Of all the beings in the entire universe, Phire had to end up working with an idiot like Phoenix.

"This was supposed to be a discreet mission, Phee!" She hissed into her comms as she dodged under a chunk of a fallen wall. The whole ship was falling apart. Soon enough, the whole thing would collapse, and there wouldn't be any air left to breathe.

"How was I supposed to know that the explosives I planted were the shockwave ones?" He replied. As Phire walked into what seemed to be a storage room, she spotted two beings dressed in black uniforms picking through the rubble and packaged boxes up ahead and sighed. They were carrying noxams. Human weapons. According to her research — and what Phire had seen first hand — noxams can range from giving a being a slight electric shock to scorching them off the face of the universe.

She scanned the room quickly. No windows. The only other exit was at the other end of the room. She'd have to cross the guards to reach it.

"Remind me to slap you later." Phire muttered into her comms.

"Won't do." Phoenix replied cheerfully.

Ethiria joined in. "Well, look at the bright side, at least we'll have a cool exit when this whole thing explodes."

"What point is a cool exit if nobody is going to be alive to see it?" Phoenix said glumly.

Phire concentrated and summoned a sword to her hand out of thin air. She didn't bother creating anything special, just a piece of Ambrosian metal with a sharp blade and a good grip. The guards hadn't seen her yet, so she crouched behind the remains of a crooked tapestry, it barely hanging on to its hook. Despite that, it provided much needed shadows for Phire to blend in.

Phoenix would always complain about how despite her stark white hair and skin, she somehow managed to hide in shadows easily. Though, seeing how loud Phoenix is all the time, she doubted he would actually want to stealth around.

The first guard said something to the second, though Phire had no idea what language they were speaking in. The other guard nodded, and they started to root through the boxes, backs towards each other. Looking for something. Phire almost scoffed out loud. Too easy.

She waited until the first guard had reached close to where she was hidden, and crept up behind him. His breath hitched as he registered the presence of somebody behind him, but Phire quickly slit his throat before he could call out to his buddy. Unfortunately, the buddy did not need to be called out to.

"Hey!" The other called out, raising his noxam. His tone was lined with terror and panic at seeing his comrade convulsing on the ground. "Stand down!" Absentmindedly, Phire noted his thick accent. Not a native speaker. Most humans aren't, though, so she wasn't surprised.

She crossed her arms. "Or what?" Phire asked loftily, like she couldn't care less about the fact that she had a lethal weapon pointed straight at her. Her electric blue eyes were trained on the guard. "You'll shoot?"

The guard paused. It was just a second's hesitation, but it was all Phire needed to form a long thin dagger in her hand and throw it at his eye. Unsurprisingly, her dagger found its mark. The guard dropped to the ground immediately, dead. Phire stepped over the body, mindful not to step on any of the blood pooling on the ground. She checked behind her for the first guard, but he'd already finished choking on his own blood. Phire felt a flicker of pity spark up inside her, but she doused it quickly.

They're humans. She had to remind herself. They deserve it.

Phire looked back at the crooked tapestry she'd hid behind. It was what the humans liked to call their 'banner'. Its base was red, with an illustration of a golden throne on top. The text under it was not in a language Phire knew, but she knew what it said.

For one empire to rise, another must fall.

I'll burn your pathetic empire. Phire vowed silently as she regarded the banner with more than a little hatred. I swear it on the Inneco.

It wasn't the first time she'd sworn such an oath, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. For that oath was all that kept her going. It was her life goal. Her purpose. After she completed it... What'll she do?

A glint at the edge of her vision snapped Phire out of her thoughts. Looking back at the first guard, she eyed the crystal he was still clutching in his fist. Phire eased his dead fingers open and pocketed the crystal. She'll examine it later.

"Hey, Commander." Ethiria's voice came on comms. "You there?"

Phire put a finger to her ear. "Yeah, I'm here. Something wrong?"

"Not really. I found a hostage stuck in a cell so I took him out. He's coming with us, right?"

She sighed. "I suppose if I told you to leave him to fend for himself you wouldn't listen?"

"Minor detail I forgot to mention," Phoenix intervened, "but this whole ship is going to go kaboom in around twenty-five minutes. Shockwave triggered the engine."

"How is he supposed to fend for himself in twenty-five minutes?" Ethiria asked skeptically.

Phire decided it was best not to point out that that was her point exactly. The last thing she needed was a potential spy in her hands. But sometimes, there was no fighting with Ethiria.

"Fine." Phire replied reluctantly. It was very much not fine. She speedwalked out of the atrium and into a maze of hallways. "But if this being turns out to be some sort of spy, I'm blaming you, Eth. Phoenix, what's your status?"

"Single. Why? Finally going to ask me out?"

"No." She replied sweetly. "But it's nice to see that you're expecting me to. I meant did you get all the data?" Phoenix'd understood what she meant, Phire knew.

"Can't. Systems are all down from the, um, shockwave." Phire muttered curses under her breath at that. "Should I head for our ship?"

She eyed the visible cracks forming on the walls and ceiling of the hallway, and quickened her pace to a jog. "Yeah, do that." She answered distantly. "Are you sure you can't kickstart it into working?"

