Chapter 4
The blade struck the wooden beam, shattering it into small splinters. Ifrit pulled the scimitar back up and inspected the damage. He was now wearing wrist guards decorated with feathers. He was cleaning the blade with a cloth when Shiva approached. She peered at the remains of the beam.
"Chopping firewood?" she asked, bending down to pick up a sliver.
Ifrit was thinking of something appropriately cutting to say when he noticed that he could see her hair now. It was a mass of gravity defying cyan colored spikes with streaks of green. She was wearing an eastern style sky blue dress with short purple sleeves and collar. Over it she wore a short white cape. She stood and twirled the splinter between her forefinger and thumb. She looked his way and frowned.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing," said Ifrit, looking away as he removed his sword belt. "I need to decide what to tell your grandfather."
"What did he ask?" said Shiva, turning to face towards him.
"He wants me to work for Jidoor as a guard," he said glancing back at her.
Shiva nodded, expressionless. "And?"
"Well I don't know. I usually don't stay anywhere longer than a month," said Ifrit, scratching his neck with the hilt of his sword.
"Well if you want to leave, then leave," she said plainly.
Ifrit fumbled with the straps on the sheath. "Well it all depends if I'm welcome here. Do you think I am?"
Shiva sighed and took the scimitar. "Here let me." She then wrapped the sword belt around his waist while Ifrit dared not to breathe. "There, done," she said sheathing the scimitar.
Ifrit looked down at the sword. "I usually wear it over the shoulder."
Shiva sighed and headed back to the house.
"I mean thank you!" he called after her.
She paused for a moment at the door, then pushed it open and walked in without looking back.
Ifrit picked up the wooden splinters and threw them into the woodpile next to the house. He was walking toward the Mayor's house when he saw a young boy running furiously.
"Run! Golgatheans!" he yelled as he sped past.
Ifrit drew out his scimitar and ran toward the Town Square. He saw a dozen men in front of the Mayor's house. They were dressed in black armor over red clothing. White skulls decorated their collars and eastern style helmets hid their eyes. They wore dark capes and one carried a banner with a black skull on it. One of them noticed him and they readied their spears.
"Hold it!" called out a voice.
Ifrit and soldier turned to see Ballant kneeling on the roof of the house, with a man standing over him. He was dressed in a dark tunic with a red sash and small sword slung across the small of his back. Over that he wore a showy red cape with black trim and high collar that hid the lower half of his face. Only his crimson eyes and black hair slicked back were visible.
The soldier with the banner called up to him. "Lord Diablos, most of the villagers have run off."
"Let them run," said Diablos. "Gather the ones you caught Captain"
The Captain saluted and ran off with two men.
"What the hell do you want?" yelled Ifrit.
Diablos just laughed and ignored him.
The soldiers returned herding about twenty villagers. Ramuh was among them and gestured to Ifrit. The soldiers braced for a fight as Ifrit approached. When Ramuh shook his head, Ifrit threw his sword down with a snort. The Captain picked it up and inspected it.
"Good craftsmanship," he commented.
Ifrit folded his arms across his chest and allowed the soldiers to be shove him with the other villagers into a semicircle. Ramuh leaned close to him.
"Where's Shiva?" he whispered.
"She was in the house when I left. She may have run off or went into hiding," whispered Ifrit.
"Good," said Ramuh.
"Shut up you two!" yelled a guard, poking Ifrit with a spear. Ifrit caught the shaft of the spear and held it glaring at the guard. But he released it when he felt Ramuh's hand on his arm.
"The audience is assembled, now let our pageant begin!" said Diablos in a dramatic voice. He placed a gloved hand on Ballant's shoulder. "Now confess to your citizens that you have been harboring Espers!"
"What?" said Ballant, looking up genuinely shocked.
Diablos' brows lowered. "Don't play games with me Lord Mayor. I'll give you one more chance."
"But we'd never let Espers live here!" said Ballant desperately.
