The Phoenix Summoner (ON HOLD)

35

Anya and Alina walked through the bustling streets of Ryevost. Passing by various food stands and small businesses they turn down an alley that led deeper into the town. Thankfully, outside of the Little Palace no one knew what the two girls looked liked. They reached another part of the market, the delectable aroma of food filling their noses.

Anya's stomach growled in hunger when they passed a stand of exotic fruit. A bright pink fruit catches her gaze and she picks one up to examine. Alina feeling the owners gaze on the them, shoots a quick smile.

"How much?" She asks. The owner grimaces at the girls looking them up and down.

"Shu currency's no good here. Keep on walking." Anya glares at the owner slamming the fruit back down. She grabs Alina's wrist backing away. She stops in her tracks seeing Jesper in the distance talking to a market seller.

"Have you seen two girls, uh... dark hair, grey dusters, like yea high, Shu-ish?" Quickly moving away Anya catches a glimpse of two old rags on the floor. She picks them up handing one to Alina. They cover their heads quickly avoiding Jesper's searching gaze.

"They're not gonna stop, are they?" Alina asks as she peeks around the corner. Anya shakes her head.

"Not until they get their prize."

~

The girls walk through another alley. Anya walked in front of Alina, looking over her shoulder every once and while to make sure they weren't being followed. Anya didn't notice a man walking out of the bar until she had slammed right into him. They both grunt on impact and Anya immediately turns her head forward.

"Watch where you're going, girl!" He hisses at Anya.

"Sorry." Anya grabs Alina pulling her away from the guy. He suddenly lurches forward grabbing onto Alina's arm.

"So far from Shu Han, aren't you?" He spats in Alina's face.

"Why don't you come inside?" He starts dragging Alina toward the bar. Anya quickly turns and punches him right dead center in the face. The man yells in pain going down, another man grabs Anya from behind. Anya closes her eyes trying to conjure her powers. Her eyes snap open revealing the bright orange hue. Anya conjures a ball of power into her hand. She throws the ball through her body into the guy, knocking him down. Alina conjured a sunbeam to blind them just as she did with the crows and the two girls start running.

Once the men composed themselves, they started chasing Anya and Alina down the alleyway.

"Stop! After them!" They heard in the distance. They zig zagged in and out of alleyways, they felt like they were running in circles.

"Come on, this way!" Anya stopped running and pulled Alina behind a wall. The men ran past them still shouting.

"No, the other way!" Anya and Alina slowly snuck out from behind the wall making their way back towards market.

"I saw her. I saw her run this way." The girls began running again. They eventually reached a fork in the road.

"We need to split up." Anya states.

"But what about-"

"Find a place to hide. I'll come look for you later." Alina begrudgingly nods and runs down the left side while Anya ran down the right. She heard the men's distance shouting coming up behind her. She quickly ran down another pathway. She looked over her shoulder before she ran into someone full impact.

She extended her hand out ready to act until she saw it was Inej. Inej held her hands up showing that she meant no harm.

"It's okay I won't hurt you." She assured. Hearing the men's shouting in the distance, Anya looks over her shoulder, fear running through her body.

"Come with me. I can help you." Inej says holding out a hand. Anya stares at Inej's stretched out hand. Anya's power began to fade and Anya grasped Inej's hand. Together the two ran through the shadows away from the bustling mob.