The hivemind is conquering for me?

After the interaction with Morrgan, I slowly went around saying bye to everyone else. out of the thirty or so elites that we left with, only eighteen were still alive. Out of those eighteen, only eleven were still planet side.

Skaja, Ulf, Lena, Bubble, Vine, Kephissa, Tamara, Francesca, Iilr, Frost and Morrgan. Twelve if I counted myself. The rest had been carted off over the course of the war due to a series of injuries.

I made a point to speak with every single one of them, except for Tamara and Francesca as I couldn’t find them, to thank them for all their hard work over the last months. Most had severe injuries over their bodies that they had been dealing with for a while.

Iilr lost his eye in that last fight. Bubble was holding his gut together with some duck tape and a dream. Kephissa was cut from head to toe in injuries, Vine only had a minor laceration on her head and Frost was missing a leg.

Apparently he got too close to a Silver pauldron, at which point the thing picked him up and bit off his leg. Brutal.

Fortunately a Praetorian swiftly saved him.

The only ones that were perfectly healthy were Skaja, Ulf, Lena and Morrgan.

”So, what will you be doing once you are back at the college Iilr?” I asked.

”Ha! What else, my friend? That big bastard in the lake must be missing me something serious right now. I think it’s time I showed it my new scars!”

I laughed at the big bald man and replied, ”Ha. Never change, brother, never change.”

”Never. I wouldn’t give the galaxy the dishonour.” He chuckled before offering up his hand to me.

I took it and shook it and he proceeded to smack me on the shoulder. ”So, stepping into the political shite, ey? I wont say I envy you because Fuuuuck~ That. But I suppose a Sentinel has to do Sentinel things.”

”Yeah... Honestly, if it wasn’t Sigismund asking me to do it, I wouldn’t be doing it, I know fuck all about politics. I’d rather just go and see Orchid, Janine and Hailey and study for a bit longer at the college.”

”Study, he says. Mr Warlord killer wants to study more... Jeez. Let us normal folk have a chance to catch up, ey?” Iilr jested and I simply laughed.

He swatted me on the shoulder once more. ”Alright kid, I’ll let you be. Besides, that one is giving me the frights and I want to get far away from her.”

Iilr pointed behind me and Lena was creeping around again. I had already said bye to her twice already, each time she asked for more burns.

Once Iilr had walked away, Lena scooted towards me once more.

Pressing her fingers together, she looked up at me. ”So... Bye... Again.” She said, looking really sad. So sad that she wasn’t even bothering to ask for more burns.

I felt really bad. Which was weird as not burning someone was usually a good thing.

’Sol. Is there anything you can do to ease her addiction to the flames? I don’t want my friend to be upset.’ I asked. Sol was the reason Lena was obsessed after all, though it was nobody’s fault.

’I know not what you wish me to do, my Kindled. Do you have anything in mind? I doubt you want to reveal my presence to her?.’

I shook my head. That wasn’t a good idea. If Lena saw Sol... I didn’t humour the thought. It gave me the heebie-jeebies. I was about to tell Lena I was sorry and that I would miss her again, but Sol then suggested.

’I could brand her without making her a Kindled?’

’What do you mean?’ I inquired.

Sol then explained what she meant, not through words, but through our connection and my eyes went wide with surprise. ’That’s a thing? She won’t become a kindled will she?’

’No, my love. That title is for you and for you alone. But the mark will make her more noticeable towards others with my gift as a fleck of my true being will be on her body.’

”I guess I should go and get ready for space travel huh?” Lena said with extra dejection in her voice, a hint that she really wanted her burns.

I rolled her eyes at her failed attempt to be subtle and requested,

”Lena, lower your corset slightly.”

Lena gasped playfully. ”Apollo! I know I am a hot piece of ass and you are all sorts of yummers, but we are besties... Though ok, I’ll let you cop a feel in exchange for a burn. Yesterday’s agreement.

Lena then dropped her corset in front of a bunch of people, tits in the breeze.

I swiftly walked up to her, using my body to cover her.

”No, you little melt. I really just meant just drop it slightly. I am not going to burn you, I am going to give you something better.”

”*GASP!* What?!?” She asked, her eyes going almost as wide as Janine’s.

