Ashborn Primordial

Chapter 245: Blessed Prophet (Two) (Maiya)

Which Ash'va stomped on my head? Maiya thought as she groggily opened her eyes. And whats with the smell? Is something cooking?

She looked around, unable to make any sense of her surroundings. People surrounded her. Lots of them. All jeering.

What did I ever do to you?

Her wrists and ankles ached.

I dont remember getting hurt Wait, injuries?

Her vision cleared, and she realized the smell wasn't that of cooking at all. It was the smell of burning wood. And the heat signaled that said wood was close. Very close.

What in the realms is going on?

Her wrists and ankles had been bound to a branch, and shed been propped up vertically.

She saw the smoke first. Then the flames eruptedwhich meant the logs had been doused in oil.

Nothing made sense. Who would do this to her? Why? And how long had she been out?

Maiya felt like shed awoken from a thousand-year-long dream. She was groggy and spent, and merely keeping her eyes open took all of her effort. If it werent for the rising sense of panic at the back of her head, she wouldve dozed off again.

Youre insane! All of you! someone roared, and that was when Maiya realized she wasnt alone. Two other men stood within the ring of fire. The smaller one was in front of her as if shielding her from the crowd. The other was working furiously to undo her bindings.

Yamal? The Silent One? What are they

Maiyas mind finally began to work. This is a pyre. Theyre burning me? Us? Grakking ash!

Somebody mind telling me whats going on here? she said.

The Silent Ones only reaction was to redouble his efforts. With one final motion, he finished undoing the knots that held Maiyas hands to the post and began working on her ankle bindings. Yamal froze, then turned slowly, as if disbelieving that Maiya had spoken.

What?

Yamals mouth flapped like a fish. Y-y-youre backow!

He recoiled as flames licked his boots, threatening to set his clothes alight. He backed away hastily.

Answers later, he said, thrusting an orb into Maiyas hands. Here! Youre a mejai, right? Get us out of this!

Maiya smirked, despite the gravity of their predicament. Arent you the rescuers? Youre not usually supposed to ask the victim to bail you out, yknow?

Come on! Yamal shrieked, panic staining his words.

Alright, fine. You can back off now, Maiya said, addressing the Silent One.

In seconds, shed charged and fired the C Grade Wind Blast spell Yamal had handed her, slicing through her ankle restraints.

It was at times like these that Maiya truly appreciated the value of magic. Who knew how much longer itd have taken to undo or cut her ankle bindings without it?

Alright, lets bail, she said, moving away from the post, when she abruptly halted.

The crowds jeers and jibes had vanished, replaced by awed silence.

With her mind working better now, Maiya understood that her imprisonment had been the result of her harebrained idea to touch that bizarre tree.

Itd clearly been a sacred item to the Children, and shed violated that sanctity. It didnt take a genius to figure out what mustve happened. Shed been incapacitated, and Yamal and the Silent One were captured alongside her.

Never thought theyd sentence us to death for it, though

Yamal. My orbs. Did you bring them all?

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Yama nodded. Yes, theyre in my rucksack, but is now the time to

Leave your bag and go.

Yamals eyes bulged. Have you gone mad? We didnt risk our lives to

Go! Maiya shouted, then continued in a softer voice. Its okay. Its all going to be okay, Yamal. Illbeokay.

Maiya felt like she'd said those words before, but where, and to whom, she couldn't quite recall.

Yamal pursed his lips, nodded, then turned and jumped off the pyre. Maiya was surprised to see such decisiveness in the manjumping through flames was no simple feat. Something had changed within the man. There was now a fire in his eyes that was missing before.

The Silent One regarded Maiya with obvious worry. She nodded back. I got this. Trust me.

He nodded, then followed Yamal.

The onlookers made no move to stop them. In fact, they backed away, either out of fear or something else.

Maiya dropped to her knees and rummaged frantically through the dozen orbs shed brought along.

Come on Come on Where is it?

Though shed put up a calm demeanor in front of her friends, itd all been an act. The window for jumping out like they had was rapidly closing, and without the right orbs, shed burn just as easily as anyone else.

That was true for most mejai. While physical defense orbs required only three to protect someone from all forms of physical damageSlashing Protection, Blunt Force Protection, and Piercing Protectionelemental defense orbs corresponded to each pranic element.

Which meant that, ignoring Ash, there were six, and very few mejai could afford to keep a full complement on hand.

Maiya just happened to be one of them.

