Chapter 37: Aspen

Costrae was grining wider than ever before, grining at the newly diefied goddess before them. Her hair fanned out behind her like spilled wine, like rubies and flame, and her eyes, normally brown gold ringed by that bright scarlet, were glowing the color of a newly forged blade. Something in him urged him to walk forwards into that flame but he stood there just taking it in. Taking her in, this thing that burned and raged inside her, this piece of her that had been trapped in a cage of iron for so long. He held a wall of air around her even as the waves of fire crashed against it. After a few minutes she seemed to slow and the fire faded, leaving her still glowing white hot, though the heat seemed to slowly fade as well. She stood on air as she realized he had made a bubble of air around her and before he could disperse it she collapsed, lying on her back, a faintly crazed smile on her face, her hair was now free of the tie that had held it moments ago. She lay there on an invisible floor her hair spilling out from under her like wine. He lowered that invisible wall of wind until she was lying on the ground. He walked over until he was standing over her. She looked up at him, a light that cracked his soul on her face. She breathed,