Fire, Fire!

[Chameleon]

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49th Fall 517

The man they had left coughed and sputtered, and faltered on the stairs. Perhaps he was in good health, perhaps he had no burns or other injuries, but the rising smoke made it impossible to breath. They had only been there for a chime. He had been breathing in the smoke much longer, and collapsed near the door. The masked firefighter sprang to action, dragging him out and into the arms of people who could help. By the time she had returned to the burning building, she didn't even see the others disappear below.

The firefighter followed slowly, trying her best to put out the fires as she went. The other women were gone from her sight, and she knew she could no longer help them, not until she caught up.

As the woman descended, they found the smoke got a bit lighter. Not by much, but Asterope and Allassanachassanya noticed how their throats tickled a little less, even without the coverings the other women had employed. Despite that, their movements became more sluggish, and their head a little lighter.

Ssanya's door was splintering hard under the pressure of her axe, and the fire.The dhani managed to avoid the splinters, but if anyone rushed to help her, they'd find themselves hit with the burning wood. Another blow would knock the door straight down, whether it was with an axe or a well aimed kick, but the cracking wood would fly out once more, splintering towards whoever was behind the door as well as the person who delivered the final blow.

The voice behind the door kept shouting, urging for help. Perhaps the danger of the door was worth saving them?

Behind the door hid Kaleo the Mockingjay, curled in a corner hiding a smaller man in his arms, a Listener of his, who he protected carefully. His baggy clothes were as fiercely red as the flames that made up that room, and the patterned face-paint was only half done, and smudging into the other man's clothing.

The room appeared to be aflame, like the outside of the building, but a more observant character would notice that the heat they felt came only from behind, and the smoke that billowed from that room barely seemed to affect them. There still appeared to be flames between them and the Speaker, but they didn't look like the other fire they had seen so far.

There were other shouts too, not just behind the door. Further down, if one was to travel even further, they became both clearer, and impossible to tell the direction of. There were prints in the ash before them, and the rich hem of a fantastic dress discarded beside them. Leading up to a wall, where there could have been a door, but wasn't, the tracks suddenly disappeared.

The shouts seemed to be coming from the other direction, however.

[Asterope]

At first she thought she was imagining it, but as she made her way down the steps, Aster realized that the smoke seemed to be thinning slightly; at least, she found it easier to suck in her breaths, and her throat burned less. Despite that, her eyes were still watery, and she was beginning to feel lightheaded. Regardless, she pressed on.

Reaching the bottom of the steps, a scream came from behind a nearby door; the woman who had somehow shifted her form, though Aster couldn't quite see her clearly through the smoke, sprang into action before she could react. The axe in her hands splintered the wood of the door in a few quick swings, and Aster sprang back with a yelp as smoldering wood and embers flew back at them.

She peered into the room, spotting the forms of two huddled people in the back corner. Flames flickered in the doorway, but something seemed strange about them; it was almost as if they flickered transparent for a fraction of a second now and then. She furrowed her brow, opening her mouth to say something, but was interrupted.

More shouts called from another direction, and Aster hesitated; they were quickly running out of time. But behind her, she could hear the other women descending."You take care of this," Aster shouted to be heard over the flames. She couldn't tell which way the screams were coming from, but in the ash and soot on the floor she could faintly make out footprints, she she followed them. She quickly found herself at a dead end; frustration rose in her, but was tempered by the fact that the footprints seemed to continue past the wall rather than doubling back.

The scream sounded again, this time certainly from the opposite direction. Aster hesitated, torn, then gingerly placed a palm on the wall in front of her. She pushed with all her might, gripping her axe in her other hand; she didn't know what she expected to happen, but certainly anything was possible.

She grunted as she pushed, waiting for the briefest of moments to see what would happen; she didn't have time to wait around and search much more thoroughly. If absolutely nothing happened and the wall did not budge, she would backtrack as quickly as possible and run in the directions of the screams. If, on the other hand, pushing on the wall did something, she would investigate.

"Common" | "Nari" | "Pavi" | Thoughts
"Other People's Speech"

[Ambrosia Alar]

