Luminaron soared through the sky. Her ivory wings sliced through the air like a hot knife through butter. The intense winds crashed into Alexandra's face, leaving her unfazed.
Alexandra felt a tightened grip on her waist, followed by severe trembling. Alexandra turned her head back and saw a frightened Kagami with her head down and her eyes closed.
"Were you not a firefighter? Don't tell me you're afraid of heights?"
"The heights I climbed weren't moving at high speeds."
Alexandra gave a little chuckle and responded:
"It's just like riding a bike."
"Never did that either."
Alexandra grabbed Kagami's hands and wrapped them around her abdomen.
"Kagami, nothing will happen to you. Just look."
Kagami slowly lifted her head and peaked at the beauty of the rich blue sky. It all felt surreal and magical to Kagami, whose fear began to subside. Kagami then asked Alexandra:
"What's with you and this farmer anyway?"
"I've known him since we were kids. He was a sweet young man and an even sweeter old one," Alexandra explained to Kagami.
Luminaron landed near the farmer's house, and both women climbed off. They heard the creek of the house's old door open. Out came a man, close to his eighties, holding a shotgun.
"Daniel!"
"Alex!"
The old man yelled as he hobbled down the steps that led to his household. He hugged Alexandra while he held the shotgun in his dominant right hand.
"I thought she said she knew him since they were kids. This old man looks fifty years older. What kind of relationships did they have?"
Kagami worryingly thought to herself.
Daniel then moved from Alexandra to Luminaron. His eyes glowed with the old memories of his youth.
"Hi there, Lumi. You remember me?"
Daniel asked Luminaron, who wagged her large tail and whimpered to the old man. Daniel then looked over at Kagami with a confused expression.
"That's my student, Kagami," Alexandra said.
"You became a teacher? Bonnie will love to hear that."
Daniel said as he looked up at the window on the house's second floor, which was covered by curtains. His expression turned to a concerned one.
"Is she up there?"
"Bonnie was spooked after that thing came. It tried to steal some of my produce and animals."
"Daniel, you said it was a demon?"
"I didn't get a good look at the thing at first because it moved hellishly fast. It then tried to attack me, so I shot it in the leg. I tied the thing up and dragged it to the barn. When I tried to get a better look at the thing, I saw it had a skull on its face."
Daniel finished his explanation, but all Kagami heard was the word skull. It bounced around her mind like a loaded spring. Kagami's eyes glanced at the sunset-coloured barn in the distance. The smell of rusted metal from dried blood and gunpowder swirled in the air and penetrated her olfactory senses. Kagami's eyes glowed, and small flames flickered at her fingertips.
Alexandra was too distracted with Daniel to notice that Kagami was seething with anger.
Kagami dashed to the barn.
"Kagami, wait!"
Alexandra commanded, but Kagami ignored her and hurriedly approached the barn. She swung the doors open with such vigour that it startled the animals that were present. The sight of blood on the wooden floors reminded Kagami of the trail of blood left at Hogo village. At the centre of the barn, she saw the demon. Blood trickled from its thigh. Its arms and legs were tied up, and it wore a brown hood that covered its face.
"Where is she?"
Kagami demanded answers.
The demon gave no response.
Kagami had no more patience for the demon and rushed over to the monster. She grabbed it by its collar.
"What have you done with her? Where can I find her? Answer me!"
Kagami yelled, but was again given no response. Kagami, in a fit of rage, raised her fist as her flames spiralled around it. All she could think of was to make the demon hurt as much as she was. Before Kagami could strike, the hood of the monster fell off. What Kagami saw was not a skeleton, but a humanoid rabbit. Its fur was a mixture of black and grey. Its eyes shimmered grey, and on its face was white fur in the shape of a skull. Kagami was so enthralled by her anger that she did not question why a "skeleton" was bleeding. Kagami released the rabbit.
"I don't believe it."