"This one's hopeless, Phire. All the data's gone."

Damn it. Failed mission.

"And I wonder whose fault is that." She knew it was a scathing reply, but at the moment she didn't particularly care. Their mission was to collect data from the ship without destroying it, and it seems that they've done the exact opposite. Better yet, Ethiria decided to bring a souvenir of their failed mission along with her. "Ethiria, get to the ship with your new friend. I'll catch up."

"Alright."

"What are you going to do?" Phoenix inquired. Phire wanted to retort that it was none of his business, but she didn't. Perhaps she felt bad for being so cold towards him. The mixup between the knockout explosives and the shockwave explosives could've been an accident, after all.

Oh gods. If Phoenix and Ethiria found out she was feeling sympathetic, Phire would never hear the end of their teasing.

"Just going to scope around for something worth taking." She answered. She found a door to a room up ahead, opened the door slightly, and stuck her head in. She was greeted with floor-to-ceiling shelves full of physical documents. She left the room and moved on. Only humans would still use something as inefficient as paper.

"Phire." Phoenix said slowly, as if he were speaking to a child. It set Phire's teeth on edge. "It's a starship full of lame human weapons and research stuff. You expecting to find a stock of cash or something?"

"Phoenix." Phire replied in the same slow, condescending tone. She passed by another open door in the hallway. To her annoyance, it was full of weapons, as if it were supporting Phoenix's statement. "Shut up."

She didn't bother taking any of the weapons. They wouldn't work unless they were genetically attached to an owner. Besides, she loathed using guns and tasers and the like. Sharp blades just did the work for her.

"Hate to interrupt the flirting moment," Ethiria cut in on comms, "but we've got a problem."

"Another one?" Phoenix asked. He paused for a second and in the silence Phire could hear the distinct sounds of fighting in the background. "Oh."

She abandoned searching the rooms and broke into a run down the hallways. Parts of the ceiling started to rain down on her as she ran. Not a good sign. "How many?"

"I count twenty." He grunted.

"New guy says twenty-two." Ethiria countered, followed by the sound of her whip lashing. "Well, twenty-one now."

Phire followed the noise of yelling and clanging of metal, and finally found herself looking down from a broken window at the spot where Phoenix had landed their ship when they first arrived. Their ship was still where they left it, but the scene before her was... chaotic, to say the least.

With all the guards swarming before her, it seemed as though they were a raging sea of black. She easily spotted Ethiria with her whip in the chaos, the symbols on her skin slightly glowing golden in the dim surroundings. The guards kept a wide berth around her, trying to shoot her down, but she danced around them, her whip like a deadly ribbon. Phire couldn't help but smile. There was another dark-haired figure shooting down enemies close by her. Must be the hostage Ethiria freed. She peered at the weapon he used. It looked distinctly like one of Phoenix's lithners. Speaking of Phoenix, Phire couldn't spot him anywhere. He must've gotten to the ship somehow.

Why weren't the guards trying to go through escape pods? Phire wondered if human ships even had those. Perhaps the guards decided that if they were going to die, they'll take down the Ash Elite along with them.

However, Phire didn't intend for that to happen.

She leaped down from her perch, and landed feet first on a guard, knocking him out instantly. "Twenty." She said. Ethiria looked up and gave Phire a soft smile before returning her focus to knocking out her enemies. Not killing, of course. Ethiria doesn't kill.

"Glad you could join the party." Ethiria said on comms. "We managed to get Phoenix through to the ship." Phire squinted at their smaller ship to see Phoenix rapidly tapping buttons and pulling levers on the control panel. The thrusters started to glow in response, like a beast getting reawakened. They'd have to hurry.

Phire summoned another sword identical to the one in her right hand. "Alright, good. We've got fifteen minutes left?"

"Give or take."

Fifteen minutes until the whole ship exploded. Well, she always loved a challenge.

A human near her finally seemed to notice her presence, but she thrust her left sword into his heart before he could aim at her. Phire started to move towards Ethiria, cutting down limbs that tried to grab for her, and dodging under daggers that tried to stab her.

After a few precious minutes, Phire finally made it to Ethiria. To her relief, Ethiria's tan face was glistening with sweat but unhurt, save for a few scratches on her arms. She acknowledged Phire's presence with another smile, which Phire returned, not hiding her relief. Gods knew what Phire would've done if Ethiria was hurt. Phoenix too, she supposed. Not that she'd ever tell him that.

Ethiria and Phire fought back-to-back, cutting down enemies and slowly making their way to the ship, inch by inch. For a second, Phire felt like she and Ethiria were one living being, Ethiria with her golden whip like a vicious tail, and Phire with her swords and daggers like fangs and claws. It was an odd revelation.

"Come on." She commanded Ethiria once they'd cut down most of their enemies. There were just a few stragglers left, trying to get back up. Phire glanced at the time on her holocuff warily. Not much time left. They had to get to the ship.

"Coming." Ethiria panted, out of breath. Phire glanced behind her, concerned. "I'm fine, Phire, don't look at me like that. Let's— let's just get Roel."

