Trial by Fire

[Nykkolaia]

((OOC: Alternatively titled, 'What Nykk did on her summer vacation...' - I.E., Where she disappeared IC when I disappeared OOC between Wrathgate and her IC appearance in Naxxramas.))


Nykkolaia's hands were turning blue in the snows of Dragonblight.

Time had passed since the events of the Wrathgate, but the mage had not left Northrend in all that time. In fact, she had rarely left Dragonblight. Wyrmrest Temple rose darkly against the grey sky from where she knelt in the snow, burying her stiff fingers in the ice. Staring at the sky, she tore her hands free and summoned the arcane powers within - willing the power of frost. She was surrounded by it, for the sake of the gods!

Why is this so hard? Frost came, but she had to push it... Dig far deeper within than she ever had before. "Come tae mah, damn yeh!" she growled through her teeth. Her throat was thick with panic as she ignored the flames lingering at the edge of her psyche.

Nykk hadn't seen anyone since the end of the battle. The idea of people was too hard to bear. Too much had happened at the Wrathgate... but after it was over, the long term remainder on her spirit was something all together different than expected. It was the inescapable memory of the moment that Jolstraer saved her, and the fire... the fire that would not leave her.

She screamed. The fire raced out from her, explosively and unbidden. It melted the top layer of the snow and set her scars to burning. Throwing herself forward, she pressed her face into the snow until the searing pain faded. When she sat back, out of breath and with tears freezing on her face, she stared at the sky and had to acknowledge that Ice had abandoned her.

Only the fire remained.