Act 4: Fallen Heaven - Chapter 639: Sirsi's Trampling

Act 4: Fallen Heaven - Chapter 639: Sirsi's Trampling

Avril inhaled deeply and calmed herself. Her shoulders and hands shook to the beating of her strained heart, so fast she could barely hear it drumming in her ears. Bit by bit, it slowed and dragged, recovering to its norm. She gripped her numb fingers on her staff and eyed Sirsi and Maia, who stared coldly at each other. Her eyes wandered to the high sky where the two King Exalts fought, hidden above the churning storm of time and black flames. Her gratitude to Remulus rose, his prudence saving her and the children. Escape seemed very unlikely from the start, but Maia's appearance sparked a glimmer of hope.

"I can't beat her." Maia frowned, holding her melded whip, prepared to attack. The flames on her body waned, the winds cold and harsh, spraying the waters of Sirsi's broken spell. Maia left a blazing trail as she went to Avril's side and said, "That exchange said as much. We need to focus on escaping."

Avril was not shocked to hear that since Oscar had defeated scores of enemies, mostly thanks to his Reis. Sirsi held the same power, but she knew they were different. Unlike Oscar, Sirsi didn't have the perfect Reis body her master, Sevon, praised endlessly in the Burning Valley. That meant there existed a weakness, the endurance of the heart. Avril checked her arsenal: five sealed spells and three Ein empowerments. Erden was in no condition to fight, Demon was not awake, and the children could not match up.

"There's no other option. I'll hold her off. Run fast and run far. Don't look back." Maia brushed past Avril, standing in front in a protective stance.

"Geez. Why is it always so complicated whenever it comes to Oscar? Fighting the two of you right now is quite bothersome." Sirsi ran her armored fingers over her hair, her chest heaving in a great exasperated huff. A wide, charming smile stretched from her lips as her violet eyes curled in playful teasing, an unsettling look sending shivers down Avril's spine. "Well, it's good that I planned ahead. Give me Oscar, or else this one dies." She pointed her thumb back at the airship. A bubble bounced off the edge and floated to Sirsi's side, a fainted young man trapped inside, his hair brown like Renn's with a more immature look.

"Who is that?" Avril bit her lip as her self-narration sought to escape. She was unwilling to show her quirk for an enemy to ridicule.

"Huh? You don't know him?" Sirsi tapped her knuckles on the bubble, ripples distorting the blob of water. "Geez, did Oscar tell you nothing? This young man is one of his men. It took some effort to snatch him away."

"Who?" Avril sought the answer from Erden, who cursed and answered truthfully. The young man was Auren, one of the prisoners they had freed from a New Dawn facility and a loyal follower who had served Oscar for almost thirty years. Avril grew frustrated at the complicated situation. While she considered running away with Maia and the others after taking advantage of Reis's weakness, she couldn't let Auren be. No more deaths. No more deaths should burden her husband. Standing by Maia's side, she simply smiled at her friend's widened gaze. "We can't leave him. Lend me your strength."

"Crazy. Crazy and outlandishly stupid." Maia scolded, but a faint grin cut across her face. The windy breeze forced her white hair back as a few beats of sunlight poured over her face, accenting the small upturn of her lips. "But that's you." She blazed ahead, lashing her whip, an arc of flame trailing behind. Her whip moved so fast it blurred into dozens of patterns, coiling to entrap Sirsi. Wisps of flames spread, then converged onto Sirsi, who punched once, a single expanding tide crashing against her whip and drowning the wisps.

"Be careful! She's a master of Reis and wields two gauntlets! The left one makes any water it touches into a slippery substance that can hold its form. Careful of her speed!" Erden shouted out his intel.

Sirsi crouched, tapping her left hand on her wet shoes. Avril found her Prinstyct useful in seeing the flow of Ein to the legs but useless in detecting her next motion. Maia's spells had burned away her pollen, letting Sirsi move freely; they were the worst pair to team up due to their conflicting elements. As Sirsi's figure vanished, a few globs of water floating where she had been, Avril pulled on a vine she had attached to Maia's feet and reeled her back in. A drilling maelstrom passed by, nearly skewering her friend.

Maia reacted quickly, her snake whip acting on its own to entangle Sirsi's maelstrom. Steam hissed and rose from the whip, the fires dimming. Avril summoned a large tree; its branches pointed sharply toward the screeching maelstrom in the coiling whip. In a single command, the tree unleashed a barrage of branches sharp enough to pierce through human flesh. She turned to Auren, noticing the bubble was slowly diminishing, squeezing his body to curl further.

At this moment, she never felt more proud of her children, the sweetness of their bravery and love numbing the pain in her body. However, they merely offered themselves like lambs to the butcher. Was there a way to win? She wished for no harm to come to her and the others, for Oscar to be safe.

"What good kids....it makes me want my own soon." Sirsi smiled widely again.

Avril hated that smile. Her mind raced through countless options, all as unlikely as the one before. What could she do?

.......

For the first time in decades, Maia smiled deeply, ever so proud of Renn and Gloria. The immature children who used to cry and beg now protected her, an odd yet wondrous feeling welling up into faint tears trickling down her cheeks. Gnashing her teeth, she willed all the Ein she could muster, squeezing every drop in her core for a final gambit, unwilling to let them perish. However, she heard something or someone.

'Girl. Let me help you.' A voice called out to her, cackling.

'Who are you?' Maia asked, wondering where this voice came from.

'I am Ignyres, the Ancient of Fire. I can help you, but it will be costly.' Ignyres warned, the voice oddly carrying a warmth that soothed the pain from her wounds.

'Will it save them?' Maia wanted to know.

'Your flames are bright and brilliant. Stoked by your will to protect. It can work to help you all escape.' Ignyres said.

'Then, yes. Use me.' Maia answered. No matter the price, as long as the children and Avril were safe, she would pay it.