The Ashen Fortress

[Miranda Frost]

And thus, the Demon disappeared into the catacombs of his own dark fortress. The breeze would pick up ever so slightly in his passing as if the ashy air was as cautious of him as Miranda was. This alliance would be a temporary one, this was a irrefutable fact. No man would totally control Miranda, not him nor November. Miranda would do as she pleased. Her face would loosen, her eye narrowing at the fountain of crimson beneath her. She could see it, no... she could feel it. Like Kuzuru, it would seem many have gave there blood here in this ancient fountain. Unlike Kuzuru, the blood here mingled and joined together, bound by a single purpose. Her eye glanced behind her at the young secondary that challenged her prior. Her eyes burning with anger and disbelief. Reaching down, the white haired brawler would grasp the small dagger in her steely grasp. She'd turn towards the assassin, twirling the blade in her palm and offered it to her.

 "Do you know why your blade, while able to slice through others, could not bare its edge against me?", she'd ask as the young Cinder as she shuffled to her, snatching the hilt from her loose grasp. Hmph, no answer. Pity.... "I saw you approach. I knew what you wielded. I knew your capabilities.", she'd say, moving a claw up to her coat's zipper, beginning to  pull its heavy weight down. Eventually its own weight would pull itself from her body, sliding over her shoulders, and crumple heavily to the stone floor, tossing ash and soot into the air. 

 This was something Miranda enjoyed greatly. It was the feeling of breaking chains and removing the weight of the world from oneself. She nearly felt weightless without the coat's constant pull on her entire body. She could feel her tense muscles relax beneath her revealed white tee. To most it would appear as casual garb and they would be right for the most part. Miranda hated clothing that was either too confining or revealing. Something that was secure yet hung loose on her body was just... liberating. 

 Turning to the fountain, she'd  lean down to scrape her claws over the surface of the blood pool. It would ripple and her reflection would shatter. She concentrate hard upon the sun in her chest, the crystal she was cursed to bear. A crimson aura would envelop her like flames. The ash cloud that descended upon her would dissipate, flowing around her. A lone claw would trace up her body to her scarred cheek. There wasn't many places she could draw her blood from. She'd press the claw down upon the long scar that draped over her left eye, re-opening it. Her body would lean over ever so slightly over the fountain, fiery crimson tears streaming down her cheek before dripping into the hungry pool.

 The blood didn't react well with the amount given to the fountain. Crimson translucent flames spread like ripples over the fountain's surface. Sighing, Miranda would  step back from the fountain and turn towards Cinder. Her Aura was gone, replaced by the fiery light emanating from the cursed fountain.  She knew her blood would not mix with the blood of others. Hers was a volatile mixture due to the power crystals in her chest. Soon the rest of the fountain would be spoiled by the charred remains of her own life force. With that done she'd follow the instructions to her room, passing Cinder by.
 "Be wary of that demon you serve, or you will be devoured like the many that inhabit him"