Spark of War (Progression Fantasy)

El waved at her brother, Dayne, and Sol, then at Laze and Nidina as they came over to join the three men, before she opened another portal and stepped through to Pycrin. She and Nexin had arrived at Vestis just after a rather ragged Sol had. Apparently, he'd found the northern island he'd been searching for.

Along with the avatar standing guard.

It'd taken everything he had to escape, though the monstrosity had luckily still been somewhat injured from its earlier encounter with Sol and Nexin. That'd been the only reason Sol had escaped, or so he said. While he'd felt the pull of the ring on his Storm, he hadn't actually seen the portal device. Instead, he'd spotted a massive dig-site, and a wide tunnel heading somewhere deep underground. Between the avatar – and the hundreds of monsters of the Depths – he knew he'd found the right place.

After the close encounter, Sol had been more than happy to hear there was a plan to deploy within a few days, and that he'd be playing a key role. So, to get the plans explained to the three men, she'd dropped them off in Fort Bedrock where Laze could debrief them. El, in the meantime, had one last date with Felps and his assistants.

After stepping through the portal to appear right in front of the door to Felps's lab – much to the surprise of the two guards – she couldn't help but look at her bandaged left arm. If Felps gave her another weapon, she wouldn't be able to do much with it. Then again, he knew her condition. Though, maybe not the extra damage that general had done to her. Even with her frost armor protecting her from the worst of the blow, enough of the force had transferred through to set her healing back almost to the beginning. At this point, she was beginning to wonder if she'd ever be able to use the arm again.

It's fine. I'm doing more than okay with my powered-up Spark and Felps's sword.

That last part hurt her pride, but it was war. It didn't matter how she got stronger, as long as she did.

"Hey guys," El said to the two guards, forcing her mind from the whirling thoughts. "The madman in?"

"He's been cackling all morning," the guard on the left said – What's his name? Right, Sporta. "I think he knew you were coming today."

"I do have an appointment," El said flatly.

"May want to cancel, if his antics are any indication," the other guard, Desinel, said. "He only gets like this when he's got something especially crazy planned."

"You're telling me 'normal' Felps isn't 'crazy' Felps?" El asked.

"Not even close. Last time I saw him like this was when he was working on…" Desinel trailed off.

"The golem," Sporta said. "The one that ate Lhogan."

El nodded slowly at that. The two guards here had worked with Lhogan before everything… went bad. They had to know she was the one who'd eventually killed the Pyre's new avatar – and Lhogan along with it – but they'd never brought it up.

"Hopefully it's not another one of those," El said, not really sure what else to offer.

"I don't think so," Sporta said. "Those two new assistants of his also seem pretty excited, and not in the creepy way."

"Except when it comes to tea," Desinel chimed in. "It's like they're addicted. What do they even put in it?"

"Note to self, don't drink the tea," El said, to which both men nodded like it was the most important information of the day. "Well, much as I love talking to you two – and stalling actually going in – I can't really put this off today. If I don't come back, send a search party. Or tell my brother."

Both guards stood up straighter at the side-mention of Nexin. Even the slightest thought of her brother being angry – and something happening to El would certainly qualify – was enough to put people on their best behaviour.

"Just be careful in there," Sporta said, then turned to look into one of the eye-level scanners. A light like sunrise washed over his eyes, then the door between the two men slid open. "Good luck."

"Why does it sound like I'm going to war here?" El asked, but gave the guards a salute and walked into Felps's lab.

"Elevator!" Felps said from literally right in front of her, like he'd been standing at the door waiting for her the whole time. And… maybe he had, by the look of relief on the faces of his two assistants. "Finally. I've been waiting all day for you!"

"It's not even noon," El said. "And it's been two days since we last talked."

"The day started almost twelve hours ago!"

"And he really has been waiting since then for you," Pinoa said. "He expected you here at twelve-o-one."

"If not earlier!" Felps said, spinning on his toes with far more agility than El gave him credit for. A complete five-forty and he stalked purposefully away. "Come!"

"I'm not a dog," El said, though she did follow the man.

"Good, because I don't have any treats." Felps continued past the cabinet that'd held her sword, and continued for another door at the far side of the room.

"There are cookies," Cabitz added as he fell in step beside El. "Don't worry, I saved you a few of the ginger. I know they're your favorite."

"Aww, thanks Dr. Cabitz," El said, gently punching the older man in the arm.

"It's Cabbage," Felps said in front of her. "Names are important to get right."

"Every time he says that, I wait for the punchline," El said. "And yet it never comes."

"You get used to it," Pinoa said. "And it's worth it to get to work on the projects he has."

"Speaking of projects, any hints what I'm in for here?"

"Don't want to ruin it," Cabitz said.

"And we signed non-disclosure agreements," Pinoa added. "We can't discuss it with you until you've seen it."

"Seems excessive," El grumbled. "But at least I don't have to wait long. It's right behind that door, right?"

