AFIRE: fight for the Earth begins✓

36.1 LUKA

The story so far:

----Aija, Zuri, and Ze are three friends, who were working at the Pristine School at Innermost. Aija gets involved with the Ytai first, leading Zuri and Ze to them as well. Zuri falls in love with Nala (Lalana), who is Ytai and works with Thieron. Aija and Ze are captured by Thieron, of H'eon, when they were at the Hospital - Aija was at the Hospital with Kuna of R'ies and Zuri to stop a Harvest; Ze was there to visit his sick student Xan. Thieron has bound Aija to himself, and Nala has bound Ze to herself. Luka works for Thieron(Ah'n), along with Lalana (Nala).

----Aija, Ze, Thieron, Luka, and Nala go to the South Land. Luka admits that they are there for a Harvest. While they are on the Harvest, they get stopped by a group of people - the Zayr. Aija and Ze meet Princess Ruyanir of the Zayr. Ze and the Princess have an instant connection. The Prince has requested Aija and Ze to meet him. Prince Irih' va and Aija have a conversation about the Àvo; he explains how it works. Aija seems to like the Prince. The Prince gives Aija a strand of his golden hair - for protection. Irih' va sees Aija in his future but isn't sure she will choose him. He wants her to choose him. Irih' va catches Ze using his powers, and he shows Ze that he, too, has the same powers.

----Etrie tells Zuri that he is going to kill Thieron and Nala. She is very adamant that she, too, goes to the Ker'zan with them.

----They go to the Ker'zan. Ze and Aija escape from the three Ytai. Ze tells Aija about the escape Prince Irih' va has offered them.

----Ze leaves, accepting the escape offer. 

----Aija rejects the escape offer and goes back in to find Luka.

✽✽✽

****36.1 - Luka****

He panicked. 

His first thought was, Ze wasn't safe among the Ytai. 

Luka looked around, and he couldn't see him. How had he missed him? Luka had been keeping an eye on the bathroom door; Ze hadn't come out. He had gone in after a long time to check if Ze was alright, only to see that Ze wasn't inside. The bathroom stalls were all empty as if Ze had vanished into thin air. 

Was it a part of Ze's powers? Transporting himself elsewhere? 

Luka went out of the bathroom and scanned the crowd. He couldn't see him in the sea of Ytai. Ze was shorter compared to the Ytai, and all he could see were Ytai around him. 

Luka cursed. He had known something was up. He should have taken it seriously when he had found both Aija and Ze calm. He should have paid more attention to them when he suspected something was off. He should have seen their auras the entire time. He should have, at least, told Thieron that he suspected something was off. 

 He turned and spotted – not Ze, but Aija climbing the stairs at the back of the hall. What was she up to now? Where was Nala? How had Aija escaped Nala? 

Had Aija and Ze planned this? 

Several Ytai eyes were on as she made her way up the stairs. Luka decided to follow her – she would be going where Ze was. He started towards her and was blocked - by Kuna. 

What was he doing here at the Ker'zan? If Kuna was here... 

"Where do you think you are going?" Kuna grinned. 

Luka glanced at the stairs, his path blocked by Kuna. Aija was gone. 

"What are you doing here?" he asked. 

"To get back what was ours," Kuna answered lazily. 

Kuna was dressed in full R'ies gear – a bold move, considering he was in the enemy's territory.