Danger

A calm but firm voice instantly diminished the built-up tension inside the house, especially between Kingsley and Jessica, breaking them up even when the guards couldn't.

"Blaze is coming. You've done enough," Colleen said evenly, settling down the Storm Tribe beast with just her words. She figured, getting herself and the others around her worked up would do no one any good. "Still, I'm not convinced," she added, accepting the situation she was in. "What would happen to my parents?"

Kingsley tossed Jessica aside with his strength as if she were nothing but a pebble, and the guards caught their captain as Kingsley turned his attention to Colleen.

"The council will do nothing to your parents," he clarified, his tone assuring. "You can trust me on that one. They will be under surveillance, but will not be disturbed in their everyday life."

"But-" One of the guards opened their mouth to argue, but Jessica shoved him back, forcing his mouth shut with a warning glare.

Growing up from the same tribe, she knew Kingsley since they were children, tirelessly chasing after the great accomplishments he'd achieved starting from an early age, hoping that she would one day be good enough to compare to him. But in the end, she always failed to reach his level, let alone surpass him in any way. She disliked him, but knew him well for she studied and observed him since young…or so she thought.

Today, she had witnessed an aggressive side to him that she didn't even know was there.

"Alright, the carriage is waiting. Take care of Blaze, Kingsley," Colleen said gently, though the corners of her mouth were downturned. As she walked past him, she gave him a pat on the shoulder, staring into his eyes, silently telling him how much she worried for her best friend, but knew it simply wasn't possible for her to go. She gripped his shoulder hard, releasing the emotions she would like to convey but couldn't aloud before she seized Kaiser by the wrist.

"Let's go, Kaiser."

The guards quietly filled out of the house behind them, leaving Kingsley alone inside the house that wasn't his, rubbing a hand down his face in constant regret. He didn't know how things were progressing, and the situation had once again proved that he could do nothing for Colleen. There was not a single good thing he could do, and everything he had done had only become bad news for her.

'Maybe…her being with Kaiser is best,' he thought wretchedly.

~

Her trip was fairly long, even the horse that carried her throughout the journey was showing signs of fatigue. But Blaze proceeded to push it to run at an incredible speed as she rode on its back, beads of sweat dripping down her face as the breeze blew against her, her long, scarlet hair fluttering with the wind.

She was tired from the continuous journey but decided it was not yet time for a break. In the near distance, she could see the guards watching her through the telescope atop the massive border wall of Lunargard Faction.

She waved her one dragon-slaying javelin rhythmically in the air, but they didn't respond right away, whispering to each other in confusion.

"Open the gate now, I'm in a hurry," Blaze muttered under her breath, speeding up towards the gate.

Her appearance was gaunt, looking as if she had aged prematurely. If she had traveled at a normal, safe pace with breaks in between the journey, she would have arrived at the faction tomorrow morning. Instead, she broke expectations and traveled through the night, alone and prone to the danger of lurking dragons in the dark forest.

But as dangerous as that sounded, none of that was scarier than the amount of hatred she saw in Alistein's eyes. He said he was to arrive tomorrow morning. If she traveled at a normal pace, there was no way she was going to be able to deliver the news to the faction and prepare for his attack at the same time.

Clang!

The metallic sound of someone removing the clog on the gate resounded in the distance.

She narrowed her eyes seeing several gate and council guards line up, waiting for her arrival, and tsked, knowing fully well what it meant.

"Stop right there and surrender your weapons, Blaze Estereon!" From the entrance, Bon Banson growled from the crowd, trying to force her to submit with his armed men. However, that was a wrong move on his part. He should've known better.

Blaze ignored his shouts and climbed to her feet on top of her horse, not showing any sign of slowing as she returned her javelin to her back where the other one was still strapped, staring forward with cold eyes.

"What is she doing?" "She's gone crazy!" "Didn't she hear the Chief?"

Chief Banson was furious. "HEY!! I SAID STOP AND DROP YOUR WEAPONS!" he bellowed, his almost non-existent neck corded in rage. How could Blaze, a woman from a fallen tribe, dare disobey him, the Chief of Lunargard Council, in front of all these people? He could not tolerate it! No, he just couldn't tolerate her!

From the back of the speeding horse, Blaze bent down and leaped off her mount with ease into the sky. Everyone followed her flight up with wide eyes, gawking as they saw how high the lioness of the Ember Tribe jumped.

From a small figure high in the sky above their heads to descending meteor falling at a dangerous speed, the guards panicked and scattered, crying, "R- run! She's going to land here!"

"That feral woman! Why didn't she die with her tribe?" Chief Banson cursed as he turned to flee. He ran like a waddling penguin, hefting up his baggy pants with both hands, fearing the end of his luxurious life upon seeing Blaze flipping in the air.

BOOM-!!!

Chunks of rock and debris were sent flying in all directions, forcing everyone's guard up, the ones with shields to raise them higher against the bomb-like landing. In the midst of the clearing smoke, Blaze stood formidably in the huge, dented crater, purple veins bulging abnormally all over her body against her now frighteningly red skin.

The guards trembled in awe and fear. 'H- how…how the f*ck-?!'

They stiffened up as Blaze scanned them with her flaming eyes, searching for the one that she heard yapping off earlier. She only had to turn once before her eyes found their target, and the chief shivered as he now stood in the spotlight with this crazy woman.

She approached him, his heart beating faster with each step Blaze took…until she was standing right in front of him. He jumped, feeling his heart stop as Blaze grabbed the front of his shirt, forcing him to stand straight as she leaned her face in close.

"Where is the Emperor, fatso?!" she hissed.

The chief gulped in fear, but had no intention of backing down. He scowled in return. "You disrespectful b*tch! Remove your filthy hands now or else-"

"Or else what?!" Blaze forced his words to an abrupt stop, raging menacingly. "Go on and tell me. What are you going to do, huh?"