"It is," Felps said, reaching it and putting his eye to another scanner. As soon as the reading finished, a triple-set of thick doors slid to the sides. Even the walls looked to be a solid foot thick. "And it's marvelous! Just wait until you see it."

"I just wish I had a better idea what it was…" El trailed off as she followed the mad scientist into the next room, and her eyes landed on the only thing he could be talking about. Dominating the center of the room – not counting the wires and large machines connected to it – was what had to be more of the triple-forged electrum. It was the same color as her sword, and unless her eyes were playing tricks on her, had the same sort of runic script etched into the multiple pieces.

Pieces of what? It could only be one thing from the shape.

Armor.

Well, more like pieces of armor from the multiple segments laying within a person-shaped bed of red, velvety fabric. With a slightly bluish-gold tint to the metal, and shiny to the point El could almost see her own wide eyes reflected back, the armor was striking.

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Though, now that she looked closer, it seemed to be missing the right…

El glanced down at the bracer-glove already on her arm. It was similar to the left one on the display bed. Felps – the crazy bastard – had forged an entire suit of armor to match the power-enhancing bracer and sword she'd been using. No, knowing Felps, he'd built it all at once, but just given her the two pieces she had to get the test results.

"That's for me?" El asked, finally finding her voice. She'd been staring at the armor like Laze stared at Nexin.

"It is!" Felps exclaimed, throwing his arms wide at it. "My greatest creation! Even better than that primitive golem, despite being built from the same materials. Hurry up and put it on. We have tests to run."

El stepped forward, her right hand coming up to caress the smooth metal, though her fingers stopped on the armor's left arm. Reality settled in a little too harshly at that, and she looked again at her own arm. "Sorry, Felps, I don't think I'll be able to…"

"Just try the armor on," Cabitz said gently, and El looked up to see a surprising sparkle in the man's eye.

"I'll help you," Pinoa said. "Don't worry, it's designed to go on over your uniform. Like the bracer you're already wearing, once you feed your Spark into it, the metal should resize to fit perfectly."

"Should?" El asked, having learned the assistants' choices of words were very specific.

"Small chance it will keep constricting until it closes to the size of my pinky finger," Cabitz said.

"While I'm in it?"

"No point for it to resize before you put it on," Felps said. "Which I notice you're still not doing. Hurry up, Elevator."

El took a deep breath, then let it right back out. Part of her – a big part – wanted to ask the odds of the experimental armor crushing her like a straw, but she needed the armor to work as much as anybody. If it gave even a fraction of the advantage the sword did, it would make all the difference in her part of the upcoming battle. And that look on Cabitz's face, there was something else to all this.

"Okay, let's do this," El said, like she was gearing up to go to battle. Er… which I am…

"Great!" Felps clapped his hands together. "Legs first, then torso and arms. After that, wings and helm."

"Wings?" El couldn't help but ask. "I don't need wings."

"Maybe not, but you want these," Pinoa said, then continued more quietly. "Just for now, trust us. Felps… felt bad about what happened because of his golem. Especially to you. This is part of making up for that. As for Cabitz and me, we know you saved us all. Consider this our way of thanking you."

"Right." El nodded. "No more questions from me until we've got this on. What do you need me to do?"

"For the first time suiting up, let us dress you," Pinoa said.

And dress her they did. The thigh plates went on first, extending down slightly past the front of her knee, before they clamped shin plates that also covered the top of her feet on next. A pulse of energy from her Spark – along with a small prayer – ignited the runes in the triple-forged electrum, and the metal constricted gently until it wrapped snugly around her.

From there, they added a thick belt with a chainmail skirt that hung to mid thigh. Another touch of her Spark, and runes on each and every ring of mail lit up, while the belt tightened around her waist. Next, Pinoa very gently unbound El's arm from her chest. As soon as the bindings were removed, the limb dropped lifelessly to her side. She couldn't move her arm even if she wanted to. If the runes on the bandages were helping heal her mangled arm, they weren't doing it very quickly.

Her eyes met Pinoa's, and the other woman offered a small smile and nod of encouragement.

"Chest piece next," Pinoa said. "Just breathe normally."

El nodded, and they slipped her into what could only be called an electrum corset, the metal hugging her curves far too well before she even pushed her power into it.

"Why does this fit so well?" She couldn't stop the words from leaving her mouth.

"I have your measurements," Felps said matter-of-factly.

"You have my what? Why?"

Felps just gave her an incredulous look. "The same reason the people who make your uniform do."

"Spark, now, please," Cabitz said, bringing them all back on topic.

El huffed slightly and did as the assistant asked. More runes, and the armor tightened around her abdomen and chest. A pair of epaulets came after that, then the other piece of armor on her right bicep.

"I've been meaning to ask," El said to Cabitz on her right. "These runes. They remind me of what I saw on the rings on Wirock, and in the Salidian gateway rooms. What are they?"

"Not entirely sure, myself," Cabitz said. "Felps?"

"In a way you can understand?" Felps said. "Shapes that guide power. These ones, I'm ashamed to say, are very rudimentary, but are also the best I can do. Someone more skilled in them could rewrite the laws of the universe."