Alexandra exclaimed as she stood by the entrance of the barn. Her face sang a song of impossibility as she stared at the beast who returned the gaze.
"Do you know this thing?"
"No, but I know a lot about her people. The Land Beastkings."
Alexandra said as she approached the rabbit humanoid. Alexandra lowered herself to the rabbit's level.
"Why have you returned? Are the rest of you still alive?"
Alexandra asked, but was given no response.
The rabbit's gaze shifted to Kagami.
"If you plan to kill me, fire demon, you can go right ahead."
The rabbit humanoid said to Kagami in a light and squeaky voice, but her expression was far from that.
"I wasn't gonna kill…"
Kagami tried to explain, but stopped herself as she knew very well that if Alexandra had not intervened, she would have killed the rabbit humanoid.
"Of course you were. All the horror stories we were told as children about your kind, it's just who the Elementals are. Acting like gods above all living creatures.
"That's not me! If your people hadn't taken my sister, then I wouldn't have to be here!"
"We haven't taken a human," The rabbit said to Kagami with a smug expression.
Kagami was in disbelief. She could have taken an innocent life and all because she allowed her rage to take over.
"But I wish we did. To take something precious from you… and destroy it. Wouldn't that be poetic?"
Kagami had no words to give as she was still thinking about her action.
Alexandra then interrupted the two and asked the rabbit:
"Do you know that Cindara and Fenrir are alive?"
The rabbit humanoid gave a look of utter confusion.
"That's not possible. They were killed many years ago."
"They were brought back as undead, and they now follow the orders of Lord Bellinor. They murdered innocent people. Do you know anything about their whereabouts?"
Alexandra asked the rabbit, who was stunned at the thought of Cindara and Fenrir being alive in her lifetime. She could not even speak.
Kagami, on the other hand, stared at Alexandra. It was the first time since they had met that she brought up the two skeletons, and now she had mentioned a new individual in Lord Bellinor.
"She holds too many secrets," Kagami thought to herself.
The rabbit humanoid turned her attention back to Kagami.
"If those two are alive, then finding them will be easy."
Kagami turned to the rabbit and, with desperation in her voice, said:
"Really?"
The rabbit nodded her head and, without thinking, Kagami hurriedly burned the ropes that constricted the little rabbit's feet.
"Kagami no!" Alexandra yelled.
The instant the rabbit's feet were freed, she emitted her Beastking aura. It glowed a rich and majestic purple as it poured out of her body.
Before Kagami could react, her chin felt the swift front kick of a fury foot. The unexpected impact rocked Kagami's head and sent her flying.
The rabbit, with her hands tied, rocked back and hopped up to her feet. Without a second thought, she threw a question mark kick at Alexandra.
Alexandra grabbed the rabbit's ankle midway through the attack and delivered a one-inch punch to the rabbit's centre.
The rabbit was sent flying to the barn wall, and her breath leapt out of her lungs as her back hit the wall. She attempted to catch her breath and ready herself, but when she lifted her head, she saw a bright white energy that formed from Alexandra's skin.
"There is no reason for me to harm you, little one. Do not give me one."
Alexandra said with a cold and stern voice.
Her warning sent shivers through the rabbit's body. Its fur stood on end.
Kagami regained a bit of her senses as she held her aching head. Kagami's eyes lit up, and her flames appeared.
"You can leave now or try your luck with her. Either way, you will never return to this place. Am I understood?"
Alexandra said to the rabbit, who, without a second thought, chose the former and dashed out of the barn into the forest, leaving the farm.
Kagami got back to her feet. She flared her arms as her flames covered them.
"Are we going after her?" Kagami yelled.
"No, we're going home."
"What? Why not? She knows where those skeleton freaks are."
"She doesn't. She used your eagerness to set herself free, even if she knew she would rather die before she would expose them. I don't believe you nor I would have it in us to torture her either."
Kagami's gaze met the floor as she remembered what had gone through her mind earlier. She then looked at Alexandra.
