The soothing sounds of rain gently tap against the crowns of the trees around the clearing. Kiiro takes a deep breath, feeling the pleasant sensation of small cool droplets land on his face. It had been a few weeks now since the last fire, which was making him grow more concerned. They didn’t have information on the next attack yet, everything seemed to have calmed down, at least for now. Although this made him restless and, although he wouldn’t quite admit it, nervous. This was one of the few times they got rain from natural forces rather than from Virion. It was good for the forest especially since the temperature had been rising recently and the damp foliage would hopefully keep the Wildfire spirit at bay for a while. But summer’s approach had the town worried and Virion can’t exactly just keep it raining every day. It took a lot out of him to do it and the dry climate summer brought would make it even harder on him. A familiar voice rings out behind him, drawing him back to the moment.

“Hey, out enjoying the rain I see?”

He turns around to see Amara approaching him. She had been busy the past few weeks, managing the town, making preparations for summer and communicating with the city about the Wildfire spirit. The Elders hadn’t seemed to come to agreement yet, although they rarely ever agree on anything. She was clearly putting on a more cheerful exterior, although he could tell when something was bothering her.

“Seems you are too.”

Amara chuckles. She looks over at the forest for a moment and her expression turns more grim. Kiiro peers closer at her, but she remains quiet. He takes a deep breath before he talks.

“You’re quiet… quite uncharacteristic of you.”

A weak smile forms on her lips, although it quickly fades.

“Rain means safety, but… it’s hard to feel safe right now.”

“It’s gonna be hard to feel safe until the Wildfire spirit has been dealt with.”

Her bleak expression cracks and can’t help but smile as she speaks in a more sarcastic tone.

“Not even gonna try and be the cheery one?”

“We both know that’s your forte.”

A small smile forms on his face. It was hard for him to stay gloomy around her. Even when she was stressed or worried, she had this aura about her that could lighten any mood. He appreciated her for it, even if he didn’t quite understand her demeanour at times. His jaw tightens, seeing her uneasy like this only stirred his own nervousness, no matter how much he suppressed it. Amara softly bumps her shoulder into his as she speaks, making him refocus on his surroundings.

“I think it’d suit you.”

Kiiro scoffs, but after a moment returns the gesture. Amara chuckles, seeming more light hearted than earlier. They both return their gaze to the rain dripping down on the canopy. The gentle scent of rain filling the air and the humidity almost feeling like a mist around them. The sound of the consistent drops hitting the foliage and drowning out the silence between them. It was a pleasant moment amongst the uncertainty they both faced. Although Kiiro couldn’t help but feel it was like a calm before the storm that he would soon have to face. His smile wavered as he spoke in a more serious tone.

“Any updates on the situation?”

Amara lets out a sigh, although it was barely audible through the rain surrounding them. She keeps her gaze on the forest as she answers.

“Not yet, they still haven’t made any plans that we are aware of. Can’t help but wonder why? Maybe the Wildfire spirit was hurt worse than we thought.”

“If that was the case, they would surely be trying other methods by now.”

“True…”

There was an uncertainty in her voice that he couldn’t quite place. It was unlike her. She was always so confident in her words, yet at this moment she felt unsure. She wasn’t one to be vulnerable, even he had only seen it a handful of times. He felt concerned about her, but also frustrated about his lack of control in the situation. He took himself as patient in most situations, but with every week of waiting that passed, he had found himself getting more restless. Guess I’m finding the limits of my patience… Kiiro’s train of thought is interrupted as Amara suddenly speaks up.

“However, the Elders have agreed on one thing… We need to capture her and keep her here until they decide what to do or if they want to move her to the city later.”

Kiiro scowls in response. He was very opposed to the idea, although Amara already knew this. He answers with a stern tone.

“Capturing her won’t solve anything.”

“It will stop the fires.”

She was quick to respond and suddenly more harsh than before. Her uncertainty from earlier seemed to have been replaced with assertiveness. He speaks with a sigh, his tone portraying his agitation.

“And how are we meant to contain a Lifegiver?”

“She isn’t invincible and based on the size of her fires and your description of the fight, she either doesn’t know her full potential or she isn’t that strong yet.”

He looks directly at her, unwavering in his position on the situation.

“We both know this is too risky.”

“It’s not our call Kiiro. This is bigger than us. There might not be another Lifegiver for millennia.”

Even if she was right, letting the human one live felt too uncertain. They couldn’t know if the Lifegiver would ever switch sides or choose to work with them. And letting the humans have one would lead to catastrophic outcomes. He had heard of what the last Lifegiver was capable of and giving humans that amount of power was dangerous. They lived too short lives to see the bigger picture, to fully understand the repercussions of their actions long term. They were too focused on expanding at a rapid pace, no matter how the environment suffers from their consequences. He truly despised their way of thinking and their lifestyles. How they hoarded resources even if they didn’t need them, not caring about how it would affect the generation after them. Leaving everyone after them to pick up their mess, yet they all seemed to have a similar mindset. He truly couldn’t understand why they felt the need to hoard like that and leave certain people with little to nothing. Maybe they were scared of not having enough in their short life? He pushed away the anger he felt and focused himself back on the moment. Again noticing the drops trickling down his face. He felt colder than earlier, realising he had spent quite a while out in the rain by now. His wet clothes clung tightly against his skin and his hair sticking to the sides of his face. He looks to Amara, who seems equally drenched. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, speaking with a dry tone.

