Chapter 7: [007] [Fires]

The heat of the scorching sun might have been tolerable before, but with a raging bushfire in their wake, the sensation was closer to standing in front of an open oven that had gone out of control. It was under these conditions that they marched, adding new starting points for the fire while Kiara would regularly take to the air to confirm if the bandits were chasing after the group. Not that it would be easy to spot anything. The curtain of smoke that rose from the grassland was doing a great job obscuring the line of sight with anything east of them.

For all intents and purposes, the bandits never gave chase.

Not that it stopped them from looking over their shoulder every other minute. The short-sword at Rick's side provided little reassurance. It was a weapon that would provide protection against wild animals. Not maidens.

“What are we going to do when we encounter the next group? Or if another one sees the smoke and finds us?” Dia popped the question like it was just a casual comment. Yet her eyes were heavy as she kept them focused on Rick.

“Why are they even here?” Eva asked, pulling her hood lower and glowering. The glare of the sun bothered her more than the three fully loaded backpacks she was carrying. “It’s as if the bandits just popped out of nowhere. If there'd been news of a warband a year ago, elemental stone prices from Sinco's mines would've skyrocketed.”

“They’re recruiting.” Kiara commented idly, tapping her chin. Out of everyone in the group, she was the only one that didn't look even winded. “Looks like the usual sort of maiden rebellion you see pop up from time to time. A human somewhere abuses their maiden a little too hard, and she decides she won't take it anymore.”

Rick wasn't sure what to make out of the fact that she was looking directly at him as she spoke. Not that he had much to say. Out of the four, he was the one practically jogging while the others looked more like they were taking a quick stroll across the wilderness. Mentally, he swore the first thing he'd create the instant he had a laboratory would be a motorcycle.

Until then, maybe he should get himself a palanquin or something.

“Your point being?” Dia shot the question in his stead.

“No one is ever this aggressive without someone else offering protection. Or support. So the new raiders take what they can, and when trouble comes, they vanish.”

“We’re close to the edge of the kingdom. Everything south of that is the sea.” Dia declared. “The east has forests and after that come the snow-peaks, neither safe in any way. To the west there are some marshes and the dead lands, which is full of wildling tribes and even more dangerous ferals. Nothing on this side of the kingdom could survive the crown bringing its weight to bear.”

Kiara laughed. "I almost forgot this kingdom is so far away from everything, none of the big players would bother showing up." She shook her head. "Though maybe it's aid from the Coral Empress.”

“Who?” Rick quickly asked before Dia retorted. He noticed a thoughtful look on Eva’s face, though she hid it under the lip of her hood.

“A pirate leader whose flotilla numbers in the hundreds of thousands.” Kiara spoke idly. “If it's from her, it would have to be nothing more than some expeditionary force. If she'd sent anything serious this way, we’d have storms all over the place.” Her finger pointed up at the sky. “Bone-dry weather is not their thing.”

“Just where are you from?” Dia’s comment came with a slightly wide-eyed look.

Kiara just smirked. “It took me nearly one of your lifetimes to get here.”

“But… why?” Eva whispered the question, almost going unheard.

"I'm just... looking for something." There was something in the way she said it, the tone, or maybe the distant look. There was a tiredness to it. Rick couldn’t quite put words to it, but he certainly felt something from the bond. Something that he recognized came from Kiara, a feeling of… longing. Her golden eyes met his. "Hopefully, I found it."

"Found what?"

The moment broke, Kiara laughed. "If I told you, your head would explode." With a flap of her wings, she took to the sky.

And their forced march continued. Even if the pursuit didn't occur, they were on a timer to get as far away from the fire as they could. To Rick it reminded him of the first days in this world. Lost, pushing the trek through the forest as best they could manage, looking for a way out, to get himself and the other misplaced people rescued... Back then he'd just met Monica, the naked murder-machine that could rip the rear axle out of a bus with little effort. It had been hell on his nerves.

Eventually, the group had to slow down to let the human catch his breath.

“You sure they’re not chasing?”

