The Burning Flowers

Chapter X

Ilirianna Iiji hadn’t been able to believe her eyes when she rushed through the destruction caused by her blue fire only to find Keskivaara crawling to his feet. He had been struck dead on by one of the most powerful attacks known to mages, yet the People’s Mind had stood up anyway. Her only conclusion was that just before his shields of wind were broken, he sent healing magic through his body and fixed the wounds nearly as fast as they could be made. Rickori Keskivaara was a beast, and that was the sole reason she ordered Ryokumo to run away, for he was the most powerful opponent she had ever faced, and as much as she knew Ryokumo was tough, should Keskivaara wish it, he could have killed him without much effort. Ilirianna couldn’t bear the thought of losing him, so even if she was completely outmatched now that Rotana Vesh had joined the People’s Mind, she knew she couldn't allow Ryokumo to get hurt. It was better for her to die fighting the Kosah-Rei than for her to live without him, so the second her friend was out of sight, she charged Vesh and Keskivaara without so much as another word.

Before pursuing, she’d managed to reclaim her dropped sword and sent her own nature magic into her skull to heal her broken nose and regrow her lost tooth, but she hadn’t had the time to put herself completely back together, so her movements were more cumbersome and sloppy than they had been before. She was fighting almost solely on instinct, as it seemed Keskivaara may have been. The People’s Mind had reclaimed his sword, returning to the Korrei-Tarr fighting style while Vesh supplied him backup from a distance, his hands always pressed to the road as he manipulated the earth beneath them. However, Ilirianna had learned from the earlier fight that she could overwhelm him with environmental fire, and now that they were in a new location, her supply had been restored.

“Infernus!” she snarled, taking the flames from the left side of the road and sending yet another massive wave of red and orange crushing down on her opponents.

Keskivaara used wind magic to manipulate it away while Vesh simply allowed it to hit him, his restored armor of rock protecting his skin from the burns. The battle had become tedious, with Ilirianna attempting and failing to land anything on Keskivaara, who was also unable to harm her even with Vesh providing backup. The cultist was, as expected, not the most helpful, for if Ilirianna kept close enough to Keskivaara then anything Vesh attempted to hit her with may very well harm the People’s Mind, too. Under normal circumstances, he would have been a far bigger help to Keskivaara if he rushed into the fray and fought Ilirianna directly, but the Princess and the People’s Mind were far too fast for a slow rock mage to keep up with, and eventually, Vesh merely chose to step back and watch.

I’m surprised he isn’t running away! she thought furiously, dodging another fire-powered strike from Keskivaara that almost landed since her attention had momentarily shifted to Vesh. Then again, he clearly believes everything Firrik was saying about the future. If she told him he’s going to survive Stellareid, then he has no reason to run! He’ll believe with all his heart that he cannot die! Ilirianna’s focus returned to Keskivaara as she put wind and fire into her swords, making three attempts on his life that the People’s Mind first dodged, then deflected with his own weapon, using the Korrei-Tarr reflection spell from before to blast Ilirianna back down the road. So what does he really make of it? Does Keskivaara really buy into Firrik’s nonsense, or is he just fighting because he has nothing left to lose?

Ilirianna wasn’t taken off guard by the reflection this time, so she was able to land on her feet and keep her balance as she stared furiously at the People’s Mind, who was now twenty yards away from her. Like was common, he remained on the defensive rather than pursuing her down the street, bending his knees and bringing his sword up across his torso. Vesh didn’t move either, and even though she knew she couldn’t afford to relent, she needed to catch her breath. It felt like they had been fighting for hours at that point, but she had a feeling it couldn’t have been more than twenty or thirty minutes since Ryokumo departed. Her body was weak, she was drenched in sweat, and since she had been fighting in bare feet, she was starting to feel the pain that was almost certainly a result of the skin being rubbed off of them. She was angry and frustrated, debating another attack with blue fire before discarding it.