Found you!

Maiya grabbed the ruby red orb, charged it, and slotted it into her robe.

Some might call her actions reckless. Even deranged, perhaps. Yamal would say that she ought to be satisfied with escaping with her life and limbs intact.

But if there was one thing Maiya had learned from Vir, it was to be relentless in the pursuit of power.

Wasnt this the perfect opportunity to turn the tables? She had the eyes of everyone in the plaza. The fire had hidden her movements as shed rummaged through her bag. Nobody wouldve seen her.

If she could come across as larger-than-life, then maybe, maybe, theyd be more willing to pardon her. And maybe Maiya wouldnt have to go running back to Princess Ira with her tail between her legs.

The more Maiya thought about it, the dumber of an idea it seemed. Surely the Princess would understand? Yet in her mind, Maiya was committed to this course of action, and there was just one way forward.

The orbs power flared, and Maiya immediately felt the heat dissipate, allowing her to calm down.

Thankfully, the nature of magically enchanted clothing and armor was that the defensive effects applied to her whole body, from tip to toe, despite her hands and head not actually being within the robe. There were limits, of courseone couldnt enchant underwear and expect it to cover the whole bodybut her robe was no issue.

Maiya waited as the flames licked her boots, then worked their way up all around her.

The C Grade orb drained faster and faster, but Maiya discreetly continued to refill it.

All the while, she analyzed the crowd for any trace of change in their expressions.

What am I even doing? She thought. She still hadnt properly recovered from whatever it was shed been in. A coma? Deep slumber? There were so many questions.

And yet, here she was. Standing in the middle of her own pyre. Distinctly not burning.

The flames grew hotter and hotter, and soon, the flames raged under and over her.

The orb now drained so quickly, Maiya had to reach into her robe to recharge it while it was slotted and active.

Alright. That ought to be enough. Lets hope this is enough to wow them into forgiving me.

Holding her breath, Maiya stepped out.

Yamal paced frantically back and forth, watching the fire grow. And grow. And grow. Maiya looked fineuncaring, even as the flames licked her robe. Though specifics of mejai arts were foreign to him, it was obvious she had some means of defending herself.

Invulnerability to fire, however? Yamal had never heard of anything like that. Either she was quite a high-ranking mejai, or

The flames grew around Maiya, making her disappear.

Yamal exchanged grim looks with the Silent One.

Or she just did something inexplicably foolish.

Even if Maiya screamed for help, there was no saving her now. To enter that bonfire would be suicidal. Whatever happened now, she was on her own.

At least the Children arent giving us any trouble, Yamal thought. We should be able to slip away.

And then what?

The question loomed over Yamals head like a dark cloud. Hed become so wrapped up with Maiyas escapades that he hadnt even considered what hed do after. What if Maiya did perish? Would he go back to being a freeloading bum? Just a month ago, he was happily living that life, but now, the very idea felt revolting.

It was Maiya. After seeing how dazzlingly she lived, after seeing her many varied talents and her indomitable spirit, he felt like some of it had rubbed off.

Grak it, Maiya. Dont you dare die on me!

The flames roared higher and hotter, and soon the whole pyre was lit.

With every minute that passed, Yamals hope waned. Nobody could survive that.

Maiya was dead. Shed allowed herself to die.

A maelstrom of emotions erupted within his chest. She hadnt even screamed in pain.

Why should someone as bright as her have to perish while he lived? Why hadnt she come with them?

You asked us to trust you

The flames parted, and a figure stepped out. Not a burned or disfigured form. Just Maiya. The same as ever.

She stepped off the pyre as casually as if shed just been taking a light stroll, then cast her gaze over the audience.

Was that supposed to hurt? she asked.

The crowd stared at her. One of the Rectors approached her unsteadily. Hesitatingly.

Whats he going to do?

Yamal didnt think the man could do anything against Maiya, now that she had her magic orbs back, but still a part of him worried.

And then the Rector did something unthinkable. Yamal gaped, and even the Silent One before him jerked in surprise.

The Rector didnt admonish Maiya. Nor did he even talk to her.

No, he prostrated.

Praise to the Blessed Prophet! Praise to the divine emissary!

The plaza was deathly silent for a moment. Then, one by one, each and every Child of Ash followed suit, prostrating in front of Maiya. They began chanting. They chanted Maiyas name. In reverence.

Not as a member. But as a god.

Oh, I bet she will enjoy this!