The Search for Knowledge: New Beginnings

The Search for Knowledge - Chapter 32

The usual calm and composed Kara Aqua was gone. Her grief over the death of Rox blinded her with emotions that she was unable to handle, sheltered girl that she was. She quickly prepared her magic, faster than she ever had before, focused only on one thing: destroying the one who had killed him. Water gathered around Kara taking shape as several lances, then hardened into ice. She began launching them relentlessly at the injured Fira, building more lances just as quickly as they were used.

Fira rolled and dodged to the sides as often as she could, using powerful fire attacks to intercept when she could not escape. Even so, no lance was able to reach her. Sheeron and Feera, still protected by a water barrier, decided to rush the preoccupied Fira. Although they may not be able to land a hit, they at least wanted to make it harder for her to weave through Kara's attacks.

Sheeron rushed towards the woman, swinging his axe vertically. Fira dodged to the right, directly into where Feera was crouching, waiting for her, and caused the axe to lodge itself into the floor. Feera used all the power in her legs to strike upwards with her mythril dagger, aiming for the other woman's throat. Fira responded by jumping backward; However, Feera's blade managed to make a shallow cut on her neck causing blue blood to spurt from it. Fira placed a hand on her neck to cauterize the wound as she landed. Sheeron used his axe, still stuck in the floor, as a vault to jump forward and land a solid kick into Fira's chest, both throwing her several feet onto the ground and winding her.

"Enough!" Fira screamed as a ring of fire quickly formed, spreading to the dungeon walls with her at its center. The team's barriers were destroyed by the defensive attack, but managed to save them from any damage. "I'm not holding back anymore, I don't care if I destroy the body. How dare you whelps try to stand on the same battlefield as I, the Aetherous of Fire. Learn your place!"

The dungeon floor underneath and around Fira began melting as her entire body was engulfed in a breathtaking white flame. The entire room instantly heated up several degrees, similar to how it felt near the fire tornado from earlier. Flares of molten stone burst forth from the ground around Fira as she stretched her remaining arm outward as if summoning them. They formed several circlets around her arm, starting from her wrist and traveling upward to her shoulder. If they had not seen it with their own eyes, the molten stone could be mistaken for a glowing magic metal that some high nobles wear.

"She really is an Aetherous, huh? I hate it when your research material tries to kill me." Sheeron said under his breath so that no one could hear him. He then spoke a bit louder, calling to Kara, "What now, Princess? I recommend we grab Rox's body and try to escape."

"I'm with Sheeron, there's no way we can beat her, let alone get close to her." Feera chimed in, her eyes still filled with tears.

"No! We have to avenge Rox!" Kara screamed, still blinded by rage as she began to form an ice spear as large as a building over her head.

"There will be no escaping, you all die here," Fira said calmly, her voice echoing as if there were several of her speaking at once. She then raised her arm towards them and gestured for them to come, "Spend your final moments learning what a mistake it was to side with a traitor."

"Shut up! Rox would never betray anyone! He's done nothing but help people in one way or another since I met him!" Kara exclaimed, ice spreading from beneath her as freely as the tears that fell from her face. Her rage causing her to start losing control of her own power.

"Kara, calm down! Are you trying to kill us along with her?!" Sheeron yelled at her as the ice slowly made its way across the ground.

"No, she killed him and she needs to pay!" Kara screamed as she threw the ice spear at Fira. It flew towards her at an immense speed, passing Feera and Sheeron overhead. as it made its way there.

However, as it approached her target, Fira merely raised her hand towards it. The spear stopped in mid-air as the rings from her arm dashed forward through the center of the ice-form. It exploded into a powdery ice mist as Fira lowered her hand and retrieved her magma rings. "Sad." She stated simply.

Feera, without a word, began marching towards Kara. Sheeron tried to stop her by grabbing her arm as she approached the field of spreading ice, but she pulled away from him and continued on. Fira watched in interest, choosing not to interfere as he tried to call out to her. She paid him no heed and continued on. As her feet made contact with the icy ground, it started trying to climb her and cover her in ice as well. She broke into a full sprint, quickly covering the distance between Kara and herself as the ice made its way onto her soles, then her boots, then her legs. As she reached Kara, panting in a combination of pain and exhaustion, her breath showing up in the frigid air, Kara screamed at her.

"What are you doing?! She's over there, go get her!" Her voice was desperate and without reason. Feera could see Kara's tears beginning to freeze on her face as quickly as they appeared.

Feera raised her hand high into the air and slapped the younger girl with all her might, then spoke in a controlled tone, "You just met him. People die in battles. You need to get yourself under control and finish his fight."

Everyone was shocked, a smile danced on Fira's lips. Kara held her cheek and looked up at Feera, not sure which of her mixed emotions was showing on her face. As their eyes met, Kara could see Feera's own tears frozen to her face. A pit formed in her stomach as she took in what she had done.

Before any more words could be spoken, they heard Fira laughing in many different voices at the same time. It rang throughout the dungeon's room, as if several different versions of the same voice were laughing out of sync. "Now I remember why we protect you, beyond our Father's original orders. Fine, you get to live. I'll even leave the traitor with you for now, but I'll be watching. Entertain me more or I'll come back to finish what I started."

Before anyone in the group could respond, Fira raised her arm high and an incredibly bright light flashed. Everyone yelled as they were blinded, Sheeron dropped to the ground closing his eyes and groaning in pain. After several minutes they were finally able to see again.

They all glanced around the room, but could find no trace of Fira. Even Chiron was gone. Sheeron went to check on the unconscious Toley as Kara set to healing Feera next to Rox's body.

Sheeron carried Toley over to the two and laid him down next to Rox, then stood up and called out to the room, "So I'll see you later to talk, I guess?"

Both women glared daggers at him to shut him up. Sheeron had dispersed most of the tension, though, so neither of them could help but to laugh together with him after a few moments.

"So, what just happened?" Asked Sheeron while looking at the two women, then Toley, then Rox's body. "She said a lot of things that didn't make sense, but I did catch her calling herself an Aetherous. Chiron called her a mediator god. As well as calling Rox a traitor and both of them bled blue blood."

Feera nodded and looked at Kara, "Is--" She paused, looked sad for a moment, then continued, "Was Rox an Aetherous?"

Sheeron gave Kara a questioning gaze as she looked at the ground, not wanting to talk about it, but caved after a few minutes of silence. "Yes. When Rox and I went to the Forest of Giants, he led me to the room where he had been sealed. After deciphering the seals, it was revealed that Rox was an Aetherous. I also found out that the mediator gods and Aetherous are one and the same. That Rox was the mediator god, Nihil." She finished talking and looked at Rox's body, "He made me a promise and asked me to not tell anyone." She weakly hit her fist on his chest, "How are you supposed to keep your promise if you're dead, idiot?"

The other two could only look at her silently. Feera teared up again while Sheeron could only pity the two girls as he checked Toley's vitals to make sure he was okay. He wanted to bring up that the woman, Fira, might be hiding inside of him again, but felt it was not the right time. He would wait until they had grieved.