Content Warning: Cursing and brief mention of blood

In the corner of a teahouse, a customer sat by himself at a table.  A waiter brought a tray of small dishes and laid them out before him.  After the waiter left, the customer started sampling each of the appetizers.  He then took a sip from his teacup.  Near the kitchen, the staff whispered to each other as they eyed him.

After a while, the customer flipped the lid of the teapot upside down to indicate that he wanted the water refilled.  A waitress approached him with a kettle.

“Would you like more hot water, good sir?” she asked.

“Please,” he replied.

She refilled the teapot.  Glancing at him, she asked, “Good sir, forgive this humble one if this is too forward, but we were all very curious about something.”

The customer smiled slightly. “Curious about what?”

“You are not from around here, are you?”

“Not at all.”

“Are you from a different region?”

“Mm-hmm.  I am from the border of the Western and Southern regions.”

“Ah, that’s so far away.  What brings you to our small town?”

“I like to travel.”

“Ah.  Well, I hope you find our humble teahouse to your liking.  Are you enjoying the food?”

“It’s quite tasty.”

“That is good to hear, good sir.  Please let us know if there is anything else we can bring you.”  She turned to leave but then paused.  “Good sir, we were also curious about another thing, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“Hmm?”

“Your eye color.  It is very unusual.  What do you call it?”

The customer’s smile widened.  Looking directly at her, he replied, “Hazel.”

***

In the inn room, Thallios sat by the window, staring down into the courtyard.  

Leiyu approached him. “How are you feeling?  Do you want me to bring you any food?”

“I’m okay.  Just felt a little lightheaded earlier.”

“All right.  Just let me know if you need anything later.”

Thallios nodded and turned his attention back toward the flowering trees outside.  Two birds flitted about on the branches.  He smiled.  

Suddenly, a raven landed on the tree.  Thallios blinked.  The raven stared straight at him.  He gasped and quickly moved away from the window.

“Is something wrong?” asked Leiyu.

“It’s that bird…”

“Bird?”

“The one following us…”

Leiyu remembered the cryptic words that Amara had uttered right after they defeated the shrouded puppets in the Northern Region.

 “Our dear winged friend will no doubt send word back to its master.  In any case, we should depart soon.”

“Oh…” said Leiyu.  “You’re certain it’s the same one?”

“It was staring straight at me.”

“...”  Leiyu sighed.  “All right, we’ll pack.”

***

Outside the inn, Leiyu and Thallios mounted their horses.  Thallios turned around to take one last look at the city streets before they departed.

So, once again we have to run, he thought sadly.  Turning to Leiyu, he asked, “Where are we headed?”

“Not sure.  We’ll just leave the city and head further south.”

They rode toward the city gates.  After the border guards let them through, they followed a road that went through the countryside.

As their horses galloped on, Thallios sensed something and looked up.  The raven was following them.

“Leiyu…”

Right as Leiyu turned to look at him, a sudden swirl of dark waves and smoke materialized before them.  They pulled on the reins of their horses.  The smoke curled and began to dissipate.  A silhouette could be seen walking through the haze.

As the last of the smoke cleared away, Leiyu and Thallios looked at the stranger before them with apprehension.  He appeared to be in his twenties and was clad in dark robes and gloves.  His chestnut brown hair was tied up in a high ponytail, similar to Leiyu.  He wore stud earrings and ear cuffs.  There was a gleam in his hazel eyes and he had a menacing smirk.

“Found you!” he declared.  “Hello there, little prince who looks like a girl.”

Thallios gripped the reins and his heart began to pound.

“Who are you?” Leiyu demanded.

The stranger bowed mockingly with one arm held out.  “Astatine, at your service.”

“Why were you following us?” asked Leiyu.

“I wasn’t the one following you.”

Leiyu and Thallios looked at him in confusion.

The raven glided down from the sky and landed on Astatine’s outstretched arm.  “My little friend was.  I merely sat back and observed.”

“Observed?” asked Thallios.  “Were you watching us through the bird?”

 Astatine smirked again.  “In a manner of speaking.”

“Were you behind those puppets in the Northern steppes?” asked Leiyu.

“Puppets?”

“The shrouded figures made of dirt,” Thallios elaborated.

“Ah yes, those.  Yep, that was me.”

“Why are you after us?” asked Leiyu.

“My lady commanded it.”

 “Your lady?”

“My lady Samarian, priestess of the Goddess of Earth.”

“The Goddess of Earth?” Thallios gasped.  “The one who placed the curse on my mother?”

“The one and only.”