“If they are, they went in the wrong direction.” Kiara confirmed for the tenth time. “I spotted the white-bitch taking off. Must’ve broken out of the wire.” She made a face. "Odds are she saw us too."

“But she didn’t chase us.” Dia declared.

"Went straight to look for her human. I'd wager they'll start looking for us once they've gotten their human safe."

Rick knew the words none of them were speaking out: that he should've had the bird killed. Too late now, he supposed. "We should keep pushing and lie low when we get the chance, buy as much time as we can until Monica gets back." He declared. "She'd be able to dismantle any group pursuing us one piece at a time."

It wouldn't be the first time she'd done it either. Not that it made the decision any more palatable. Rick knew he should have gotten used to relying on the maidens, but if he'd been taught anything, it was that he damn well should pull his weight. What sense was there for him to order anyone around if he just sat with his thumbs up his ass?

He couldn't wait to get to Sinco and set up shop, start work, stop worrying about fights and pursuit and murder.

“You sure you want to keep going towards that little city you keep talking about?”

Kiara's question almost jolted him, once more making him wonder if she could actually read his thoughts.

"To the east we have the forest, not going there unless you want to live off of berries and ferals. To the west we have the dead lands, some villages, and a bunch of nothing. North is the heart of the kingdom. I will not risk crossing that and getting you or Monica attacked because some asshole with a walnut for a brain thinks I owe him shit."

Not again. Not ever.

"So it's Sinco at the very least until I can get some proper funds and-"

He stopped, head snapping to look around. Something had changed. It was a scream in the back of his skull. Something that jolted him and gnawed at his thoughts insistently.

“It’s almost like he shares his brain with the cat,” Kiara said, looking at him with a disapproving glare.

Rick ignored her snark, trying to identify what was bothering him. His heart began beating faster, eyes widening, the world around him sharpening as if he just put on glasses for the first time. The crackle of fire was distant, the sky was clear, there was no movement save a small breeze, the ground under his feet was still, yet there was a scent...

“Smoke.” He shot up and checked the wind again. “The wind’s changed direction.”

“It doesn’t matter. Even a man like you can outpace the fire.” She rolled her eyes as she spoke, turning to look at the wall of smoke. “Let’s just…” Kiara went quiet. Her eyes widened, all color draining from her face. "Shit."

Rick frowned, following her gaze and using his hand to shield himself from the sun. He squinted as he stared at the sky, trying to spot whatever it was the Succubus might have seen.

“Are those spots… glittering?” Dia asked.

It took a couple of seconds before he saw what she was talking about. A dozen dots flying through the smoke, breaking through the rising gray cloud and headed their way. The forms appeared to refract and reflect light as if they were made of glass. But they were just too far off. The most he could recognize was the vague shape being similar to the Neigix.

“That’s… really not good.” With a flap of her wings, Kiara took to the air, beating them in what was clearly desperation. “RUN!”

“Wha… what are they?” Rick asked.

“The worst kind of maidens! Angels!”

She hadn’t even bothered to look back. The Succubus was pushing herself as hard as she could to get as far away from the angels as she could. Rick didn't bother to wait for feedback from the others. He slung his small pack over his shoulder and followed suit. If there was something out there that could make Kiara panic, then he would not stick around and find out and see it up close.

Though considering the trajectory the ferals had, he felt he'd be meeting them soon, anyway.

"Angels!?" Eva shouted, following right after Dia. "Seriously?"

"Shut up and run!" Kiara declared, gaining further momentum and distance. “Whatever you do, don’t stop running!”

It was like watching a professional sprinter that could fly. On methamphetamines. Rick had never seen Kiara push herself this hard, and even though she was clearly going as hard as she could, she wasn't showing the slightest sign of exhaustion, even as the distance kept mounting. It was like having someone drop a rock in his gut.

"Hey!" He called out to her.

But she either didn't listen or pretended not to, pushing harder, flapping her bat-like wings with fervor and terror in equal measure.

And soon she was gone. Just... gone. Breathless and heaving, Rick had to slow down his pace, looking at the spot the maiden had occupied before vanishing over the horizon of dry grassland.