"You need to tell me everything you know," Kagami said with a serious tone.
Alexandra understood Kagami's concerns and simply nodded as the pair returned to Luminaron, explained everything to Daniel, flew back to the temple in silence and turned in for the night.
***
Kanna, for the first time since she had arrived in her cell, was able to obtain some remanence of decent sleep. The warm floors became a pseudo-blanket, and although her fears were present, she felt somewhat safe after what had transpired. The feeling of safety that was given to her by the prisoner who protected her was a gift unlike any other.
Fenrir then entered the cell and delivered both sets of prisoners food and Sanatio water.
Kanna noticed that some of the other prisoners in her cell did not drink their water, and after reading about its side effects, Kanna could not trust the light green liquid.
Fenrir then took the prisoners to the mine and Kanna to Vermillia.
As they were walking, Kanna heard loud crashing sounds to her left and felt slight tremors from the ground.
"Worry not, they are just training, my lady," Fenrir said.
"Training?" Kanna thought to herself as she stared at the wall of the hallway where the sound came from. As Kanna entered Vermillia's room, she sat once again on the bed, and Vermillia continued to work on the book.
"So… any chance I can continue reading the book about the Great Creator Forest?" Kanna asked.
"Your lust for knowledge is an excellent trait to have. Unfortunately for you, I require the book for my work. If you need knowledge, retrieve another book from the shelf."
Kanna gladly went to the shelf and peeked at the collection Vermillia had acquired. One in particular caught her eye. A book with a pure white cover. It had a symbol of a bear claw with an armoured wrist and swords crossed behind it on the face of the cover. Kanna turned to the first page and saw a name written K. Newborn.
"I wonder who she is?"
Kanna thought to herself as she returned to the bed and began to read. The book spoke about a species that was made up of beast humanoids known as the Beastkings. These Beastkings had the structure of a human, but the features of different kinds of beasts of the world. The Beastkings classified themselves into three clans: The Beastkings of Land, Sea, and Sky.
"Three different classifications, but from what I can tell, the book only speaks about the Land Beastkings." Kanna thought to herself.
The book described the Land Beastkings as a proud and honourable people with a strengthened sense of family and community. Further in the book, K. Newborn described their encounter with the clan and, more importantly, its leader, Rhygar The Wise. Rhygar was an old tiger humanoid. He wore a black haori that barely covered his scare-filled chest. His white fur and black stripes emphasised his boldness while his soft sea-blue eyes showed his calmer side. Rhygar was a kind, but stern leader. His greatest beliefs were those of righteousness and respect. That was the foundation on which he had built the Land Beastkings. His greatest dream was that one day, humans and Beastkings could live together in peace as his clan did with Hogo village.
"Hogo village? The Land Beastkings were connected to my home?"
Kanna softly said to herself and continued to read. After some time passed she was quickly interrupted by Cindara, who stood by the entrance of Vermillia's room.
"Ay! Old hag, I'm here to retrieve the girl."
Kanna questionably noticed that Cindara had light cracks running along her face and rib cage.
"I see that your sparing session with the Lord went well."
Vermillia stated to Cindara, her back still turned.
"Yeah, whatever. You, with me."
Cindara said as she gestured to Kanna to follow her. Cindara paused her gesture, noticed the book in Kanna's hands and glared at the front cover's symbol.
Kanna looked at Cindara as if she had seen a pure blue diamond because, in that instance, Cindara's eyes displayed an inkling of heartache that quickly turned to vexation as her gaze returned to Kanna.
"We're leaving, now!" Cindara said while she walked away.
Kanna hastily jumped off the bed, leaving the book, and started to follow Cindara. As Kanna was about to leave, Vermillia stopped her and said:
"I apologise. If I had known Cindara would be the one to retrieve you, I would have never permitted you that book."