Ambrosia had been the third one down the stairs. Two women had gone before, and two were coming behind. At least that was what she thought, but the thing that came after her wasn’t human. It towered over them all, nearly double everyone’s height, but despite its beastly nature, it spoke to them, urging them to attack the door with it. Having never seen a Dhani in its Dhani form, Ambrosia didn’t know what to think of this. She was accustomed to illusions, but something about the person standing before her said every bit of what Ambrosia was seeing was real. She didn’t do as the woman asked, just stood and watch, at least at the start, but as the other woman began to make progress and chunks of burned wood began to fall away from the door, it occurred to her that she ought to be doing something. Stepping up to one side of the door, Ambrosia made sure there was no one behind her and reared back with the crowbar. With as much ferocity as she could muster (she had little strength to speak of), she brought the crowbar smashing against the door. The end of the crowbar did not find a part of the door made fragile by fire. The part it struck was solid, and a sharp pain sang through her hands, causing her to drop her tool. Shaking the feeling out of both hands, Ambrosia retrieved the crowbar and went back to work helping the snake person knock down the door. One thing Ambrosia made certain of was to stay out of the other woman’s way. Getting caught between the door and that axe was sure to end badly. When she had another opening, Ambrosia swung her crowbar again, and this time, the metal found purchase in wood softened by fire. Leaning against the crowbar, she cursed as a piece of the door fell away and glanced off her leg, still managing to cause a burn in the moment it contacted her leg. She stayed out of the way after that, letting the other woman or creature beat the door to splinters. When the door finally fell away, Ambrosia peeked through. The room was alight with flames, though the heat didn’t feel as oppressive in the room as it did in the stairwell. In one corner of the room sat a familiar face, Kaleo the Mockingjay, holding another figure protectively in his arms. Kaleo had always been the Alar sisters’ favorite Speaker. That had stemmed from an event early on in their lives when they had watched him perform on the streets. The three of them had been astounded by the things he could do with his voice. For the better part of two seasons, they had spent most of their free time trying to the same. Imitating, throwing their voices, ventriloquism, and many of his other skills, they all tried to replicate but with no success. Eventually, they gave up and just decided to take every opportunity available to watch him perform. Their time was precious and running short. She knew that and stepped into the room to get closer to the Speaker and find a way past the flames. As she did, she tottered, suddenly aware of how lightheaded she felt, just before she collapsed to her hands and knees. That was a potent reminder of how little time they had left. With an angry shove against the ground, she pushed herself back up to her feet, urging her sluggish muscles into action. Where she had fallen, she was close to some of the flames that separated her from the Speaker and his Listener. Ambrosia couldn’t be sure if it was the delirium of the lack of breathable air or if there was just no real flames, but she didn’t feel heat emanating from the fire. There was a thought rattling around in her mind that she ought to feel heat, but the sensation wasn’t there. Uncertain whether it was bravery or delirium, Ambrosia took the risk and stepped through the fire and sighed in relief as she emerged on the other side unscathed. The fact that the stone floor had been the source of some of the flames had played a small role in her confidence. Crossing the last few steps to the Speaker’s side, Ambrosia took in his appearance as she did. He wasn’t as magnificent as he usually appeared when he walked the streets. Bright red as they always were, his baggy clothing was in disarray, and the usual painted patterns across his face were smeared together and smudged on to the clothing of the man he protected. As Ambrosia approached a fire leapt into his eyes, half illusion and half raw rage and ire. The Speaker felt attacked and wasn’t sure if those coming into the room could be trusted. In her time at the Rear, Ambrosia had learned how to deal with defensive people. She made herself as small and insignificant as she could and turned sideways to the Speaker once she reached his side, kneeling low. People didn’t like feeling trapped and didn’t like others looming over them. Reaching out, she set a gentle hand on the other man. “Is he alright?” The question was meant to show her compassion, her concern, her benevolence, and it worked, for a moment. Kaleo’s distrust faltered for a moment, but a glare quickly returned. He didn’t want to leave his defenses down. Ambrosia let her face soften, a task made somewhat difficult by the worry and urgency she felt. “Don’t worry, Speaker. We’re here to help you. I’m-” “We know who you are, Miss Alar,” Kaleo cut her off. Ambrosia’s breath caught in her throat, not because of the heat and not because the Speaker knew her name. The Speakers had the information from the many eyes and ears of their Listeners, and being known wasn’t surprising, especially as a fixture in a social hub of the city. What had caught Ambrosia off guard was the voice the Speaker had answered her with. It was not his own. It was Tessa’s, Ambrosia’s missing sister’s. Sixty-nine days. That was how long it had been since Ambrosia had last seen her little sister. Sixty-nine days since she had gone missing. Tears threatened and not due to the noxious smoke in the air. Blinking them away, Ambrosia pulled the Listener off of the Speaker, so Kaleo could stand. “If you really know who I am, then you know I’m here to help, Kaleo.” Her eyes never lost their gentleness, and a comforting smile slipped across her lips. “Please, we need to get out of here as quickly as we can.” As Kaleo stood to his feet, Ambrosia tried to pull the Listener to his. If the man was conscious, he was only barely so and gave her no assistance pulling him up. Thanking the Goddess she had worked where she worked, she squatted low and put his arm around her shoulders. Drunks had about as much coordination as an unconscious man, and she had walked plenty of those home over the years. “Help me.” It was a plea to anyone around to help get the man up, at the very least. Straining the muscles in her legs and back, she made a valiant effort to stand, dragging him upward and wrestling with the man’s deadweight every bit of the way. She felt the man’s weight lighten at some point, indicating that someone had indeed helped.

[Allassanachassanya]

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"Speech"
"Others"

Her axe and her muscles burned as she hacked at the door until it had fallen in to reveal the room, and its occupants, beyond. She was breathing heavily, but although the air was certainly less smoky, she still found it difficult to get enough air into her lungs and she was soon feeling light-headed as she gasped like a fish out of water. The pretty blonde-haired woman rushed in past her and stumbled. In the flickering air, Ssanya barely noticed or recognised what had happened to the other brave souls who dared venture into the inferno that night. Instead, she clambered into the room and focussed on the things that she could see in front of her: the blonde lady and the two men hiding from the roar of the fires that tore at the building.

She quickly scanned the room, seeing a desk and several chairs that had scattered in some unknown incident. Ssanya didn't waste time on investigating anything, she was too preoccupied with trying to breathe. Perhaps it was the smoke, or perhaps it was the raw panic that was now invading her mind, but every breath she took seemed smaller and more restrained, as if her lungs were being clamped in iron bands. If she were to liken it to anything, she would describe the initial feeling of being possessed, the way your body falls under someone else's control, and the utter helplessness of not being able to stop it. The snake woman had only been possessed once, so far, but the incident had apparently affected her more than she realised at the time. She was panicking, and that only amplified her breathlessness. Her vision blacked but her hearing remained. Feeling like she was going to be sick, the Dhani bent over and concentrated on counting her breaths, trying to stem the rising urge to run and dive into something, anything, cool and soothing. One, two, three. In and out again. The air was laced with the scent of burning, but finally she brought herself back under control and righted herself. It was an effort, but she kept feeling each breath in and out, thinking of anything but dying by suffocation.

The blonde woman was already kneeling to aid the two men that were slumped on the cool stone floor. Ssanya left her to it, as nervousness drew her back to the door to see if the way was clear. She glanced about, checking the stairs and the way up. Smoke billowed but the air was clearer, after all. Vaguely, she could hear shouts and clamours coming from other directions, and even what sounded like spurts of water somewhere in the building. She kicked away some of the still-burning debris, and then heard a shout for help, nearby.

In the room, the older man with the elaborate if badly smudged face paint was walking, but the other one looked incapacitated and the helpful blonde woman was calling for someone to help her. Ssanya acted on instinct, and approached to try and curl her arm around the man in a way that left her leaning over lopsidedly as they stumbled through the room. The stumbling, dazed man was not heavy, not really. But as they reached the broken remains of the door, Ssanya had to step forwards first to allow everyone to fit through the narrow frame. The Speaker (although she didn't know that that was who he was) stepped through after her, and his barbed glare shone brightly through bushy eyebrows. Her heart caught in her throat.