That magic uses a lot of mana, and right now, I’ve used more of my supply than I ever have. I need to save it for the best opportunities rather than randomly rely on it. The problem is that Keskivaara isn’t giving me an opening to try again! I’m exhausted. I just want to lay down and sleep, but I can’t let these assholes get away! I have Rotana Vesh and Rickori Keskivaara right in front of me, so if I lose them, I’ll be left with nothing but shame.

Given that Keskivaara obviously intended for her to start the battle again, Ilirianna drew another deep breath and was about to proto towards him when something up in the sky caught her eye. The Princess couldn’t help but turn her head towards the beam of light that had just flashed from the top of the Grand Observatory. It was light magic, more specifically a casting of Ilumine, but before she could even wonder why one of the Luz was atop the Observatory or why they were flying straight into the sky, the nucleus of the beam turned a bright orange and exploded into a ball of flames. Ilirianna let out a sharp exhale of horror, her eyes wide as she watched the flaming corpse plummet downwards and out of sight.

No… Who was that? Acostav? Eko? Album? Who just died? Why did they explode now rather than before?! I don’t understand! What the hell was that?!

“Well, Ilirianna, unfortunately, that would be our cue to depart.” Vesh’s words tore their way into her head, causing Ilirianna to immediately turn a furious gaze towards the large rock mage who had just moved to stand beside Keskivaara. “According to Tali, the Kosah-Rei safely departs with all of six their members in one piece, with the signal being the death of that light mage.”

“Excuse me?” she breathed coldly, her fists clenching so tightly around her swords that her fingers began to hurt. “And you think I’m just gonna let you run away?”

Vesh shrugged. “No idea. All I know is we get out of here somehow. And Dr. Keskivaara, if there was any doubt about what Tali has told you, I hope this clears it up. She predicted that shooting star and there you have it.”

Keskivaara was still gaping up at the spot where the beam had originated, his features contorted with disbelief. Perhaps he had still retained a bit of doubt, but even at that distance, Ilirianna was able to see in his eyes that he could no longer deny it. She felt a pang of unease, for it implied that Tali Firrik really had foreseen such an event, but since she could not bring herself to accept that, Ilirianna shook her head and reminded herself that there must have been some trick. There had to be, so the Princess was far from ready to believe in the wild stories of a self-declared prophet.

And even if she can somehow see the future, what she said about us is a lie. I will never be friends with a killer like her, and my mother would never have had an affair with Uncle Nakoma. It’s all nonsense designed to get in my head and rattle me.

“Anyway, as fun as this was, it was also quite pointless,” Vesh went on. “All of us are in the future, so we cannot be killed in the present. I look forward to our next meeting, Ilirianna, and I hope that when it comes, we’ll finally be standing on the same side.”

“Hold on a second,” she growled, but Vesh shook his head.

“Do you not think your presence would be better served at that tower?” he interrupted. “A light mage just died, but was it Album or Eko? Truth be told, I have no idea, but let me give you one more piece of information.” He let out a chuckle that sounded more like a rumbling. “If she followed the plan, Lunara Noctis should be on the catwalk at the top of the Grand Observatory. Chances are high she’s the one who just killed the light mage. Perhaps you should subdue the little Noctis traitor, yes? She is the one who helped assassinate those in Saientia…”

Ilirianna clenched her teeth, having tried not to think any further about what Vesh had told them in the Jester’s Nirvana regarding Lunara. That was the only thing they had said in that lounge that actually held some weight, for it would not only explain how the NightLight was compromised, but it would also provide a reason for Abigail’s sudden change in her sense’s readings of Luna.

I can’t let them get away! I can’t lose them, but at the same time, if Lunara just killed Album or Eko, then…how willing would she be to kill more of us? Shit! Damn it all! What am I supposed to do?!

Ilirianna’s eyes flickered back up towards the Grand Observatory then back to Vesh and Keskivaara, and as multiple thoughts flashed through her mind, there was one in particular that held more weight than she cared to admit.