“I understand.”

Amara caught on to the underlying irritation, but chooses not to comment. She too was getting cold and didn’t have the energy to argue on the matter. He knew she felt sure she would get through to him eventually. Even if it was a struggle sometimes. She shakes her head with a smile and sighs.

“We should both get inside. Don’t want to give Fildarae more work.”

Kiiro couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him. Fildarae was a piece of work at times, but then again, he had given her more work since he got to town. He nodded at Amara and started walking back to his house, his shoes slightly sticking to the ground in the now muddy terrain. As he got himself inside, he started attempting to undress. His clothes were resistant to this, seeming to prefer clinging to him. After a while the last item of clothing fell to the ground with a plop. He dried himself off and hung the wet clothes on his chair and table, allowing it to dry quicker. It wasn’t long after that he had gotten himself into bed, suddenly realising how exhausted he was feeling.

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A sudden knock on the door jolts Kiiro awake. He quickly and haphazardly pulls on some clothes and runs to the door. When he opens it, Amara stands in the doorway, looking frazzled. His body tightened at the sight, this couldn’t be good news. It had been a few days since they last spoke with how busy she had been, so the sudden visit only further stirred his uneasiness. Before he has a chance to ask her anything, she speaks up.

“Tonight, she’s going tonight!”

Kiiro’s eyes go wide as he immediately gets himself fully dressed and collects his weapons. He speaks out to her as he tightens his leather vest.

“Where?”

“We couldn’t get an exact location, but near the same spot as last time, which is unusual for her. Other times they have changed locations between each attack, but it seems she is going to take down more of that part of the forest.”

He stands in front of Amara ready to leave. She takes a deep breath and speaks sternly.

“Remember, we need to capture her. You’re going alone so that she doesn’t get suspicious.”

He nods and tries to push past her, but she grabs onto his wrist with a serious expression and speaks again.

“Kiiro. I’m serious. Do you understand?”

He meets her gaze, having to slightly look up to do so. Tension fills the space between them. They both felt uneasy, time was of the essence. The moon was already rising in the sky and they didn't know how long Kiiro had to get there. But Amara stood her ground, she wouldn’t let him go without knowing he wasn’t going to go against her orders. Although there was no way for her to fully know if she had gotten through to him. She would have to trust him and he knew this. He takes a sharp inhale and answers with a clear tone.

“I understand.”

She bites her lip, clearly torn. He wasn’t sure what was going through her mind, but every second that passed made him more anxious. He kept his expression as fixed as he could, although his impatience was clear. She took a deep breath and let go of him without a word. He nodded before quickly dashing towards the woods. He needed to get there as soon as he could without wasting too much energy using his power.

Each step emitted a soft thump under him as he ran, occasional small cracks from branches on the ground, breaking under his weight made him feel more uneasy. But he didn’t have time to worry about how loud he was, not yet. He needed to just get as close as he could, try and spot her out. Hopefully getting there before the fire starts. He couldn’t let her hurt more of the forest, not if he could stop it. His eyes were quick to adjust to the dark scene, even with the crescent moon providing little to no light. As he got closer to the wounded part of the forest he slowed down and proceeded more carefully, making sure to make as little noise as possible. She would sense him before he could see her, that much he knew. But if he could just get close enough to spot her, he had a chance. He got to the edge of the charred remains, the sight making his stomach turn. As he glanced over the view, each burnt and naked stump made his anger grow. The idea of killing her rose in his mind, but he tried to shake it. He didn’t want to go against Amara, however much he wished the Wildfire spirit was dead. He tried to survey the area around the edges of the lifeless area, but couldn’t spot any movement. The night was silent, occasional wind rustling through the trees. Finally standing still made him more aware of how warm the night felt. His whole body was brimming with heat, a mixture of the energy he had spent running here and the anticipation of what is to come, the uneasiness of the situation. The wind carried the strong scent of charcoal through the air, making him grimace. He felt at a disadvantage, she would be able to sense him before he had a chance to see her. Could I disguise my energy? He hadn’t practised being able to disguise himself that much yet, teleportation had been more his focus and he had really honed in on that skill. It would be risky to attempt anything that could drain his energy right now, but it was a good idea to keep in mind. Although hard for him to know how possible it would be, since only Lifegivers could sense lifeforce, so he wouldn’t be able to test it. He refocused himself on simply trying to locate any movement in the area.