"I sssaw you looking at our ssstudy, sssnake. Did you ssset thisss fire? I know you're not sssso nice." She gaped, shock drawing the hoods above her eyes deeper. The man... he spoke in her own voice. She didn't and couldn't say anything, not even to argue against the ridiculous claim, but her nose slits flared anxiously as she turned to help pull the weaker man through the wreck of the door. There was no time for idle talk, even if it was to counter the accusations against her. Talk could come later, when they were out of this burning building.
"What isss name, lady?" The question was thrown at her in the brief moment of time they had as they laboured to manoeuvre the man, purely for the sake of ease of communication. Ssanya would volunteer her own name if asked too, using the shortened version that was easiest for the human tongue. "I am Sssanya." She gestured towards the stairs, but they needed to get both of them to the safety and fresh air of Alvadas. The stairs were then necessary to reach that, and so they had no choice to each grab one end of the now utterly unconscious man (Ssanya took his torso), her jaw clenched as she avoided looking at the strange individual with her own voice, not knowing how to place him, not knowing how to understand the crazy situation they were in.

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[Chameleon]

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49th Fall 517

Asterope pushed against the wall. But the stone was well made and wouldn't budge to an Ethaefal's touch. There was nothing there, not behind the wall. The footsteps that had come this way had disappeared in another direction, one which she couldn't follow. Somewhere above where the woman was pushing, a fashionable Symenestra was scaling the walls, oblivious of the woman below who had been distracted by her tracks.

There was no one to save in that direction. But it was precious ticks lost in their search and as Asterope hurried back, she did so just in time: in the spot she had been standing, pushing against the wall, a beam of flaming wood crashed to the ground. If she had waited just a breath more to get going, she'd have been crushed under the fiery, dead both with the heavy impact and the flames that would have engulfed her. Not that Asterope had a moment to consider it - clearly every tick was precious and they had to get moving.

Ambrosia, meanwhile, was right to not believe in the flames. While those outside would clearly cause damage - and a lot of it - within this room, everything was an illusion. In fact, the flames had almost felt cool to the touch. Then again, that could be a trick of the cooler temperatures of this room in general.

Kaleo, once assured by Ambrosia's non-threatening nature, gave up his Listener and rose himself. Seconds later, he moved quickly, sudden handkerchief in his hands. Before anyone had a chance to glimpse the face of his Listener, he pulled the cloth over his features, draping it from forehead to chin and tying it around the back. He cast a warning glance at Ambrosia and Ssanya to not touch the simple mask and stepped back, secure that his identity would remain as secret as it could.

There was something in the way the Mockingjay cared so desperately and deeply for this man that seemed to shine beyond any relationship between Speaker and Listener. Something that only the bravest - or most reckless - would consider messing with.

As the group emerged, carrying the unconscious man between the women and Kaleo sticking close behind them, they met the firefighter on the way down. Her hand was outstretched towards a wooden beam opposite them, that was holding up a piece of staircase, and a channel of water flooded out. Unlike before, where her movements were powerful and confident, her hands trembled and the flow of water much weaker. Not only that, but she seemed to sway on her feet, taking breaks every five ticks or so. In one of those breaks, she noticed the incoming Speaker.

Kaleo's bushy eyebrows sunk, narrowing his expression. Words were flooded to his tongue, ready to condemn the public display of such magic and call out someone who could have started this fire just as easily. But before anything could be said, the vigilante was back to her work, mask turning back towards the flames as she doused another section.

The burst of water was too short.

"The building can't hold much longer, I don't think," she stated simply, only yelling to be heard over the roar of flames, "Get out, quickly. I will get the others."

And she disappeared down the staircase, leaving with hurried footsteps. Kaleo was quick to listen to her words - at once, he began urging them up the stairs, taking the axe and crowbar if they'd give them up to help them with the task of carrying his Listener. They hurried up the staircase, Kaleo almost breaking into a run at points. The heat rose again, the smokiness of the air began to wrap around them like a comforting blanket. Everything went well - Ambrosia and Ssanya were able to reach the ground floor quickly, with a clear path to the outside.

But in the last possible moment, just before they broke into fresh air, they'd realise a flaw in their escape. In the quick movements of the Speaker following them, his increased heart rate and sudden breaths had caused him to choke on the smoke.

Perhaps he was lying there, steps away, just obscured by the thick grey smoke between them, but there was a chance he was still at the bottom of the stairs. If they chose to return for him, it was a chance they'd have to take.

Meanwhile, the firefighter had caught up with Asterope, who has definitely approaching the screams now. They were loud and echoed through the whole building - despite the fact that they were behind a door of glass. Behind the glass, a scene could be made out - a large beach, waves rolling gently against the sand. It seemed to stretch out forever and in the distance, two figures could be seen. One was an older man or woman, most likely a Speaker but it was impossible to tell who. The other, which the adult was chasing around playfully, was a screaming child. Screaming with enjoyment and laughter, not the cries of fear they had thought they had heard.

The shock of such a peaceful and happy scene between the fire through the vigilante, who moved behind Asterope to get a closer look. Careful, she placed her gloved hand against the glass. It wasn't cool, exactly, but there seemed to be little heat permeating through it.

Behind them, wood creaked and everything seemed to be on the verge of collapse.

In a split second, she had made a decision. Let the city and its illusions care for these two. They'd struggle to save themselves, let alone two other victims, one a child. "They're safe in there. I'm not sure exactly how it works, but Ionu has blessed this building and they haven't even noticed the flames. It's not worth the risk to us and to them to get them out. Get out, quick, and stay low. Don't move too fast and tire yourself out, but we can't spend too long in here. I'll try my best to keep the flames down but we'd have better luck waiting for this to burn down and stop it spreading to the rest of the city."

Without waiting for Asterope to react, she moved away, shakily sending more water around. Now her hoses resembled random sprays of mist. Despite her confidence, the firefighter seemed like she needed help too.