Kanna hurriedly caught up with Cindara and walked roughly five paces behind her, the silence deafening. In all this time, she never knew Cindara to be quiet, let alone silent. The journey back to her cell, although a short one, felt like an eternity. Kanna felt if anything triggered Cindara now, she would go into an unthinkable rampage.
Once the pair reached the cells, Cindara opened Kanna's cell door, allowing her to walk through. Before Cindara left, she faced Kanna and said:
"Rhygar was a great man and an even greater leader, but he was naive."
Cindara's melancholy tone caught Kanna completely off guard, utterly freezing her in her place. When Kanna returned from her trans-like state, she turned to the rest of the prisoners, who were battered and exhausted from the mines. Kanna's eyes lit up as she saw the prisoner who shielded her during Bellinor's display of dominance, sitting against the back cell wall.
His long and silky white hair barely covered his slanted dull green eyes. His sharp facial features, flat expression, and scar that ran across his throat created a mysterious atmosphere that surrounded him.
Kanna, even more intrigued, walked over to the prisoner and said:
"Good day. My name is Kobayashi Kanna. I just wanted to say thank you so much for what you did for me yesterday."
Kanna bowed, to which the prisoner responded with a light nod.
At that moment, another prisoner suddenly became erratic and started to yell.
"Where is it? Where is it? They need to bring it!"
The erratic prisoner said as he dug his nails into his forearms and vigorously ripped out pieces of his skin. He then hastily ran over to Kanna and grabbed her wrist.
"I need it!"
The prisoner repeatedly yelled as Kanna tried to pull away, but the prisoner's grip was that of a desperate animal clinging to life.
The prisoner quickly became more aggressive and yelled:
"Tell me where it is! Tell me!"
Sensing further danger, the white-haired prisoner immediately got to his feet, grabbed the erratic prisoner, and slammed him into the back wall of the cell, readying his fist to strike.
"That's enough, Hyung."
Kanna's attention was quickly drawn to the voice that came from her left. She saw a girl who looked slightly younger than her. Kanna first noticed the girl's ashy and dried brown skin, presumably from the work in the mines mixed with the lack of natural sunlight, as she got up from the warm floor and rushed over to Hyung. Kanna got a better look at her. The girl had a petite figure, a rounded face, a buttoned nose, matt black eyes, and frizzy hair. Once she reached Hyung, she placed her callus-filled hand on his back and gently uttered:
"It's okay, it's okay, just calm down."
Hyung's fist remained raised.
"If you injure him, they'll do much worse things to you…please."
Hyung glanced over at the girl, gave a heavy exhale, and lowered his fist as he flung the erratic prisoner across the cell. He turned back to the girl and caressed her head.
"Well, that was exciting, wasn't it?" The girl said to Kanna.
"Yeah, I'll say," Kanna responded, her heart beating vigorously.
"Since that's out of the way. Let me introduce ourselves. I'm B, and Mr strong and silent over here is Jin-Hyung. It's great to meet you."
B said with a brightly lit smile.
"Likewise."
Kanna responded, taken aback by B's chipper personality. The three then sat down to continue their conversation. Kanna then proceeded to explain how she was brought here.
"That's awful. I'm so sorry that you went through that."
B said as she placed her hand on Kanna's shoulder.
"Your sister sounds like a real badass though."
B said as Kanna gave a light giggle.
"Yeah, she is. What about you two?"
"Not much to say. We've been here for…how long again?"
B asked Hyung, who raised three fingers in response.
"Oh yes, thank you. We've been here for three months, but we knew each other before we came here. As for our stories, I'm pretty sure Hyung wouldn't feel too comfortable with me spilling his secrets."
"And what about you?" Kanna asked.
"I was sold by my parents long before I came here. So, not much has changed for me."
B answered with a constant smile wrapped around her face.
Kanna's expression changed to a horrified one and then later to one of regret.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…"
"No worries, I don't mind. It's kind of nice speaking to someone about it."
