The Phoenix Summoner (ON HOLD)

31

Anya zig zagged throughout the endless corridors of the catacombs. She ran her hand against the wall as she walked, that way she would know when she reached a turn or a fork. She made a right turn coming face to face with a dead end. She ran her hands over the wall until she found the piece she was looking for. She presses down on the brick, and the wall opened revealing her room. You don't live in the little palace your whole life without knowing the ins and outs.

She raced in quickly buttoning her kefta. She changed into a simple dark grey shirt, with a black long skirt. She grab a dark cardigan from her screen and replaced her heels with combat boots. She took out her braids letting her long hair flow down her back. She quickly grabbed a bag stuffing it with whatever she needed. Finally she took the Legend of the Phoenix and placed it in her bag. She was about to leave when whispers filled her ears.

"They're coming..." Footsteps are heard outside her door and Anya quickly runs back to the door. She stops suddenly remembering one important item. She raced over to the vanity grabbing her pendant from the drawer. She was able to shut the secret door just in time, as she heard several guards enter her room.

"She's not here."

"Find her." She freezes in fear at the sound of Aleksander's voice. She takes a deep breath and turns running back the way she came.

~

Anya had been running through the catacombs for what felt like hours. She knew she had taken a wrong turn somewhere but was unsure when she had. She ran her hand along the wall until she felt another lever. She pressed down and the doorway opened behind the church. She cautiously steps out checking her surroundings.

"You're not supposed to be here, are you, limping man?" Anya freezes in her tracks. She quietly tip toes to the curtain, opening it just enough for her to peer through. She watched Eric, the Inferni who had performed at the presentation with his sister shuffle through the aisle. He looked like a hunter stalking its prey. She furrows her eyebrows, wondering who he could be talking to.

"You're like a wounded spider in my house. You know what my sister and I do to spiders?" Eric says stepping onto the pews creating a fire ball in his hand. He goes to shoot when he realizes the man he was hunting was not there. Kaz knocks Eric's feet out from under him sending him to the ground. He groans in pain as Kaz stands over holding a small pillar in hands. Kaz stands on his arm causing him to grunt.

"Unlike a spider, I only need one good leg. However, you..." Kaz slams the pillar onto Eric's hand causing him to scream in pain.

"...look like you need both hands." He twists the pillar causing a sickening crack. He finally hits Eric in the face causing him to fall unconscious. Kaz let's out a sigh of relief. He starts to limp away when Eric jumps up forming a fire ball in his hands.

"Wrong." Eric goes to fire when he feels his whole body stiffen. He looks at his hand in confusion as the fire extinguishes. He tries to summon the fire again but conjures nothing but sparks. He lets out a cry of pain as he leg twists out from under him and he stumbles to the ground. Kaz furrows his eyebrows in confusion. Footsteps echo from behind them and Anya walks out from behind the curtain her arm extended out.

"Traitor!" Eric hisses glaring at Anya. Kaz stands there mouth agape at the sight of Anya. Her eyes were glowing a bright vibrant orange and her veins were slightly glowing.

"Sleep." She commands. Eric suddenly falls unconscious at Anya's feet. Her eyes turn back to normal and she finally looks up seeing Kaz. She strides towards stopping at least a foot away from him.

"How do I know you?" She says her breath shaky. Kaz then did the only he could. He took out his pendant and showed it to her. Her eyes widened and she took her pendant out of her bag. Everything came back like one giant wave. Whatever wall Aleksander put up to block her memories broke down just from one glance at the pendant. She takes a step forward gently placing her hand on his pendant.

"Kaz?" She whimpers tears starting to form in her eyes. He nods a small smile twitching onto his face.

"Turn around!" The Phoenix yells causing her to twist around. She watches as Eric slowly gets up onto his feet. He lets out an angry yell, lighting up his hands. A knife suddenly strikes him in the back of his head and he falls to the ground dead. Anya looks up to see a young Suli girl crouched on the balcony. Kaz and Anya both stand there in shock as Inej jumps down staring at the body in disbelief.

"This way!" The guards yell in the distance.

"We need to go!" Kaz exclaims.

"I..I killed him." Inej whispers. Kaz limps up to her.

"Inej, look at me." Kaz commands. "Look at me." Inej finally meets his gaze tears threatening to fall down her face

"You saved my life." Kaz states. He knows her policy. And he knows the toll this will take on her. The least he could do his assure her that it wasn't for nothing. The guards were closing in. Kaz turns to Anya a desperate look etched on his face. He didn't make it this far just to be captured.

"Can you get us out of here?" Anya snaps out of whatever daze she was in and quickly nods her head.

"Follow me." She says running back behind the curtain. She opens the hidden door leading them down the pathway.