And she couldn't stop Asterope from doing whatever she thought was the right thing to do.

oocAislyn, you appear to have been missed out in the previous posting round? In the interests of keeping this moving, I'm making this post. Feel free to place yourself with either group - the girls moving Kaleo and his Listener out of the building or with Asterope and the firefighter and continue from there.

[Asterope]

Aster slowed as she approached the source of the noises, coming to a halt in front of a glass door; the scene before her was a shocking contrast to the world around her. A figure chased a child on a peaceful beach, the screams those of joy and delight, not fear and pain as she had first thought.

The masked woman had caught up to her, and seemed just as stunned; but she quickly came to a decision, speaking quickly and confidently. Her words caused Aster to furrow her brow; if Ionu had blessed the building, then how had it caught fire to begin with? Why had the other Speakers needed rescuing from their rooms?

The firefighter was already moving, the jets of water from her hands reduced to shaky sprays of mist. Around Aster, the fire raged, the wood of the building creaking and groaning dangerously. A small, primal part of her brain screamed at her, urging to follow the instructions she had been given and get out, to keep herself alive. But the high-pitched giggles of the child pierced the burning, smoky air, making her decision for her.

She couldn't leave people in the building and simply hope the illusions kept them safe; and especially not a child. Gritting her teeth, Aster turned back to the door, pressing her hand against it in an attempt to open it, but it didn't budge. Gripping the handle of the axe she carried with sweaty palms, she raised it high over her head and brought it down against the door.

She expected the glass to shatter, but nothing was ever so simple in Alvadas. The axe splintered into the glass door as if it was made of wood, the glass reverberating and cracks beginning to spiderweb outwards from where the blade had entered the door. Tugging hard at the handle, Aster found the axe stuck fast. Sweat trickled down her hairline onto her forehead, and not far to her right a burning pile of wood crashed to the ground, sending embers floating through the air and stinging her skin where they fell.

She didn't have time for this. Gripping the axe handle with both hands for leverage and to keep her balance, she raised her foot and slammed her heel into the door where the cracks had begun to spread. The glass shook, the cracks widening, and Aster did it again, grunting hard as she put all of her weight and strength into the movement.

The door finally shattered with an ear-splitting sound, glass raining down onto the floor, sand spilling out into the hallway. Aster stumbled forward, still gripping the axe, and barely managed to avoid falling onto her face. Ahead, the figures had stopped; the older one, likely a Speaker, was standing in front of the child.

Asterope wasted no time sprinting across the sand, gratefully gulping in large breaths of the fresh, salty air; it was a glorious reprieve from the smoke-filled hallway she had been in just a moment before. She skidded to a halt as she approached the figure and the child, sand spraying up from her boots.

"Who are you? Don't come any closer!" The figure barked, holding a hand out in warning, but Aster had no time to deal with formalities.

"No time," she panted out, glancing behind her; through the now shattered door, she could see the flames growing steadily stronger. "There's a fire. We have to get out." She spoke briskly, too breathless and anxious to explain in detail.

The figure seemed to hesitate, eyeing the red-haired woman. They were taking too long. Shoving past them, Aster looked down at the child. "We have to go, it's not safe. I'm going to make sure you get out okay, just trust me." She spoke slightly more at length then, not wanting to terrify the child anymore than they already were, before dropping her axe in the sand and leaning down to scoop them up.

It wasn't going to be easy to leave. The adrenaline in her was beginning to fade and she was tired and hot, lightheaded from smoke inhalation and breathless. In her smaller and weaker mortal form, with a heavy child in her arms, the odds seemed stacked against her. But she wasn't going to give up.

"Come on," she said, impatiently, beginning to jog across the sand, trying to keep her energy up. She glanced back to make sure the figure was following, but if they decided not to, she couldn't stop and try to convince them. Any longer in the building and she would almost certainly never make it out; besides, the child was her priority.

She hoped fiercely that the Speaker would realize the immediate danger and wouldn't try to stop her in any way, even if they decided not to follow. Assuming nothing tried to stop her, she made a beeline for the door.

Tucking the child's head down into her shoulder to try and keep them safe from the smoke, Aster took in one last breath before plunging back into the hallway. She hadn't noticed until then, but the beach had been quiet, the sound of roaring flames and shifting wood absent. It returned then at full force, a wave of heat and smoke blasting Aster in the face, making her cough.

Ducking her her head down, she lowered her torso and bent her knees as much as possible with a child in her arms and began to move back towards the stairs. Various bits of burning debris were beginning to crash down around her in earnest, and fear swelled in her chest and crawled up her throat until she felt like screaming, but Aster swallowed hard and pressed on. Syna, please; if you truly meant me to be here and find my purpose, let me and the child make it out of this alive.

As she started down the hallway, Aster also kept an eye out for the firefighter, hoping she had made it out safely; but her priority was getting to the stairs and starting up them so she had a fighting chance of making it out with her life.

Her legs were beginning to tremble already, her arms aching and back sore. Her throat was raw, making breathing even more difficult than it already was, and her eyes stung; but she steadfastly did her best to ignore the various pains, clenching her jaw hard. The pain meant she was still alive and still had a chance. She couldn't let it deter her or slow her down.

OOC :

Cham, I feel like maybe I took some liberties with Aster picking up the child/not being stopped by the Speaker but I'm honestly not sure; hopefully it's okay, but if you feel anything needs to be changed just let me know!

