(very old) the Seals of Elements (discontinued for now)

[Chapter 16]

---Jade---

I shrieked as Hunter came tumbling down the stairs.
I helped him up and looked up the stairs to look what had caused him to fall.
At the top of the stairs stood a man, smiling a wicked smile. 
When Hunter looked up a well he shouted: "You!"
Then I recognized the man standing above us.
It was the man who had kidnapped Ayra.
I grabbed Hunter's arm. "We better go outside. It will make fighting a lot easier when it comes to that."
He nodded, but as soon as we made our move towards the door, smoke came pouring down the stairs.
"RUN!" Hunter shouted.

We rushed out of the building, onto the square. We turned around and saw the man standing in the doorway, smoke coming off his shoulders.
I looked at Hunter. He had his sword in his hand, gripping the handle so tight that his knuckles were white.
"Where is Ayra?" He asked.
"Oh don't worry about her. She is safely hidden away."
Hunter didn't take that answer very well.
I gripped his shoulder.
"We will find her. I promise we will find her." I said to him.
He put his hand over mine and nodded,
I was a little taken aback by this but I quickly recovered.
"So what do you want?" I said to the man.
"I have been given orders to get rid of you." He answered, pointing at Hunter.
He then flicked his wrist and smoke started to appear in the shape of a longsword before actually turning into one.

"Oh, you're not the only one who can do that," I said.
I closed my eyes and focused.
I pictured a sword in my mind and opened my eyes.
In front of me was a floating sword that looked exactly like I had imagined it, made of a ghostly white material.
I took it in my hand and got ready for a fight.
Next to me, Hunter did the same thing, but there was something different about him.
I looked at his eyes but instead of those stormy grey eyes of him, I saw a pair of amber-coloured ones that glowed like a hot piece of coal.
I also noticed the wind had picked up and I saw some dark clouds form above us.

I was the one to take the first hit.
The man sliced his sword upwards and I did not have enough time to respond.
He cut open my arm and went in for another blow, but that one was blocked by Hunter, who gave him a blow of fire directly after sending the man tumbling over the ground.
"Are you okay?" He asked looking at the cut in my arm.
I managed a smile. "I'm a healer dummy. Of course I'm fine"
As I spoke the wound started to seal itself.
Hunter opened his mouth to say something but had to jump aside to dodge the incoming blow of our opponent.
This time mister smoke focused completely on Hunter.
I tried to help, but before I could, an arrow embedded itself into the ground in front of me.
I looked around to see where it had come from and saw a redheaded boy standing on the roof of the building we had come out of.
Though I never really met him I still recognized him.
"Kenji?!"
Well... time to practice some mid-combat shifting.
I started running in Kenji's direction while focusing on the animal I wanted to change into.
I dodged an arrow and leapt forward.
With a flash of light,w I shifted into one of my favourite animals; A ferret.
Wow. I thought. That went easier than I thought.

As a ferret, I made my way to the building where Kenji had been standing on.
I scaled the wall and made my way to the roof.
Kenji didn't seem to notice me as I skitted past him and hid behind the chimney.
Let's just hope that shifting back will go just as easily.
I focused and with another flash of light I shifted back into my human form and quickly ran over to Kenji, knocking his bow out of his hands.
He shrieked and raised his hands to defend himself.
I, however, grabbed his tunic and summoned a small dagger.
"I'm not going to hurt you unless you give me no choice." I said.
He nodded and lowered his fists.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked. "Why were you attacking me?"
He lowered his gaze and stared at his feet.
"I'm doing what I have to do. Please tell Hunter that I'm sorry."
This answer threw me off guard.
Then the air behind him started to shimmer.
Kenji pulled himself loose from my grasp and stepped backwards, disappearing into thin air.
I stepped back in surprise. How did he do that? I thought, looking around me to see where he had gone.

I looked down and saw Hunter that Hunter was still fighting with the smoke man.
He was covering his left eye with his right hand while frantically trying to block all the incoming attacks with Shadow-Cleaver in his left.
I have to help him. I closed my eyes and focused. Well, this will either go well or terribly wrong.

I opened my eyes again and jumped off the roof. With yet another flash of light, I shifted into one of my other favourite animals; A falcon.

Searing down to where Hunter and the smoke man were fighting I shifted back into my human form whilst summoning a sword.
Hunter was just about to take another serious hit, but I parried the blow, making our opponent take a few steps back.
"You're okay?"I asked.
"Yeah. I little hurt but fine." He replied.
I took a quick look at his face and saw that he had a nasty cut over his left eye.
That is going to be one nasty scar. But with a little bit of Healing, he will be fine.
 "DUCK!" Hunter all of a sudden shouted.
I did as he said and felt the blade skip over my head.
In my hunched position, I turned around and kicked the man's legs from under him, resulting in him landing flat on his back.
Hunter skitted past me and grabbed him by his collar, pinning him to the ground.
I stood up and kicked away the man's sword.
"Now it is time for you to start talking." Hunter said, putting his blade against the man's neck. "Where is Ayra?"
The man put his hands up in surrender. "I'll talk. Please have mercy."
"You better answer him quick then." I said to the man. "Hunter has kind of a short fuse."

"The City-Master ordered us to take her. He didn't tell us why. That's all I know, I swear."
The man was now shaking.
I looked at Hunter. "The City-Master? Why would he kidnap Ayra?"
"I don't know. But whatever it is he's planning, it can't be good." He replied.
Then I realized something. I still hadn't told Hunter about Kenji.
Well, we first have to deal with this man.
"How are we gonna tie him up if he can just turn into smoke?" Hunter asked.
I thought for a little time and then snapped my fingers.
"I know a spell for that. I read about it somewhere in the Academy's library. All we need is some rope."
I looked around and saw a couple of rope bundles laying against the wall of one of the houses.
I took one with a decent length and placed my hands on it.
"Constituite diem magicae"
My necklace started to glow as I repeated the spell two more times.
When I looked at the rope I could see a faint red glow.
I quickly ran back to Hunter and helped him tie up our opponent.
When he saw the red glow he looked at me.
"What did you do?" He asked
"I placed an enchantment on the rope to prevent our friend here from using his magic."
After this, we went to one of the nearby houses and asked the inhabitants to warn the city guard.
When the man had been properly arrested, we made our wade back to the Academy.
I better tell him. I thought when we made it back to the dorms.
Hunter was walking in front of me, so I grabbed his shoulder, turning him around.
"What is it?" He asked
I exhaled. "I need to tell you something. It is about Kenji."