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IGNUS

We travelled back across the wards, to the Hive, and entered the Smoldering Corpse bar. As we entered, a man almost ran forward to meet me.

The man in front of me had large eyes and a thin frame. He seemed confused and frightened by the rest of the bar patrons, but he looked incredibly relieved to see me.

"Greetings?" He seemed familiar, yet I was sure I had never seen him before. He chuckled lightly and rolled his eyes in a 'you wouldn't believe what happened to me' look that I found strangely familiar.

"'Bout time, friend! I thought I might be here all day waiting for you."

"Uh… do I know you?"

"Why, yes." He gave me a peery eye. "At least, I think. I... uh... well... can't recall everything about you, but..." He frowned in thought, then shrugged. "...anyway, it's good to see you. I'm Adahn. We're friends, I take it. Excellent! I could use more friends like you, it seems..." He looked around in confusion. "Since I don't appear to know anyone in these parts, much less how I got here." Adahn! I certainly recognized that name.

"Where are you from?" Adahn seemed surprised, and his confusion resurfaced.

"I... hmmnnn." He frowned. "Well, not from around here, I don't believe... or do I? I think I would have recalled such a place. Don't really right recall where I'm from, or where I'm bound..."

"Do you know who I am?"

"An... old friend?" He sounded like he was testing the water. "Aren't you?"

I was sure now. Belief had power on the outer planes. Now I was creating beings, drawing them into my tormented circle, as if enough strays weren't finding their way to me on their own. I was careful to say nothing that might further roil his inner confusion.

"Yes, yes I am. Say, I had some questions for you…"

"Oh, and I had some for you, too..." He frowned. "Except I can't seem to get a handle on 'em." He shrugged. "Questions - who needs 'em? All that matters is the answers anyway. I think."

I reconsidered, and thought it would be better for him if he had as little contact as possible with me. "Well, it's been interesting, Adahn, but I have to leave. Farewell."

"Hey... uh..." He frowned. "Look, before you up and fly away to wherever abouts you're going, I've something for you... at least I think so..."

"What is it?"

"I'm not sure." He dug in his pockets, and frowned. "Pockets too damned small to keep anything in..." He scratched his head. "Maybe..." He pulled back his sleeves, first the left one, then the right one, looked angry, then let both sleeves fall back to full length. I had a peculiar thought, as though we were acting out pre-written lines.

"Why don't you check the left sleeve again? I think it might be there."

"Really?" He pulled back the left sleeve again, and this time, I saw a package tied to his wrist. He smiled in relief, untied it from his arm, then handed it to me. "For you, friend. From me, for you... a thanks of sorts!" He nodded as I took the item. I studied it... it looked like a ring of some sort. I could almost see the script as I asked another question.

"Wasn't there some money to go along with this?" He snapped his fingers.

"Yes, there was, yes there was." He looked down at his belt, where there was now a belt pouch. He untied it and passed it to me. "It's all there. All hundred coppers." I took the bag, and opened it. It all looked to be there.

"What about that enchanted item you wanted to give me?" He looked puzzled for a moment, then smiled, as if remembering.

"Why, yes, there was one, wasn't there?" He reached into his right sleeve and pulled forth a long, slender dagger. "Here you are."

As I looked up from my gift to thank Adahn, I suddenly noticed he had vanished. I didn't even hear him leave. I wasn't sure whether I should be glad he had been spared the bittersweet pains of existence, or saddened he had so little time to live and perhaps find his own way to happiness.

I examined the dagger and ring Adahn had given me. The metal they were made of looked extremely thick and heavy, but was almost weightless. It shifted coloration as I watched, changing from silver, to bronze, to gold.

I shook my head, and continued forward to fulfill my reason for coming here, the crackling, billowing creature, who must be Ignus, twisting slowly before my eyes above an iron grill upon the floor of the bar. It may have once been human, but now its skin was charred beyond recognition. Streams of fire formed a wreath around the creature's body, and the flames licked at the few remaining pockets of flesh, causing them to bubble and run like wax down the creature's skeletal frame.

