sky anymore. Too much dust, debris, gas, and she lurched forward as part of the ceiling came crashing down overhead. Sharp, purple spots of pain burst and bloomed in her vision as stone after stone struck down---her head, her back, her arms, her shoulders. Trapped. She was going to be trapped underground.
It was Ronin’s voice that called her to attention, kept her from being swallowed by panic. She caught a few words only: All you have. Run. She barely registered Deimos calling for them to flee to the outside, her head spinning with a cocktail of exhaustion and fear. Run, she needed to run, she couldn’t be trapped down here, she couldn’t, she couldn’t---
Ashe swung around, looking for Remi---they all needed to go---and her eyes fell on him just as he shouted to her. Get out, Ashe. I can do this. He wasn’t going to run. Her heart dropped like a stone, thudded in her ears as the crumbling world seemed to slow. She looked between her friend and the stairs. The man she called brother, or freedom---survival. For a split second, she caught sight of Ronin’s form flickering in the maelstrom.
”Fuck that,” Ashe shouted back. Her whole body shook, her ears were ringing as she fought to breathe through the mask, but she dove down deep into her magic. Down and down she reached for that power as Remi worked his, and she released all she had on the remaining gas.
Lightning cracked and snapped into the roar of falling debris, illuminating dust and gas, creating a storm all its own. She held it as best she could, her vision pulsing black, and then it sputtered out with her gasp. Her head spun, the world pitched and crashed, and she knew it was only Remi now that could stand a chance against the falling Spire. She staggered toward him, and then she shifted to a gleaming blue hummingbird. Ashe dove under Remi, where tiny bird legs grabbed at his shirt collar and she tucked herself against his chest. I’m not leaving you, Remi.
Unable to bring herself to leave Remi behind, tiny-idiot-Ashe cast her lightning one last time and then shifted into a hummingbird to hide beneath Remi.
It was Ronin’s voice that called her to attention, kept her from being swallowed by panic. She caught a few words only: All you have. Run. She barely registered Deimos calling for them to flee to the outside, her head spinning with a cocktail of exhaustion and fear. Run, she needed to run, she couldn’t be trapped down here, she couldn’t, she couldn’t---
Ashe swung around, looking for Remi---they all needed to go---and her eyes fell on him just as he shouted to her. Get out, Ashe. I can do this. He wasn’t going to run. Her heart dropped like a stone, thudded in her ears as the crumbling world seemed to slow. She looked between her friend and the stairs. The man she called brother, or freedom---survival. For a split second, she caught sight of Ronin’s form flickering in the maelstrom.
”Fuck that,” Ashe shouted back. Her whole body shook, her ears were ringing as she fought to breathe through the mask, but she dove down deep into her magic. Down and down she reached for that power as Remi worked his, and she released all she had on the remaining gas.
Lightning cracked and snapped into the roar of falling debris, illuminating dust and gas, creating a storm all its own. She held it as best she could, her vision pulsing black, and then it sputtered out with her gasp. Her head spun, the world pitched and crashed, and she knew it was only Remi now that could stand a chance against the falling Spire. She staggered toward him, and then she shifted to a gleaming blue hummingbird. Ashe dove under Remi, where tiny bird legs grabbed at his shirt collar and she tucked herself against his chest. I’m not leaving you, Remi.
Unable to bring herself to leave Remi behind, tiny-idiot-Ashe cast her lightning one last time and then shifted into a hummingbird to hide beneath Remi.
this is where the end is written, every battle scar forgiven
howling in the wind, tingle in your skinthunder and the rain as the storm rolls in & destroys it all
Are you ready for the landfall?
