Promise

Lightning ran across the skies of New Raryst, as a storm came in, rain poured down onto the streets below. Inside the Fyre Manor in the hills above the city Anya sat watching the storm from her old bedroom window.

She looked at where Pyre Academy had once sat, now all that remained was molten rock. Wes knocked on the door and walked into the darkened room.

"Hey" Wes smiled. "Watching the storm?" He asked.

"Yeah" Anya nodded. "Back when I was young, I used to sit at this window every time there was a storm, I used to watch as the lightning hit the peak of the Academy, and listened to the rumbling thunder that followed" She smiled.

"Sounds relaxing" Wes chuckled.

"It was actually, it was nice being indoors and watching the storm, feeling cosy and safe here" Anya smiled. "But I never spared a thought for those down in the city, who had been made jobless by the innovations of Crystech, living on the streets" Anya explained.

"You wasn't to know" Wes smiled.

"No, I should have known better, I was old enough to do so, but I was so preoccupied with the latest technology and getting into the Academy. I was selfish" Anya sighed.

"But look at you now, travelling the world, protecting it" Wes smiled as he sat down next to Anya and hugged her.

"Yeah, I know better now" Anya nodded. "I want to help the people of New Raryst rebuild" She smiled back.

"That sounds like a great idea, we're gonna be here for a while and I'm sure they will appreciate the assistance!" Wes nodded. "I'll help out too, in any way I can" Wes grinned.

"Thank you, Wes" Anya smiled as she rested her head against his chest. The lightning struck again, followed by a loud rumble.

Roisin was laid on her bed, in another room, the room had a huge window, which was perfect for watching the storm through. Lotte was sat beside her bed on a chair.

"I hate storms like this" Lotte shivered. Roisin chuckled back as she watched the storm excitedly.

"I love watching them, seeing just how powerful nature itself is, it gives you the impression that Crystalla is alive, and powerful" Roisin explained.

"I hate the rumbles, I can feel them in the pit of my stomach" Lotte covered her eyes.

"I wouldn't have thought someone like you would be afraid of a little storm" Roisin teased.

"Says the one afraid of bugs" Lotte shrugged.

"Bugs are creepy though!" Roisin laughed, as did Lotte. They both continued talking as the storm raged on.

Ariel and Ashe were sat by a small window in their room, with their arms around each other.

"I'm not sure how much longer I can tolerate her being here..." Ariel sighed. "The other day I snapped and almost killed her" She confessed. Ashe rested her head against Ariel's and sighed.

"Given what you told me that she was responsible for, I can't blame you" Ashe nodded. "I'm glad you held it together though, Roisin has as much right to hate her as you" She added.

"Yeah, it was Roisin who stopped me" Ariel admitted "She walked in and I snapped out of my anger" She continued.

"Did she see what was going on?" Ashe asked.

"A little..." Ariel nodded. "I don't think she knew just how serious it was though, if she found out what Amanda had done to Dex's people, I'm not sure she could contain the anger..." She explained.

"Yeah, she's been having those strange temper outbreaks" Ashe sighed.

"Hopefully she can control that in time" Ariel said, before brushing Ashe's hair from her face. "She's got a bonding ceremony to attend before the year is out" She added.

"I hope everything goes well, have you decided where it will be held?" Ashe asked.

"Right here in New Raryst" Ariel grinned. "Give the townspeople something to celebrate" She winked. Ashe smiled and hugged Ariel tightly, as the thunder struck once more.

Amanda was sat in the lab, think about what had happened a few days before, her face was still bruised. She sighed and resumed typing away on the communications console.

She was trying to track down Atlas, but the signal for Aranei and Demi had gone down. The communications system had been fully restored, so then, why couldn't she contact The Empire, she pondered.

She shrugged to herself and walked away from the console, alone with her thoughts, she felt very lonely, but then, wasn't this what she deserved, for all the lives she had taken in the name of the Empire? Perhaps this was it, there would be no more happiness in her life. Perhaps this was her punishment.