The heat surrounding this... creature... was incredible. To my surprise, the iron grill the creature floated above had sagged and bent from the heat. At first, I thought the heat came from the grill... but now I realized it emanated from the creature. As I watched, flecks of ash drifted from the writhing corpse and floated slowly to the ceiling.

I tilted the Decanter of Endless Water over the grill and began to pour. A small stream of ice-blue water poured from the decanter, and touched the flames of the grill with a violent hissing and a rush of steam... as if in response to this challenge, the decanter seemed to *lunge* forward, falling onto the grill and shattering!

Hissing billows of steam and a furious crackling noise rushed from the grill, spilling over me and forcing me to cover my ears and turn away... there was a scream, a cackling, a terrible sound like a hundred buildings burning, people screaming, their screams being cut short by the roar of flame and melting flesh...

As I put my hands over my ears to block out the sound, I felt a stickiness on my hands, like hot cheese or candle wax... my ears were bleeding from the sound! I drew my hands back, and saw them covered with chunks of melted flesh filled with bloody swirls...

I was about to run from the bar, anything to get away from the sound, when suddenly all fell silent, except for a jagged crackling coming from the grill. I turned -- on the grill lay the Decanter of Endless Water, now nothing but shards and steam. Above it was the creature, flames still trailing from its body, floating over the bar's floor. It was staring at me, its eyes flickering like two torches...

Suddenly realization struck. I said, "I *know* you…"

The creature's face split, charred flesh peeling away from its jaw so that it might speak. *"Yessss..."* Its voice crackled, burned, roared through the creature's chest, and with every word, flakes of cinder and ash spit from its mouth and drifted into the air. I could barely stand to look at the thing - the blazing radiance surrounding it was terrible to behold.

"Ignus…"

*"Yesssss..."* The creature floated towards me, the air bending from the thermals surrounding it. *"Long have I ssslept... dreamssss of flamesss..."* As if in response, flames curled within Ignus' throat, and a tongue of flame streamed from behind his blackened teeth. *"I am yourssss... 'til death comessss for ussss both... "*

Ignus' lover, Drusilla, had approached us. Ignus' eyes flared up as he saw her, and before I could stop him, he embraced her. She returned his embrace, losing herself in his flames. She did not cry out. My last glimpse of her was burned into my memory: Her eyes were full of fiery passion and all-engulfing love. Nothing was left of her -- not even ashes.

I was repelled by Ignus' act, even though I knew I had done much worse things. I decided I had better talk to him right away, try to lay down a few rules.

"Ignus, what happened to you to make you this way?"

*"Thissss way..."* A small pocket of flesh on Ignus' cheek *popped,* and ran in a steaming trickle down his jaw. *"Thissss way... Ignussss alwayssss wasss..."*

"But... you look human. Or at least, you look like you were human once."

Ignus twisted, hunching his head forward as his body spun slowly above the ground... the effect was much like a fiery whirlwind, thermals streaming off his body and distorting the air around him. *"Ssssstill Ignusss... alwayssss Ignusss..."*

"I had some other questions for you…"

*"HSSSS'SSSSS!"* My heart jumped as Ignus soared several feet into the air, and his jaw tore open, fiery trails spilling forth like a nest of snakes. *"NO MORE TALK AND QUESSSSTIONSSS! Ssssilence...!"* I hastily backtracked.

"But I wish to speak of flames, Ignus, and of burning..." My words were like oil... and I watched them fill Ignus' eyes, fanning the flames I saw there.

*"Flamessss?"* Ignus drifted down slightly, the heat around him rising, as if in interest. *"Sssss'peak... Ignusss will lisssten..."*

I asked if it was true, whether he burned down the Alley of Dangerous Angles.

Ignus' face split, the flesh around the corner of his mouth cracking, then re-melting into charred, sneering red-and-black pieces. *"Yessss... a dream sssshall Ignussss ssshare..."* A torrent of flames poured from Ignus, and I took a step back, the air *bending* from the heat.