I was barely holding my own against Keskivaara a minute ago, so can I even stop them? Or would I be wasting more of my mana while further tragedy unfolds atop that tower? And if…Firrik’s visions are true, then fighting them is a waste of time! I refuse to believe in her claims about my mother, but the prediction of the death of that light mage gives more credibility to some of what she said than I care to admit. Then again, Vesh might just be saying this to try and convince me to let them leave without a fight! I don't—!

Her thoughts were cut off as a wave of blue fire suddenly erupted from Keskivaara’s outstretched hand, tearing down the street and rampaging directly for her. It was only a second, but her conflicted thoughts gave him an opening, and like the threat that he was, he took it. Few mages could erect a shield of wind that would withstand blue flames that close to the casting, and she was unfortunately not one of them. To her horrid frustration, Keskivaara made her choice for her as she turned on her heel, sent wind magic into her feet, and protoed down the road, knowing her only shot of survival would be to outrun the oncoming fire. She could hear the destruction of the surrounding buildings behind her, but she refused to look back until she finally rounded a corner and jumped onto an adjacent street, the flames continuing down the other road for a few more seconds before dissipating.

Ilirianna was breathing heavily, already reaching out with her senses to seek Keskivaara and Vesh, but unlike before, she could not locate a mana signature. Without a doubt, one of them had erected a distortion and would now be undetectable.

Rotana Vesh and Rickori Keskivaara had successfully escaped.

“Damn it,” she uttered, barely fighting back the tears of frustration that were pressing at her eyes as she grit her teeth so hard they were beginning to hurt. Yet, a part of her felt she deserved that pain as punishment for everything she had done wrong.

“Good job, Liri,” she spat at herself. “Look at all you’ve accomplished, you stupid, useless bitch.”

Engulfed by the most intense self-hatred she had ever felt, Ilirianna Iiji’s feet moved on their own as she turned and began sprinting in the direction of the Grand Observatory.

***

Unfortunately, knocking Uma Miyon and Leiolai Sartella out of the sky was not enough to kill either of them. The changeling had already sprouted massive black wings on her back, so it was far too optimistic to think that she wouldn’t survive, but given that Uma was magicless, Abigail really hoped he would plummet back down to the Fifth Ring and die on impact. She was furious at herself when she watched the metal boots on his feet surge with wind magic to break his fall, and within a second of landing, he was already using that same magic to flee west, in the direction of the walls. Abigail herself was already falling and a brief glance back to the darkened sky showed that Leiolai had regained her balance and, just like she had been trying to do from the start, took off in the opposite direction of Uma. If they split up, Abi wouldn’t be able to take down both of them, so despite how much she doubted her sense’s reading of Leiolai, she decided that if she had to spare one of them, it might as well be the one who had a small chance of being pure.

Using her own wind magic, Abigail landed in the center of a burning street and made repeated castings of Proto to pursue Uma towards the walls. She had no idea where the magicless doctor was headed, but at the moment, all she could think about was reaching him before he got away. He was roughly a hundred yards from her, and since she could feel her mana dwindling, she clenched her teeth and refrained from firing off any offensive magic, focusing only on Proto, as well as a little bit of Benedio to ease the burns on her arms. To her irritation, she could not close the distance before Uma reached the wall, bent his knees, and cleared it with a powerful high jump that sent him soaring over top before disappearing from sight. Abigail followed suit, increasing her power ever-so-slightly as she, too, was launched into the air and over the wall to start her descent to the Fourth Ring. Instantly, her eyes scanned for where Uma had headed, only for her brow to furrow in confusion.

His magical boots were directing him towards what appeared to be a massive wave of icicles within a high-end residential district. Her thoughts first went to Rennigan, but she wasn’t sure why Uma would be heading towards such a sight if the caster weren’t an ally of his. Nevertheless, neither he nor Abigail altered their trajectory, with the magicless doctor landing on a mansion’s rooftop a little under a mile away from the battle before continuing to magically sprint towards it by hopping from one house to another. Still keeping a safe distance from her, Abi was forced to the same, though she finally began to move a little faster, closing the gap just enough that by the time they reached the battle, she was only a few seconds behind Uma. Abi propelled herself forward one last time, flying over the side of a house and moving towards the street down below, only for her body to go cold.

