Twenty: The Triumvirate

Sian made her way around the house and finally found Warren and Lucas sparring against each other in the training room.

Lucas had frozen in place immediately after Sian relayed to them what was going on. He was almost trembling, and the others couldn't help but notice.

"Lucas what's going on?" Warren asked, turmoil spreading in him. "Lucas!" He yelled before finally getting the man's attention. "What's going on?" He repeated

"The Triumvirates, they're here" He managed to vocalize."we all need to leave now, we can't face them" Lucas said, panic clearly visible in his tone. he was literally shaking all over and reeked of fear.

"Aaron.... he's...." Sian trailed off before falling to her knees. If what Lucas said was true, then she had left Aaron to the clutches of death without a second thought.

Warren knelt beside her and wrapped his hands around her.

"He's okay" He assured. "Lucas, we have to help him" Warren said.

"It's suicide, we can't face them" Lucas returned still not moving a bit. "He's not gon...."

"Stop! If you won't help then don't but don't say things you don't know." Warren replied before motioning for Sian.

All she could see was darkness as if light never existed. Her eyes darkened with hate and every sense of happiness vanished from existence as she walked in on the death of Aaron. Her staff fell from her grip and everything went blank for a moment. Her blood boiled with anger as she took slow calculated steps towards the trio that stood over Aarons lifeless body. The atmosphere became damp and the cold air that came from nothingness had extinguished the burning destruction Aaron had caused.

"So this is the power that took out Tyrant" Edmund uttered taking few steps away from Aarons body.

Spikes of ice flew towards him but all vanished with a single swipe of he's blade. Fire flew across the room melting every incoming ice and advancing towards the partially unconscious Sian.

Warren had intervened and had cancelled out the attack with a wave of air. He had underrated the attack and his counter wasn't strong enough. The flames had reached him and had burned him a little.

Sian was still advancing, with every step she sent spikes and spears of ice flying towards the three but her attacks were futile against the fire Elemental. She had managed to outmatch Tyrant easily but this man was on another level.

Everywhere had suddenly become icy and the flames had ceased. She was overexerting herself and it was evident. The spikes had gotten bigger and faster and Edmund was struggling to keep up. The icy environment was slowing down his movement and making him extra careful with his steps. One single slip could be lethal. He jumped above to dogde the spikes that sprung from the ground and countered another that came head on. He received minor scratches from the partially melted ice he couldn't keep up with, but he heeded the minor injuries no attention.

Blood spluttered from Sian's mouth and she fell to her knees but that didn't stop her . She staggered up and continued her step, her spikes forging forward without stop. Her opponent was hardly keeping up. He seemed to be holding back and it wasn't doing him good.

Edmund tried to catch his breath as he struggled against the unending spikes, the ones he managed to melt reformed and launched at him forming an endless cycle which made this battle even more disadvantageous for him.

She had reached Aarons body and fell to her knees beside the man's body with tears flowing endlessly from her eyes. The ice hadn't stopped their rampage but the attack intensity had weakened considerably. Her will power had weakened.

Taking advantage of their opponents current weakened state, Warren attacked immediately, but the floating man had interfered, canceling out the wave of destructive wind he sent. The sudden act had taken him unawares and he jumped backwards to regain his thinking. But the seemingly injured swordsman didn't allow it, he had attacked before Warren could gain his control. Warren reacted quick and repelled a strike before parrying another.

The floating man had created some sort of barrier around the fire user shielding him effortlessly from the weak ambushing ice spikes. He almost froze at the sight, 'solid air? Was this even possible?' he questioned himself as he dodged a swipe of the scythe and kicked his attacker in the torso. His movements were slowed down due to the injuries on his knee but this man still wasn't an easy take.

Caleb staggered backwards and summersaulted amidst his staggering. a smirk on his face as Warren realized the current situation. This man had lured him into range and had purposely taken the hit to cover up an incoming conflagration. Sian had passed out on Aaron's body and the fire user was free again, free to go all out. Mustering every ounce of energy in him, he tried to do the impossible, create a solid air barrier, dodging was impossible and he only had one shot at this.

He did it, he created solid air but it had taken all he had in him, yet the other man did it will little effort. The smoke screen had cleared now and he could see the floating man gliding towards him.

"What's your deal Harold, we were ordered to kill them apart from the girl" Caleb reminded this time without his usual cheerfulness.

"Silence Caleb" came Harold's response as he reached Warren, with a swipe of his hand, Warren's almost shattered counterfeit barrier vanished into thin air and he took fast uncalculated backwards steps which ended him on the floor.

"You have potential Warren Stone," Harold said "But it's too much, the difference in our strength. I would spare you now, get stronger and face me again" He finished and glided away just as he came.

His battle instincts were sharp, he turned round and had effortlessly blocked an attack from Lucas.

"How weak have you gotten Lucas?" Harold questioned rhetorically before sending his attacker backwards with a shockwave. "Your fight is not with me" He finished and glided without fear of the danger behind him. Caleb had sprung forward and cracked his knuckles. His knee injury had been tied up with a piece of cloth and he still had that annoying smirk on his face.

"Now come, show me what you got" Caleb urged motioning him to attack.

His hands were trembling, he was disappointed in his current condition, he had let his fear get the better of him and had allowed his comrades battle with their lives while he hid behind like a coward. But that was over now. Taking a deep breath, he rushed at Caleb. He knew Caleb as well as any of the two standing behind him, he was the best amongst the non elementals when it came to skill and everything. They were best of friends before Caleb had become friends with Inferno's son and his temporal teacher Harold. They had grown apart and now he was battling his former best friend to the death. His attacks were easily overcame and he was getting a beat down from an injured Caleb.

"You're pathetic Lucas, you shouldn't have made friends with weaklings. You should have accepted death instead of being a coward" Caleb mocked whilst accompanying his words with dangerous blows until he knocked his opponent down. He took a dagger and plunged it into Lucas's shoulder, and repeated the action on his limbs.

"I will make sure I don't leave you the option of running like a coward ever again" Caleb shouted as he raised the blade to finish him off but Harold had interfered pushing him backwards with a ball of air.

"Know your place Harold!" Caleb screamed as he rushed at the flying man but Edmund had interfered.

"You will explain later Harold" Edmund said trying to hold back the enraged Caleb. Harold was undeniably the strongest amongst them but Edmund was still their leader. He hated the position because he only felt stupid being called a leader by one who was clearly stronger than him. Harold had backed down and had moved backwards showing his apologies in the act.

"Get the girl. Caleb" Edmund ordered before knocking out the already dying Lucas.