by Max Jager
Aurela walked over to Alerius, "Firius dear, you should stay here. I'll take care of the Oadin."
"I'm fine! Let's just go!" He started to walk a few steps. He then stopped and felt dizzy. He was having a really hard time keeping awake. He just couldn't really keep on his toes. The heat was picking up. Zprobably about 350 degrees and getting hotter!
Aurela was extremely worried about him. She knew that if she tried to help him he would just reject her care. Either Braxus would talk him into it or he would do it all on his own. Either way, he would be stubborn and deny any aid. She just hoped he would make it.
Braxus looked around the chamber. There were three exits to the chamber. "If memory serves me, I believe its that one that takes us to the second floor." He said pointing to the middle exit.
Alerius stumbled a few steps. "What are we waiting for?"
Braxus looked around. "Its too easy."
For once, Aurela actually agreed with something this demon said. He was right, it did seem a little too easy. Aurela walked over to Braxus's side. She scanned the room. She could feel an evil presence. Nothing she couldn't handle though.
Suddenly, Alerius collapsed on the rock floor and began screaming in pain! Aurela went right to his side and picked him up from off the ground. The side of his face that had hit the ground had been slightly burnt. She cupped his brow and began to rock with him. The rock floor was so hot it had burned him when he fell. It was so hot in the volcano that Alerius had collapsed. He had taken as much as he could which was more then any human.
Braxus looked over at the pair as Aurela was about to put her hand on his cheek. She was going to heal him. Braxus just made a sigh of disgust. "Your letting her take control again!"
Alerius's eyes where wide open. He got quickly out of Aurela's grasp and stood wobbly. He was breathing heavily and barely got out what he wanted to say. "I'm fine! Leave me alone!"
Aurela's feelings were very hurt this time. She was just trying help him. She loved him so much. She didn't want to see him in any more pain. She could have easily healed him. She got up from the ground and nodded her head to leave him alone.
Alerius stood proud but not too coherent. His headache was starting to make him drowsy. He was also beginning to lose his sight!
The three began to head toward the exit with Alerius lagging behind. Suddenly, a huge boulder blocked the way. Braxus backed off and looked to another exit. The other two had been blocked off too. Aurela and Braxus back off a step from the three blocked exits. Alerius was swinging back and forth about to collapse again.
Magma then began to seep in through the cracks in the rock floor. It burned Alerius's feet, even with his boots on, and he started to fall to the ground. Aurela rushed right over to him as he began to hyperventilate. The heat in the room had increased by a hundred degrees. Any person would have been dead at this point. His feet were still badly damaged from the magma. He was still made out of flesh and bone and it still came close to melting his feet off! Most of the skin had been stripped from the bottoms of his feet as well as most of the leather from his boots.
Aurela held him and began to cry. She was so worried about him. She put her hands on his feet and began to heal them. She had him completely off the ground. She wasn't even physically touching him except for his feet. She had him suspended in the air. She caressed and massaged his feet and as she did, his feet began to heal.
Meanwhile, Braxus watched as the pools of magma began to form up into shapes. It was becoming alive! Soon, he was facing down five demons made purely of magma. He knew these demons all too well. They were Flaming's ground based vanguard. They were extremely deadly and very dangerous! Aurela was not hurt by the lava at all but Braxus could be. In fact, given the circumstances, he could very likely die right there!
He observed the five monsters and said, "Let me pass, now!"
One of the magma demons walked up to him and gurgled something. Something that sounded like, "Over our dead bodies!"
Its arm suddenly turned into this long blade and it swung for Braxus's head. Braxus reared himself up and barely missed being cut in two by the pure lava appendage. The other four charged him and Braxus jumped straight up in the air. They collided with each other turning back into a big puddle of lava. Braxus tilted in midair and landed near the large pool of magma. It quivered a bit and reformed back into the four humanoid forms.
Braxus didn't know what to do! The four then became one long, liquid spike and launched right at Braxus. He dodged to his right and landed near Aurela and Alerius. He then hid behind the two.
Aurela still had Alerius suspended in air, "fixing" him. She had her hand on his head. What she was trying to do was relieve some of the heat from his body like she had when they had exited Scalobore. She looked at Braxus and said, "I have got to take care of him!" Referring to Alerius.
Braxus looked at Alerius who was barely conscious. He grabbed Alerius and said, "If you don't help me I'm going to throw him into them!"
Instantly, Aurela's eyes began to glow with this bright blinding light. She levitated up into the air and this strange wind began to blow from behind her. It made her hair come alive and her frail clothes danced on her body. Her skin became luminescent with light and power. She was filling with energy. Braxus dropped Alerius in fear of her. He had never seen anything like this before in his entire existence. Even the Leyline that had caught him never displayed this much power.
Alerius was about to hit the ground when he suddenly stopped in the air. He levitated almost up to Aurela's position and stayed there.