"Common" | "Nari" | "Pavi" | Thoughts
"Other People's Speech"

[Ambrosia Alar]

When Kaleo wrapped a kerchief around his Listener’s face, Ambrosia understood his purpose and its meaning. With this simple gesture, the Speaker was both protecting his Listener’s identity and threatening any who might try to discover that identity. As much as Ambrosia respected the Speaker for not only his power but also the necessary part he played in the smooth operation of the city, his actions only served to make her more curious, and her curiosity was a hard thing to deny. But deny it she did, because there were much more important things to do right now, things like surviving. Her curiosity would have to wait and, in the end, likely never be satisfied. When she asked for help, it came with far more strength than she was expecting. It was the snake woman who came to her aid, and the same powerful musculature that had beat the door to bits made light work of the unconscious man. Ambrosia couldn’t have been happier to have someone like this woman helping her, but as they [assed through the door of the room, Kaleo showed his distrust of the serpent woman with some harsh words. It half-occurred to Ambrosia to chide the man, but then she remembered she was about to address a Speaker. Perhaps there was more to this woman than met the eye. After all, the Speakers had their Listeners, and the Listeners had eyes and ears everywhere. Ambrosia’s curiosity was ready to burst, but once again, she pushed it aside. All she cared about was that the woman was offering her assistance. The snake woman, for her part, ignored the Speaker and, instead, focused on Ambrosia and their shared task at hand. “What isss name, lady?” Ambrosia found herself smiling again in the midst of all that was going on around them. To this woman, a Speaker was inconsequential, irrelevant, and that showed a kind of bravery to be respected. Whether or not the snake woman could see the admiration, gratitude, and smile in her watery eyes, Ambrosia didn’t know, but she answered her. “Ambrosia. What’s yours, love?” Indicating the stairs and taking the man beneath his arms, the snake woman offered her name. “I am Sssanya.” There was something beautiful in the sibilance of her response, something that seemed so natural on Sssanya’s tongue, something Ambrosia was convinced she could listen to for eternity. If they weren’t about to die, Ambrosia would have sat down to have a conversation with Sssanya, steering them into subjects with plenty of s’s. As it was though, time was of the essence, and the barmaid picked up the man by his ankles to start the laborious trek up the winding stairs. The mysterious, Djed-wielding stranger who had called them into action met them as they began. She swayed as she sent short sprays of water at the tongues of flames that licked at the wooden beams that held the staircase together. Pleased that she wasn’t the only one who was feeling weakened by the suffocating air in the Womiyu, Ambrosia also knew that she ought to be concerned. “Are you alright?” The firefighter ignored the question. “The building can’t hold much longer, I don’t think. Get out, quickly. I will get the others.” “Be careful,” Ambrosia called to the other woman’s back. “But hurry, love.” As much as they burned, Ambrosia’s eyes didn’t miss the look Kaleo gave the magic-user. There was blame and condemnation on the tip of his tongue, but he too held that for a more appropriate time. A small part of Ambrosia wanted to hate him for his distrust when all they were trying to do was help, but she couldn’t blame him. After all, Ambrosia herself was masked when she had entered his room, Sssanya was terrifying to behold, and the firefighter was wielding prohibited magic, magic which if directed appropriately could have been used to start this whole fiasco to begin with. Pushing her frustration out of her mind and into her muscles, she moved on. Breath and air were both in short supply, and that made Ambrosia all the more grateful for Sssanya’s assistance. The temporary safety of Kaleo’s room had given her some of her strength back, and she wasn’t quite as light-headed at the start of the journey upward, but as they ascended, Ambrosia could feel her limbs weaken step by step. Despite the amount of air increasing as they moved up, the thickening smoke quickly choked her. Even with the protection of her sash-turned-mask, her body was racked with coughs more and more until she was coughing with nearly every stair they conquered. Certain they had to be close to the entrance of the Womiyu, Ambrosia attempted to look for the end of the stairs, but smoke obscured anything beyond about a body length ahead of her. Sssanya herself was a little hazy, but Ambrosia couldn’t be sure if that was due to the quality of the air, her watering eyes, or her lightheadness. “Shit.” The curse was directed at the seeming endlessness of the stairs. Ambrosia was ready to give up and let the fire take her. And then, a moment later, she was practically tripping over herself as there were no more stairs beneath her feet. Her hope returned, bringing a freshness to her step. Remembering where the stairs lay in relation to the door, Ambrosia directed Sssanya to it, and soon, they emerged into the late evening air of Alvadas. Barely two steps into fresh air, Ambrosia stumbled, lost her grip on the man, and fell to the ground. Immediately, a small group of people rushed forward to take the man from Sssanya who miraculously still standing. Ambrosia called out after them. “Make sure he’s well looked after. He must have gone in before we did. We found him trying to open a door where there were people trapped.” That was all she got out before the coughing took over her body. Desperate for cleaner air, her body was trying to clear her lungs of the toxic air it had already breathed. With each hacking cough, the edges of her vision blackened and closed in some until finally her coughing began to subside. “See, Kaleo? His secret’s safe.” She turned back to him, only to find he wasn’t there. It took her a moment to realize he had never come out with them. “Shit.” Ambrosia made to stand, but the effort made the darkness at the edges of her vision leap inward. Her strength failed her, and she collapsed to the ground. Twice more, she tried and failed before she finally made it up the fourth time. Groggy and disoriented, she tried to aim for the gate of the Womiyu once more, but one of the helpful crowd tried to steer her away. “You can’t go back in there. It’s too dangerous.” A fire built from somewhere deep in Ambrosia. She didn’t like being told no, being told she couldn’t do something. Spinning on the man, she lashed her fist straight out from her body. The sharp, swift blow wasn’t strong, but it caught the man’s lip between his teeth and her knuckles and managed to draw enough blood to distract him. Ambrosia spun back to the entrance, invigorated by her brief yet victorious fight, motioning for Sssanya to follow her. “Quick, Sssanya. Kaleo’s still in there. We need to find him.” She hoped the snake woman wasn’t offended by Ambrosia trying to mimic the same sibilance Sssanya had used in her introduction, but Ambrosia was convinced it was the only way the woman’s name should be said, convinced it had a beauty that would lacking otherwise. The grand entrance hall of the Womiyu looked worse than when they’d first ducked in. There was more fire now and more smoke. Nothing seemed distinguishable from anything else as it was all covered with either ash or flames. Placing one foot in front of the other, Ambrosia guided her body through the motion on step at a time, directing her conscious effort into each stride and taking a moment between each to regain her balance. All Ambrosia had going for her was her stubbornness. Stupidity, her mother had called it. Alessa Alar had seen it in both of her youngest daughters. As a fierce, independent woman, Alessa admired that quality; as a mother, it terrified her. All Ambrosia had going for her was her stupidity. And Sssanya, if the other woman had followed her. If there was one thing Ambrosia felt certain of, it was that even half-dead Sssanya could still carry a half-dozen unconscious bodies. Hopefully, the other woman hadn’t been eager to leave rude Kaleo to his fate. Finding the stairs proved simple enough. Ambrosia had just used what she remembered of the room and walked to the spot where they started. Stupidity seemed to be serving Ambrosia well today. Beginning the descent again, Ambrosia only made it a dozen steps or so before she tripped sideways and caught herself on whatever was there. She could swear it was Sssanya. Perhaps she was just delirious and what had supported her was just the wall. Ambrosia thanked whatever it was, whoever it was, and started down the stairs again. “Thanks, Sssanya love. We need to find Kaleo and get out of here before I pass out too.” The true stupidity of her actions was finally dawning on her. Their time was being measured in ticks now, not chimes.