"How did you learn them?" El asked.

"Hrm? Oh, the Pyre taught them to me when I was building the golem. At least, I think the Pyre did. It's all a little… fuzzy. I've repurposed them."

"Did you ever. After this is all said and done, I may have some more questions about them."

"That's fine, but let's finish with the armor, shall we?" Felps looked to El's other side.

When El turned to look to her left, she found Pinoa holding a different setup than she had on her right arm. Instead of two pieces for her upper and lower arm, there looked to be three pieces. A gauntlet that would extend just about her wrist, with dangerously-clawed fingers, a forearm piece that included an elbow joint, and finally an upper arm piece that seemed to connect to the epaulet. Actually, now that she looked at a bit closer, the left shoulder-piece was a bit bulkier than the right.

What are they trying to do…?

"This is going to hurt a bit," Pinoa said. "I'll try to be as gentle as I can."

"Just get it over with," El said, her breath coming a bit faster. Something about what they were doing filled her chest with a spark. Not her usual Spark, but one of… hope.

"Here we go," Pinoa said, and slid the upper arm pieces up as carefully as she could. It wasn't nearly careful enough, even the slightest touch sending gouges of pain up and down El's arm.

Still, all she could – would – do was grit her teeth and fight through it. A click signaled the piece was in place, and Pinoa efficiently followed with the forearm piece and the gauntlet – which was the absolute worst. The doctors had managed to straighten out her ruined hand, but that didn't mean every motion didn't grind bone or scrape scorched flesh.

By the time the other woman was finished, tears ran down El's cheeks, and her lips quivered from holding the scream in.

"Done. Spark," Pinoa said.

Willing to do anything to take her mind off the pain, El practically flared power into the new pieces of armor. Bright blue runes ignited almost like written plasma, while blue flames gushed out of the back of El's wrist, elbow, and shoulder where the armor pieces met. And with the power came blessed relief from the pain. Her whole arm, a second ago a symphony of agony, felt… normal.

Before she even realized what she was doing, El lifted her hand in front of her face, flames sparking within the joints of her bladed knuckles, then squeezed her hand into a fist. It was the first time she'd been able to move her hand or arm since the incident on Wirock, and it brought new tears to her eyes. All her fears she'd never be able to use the limb again came to the front of her mind, and she couldn't stop the single sob from escaping her lips.

"The left arm is designed to funnel the power of the triple-forged electrum into the healing runes on the bandages," Felps said softly. "That includes the pain-suppression. This process should amplify the healing enough for you to regain normal use of your arm in time. For now, you'll be able to fight with it, though it won't be quite as strong as you're used to."

"We built the plating on this arm thicker to protect it as best as we could," Cabitz said. "With how this armor should increase the power of your frost armor, we predict…"

Cabitz trailed off as El stepped forward and wrapped her arms – both of them, which felt burning good – around Cabitz and Felps. Pinoa came over and joined the hug a second later.

"Thank you," El said. All she could say, the emotions clogging her throat.

Cabitz hugged her back immediately, and even Felps slowly reached his arms up to join. They stood like that for a good ten seconds before the three scientists pulled away, tears on each of their cheeks. They'd known how much trouble her arm had been giving her… so they did this for her.

"Really, thank you," El said. "If there's anything I can…"

"Tests," Felps said while blowing his nose at the same time.

"Need to get the rest of the armor on, first," Cabtiz said, straight up using the sleeve of his orange lab coat to wipe his nose.

"Yeah," El responded, still marveling at the simple joy of moving her left arm. "Let's do that."

And they did. Two rectangular attachments – the wings, apparently – connected to the back of the chest-piece and shoulders. For a helmet, there wasn't much, really. It was actually more of a headband shaped like flames. A crown…?

As soon as the final piece was in place, the three scientists stepped back to stare at her.

"How do I look?" El asked.

"Spark," Pinoa said, taking a deep breath. "Through all of it."

"Oh, right," El said, then pushed her Spark into the entire suit of triple-forged-electrum armor all at once. Blue runes ignited across her body, a pair of snaps echoing from her back, and El's head jerked to look at what could've made that sound.

Then her jaw dropped.

She'd expected metal wings to match the armor. That wasn't at all what Felps had done. At least, not exactly. Instead, her blue, fiery wings held joints and dozens of metal feathers within the flames. How they even stayed in place made no sense, but they were both beautiful and badass.

"I know you use different configurations of your wings," Felps said, his voice returning to its more familiar and clinical tone. "These components will allow that, while providing you with additional options and power. By our estimations, you'll notice a considerable boost in strength. We'll have to run some tests to determine exactly how much, but…"

"What are we waiting for?" El asked, actually looking forward to tests for the first time. Her right hand reached up to grasp the hilt of her sword, and she drew it out of the In-Between while pushing her Spark into it. Just like on the armor, the runes lit up, and the edge ignited with blue plasma. "So, how about now? How do I look?"

"Like you were meant to," Pinoa said. "Like you're about to go kick some serious ass."