"She... she is still bonded. She can't have left you to die." Dia muttered with something that was a mix of rage and disbelief. "Right?"

“She’s a charmer.” Eva spoke darkly, having quickly caught up. “Of course she can.”

“We need to keep going and hope they’re not chasing us.”

"They're feral." The Rapha proclaimed. "I don't see any clothes, tools, or weapons."

"Feral Angels are harmless." Eva snorted loudly, shaking her head. "They make some pretty lights to startle or scare off predators."

"I don't care if they're a breed that lives off of giving hugs and kisses. I'm not taking chances. Keep moving."

That was that.

The trio moved at his pace, with Eva needing to jog to keep up with his longer legs. It made her backpacks rattle and clank about, which Rick hoped wasn't loud enough to ensure they caught the eye of the ferals flying that far up. The minutes moved forward, and the pursuers got closer and closer. Not directly, they would abruptly change course, circle over one thing or another, and then fly in their direction once more.

Sometimes plumes of smoke would rise from those spots they'd been circling.

They were making a beeline towards them.

And then, Eva just stopped.

"They're feral Angels, I will not continue this charade." She gestured at him. "Look at you, you're two steps away from collapsing. This is no existential threat we need to fear."

Rick turned to Dia. The healer shook her head. "I've never seen feral Angels, they are rare in the mountains."

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"Because there are predators there that can shoot them down from afar." Eva replied. “I once saw a Hound easily defeat an Angel in th-.” The Fledgling jolted half-way through the sentence. “... in a fight.” She quickly added, practically tripping over her words. “I doubt they could do much more than give us a sunburn.”

Funny choice of words when she was one step away from actual Vampires. Not that Rick could really do much more than wipe the sweat from his brow and recover his breath, keeping his gaze on the approaching ferals. Inwardly, he was counting the seconds until he could start moving again. The glittering figures indeed looked the part of a breed named "Angel". They were women with golden hair and pearly wings, the very air around them glittering as if they were trapped within a shuddering bubble. Just like every maiden, they were beautiful in every sense of the word. And exactly like every other maiden Rick had encountered, he had no doubts they were just as deadly.

The flock was over a dozen in size, and he held no illusion of how dangerous that might be to his continued wellbeing. And Kiara was difficult to spook. She'd faced down a Vampire in single combat without batting an eye.

“The breed mostly work as healers and to help in sentry duty at night. They’re among the more inoffensive breeds.” Eva continued, nodding at herself. “They’re rare as ferals because they’re easy to capture and bond. The fire must have drawn their attention. I’ve read that you can catch one by luring them to the ground with glass shards or by flicking pieces of metal.”

Rick glanced at the flock of ferals, and then at the new plume of smoke that emerged from right under them. “Break's over, back to running.”

"But-"

"If you want to stay behind and see what a dozen ferals can do to you, be my guest!"

Dia looked at him and then followed his gaze towards the smoke. Her eyes widened ever so slightly. She reached out to grab his hand and pull him along. He confirmed the flock had shifted direction again, back towards them. And the distance shortened quickly.

“Ferals only-.” Eva stopped as a white circle of light appeared at her feet. As if someone had shone a powerful spotlight towards the exact area.

Five other circles joined in. The sound of giggling and laughter fell upon them from above. Several of the flock circled from so far overhead Rick could barely distinguish their silhouettes against the blue sky. The white wings were shining, the glittering was becoming more intense and making it seem like the sun had multiplied. Her whole body appeared to be standing right under its own personal spotlight.

"See?" She declared. "Harmless."

Smoke rose from her clothes and from the dried plants underneath her at the same time. Six other circles of light converged on her. It was hard to even look at her; the brilliance washing out the colors the moment the light intensified in strength. As the grass spontaneously burst into flames, the Fledgling shrieked and jumped away. The laughter grew louder, a melodious ringing of bells.

The concentrated circle of light chased after Eva as she ran, leaving a trail of fire in her wake.

And the circle was quick to catch up. Rick’s eyes shot around. Grassy plains and bushes in every direction, very little cover, lots of kindling. “Under the tree!” He declared, already sprinting towards the nearest source of shade, Dia close behind.

