Solarian Refugee Camp

Marcus watched as the scene unfolded before him with Nyx's voice almost an echo of his own. Before Izol and his caravan were even out of ear shot he gave a bold command to his kin;

"Put this to torch. We do not need aid from the likes of these fools. They speak of freedom and oppression with the same tongue, in the same breath. It has been too long since we have lit a blaze glorious enough to draw Solaa's gaze"

Marcus was not a man of great military background or noble birth. He was, when Solaria was still whole, a man of simple pleasures. He had a wife, children and a simple job in the capital. What he did posses was a fire in his heart; a fire that burnt for the well being of his people and the often overlooked capability of inspiring his kin.

The crowd erupted into cheer as the offered supplies were quickly put to torch. Not only would this showcase the Solarian's nature as a stubborn, hotheaded and passionate but it would also call out for Solaa's aid to watch over them in their time of need. Marcus, and indeed all his followers, were hungry of course, there was no denying that. But even at their lowest point they were not going to be oppressed by anyone, Not by the natives that tore asunder their homeland and definitely not this Pheonix state. 

Before Marcus could speak to Aia, she would speak to him once more. "I am going to the Citadel. When you get things in order I would meet you there." With that she left, leaving her men behind to guard them should violence try to unfold. They would be more or less excorting the Solarians, making a wall between them and hostiles should this occur.

<exit to the Citadel>

Ildesias rode towards the scene, thirty horsemen behind him. He paused on an incline nearby and watched the fire, though made no move to get closer or to yet involve himself in any other way.

The Aaedanian men were shocked by the explosions. Most instantly being knocked on their asses by the blast. Their Armor protected them for the most part, only having minor wounds save for one unlucky Centurion who had sprinted the length on the southern plain and back again only to receive a large piece of wood into front of his shoulder. The price of medium armor.

The Centurion pulled the shrapnel from his left arm with a angry growl. He looked around and started helping the rest of the men up, they quickly rallied. Centurions barked orders at their men, "Aid the Phoenix, get the people away from the fires! Move the injured, if they can be moved, to the Phoenix medics. And get anymore of the flour away from the fires to prevent more of this hell! Move!" The soldiers moved fast, dropping their shields to gain speed. Should the Phoenix run into problems with the civilians the Aaedanians may be able to get them to comply.

The devastation from the explosion was palpable. Smoke from the refugee tents blocked out the sun. The Phoenix Statesmen and the Aaedanians, eyes glowing, would look like shadows running through the orange glow.

As the first cart was lit the Solarian's gazed upon the flames with hope that Solaa would finally answer their prayers, a thing they would later regret. The first cart was all that was managed to be set ablaze purposefully before the unexpected pyrotechnics began setting off a chain reaction down the caravans. Each detonation was small individually, the scattered and spread of the fire was deadly however while the force of the multiple blasts knocked those lucky enough not to be reduced to cinders instantly off their feet. 

Panic and terror ensued, not only was this a generally awful situation, for the Solarian's this was a sign from their divine creator Solaa; a sign of anger and disappointment at their cowardly self exile from their promised lands. Their bodies, now shattered and broken, matched their spirit flawlessly. Many Solarians would later herald this as the point that their deity had abandoned them. Leaving them to fend for themselves without it's warm embrace.

Marcus was frozen in his place on the floor unable to act or command through the chaos. His people, panic stricken and broken, fled the fire which seemed to reach forward and engulf all in it's path, spreading outwards at an alarming race. Those that were quick enough or far enough away from the initial blaze headed northwards away from the fire and towards the safety of the free city. 

Regaining control of his body would bring to light a searing pain running down the left of his body which was especially agonizing on his face. Marcus howled into the smoke filled sky as his water filled eyes finally made sense of the situation. A large shard of wood had dug itself just past the surface of his skin around his ribs, his armour taking the brunt of the blow and probably saving him from any major internal injuries. The unignorable stench of burning flesh assaulted the Solarian's nostrils; the stench of his own flesh. The left of his face, from just above his eye to the tip of his chin and reaching over to his ear, was badly burnt. 

Marcus struggled to his feet, pain racking his body as he did so. His right hand reached down to grasp the wooden stake ensuring that it would not go any deeper then it had already done so. He began to make his gambit to safety only managing to take a stride or two before the burden of his pain brought him back down to his knees. His eyes pierced the vale of smoke to watch over his people, reaching out to them as if they were mere inches away. "Is this to be my punishment for failing you Solaa?"

Through a hazed vale Marcus saw Nyx running towards him. His strength was beginning to leave him, the pain sapping it from each and every muscles.

"You... you should not be here." He stopped speaking abruptly, coughing out a good amount of blood onto the floor around him, perhaps his injury was worse then it seemed.

The Aaedanian bravely traversed her way through the deadly lick of both flame and flying debris alike to scoop Marcus into her arms. He attempted to struggle free of his would-be savior but could not muster the energy to make a convincing attempt. "Solaa had abandoned us, all is lost"

There wasn't much Izol could do but load the the injured and tend to their wounds. He'd remove his upper body armor and helm to have better attention to the wounds. He first made his way to a med supply carriage that right now was salves, water, and cloths. It wasn't much, but it's what they could throw together in the time they had.

His first victim was a severe burn. He'd rub salve on what skin and salvageable skin the woman had. He'd tie cloths with salve on them around the burns to numb the nerves to take away the pain. He'd load her onto his Rhino, laying her down on her belly.

The next was a small stone that acted like a bullet when it hit a man forearm. With nothing he could do at the moment, and having to save the salve for the burns, he would simply tell the man to start walking towards the fort for better service.

"Sir, if you'll head in that direction to the Kiraxo-Torsal Fort, we can get that out. We have excellent medical services that will take care of you immediately. Maybe someone will pick you up, but I must address to the burn victims. Now hurry, before infection sets in." Izol spoke before going back to work.

"My people.... Survive..." Marcus' head fell limp as he slipped out of consciousness still in Nyx's arms. While many had perished in the great fire many more had escaped with minor wounds and had gathered in the plains between the camp's charred remains and the city to watch in horror as the flames died down.

Night was beginning to fall over the plains, with the sun slowly setting in the sky in sync with the fires lessening to embers. The air was filled with sorrow, pain and the overwhelming scent of charred flesh and burning wood. The pillars of smoke which rose far into the sky would be visible for many miles; signaling the last time that Solaa would contact his chosen people. 

It was a solemn day, one which would complete the downfall of the Solarians and forever be etched in their memory of those there that day.

{Clearly the wrong account. My bad}

"No. I'm just surprised," he told Pjui-Pjui, before moving down.

He rode towards Izol, Nyx and Marcus. "I've sent messengers back to the Citadel. More help will come soon, I'm sure," he told them, before dismounting from his horse. Before long, help did indeed arrive in the form of soldiers and civilians with knowledge of healing and medicine.

"Let's set up some tents here," Ildesias told the officer sent to overlook the men. "And make sure those who are injured badly do not have far too travel. We can split the burden between the fortress soldiers and here and make sure everyone is seen to in a timely manner."

He looked around, before catching the eye of one of the healers. "Come here. We have a man who needs attention."

The healer came running, preparing to see to Marcus if no-one else could.