AFIRE: fight for the Earth begins✓

23.2 THIERON

The story so far:

---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends. Aija witnesses a strange event one night – light emanating from Rez's body. The kidnapper is after her soul, next, but he leaves her alive and goes away. Another man finds her, he wants to take her somewhere else - Aija though wary of him agrees. Aija learns of the existence of the aliens – the Ytai. Also, about the R'ies and H'eon, Harvesting and Àvo from Etrie. Etrie tells her that the man, who Harvested Rez (Thieron), will now go after her. He tells her that the spy/kidnapper's name is Luka. Etrie asks her to work along with him. Aija agrees to work along with Etrie on Harvest Stopping Missions.

---- Thieron kidnaps Aija. She finds out that Nala works for Thieron. Ze, who was following her to rescue her, gets captured along with her. Thieron binds Aija to himself.

---- Zuri is worried about Aija and Ze, who were taken by Thieron. Etrie kisses Zuri; she slaps him. Ahi and Zuri patch up and agree to remain friends. Zuri is asked to go to the Secure Headquarters for questioning. She goes to Innermost for it. Zuri is questioned by Secure Ivan who presumes that Ze and Aijs ran from home together. She meets the Oshiros and Iyler. Kuna tells her that Iyler is actually from the Gale.

---- Luka tries to coax Aija to eat. She agrees to it only if she is allowed to see Ze; he agrees. Luka finds that her soul is a strong deep-purple. Thieron wants Luka to scout for new souls. Luka finds Nala sulking in her room and asks her to go down before Thieron finds something suspicious.

---- Luka asks Aija not to talk of Zuri to Nala, especially in front of Thieron. She agrees for Zuri's sake. Luka goes to Etemir to scout for souls. He is caught by Etrie but manages to escape. Etrie is furious about Aija and Ze.

---- Thieron is planning the Harvest of the soul that Luka scouted. 

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****23.2 - Thieron****

Thieron was running through the dense forests where his people lived. His cousin was chasing after him. He felt happy. He ran faster and lost his cousin as he twisted his way through thick trees. Thieron looked around as he slowed down. It was a part he hadn't seen in the forest before – strange because he knew it like the back of his hand.

He stopped and searched for his cousin-brother. He heard a rustling noise and turned towards it. He felt his breath catch as he saw Aija walking towards him; something was in her right hand. Thieron couldn't make out what it was.

She gradually closed the distance between them, her long hair swaying at her waist. She was alluring, and Thieron couldn't look away; away from the brilliant storm in her eyes. She smiled at him and threw the object that was in her hand into the air, and it burst into an iridescent sparkling light.

Thieron gasped awake. He blinked his eyes; it had been a dream. It had felt too real. He didn't realize when sleep had gently pulled him into its web. He knew he had been awake a really long time before he had finally fallen asleep.

He adjusted the pillow and settled more comfortably on the couch. He closed his eyes, but he kept seeing Aija. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling lost in thought, sleep driven away by the vivid dream.

He heard deliberately softened steps on the stairs. He listened as the steps on the stairs ceased. It resumed and went in the direction of the study. He saw as Aija tiptoed into the room. He waited to see what she would do. He heard her waking Ze up, shushing him as he startled and told him they needed to escape. He listened as they shuffled the window open and as Ze asked her to step out first and to be careful. They were on the ground floor, so the distance between the window and the ground wasn't great.