I got into her wavelength and hunched down slightly to whisper. ”It’s a secret. Will you keep a secret for your best friend?” I asked.

”Apollo. I would burn the king to a crisp if you asked. That’s how much we are besties... Though don’t ask me that please.”

”Don’t worry I won’t”

”Good.”

”Good.”

”So, what’s the secret?”

”It’s power. It’s a secret power that I am going to give to you. This way you can carry my flame with you at all times. How do you like that?

”WHAT! ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!” Lena screamed, breaking the silence as she jumped onto my body and began to assault my cheeks with kisses!”

”Yes, I’m serious! Lena let go, people are looking. They are going to get the wrong idea.”

”Fuck them! Do it to me! Give it to me!”

”Lena. You need to watch your phrasing. If you say weird stuff like that while clinging onto me, people might get the wrong idea.” I said.

Lena dropped back to the ground and looked at me for a moment before giggling. ”Hehehe~ You still have such a dirty mind, Apollo. Ok-ok. I am good. So what are you going to do to me... You will be gentle right? It’s my first time receiving your secret power~” She proceeded to bite her nail and looked at me with a blatantly obvious seductive look. I just rolled my eyes and ignored the teasing.

I then grabbed Lena’s left breast from underneath, pushing it up slightly and pulled her corset down a little so the top of her cleavage was more exposed. I then focused up and began to use my finger, coated in not entirely my own Pyrokinetic energy, but a slight mixture of Sol’s true strength, to begin drawing a pattern on Lena.

The effect was obvious. Lena wasn’t moaning, enjoying the burn. Her skin had burnt black instantly and she began to sweat quite heavily. She didn’t cry out though, fortunately as I couldn’t explain what I was doing.

I focused hard on the pattern I had in my mind. Fortunately it was not completely new to me. I had seen it before.

Once done I pulled back and gave a glance at my handiwork. It was a small mark, roughly the size of a bottle cap. A heart at the bottom of the burn with two curled wings at its side and atop away from that part was a small decorative arrowhead.

A Glyph.

”Ignis.” I spoke and the burn suddenly set on fire before disappearing from Lena’s skin.

Lena looked down and began poking her boob. ”Apollo, where is it gone... That was so intense. I’ve not felt pain like that in so long. I missed it so much.”

”Lena, do you recall what happened to my burns?”

She nodded her head. ”Yeah, they disappear because they are branded to your soul- Oh Did you-

”Yes. I did. Just repeat this after me. Ignis.”

”Ignis?”

The black burn Glyph returned after a small puff of fire and Lena smiled. ”Apollo, it’s beautiful. Thank you so-”

The colour drained from Lena’s face as she stopped speaking, I was about to ask what was wrong, but she clapped her hands together and volatile fire began to dance across her hands

”He-Hehehe-EHheheheheh! HEHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH!” She began to laugh hysterically drawing attention, though most walking past saw what was in her hands and rolled their eyes, muttering.

’Fire fuckers...’

”Lena? Are you good?” I asked.

”I can feel your fire~ It’s smaaaall~ But it’s in there~ Forever~ Hehehehe!”

”!!!”

Lena then snapped back to reality looking up at me, surprising me as I knew what she was like with fire.

”Apollo, this is more than anyone has or ever will do for me. You need anything, including that joke about Sigismund earlier, I mean it. I will do it for you. I will do anything, for as many times as you request. I will never pay back this debt to you. Thank you. Now lean down so I can kiss your fod”

I leant down and Lena smooched me on the forehead for a few seconds before pulling back, seemingly wanting me to ask her for something.

”OH! I guess don’t let anyone see that mark. I chose that spot for a reason so when you aren’t wearing your corset, maybe wear a bra? As it will glow for a couple of seconds on activation”

Lena saluted me. ”No problem bestie. I wasn’t planning on getting laid anyway. I’m still not ready for that stuff. Besides~ I am married to the flames that heat up my breast now anyway~”

Lena then turned around after pulling back up her corset and began to walk towards the ship, staring at her own boobs the entire time. Having a bad feeling I also shouted after her.

”Don’t use your flames on the ship!”

Lena proceeded to turn around towards me and sulked.

”Awww, ok.”