Phoenix Pyre

The Taig is only just turning its head towards you, a curious look in its eyes, as you speak a single word of magic. Instantly, the world around you slows to a crawl as pain consumes every fiber of your existence and a shriek like a hunting bird of prey tears from your throat. Your flesh erupts in a cascade of flames which spreads out across the entire chamber, but from your perspective the flames crawl through the air. The pain is beyond anything you have ever felt before, you feel like you are being burned and torn apart from within. With supreme effort, you focus the tattered remnants of your will and force Phoenix Pyre into your Crown of the Exalted, freeing your Concentration for other tasks. The pain does not exactly fade, you are able to push past it now.

A prompt shimmers into your vision as the flames bursting from your skin incinerate the vines holding you in place.

Your party member Ceirios is suffering from a Moderate Wound, Internal Bleeding. Do you wish to cure this Wound at the cost of 10% of your maximum Stamina?

You accept the cost, and a new wave of flames begins pouring from your body. Even as you drop slowly, so slowly, to the ground, your newly-freed hands begin to move in the gestures for Soulfire Blast. You hit the ground on your knees but are able to twist and push your palms out towards the dark mass of thorny vines in the center of the room, aiming to the side of Cai's corpse. You watch in detached fascination as the silvery flames wreathe your hands and then slowly crawl across the room in a thick Kamehameha-style beam.

Another pulse of flame billows out of your body just as the first reaches the Taig, which is just starting to turn away from the effects of your spell, and another prompt shimmers into your view.

Your Soulmate Brighid Fireheart is suffering from a disease, Mindfog Pollen Infection. Do you wish to cure this disease at the cost of 10% of your maximum Stamina?

Again, you accept the cost. You watch as your Soulfire Blast reaches the briar heart and begins to eat away at the clearly fireproofed brambles. With the infinite care afforded to you by your drastically enhanced perception of time, you carve around Cai without touching her body. The dakhol has managed to pull itself free of Ceirios even as she collapses in slow motion to the floor, no longer supported by vines, now reduced to ashes, or the monster. It takes an achingly slow step towards you as the second wave of flame washes over it. Curious, you open your combat log.

Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre deals 1,839.66 fire damage [250.55 base +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 3 due to vulnerability to fire damage] to Dark Vines. x192
Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre deals 61.32 fire damage [250.55 base +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 0.1 due to resistance to fire damage] to Deathbramble Heart.
Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre deals 61.32 fire damage [250.55 base +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 0.05 due to resistance to fire damage] to Dakhol Savage.
Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre deals 306.61 fire damage [250.55 base +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 0.5 due to resistance to fire damage] to Tannath Taig.
Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre heals 490.58 points [250.55 +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Lifeforce] of Health, Stamina, Concentration, and Psyche to Brighid Fireheart.
Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre heals 490.58 points [250.55 +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Lifeforce] of Health, Stamina, Concentration, and Psyche to Llwyd.
Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre heals 490.58 points [250.55 +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Lifeforce] of Health, Stamina, Concentration, and Psyche to Maeryn.
Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre heals 490.58 points [250.55 +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Lifeforce] of Health, Stamina, Concentration, and Psyche to Ysbail.
Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre heals 490.58 points [250.55 +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Lifeforce] of Health, Stamina, Concentration, and Psyche to Ceirios.

That was from the initial burst of flames. After it comes your Soulfire Blast:

Aidan Lostlorn's Soulfire Blast deals 2.27 fire damage [10 base +14% average Skill level +30% average of Willpower and Charisma +20% Weave the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower Talent, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 0.1 due to target's resistance to fire damage] to Deathbramble Heart. Deathbramble Heart is afflicted with Soulburn!
Aidan Lostlorn's Soulfire Blast deals 13.61 fire damage [10 base +14% average Skill level +30% average of Willpower and Charisma +20% Weave the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower Talent, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 0.6 due to target's resistance to fire damage] to Deathbramble Heart. x8

Then the second wave of Phoenix Pyre and the final tick of the first second of Soulfire Blast:

Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre deals 735.87 fire damage [501.1 base +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 0.6 due to resistance to fire damage] to Deathbramble Heart.
Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre deals 122.64 fire damage [501.1 base +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 0.05 due to resistance to fire damage] to Dakhol Savage.
Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre deals 613.22 fire damage [501.1 base +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 0.5 due to resistance to fire damage] to Tannath Taig.
Aidan Lostlorn's Soulfire Blast deals 13.61 fire damage [10 base +14% average Skill level +30% average of Willpower and Charisma +20% Weave the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower Talent, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 0.6 due to target's resistance to fire damage] to Deathbramble Heart.

You close your fists to keep from burning Cai's body as you track your hands towards the charging dakhol. You manage to get a single tick of damage in before pain erupts from you again as flames once more fill the chamber.

