? The Path of Fire (Path of Light and Fire Book #1)(Completed) ?

Alaina hovered several feet above the encampment. She prayed to Rianna that no one looked up to see her, while her mirror image stood in front of their leaders.

There is no need for anyone to look up.

The beauty of Sabin's plan was that for once, Sister Kianna acknowledged her independence. Everyone was needed; Alaina quietly took her position and waited until the mummer's dance ended.

Waves of red assaulted her dual-plane vision, with smatterings of blue here and there. These soldiers feared conflict, yet were too scared to stand up to their comrades.

To her right, Turrent slit a man's throat. Even from this distance, she saw the blood gushed from the man's throat. She turned her head and shuddered. She didn't want to kill anyone, despite everyone's insistence that would be necessary.

She had the most advantageous position, behind the army. All eyes faced forward, the soldiers waiting for the Seriens to make a false move. Kianna was playing her role well, using Elder Melina's borrowed Talent of Illusion to keep eyes on Sabin and Sakima.

The strain must be intense. How long can she hold?

She needed to float down to be any use in a fight. She shivered.

What will I do if someone gets close-?

No! Those are Kianna's words! I am the Serien of Wind. I am nearly a cycle-year old, a woman grown. I will not hide like a child, waiting for my older sister to save me.

The ground shook and that meant it was time. Alaina swooped into the column of men, wind billowing out in all directions. Bodies exploded into the air, crashing into tents and other soldiers.

She lashed out with her whips of wind, ripping into the stone armor of the Yuans. The warriors cried out and grasped at their wounds. Soldiers to the core, several Acadians and Yuans fanned out surrounded her.

The Acadians rushed forward with their katanas out, yet they did not get far. She pressed the wind out and the men rolled across the ground. The Yuan warriors tossed spears from all directions, but her power propelled them back towards their owners.

As the fight raged on, the spear tosses crept closer inside her defense. Only four Yuan warriors stood, the others lay scattered across the camp, clutching at themselves or laying still.

I am not evil, I do what is necessary.

"Duck!"

Alaina responded, bending over backwards as above her a woman in a dark blue cat suit came from her left flying overhead. Her hands swiped inches from her face.

She is so fast the wind didn't affect her.

Leena soared in the air above her and pressed a torrent of water into the face of a nearby soldier. She flew after Catsuit and landed in a tuck, rolling to her feet and sprinting after her prey.

There are three soldiers left.

Exhausted, she pulled back on her protection and augmented her whips to deliver sharper impacts. She still hoped to incapacitate, not kill.

She jumped a spear angled for her leg and slapped another soldier in the face with her whip. She collapsed in a heap as Alaina landed.

Then pain ripped through her leg and the world flipped to the sky.

Her head crashed against the earth and she screamed. Her vision blurred, yet she rolled and spears thudded where she lay seconds before. She sprung to her feet, using the wind to stand without putting pressure on her injured leg.

Only two left.

She flew forward, dodging to the left and right. She aimed at the space between them, focusing on her speed. They pulled back to shear her with their spears and given her proximity, they would think they had her.

They are wrong.

She shot straight up into the air and forced their hands down. Off balance, the returning spear handles caught one in the throat and the other in the eye and they collapsed to the dirt.

She lowered to the ground and wrapped the soldiers' hands in their weapon bands for good measure.

She hobbled and concentrated her remaining energy on healing her leg. Her job was done, but the others might need help.

"Alaina you must help me!"

Kianna carried Sabin's prone body.

Kianna needs me. This wound isn't fatal.

"What happened?" Alaina asked. Then she gasped.

Several wounds pierced Sabin's body. His chest did not rise.

Kianna laid him on the ground, blood covering her hands. "Please Alaina, I need your help."

"Of course."

Wait, you're asking me. Something's off here.

Alaina drew on her minor Illusion talent and clapped to dispel any potential glamour. It wasn't a moment too soon. Takuya's katana lunged for her throat.

She pushed forward with wind as the blade tip pricked her throat.

This shouldn't be so hard to repel.

She was too drained to fight any harder. She leaned her head back and pressed up instead. The blade sliced her chin.

I saved your arm, you bastard!

Without Alaina's resistance, he stumbled forward, arms up and hands still clutched to the hilt. She gathered the last of her energy in her palm punched Takuya in the chest. He twirled and crashed into a Yuan woman. They collapsed into a pile of limbs.

I hope I didn't kill him.

She dropped to her knees. Blood dripped on her forearms and her vision blurred. She wanted to keep vigilant for another enemy, but there was nothing left. If another came, she was completely at their mercy.

The ground vibrated. Not the trembling from Sakima's power, but something else entirely.

She took a deep breath and stood, crying as a searing pain shot through her leg. She picked up Takuya's fallen katana and hacked the nearest tent post. She grabbed the post remnants and hobbled forward. 

Whatever it was, she needed to find the others and they needed to face it together.