Eternally Bound: Part 1
----- Downfall -----
Ember looked at the giant wall of vines and frowned. The small force stood, gathered to have a ritual administered that would make the scarabs believe they were already dead; already infected. She held her breath and closed her eyes as the cloud of smoke from the ritual passed over her, visualizing her role when they entered the fray. She exhaled, then looked over her shoulder at Harid.
The man had been a mentor of hers for years, and she had grown up under his tutelage and befriended his daughter, Paige. Despite both Paige's and Ember's protests, Harid, had slipped his way into the war in Kourna as well. This battle wasn't like others they had been in: before, they had been confident they would win; either they were small forces, or they were fighting a god that Ember was almost built to beat. But, this time, they were fighting the immortal god-king Joko and Ember felt something she usually didn't: fear. She looked down at the icy blade she held at her side, and grinned at it, feeling as if Valandra was urging her on.
"No more being diplomatic. Go Ember; go and unleash!" the ice queen's voice drove her.
The Sunspear commander's voice called the troops to arms, "Ride to war! In the five's name, we will take down Joko!" He led the small contingent to an Inquest cannon outside the vine wall. They hurriedly took out the small camp and used the cannon, turning the gun to take down the necrotic field around the fortress. In the distance, three additional forces marched. The closest, a group led by a sylvari, were intent on taking out the inquest lab, removing any chance of the plague spreading. While the center force was led by the master commander Ember once considered a rival if not a foe. Finally, the farthest group was set to light the tar ablaze, led by a charr using Ember enchanted arrows. With the cannons secured, Ember's group charged fully into the Inquest labs.
While some of their forces engaged the Awakened, Ember quickly jumped to her important task. She smashed raw materials and incinerated lab samples, in a brilliant display of flames, ensuring nothing survived. They made quick work of the lab, joining the other groups to assault the fortress head on. This was meant as a diversionary tactic: their force was a distraction; they had to give the master commander time.
Ember arrived at the tar pits, which were already on fire, the last of the Awakened in the area cut down. A cursory glance around had the woman wondering if the plan had brought in their reinforcement without reason. As if to answer her, a large group of golems marched forth, stepping in sync, forming a wall of metal to block the enemies advance across the bridge.
"Ember, could you perhaps use your talents on the other side of the golems?" the charr commander asked. Despite their parents likely fighting, Ember had actually befriended him; both finding commonality in the fire and in the battle. She nodded to her comrade.
Another force gathered on the other side of the bridge. It comprised of a sea of Awakened, led by a member of the Mordant Crescent, an elite group of Joko's personal Awakened warriors. Ember paled under her helm at the sight of the grotesqueness, bile dripping from every orifice.
"We need time to get ready! The golems will hold as long as they can, but I doubt they will last for long!" the leader of their force shouted.
Ember knew what she had to do, but she was scared. That is, until a calm hand came to her shoulder. "Go ahead Ember. You got this," Harid said. His grip was steady and strong, yet there was obvious tension. Ember knew the man for a long time, and while he wouldn't admit it directly, she knew he was also afraid. His face showed a purposeful calm, but she knew he feared that he would never again leave this land.
She hung her head a moment to gather herself. Even with Harid's presence, she feared what she must do. Then a familiar presence held her in an icy embrace, as the frost sword at her side glowed in the night. She looked at it, felt her confidence swell and slightly smiled. "For Valandra..." she said softly. Instantly, she scrambled on top of the center golem standing with conviction against the coming forces. The leader of her enemy smiled a broken sneer as they marched forward. When suddenly, they were met with a wall of Ember's flames, her magic halting their advance. She glanced over her shoulder down at her troop, readying themselves for the coming force. With any luck, Ember would thin the herd and…
"Thwip…" A second arrow pierced her lung. Ember let out a pained gasp, her fires flickering for a moment. Nevertheless she persisted, increasing the immolation, despite a large explosion booming to her right. The master commander's forces had busted open the main gate, which meant their distraction had worked! She could almost smile at the thought of Joko being exterminated like the scarabs of the plague he enacted.
"Thwip…" A third arrow found itself lodged in her gut. A cry came from the small woman, as her vision darkened, and she fell from the golem. Her charr companion caught her, brought her to the field healer; the asura went quickly about his work to stabilize her.
As her sight faded back to normal at the healer's magic, Ember could see her forces fighting the awakened, and trying desperately to stop the scarabs from escaping and spreading the plague. Ember watched as they struggled. Two of the three pipes were being managed, but the third was left open, scarabs pouring like an ocean wave.
Ember pushed herself up, despite the medic's protests, and grabbed a mortar shell. "No one tell Harid or the others that I am doing this..." She stumbled to the last pipe and dragged herself into it.
Her charr comrade saw her going in. "Ember! What are you doing?" He took a step to stop her, but was stopped by the asura.
"If she doesn't do this, we are all doomed," the asura reasoned.
The spell continued to mask Ember, the scarabs ignoring her, and for that she was grateful. She was in agony, coughing up blood when she wasn't gasping for air. She looked to the battlefield, no longer able to see Harid in the fray. She hoped he was ok, but she felt… she knew… they were both going to die there. Their forces were being pushed back and they were running out of room. If the scarabs weren't stopped, they would everyone would die.
In a final act of defiance, she raised her hands over her head, mortar shell grasped tight, and let out a mighty shout. What was left of her magic was channeled into the mortar shell launching into the pipe, while another hand blasted flame and fused the pipe shut. Out of energy and wounds slowly taking her, she looked back to the fight. She fell to her knees, coughing up blood. The thought of a hero's death came to her, but moreover, she was happy to die having saved her people.
A loud boom came from the pipe as the mortar erupted, destroying the pipe and the connecting structure. Ember grinned a bloody grin and closed her eyes to the sound of the battle as her life force faded. However, what she came to hear was silence: the awakened had suddenly stopped.
"The awakened are not heeding the call of their master! It really happened! Palawa Joko has been defeated!" a voice rang out. Cheers roared from around the fortress from the survivors.
Ember collapsed onto the ground, laying on her back, staring at the night sky with a small smirk on her face. A white haired figure came into view. The beautiful Elonian woman looked down upon Ember with the most beautiful smile. Icy blue eyes danced with joy, as tears filled Ember's.
"We did it.... Valandra... I... I kept my promise," Ember wept.
The ice queen smiled, held her hand out to Ember.
Ember reached out to take the hand... as blackness consumed her…
[To be Continued...]