Aurela's voice had become strong and mean again. She looked right at Braxus. "I could kill you with a mere thought, demon! You ever touch him again and I'll flay you…with my mind!"
She then turned her attention to the magma creatures. She rotated right in the air still suspended in the same position. "Die!"
Suddenly, these white brilliant bolts of power came out of her eyes and went right through all five of the demons! Three were impaled on the right and two on the left. The bolts joined together after going through the magma demons and focused on the boulder blocking the middle exit.
The magma demons suddenly exploded back into lava and the lava slipped through the cracks in the rock floor. Exiting like they had entered. Then, the boulder blocking the path exploded and Braxus even ducked to avoid the flying debris.
Aurela hovered back down to the floor and this time walked right up to Braxus. "No more of your lies!"
She grabbed his mouth and Braxus was thrown to the ground. Steam began coming off his body and he tried to roar in pain but it came out muffled. He was being burned alive! Aurela continued her threats. "The only reason I allowed you to come was so that Firius could finally come to terms with his love for me! I thought being around a monster like you, and a liar, he might finally realize what he was doing to himself and confess his love for me!"
Braxus's flesh started melting off of his right side which was still planted on the ground by Aurela.
Aurela continued on. "It hasn't worked yet, but it may still. No more lying though! No more of it! Do you understand?" She shoved his face even deeper into the rock floor and by now most of the skin was gone and his muscle was starting to melt off. This black blood started to pour out of his face as even the fluid in his pure white eyeballs began to boil along with the black blood.
Braxus roared out, "Yes! I understand! OH GOD!"
Aurela smiled a very wicked smile as her angelic light only intensified. "If you want help, call for somebody who actually cares!"
She suddenly ripped him up from the floor and threw him into a rock wall across from Alerius who was still suspended in the air, completely safe from the fire floor. Braxus made a huge hole in the wall and he fell crumpled up to the ground.
Aurela's glow faded and her eyes went back to that golden color. Her hair shifted down and that wind went away. Alerius's body hovered down to the ground and laid at peace. He was still conscious but he was oblivious to what
had transpired between Aurela and Braxus.
Aurela bent over Alerius and kissed him softly on the lips. Alerius's full consciousness returned to him and he looked up at Aurela. He looked at where he was laying and got up to his feet in terror! He thought for sure his back had been incinerated! Instead, he was just fine and that sick feeling had left him. It was as if somebody had turned down the heat. It only felt humid in the volcano to him now.
Alerius looked at Aurela and then at himself. "What did you do to me?"
She looked at him with a fondness to her eyes and said, "The heat won't bother you anymore."
Alerius looked at her strangely and then shook off the feeling. He didn't feel any different but he could definitely tell a difference.
He looked over to where Braxus had been thrown. "Damn! What happen to him?"
Braxus got up and most of his right torso and face had been eaten away from the hot floor. Aurela looked at him strongly and Braxus didn't say a word. Alerius was looking to him for answers but quickly turned his attention to Aurela when she answered for him. "He fell to the floor. Luckily, he didn't stay there."
Braxus sort of growled at her but again didn't say a word.
Planet Wrath Burn: Chamber 2
Aurela, Alerius, and Braxus headed through the middle exit and came to a high incline in the floor. They headed upwards and entered another chamber.
This chamber was huge! It was high and big! The roof had to be at least 100 feet high! It was like a small chunk of Wrath Burn's surface preserved inside the volcano. There was a small pond of lava about fifty feet away and about a 100 yards away was the next exit to the third floor.
Alerius looked over at Braxus. "So what is this?"
Braxus just starred at the small world inside the volcano. "This is sort of like the barracks. Its where the infantry gets ready to be launched from the volcano. Also, where they rest and wait for orders to go down to the first floor."
"So what is this whole volcano, really? Flaming's little fort?"
"I wouldn't call it little." Braxus answered back.
He was still in a little pain from the damage he took at the hands of Aurela. Nobody had ever done that to him, ever! He was more under strain from the fear he felt for her rather then the pain. So his words were somewhat a little slurred. However, Alerius made them out pretty well.
Braxus headed the group while Alerius and Aurela walked behind him. They were walking pretty close to the lava pond but Alerius nor Aurela were afraid of it. Braxus was on his guard though.
Alerius couldn't figure out why he wasn't cautious of the lava. He would have been before. Did Aurela change more then just his resistance to heat? He couldn't be sure but she had definitely changed his awareness of it. He no longer had a fear of fire. What was so strange feeling about it was that everything in the universe feared fire except those who evolved from it! Fire would incinerate him! Yet, he felt no fear of death from it. He couldn't understand why though. Had Aurela made him not only resistant to heat but also made his primal fear of it fade to? If she had, it would definitely be an improvement to himself, at least he thought. He had no idea what she had actual changed about him.
The three were at the end of the pond when the entire chamber began to rumble. All of them were thrown off balance. Alerius and Braxus both about fell right into the lava! The place kept shaking as now a bunch of rocks began to fall from the ceiling. All of them knew something was coming. Something powerful.