Diablos sighed. "Wrong answer. Allow me to demonstrate something to your people. I'm sure most of you witless peasants have no idea what gravity is, but it is what pulls you to the earth. Now, unless you give up the Espers, I will show what happens when you quadruple the force of gravity on a human heart." With that he held out a hand and a black sphere materialized in it. He placed his hand against Ballant's back and the darkness enveloped him. Ballant gasped and clutched at his chest. The people cried and wept as they saw this. A mother turned her children away.
"Alright that's enough!" yelled Ifrit.
Diablos released Ballant who collapsed onto the roof. His eyes twinkled in amusement as he looked down Ifrit. "Really? Come up here and stop me then."
Ifrit growled and roared. Everyone took several steps back, even the soldiers. He hunched over as if in physical pain, and flames seemed to emerge from his eyes and mouth. People gasped as his whole body caught on fire. A wave of flame burst forth in every direction, knocking everyone over except for Ramuh and the Captain. The thatch roofs that began to burn eerily illuminated the hulking figure with huge demonic horns and a massively muscular body. He howled and sent a volley of fireballs at the soldiers, some of whom were engulfed in flames. The soldiers retreated except for the Captain, who readied his lance.
"Pull your men back Captain!" called Diablos.
"Yes my Lord!" exclaimed the Captain. He helped a burnt soldier to his feet and carried him off.
Ifrit emerged from the roaring flames. He now looked bestial, almost feral, with glowing orange eyes, the horns crowning an unruly mane of bright violet hair. He wore nothing but a loincloth and the wrist guards. Some of the villagers were trying to put out the fires, some were staying to watch and some were running for their lives.
"Come and get me Esper!" taunted Diablos, gesturing him to come closer.
Ifrit bellowed and jumped straight at Diablos. At the last second, Diablos dissolved into a swarm of bats. Ifrit plowed through the roof, causing it to implode and burst into flames. During this confusion, Ramuh nimbly hopped onto the roof and carried Ballant off to safety over his shoulder. Ifrit reemerged from the roof, howling in frustration.
"Argh! Fight me you coward!" Ifrit roared.
The swarm of bats materialized into Diablos on the tower of the nearby temple. "So at last you have revealed yourself, Esper. Too bad you destroyed the village you were trying to save."
Ifrit turned and looked around. Every building in town was burning like an army of bonfires neatly lined up. He could see people running in every direction, terrified. Ifrit collapsed to his knees.
"Nooo!" he moaned.
Diablos began to laugh, maniacally, almost insanely. "Oh my poor, poor Esper! As you ponder the ashes of your village you can only blame yourself!"
He began laughing again but stopped abruptly as he felt a cool breeze blowing against his cape. They both looked up and a blizzard descended on top of the village. An icy wind consumed them as it howled through Jidoor in gale force. Ifrit winced as the cold pierced through him like a thousand needles.
"Damn.." muttered Diablos, more to himself than anyone else.
A figure slowly descended into view. At first glance it looked like a woman, but she was not human. She had pale blue skin and her spiky hair was electric blue. She wore only a long flowing ribbon of violet cloth.
"Hiraka Dhula!" she called out.
In her right hand appeared a crystal of ice. The ice crystal grew in size as her eyes met Diablos'. Her pale glowing eyes betrayed a cold fury. At the last instant, she let the crystal shatter into thousands of tiny razor edged pieces that pieced through his body.
"Ugh." he groaned, as he doubled over in pain. He looked up, the folds of the collar ripped away, revealing the lower half of his face. He wore a neat goatee, but dark blood was trickling out of the corner of his mouth. He touched his hand to his mouth and snarled. "You'll pay for that bitch!" He raised his hand as if to cast a spell, but stopped when he saw her expression.
"Black blood? Are you an Esper as well?" she demanded.
He laughed.
"Why are you attacking innocent humans?" she asked.
Diablos smiled grimly. "There is nothing innocent about humans. You will understand soon enough. For now I'll spare this puny village." He extended his arms and dissolved into a swarm of bats that flew off towards the setting sun.
Ifrit was still on his knees on what remained of the roof of the Mayor's house. "Wow." was all he could say.
