RUNE FABLE: Escalation

Aftermath and Allegiances

Blaise sits up as the sun casts it's warm glow over his ruined campsite. He surveys the temporary home he once shared with Celestia and slowly shakes his head. The earth beneath where she rose in the air still smolders; he stands and begins digging through the ruins of his life.

"Thank the gods," he murmurs as he fishes his family rune tome out of the rubble. It's covered in dirt, but otherwise intact.

Something lands just outside the destruction zone with a crash. "Lesty? Lesty is that you?" Blaise calls out as he hurries toward the sound.

"No, it's me, Titanika. Don't come any closer. Stay back, please."

"Titanika?" he asks as he strains to see her in the dense woodland. "Did you find Lesty? Is she OK?"

The is a long pause before the brunette replies. "No, we need to talk about that. Can you find any of Celestia's uniforms? Are there any left that aren't damaged?"

Blaise glances around. "Uh, maybe. Let me check. Did something happen to her clothes? What do you mean we need to talk about Lesty? Where is she?"

"Toss me a fresh uniform first please, then we can talk."

Blaise wrinkles his nose at her request as he continues to search. He finally manages to dig one out of the rubble. "OK, here you go," he says as he tosses the garment in her general direction. "What's going on? Why do you need one of Lesty's uniforms?"

Titanika appears a moment later dressed in her adversary's clothing. She tosses the shredded remains of her own clothing into the smoldering pit. "Because I wasn't decent, that's why."

Blaise looks her up and down with a shocked expression. The beautiful brunette was covered in scrapes and bruises from head to toe. "What happened to you? Tell me where Lesty is, blast it!" Blaise's upper body bursts into flame as he feels his patience wearing thin.

There is a saddened look in her eye as she meets his gaze. "I found her, but she wasn't herself. She attacked me, and we fought. We fought for hours, actually." Titanika looks down at the earth and her eyes threaten to spill over. "I wasn't able to snap her out of whatever dark place she's in right now. We battled each other to a stalemate, and then the Dark Lady intervened... and I was defeated."

"That hellish ring! That's what's done this to her!" Blaise spits on the ground and curses loudly.

Titanika looks up, emotion washing over her face. "I don't know if it was just the ring or it was something else. I just know I wasn't able to save her. I think she might have gone off with Marlifika."

Blaise extinguishes his flames and puts a hand on her shoulder. "I know you did your best, Titanika. I don't blame you for failing. In the end it was two on one."

She manages a little smile and gently hugs him. His elevated body heat feels good against her aching body. Blaise hesitates, then hugs her back. She feels very familiar in his arms. "Come on," he says as he steps back a little. "Let's get you back to town and see how the rest of your family is doing. Maybe your father can shed some light on what's happened to my girlfriend."

...

Celestia relaxes in a nutrient-rich mud bath deep underground. She looks at the ring of power sitting beside her. She can't help but smile a little when she remembers how it makes her feel. The horrible weight she had been dealing with lately was completely lifted when she was under it's spell. She reaches a muddy hand over to pluck it from the dirt and examine it more closely. It had certainly granted her her old powers again as Titanika had found out. 'Titanika', the mere thought of the other woman was enough to bring a snarl to her lips.