Suddenly, a part of the roof collapsed and a hole was made. The red brightness from outside cascaded down into the base of the volcano. None of them saw what came through but each of them recognized the monster when it landed. It landed right in front of them. Its wings flapped at them and the monster roared at them. It was a monster each knew all too well. Domaren, The Hammer Of Hell. The dragon slaying nebron!
Alerius couldn't help but comment. "He looks just like I remember him."
Domaren recognized him too. He looked at Aurela and recognized her as well. He also felt the dramatic change in her power. He knew that she had been to The Viseus Pyramid. He had no chance against her.
He then looked at Braxus. Braxus recognized him and started to inch away from him and the rest of the group. When he was far enough, he started to gallop back through the exit they had come through. He was running from Domaren.
The powerful nebron just launched himself into the air and landed right in front of him. Braxus started to make excuses for himself. "Domaren! I…ehh…brought them here for Flaming! So he could finish them off himself! I knew he would want them for himself."
Domaren was inching closer to Braxus, and he was inching farther back from Hell's Hammer. "Come on Domaren! We got history, you and me! I mean, we're simply two peas in a pod. There's no denying that! I have served Hell for too long for you to get rid of me!"
Domaren stopped and so did Braxus. They were both looking at each other until Domaren grabbed Braxus by his throat and hoisted him up into the air!
He turned with Braxus still in hand toward the lava pond. Braxus started pleading with Domaren but it was no use. Aurela watched in a stone silence and couldn't help but think to herself. 'Looks like your not lying your way out of this one, demon!'
Domaren stood over the pond ready to drop Braxus right into the vat of lava. He then pulled Braxus into him face-to-face. Domaren growled at the centaur. Only Braxus and Aurela knew exactly what Domaren said to him. "Consider this…your retirement."
Domaren then dropped him right into the lava. Braxus squirmed and struggled in the liquid fire but it was no use! He roared out with incredible pain! He slowly melted right into the lava pond until every part of him was utterly finished. Not a trace of the centaur named Braxus was left.
Domaren rolled his shoulders feeling good about what he had just done. He then slowly tilted his head toward Alerius and Aurela. He knew Aurela was more powerful then him and could probably get rid of him with ease. However, he wasn't scarred of death at all. He would rather die in battle then how his former fellow demon died. Sniffling and pleading like a little coward.
Alerius put his arm in front of Aurela. He then looked at Domaren with an intensely battle harden look. He was ready to fight this demon! Alerius had gone almost hand-to-hand with him before back on Reign. It was only about several weeks ago when that happened but it felt like several life times in the past. He remembered how he felt about him then. He felt as though they had known each other from some ancient battlefield. As if they were nemeses from across space and time.
That feeling just seemed stronger now then it did a weeks ago. Maybe because so much time had passed since their last encounter with each other. Maybe because they were indeed eternal nemeses or maybe, deep down in this demon, there was a shred of pride. A small ounce of pride and dignity.
Alerius aimed the shotgun right at him but Domaren was too fast. The menacing nebron reacted and grabbed the shotgun from Alerius's grip. He flung it to the side and backhanded him high into the air. He landed hard on the rock floor. Aurela looked at him with concern but Alerius got up and shook his head in disagreement with Aurela. He did not want her to interfere with this fight. He did not need nor did he want her help. He was standing on his feet and shook himself off. Meanwhile, Domaren was waiting for his next attack. He was moving very cunningly. Alerius just sort of smiled.
For the first time since Aurela had went through her transformation at The Viseus Pyramid he was back in control of the situation. He was back to doing what he did best. Fighting.
He went headlong into Domaren without the shotgun and tried to plant his fist right into the demon's gut. The dragon slayer caught his hand and began to crush it. Alerius grabbed his arm in pain and tried to get away. He couldn't though. He kicked with his legs and punched with his other hand but Domaren was just playing with him right now. He picked Alerius up by his fist and held him in midair. He then spun Alerius like a lasso and threw him into the ground. As Alerius tumbled, the rock floor cracked and some
magma came bubbling up through the crack.
Alerius got up pretty quickly though and looked at the small hole that had the fire liquid coming out of it. It was gushing out like a cut wound.
Alerius again went at Domaren but Domaren just slapped him aside like he was nothing. Alerius landed hard on the ground and almost went into the lava pond. Reality was starting to sink in for the outmatched agent. Alerius had thought he had perfect control of the situation but he had no more control now then on the day they had first met each other on planet Reign.
Alerius was hurting from all this punishment he was taking. The gunshot wound at Hogarth, the fight with Korzen at the Viseus Pyramid.
Aurela stood back like Alerius wanted but she didn't know for how long see could endure watching Alerius get hurt so badly when she knew full well she could stop it. It was what he wanted though and she was determined to prove that she wasn't trying to take his control away from him.