*"Sssstreetsss at night... ssssso cold... Ignussss BURNNN the buildingssss, the dwellersss... all RAN from Ignussss, the flamessss, and the buildingssss were as flamessssss... screamssss as the dwellerssss became TORCHESSssss..."*

*"Buildingssss as SKELETONSSSS... Anglessss, bodiessss as skeletonssss... redsss and orangessss and blackssss, the flamessss sssspreading, caresssing... sssuch LIGHTSSSS..."*

*"Sss..."* Ignus' fury died, the wreaths of flames surrounding him ebbing somewhat. He seemed to be lost in thought - perhaps lost in memory. *"Ssss... and Ignussss wassss pleasssed..."* Once again, I was disgusted with him. I decided to switch to another topic.

"Ignus, your mastery of the Art... can you teach me any of your powers?"

*"Ssss... Ignussss once knew *much*... no longer... Ignussss burnnssss... in sssuffering, Ignusssss learnssss..."* A tiny flame gusted from his mouth, like laughter, and a stream of embers spat forth. *"Ssssuffer... learn..."*

I knew he meant to hurt me as part of his teaching. And I knew I didn't trust him, that my body was unconsciously tensing, ready to attack him if he moved any closer. I couldn't understand why, but it might have something to do with the growing feeling of familiarity with Ignus.

"Ignus, I spoke with a storyteller in the Hive, and he mentioned that someone *taught* you these things... who?"

*"Of learningssss and teachingsss you know..."* Gouts of flame erupted from Ignus' mouth, in a horrid semblance of laughter. *"You have ALWAYSSSS taught Ignussss... Ignusss MASSSS'TER, you *were.*"*

"Me? Are you *sure*...?" Ignus' voice *dropped,* and the crackling of the flames died.

*"Yessss... it issss the only reasssson... Ignussss... OBEYSSS you..."* Flames rose around him in a crackling spiral. *"'til DEATH comessss for ussss both... your wordsssss to ME... to your sssstudent IGNUSSSS... Ignusss hassss NOT forgotten... Masssster..."*

"Ignus, if I was your 'Master'... can you remember anything about me?"

Ignus hissed... and for a moment, his *features* flickered - at first, I thought it was the flames, but it was not... it was the flickering of *memory*... I surrendered to the memory.

The crackling of Ignus' flames subsided, lessening as the charred bones of Ignus' body folded up, twisting into itself until his limbs lay motionless, becoming a stack of wood within a huge iron fireplace... I was staring into a fire, burning brightly within a vaulted room. The fire crackled and spat embers onto the stone floor, motes rising from the fireplace. Faintly, from the darkness behind me, I could hear the rasp of someone breathing.

In the memory, I spoke, "I can *hear* you... step into the light."

There was the shuffling of sandals, and a frail youth stepped into the edges of the firelight. His wide, black eyes caught the flames and mirrored them. He was nervous - I could hear his muscles shaking, his voice trembling - just enough to increase my irritation. "Forgive my intrusion, master. I-"

"You have *already* intruded, supplicant. You did so with intention. I will hear it now, then you will leave me to my thoughts."

The boy took a deep breath, and glanced at the fire. "Master, I... dreamed of flames again, last night... they felt real, and you said that we were to come to you if --"

"It was a *dream,* nothing more. Now leave."

The boy did not move - his brows drew together, and slowly, he displayed his hands. The flesh around the fingers... blackened, burned.

"How did your hands come to be burned, supplicant?"

"I awoke and my hands were as ash." The boy met my gaze; he was still trembling, faintly, but there was an eagerness in his voice which angered me. "I dreamed I soared above the earth and the ground and sky were as fire. The world itself was so bright that it... hurt to look at it, master. And when I awoke, my hands... they were burned, as if I had held a flame within my hands."

"You lie, supplicant. You have come to me with a story, and now you are in danger of *angering* me."

"No, master..." The boy's face glistened with a sweaty sheen of fear. "No, upon my life, I do not!"

"You burned yourself with a candle, supplicant. Or thrust your hand within one of the pyres in the Vault of Currents. Now you come to me and tell me a dream burned you. I tire of your lies."

