Grand Epic Elemental

Chapter 14: The Lanterns and the Thunderstorm

After declaring her name, Amara kept the dagger at Jianyi's throat. "Back off if you want to live another day!"

Jianyu gulped and broke out in a cold sweat. He backed away slowly. Turning to Leiyu, he yelled, "What the hell kind of demonic vixen did you pick up, Leiyu?"

"Shixiong," Anying spoke up. "You were being threatening."

"Shut your mouth!"

Anying sighed and turned to Amara. "My lady, please forgive my shixiong. He has a temper and often speaks before he thinks."

"Such an understatement," said Leiyu.

"Shut up!" Jianyi growled.

Leiyu put his hand on Amara's arm. "Come on, let's go. Don't waste time with this trash."

"You're trash!" Jianyi shouted.

Amara sheathed her dagger and walked away with Leiyu. She was still holding on to her tanghulu and resumed chewing on the candied fruits.

Once they were further down the street, Leiyu turned toward her. "I am so sorry you had to experience that. Jianyi can be pretty awful. It's one of the reasons why I left in the first place."

Amara continued chewing and nodded in acknowledgment.

"Anying, the other one, he's all right," Leiyu continued. "Much friendlier. I'd introduce you to him more formally, but those two tend to travel together. I'm still not sure why Anying keeps hanging around him."

Amara glanced at him briefly but said nothing.

"It wasn't always like this...Jianyi and I used to be friends when we were kids. But it got worse as we grew older. I would show you the place where I grew up with Shifu and the others, but I'm not eager to run into Jianyi again..."

Leiyu suddenly noticed something and paused.

"Thallios?"

Amara looked up at him. Her eyes were no longer glowing but they were still golden yellow.

"Those eyes! They didn't change back! You're not Thallios!"

She smiled. "No, I'm Amara."

He put his hands on her shoulders. "Where's Thallios?"

"Away," she said cryptically.

Leiyu looked shocked. "Bring him back!"

"Don't worry, he'll come back. He's just resting right now."

"Who are you really?"

"As I said before, I am Amara."

"Yes, I know, but who is Amara? I thought it was just a name Thallios made up when he was disguising himself back in Ishkhandar. Are you a spirit possessing him?"

"Oh no, not at all."

"Then what are you?"

"Amara and Thallios are the same person, just two different sides."

"..."

"Like a coin. Or a person and their reflection."

"Which one is the real one?"

"What do you mean, real? We're both real."

"..."

"You seem frustrated."

"No, it's just that your personalities are very different."

"Two sides, same coin."

"Thallios was...friendlier. You're..."