Despite running faster than any human ever would be capable of, the beam still caught up to Eva. The Fledgling screamed as the light crawled its way up her legs, igniting her pants. Underneath, her skin blistered and boiled. She barely made it under the tree, clutching her leg and huffing, the wound already healing itself back up.

The giggling didn't stop.

The treetop over her head burst into flames within seconds. From above, the laughter grew louder, the ferals lazily circling overhead. Several of the beams of light would split off from the concentrated beam and dance around the area, the spots where it converged with the other beams igniting the grass.

“Eva!” Rick called out, wary of how the fire was quickly surrounding them. “Use the shadow-jump!”

“I can’t!” She cried out, clutching her leg. “I can’t! It’s too-.”

She flinched as several flaming branches fell to the ground. The tree would not last much longer.

“It’s dark inside your cape!”

That startled her into action. Eva nodded, pulling the hood over her head with shaking hands and crouching low so that the cloth would cover her entirely. The Fledgling left only a hole for her to see in their direction. There was a flicker of darkness, the cape slumped to the ground, empty, right as the tree broke down in a ball of fire.

With a gasp, the Fledgling emerged from the shadow right next to Rick, clawing at the air as if she were coming out of a pool she’d been drowning in. The Fledgling was shaking like a leaf.

He pulled her out, and Dia covered Eva's mouth before she could make another sound.

The giggling continued, circling around the destroyed tree and moving on to a different tree and igniting it. The three of them remained deathly quiet, watching, hiding behind the tree trunk and trying to remain as out of sight as they could manage. They knew all too well that the best they could hope for would be that the ferals left on their own.

So they stood there, stock still, watching as one by one, they set the other trees ablaze.

“Are they…?” Dia whispered, realization dawning on her.

“... they’re cutting off our escape.” Rick confirmed, seeing as the number of options they had shrunk. Only one of them was fire-proof, a large looming rock.

There were only a handful of options for them to run to, and they were dwindling further. Rick moved to take the lead, but Dia shoved him back hard. “Split! I will draw them off! Go to the boulder!” She declared, stepping out into the open in a full sprint.

The beams of light instantly moved to follow the Rapha.

Rick grit his teeth as he ran towards a different tree. A hand locked around his own, Eva following close behind, still shaking as her eyes remained glued to the sky above and the dozen new suns that focused their wrath on Dia. His breath came in short and hot. The ground crunched under his boots and he had to jump over a small fire to make it to his destination.

He looked at the Rapha after hearing Dia's shriek. They had focused the beam on her legs; the skin blistering under the concentrated heat. The sting of exhaustion in Rick’s legs turned into fiery agony. It was automatic. There was only one thing he could do, and it was to reach through the bond, grasp at the red-hot pain, and wrench as much as he could out of Dia and into himself.

It worked. Dia gathered the strength to push herself under the tree.

Rick screamed into his arm, falling over. It was like gluing his hand to a red-hot iron just so he could yank it out of the flames. Eva reacted quickly, pulling him with barely any effort. The woman was barely tall enough that her head reached his shoulder, and yet she was dragging him like he was an oversized garbage bag.

“Are you alright!?” she asked, wide eyed, hovering over him as she tried to find what was wrong.

"Bond." He explained through gritted teeth.

The grass ignited all around them.

“We will not have much time.” Rick coughed, lowering his head to avoid the smoke, glancing at the rock above them with a grimace. “If they heat it up enough, it’s going to either crack or explode or both.”

Hysterical howls of laughter rung from high above, the dazzling sparkling wings shining like miniature suns and concentrating the firepower of a dozen maidens upon them. The air went from hot to infernal. Breathing was painful. Rick covered his mouth with cloth to mitigate it. What the fuck where they going to get out of this? He doubted even a mirror would work. The damn light was sure to have its own brand of maiden power-bullshit. Monica was too far off, Kiara had ran away.

There was a groaning from the rock.

Eva shuddered. “If… if we had some silver and waterstones, I could try to create a barrier for-.” She stopped when the rock let out a cracking sound that made the ground shake underneath. “I don’t want to die,” she whispered, shivering as she hugged herself tightly.