She arrived just in time to watch Uma smash his fist into the side of a young man’s head, and even before she got a good look at his face, the sword he wielded and the signature emanating off of him told her without doubt that she had found Ryokumo.

“Perkari!” Abi snarled, landing on the road just before launching two blades of wind straight for the doctor’s back.

They were powerful enough to kill had they struck home, but it was then that she noticed the charred man crouched beneath Uma, who had until that moment been frozen to ground. With strength lacking the accompanying mana, he shattered the ice and jumped to his feet, allowing Abi’s blades to strike him dead in the chest, dispersing upon impact and leaving not even a tiny cut on the burnt man. For a second, the two of them stared at one another, only for Abigail to stumble backwards when she found she recognized his face. It had taken her a second due to the severe damage done to him, but as she gazed at the man now, she knew without a doubt that this was Hakelades Omorossa—or rather, it was Quill Tyrus, the one Lunara had told them was masquerading as the ringmaster.

“Ah, if it isn’t the one who called herself Laura,” Quill grunted before shooting an irritated expression towards Uma at his side. “You just had to lead another one of them right to me, didn’t you, Miyon?”

Uma shrugged casually as he straightened his back and cracked his neck. “Well, Leio was doing her best to abandon me so I thought I should seek out a more reliable ally. Though, given that you appear to have been barbecued, it seems you’ve got your hands full. Is that Ryokumo Caeli on the ground there?” Uma’s head then turned towards something behind Abi, as if only now just noticing whatever it was, before another amused chuckle slipped out. “And Rennigan Glaus, too! I thought you were tasked with killing the fucker? What happened to you?”

When Uma spoke that name, Abi’s head shifted to gaze over her shoulder to where Rennigan was barely upright, his back propped up against a fence behind him and his eyes wide with a mix of emotions she couldn’t quite identify.

Where’s Faye? Or Hiro and Jessi? Why is Glaus here by himself? And why…does he look so distraught?

“I could ask you the same thing, but I suppose this isn’t really the time, now is it?” Quill grunted. “Either way, I’ve been trying to eliminate Glaus for the last hour, but he’s the slipperiest piece of shit I’ve ever tried to catch, and now you’ve led Abigail Reiner right to my feet. I don’t suppose you’re free to help?”

Uma grinned. “Perhaps, but I think we’re a tad outmatched. I wasn’t prepared for Caeli and Glaus to be here with you. Flight may be our best option.”

As they spoke, Abi glanced down at Ryokumo, who was crawling towards where she stood, his head weakly raised to look up at her, as if begging for healing so that they could continue the battle. Given the dazed expression in his eyes and how hard Uma had struck him, Abi had a feeling he had a severe concussion, but she had such minimal mana that if she healed him, she wouldn’t have anything left with which to fight Quill and Uma, nor would she have anything to spare for Rennigan.

But I can’t let them escape! I’ve already lost Sartella, so—!

Drawing on everything she knew in a frantic attempt to find some way to manage her meager mana, Abigail turned back towards the cultists only for Quill Tyrus and Uma Miyon to suddenly, and without warning, lurch into the sky as a massive silhouette swooped down and grabbed them by their arms before it rapidly ascended with the powerful beating of the huge dragon wings on its back.

“No!” Abi screamed, wind mana already in her hand and ready to strike as she aimed her palm at who she now realized was Leiolai.

However, that previous warning returned to her, reminding her that if she cast Perkari and missed, the chances of her healing both of them were slim to none. She could either allow three Kosah-Rei leaders to escape or potentially sacrifice Ryokumo and Rennigan—a choice that was horrifically easy to make, but would weigh on her conscience nevertheless. Abigail Reiner was a healer before she was anything else, and there was no guarantee she would be able to hit Leiolai from where she stood anyway. All she could do was watch helplessly as that flying silhouette got farther and farther away before disappearing into the darkness of the night.

