The mist continued to swirl and churn. After a moment, the whispers spoke as one. ”This little flame dares to enter this place? With a child of Darkness no less. Why are you here?”
It was a strange sound. Some of the voices were deep and rich, some high pitched like a child’s. Some were monotonous, some went up and down octaves. But they all carried the same breath.
She smiled when he kissed her forehead, feeling some semblance of normal had been returned and she didn't feel so insecure about where she stood with him, she turned towards the mist.
"You should know why, you encountered others earlier correct? Three others, three teens, two males and one female. Two air children and one of sound, we are here to meet up with them."
"I am fire incarnate. My flesh a mere form. My dear sibling, you are a mere memory of your reincarnated selves. So stop this charade and reveal your shadow" Ignis's words seemed different, yet the same. Ignis lifted his hand and revealed his colorful flames. The fire flickered and danced, "Your reign over this temple has long since past to your children. You show fog and tricks, yet your power weakens."
Evan was breathing just fine, he was.
The cold hadnt bothered him, even the "life threatning cold" didnt phase him. he could be wearing shorts and a tank top and he would still feel like he was wearing full layers.
it was just the fact of the matter,he grew up in cold temperatures, ever since he spent time in the foster home, adoption centers, they always blasted the ac.
The heater was always broken, and during winter if the heater actually worked it barely helped in the long run.
So he was doing just fine.
he gave alisters hand another squeeze of comfort, even if alister couldnt see his smile he could feel his squeeze.
The temperature was suddenly rising rapidly, though Alister didn’t notice. His muscles tensed, and he squeezed Evan’s hand very tightly, not letting go. He stopped hyperventilating. He was breathing in deep and heavy now, a pressure building in his head. The air he exhaled was hot and steamy, the temperature rising and rising as he breathed out.
A million thoughts ran through his head. All the pent up anger he’d kept inside about what his father had done to him and his sister was simmering to the surface. He couldn’t remember many times when he’d felt safe enough to express his anger before, but now it was like it was coming out all on his own.
“Evan…” He muttered. “I…”
He shuddered, suddenly finding his face wet with flowing tears. He spluttered out a sob, and then it turned into a scream. He slowly sank to the floor, still holding onto Evan’s hand.
The sound woke Noel. She whimpered, but it was drowned out. She remembered the basement too. The summers. She tightened her arms around him, and a gray glow illuminated her fingers, hands, her brother’s chest and arms. The temperature continued to rise.
”You cannot manage this alone,” the voice said aloud now. ”You need them. You know you do.”
Alister could only shake his head. Even now, he wished Evan and Noel didn’t have to witness him like this.
Something like a rush of wind swirled around Evan’s ear, and the voice spoke into it. ”Boy, help him. Even if he resists. Do you believe you have the power of echolocation?”
He was able to tell as soon as the temperature of the temple started to get warmer, he could feel the temperature rising still, he was used to the cold, but he was not used too the heat.
As it got hotter and hotter he began to feel weaker and weaker, not accustomed too the heat, his body not prepared for any intense heat.
"Alister'…"
He could feel his tight grip on his hand, and held on as tight as he could with the temperature rising, but his grip would get more weak the more the heat was increased, and Alister' could feel so if he paid attention.
He felt Alisters pain when he heard his scream, his tears, his son. He felt the pain, and he wanted so desperately to help him despite how weak the heat was making him.
"Alister! Listen, it's okay. Do you hear me? You are okay, noel is okay- I'm okay. Everything's going to be okay…i know your in pain, i just don't know why…i need you to tell me what's wrong so i can help Alister'…"
As he spoke, he felt it getting a bit hard to breathe, sweating a lot and on the floor next to Alister'.
He pushed himself off of the floor and moved to Alister', putting a hand to his face if he could, before hearing the voice.
Ecolocation?
"I've never tried it before…"
A ripple of mad laughter went through the mist. ”A memory can be a powerful thing,” the voices whispered. A slow hiss started up as the fog swirled around the colorful flames. ”And this is no trick. I’m giving my children their inheritance as we speak. I cannot fully reveal myself until that is done.”
Ahead of Kali and Ignis, a figure formed out of the mist. The only thing distinguishable about them was their glowing silver eyes.
She let them talk, moving when she saw the figure appear in the fog, still holding his hand and moving to face the figure.
She was still on defense and alert, and it would take a while until she wasn't all the time.
”He has lost control of everything he thought he knew,” the voice murmured. ”He needs to get it back, and manage what I have given him, what he’s unlocked inside of himself.”
Noel was crying now. “Ali please…” she said. “Let us help. I need you, and you need me too. We’re not in the basement, we’re not in the basement-“
Alister’s breathing calmed with her touch, but he wailed, trying to pry her fingers off of him and turning away from Evan’s touch, “No! Let me handle this on my own! I should be able to, I can’t rely on anyone, I can’t, I can’t, or I’m-“
“Weak?” Noel finished. “Ali, you’re not weak for relying on anyone else.” She kept her grip on him firm. “In fact, that’s the strongest thing you can do. That’s the bravest thing that you can do. What you’re doing right now is so brave.”