Hyung nudged B and gave her a questioning look.
"Besides you, of course."
Hyung nodded in approval.
B then asked Kanna:
"So where do you go when we all leave for the mines? I always see you being taken to the throne room."
"From what I can tell, I was only brought here because they needed me to decipher the book that they took. Once you guys finish, they bring me back here."
"Oh, that explains why I never see any bruises on you."
After Kanna's explanation, soft murmurs could be heard among the other prisoners.
"What makes her so special?"
"We're all suffering, and she comes back all joyful."
"And did you see even the skeletons speak differently to her?"
Although soft, Kanna felt the weight of their words on her chest and their enraged eyes pierced her back.
Hyung then slammed his fist against the cell wall and glared at the other prisoners, who quickly stopped.
B then gently placed her hand on Kanna's hand and said:
"Don't worry about them. We've got your back."
Kanna looked at B, who gave a heavy smile and then at Hyung, who gave a light nod.
"Thank you," Kanna said with a blissful smile.
***
Kagami's night was everything but restful. Her altercation with the rabbit Beastking mixed with the regret of her vengeful anger kept her awake throughout the night.
In the morning, Kagami felt even more lethargic than during her training. The sting of the Beastking's kick still rang under her chin. With gritted teeth, Kagami got out of her bed and walked to the stairs, noticing the three other rooms on the floor.
"I wonder who else used to live here."
Kagami thought as she walked down the stairs to the kitchen. Upon entering the kitchen, she noticed Alexandra making breakfast.
"Good morning, Kagami. How did you sleep?"
"Could've been a lot better."
Kagami said as she took a seat at the dining table.
"I can imagine."
Alexandra replied and brought Kagami a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast with a large cup of coffee.
"Milk?"
Alexandra asked as Kagami gave a wicked glare and firmly stated:
"You're not going to ignore my demands. You'll tell me what you know about my sister, those skeletons and whoever this Bellinor guy is."
Alexandra gave a light smile and quickly responded.
"I'm not. I will tell you everything you have asked of me, once I return."
"Return? Return from where?" Kagami asked.
"I need to travel to Katheroth City and pick up an order I placed."
Kagami furiously got up from her seat.
"You're not going to use this as an excuse to ignore me."
"As I said, once I return I will answer your questions. The order I placed is vital in our efforts to save your sister. I'm not avoiding you Kagami, but this is just as important," Alexandra stated.
Kagami, although visibly frustrated, did not press any further. She took a deep breath and sat back down to finish her breakfast.
"Thank you, Kagami. I'll be back in a flash," Alexandra stated as she left the temple. The sound of Luminaron's wings crashing against the air could be heard throughout the temple.
Once Kagami finished her breakfast she travelled upstairs to the shower and travelled back down to the courtyard in her exercise clothes. As Kagami stretched, she could not help but notice the uncomfortable silence that filled the air.
"It's a lot quieter without her here."
Kagami thought to herself, but quickly shook her head and regained focus, delivering successive combinations of kicks and punches. During her training visions of Cindara and Fenrir appeared in her mind which made her increase the intensity.
Even though Kagami felt stronger and faster, all she could think about was her failures. The defeat to Cindara at Hogo village and then again to the rabbit Beastking in Daniel's barn.
Kagami's precise strikes became sloppy visions of Kanna's kidnapping and the death of her squad filled her mind. The terrified expressions of her sister and Captain Henry destroyed Kagami's focus and upon delivering a high kick, her foot slipped and crashed to the hard concrete floor. Kagami let out a frustrated grunt and repeatedly struck the ground.
"Dammit! What's the point of having these powers if I'm still useless!"
Kagami yelled as she got up off the ground. Frustrated and annoyed at herself Kagami activated her abilities, allowing large flames to encase both of her arms. Unfazed by the intense pain Kagami let out a mighty roar, firing a powerful fire blast at one of the walls surrounding the temple. Kagami's flames filled the wall and ground with scortch marks and singed most of her clothes. Burn scars littered her arms and the intense pain finally set in, dropping Kagami to one knee.