Damn it… They’re gone… They were right there…and I’ve lost them… Sartella must have distorted herself… That’s why I couldn’t sense her, wasn’t it?

It was then that she realized Rennigan was screeching at the top of his lungs—a sound so raw and guttural that it startled her. Abi spun around to find the water mage on his knees, his features twisted with rage as he watched Leiolai, Uma, and Quill fly off into the night.

“OMOROSSA! GET BACK HERE, YOU MOTHERFUCKER! I’LL KILL YOU! DON’T THINK YOU CAN RUN FROM ME FOREVER! I’LL FIND YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH!” His screams devolved into violent sobbing, and as if his body was beginning to give out, he collapsed forward with his forehead pressed against the cement. But even with his fading strength, he still slammed his fist into the road with frustration. “No… God, no…”

“G-Glaus?” Abi stuttered, her body frozen in terror at what could have possibly left Rennigan in such a state.

She needed to ask him what happened in the entertainment district—where Faye and the others were—but even though her lips were pursed in preparation of speaking, she could not get her voice to work. To delay what she tried to convince herself was not an inevitable, Abi crouched down to where Ryokumo was laying and pressed her hand against the back of his head to check his wound. As expected, he had suffered fairly dangerous cranial damage, and while she had enough magic to fully heal him, she needed to spare some for Rennigan. That was why, when she cast Benedio, she held back just enough that he would be able to walk, but where he would still need medical attention later.

“Thank you, Abi,” Ryokumo uttered after a few seconds, weakly raising his head to gaze up at her. “I’m so glad…you’re alive… I was worried…”

Abi forced a comforting smile that was more fake than any expression she had ever made, but she wanted to offer her good friend any solace that she could. “We’ll talk in a moment, Kumo. I need to heal Glaus.”

“Right…”

Turning away, Abi crossed the short distance between herself and the hunched over, sobbing Rennigan before she once again crouched down. His body was shaking, though his crying was far more controlled than it had been moments ago. Now that she was right in front of him, she realized that he had blood in places where there was no longer a wound, telling her that Ryokumo must have already tended to him. This was a relief, for it meant that with what she had left, she could get him back to near full-strength. Abi nodded to herself, gently placing her hands atop his head before once again casting Benedio. She felt the last of her mana enter Rennigan’s body, and though he continued to cry, the agony within the sound decreased ever so slightly.

“Kumo?” she called back once she had finished healing Rennigan. “What happened to Liri? Weren’t you supposed to be with her?”

Ryokumo, who had managed to get back to his feet, had an expression that was more unreadable than she had ever seen from him. He wasn’t looking at her when he responded, rather he was gazing off in the direction the Kosah-Rei had fled, as if truly pondering whether he should go in pursuit.

“Keskivaara betrayed us,” he growled. “He led us to a room where Vesh and Firrik were waiting. I’ll tell you the gist of what happened later, but Liri insisted she could take them herself and sent me to go find everybody else. It’s possible she’s still in combat with them.”

So Keskivaara was an enemy, after all, huh? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. At least Kumo and Liri weren’t victims of the combustions, and maybe…she can succeed where we didn’t. If she can take out Vesh and Firrik, then maybe we can get something out of this hellish night.

“What of Saientia?” Ryokumo inquired after a few more seconds of silence. “Have we lost anybody? And…” The young man paused, as if heavily debating whether to ask his next question, but when he finally decided to put voice to it, Abi found herself stunned. “Is it true that Lunara has betrayed us?”

Down beside her, she heard Rennigan exhale sharply, his head slowly rising to stare up at them. “W-what…did you say, Caeli?”

Ryokumo let out an exhausted sigh before tearing his eyes away from the cloudy sky to look back at Abi and Rennigan. “Vesh told us it was Luna who marked the Ladies of the NightLight, and while I didn’t want to bring myself to believe it, what you said about your sense earlier leaves me concerned. Abi…? Where is Lunara?”

Both of the mages were now looking to her for answers—ones she had, but that she was terrified of putting to words. Nevertheless, Ryokumo and Rennigan needed to know the truth, and lying wouldn’t accomplish anything, so Abi told them regardless of how much it pained her to do so.