Alister sobbed again. The temperature continued to rise, but more slowly. “He lied to me, he lied to us!” He wailed. “He made me this way! How could he?!”
“We can’t let him be apart of us anymore. What was done to us may last for a long time, but he has no place haunting our minds.” Noel wasn’t sure where her words were coming from. Perhaps the voice put them in her mind?
”There is an altar up ahead,” the voice said to Evan. ”It will help you get out. Use your power to find it.”
Evan's grip was severely weakened on Alisters hand, the temperature making him borderline from passing out, he was breathing heavily the heat was unbearable compared to what he had experienced in the past.
He pushed himself off the ground, he would add onto what noel was saying, but he was finding it hard to breathe at this point.
"Alister…just listen to your sister.." he wheezed out, his hand slipped from Alisters, he had to get to the altar with little to no energy.
His mouth felt extremely dry as he moved to push himself up, almost falling over again.
His legs felt extremely weak and he didn't know how far he would get while standing up, and he was right. He got a few steps before collapsing onto his knees, panting heavily.
His hands we're clammy and he could taste the bike in the back of his throat, he moved to crawl towards where the altar was, or where he thought he was.
His brain felt fried, he couldn't think at all, save for the fact that he felt like just passing out and staying there.
He just slowly kept crawling towards the altar, but his eyes were getting extremely hard to stay open, he felt his eyelids getting heavy and for a period he layed down in the floor to press his face to what was left of the cold floor.
The voice seemed to sigh. ”Perhaps you will learn your power as your journey continues. You’re near the altar anyway.”
Indeed, he was. If Evan could just reach out far enough, he would feel a stone structure in front of him.
The moment Alister heard how weak Evan’s voice was, he became afraid again, afraid for him. The temperature dropped.
“Ali,” Noel said. “I- I think Evan’s in trouble. Please, calm yourself. There’s a way out of here. But I think you’re the one making it so hot and cold. Your emotions…”
Alister finally went silent. How was he the one changing the temperature? But suddenly guilt and fear came back to him. If they died, it would be all his fault.
He weeped, “I’m so glad you’re okay, El. Can you walk?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Just go to him.”
Carefully, Alister rose to his feet. “I’m sorry Evan!” He said, walking ahead until his feet bumped into Evan’s leg. “I’m so sorry, this is my fault, please…”
The temperature still dropped as Alister felt for Evan’s shoulder, then his forehead. All of it was sweaty and hot. A whimper came out of Alister’s throat.
Once it got colder he exhaled, finding a little bit of solace from the cold.
He went to reach out for the altar, the tips of his fingers touching onto it as he just laid there, extremely tired and worn out, and overheated to the maximum.
He felt Alister hit his leg, before going close as he was speaking to him, still having somewhat troubles breathing still.
"Alister?.."
He mustered up a smile at him, "Hey…it's, okay . I'm sure i'll be fine." His eyes could barely stay open, but the cold was definitely helping, though the fact that he sweat so much he got dehydrated was still hurting him, which didn't help the cold.
"dont worry, about me.." his voice was still weak, but reached up a clammy hand to Alisters face.
Ignis began to walk further into the temple, keeping Kali close to him. His voice retuned normal and his mind racing, "Right! Well no harsh judgment, no grudges. At least I don't, do you? Ah doesn't matter. I only need to know what your intentions are. You're dead, gone, ash. But your shadow remains and wants to build physical form… What is your plan? Your goal?"
His rambling went on into mumbles, his pace steady and swift, "Stay close Kali, I might need you."
The voices seemed to giggle and grumble simultaneously. "To think my children are associating themselves with you…" they seemed to say to themself. The glowing silver eyes seemed to narrow, the figure drifting along with Ignis and Kali. "And I'm not ash, I'm mist. Honestly. And building a physical form! Oh, that's a good one. You know I'm not one for the physical, brother. Really, my only goal is to restore this place to its former state. I've had those noxious gases locked up for so long, it was so suffocating."
Ignis stopped. Almost suddenly, turning to the figure. "Gases, what gases? There wasn't any gases, haven't been, not supposed to. Your suffering was imprisonment, not any gas. What gas?" He tightened his grip on Kali. "I don't trust you for what you and our siblings did, but this temple wasn't supposed to have gas. Something must've happened in the last two billion years since I locked you up."
"You mean it wasn't included as part of my punishment?" Gasps rippled as if through a crowd, the silver eyes went wide. "Because I've dealt with them for so long, the infernal smell of ammonia and sulfur dioxide was just so unpleasant. But the carbon monoxide was the worst, it made me so sick. I don't know what happened, it just showed up. Or this place is so dilapidated in places that the gas developed on its own. I'm so glad it's gone now, then I really would've been a shadow."
Kali was way out of her league in whatever they were talking about, and she hated it. The best she could do was just stick close to him and be on guard incase something happened.
"alright."
