“And have you found anything better?” snapped Padraig. “As the Firemaster says, we may not have a better time than now to find a place to rest.”
“This may be our best option,” said Nicole, stepping inside. “We should take all the furs and clothes we have and pile them on top of us.”
“I can work on a fire,” said Fionn, stepping in.
“A fire?” said Farris. “In such an enclosed space, shouldn’t we be concerned about inhaling smoke?”
“Not with me here,” said Fionn. “I can direct the heat of the flames inwards, and the plumes of the smoke outwards.”
With that, they set to work on the meagre camp. Padraig and Nicole unpacked and lay whatever materials they had available on the floor of the cave. Farris tied up the mounts up, expressing concern that the horses might struggle in the cold. Fionn searched for firewood, but no dry kindling could be found.
I’ll have to fashion a fire without fuel, he thought, walking back to the cave.
Is that a problem? asked Bearach. I thought you didn’t need fuel.
That is correct. Although he didn’t directly express it to Sir Bearach, this would mean he would need to stay awake to keep the fire going and ensuring the party weren’t engulfed in smoke. Without better cover than this, the fire would need to burn throughout the night to ensure the safety of the group. Fionn tried not to let this bother him. After all, he had already been through worse than a night without sleep.
As the darkness of the evening settled in, the winds of the storm rose to a mighty pitch, seemingly threatening to blow the mountains themselves away. Thick snow pelted the ground, with more blots of white visible in the air than the black space that separated them.
Fortunately, at this point, the company had all settled in the cave. Padraig and Nicole lay side by side, both in their armour. On either side of them was Farris and Aislinn. Fionn had suggested they all sleep as close to one another as possible, and fortunately none had protested. Fionn sat at the foot of them. He breathed slowly, staring out into the storm. Focusing on the cold air against his skin, he made an estimate of the temperature of the room. Once he was confident in his assertion, he went to work.
He clicked to together the flint rings on his right hand and deftly pushed the power of his soul into the spark that emerged. With a whoosh, the spark turned into a flame, which Fionn cradled into his hands. He quickly estimated the temperature of the flame, and using Rionach’s Theorems of Heat Exchange, he calculated the rate of heat loss and heat transfer throughout the chamber. Once he had this worked out, he pushed upon the flame, slowly increasing its temperature.
Moving into more advanced aspects of Pyromancy, he took both hands, and pulled at either side of the flame. He was careful not to do so too quickly, otherwise the denominators of Rionach’s Fourth Theorem would be larger than their numerators, and this would cause the output to be less than one, which of course would not create a rational product from Rionach’s Sixth Theorem, which would come later.
Although slightly out of practice, Fionn managed to strike the balance well, pulling the flames apart with both hands and stretching it like warm dough. Rionach’s Theorems allowed for the manipulation of fire well beyond what would be possible without magic, though any miscalculation would case the flame to extinguish. Or worse.
Slowly, Fionn stretched the flames around him, forming them into a ball of orange, pulsating sludge. He pushed upon his soul once more, extending the mass to surround the perimeter of the caves. This, fortunately, Fionn had been able to measure to a decent level of accuracy before he began. Once the flames filled the walls, Fionn ignited the flame of his soul once more, and the walls came alight.
“Amazing,” said Farris, looking up to Fionn. Nicole, Aislinn, and Padraig didn’t add to this, each just started up at the fires with awe. Farris reached out to the flames. “They’re hot,” he said. “But they do not burn.”
“They only burn what I want them to burn,” said Fionn. “Now we better sleep while we can.”
The others didn’t need any further convincing, Fionn lay down, but he had no intention of sleeping. His focus remained firmly on the flames that surrounded them.
Sleep lad, said Sir Bearach. You’ll need it for the journey tomorrow.
I can’t, replied Fionn. I need to keep the fire lit, or we’ll freeze.
I think I can help there, said the knight. I lent my soul to help your magic before. Perhaps I can do the same now.
Fionn hadn’t considered this, but he welcomed the possibility. Don’t you need to sleep? he asked.
Of course not! I don’t have a body that needs rest. When you sleep, I just lie in wait until you wake.
And the flames, said Fionn. Do you know how to manipulate them?
I don’t think I need to. Out in the Goldgate, I just added my soul to the magic you had already conjured. With the hard work already done, I believe all I need to do is switch the fuel source from yours to mine.
Fionn frowned. This much he hadn’t tried before, at least not intentionally. The first time he did, he was being attacked by Firemaster Conleth. The last time was when the horde was upon him.
Let us try, then, said Fionn. I’ll start counting, and I’ll stop adding to the flames on three. Once I do, see if you can take over. If you do not do so by the time I reach five, I’ll take them back again.
Of course, said Bearach. I’m ready.
Fionn closed his eyes. Alright. One. Two. Three!
Fionn ceased his Pyromancy, and the flames all around them shook, their tongues flailing overhead.
Four….
Panicking, Fionn reached back out to the flames again, but before he did, the shaking stopped.
Five, said Sir Bearach. I have them now, lad. You should get some sleep.
Fionn scanned the walls. Indeed, the flames around them were just as stable as they had been when he had their control. Perhaps Sir Bearach could maintain them throughout the night. Perhaps he really did need some sleep.
But what if….
But before Fionn could finish that thought, he drifted into a deep slumber.
Chapter 15:
Scarlet Robes
Attention all citizens of Penance:
On the 23rd day under the moon of Nes, a fleet of airships shall leave Sin. Boarding will begin at noon, with a plan to depart before nightfall. The journey shall take us over the Eternal Sea, to a new land free of the horrors we have witnessed these past few weeks.