Time passed slowly, the situation kept him on edge. Then something drew his full attention. It wasn’t as much a movement as a sensation. Almost as if time slowed down as he looked towards it. Across from the ashes, the dead and barren, something stirred. A single hot golden glow in the dark, the foliage around it trembling and a feeling almost as if the ground vibrated for a moment. Then the next, everything on that side bursts into flames. For a single second he froze at the sudden inferno that had erupted in front of him. He quickly shook it off and located the golden glow again at the edge of the fire and without hesitation his eyes flashed silver as he drew his weapons and blinked to her. As he emerged next to her, she quickly turned around and drew her weapons, seemingly not shocked at his sudden appearance. The raging fire behind her fully illuminated the surroundings, the bright light almost reflecting in the foliage. The leaves on the trees up against the fire curled in the heat, the sound of the crackling wood filling his senses. And there she stood in the centre of it all, the grass below her withered and although her back was illuminated, the front of her figure was darkened, except her glowing eyes that stood out even with the blinding light behind her. As he looked into her eyes, rage filled him, drowning out all other thoughts. She had taken away more of the verdant forest, further hurting nature's spirit. The once flourishing greens rapidly dying before his eyes. He felt his fury soar like the flames. Heat rose in him from a mix of anger and the heat emitted from the spreading Wildfire. Virion would surely be trying to do damage control, but so much more life would die before he could intervene. Kiiro felt helpless for a moment as he was unable to stop what was happening, but he could prevent this from ever occurring again. Amara’s orders were distant in his mind, drowned out by hatred. He could end it right now, by ending her.

He instantly lunges forward, lashing his shortsword at her throat and thrusts his dagger at her chest. She is quick to react using her rapier to parry the dagger deflecting it away from her and her parrying dagger into the shortsword, narrowingly diverting it above her head causing it to clip her hood, pulling it off her head. With a panicked expression her eyes flash, albeit less intensely than last time they fought as she dashes away from him and the spreading fire. He quickly acts on her movements, readjusting his grip on his weapons as his eyes flash and he blinks in front of her causing her to stop in her tracks. They both stare at each other for a moment, this time the light from the fire hits her side, making her fully visible. Her red scarf still covers most of her face, but now her cobalt blue hair is fully apparent and most of her features discernable. Exhaustion clear on her face, she didn’t seem used to exerting her power at a bigger scale yet, putting herself at a disadvantage. He wouldn’t let her evident inexperience make him underestimate her, if she understood just half of what she could do and had the time to grow, she would wreak havoc. Even though he was filled with anger, he remained composed, not wanting to slip up or make a mistake. As they both continued the stare off he considered the best and quickest way to get to her. The flames were spreading so he needed to be hasty. She looked alarmed. Although she had managed to deflect his attack despite it, she would be quick to wear down. No matter what power anyone holds, overusing it in quick succession was harmful to anyone, even a Lifegiver. He felt sure this was it, he could kill her. He moves slightly, readying himself to attack again, but she immediately sheathes her dagger and grabs something behind her back in response to his movement. He feels a wave of uneasiness at her sudden behaviour, but ultimately doesn’t have time to react more than that before her eyes flash a brighter golden than earlier and she flings something towards him. It was almost like she scooped up fire and threw it, flames suddenly hurling towards his face in a wide cone. He doesn’t have time to register much about it or distinguish what it is as he instinctively covers his face with his arms and shadows quickly envelop him, teleporting him out of the way. As soon as he emerges from the shadows in a safe distance from what had been launched at him, he moves his arms away only to see her glancing at him briefly before her eyes flash one more time and she dashes out of the forest.

It was too late for him to follow. He looks towards the projectile that had seemed such a threat only moments ago, to see small insignificant flames quickly dying on the ground where he had stood. Now that he got a better look at them, it was clear what it had been. It was simply small wooden bits that had been set ablaze. His body tenses and he clenches his fists. He had been beaten by a cheap trick, a flashy version of pocket sand. However, now the bigger threat became more apparent. The wildfire was still spreading and he needed to get out of the way. His eyes flash silver once more as he dips into the shadows and emerges a safer distance away. That’s when he notices the drop in temperature around him. It had been overshadowed by the heat emitted from the flames, but at this distance it was all the more noticeable. He was facing the fire, the air in front of him felt dry and warm, yet behind him felt cold and humid. The weird mix of states felt uncomfortable to him, his mind struggling with the conflicting inputs. He heard it before he felt it. Light pitter-patter just barely discernible through the crackling of the flames. Then a drop hit him. Then a second. Soon it was a full downpour, drowning out all other noise. He let out a long sigh of relief, suddenly hit by a wave of exhaustion. He relaxed ever so slightly, knowing spreading inferno was being contained, soon to be nothing but a charred scar on the forest. He stayed nearby watching the flames slowly but surely die out. It took longer than he would have liked, but ultimately, watching the once soaring flames drown in the deluge made him more at ease. The burning light slowly faded, allowing the night to return to its darkened more peaceful state. Only embers remain, still emitting a faint glow in the dark. In the same way his now wet clothes and hair clung to him, a thought clung to him as well. Although he was filled with frustration and anger at himself for letting her get away, something far greater filled his mind. A terrifying thought at this moment, drowning out all other emotions he had about what had transpired tonight.

How on earth was he going to explain this mess to Amara?