Thallios’ furrowed his eyebrows and clenched his fists.

“You will not harm Thallios!” Leiyu declared.

“Oh, I’m not going to harm him.  I was under orders to bring him back alive.”

“What?” Thallios asked.  “Why?”

“My lady wishes to see you.  She has something she wishes to settle.  I won’t harm you, but I can’t guarantee that she won’t.”

Leiyu unsheathed his sword. “You will not take him!”

“Hehe, of course, the little prince’s steadfast protector.  You, I am free to harm.”  

Astatine flicked his arm and a small dagger flew towards Leiyu.  Leiyu swung his sword to block the incoming blade.

“Thallios, run!” Leiyu shouted.  Thallios pulled on the reins and turned his horse around.

“Not so fast!” Astatine waved his hand.  Dark waves snaked out of the ground and encircled them.  Thallios was unable to pass through the barrier.  Astatine drew some lines in the air and silver threads in a netlike pattern materialized.  He threw the net toward Thallios  

Thallios jolted in shock and slipped off his horse.  He was unable to get up, as if he was being held down by the silver net.

“Thallios!” Leiyu cried.  Turning to Astatine, he demanded, “What did you do?”

“Suppression spell.  Can’t have him turning into the Fire Goddess.  Would be an unfair fight.”

“You’re using magic and you’re complaining about the fight being unfair?”

“Heh,” Astatine grinned.  He unsheathed the two daggers from his belt and spun them in his hands.  He leapt toward Leiyu.

Leiyu jumped off his horse and landed on the ground.  He raised his sword just in time to block Astatine’s daggers.  Their blades clashed and sparked.  Leiyu pushed forward and Astatine sprang back.

“Not bad,” said Astatine.  Gripping the hilt of his daggers, he lunged at Leiyu again with a flurry of swipes.  Leiyu blocked each strike with his sword, then quickly spun and kicked Astatine away.  

Astatine landed on his feet and slid backward, leaving grooves in the dirt.  Narrowing his eyes, he waved his arm downward and sent a series of dark waves toward Leiyu.  Leiyu held his sword up and blocked the waves with swirls of wind.

Astatine laughed.  “Look who’s using magic now!”

They fought back and forth with magic and blades.  Thallios watched them helplessly from the ground.  He could barely move since the silver net was holding him down.

Although he was holding his own, Leiyu had never fought an opponent as strong and relentless as Astatine before.  The only similar experience was when Thallios, in Amara form, had sent him flying backward into the wall back at the palace.  That had also been shocking, but it was very brief.  This fight with Astatine was prolonged and wearing him out.  He breathed heavily as fatigue began to overtake him.

Astatine suddenly spun backward and landed a short distance away.  With a wave of his hand, gravel levitated in the air and surrounded him in a spiral.  He waved his hand again and the spiral shot toward Leiyu.  Leiyu raised his arms to block the attack, but the sharp gravel tore through his cloak.  He gritted his teeth as he felt the sting of hundreds of cuts.

“Leiyu!” Thallios cried.

Astatine sent more dark waves toward Leiyu.  Leiyu jumped to the side and rolled on the ground toward Thallios.  He was breathing heavily and could feel himself bleeding.  Astatine waved his hand and sent more dark waves toward him.  Leiyu braced himself for the onslaught.

“LEIYU!” Thallios screamed.  He broke out of the silver net and ran forward, throwing himself in front of Leiyu.  Astatine’s eyes widened in shock as the dark waves continued surging forward.

“Thallios!” Leiyu jumped up and wrapped his arms around Thallios.  He shifted their positions so that he came between the incoming waves and Thallios.  Although he felt weakened, he summoned the wind, and pale cloud-like waves wrapped around Thallios, completely enveloping him.

The dark waves hit Leiyu in the back and he screamed in pain.  The pale waves that he wrapped around Thallios disintegrated.

Thallios was gone.

“Thallios…” Leiyu gasped.

“What the hell?” said Astatine.  “That was a teleportation spell.  Where on earth did you learn that?”

Leiyu felt himself lose consciousness.  He passed out and collapsed onto the ground.

***

Some indeterminate distance away, mysterious cloud-like waves formed over a marsh.

Thallios materialized in mid-air and crashed downward into the water below.  His heart was pounding and coughed as he flailed in the water.  After his feet touched solid ground, he propped himself up.  He was completely drenched and shivering.  Suddenly sensing the presence of another, he looked up and gasped.

Standing on a ledge above him was a man with flowing white hair and red eyes.  He stared down grimly at Thallios, sword in hand.