Slowly, Koki opened his eyes. He could faintly hear the sound of clashing swords from below. He looked down and saw the world below him was getting smaller and smaller.

Why am I up so high? Thought koki  Am I dead?

He wiggled his toes around in his boots and rubbed his eyes. There was a large arm around his chest, lifting him up and taking him up into the sky. A wonderful scent of grass and trees was filling his nostrils. It reminded him of the woods behind his home, where he would go play with his friends from the academy. 

  After a few more whiffs, Koki realized the smell was exactly the same as the one by his house.
“Where am I?” he asked.

He heard a chuckle, right by his ear. A deep and buttery smooth voice answered him.

“Don't worry my boy, I gotcha.”

The hairs on his neck stood up. “Dad!” yelled Koki.

General Aanarudo smiled warmly at his son. They both shared the same sandy blonde hair, but General Aanarudo’s was kept short and neat. 

He set koki down on top of a tall tree and landed beside him. 

“Dad, did you see when I took out that turret!?” His eyes gleamed as he looked up at his father. 

“Nope, but I saw how you almost got hit with a charged shot,” he said, nudging Koki’s arm.

General Aanarudo’s eyes scanned all along the battlefield. He pursed his lips. “Koki i'm gonna need you to get out of here and go find you mother”

Koki straightened up. “But dad, it's my duty to stay here! Master Faan told me I had to go!” Koki wined. “Plus you saw how I almost took down that mac-”

“That's an order Koki. I'm not telling you this as your father. I'm telling you as your General.” Koki opened his mouth to protest...but bit his lip. “Yes sir” he mumbled. He climbed down the tree and began walking to the safe zone.

“Get there quick Koki, I don't want something to happen along the way”

Koki nodded and walked off. “Oh, and son,” his father called out. Koki turned around to face him. “Take care of your mother and Samuka,” he said.

General Aanarudo leaped off the tree and into the air. His red and orange cloak left a trail of aura behind him. 

More invading enemies flooded through the gates. The Ardora tried relentlessly to stop them from going further. General Aanarudo soared to Master Faan and squatted by his side.

“Master Faan, I'm issuing an order for all the academy soldiers to retreat to the bunker.” Just then, an enemy soldier leaped from the bushes and swung a large hammer at General Aanarudo. 

Without batting an eye, he ducked his head down to his knees. The hammer missed the swing completely.

General Aanarudo put his hands on the floor and lifted up his hind legs, kicking the enemy soldier from behind like a horse.

The soldier flew into a tree, breaking right through it and was left unconscious.

Master Faan remained squatting unfazed. “Very well, General Aanarudo. I will give the order at once. Oh, and also,” his face flushed red, “could you take down that mech for us. It's giving us some trouble” he said with a smile.

General Aanarudo sighed. “You really made my son go fight that thing, huh”
“No Master! He forced me to throw him!” he scratched his head nervously. General Aanarudo raised his eyebrow.

‘Well he didn’t force me per say...ahaha...I just uhm had no choice and well, you know how its going an-”

Before he could finish, General Aanarudo leaped up, leaving behind a cloud of smoke. Faan coughed and swatted it away. “I hate when he does that” he mumbled.

General Aanarudo landed right in the battlefield, in front of the mech. Some of the other fighters, Ardora and Enemy, stopped to look at him. 

His red aura was radiating and lighting up the area around him. The ground sand and dirt beneath him was rising. 

He threw his red cloak off, revealing his black two piece jumpsuit. Master Faan watched from a distance.

What’s he doing? He thinks

General Aanarudo smashed his fist together, causing a spark. The spark lit his left hand on fire. He brought the flame up to his face. He blew on it, causing the flame to grow taller and wilder until it was bigger than himself.

Master Faan watched the raging flame growing from him. “How can I even call myself a Peritia when there are men like General Aanarudo!” He thought, shielding his eyes away from the flame.

General Aanarudo raised his left arm into the air and opened his fist. The flame immediately grew twice the size.

He pointed his hand towards the mech. The fire rushed out of his palm and spun into a flaming whirlpool. The birds in the tree’s fluttered away and the enemy soldiers scrammed from the fire.

The mech raised its hands to cover its face, shielding the glass window. The whirlpool of fire spiraled around it.

General Aanarudo put his hand down, but the fire continued to spiral around the mech. The whirling flames ate away at the mech’s metal. This flame glowed more radiently than any natural flame. It was like the sun itself had come down to the earth.

The boulder Master haan was leaning against was heating up just being near Master Aanrudos flame. “His Mana is so powerful, when infused with the fire, it's hundreds of times stronger than any flame,” he thought..

The soldiers were all hiding behind trees and rocks, shaking in terror as they witnessed General Aanarudo’s power. He stood calmly in front of the flame as it eventually died out, leaving behind a pile of ash.

The ground was covered in black soot and smoke filled the air. General Aanarudo’s sandy blonde hair waved in the wind as he stood calmly before the rest of soldiers. 

He smiled boldly, revealing his pearly white teeth. “Anyone else!” he yelled

The Ardora soldiers peaked their heads from behind the trees. He waved to them, chuckling.

“Cmon on out guys!” he yelled, “You’re warriors for crying out loud!”

“Did you see what he just did?”

“He took that Machine out like it was nothing!”

“His fire was special, it kinda glowed, didn't it?” The Ardora warriors murmured amongst themselves. Never before had they seen the power of General Aanarudo. He was usually in the city capitol tower, organizing and assigning missions for the other Warriors. If he ever was out on the battlefield, he never engaged. He only gave orders to the other soldiers.

General Aanarudo dusted his hands. He went over to his Cloak which layed on the ground. He picked it up, shook it out, and tossed it on his back. 

“Master Faan!” he called out. “ lead your platoon to the gate of Ardora to watch for more incoming invaders”

“Yes, General Aanarudo” he said with a bow.

“Master Lola and Master Sacul, follow them.” A female Ardora Soldier with Short Blonde hair and a short stocky man with a ponytail bowed and followed Master Faan to the gate. A team of soldiers trailed behind each of the platoon leaders.

General Aanarudo’s warm smile faded away. His hands were held tightly behind his back and his posture straightened.

“The rest of you…” he said, turning to face them. “You are now under my order. Find the enemies that were able to get through the gate.”  

“Yes, sir!” they said in unison. Their hands rushed their foreheads in salute. 

General Aanarudos eyes narrowed. They glistened in the sunlight like small flames. “You have the order to eliminate”