Fire

Ningal knew the moment she smelled the smoke that something was wrong. Just to make sure, she turned and looked at the cooking area to see if she had not left something cooking that was now burning. As soon as she confirmed that the was nothing there, her worst fear came to light. Sheyken had already known where the smoke was coming from at the point but Vitula was just like Ningal, still looking for a possible answer before he could confirm what was happening after checking other more lightly explanations.

"Flosbris, this must be you."

Ningal said out loud as she stood up. That was the signal for all of them to stand up.

"Damn it! She made her move too soon."

Vitula said as he stood up. As they were coming to accept the situation they were in, Ningal who was facing the shop's exit door saw blue flames rising from the single window by the door.

"Araneu webbing."

She said in awe. Both Vitula and Sheyken looked at the window when they heard her and at that point, they were sure they were being attacked. Sheyken had no expression as when he heard Ningal say it was Araneu webbing that was the course of the flames, he knew right then why Flosbris had asked for it. Knowing that he was part of the course for what was happening hit him hard.

'"Can we put them out?"

He asked, turning to Vitula for an answer.

"No, they are usually used to conduct experiments as they burn at a constant temperature until they burn themselves out. The blue color is distinctive to its flame when burning. It is hard to put them out as they can burn underwater too. I am guessing she had a generous amount, so trying to put them out at our current strength will be impossible."

Vitula said. Ningal looked at Sheyken and went to him. She kneeled down and kissed him on his forehead.

"This is a time to remain cool-headed and for you to find a way to survive. No matter what happens to us, you must find a way to survive and save our children. You told me an incredible story and I am sorry for not believing you. If you survived that, I am sure you will find a way to escape and rescue our children. Promise me that whatever happens to us, you will not fight and you will center whatever decision you make on saving yourself, Nanna and Falgur, not us."

Ningal said in a calm and commanding voice. Sheyken looked at the hand that was missing a finger because of him and remembering what she did for him from the day they met, he answered her with a heavy heart.

"I promise!"

He managed to mumble the words out.

"Remember that all of this was never your fault."

Ningal added. She slightly nodded her head and stood up. At that point, the house was feeling with smoke and flames were starting to creep inside of the shop.

"The light is always chased by the shadow, the dark will always give way to the light, through the wars that echo throughout the green lands, given way to sorrow and rot, hear my spirit, the WAR DRAM that echoes in my heart, allow me to strike one blow to my enemy, so dark can give way to the light once more."

'Is that an incantation?'

Sheyken thought as this was the longest incantation he had heard from her. He saw a light green light coming up from the ground, moving up to her forehead and then to the hand that was missing a finger where it then vanished into that hand. Ningal thereafter looked at Vitula and with a sense of understanding they nodded to each other then Ningal left them for the basement.

"We need to get out of here, she will be fine."

Vitula said to Sheyken. The flames were everywhere by then and the smoke was making it hard to breathe. Sheyken knew Ningal would not let any harm come to Nanna so he followed Vitula to the door.

"We know we a forcing our hopes on you, but please, find a way to get out of here. No villager can go past the village walls except for you three, cough, cough! It is a spell those evil bustards put on us to keep us hear but because of Numinima, every child born in the village after her sacrifice including Falgur can come and go as they please. It is a form of a passing Blessing. So, all you have to do is get them beyond the wall then try and hide from those bustards until you find help, cough, cough!"

Vitula told Sheyken while coughing and on their way to the door.

'So that is why I have never seen any villager beyond the walls. Does it have to do with the rune I saw on the gate or that is just a rune to shows the Nixeor family's claim over the village?'

Sheyken thought as he reached the door. Vitula kicked it open and they both jumped outside to safety. When they got up off the floor, they were surrounded by a crowd of villagers that quickly grabbed hold of Vitula. One of Dunnam's guars grabbed Sheyken by his hand.

Sheyken looked around after finding his bearings and saw a whole crowd of people who were yelling uncontrollably.

"Death to the traitors! Death to the traitors."

They shouted out with more and more villagers joining them. It was almost dark outside as their conversation had lasted hours. Many of the villagers were holding torches which made the scene look medieval.

Flosbris was by Dunnam's side laughing like the evil witch that she was. Seeing the house of her long since rival burn down was exhilarating for her. The guard had taken Sheyken to be by her side which also was occupied by the Araneu he had killed days ago. His shock was overwhelmed by his anger and desire to kill the lady laughing beside it.

"Awe, only you two are coming out. Does that bitch wish to burn to death with her house? Good, it would be less dramatic but it would cut the work down for us...hahaha."

She was clearly having fun which drove the thorn in Sheyken's heart even deeper. After a few minutes, two human figures could be seen coming to the exit door through the flames. They exited the burning house and as soon as they got outside the crowd of people went silent in surprise.

"Weren't there supposed to be one child?"

One of them asked through the silence with only the sound of wood burning in the background.

"Well, well, well, isn't this a surprise. Is this why you and Vitula have been so busy in that little house of yours for the past few days?"

Flosbris said out loud with amusement. Ningal and Nanna were still by the exit door away from the flames unscathed with no one coming close to them.

"Tell me Sheyken, just like you, did you find her in the Trial Forest and sneaked her in without the other villagers noticing?"

Flosbris bent down when she asked so she could be face to face with him.

'At this distance, I could just slit her throat with Plot Armor and through the confusion take Nanna and go. Problem is that I do not know how powerful an initiate is. I cannot go back on my promise either.'

Sheyken was glaring at her as he thought of cutting her down. She gave up on asking him because as like the last time they met, she could not read his thoughts buy his actions. She was confused as it seemed he wanted to kill her but at the same time he did not.

"Anyway, we shall find out. Traitors deserve no messy."

"Traitors! Traitors!"

The crowd followed suit as they started shouting again. They brought Ningal and Nanna to where Sheyken, Flosbris, the Araneu, Dunnam's guards, and Dunnam who had not said anything or moved beside Flosbris where.

"Hahahaha, BITCH. I have waited a long time for what's to...."

Flosbris could not finish her sentence. As soon as Ningal was in range, she let go of Nanna's hand and launched a vicious uppercut. Dunnam's guards were two of the most skilled beast hunters the village had raised. As soon as they saw the punch, the closest one to Flosbris had let out his hand to try and block it. He had calculated the trajectory of the punch perfectly but when it was about to be blocked, a tiny green light that Sheyken had as seen during Ningals incantation shot out of her hand, knocking the guard's hand away.

Ningals's fist went unimpeded and landed on Flosbris's chin who could do nothing about the sudden attack. She flew up in the air like a beautiful mermaid doing a backflip out of the water. The scene was beautiful and brutal at the same time.

The crowd watched in awe as the two beauties of the village gave them a scene they would not forget anytime soon. Flosbris had fainted for a few seconds when she was up in the air but gained consciousness when she hit the ground. Feeling dazed, she tried to get her bearing's and to stand up only to fall. She stayed on the ground and looked in Ningals direction only to be shocked at what she saw. Her Araneu's head had been separated from its body and its body was laying on the floor in pieces.

"Mother."

Nanna said in a worried tone. The place was quiet because of the show her mother had just acted out which made her words be heard by everyone. The words she spoke made everyone gasp in shock. One old lady could not handle the consecutive surprises and fainted right then and there.

"Mother?"

Dunnam finally spoke in confusion.