"I need to get stronger no matter what."
Kagami said as she looked down to the ground and tried to catch her breath, during which a shadow, with an increasing radius, casted over her. In her exhausted state, she looked up and saw something falling from the sky. Kagami could not make out what she was seeing and placed her hand over her eyes to obscure the sun.
"Is that a person? Are they holding something?" Kagami said to herself.
Her curiosity immediately turned to panic, as she rolled out of the way as the person came crashing down, concaving a section of the courtyard. Kagami quickly got to her feet, her eyes glowing reddish-orange.
From the dust appeared a six-foot-tall, dark-skinned man dressed in all black, holding a duel-wielded hammer.
"I don't know who sent you and why, but you won't make it back alive."
The man said to Kagami and then paid close attention to her self-inflicted injuries.
"Untrained and unfocused. Looks like I won't be needing this."
The man said as he dropped his hammer and struck the ground with both of his fists, allowing chunks of concrete to fuse with his arms. With his fists raised, he looked at Kagami as his eyes glowed brownish-yellow.
"A holder?"
Kagami thought to herself, but had no time to explain as the man rushed towards her and swung his fist at her face. Kagami barely dodged to the right and continued to backpedal, trying to keep her distance. The man continued to rush as he persisted in his strikes. Kagami barely dodged each attack. During an opening, she threw an uppercut, but due to the severe pain and damage caused by her outburst, it did next to nothing. The man grabbed her wrist and hoisted Kagami off the ground. The tightened skin of her arm ripped ass blood trickled and dripped to the ground. The man delivered a thunderous punch to Kagami's mid-section, that sent her flying into the surrounding temple wall.
"Let's end this." The man said as he slowly approached Kagami.
Kagami could not even feel anger as a wave of disappointment washed over her and all she could do was laugh. She found humour in her situation. Once again, she needed saving.
"All I wanted was to protect Kanna, to save what little I have, to…"
Kagami thought to herself as Ignis once again appeared in her mind. Fire personified glared fiercely at Kagami.
"(Scoff) Who am I kidding"
Kagami said softly to herself as a wide smile formed on her face. The expression caught the man off guard.
"I just really want to fight."
Kagami said as flames burst out from her legs, the fire singeing her pants.
The man sensed Kagami's raging spirit and lunged in for another attack.
Kagami quickly reacted and swung a flamed-filled front kick that landed on the man's chin, sending him flying backwards. Before he could regain his senses, Kagami began to deliver swift kicks, launching fireballs at him.
With his guard up, all he could do was block Kagami's barrage of long-range attacks. Each blast was more powerful than the last, as it took pieces of the earth amour with it until his arms were bare.
Kagami took a glance at his exposed side and quickly rushed to him, driving a turning kick into the right side of his abdomen. The vibrations of his cracked ribs travelled through Kagami's leg as she sent him tumbling along the ground, right beside his hammer.
"I underestimated you. I won't make that same mistake again."
The man said as stood up, holding his right side for support. He picked up his hammer and began to whirl it around his body as if it were a piece of chopped wood. The hammer then emitted the same glow as his eyes.
"Ooh! Let's see what you've got."
Kagami said, as the man raised his hammer above his head. But, from the sky an arrow, made of light, rained down and struck the hammer out of his hand. The roar of Luminaron was heard, by Kagami and the man, followed by Alexandra's voice not long after.
"Stop this at once!"
Alexandra yelled, as Luminaron landed on the side of the courtyard.
Kagami's focus was on the two other individuals on Luminaron's back. Especially the one holding a bow.
Alexandra jumped from Luminaron to the centre of the courtyard and yelled:
"I will not have my students behave in such a manner!"
For the first time since the fight, Kagami and the man were on the same page as they both loudly exclaimed:
"Students?"