His Hand In The Shadows

Chapter 37: Tear Apart

The commander walked down the stairs of the Northern Military Base with Captain Xiaan. "Are you certain you can make it with your injuries?" he asked her.

Bandages were wrapped around the burns on her forearms. "If not me, who? You haven't enough captains present to count me out."

"With the fires we are seeing in the direction of the House of Euleus, it could be the same captain you faced in Arcus."

"Not a problem. I read the reports we had on her: Captain Selios, 3rd quadrant captain. I had plenty time to reminisce on my defeat while in the hospital." They entered the courtyard.

"We have your kestrel ready here, captain," a warrior said.

Captain Xiaan hoisted herself onto the kestrel. "I will see you then," she told the commander before taking off.

"Where is Lleth!" the commander shouted, looking up the balcony.

The captain led with three warriors behind her towards the smoke in the distance. She flew along Route 11, passing over Route 10. "Noble carriage down in Sector G, Route 9," she reported into her halo. "Seems duel is ongoing in the forest."

"Attained," the commander replied.

Blue fire became more visible through the overwhelming darkness when she flew over Grecel. Safe spaces were full leaving people to stampede through the streets. She descended by the entrance of the main House of Euleus. "Find Lady and Sir Euleus and escort them out," she told the warriors.

Captain Selios was fueling the fires as she walked through the grounds, burning the Houses. Captain Xiaan drew her hilt from her waist and formed a blade of fire over it. "Stop this!" she shouted.

Selios spoke with a monotone. "This fight is not with you, but with them."

"A war against my country is a war against me." Xiaan charged forward.

Blue fire shot up from the ground like geysers and she stepped back. Xian stomped the floor, cracking it beneath Selios' feet. Selios fell into the ground and it continued to cave inwards and closed above her head. Blue fire shot up and blew the top off the hole.

Xiaan had expected that burial to hold Selios. Xiaan was supposed to have the advantage. She had read up on her enemy. She had earth and fire at her disposal while Selios only seemed to know fire. Xiaan charged towards Selios. The fire geysers were now sending fire her way. Xiaan continued her charge and flashed her pure sword to channel the flames away from her. The fire bent away from her sword and curved to attack her from all directions. Selios wasn't even concerned with Xiaan and the geysers. She continued throwing fire at the Eleus mansions. She had no problem handling both targets.

"You and the boy are here to take out the nobles?" Xiaan yelled.

"He still suffers burns from using the last of the river's water to quench the fires your people set to our town."

Xiaan pulled boulders from the ground and ignited them. She aimed them at Selios. They collide with a fireball. Selios held her ear, receiving word from her commander. She jumped on to her kestrel and took off.

~

Ayla studied Reyes. Water, air and chrono. And Ikaric. He was the perfect weapon. Chrono manipulators were not even allowed into academies. They were sent straight to the hospital. There, they would be taught medicine. Those who had terms to complete, would serve in the military or guards as medics rather than fighters. The only fighting they would learn was basic strategies to defend themselves. Reyes however, had skills comparable to an Arcusian captain.