“Yes, Luna turned against us,” she choked out. “She was the one who activated the combustions. I tried to stop her, but…” Again, she hesitated to reveal what unfolded in that library in regards to Nigreos, but knowing that if she gave herself any more time to think about it, she wouldn’t be able to do it, Abigail sputtered everything out. “Nigreos took her side and defended her long enough for her to use the ring. I wasn’t strong enough, and before I knew it, they’d escaped out the window to the Grand Observatory. Luna’s the one who killed everybody and Nigreos helped her! Master Acostav is dead! So is Lady Ella! I did everything I could, but I just couldn't stop them! I’m sorry… I couldn't do anything right… I’m sorry…”

Silence descended over that empty neighborhood, and since Abi had her face in her hands, she couldn’t see the expressions Ryokumo and Rennigan were making. The only insight into what they thought came from Rennigan’s soft but barely audible murmur.

“Lunara…and Nigreos? They activated it?”

“They did,” she sobbed. “Album and Eko went with Master Viiro to confront them. I don’t know if they’re even still alive. But they’re no longer our allies.”

“Then we must return to the Fifth Ring,” Ryokumo said, his voice surprisingly calm despite what he had just been told, but having known him as long as she had, she didn’t miss the hint of anger that slipped into his next words. “I’d like to have a little chat with my dear friend, Nigreos.”

Abi grit her teeth, knowing that there was still a question that needed asking before they departed the Fourth Ring, and even though she knew she should have asked it already, she was absolutely sickened by what she feared she would be told. That was why she forced herself to speak without giving it any further thought.

“What about Faye, Jessi, and Hiro? They came down here to speak with Omorossa, too, so where did they go? We shouldn’t leave without them, right?” There was no answer. Ryokumo and Rennigan remained silent yet again, and even though she knew it was wrong, this made her so angry that she shouted, “Where are they?! Don’t just ignore me! Where are my friends?!”

“Dead.” Rennigan uttered the word as if he, too, had to force it from his mouth. “Omorossa killed Hiro and Jessi…and Faye was taken by the combustions.”

Abi stared at Rennigan, immediately wanting to accuse him of lying even though she had no basis for doing so. It was a ridiculously emotional reaction, and when she saw how broken Rennigan was, she was disgusted by herself for even thinking such a thing. The water mage wouldn’t even look at her, his golden eyes stuck on some random part of the road beneath him. She had known this was the answer from the second he started screaming at Quill, but she just didn’t want to hear it—to accept that they could possibly be dead. Yet, even expecting that response, it was still somehow worse than she had been prepared for.

“Faye…died to the combustions? Then…Lunara…and Nigreos… They…?”

“They helped to kill her,” Ryokumo spat venomously. “I’m sure they had their reasons, but there isn’t a motivation in this fucking world that would convince me they were in the right. Lunara killed Faye… So I hope with all my heart that Master Viiro and the Luz give them exactly what they deserve. For them to join the Kosah-Rei… What the fuck is wrong with them?”

It was as Ryokumo spoke that Abi felt her vision start to get blurry. Ryokumo was right in that the Noctis played a major role in Faye’s death, but all Abi could think about was how she was the one who failed to stop her. She couldn’t beat Luna, she couldn’t beat the Kosah-Rei, and because of that, there were more people killed that night than she cared to count.

“I’d really like to spend as much time with you as I can,” Faye had told her on that balcony just the previous night. “You’re one of my best friends, Abi, so I’m going to miss you so damn much when you leave. You have my full support though! Go back to Scott, have your child, and raise a family in Wilham. Have the peaceful life you deserve, and maybe someday…when Princess Ilirianna is queen, I’ll come visit you in Omaruo.”

Before she knew it, Abigail was crying once again, and though she knew Ryokumo was right—that they needed to get back to Fifth Ring and help, she simply did not have the strength to move just yet.

I’m so sorry, Faye. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.

I’m such an awful person…