Aidan Lostlorn's Soulfire Blast deals 1.14 fire damage [10 base +14% average Skill level +30% average of Willpower and Charisma +20% Weave the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower Talent, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 0.1 due to target's resistance to fire damage] to Dakhol Savage. Dakhol Savage is afflicted with Soulburn!
Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre deals 1,104.24 fire damage [751.95 base +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 0.6 due to resistance to fire damage] to Deathbramble Heart.
Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre deals 1,012.22 fire damage [751.95 base +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 0.55 due to resistance to fire damage] to Dakhol Savage.
Aidan Lostlorn's Phoenix Pyre deals 920.2 fire damage [751.95 base +9% average Skill level +28% average Skill Attributes +40% Weaving the Strands +1% Strength in Diversity, times 1.1 Firepower, times 1.25 Initiate rank in Fire Magic; multiplied by 0.5 due to resistance to fire damage] to Tannath Taig.

All of the basic dark vines in the room have long since been reduced to white ash, rising now on the rush of heated air towards the ceiling of the chamber. Your party members are only just beginning to recover and respond to the sudden turn of events. Ceirios, Maeryn, and Llwyd slump to the floor, but Ysbail gets her feet under her and heaves herself upwards, moving to intercept the dakhol and push it away from you with the weight of her body. She needn't have bothered, but there was no way for her to know that the dakhol would be nothing but cinders by the time your ritual reaches its completion. Another series of prompts shimmer into view on wings of scarlet flame.

Your party member Ysbail is suffering from a Moderate Trauma, Raped by Dark Vines. Do you wish to cure this Trauma at the cost of 1% of your maximum earned experience points?
Your party member Maeryn is suffering from a Severe Trauma, Raped by Dark Vines. Do you wish to cure this Trauma at the cost of 2% of your maximum earned experience points?
Your party member Llwyd is suffering from a Severe Trauma, Raped by Dark Vines. Do you wish to cure this Trauma at the cost of 2% of your maximum earned experience points?

You accept the cost for each without hesitation and return your attention to the dakhol. Silver-white flames are splashing off of its torso as it lopes towards you, and between the Soulfire and Phoenix Pyre its fur is already starting to smoke and shrivel. You feel yourself begin to lift into the air, rising on fiery wings towards the center of the chamber, and fire explodes out from you again.

More prompts cascade across your mind as you re-direct the Soulfire Blast towards the Tannath Taig, which is scrambling and trying to flee from the chamber.

Your party member Cai is suffering from a Severe Wound, Pierced by Many Thorns. Do you wish to cure this Wound at the cost of 50% of your maximum Stamina?
Your party member Cai is suffering from a Traumatic Wound, Broken Back. Do you wish to cure this Wound at the cost of 20% of your maximum Health?
Your party member Cai is suffering from a Mortal Wound, Ruptured Lungs. Do you wish to cure this Wound at the cost of 30% of your maximum Health?
Your party member Brighid Fireheart is suffering from a Hellish Trauma, Betrayed Soulmate. Do you wish to cure this Trauma at the cost of 5% of your maximum earned experience points?
Your party member Ceirios is suffering from a Hellish Trauma, Bound by Dark Vines and Raped by Dakhol. Do you wish to cure this Trauma at the cost of 5% of your maximum earned experience points?
Your party member Llwyd is suffering from a Hellish Trauma, Witnessed Death and Defilement of Lover. Do you wish to cure this Trauma at the cost of 5% of your maximum earned experience points?

You heal the Traumas without even thinking about it, but you actually have to stop and think about Cai for a moment. You are certain she is dead, and you do not know how long a person can be dead before Phoenix Pyre can revive them. Her Traumatic and Mortal Wounds also are costing you half of your total health, which would leave you with only a single tick of Phoenix Pyre left. Before you decide, you cast your glance around the room. The Dakhol is now fully engulfed in flames, as is the Deathbramble Heart. The Taig staggering to the ground, overcome with pain, and Ceirios is looking straight at it and casting an Earth Magic spell. You are as certain as you can be that your enemies are defeated, and you would hate yourself if there was a chance to save Cai that you opted not to take. You accept those costs as well.

You thought the pain was bad before, but it is nothing compared to the roaring inferno of flames which engulf the entire room after you sacrifice half of your maximum health to recover Cai's Wounds. Your entire existence devolves into colossal ocean of pain upon which sits a tiny island, barely a sandbar really: two more shining prompts.

Your party member Cai is suffering from a Hellish Trauma, Memories of Death. Do you wish to cure this Trauma at the cost of 5% of your maximum earned experience points?
Your party member Cai has died, but her soul has yet to depart this plane for the next. Do you wish to restore her soul to her body and return her to life? Warning! Doing this will end Phoenix Pyre and cost you 10% of your maximum earned experience points, a fragment of your soul, and your life. Will you accept the ultimate price?

You hesitate for just a moment, long enough to pass the silver Soulfire beam across where you believe the Taig to be, then you send a silent apology to Brighid and accept the price for Cai's life. One final, immense wave of fire spreads out from your very soul, and then, mercifully, darkness descends upon you.