[Allassanachassanya]

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"Speech"
"Others"

She was standing... but only just about able to. Their trek up the stairs, a fairly normal trip in any other occasion, had grated against her lungs as if she was breathing in shards of glass. She coughed and tried to drink in deep lungfuls of air only to find that the air was in fact a blanket of choking, punishing smoke. Ssanya's lips felt ashy. The man they carried was passed from their hands and she staggered as the sudden weight was relieved from her grasp. She might look strong, but she didn't feel it at that current moment in time. Weakness made her knees wobble and she was coughing as much as the woman who'd sank to the ground. There were plenty of faces all around, some flashing orange in the flickering light, some with expressions of concern, or worry, or just plain concentration. She didn't particularly care for those faces, those pale, glimmering faces, because all she could focus on was trying to clear the tickling taste of ashen, burnt wood from her mouth and throat. It felt as if some fiery creature had crawled down her windpipe to die.

It was a while before either of them were able to stop the horrible, hacking coughs, but when they had Ambrosia soon noticed the problem that had evaded Ssanya's attention. She clambered from the squatting position she'd sunk into although she felt unable to aid the woman beside her who struggled quite admirably to her feet in her own fashion. They had not yet spoken or discussed it, but with a dogged look on her face, she resigned herself to re-enter the building even as she wished she could just lie on the ground and wait until the building had disappeared and the crowd had dispersed. She couldn't really explain the feeling of wanting to leave, but feeling compelled to stay and help. Why did she feel this way? Was it the courage and determination of people like Ambrosia, and the lady who wielded water? Or was it something else, maybe even her own desire to help? Everyone supposedly wanted to be a hero, but she had never wished to be like a hero herself. And maybe it was simply that she wanted to be accepted as an Alvad, as someone who wasn't a snake monster but simply as another person amongst the crowd.

Whatever the reason, she had no time to ponder the emotional response to the disaster at hand. She was standing now, towering above most others as her eyes fixed on the flaming building that teetered on the brim of total destruction and faced the prospect of further smoke inhalation and damage to herself. Ambrosia, full of her own personal fire, was ready to launch back into the building to save the man named Kaleo. But they were stopped in their tracks, and Ambrosia... Well. Ssanya's eyes widened as she took in the swing and the captured look of utter surprise as blood splattered from the man's jaw. It was almost amusing, if not for the sheer determination that imbued the honey-haired lady. They were on a mission, but it was clear who the leader of their adventurer was. Ssanya followed in her footsteps and tried to smother the sinking feeling of dread once again.

However once they were inside again she couldn't stop the dread from dropping straight down to her stomach. Her heart was beating like a trapped bird in her chest, and it physically hurt to breathe in. Flames flickered like hallucinations but their heat was real and Ssanya couldn't help but flinch as they licked across the boards and walls that made up the entrance. Ambrosia, little dynamo, was powering ahead with a slow but determined stride. Ssanya couldn't help but wish that she had less of that spark of courage so that she might return to the safety of the outside world, but then she immediately felt bad as the woman tripped on the stairs. Ssanya saw it happening, and only just managed to lurch forwards enough to catch the woman's elbow before she tumbled completely. It didn't stop her own fall though, and her foot slipped off the edge of the stairs and she had to plant her hand flat against the wall to stop herself from pitching both of them down. Her fingers scraped against the rich, crumbling paintwork, but it was the fierce burning sensation that made her wince and let go in a hurry.

She didn't waste breath on answering the other woman, but instead croaked out into the building. "Kaleo!" She hoped he might answer, but she heard nothing in response. Perhaps it was simply because of the roaring sounds that engulfed them as somewhere in the building collapsed. She looked around, searching desperately for anything that would give a clue as to where he'd got to. After all, he couldn't have gone far! Could he? She scanned the floor, hoping to see an arm, a leg, a torso even. It didn't matter if he had collapsed, just that they could rescue him and thus themselves. There was something, just a little further down, that struck her as odd. She was breathing in shallow, short gasps, but just about managed to gasp out to Ambrosia, "Look, there!" She pointed, her finger wobbling, at a dusty lump a little way further down the stairs. She was almost sure that it hadn't been there on the way up.

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[Chameleon]

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49th Fall 517

The child stared, frozen, at Asterope. His large eyes began to water behind thick lashes, the strength of a ten year old not enough to stop him from holding back tears at the smell of smoke. But he was easy to lift, like a sack of flour that hung from her arms and weighed her down. The biggest issue wouldn't come with carrying him, but with dealing with the Speaker that followed behind. Aysu the Sea, in one of her plainer forms. The common tentacles she often wore were replaced with a plain human form, only her skin seemed to be a thin glass case surrounding an underwater scene inside her. Fish swirled across her cheek, like a human fish bowl.

"Where are you taking him?" her deep mellow voice called out as she made chase, attempting to stick close to the two. "It's too dangerous, stop!" But her orders were lost in the roar of the flames and she had to push into the smoke quickly, ducking to avoid inhaling too much. But she was lost in the smoke and unable to tell where to go. Hand grasping backwards, she found herself retreating back into the room she had been in.

Asterope was allowed to run off with the child without being stopped.

The building collapsed around her. The child, although silent, was visibly terrified, and the thick river of his tears soaked through her clothing. Pressed against her, he avoided most of the smoke, only a few coughs coming from him. But despite that, it was too much for Asterope. She couldn't breath. The smoke scratched and tore at her throat. A feeling of dizziness passed over her. Slowly, her legs gave way, her arms loosened. The Ethaefal didn't have the strength to continue, not with the smoke she had inhaled, not carrying a child.

