"Ignitious"

Seven scarred figures in hoods continued to poke instruments on the large machine; it had encrypted several symbols and it seemed to be built in pure gold. An anxious man kept walking back and forth as he waited for something to happen, or someone to come. Amplifying the vision, it was able to see the large room where they were at; a huge hangar-like building with several metal cages and people in different deplorable conditions, some even died and were left there for days, their skins already being sucked in and the bones were prominent.

When the vision was amplified even more, and sounds accompanied, screams, cries and moans of pain made their way. A tall old man walked in, he was dressed with gold armor and seemed to be ready for battle. He walked to the one leading the hooded figures and this one bowed at him. "Is this the machine? How does it work?"

The leader of the researchers nodded and pointed at the large circular hole in the middle of the big rectangular machine. "There is where you sit or stand, and then activate it. We have figured it needs time to gather the energy to be used, and we were able to charge it enough for at least four more tests, or trips. It can be used to create a portal as well as to use it to encase large power inside. What we have managed to recreate is just amazing. Where is the General? He wanted us to let him know what we found out as soon as we did."

The armored man was grinning as he walked around studying the machine. "Yes, he sent me to supervise it before he came... and you make it work like that? Just standing in it?"

The head researcher frowned but nodded, he seemed to find his answer odd. But he had to reply as it was his duty to the second in command of his direct leader. "It becomes one with the person and it reacts to his thoughts. We are about to test it if you want to see..."

"That won't be necessary... I know all I need to know now... thank you..." The armored man grinned and set the leader on fire, he screamed and the hooded researchers started to run and scream. It was futile, his hand ignited each of them before they could reach the door. In a matter of seconds, all it was left was dust from them. He walked to the machine and stepped in the middle of the circle; the carved symbols began to glow and he felt something connect him with it.

A large white winged man broke in and the armored man sent fire his way, but he was able to stop it with his shield and began to walk closer. "What are you doing here Ignitious, what have you done?"

"That is none of your business, but now that you are here, you can help me test this..." he grinned as he closed his eyes and the symbols started to shine. The white winged man rushed to him but something hit him and he couldn't move. Thin lines of shining power connected to him and they came from the now screaming caged victims inside the building. Ignitious opened his eyes and started to laugh. "This works wonders... and now is all mine... Finally I will be able to bring you all down and take over this world for our people... not even you can stop me Gaius... not even you."

The white lines that shot from the carved symbols on the people's flesh seemed to be fueled with their pain, and as they shouted and screamed, they grew brighter. Gaius was unable to move and panic filled his eyes. The last thing he saw was Ignitious grin and then he lost consciousness.

The dying people on the cages seemed drained, Ignitious laughed as he activated the machine once again. "Time to create some epic war..." Then he and the machine disappeared, taking the unanimated body of Gaius with them.

The vision didn't end there, most of the people in the cages had died, yet some still had a few breaths left, the one from whom the vision was being seen was one of them. They were left in pain and desolation, watching as nothing and no one came to rescue them. On his last moments, dark knights came to the building and between whispers and orders, sealed everything. They started to slid the decrepit bodies in cages and seal them. "What about this one?" One of the dark knights said looking at the person who was sharing the vision.

"Seal her as well like the rest, she would not last longer anyway." And like that, a darkness took over when her box was sealed.

---***---

Caliope cried as she opened her eyes and Amra held her tight. Elaine had tears in her eyes as well as she released her hand and started to cover her face. There was silence and commotion into those who witnessed what Caliope had shared; The Meng twins were looking at each other serious and shaken, they held each other in a tight embrace. Maxwell was standing still, his expression hard as he was still processing what he saw. Falshore seemed numb.

Pronab held Vanessa who was sobbing and shaking, he himself was tense and affected. Angelus had sadness and rage mixed in him, he gave his back to the dark Angels and kicked a rock as his fists tightened; he saw Gabrielle sobbing and walked to her and squeezed her to him. Remesch held his head in his hands as he shook it, while Wiltshire came to Elaine and she let him hold her.

Alexander exchanged looks with his men, every one of them shocked and without words. It was evident that what they had seen was not fake, it was too real. He finally looked back at Caliope and bowed his head. "I... apologize, in the name of my people." She looked at him and tried to talk but was unable, she was too weak.

Amra was focusing his rage into something useful, to protect and heal Caliope; he rested his head on hers and began to transfer some of his essence. She could feel the warmth from him fill her body, yet nothing he could do would erase what she saw, and as a result, what she was feeling. She squeezed his hand reassuringly, in her way, thanking him for his intentions.

She finally felt enough energy to continue, so she looked again at Alexander. "My guess is, that he had exhausted almost all the energy on the machine... he has one last use, and he will show up here. Before I touched the... corpse... I saw maps on the wall that were of this country, this city... maybe he was counting on the epic battle to take place here..."

"That light... Amra..." Elaine gasped and rubbed her tears away as she continued. "Maybe that is him about to get here, where was that?"

"Just behind us... right over there." Amra pointed with a hand towards an area not far from them.

"What... are you going to do?" Vanessa whispered as she leaned on Pronab's shoulders. They looked at her first, then at each other. Alexander turned his head to his men and exchanged some words then looked back at them.

"Amrafel... Caliope..." He said as he gave a step forward and extended his hand. "We will take our people and leave your land, Ignitious hasn't been a part of us in a long time, and now he will be officially casted away from our memories and records. You might do with him as you please." He held his hand in front of them as Amra looked at him. His words in front of his people and the promise that it carried were of the biggest significance to them all. He was about to take his hand when Caliope beated him to it. She took Alexander's hand and shook it once.

"Princess Morrighan... you are, without a doubt, the one who carries the change that it was needed in our world. My respects..." He bowed to her and his four generals did as well. He then turned around and walked away with his people. It was a slow procession of winged creatures and monsters, they left proud, without remorse, but knew this was not a war brought by them for the reasons they followed.

As predicted by Caliope, there was a big spark and from the air the large machine made its appearance with Ignitious. He was holding his sword in a hand, ready for battle, but he was caught in surprise when he saw his own people walking away, and him surrounded by the light Angels. What went wrong? What happened? Was he too late? A thousand questions crossed his mind but quickly fading to give room to the panic in his eyes.

The machine seemed to lost glow, and with that it and him both landed on the ground. Ignitious was about to make a move but Caliope raised her hand and with rage she made thorned ivies grow up from the ground and trap him, the thorns sinking on his flesh and bringing out a scream.

Amrafel walked with her to him and everyone else began to fly away. Everyone left, only the closest ones, Elaine and Wiltshire, Vanessa and Pronab, Maxwell and Falshore, Gabrielle and Angelus, the Meng Twins and Remesch, surrounded Ignitious who was left alone by his own people. From afar, Alexander turned around to look at him, then turned back to make it clear they were leaving him on purpose.

Caliope's ivies embraced Ignitious and slowly began to take his soul; it seemed to escape through his mouth as a fading ghost. They watched in silence, no one said a word and no one parted their eyes from him. 'I can banish him and end this quickly, my love...'

She squeezed his hand and shook her head. 'He doesn't deserve a quick final dead.'

They watch him squirm and saw his soul evaporate slowly, panic and fear took over him as he witnessed his own end without being able to move. He knew there was no escape, this was his doom, and they all knew everything was due to him.

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