Might, as in your most likely useless in this situation but he will let you know when your usefulness actually shows
The mist around Ignis began to disperse, his expression blank and grip firm. He started to caress her hand softly, "Her death was slow. Burned by the light. Unhelped by the elements. The gas would've been unnecessary. Your… our punishment was to spend eternity locked away in a home we never loved. My shadow, the remnant of Fire, still lurks in the woods. The temple destroyed but the prison forever still. So while I want to see your suffering continue, I am not the one behind the gas."
The voices whispered among themselves. Some were forceful and bitter, some were soft and reasoned. The silver eyes seemed to be staring blankly ahead, looking past Ignis. Then they became more focused, and the whispers faded. Though there were no other facial features to speak of, the figure seemed to smirk. "I'll believe you. For now."
Once it got colder he exhaled, finding a little bit of solace from the cold.
He went to reach out for the altar, the tips of his fingers touching onto it as he just laid there, extremely tired and worn out, and overheated to the maximum.
He felt Alister hit his leg, before going close as he was speaking to him, still having somewhat troubles breathing still.
"Alister?.."
He mustered up a smile at him, "Hey…it's, okay . I'm sure i'll be fine." His eyes could barely stay open, but the cold was definitely helping, though the fact that he sweat so much he got dehydrated was still hurting him, which didn't help the cold.
"dont worry, about me.." his voice was still weak, but reached up a clammy hand to Alisters face.
(Refresh)
He nearly melted at Evan’s touch, fresh tears springing in his eyes. “Evan…” he whispered. He swallowed. “Too late. I’m worrying about you.”
He could hear the wheezing and breathiness in the other boy’s voice, so he moved his hand from Evan’s forehead to his side, a faint gray glow emanating from his fingers as he tried to get his breathing back in order. The temperature continued to drop, though it was slow. The glow from Alister’s fingers somewhat illuminated the altar before them, a simple stone base with a wide shallow bowl on top, with what Alister guessed was incense sticks inside. How this place had incense when it was clear no mortal human had set foot in here in quite a long time was a mystery, but Alister heard the voice in his mind.
Light the incense. It will light the way.
But how? was Alister’s thought until he noticed one stick on the rim of bowl that seemed way too short to be incense. A match. Keeping his hand on Evan, partially for his sake and partially so Alister could see, he took the match and quickly struck it on the stone. Nothing happened. After another try, he got the match to light, the small flame almost painfully bright compared to his glowing fingers. After a few seconds, he felt Evan’s breathing ease up, so he carefully took his hand away and stood, and lit the incense sticks. He then blew out the match’s flame, then blew on the incense. As he did so, he felt the negative emotions inside him being released, and a sense of peace coming over him. The scent of the wisps of smoke that now drifted from the sticks was calming too. The temperature of the place now settled just below room temperature.
For a moment, Alister wondered what he was waiting for when the wisps of smoke began to glow gray. They rose higher, higher, until they moved, unbound by the laws of thermodynamics. They swirled down and up, lighting a path ahead of them into the gloom.
“A way out,” Alister breathed.
Around the time that Alister brought his attention away from Evan to the incense and the shrine, when breathing become much easier for him thanks to Alister he ended up closing his eyes, mentally apolosing to Alister and muttering out a soft apology outlook barely able to be heard, he rested with breathing becoming more easier, the temperature helped him a lot but it was only so much he was severely dehydrated, so resting was the best thing his body found to do until he was able to get any liquids in his system.
Alister looked back at Evan. Clearly, he was in no shape to stand, much less get up and walk. He felt Noel, who had been gazing in silent awe at the glowing smoke, turn her head to see Evan before she said, "I'll walk."
"You sure?" Alister murmured.
"Yeah. I'll be alright."
Alister carefully set her down, and for a moment she had to lean on him to steady herself, but otherwise, she was standing without too much trouble. Alister flicked his wrist in Evan's direction, allowing a strong breeze to lift him into the air. He guided the wind to place the boy in his arms, and they were set. Looking at Evan, he felt his eyes water again as he whispered his own apology. Noel touched his arm in affection and sympathy before she led them along the smoke trail, eventually reaching a set of stairs with light shining down from above. They were out of the basement.
Ignis rolled his eyes, "I don't care if you believe me. I didn't come here to be trusted by a monster like you. I need to find your children, a sound elemental, and the seal we made all those years past. I fear there is a war coming and these incarnations aren't ready." He looked at Kali, smiling softly at her, "They have yet to discover what they truly are or capable of."
The smirk seemed to grow wider, the crowd cackled. "Oh brother, I love it when you roll your eyes. The expression is just priceless. I know you don't care, besides, 'trusted' is a strong word, don't you think?" The figure seemed to tilt its head. "Are you asking me where to find your companions? Because I'm sure I don't need to tell you, it's quite easy, really. Just keep going." They moved forward so that they were only inches from Ignis' face. "But if you know what's good for you, you won't interfere with what may or may not be happening when you find them."
She looked at the figure, her hand already in a fist to punch what exactly she didn't know, but she could feel something off about what they said, about what air said.
"why?" She wanted to know if something bad happened to evan.
"why won't we?"