It was as if Phire had been slammed by a starship. She froze. "Roel?" She repeated dumbly. Unwanted memories came rushing back, trying to force open a door she had closed a long time ago. Somebody shoved her, and it was all Phire could do to stop herself from falling to the ground. The rumbling ground wasn't helping her footing either.

"Yeah, the hostage I helped." Ethiria didn't seem to notice Phire's state of shock. "Roel!" She called behind her. The dark-haired being Phire had noticed earlier turned towards them. Phire forgot how to breathe. It was him. Even six loops later, she'd recognize him anywhere. And when he locked eye contact with her, when his blood-red eyes widened ever so slightly, she knew he recognized her too. He cleaved his way towards them...

It can't be him...

She'd let her guard down. That was Phire's first mistake.

A shock of electricity shot through her from behind, and this time Phire did fall to the ground sideways, losing all control of her body. Whoever shot her didn't finish the job though, oddly.

"—okay? Phire?" Ethiria leaned down on her, her panicked golden orbs scanning Phire quickly. Phire tried to speak, but found that she couldn't move her lips. Ethiria sighed, relieved. "You'll be fine. You're just lucky that guard kept his noxam on low."

We need to get to the ship! Phire wanted to yell. Gods knew how much time they had left.

Ethiria stepped away slightly as Roel leaned over Phire too. Yet again, she could barely breathe, and it wasn't just because of the electric shock. It was really him. Roel, with his scarlet irises, his pitch-black hair, and the odd symbol on the left side of his face that she knew so well. His face had changed a bit over the loops, his face filled in more, his jawbones a bit more defined...

"Can you move?" He asked her. Even his voice was a little different, more mature now. It had been six loops, after all.

She couldn't form an answer, as if her lips were sealed shut. Even blinking was hard. Phire wondered whether it was from the electric shock or from the emotional shock. Perhaps both.

Roel gingerly picked up Phire. She felt like a broken doll, and she hated it. She managed to squirm a little, some feeling of sensation starting to get back in her body. There was no time for Roel to put her down, however.

"How?" She murmured, watching how the light filtered through his eyelashes. Moving her lips felt like a workout. Damn that human and his noxam.

Far above Roel was a glass ceiling, exposing the millions of stars. But Phire barely acknowledged them. She just focused on Roel. If this was a dream, it was a very cruel one.

"I could ask you the same question." Roel chuckled quietly as he turned around to look at Ethiria. Phire couldn't see what was happening, but whatever Roel saw made him suck in a quick breath and shout:

"Get down!"

What happened? Phire wasn't sure. She must've been going delusional. Roel curled his body over her, and behind Roel emerged a pair of massive wings made of metal, blacker than even pitch. And at the edge of her vision, Phire could see feathers shoot out of the wings, quick as daggers. Razor-sharp too, she suspected, as she heard yells and thumps as more guards fell. Some guard probably got more reinforcements.

This is definitely a dream, Phire concluded. Her best friend who was back from the dead had just sprouted metal wings. Whatever next?

"Where the hell are you guys?!" Phoenix ruined the moment by yelling on comms. "Do you want to get blown up?"

No, no dream can accurately depict Phoenix as well as reality. But that meant...

"Does he ever shut up?" Roel muttered as he sprinted for the ship, Phire's body bouncing up and down along with his steps.

Phire couldn't trust herself to speak, just kept staring and staring at the wings, at the mocking gleam of them as they reflected the dim light of the stars.

* * *

"Finally." Phoenix leaned out of the door of the starship. "Thought you'd never show up—" his eyes widened in fear and panic at the sight of Roel bounding in, Phire in his arms. "Is she—"

"Go! Start the ship, get us out of here." Phire glared at Phoenix from her vantage point.

"Definitely fine." He muttered, but complied. With a few beeps, the door shut, enclosing them all in the starship the Ash Elite knew so well.

They took off, leaving the human ship far behind. Ethiria watched as the now far-off ship exploded, not more than a few seconds later. She closed her eyes, trying to block out all the imaginary screams that resonated in her head. How many had died on that ship?

"I can stand." Phire told Roel, and he set her down quietly. He listed dangerously from side to side before he passed out, slamming into a table. Ethiria and Phire both winced reflexively.

"Is he dead?" Phoenix called out from the cockpit. "Because we'll have a lot of explaining to do if we show up with a dead body again. Remember last time?"

Ethiria let out a small breath of laughter and Phire couldn't help but smile at the memory. Last time was a disaster, to say the least. "No, not dead." She reassured them after she checked Roel's pulse and vitals. "Just exhausted. Must've taken a lot of energy to..." she trailed off as she waved at his wings, chewing on her bottom lip, "do that."

Phire said nothing, only watched as Ethiria set about healing Roel's bruises and cuts. He had a nasty slash in his forearm, but Ethiria made quick work of it. She was a Noman, so Ethiria was gifted with the power of healing. The runes and symbols on her skin glowed as she traced her fingers around the cut, closing it until nothing but a scar remained.

Phire just stroked the black metal wings and watched; only one thought circulating through her mind.

What did they do to him?

~*~*~