The boy fell silent, and to my surprise, his face clenched in anger. "No. I do not lie. It was the *dream* that burned me, master, as you said it might if we felt the power stirring. They were *your* words, and I came to *repeat* them to you and tell you they are *true.*" He held up his hands. "Look, master..."

Before the boy could react, my hand - huge in comparison - lashed out, crushing his burned hands in its grip, and the boy screamed, echoing in the vault. With a snarl, I hurled him to the ground in front of the fireplace, and there was a sharp *crack* as his knees struck the flagstones.

"Look into those flames, supplicant! Raise your head, look!"

The boy was shuddering from the pain from his knees... I watched tears blur his eyes as he raised his head to look into the fireplace. The flames cast his face in a red, gaunt glow...

"Is *that* what you wish to hold, supplicant? Is the shaping of flames what stirs your heart? Know that flames can burn, and if you would learn their power, you must suffer their touch."

The boy was silent, staring into the flames. He seemed mesmerized. His tears had dried in the heat, and the shaking was gone. The flames were his focus. He was not LISTENING to me, and I felt fury washing over me.

"If that is what consumes you, enough for you to *intrude* upon my meditations, then I shall teach you of the shaping of flames, supplicant."

My hand lashed out and clamped onto the boy's wrist. He howled as I dragged him closer to the fireplace, then thrust his hands into the coals - there was a crackling, a hissing of burning flesh, and his *screams* - such terrible, yet -

"To learn, you must *suffer,* supplicant. You must allow yourself to be burned by the power of that which you wield. Know its torment, and you shall know how to use it against your enemies."

My vision cleared, the memory streaming away like smoke. Ignus was hovering above me, his head cocked to one side, and an insane, blackened grin smeared across his face...

*"Masssster... Ignusssss hasss NOT forgotten your teachingsss..."* I tried to move on to another topic, but Ignus balked again. The anger from my memory was still with me as I gave him an order.

"You WILL answer my questions, Ignus. I set you free, and I may send you back to your hell again."

*"Think YOU could ch'ain Ignussss...?"* The flames around Ignus swirled like a cloak, then fanned outwards, as if seeking to caress me. *"KILL you, turn you to *asssshessss* Ignussss can... for now, Ignusssss followsssss... but threatsssss... threatsss ANGER Ignusssss..."*

"Actually, Ignus, you couldn't stop me - you could burn me, but I'd keep coming at you until you were kindling. So *enough* with the threats..."

There was a crackling in the air, and Ignus cocked his head slightly, as if studying me, then hissed. *"FLAMESSSSS will burnnnn the immmortality from you... you are NOT sssafe from my flamesssss..."*

"Maybe you don't understand what immortality MEANS, Ignus..."

*"You are *NOT* immmortal... Ignusssss can KILL you... ssscatter your asssshesss to the windssss..."* I watched as he flung his arms wide, and a HEAT poured from him, so powerful I was forced to shield my eyes - there was a great ROARING, as the air fled past me being drawn into Ignus.

As I tried to shout at Ignus to stop, the tide of heat turned back upon itself, and a blazing *heat* washed over me. I felt my flesh begin to smolder, then smoke, and the beginnings of PAIN... I clenched my teeth, and over the pain, I could hear Ignus cackling... cackling, crackling laughter...

As I shouted his name again, the heat died - as I drew my arms back from my face, I saw that my skin had blackened from where Ignus burned it... and Ignus was watching me hungrily. I knew, more than anything, that whatever Ignus *was,* whatever power that had embraced him, it had the power to destroy me - if his flames were to kill me, there would be nothing left of my body.

I barely held myself back from testing whether I could kill him before he destroyed me. Part of my anger was spilling over from my previous incarnation, but I was unable to control it. Ignus didn't seem evil, precisely, more of an elemental force. But in any case, I wasn't the one to help him. If we remained together, the time would come when one of us would kill the other.

I left Ignus in the no longer Smoldering Corpse bar, resolved to walk as far as the Lower Ward before resting for the night. I hoped Ignus was able to find help on his own. I also hoped I wouldn't hear of Hive blocks burnt down in the morning.

As I left him behind, Ignus called out, *"You are all tallow for my flamesss."*

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