Light and Fire (Argence)

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**Description:** Celina takes her first dive into the lush land of River Rise surrounding the academy. Unlike the first day, she's taken her trusted weapon, Moon Glade, with her. As she descends into the unknown waters and dense forests, she can only hope the rest will be just as simple.

**Light and Fire**

Wind.

It brushed gently over her legs and arms as she dived over the edge. They rippled off her clothes and her ponytail glittered silver in the trail behind her.

Water.

Streams gleamed beside her and crashed in the distant pools below. She felt the beads of vapor brush off her skin as she passed them. This time, she was ready.

Celina reached behind her belt smiling as her fingers wrapped around the familiar feeling of weight. She pulled it off the magnetic clip and let it unfold in her grasp. The pole extended outwards and the rattling of chains inside reverberated. With a click, a twin set of curved blades swung out from the central mechanism and fixed themselves just below the glaive's crescent blade. Sunlight gleamed off the sleek metal.

With a flourish, she twisted a switch and swung the glaive through open air. The head detached with the chain and went careening into the mountainside. It wedged solidly into the stone, and Celina's body followed the momentum swinging across. At the end of her arc, she jerked the chain and the blade dislodged. She finally made it to her goal.

The twin trails left by the red eyed girl's daggers were still cleanly cut into the face of the mountain. With another swing, she rocked the bladed pendulum near the crevice's top and grappled somewhat gently over. She took a seat on Moon Glade's shaft jutting out from the stone.

Looking around, Celina drank in the sights. The bow girl had long since disappeared in the distants woods and the shark boy vanished into the crashing waters. From above, she saw the other students begin their descent. One flew off with a hang glider while a couple others dropped down not noticing her temporary seat. Though she could descend into the waters like them, she shuddered at the thought of fighting anything off solid land.

She recalled Aurelia's words.

*"I've heard that there are all sorts of natural caves just under the school."*

Perhaps she could find her way into one. The mountainside itself already proved to be fragile enough to break through; her temporary seat was proof enough. All she really needed now was to figure out where they might come close to the surface.

Gingerly, she knocked on the cliffside next to her. The dull thud told her she wouldn't find her entrance here. Swinging her legs over Moon Glade's shaft, she jumped down and hung by her arms, detaching the pole once more. She slowly rappeled down the chain knocking in small intervals. Each was rejected by the solid stone.

Just as Celina was about to give up, an echoing reverberation came back near the bottom of the scarred cliffside. Smiling, she put both of her boots against the surface and pushed off it. Gravity did the rest of her work as she rocked back and kicked through sending stone and debris alongside her into the newly created entrance.

Brushing the dust off her, Celina got to her feet and grapped her weapon's pole. With a sharp yank, the blade above drew itself out of the crack and retracted back to its position at the top of the shaft. She twirled the glaive and compacted it back into its shield-like form clipping it to the back of her belt.

Though daylight streamed gently into the exposed tunnels, the light didn't travel much farther in. Celina squinted and peered onto the path angling downwards. Silently she hoped there'd be a natural exit at the bottom. At the very least she could make one, she thought.

Closing her eyes, Celina breathed in deeply. The sunlight surrounding her slowly drained into her body. She felt the warmth seep into her. After several breaths, she felt her body full and leered into the dark once again. Holding out her palm, a small orb of light gathered in her hand and floated in place.

*Illuminate.*

The ball surged and flooded the cave with light. She smiled to herself. Her path was lit.