The blade struck the wooden beam, shattering it into small splinters. Ifrit pulled the scimitar back up and inspected the damage. He was now wearing wrist guards decorated with feathers. He was cleaning the blade with a cloth when Shiva approached. She peered at the remains of the beam.
"Chopping firewood?" she asked, bending down to pick up a sliver.
Ifrit was thinking of something appropriately cutting to say when he noticed that he could see her hair now. It was a mass of gravity defying cyan colored spikes with streaks of green. She was wearing an eastern style sky blue dress with short purple sleeves and collar. Over it she wore a short white cape. She stood and twirled the splinter between her forefinger and thumb. She looked his way and frowned.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing," said Ifrit, looking away as he removed his sword belt. "I need to decide what to tell your grandfather."
"What did he ask?" said Shiva, turning to face towards him.
"He wants me to work for Jidoor as a guard," he said glancing back at her.
Shiva nodded, expressionless. "And?"
"Well I don't know. I usually don't stay anywhere longer than a month," said Ifrit, scratching his neck with the hilt of his sword.
"Well if you want to leave, then leave," she said plainly.
Ifrit fumbled with the straps on the sheath. "Well it all depends if I'm welcome here. Do you think I am?"
Shiva sighed and took the scimitar. "Here let me." She then wrapped the sword belt around his waist while Ifrit dared not to breathe. "There, done," she said sheathing the scimitar.
Ifrit looked down at the sword. "I usually wear it over the shoulder."
Shiva sighed and headed back to the house.
"I mean thank you!" he called after her.
She paused for a moment at the door, then pushed it open and walked in without looking back.
Ifrit picked up the wooden splinters and threw them into the woodpile next to the house. He was walking toward the Mayor's house when he saw a young boy running furiously.
"Run! Golgatheans!" he yelled as he sped past.
Ifrit drew out his scimitar and ran toward the Town Square. He saw a dozen men in front of the Mayor's house. They were dressed in black armor over red clothing. White skulls decorated their collars and eastern style helmets hid their eyes. They wore dark capes and one carried a banner with a black skull on it. One of them noticed him and they readied their spears.
"Hold it!" called out a voice.
Ifrit and soldier turned to see Ballant kneeling on the roof of the house, with a man standing over him. He was dressed in a dark tunic with a red sash and small sword slung across the small of his back. Over that he wore a showy red cape with black trim and high collar that hid the lower half of his face. Only his crimson eyes and black hair slicked back were visible.
The soldier with the banner called up to him. "Lord Diablos, most of the villagers have run off."
"Let them run," said Diablos. "Gather the ones you caught Captain"
The Captain saluted and ran off with two men.
"What the hell do you want?" yelled Ifrit.
Diablos just laughed and ignored him.
The soldiers returned herding about twenty villagers. Ramuh was among them and gestured to Ifrit. The soldiers braced for a fight as Ifrit approached. When Ramuh shook his head, Ifrit threw his sword down with a snort. The Captain picked it up and inspected it.
"Good craftsmanship," he commented.
Ifrit folded his arms across his chest and allowed the soldiers to be shove him with the other villagers into a semicircle. Ramuh leaned close to him.
"Where's Shiva?" he whispered.
"She was in the house when I left. She may have run off or went into hiding," whispered Ifrit.
"Good," said Ramuh.
"Shut up you two!" yelled a guard, poking Ifrit with a spear. Ifrit caught the shaft of the spear and held it glaring at the guard. But he released it when he felt Ramuh's hand on his arm.
"The audience is assembled, now let our pageant begin!" said Diablos in a dramatic voice. He placed a gloved hand on Ballant's shoulder. "Now confess to your citizens that you have been harboring Espers!"
"What?" said Ballant, looking up genuinely shocked.
Diablos' brows lowered. "Don't play games with me Lord Mayor. I'll give you one more chance."
"But we'd never let Espers live here!" said Ballant desperately.
