Pyre Academy
Out of the Frying Pan

"I wanna talk" Victoria said, as she stood over the student.

"I have nothing to say to you, traitor..." The student spat at her.

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"Why did Abyssia attack Rosefall?" Victoria asked.

"Didn't you hear me, bitch?" The student growled.

"I heard you, but that means you know who I am, and what I've done" Victoria smirked. The student grunted in annoyance.

"Just tell me, why did she attack Rosefall?" Victoria asked.

"She's done it so none of Lumina's spies can go west, and interfere with the Empress Abyssia's plans there, she's also burned down the docks in Southan and Northan. The docklands in Aranei and Demi have also ceased operations." The student explained. "Obviously, Ishtall is in no state to do anything, sealed in that bubble of theirs" He added.

"I understand the reasoning, but the docks had already ceased operating in Rosefall, there was no need to burn down the docks." Victoria sighed.

"She doesn't trust Pyre either, she thinks he is up to something" The student replied.

"Not very trusting, is she?" Victoria joked.

"She is only trying to protect the world from Lumina" The student replied angrily.

"And burning it down in the process" Victoria shrugged.

"Whatever, where are we headed?" The student asked.

"Pyre Academy" Victoria replied as she turned to climb the ladder back to the cabin.

"Great" The student rolled their eyes.

"So, what do I call you?" Victoria asked.

"Pellan" The student replied.

"Okay, Pellan. When we reach Pyre, I'll hand you over to them, I don't expect you will be treated badly" Victoria said, as she climbed the ladder.

"How very kind of you" Pellan grunted.

The airship soon reached the western continent, but as soon as they'd flown over Karth, a rocket from the snowy wastes to the south hit the engine.

"Warning! Warning! Engine power offline! Prepare for emergency landing!" The automated voice repeated.

"Shit" Victoria shouted, as she resumed manual piloting, Victoria aimed the ship toward a large open clearing and braced for impact. The ship hit the ground with an almighty thud and rolled over several times, as windows smashed and computers exploded.

Both Victoria and Pellan we're knocked out by the explosion. A few minutes passed and footsteps approached the airship, two soldiers in full power armour entered the ship and picked up both Pellan and Victoria and carried them outside. The soldiers carried the two aboard a nearby transport, bearing the symbol of the Imperium.

Imperistia, the capital of the Imperium was an expansive tiered city. Three tiers each one higher than the other, with large waterfalls running down the giant walls that sat between the three districts.

Though, below the three tiers sat another three tiers, the Imperista Undercity. This is where the non-Elvman citizens of the Imperium lived, only full-blooded Elvman were permitted to live on the higher tiers. The Undercity never saw the sun, as the city above covered the whole city. Water dripped down constantly from sewage pipes and various other leakages, leaving the Undercity with a constant bad smell.

In a far corner of the upper tier of the Undercity sat the prisoner holding facility, where the Imperium took those they seized from the skies above the Western Continent. Victoria and Pellan awoke to find themselves in one of the dark, dingy cells.

Victoria looked around, and started panicking.

"No... not again... not again!" She yelled.

"Keep it down!" Pellan said, grabbing hold of Victoria and shaking her. Victoria noticed he had a large cut along the side of his arm from the crash.

"I can't do this again... please get me out of here" She cried, still panicking.

"We'll try, but first you're gonna need to get it together" Pellan growled.

Victoria nodded and sat back down.

"Where are we?" She said, looking at Pellan.

"No idea, I just woke up here, same as you" Pellan sighed.

"I'm... sorry I panicked" Victoria sighed.

"It's okay, I know what Amanda did to you... I'm not heartless" Pellan smiled slightly. "We just gotta bide our time and wait for an opening" He nodded.

Suddenly the door swung open, and a Praetor was stood at the door.

"Come with me" He said, the two stood up and followed the Praetor out of the cell and down a dingy looking corridor. He led them to an office and motioned for them to sit down, which they did. He then took a seat himself.

"Araneians, I presume? Judging by the marks on board your airship" The Praetor began.

"Yes, I am, I'm a student at the Imperial Academy" Pellan replied.

"No, I'm from Ishtall" Victoria replied, knowing that if she revealed who she was, they'd most certainly kill her or worse.

"Is she your prisoner, Imperial?" The Praetor asked.

"Other way around" Pellan sighed.

"Interesting" The Praetor said, raising an eyebrow. The then sat forward and put his hands together. "And what was an Araneian airship, with an Ishtallian and an Araneian doing, travelling to Pyre?" He asked, with a smirk.

Pellan and Victoria looked at each other, worried, knowing the wrong answer could have huge repercussions for the Empire.

"Well?" The Praetor prodded.

"I was delivering the prisoner to the custody of Rychard Pyre" Victoria sighed.

"Our sworn enemy?" The Praetor smashed his hand against the metal table.

"I'm not going to sit here and tell you what I think you want to hear, Praetor" Victoria said, staring at the Praetor.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" The Praetor frowned.

"A nobody, a lowly Praetor of the Imperial, judging by your office" Victoria smirked, motioning to the leaky roof of the interview room and the dirty carpet.

"How dare you!" The Praetor yelled as he threw the table over and went to run over to Victoria, but as he reached her, blood came from his mouth, Victoria had stabbed him with her Celestial Weapon, she threw him to the side and then stood up.

"What did you just do?" Pellan panicked.

"I'm not a prisoner any more, and I'm not going to let anyone cage me up any longer" She said through gritted teeth.

"Well, I hope you have an exit strategy" Pellan shrugged.

"Fight our way out" Victoria smirked. Pellan sighed and summoned a pair of Celestial Pistols.

"If you insist" He shrugged, and kicked the door to the interview room open.

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