Ignition

Heidi built up her fireball. She was surprised by just how natural it felt. It was almost like the fire itself was in the air all around her and she just had to reach out and force it to coalesce. 

She glanced at the product of her efforts. It was significantly larger than her already but it didn't burn... yet. Somehow, she knew that when she released it the heat would be intolerable. "Explosion!" She cried out, releasing her magic directly at the barracks. 

It tore the structure apart in a flaming burst. Wood, stone and steel went splintering off. Screams rang through the air as those celestials inside the building found themselves either immediately incinerated or trapped for a few final seconds before being offered to the fire. 

Heidi stared at the carnage she'd wrought. Back home she'd rarely even swatted insects yet here... She had to take a moment to fight off an anxiety attack. She reminded herself that this was for her friends. This was to save an innocent old man who'd been beaten and taken from his shop. The celestials had attacked her on sight. Moricia had saved her. There was no chance that they were the good guys in this scenario. 

She was brought out of her own head at the sounds of footsteps rapidly approaching her. She quickly prepared her next spell. 

*****

The alarm took Elaine by surprise. More surprising, virtually every celestial guarding the prison took to the streets to answer the call. 

"I knew she could do it," Moricia stated, a smug undertone to her voice. 

"Just how much power does she have?" Elaine mused. "It shouldn't even be possible for a human to wield magic. Moricia, what did you do?" 

"I told you, I gave her a healing draught," Moricia said. "That was it. Come on. Let's rescue this friend of yours."

Elaine followed the demoness. There had to be more to the situation than just a healing draught. Something Moricia was missing. She'd have to run some tests on  Heidi when... if they got back safely. 

There were only three guards at the door. Elaine quickly dispatched one with a crossbow bolt to the neck, just under their protective helmet. Moricia rushed the second, slashing them open before they could draw their sword. The third had their weapon drawn and began rushing towards Moricia but fell to a second bolt before they could reach her.

The pair nodded at each other and hurried inside. After taking a moment to relieve one of the door guards of their keys. 

*****

Heidi hurled bolts of lightning, balls of fire and spears of ice at the oncoming celestials. Arrows flew at her only to be incinerated in mid-air by the magical energy that gathered around her. 

"Dissident, magic is forbidden within city limits. If you cease your disruptive activities and surrender, your sentence will be quick and painless."

Heidi responded by tossing a fireball in the direction the voice had come from. Truthfully, she couldn't actually see much around her. It felt like her eyes were covered with swirls of energy. She just had a sense of where the celestials were and responded without thinking too much about it. She didn't even notice the crowd that was forming, watching the entire spectacle. 

"How is she doing that?"

"The celestials are actually on the ropes."

"Maybe they aren't so invincible after all."

"This is pure chaos. No good will come of it."

"Wish I had that kind of strength."

"Finally, someone is standing up to them."

The whispers amongst the crowd were varied but one overwhelming theme dominated the discourse. Rebellion was possible. It could happen and they were seeing the start of it before their very eyes.

*****

There was a second trio of guards watching the cells when they burst inside. Moricia struck first, beheading one. The other two had their weapons drawn in an instant. One took a crossbow bolt to the back of the neck. The other had their weapon parried with a follow up scythe swing through the neck. 

"Fierce today are we?" Elaine asked. 

"I am a little fired up," Moricia admitted. "And you seem to be too." 

"I'm more interested in getting Micarnel out of here and then having a look at our friend."

"Just  don't dissect her," Moricia said. 

"Don't be absurd," Elaine stated. "She's much more valuable to us alive. I'll dissect her after she gets us through the war." Her tone was joking but she quickly resumed her somber demeanor. It felt weird, having the luxury of cracking a joke during a rebellion operation. 

They went through the cells. Unlocking all of them indiscriminately. Finally they reached Micarnel's. The old goblin had a bald head with long, white hair growing only from his ears. The flesh above his left eye was covered with deep scars and the eye itself was missing. Leaving only a scarred socket and a glass marble. His flesh was visibly bruised and he still had some open wounds. The celestials who'd brought him in had not been gentle.

"Hey old Timer," Elaine said. 

Micarnel glanced over, squinting with his eye. "So, they got you too," he muttered. "At least I'll have the pleasure of seeing your smug ass go with me."

"Actually, we came to rescue you," Elaine said, unlocking the door. She handed him his monocle. 

He put it into place over his right eye and glanced around. "A demoness, huh? She must be your friend, Mori was it?" He ran a wrinkled finger over the cracks in his monocle. "Damn brutes broke it."

"We'll get you a replacement," Elaine said. "For now, just follow us." 

They hurried out with Micarnel stopping to kick a few celestial corpses on his way out. 

"I'll go find Heidi and let her know it's time to take off," Moricia said. 

"I'll start leading the old man here to the hideout," Elaine said. "You and Heidi can meet us there."

"You're the same age as me," Micarnel said. "You bloody dark elves just live longer. "

"Yeah, yeah," Elaine said, dismissively. "Let's just go."

*****

Heidi was out of breath. The magic had faded from around her. She was surrounded by charred corpses and civilian onlookers. 

"Looks like you went absolutely spare on them," Moricia said. She held out her hand. "Come on. Let's get out of here. Their reinforcements won't be far behind." 

Heidi reached out to her. 

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Moricia muttered. She moved closer to Heidi and picked her up in a princess carry position. "I'll just carry you."  She hurried off, leaving the crowd to discuss what they'd just witnessed.