Sometime, in her blacked out state, hands took her.

Returning into the flaming building was a stupid move on the other two ladies' behalf. The flames scorched near them, but at least Ssanya was quick to spot Kaleo's collapsed body. He heaved up and down, coughing and sputtering, but couldn't summon up the strength to move from that spot.

It was lucky for them that he had collapsed so close to the entrance. It wouldn't require much effort to wrestle him up off the ground and drag him out the building. With their weakened states, it was about all they could manage before collapsing themselves, just outside the building. But not without their injuries - their hands and skin were red and blistering.

In the last possible moment, as Ambrosia emerged from the building, a large banner that hung over them broke free, the threads connected to the wall charred and burnt beyond existence. The flaming cloth landed against her skin, searing deeply at flesh. Despite the speed at which they ripped her from it, her arms and upper back were scorched.

Although Ssanya was untouched by the fallen banner, the sudden cloud of smoke that had come with it swirled into her lungs overcoming her with a deep fit of coughing. Kaleo broke forward, the fresh air outside giving him strength.

The entire building groaned and creaked as it threaten to collapse fully. The gates tilted inwards, burnt off their hinges. A beam from above threw sparks that drove the onlookers backwards, dragging those who had left from inside with them.

Dark smoke still billowing, everyone watched with bated breath. The majority of those struggling with buckets had given up, seeing the lack of effect their efforts had. They just knew there were people still in there - people who had to emerge in ticks or else they would never emerge at all.

In the last chime possible, a shadowy figured emerged, piled with bodies. The firefighter stumbled out, dragging a small child with her in one hand, a body over the other shoulder that she was managed despite the lack of visible strength. It was thanks to Asterope protecting the child for long enough that she managed to emerge with him in the first place - he was coughing, crying, but still hadn't inhaled enough smoke to be too weak to follow. Asterope's limp body was thrown to the crowd, finding its way to the cart. The others were ushered there too. A stranger took the reigns, just as the heavens opened up. Too late, perhaps, but to make up for the tardiness, it rained enough for bells within those chimes.

