COF 4: The Abject Throne

7 | Steal (IV)

"So, was it a job well done?" Reeca asked as they tramped along the length of Elred's bunkers. This one ran parallel to the border between Jehnasson and Zoriago. Elred had summoned it once they located its entrance hidden in the forest.

Elred shrugged. "You're not even my student," she raised an eyebrow in Reeca's direction. "Why are you asking me?"

"Am I really not?" Reeca crossed her arms and scoffed. "You've been pushing me around the last few days."

Elred's boots skidded against the bare soil as she stopped walking. She faced Reeca. "You're an ally. Nothing more."

Reeca narrowed her eyes. "Why? Can't have another one following you around?"

Elred clenched her fists. "Because the last time I had students I ended up killing them," she shook her head and resumed walking. "No. I won't be dealing with anyone any time soon. So shut up."

"What really happened on that mountain?" Reeca let Elred take a step or two before following in the shard fairy's wake. Elred didn't answer. Reeca sighed. So much for finding out what went on.

After a few hours, Elred turned a corner and tossed the satchel in the compartment etched against the wall. Glass clinked in the air and soon, the satchel blended with the wall. Reeca squinted. If she wasn't paying attention, she wouldn't have traced the satchel in that compartment. Cool.

"Why did you build these caverns?" Reeca's voice bounced along the earthen walls as she craned her neck up at the dusty ceiling and ran her fingers against the soil composing the sides of the tunnel.

"I was bored," was Elred's only reply.

Reeca raised an eyebrow at the memory of the stashes of weapons, food, and clothes that they passed by from numerous compartments. Once, she even glimpsed a shelf stacked to the brim with potions of different colors to rival Nyxis's collection.

It couldn't possibly be out of boredom. This was a preparation for a tragedy.

Reeca's gut swirled. Looks like they're living the tragedy now, huh?

Soon, the light from the outside world filled the cavern as Elred summoned a doorway yet again. Reeca shielded her eyes. Where was this?

She didn't get the answer to her question because a green-tinged fist sped for her nose. She ducked and swept her leg to drive her attacker back. Her boots hit hard flesh as she flapped her wings and dragged herself out of the cavern.

Reeca landed in the middle of another forest with thick, curving trees and expansive canopies. Balls of faint, pinkish light floated in the air. She swatted the damned insects before they shot up her nose.

Who attacked them?

The sound of glass shattering rang in the air as Elred skidded back and fell into step beside Reeca. When Reeca cast her eyes around, the cavern's entrance was nowhere to be found. That's enough relief in itself.

Good.

A flash zipped through Reeca's periphery. She raised an arm to block a well-timed punch. Something cracked in her wrist. Pain shot up her hands. A growl tore off her throat as she drove her boot into a stomach. The form sailed back, its green-tinged skin glinting in the faint sunlight.

Leaves rustled and a familiar fairy stepped through the undergrowth. Reeca's throat closed up. The real Kymalin.

"Where are the thrones?" the banshee growled as she leveled a sword in Reeca's direction.

Reeca wiped at the side of her face. "As if we're telling you."

Kymalin's expression was flat. "Placis?"

A howl pierced Reeca's ears as the spirit bounded over with its fist raised. It struck. Reeca ducked and drove her own fist in the spirit's gut. She spread her wings and leaped backward.

She passed Elred her sword as soon as she got it out from her armor. "Take it. My wrist is useless."

The spirit shook its head then swayed upright only to focus back on Reeca. Kymalin stood in a clearing not far away with her hands forward. Green wisps crackled in the air around the banshee, no doubt summoning another spirit.

Elred shook her head. "I can defend myself, thank you."

"And I can't," Reeca turned her gaze back to the advancing spirit. She flapped her wings as she and Elred kept retreating through the haze of trees. "Kymalin is formidable all on her own."

"What do you think will stop them?"

Reeca shrugged and leveled her sword. The bones in her wrist slowly healed as her magic wrapped around it. She shook her head. "Unless you disappear into thin air, there's nothing we can do. Banshees can track our souls."

Elred's grin spread from ear to ear. "Oh, we can disappear," she inclined her head towards the canopy of leaves above them. Reeca blinked as Elred summoned her wings which sparkled like a lake under the midday sunlight. "Take to the skies," the shard fairy said. "We're going to Synketros. Kymalin wouldn't be able to chase us there."