The Lovers, Part 2.

"It was too smooth to be that easy." Xayah thought as the boy with the scythe was two meters above her.

Everything went smoothly a few seconds ago. Xayah and Rakan sat on a tree and looked at the Fort.

Xayah turned towards him. "Do you remember the plan?" she asked him.

"Nope, but let's do it!" He replied with a smile.

Xayah sighed. "You'll toss a feather at the east wall to distract those on the wall. I'll climb the front and wait for it. Once I see it, I sweep in, clear the courtyard. You climb the wall, take care of those up there and meet me at there. We get in...clear the place...extract the politician...get out."

"Got it!.. Wait, doesn't it remind you of Puboe Prison?" Rakan said.

"What do we care for? It's all the same. We liberate this land." Xayah rolled her eyes and they jumped from the tree, landing on her talons. Rakan soon followed her.

"Xayah?" He called out for her.

"Yeah?" Xayah turned around to be met with his warm hug.

"Be careful, miella. Something doesn't feel right." He said.

Xayah responded to the hug. "I will, mieli."

That's what she thought now, seeing the boy jump from the second floor, it's weapon raised above its head, ready to strike. Rakan saw him seconds before her and plucked a feather out, ready to toss it.

Xayah rolled to the side as the scythe came down along with the boy, slamming the stone. He emitted a strong aura of dread. Xayah flung five feather daggers at him. The boy flipped in the air, avoiding her projectiles and landed back down.

Rakan dashed to her side and took his dance stance, ready to also throw one of his feathers at any moment.

The boy patted his armored left shoulder, as if it had gotten dusty. "Well, well... If it wasn't the Violet Raven and her sidekick." A smirk formed in his face. "Came for that rebel scum, didn't you?" he continued.

Xayah glared daggers at him. She then literally threw three of her daggers at him. He spun the scythe, blocking them. He then looked at his weapon. "Hey Rhaast, wanna have some fun?" he said to it.

"Is this human boy mad?" she thought. The boy took a battle stance and raised its right hand, signalling her with his palm to come at him.

"Tsk..." Xayah moved forward and so did the boy. She had to get him to the right angle. Their weapons clashed as the two engaged in a new battle dance. The boy moved in a synchronised pattern, avoiding his two opponents harmonically equal to Xayah's and Rakan's moves.

He didn't fight like the other Yánléi acolytes, his style was too patterned, too similar to the Shadow Master's. Was he his apprentice? But why would he be here?

The tower's door opened and a Yánléi Acolyte stepped outside with its weapon drawn. "Kayn, what is happening?" he asked, raising his curved blade.

"They're here to take the vastaya!" the boy called Kayn said, slicing at Rakan who ducked down at the last moment.

The charmer stepped back, towards Xayah. "Is that angle good?" he asked.

"Good?" The boy asked. His eyes then widened as he understood what happened. The perfect angle.

"Yeah, thanks babe! " Xayah replied as she snapped her fingers, pulling back her feathers. Checkmate.

The boy smiled and turned into a deep and dark blue color. The feathers passed through him like he was a ghost.

"Tsk..." he said and turned towards the acolyte. "Kill her!"

The acolyte turned around to run inside.

"Crap" Xayah's eyes widened. She couldn't let that happen. She flung herself towards the doors way.

The boy tried to run towards her, but Rakan jumped on him with a kick, cutting him off.

"I got him! You go save her!" he said.

The boy rolled to the side and stood in a semi crouching battle stance, before he rushed towards Rakan. Xayah did not hesitate. Her love could handle him. She entered the tower and locked eyes with the Yánléi that was rushing down a spiral staircase that led to the basement.

She counted two on the stairs and one new to her.

"Element of hesitation." Xayah thought as she threw three of her daggers and kicked one, sending him on the wall. The daggers hit the two on their necks, pinning them on the wall and the rushing Yánléi right at the spinal cord, paralysing him and causing him to fall down the stairs and break his neck.

She collected her feathers and stepped down with them in hand as she heard motion downstairs, weapons clanging and human voices. About three different voices. They hadn't seen her yet due to the stairs obscuring her vision, but they saw the body the rolled down.

A door opened, another four voices. "I guess I'll have to use a barrage" she thought. She rushed down and once she reached the bottom, slightly jumped and brought her wing forward.

"Feathers fly!" a stream of sharp feathers flew from her wing and barraged the Yánléi acolytes. One raised his shield and protected himself. The rest were caught by surprise and got turned into fishing nets by the daggers. They didn't even get to let out a pained grunt.

The remaining Yánléi tossed his shield and sword on the ground. "You're out of feathers, sunshine." he said,cracking his knuckles.

Xayah stood there for a second, then rushed at him. He was big and bulky, taller than her. Even taller than Rakan. The Yánléi slammed his right fist at her. Xayah ducked, avoiding it and moved to the wall. She jumped on it and with a flip, kicked the man that just turned in the face and scratched his right eye with her talons. The man yelled but did not hesitate and slammed his right fist straight in her mouth just as she landed.

Xayah stumbled a few meters and leaned against the wall spitting out some blood.

The Yánléi removed his hand from his eye, revealing a neatly scratched out eyeballs. "Damn you!" he yelled. "For that, I'll kill you slowly...I might even enjoy myself a little.

Xayah growled. This was indeed a very bad day. "Am I supposed to be intimidated?" she said.

She then flashed forward. The Yánléi tried to keep up with her with his eyes, but she was too fast. She runned against the wall and jumped on the guy. The beast moved around as she choked him.

He slammed himself onto was, also cutting off her breath but she kept going. Both opponents groaned and growled as one tried to defeat the other, either by strangling or crushing. Xayah then wrapped her hands around his neck and quickly twisted to the right, hearing a healthy and loud "crack".

The beasty Yánléi fell to the floor. Xayah stumbled towards the stairs and sat down. She wiped the blood from her lips and allowed herself a few seconds to catch her breath.

Something caught her attention. The weapons that the Yánléi held did not emitt the dark faint smoke that they usually did. She decided to not pay attention any further and instead focused on catching her breath.

As she was done huffing and puffing, she collected her feathers and moved towards the door that led to her objective, hoping that Rakan was fine.