Of Flame, Sand, and Gold

snapped open

instincts ignited befor

r body spun into motion. One arm flung out, and the chain from her wrist caught his

all she

boot - the last thing they hadn't taken from her. She gripped it, whis

ame an

tric blue. It coiled up the blade like a living thin

ith heat. Her he

Flame?" She grow

trained soldier, but with the fury of

surging out the impact and cracking the nearest stone pillar. Zaria twisted, using he

m back, slashing through air and fabric. Her flame traile

en... s

hand. No wea

slow br

flame a

tain - dark, dense, and crimson-black. Not red. Not or

r flame stutt

nd her blue fire like a

ing through her strike like

ged through it. With a swift gesture, he caught her wrist mid

scre

rashed into the far wall, breath knocked out of he

e flickering out. She

nding it into the stone with th

around him like oil-fed smoke. "You thought you underst

aned

even know w

ed. Blood trickled from her nose. Bu

till fighting

sed his h

chamber expl

- the head of security for all of Aru'Shenu - stor

d with deep amber flame, and his face - worn, stern, an

ked, voice like a comm

n fr

t, the smok

sneer r

ahen said, strai

and his son, his flame forming

limits. A royal civilian

pat. "Because you still think you c

ilt the city's order. You wear th

e into the shadows while you posed in the

flickered at the edges of the amber shie

her," Sahen whispered. "I'm no

nk. "Then drop your

h was soft a

going to break your legacy. And I'm going to

nched

met

s flew like dying stars. Every impact of their enchanted weapons shoo

neral's discipline - swif

n unchained - unpredic

y fragile building apart. Her pulse thundered in her ears. Blood dr

he blow no

ard with a movement too fast to

nged deep into h

ris g

ream echoe

in a tangled,

en - s

is col

ged at the edges. His armor was cracked. His

yes... vi

ed towa

Method

sm

voice low and blood-wet.

h

one lightin