Solvei had not been exaggerating.

Leal could hardly believe it. She’d assumed the moment the warden appeared, they would not be getting away alive. Solvei had simply taken his advance as if it were a game. She played with a man Leal would consider unreachable. The man had been a major pillar of the military long before Henosis invaded. One of the few that actually practised the art of war during times of peace.

He couldn’t touch her.

When Solvei spoke with confidence and assurance that she would get Leal’s dad out without problem, she’d assumed the áed was arrogant after fighting the mermineae so long. No, in only two years, she attained more power than Leal could comprehend. The intensity of her fire unheard of.

That monster the áed had created; the unnatural fear that froze Leal where she stood as its deafening roar thrummed in the air; her old friend’s sheer, overwhelming presence. It was too much for Leal to believe. How could that otherworldly white flame that burns everything in its way be the same tiny fire that once suffered at Gloria’s hands?

Even when the guards pulled that disgusting move of using hostages, Solvei had hardly hesitated. She disarmed and killed each within a moment. What Leal couldn’t get out of her mind was the ease with which her old friend had killed them. She did so without a second breath. It had already become second nature to her to part someone of their life.

The way she methodically cut down the warden and burnt him alive in such a horrific fashion only reinforced the image of her own mother’s final moments.

Leal had already established that it was a mistake. That Solvei hadn’t meant for the fire to grow the way it had, but deciding on something, and actually removing the thought from her mind were entirely different.

But… even if Leal hated that some had to die, they were horrible people. They’d treated not only her father, but who knows how many more, like dirt.

She couldn’t even blame Solvei for the murders. The áed had given Leal the opportunity to stop her, but Leal knew it was unreasonable to expect someone to fight without killing. She had tried herself many times in the past, but sometimes it was impossible to prevent the blood spilling on her own hands.

Her father had given Solvei the go ahead, and while Leal was thankful for him taking that responsibility from her, she felt guilty that she was incapable of bringing herself to take the burden.

She knew, logically, that some people were just better off dead, but whenever she thought about the fact that would be their end, she hated it. Someone might seem cruel from her perspective, but what if they’re simply being extorted as well? Maybe they could turn their lives around and become better people. She wanted to believe that was possible.

Everyone should have an opportunity to better themselves before they enter Rod’s domain.

“I’m going to free the rest. Leal, take your dad and find somewhere safe.”

Solvei was done. She’d burnt away the last of the old warden and now picks up her snowsuit… which is a rather odd thing to wear in this climate.

Before Leal even has a moment to respond, the áed is off toward the compound again, leaving her father and a bunch of kids to gawk after her. She looks up at her father, and any complaints she might have had for Solvei melt on her tongue. Leal spins a ball of water around her and her father, ready to take them over the wall again, away from what remains of the guards.

Her father places his large, nostalgic hands on her shoulders. It feels much smaller than the last time she felt its reassuring touch. “Leal, you are coming back after taking me out, aren’t you?” he asks.

She nods. Solvei has already dealt with the major barrier to saving everyone, so she can now help more than just her father. She isn’t about to leave them to fend for themselves, but her dad takes priority.

“Then I’m staying,” he says, only for Leal to give him an unconvinced look. “You think I’m about to leave my daughter’s side after finally seeing her again?”

Leal was ready to refuse, when her dad wrapped her in a hug again. She didn’t want to leave him in danger after finally getting him back. He’d been the only reason she had to push forward, and now that he’s finally in front of her, she wanted to hide him away. Prevent anything like this threatening them again.

Where could they go now? Where could any of the people Solvei freed go once this prison was destroyed? It was a question she didn’t know how to answer. She never planned for more than her father’s freedom. Never considered even that reasonably possible. She’d come here expecting to join her father in a cell, at best.

“Come on, let’s round up those your friend has freed.” Leal’s dad pats her back with his fingerless hand.

As he lead her toward the stunned kids, her eyes passed over his body. Her father hadn’t come out uninjured. Not only was he missing an eye and most of his left hand, he limped along at a pained gait. Despite looking like he should collapse at any moment, he trudged forward. His arm around Leal’s shoulders was comforting, rather than using her for support.

She was still far shorter than her father, but she was tall enough to help him walk. Leal put her arm around him and joined the kids as they watched the bright light that shone through many of the second floor slit windows. Solvei had already made quick progress of the compound. Many confused or doubtful people hesitantly spread out from the main building.

A tall man directed the many disbelieving captives. It was hardly believable to Leal that there were no guards halting their escape, even after what she’d seen Solvei do to the warden. These people who lived at the guard’s discretion must find their sudden freedom jarring, even if it should be a time to celebrate.

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There were far more congregating than she thought could possibly fit in the building. Murmured discussion grew as they found no resistance to their escape. Reluctantly hopeful or cynical voices combined in a babble that gradually grew with each member stepping outside the large cubic compound.

Leal’s dad, with her at his side, approached the tall man commanding many of the freed members into sorted groups. Some rounded up kids, reuniting them with their parents while giving them protection. Another group helped those who struggled to walk on their own. Leal noted there were many in that category.

“Adalbern, any issues?”

The tall man turned toward them. He carried a gun, likely pilfered from the guards. Whether those guards were dead or not, Leal chose not to think about.

“Ah, Gerben, good to see you’re fine. I worried when that kid flew off with you.”

Leal’s dad let out a strained laugh. “Yeah, not about to say that was the most pleasant experience ever, but she brought me to my daughter, so it’s hardly anything to complain about.”

“Oh? This is the kid you always talk about?” Adalbern’s gaze drops to Leal and he bows his head. “I appreciate you doing this.”