As weak as the bond with her was, Rick could still feel the fear, the panic, a distant echo from the pain and anxiety within Dia. He glanced at the tree the healer occupied. Its branches were aflame, but the Angels weren't focusing on her, at least not for now. The Rapha was healing her legs and looking at them with a horrified expression. There wasn't even blood. The heat had cauterized the wound as it had dug into her calves.

With a grimace, Rick reached into his bag, pulling out the cape and draping it over Eva’s shoulders. This one was several sizes too large for her. “Catch your breath… and jump with me.”

“What? I don’t have the energy!”

It didn't matter if she didn't have the energy. If they made a run for it the Angels would cripple both of them before finishing them. It would likely not be a quick end, either. Rick grimaced and turned to Eva, lifting her up and shoving her against the rock. She weighed barely anything at all. The task was straightforward. The heat of the rock made her grimace in discomfort.

“Look at me, Eva, breathe in, breathe out. And bite me.”

She didn’t move, barely a twitch, eyes wild and body shaking more intensely. “I-I-I-.”

A slap may or may not have worked. She was a maiden, tougher than a human. Chances were, he’d hurt his hand more than it would actually help. “Fuck it.”

Rick leaned down, his lips brushed against her shoulder. Eva’s skin was cool to the touch and soft as silk. The maiden shivered. He bit down harshly, devoid of any gentleness. It was hard enough it would’ve seriously hurt a human, definitely enough to draw blood. But on the porcelain skin of the Fledgling, it did nothing more than get a sharp, pained gasp out of her.

The young woman reacted on autopilot, lunging head first at him. Her lips brushed against his neck. There was a pinprick of pain as she pressed her body against him in a tight embrace. The cape closed all around them, darkness in every direction and a growing bottomless pit within Rick’s chest. The world turned into a tornado of shadows. Rick couldn’t breathe. Images rushed through his mind unopposed. Visions of drowning in a river, of a flood, and of that first time Monica had saved his life.

Cold chills ran through him, everything around him threatening to freeze solid.

And just as it came, it was gone. They were back in the heat, gasping, heaving for air. They were next to a tree, one that wasn’t on fire. Dia? The ferals? He didn’t know. The cackling and giggles felt so far away.

Eva collapsed, falling like a rock, writhing within his grasp, shaking and clutching at him desperately. She screamed, a shrill sound of breaking glass, eyes wide, pupils dilated to the point her irises were little more than minute specks of red around the bottomless black pits. Her breaths were deep gulps. Her grip made his bones groan like old wood under too much weight.

Rick tried to take a step away but stumbled when she let go, feeling a warm trickle running down his chest. The dizziness overtook him. Everything spun out of focus. He collapsed, head hitting the ground. Trying to fight to get back up was useless, his arms too weak to move.

Had she taken too much blood or had the teleportation put too much pressure on his body?

It felt like an eternity. Maybe it had been. The minutes passed and all Rick could do was breathe, to get the world to stop spinning, to get his body to move. The Angels had to still be there, somewhere. Dia was still in danger.

And what was that thundering sound? Shadows flickered past him, moving all around. He recognized it now… hooves.

“Kill the birds.” The words were thick. “This… it?”

“Yes.” The second voice spoke smoothly, but not without its edge of fear. “We can leave the others, just take their collars. They’ll go feral and won’t be a problem.” Soft, warm hands cupped Rick’s face. The world was too blurred for him to see the details, only the sapphire blue hair that flowed in the wind and the golden eyes that poured over him, concern thick on her features.

“No. We take the pale one. The Lady will want her.”

All around him there was movement, screams, followed by the thunder of galloping horses.

Energy poured through him, and he gasped, able to breathe again, the deathly cold inside his chest receding. “Kiara?” He spoke between breaths. “What…?”

“This was the only way.” He felt the metal collar locking around his neck with the finality of a guillotine. A foreign power washed over him. "Rest." She whispered.

Rick barely had the time to recognize the sleep spell before it took hold.

“Welcome to the tribe, little male.” The gruff voice declared with a laugh.

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