Diablos sighed. "Wrong answer. Allow me to demonstrate something to your people. I'm sure most of you witless peasants have no idea what gravity is, but it is what pulls you to the earth. Now, unless you give up the Espers, I will show what happens when you quadruple the force of gravity on a human heart." With that he held out a hand and a black sphere materialized in it. He placed his hand against Ballant's back and the darkness enveloped him. Ballant gasped and clutched at his chest. The people cried and wept as they saw this. A mother turned her children away.
"Alright that's enough!" yelled Ifrit.
Diablos released Ballant who collapsed onto the roof. His eyes twinkled in amusement as he looked down Ifrit. "Really? Come up here and stop me then."
Ifrit growled and roared. Everyone took several steps back, even the soldiers. He hunched over as if in physical pain, and flames seemed to emerge from his eyes and mouth. People gasped as his whole body caught on fire. A wave of flame burst forth in every direction, knocking everyone over except for Ramuh and the Captain. The thatch roofs that began to burn eerily illuminated the hulking figure with huge demonic horns and a massively muscular body. He howled and sent a volley of fireballs at the soldiers, some of whom were engulfed in flames. The soldiers retreated except for the Captain, who readied his lance.
"Pull your men back Captain!" called Diablos.
"Yes my Lord!" exclaimed the Captain. He helped a burnt soldier to his feet and carried him off.
Ifrit emerged from the roaring flames. He now looked bestial, almost feral, with glowing orange eyes, the horns crowning an unruly mane of bright violet hair. He wore nothing but a loincloth and the wrist guards. Some of the villagers were trying to put out the fires, some were staying to watch and some were running for their lives.
"Come and get me Esper!" taunted Diablos, gesturing him to come closer.
Ifrit bellowed and jumped straight at Diablos. At the last second, Diablos dissolved into a swarm of bats. Ifrit plowed through the roof, causing it to implode and burst into flames. During this confusion, Ramuh nimbly hopped onto the roof and carried Ballant off to safety over his shoulder. Ifrit reemerged from the roof, howling in frustration.
"Argh! Fight me you coward!" Ifrit roared.
The swarm of bats materialized into Diablos on the tower of the nearby temple. "So at last you have revealed yourself, Esper. Too bad you destroyed the village you were trying to save."
Ifrit turned and looked around. Every building in town was burning like an army of bonfires neatly lined up. He could see people running in every direction, terrified. Ifrit collapsed to his knees.
"Nooo!" he moaned.
Diablos began to laugh, maniacally, almost insanely. "Oh my poor, poor Esper! As you ponder the ashes of your village you can only blame yourself!"
He began laughing again but stopped abruptly as he felt a cool breeze blowing against his cape. They both looked up and a blizzard descended on top of the village. An icy wind consumed them as it howled through Jidoor in gale force. Ifrit winced as the cold pierced through him like a thousand needles.
"Damn.." muttered Diablos, more to himself than anyone else.
A figure slowly descended into view. At first glance it looked like a woman, but she was not human. She had pale blue skin and her spiky hair was electric blue. She wore only a long flowing ribbon of violet cloth.
"Hiraka Dhula!" she called out.
In her right hand appeared a crystal of ice. The ice crystal grew in size as her eyes met Diablos'. Her pale glowing eyes betrayed a cold fury. At the last instant, she let the crystal shatter into thousands of tiny razor edged pieces that pieced through his body.
"Ugh." he groaned, as he doubled over in pain. He looked up, the folds of the collar ripped away, revealing the lower half of his face. He wore a neat goatee, but dark blood was trickling out of the corner of his mouth. He touched his hand to his mouth and snarled. "You'll pay for that bitch!" He raised his hand as if to cast a spell, but stopped when he saw her expression.
"Black blood? Are you an Esper as well?" she demanded.
He laughed.
"Why are you attacking innocent humans?" she asked.
Diablos smiled grimly. "There is nothing innocent about humans. You will understand soon enough. For now I'll spare this puny village." He extended his arms and dissolved into a swarm of bats that flew off towards the setting sun.
Ifrit was still on his knees on what remained of the roof of the Mayor's house. "Wow." was all he could say.