It was impossible to see anything but the rain.

~~~

They had been taken to Ionu's Mercy. In their separate medical cots, they were the centre of attention. Medical students flocked to their every needs, supervised by the watchful eye of Irene Caene. Wet compresses were applied to burns, salves and ointments slathered on. Some sweet smelling thing was burning to keep the air clean for those who had inhaled too much smoke.

By now, the business had died down and now they were all awake, visitors were slowly allowed to trickle in. Friends or family of those inside, of course, if those inside allowed it. But, more importantly, the ones they had rescued - the Speakers of this city. Aysu the Sea and Kaleo the Mockingbird moved in, their main focus on the firefighter. She still wore her mask and was clearly eager to leave. In fact, just as they arrived, she was ready too, slipping out of the bed.

A hushed conversation began, sharpness in the words that were said. Aysu made a move to remove the mask, but the firefighter dodged back, slapping her hand away. More harsh words, before the masked woman sprinted out. Aysu appeared to want to chase after, but was held back by the other speaker.

Instead, their focus on the other women laying there. "We have to thank you, for everything you risked. You have done the city a great favour, one which will not be taken lightly. Without you, our lives would not be certain of. I am certain Ionu thanks you all, as we all do." Perhaps Kaleo's speech was short, but his gratitude was obvious in his voice.

Aysu then approached Asterope singly. "You endangered that boy. He was safer with me." There was a harshness in her voice that wasn't reflected in the smile in her face. Suddenly, her voice softened. "But you didn't know that, and you had the greatest intentions. I heard what happened. You risked yourself when you could have just turned and left him. He is well, do not worry. But he urged me to thank you."

Carefully, she placed a small bottle beside the girl. Inside was a similar scene as Aysu's skin, only miniaturised. Within the ocean blue water, tiny fish were swimming. "Drink it next time you need to help someone. It will give you the strength you need to finish it fully. But I ask something before you take it. You don't speak to anyone of him. As far as you are aware, he does not exist. I'm sure you won't, will you?"

For the saviours of Kaleo, there were gifts of gratitude too. "I want to thank you personally for saving me and my Listener. He is recovering elsewhere, but he wishes to let you know of his thanks. I hope you will accept these simple gifts."

For Ambrosia, he left a candle beside her bed. There were images scratched into the wax. "I've heard about your quest to find your sister. Perhaps some life will help you keep your burning. It will ward off a little danger. Hopefully, that will be enough."

And Ssanya's gift was slipped into her hand, where it was harder for others to spot. "And I have heard about your hobby too. Keep it quiet, and perhaps you make some use of this. This Listener perished in the fire, fighting for his city until the end. His loyalty and bravery extended mortal men. Perhaps with your own loyalty to the city, this will be very useful indeed." It was harder to hide, but the rib was fresh, still a little stained with blood. Kaleo was the least certain about this gift. But now that it was given...

"Thank you once more. We should leave you recover. You've done enough for this city already." The Speakers disappeared in a whirlwind of medical staff and visitors, leaving the firefighters in peace.

Injuries :

Asterope has first and second degree burns across her left back and side, which heal relatively quickly but leave scarring. Additionally, she permanently has a hoarser voice, which can be trained out with lots of effort. When exerting herself in high physical activities, she will find herself breathless very quickly

Ambrosia has coughing and hoarseness in the weeks after the fire, with it subsiding to only appear during high physical activity. Within three seasons, it clears up fully. Additionally, her upper back and shoulders suffer second and third degree burns. These leave permanent scarring.

Allassanachassanya has coughing fits and a hoarse voice for three seasons. This still clears up, but is stronger than Ambrosia's. One hand suffers from severe burns, with feeling and motion limited while it heals.

Aislyn, having been removed from the fire sooner than the others, suffers very little.

otherThis will be your last post, if you want to post. If not, just say. Then I will grade the thread and give you proper descriptions of your rewards. I hope you all found it fun! Let me know if you have any issues at all with any of this.

[Ambrosia Alar]

Half supporting Kaleo and half being supported by Sssanya’s seemingly immeasurable strength, Ambrosia dragged the half-conscious Speaker toward the gates of the Womiyu as if crawling desperately to escape the belly of some beast and the burning doors were its deadly maw. Step by agonizing step, breath by labored breath, moment by moment, they drew closer to the freedom of the streets of Alvadas. The heat now was unbearable. The air was so dry her eyes had forgotten how to cry. Her skin was dry and cracking under the desiccating flames, and where it was not, little blisters formed across her reddened skin. She was aware of all of this but in a distanced way. Panic overrode any need to care or acknowledge it fully, and pain was just another motivation to urge her to their escape. And in another few moments, she was at the door and bursting through into the safety of the outdoors. The flames were behind her, and she breathed free, trying to stop her lungs from coughing so harshly that she nearly passed out. Her heart rose. The flames were behind her. And then, they were not. Like a predator catching its prey just as the prey was certain it had escaped, a heavy weight dropped on her, and leaping flames leapt up in the corner of her vision. Heat more powerful than any she had already experienced in the Womiyu wrapped itself around her, searing her flesh in the moment of contact as the weight dragged her to the ground. Ambrosia tried to pull free, but the more she struggled, the tighter the flaming banner seemed to wrap itself around her, like some constrictor sensing its meals dying breaths. But the people fighting the fire from the outside had already been rushing forward to assist anyone coming through the gates, and hands unconcerned for their own safety ripped the burning fabric from her back. All she remembered after that was agony, truer than she had ever felt it before. She closed her eyes as if doing so would make the pain go away, the same way she used to hide under her blankets as a child when a noise in the night scared her. If she couldn’t see it, it didn’t exist. But the pain did exist. She was aware of that and little more. Hands, strong hands meant for heavy labor, dragged her away from the continued danger of the sagging building. Some firefighter, having given up on the idea of being able to put out the flames with meager buckets of water, dumped the remnants of their water on her back. It wasn’t much, but for a small instant, there was some relief. As the Womiyu sagged and fell in on itself with a roar that told the city the Speakers weren’t untouchable, the heavy hands lifted her up and deposited her in a cart facedown so as not to disturb the wounds on her back. And in some twist of providence, as if Lhex felt He’d laid too much ill fate on them in one day, the skies opened up, and in a moment, Ambrosia was soaked completely by the sheets of rain that swept down. The pressure of the drops of rain were unwelcome, but the cold they brought was something Ambrosia wouldn’t deny. Sometime during their brief cart ride to find Ionu’s Mercy, Ambrosia lost consciousness. Sharp and sudden, the pressure of a compress being applied to the burns on her shoulders woke her up. Whatever was in the compress acted rapidly, and soon the skin on her back was soothed and going numb. Somebody held a foul smelling liquid up to her lips for her to drink. Ambrosia knew it was meant to do her some good, so she choked it down. After a few chimes, a euphoria like none she had ever experienced even in all her days at the Unnamye crept into her body, oozing into every little part of her. She smiled and let the professionals continued their ministering. After nearly a full bell of medicines being applied and students questioning their tutors as to the specific properties of the drugs being used, Ambrosia became aware that she was not wearing anything above her waist. Her dress had been removed to gain access to her charred skin. Thankfully, she was face down to keep the wounds exposed and clean. When the Speakers entered the room, Ambrosia wished she could melt. This was not how she had imagined meeting any of them one-on-one. At Kaleo’s brief speech of thanks and his revelation that his Listener was alive and well, Ambrosia felt herself breathe a sigh of relief. And then Kaleo was at her bedside, and Ambrosia had never felt smaller or more insignificant. This was a Speaker, the power second only to Ionu himself. Even with his face paint smudged, the man carried himself with a sense of grace and power and importance. Ambrosia, half-naked and plastered with a variety of bandages and compresses, was sure she looked anything but impressive. But Kaleo’s next words were directly to her, as he placed a candle at her bedside. For a moment, she thought it was a cruel joke, giving her a source of flame after having nearly been burnt to death, but his words showed his immense gratitude. “I've heard about your quest to find your sister. Perhaps some life will help you keep your burning. It will ward off a little danger. Hopefully, that will be enough.” Ambrosia’s hand reached out, caressing the images that were delicately and artfully crafted into the wax. One of them was Tessa or someone so like her it was impossible to tell the difference. She smiled a smile that she gave to very few people. “It’s enough, but I hope I could ask you for a favor. I don’t want to be rude. Any gift is more than enough, but that voice you used when we first spoke tonight, someday down the road, I may ask to hear it again. I hope you’ll say yes.” When the Speakers left, Ambrosia finally looked to the others in the room with her. Sssanya was there along with the one of the other women who had entered the building with them. She had gone on ahead of them when they had stopped for Kaleo, but the gift from Aysu said she had been successful in a rescue attempt of her own. Ambrosia was about to thank Sssanya for following her back in the second time as she knew she would have been dead without the other woman’s strength when Bethany ran up to her bedside. Ambrosia’s big sister made to hug her, saw the bandages, stopped, reached out to touch her, and stopped again, unsure of where she could touch Ambrosia without causing pain. Finally, she settled on kissing the top of Ambrosia’s head and whispered into her hair. “What the petch were you thinking? Never do anything that stupid again. I’m already missing one sister. I can’t lose the other one.” “I’m sorry.” “That’s not good enough. Promise me.” Ambrosia smiled as Bethany sat up and brushed hair out of Ambrosia’s face. “You know me. That ain’t a promise I can keep.” Bethany wasn’t amused but knew her sister well enough to not argue that point. “Try to be careful.” “I will.” She pointed to the candle. “Kaleo made that for me.” Bethany’s gentle hands lifted the candle and inspected the tiny carvings more closely. “That looks like Tessa.” Ambrosia nodded, feeling the real effects of the medicine kick in and begin to drag her into slumber. “He said it might help us while we search for her. He even spoke to me in her voice.” Placing a hand on Ambrosia’s head reassuringly, Bethany smiled. “I wish I could have heard it.”