“What? No! It was all Solvei,” Leal said. “I couldn’t have done anything without her.”

A sudden explosion stops Adalbern before he can say anything. Everyone turned as a massive fireball blew out the top corner of the complex many were still fleeing from.

“Talking about the áed.” Adalbern turns to Leal’s dad. “Can you stop her from destroying this facility?”

“You don’t want it destroyed?” Leal asked.

“No. We will need it for now.” The tall man said. “Too many are in a state that they wouldn’t be able to take care of themselves should we all leave, and there aren’t enough hands to care for all. It will be impossible for us to hide in the cities. Our only option is to hold this fort until we have enough hale bodies to field a resistance.”

“A resistance? Like the revolution?” Leal wonders. The revolution was a major point in their history. Every ursu knew about how they overcame their oppressors and took the land which became New Vetus. Could it really be a resistance if it was against their own kind?

“Yes, but we can worry about that later. Now, can we stop the young áed before she reaches the food storage?”

“Uh, sure. I’ll go get her,” Leal said, but she needn’t worry. Solvei had already finished.

The áed jumped off the tall roof and splattered against the ground. Her form momentarily lost its structure and flames spread out before pulling back into herself. Leal knew it didn’t hurt Solvei, but the visual of her body splitting and morphing like that made Leal squirm.

She directed her hyle through the markings around her neck and up her cheek. The thinnest layer of water coated her eyes, giving her an enhanced look at her friend. This marking array was something she’d always considered her favourite. It wasn’t all that impressive by itself, only giving a mage a slight improvement to how far one can see, but that wasn’t why Leal found it so interesting.

The marking proved that there was so much more that could be achieved than simply manipulate an element. She would have spent all her time researching the possibilities, if it weren’t for the military’s refusal. The lack of applicable uses for their purpose prevented her research of what might be an unexplored field.

Most thought an element only had two states: Hyle, where it could flow freely through a medium; and the natural state, which would interact with the world. A mage’s markings could still control an element after it had transitioned from hyle to its natural state as long as they remained connected.

Leal might have thought the same, if she hadn’t seen Solvei’s fire for herself.

The áed’s hyle had changed since the first they’d met. Leal was sure some of that was influenced by her improved understanding of her secondary senses marking, but the girl had become innately different.

Solvei’s fire had once been very similar to elements that a mage could produce. Now, Leal couldn’t even tell whether it was hyle or natural fire. The pattern of influence was imprinted upon all elements touched by life. The pattern even Solvei once had, was now near indistinguishable. To Leal’s senses, it seemed like she was losing her distinction from the world around her.

While that sight concerned Leal about the safety of her friend, it also raised some very interesting questions. Her fire clearly contradicted the dual state model, so were there other variables which could determine how an element might act? Could she, with her markings, induce a state between hyle and natural? Could the hyle state be manipulated to suppress even more of itself from the medium in which it carries?

There were so many possibilities if any of this proved true. What effects could she create without relying only on element control? Could the impossibly dangerous elements be made safe?

Leal shook her head as she realised Solvei was already standing right before her. It was a bad habit to get lost in her thoughts like that.

“Are you ready, Leal?”

“Ready? For what?” she asked.

Solvei pointed over her shoulder. Leal turned to watch hundreds of able-bodied prisoners marching toward the large steel gates. Gates which held the last bastion of the guards’ defence.

Leal mentally berated herself again for not paying attention to the movement of people around her. It wasn’t the first time, but she really hoped it would be the last.

“Could you keep the wall and gate intact?” Leal asked. “They want to use this place as a fortress, so it would be helpful if we still had the walls.”

Solvei’s eyes widened slightly. “You are fine with that? I can kill them?”

Leal clenched her jaw and turned her head, but she nodded anyway. She wished Solvei hadn’t been so direct with her question.

“Yes.” The single word was difficult to say. “I don’t want any of these people to be hurt anymore. If you can deal with the guards before they can do anything, I would appreciate it. Even if they need to lose their lives.”

Leal hated the words coming from her mouth. No, she knew it was the only thing that could be done. If only it wasn’t necessary. She knew it was the only way, but she couldn’t do it herself. She had to rely on Solvei.

The áed took no time to rush ahead of the congregating prisoners, all readying themselves. Whether they were prepared for an attack from the guards, or were ready to attack themselves, Leal didn’t know.

Cannon-fire rattled the air as the guards both on the walls and behind the gate fired on the áed with their newly adapted technology. Dozens of projectiles ripped through her body without effect. She ran on, hardly even slowed by each impact. Guards hurried to reload their weapons before firing once more through the gaps of the portcullis, but again, Solvei paid the tiny projectiles no mind.

Solvei ran full tilt toward the gate and threw herself at the steel grille. Her body passed through the metal bars without issue, to the terror of each guard. None survived the ensuing inferno that engulfed them.

Leal couldn’t understand how Solvei could murder without hesitation. Had she always been this way? Or was it the world that had forced her to be like this? Watching on was too much for Leal to bear.

In no time at all, the gate was clear, and the ramparts left without a soul. The sheer efficiency Solvei had for killing was terrifying. No matter how she tried to think back to the girl Solvei had once been, the picture of an overwhelming fire consuming uncountable lives continued to eat at Leal’s thoughts.

She felt horrible for thinking that about her friend, especially after she’d come all this way to save not only Leal’s dad, but so many others. Solvei had dropped a war she clearly hadn’t been forced into, for Leal’s sake, and she can’t even think nice things about her.

Leal hoped she’d be able to repay Solvei one day, but right now, she needed time alone with her father.