The guards rushed to the front lines facing the five attackers who had emerged from the trees. Demian and Seraphina were still inside the carriage watching through the small window what unfolded outside.
Seraphina could feel the blood in her veins rushing wildly as if the fire within her was resurrected all of a sudden. She didn't know the presence of this particular individual but he definitely was a mage, but of what kind?
Seraphina poked her head out to see where the source was but she couldn't pin point it. He seemed to have hid himself in the woods but the aura was too strong to conceal or maybe he wanted them to know that they were being targeted.
Suddenly just as that thought crossed Seraphina's mind the sound of an explosion filled her ears and for a moment all she could see was the bright orange flames. She blinked and realised it that they were surrounded by the wall of flames. The mage wasn't any ordinary one, he was a fire mage. Seraphina clenched her teeth at that revelation and wondered who of her nation would be responsible for this.
"Stay here." She heard Demian behind her and saw him stepping out, she wasn't the one who would listen to orders so, she stepped out right after him.
"What- I told you to stay inside!" He exclaimed looking angrily at Seraphina.
"We're outnumbered." She said looking at the five mages and the four guards who were trying to find a way to out out the flames but couldn't since these flames were made from magic and no one could put them out except for a mage.
"That's not the point, these people don't seem like the ones who had attacked us earlier they are stronger." Demain said looking at the mages fighting the guards. The mages were fast and strong enough to put up with the best guard put up by Master Valentine himself. For one thing he was glad that instead of the regular knights he let these four be their personnel for this journey.
"That's more the reason why I should be out here." Seraphina said as she gripped the dagger given to her by Xia and eyed the flames which only surrounded those two.
"Stay close." She said and Demian frowned.
The presence seemed to have moved as Seraphina could now feel his aura swelling as if he was walking right towards them. Seraphina's grip on the dagger tightened when she saw a shadow emerging from the woods. The shadow stepped out and it turned out to be a tall man clad in a black cloak and black attire. He walked towards them while the guards fought the other mages, Seraphina clenched her jaws as she felt the weight of his aura on her body. He wasn't a normal tier like the other mages out here, he was stronger. A High Tier!
Seraphina ran through her memory to see how many high tiers were in fire nation, there weren't many two of them were in her own guild, her own father and Merlene and then there were the others whom she knew as well but then who was this guy. Seraphina squinted her eyes to see if she could recognise the man and in that moment he lifted the hood which concealed his face. He was a bald man with left eye covered by a black eye patch and a black beard and mustache growing on his face. He wasn't anyone of familiarity, but there was no way someone this strong wouldn't be a High Tier. If she didn't know him and if he wasn't on records then, that only meant one thing. Seraphina's eyes widened and blood ran cold as he calmly stepped in the fire circle with a casual air.
"Greetings, Your Highnesses." He smiled devilishly and Seraphina got in a fighting stance.
"Who are you?" Demian demanded and the mage tilted his head to look at him.
"Me? Oh, you could call me Aag. You have no idea how long I've been wanting to meet you. Your Highnesses." His teeth gleamed by the light of the flames and Seraphina just knew that Demian shouldn't be anywhere close to this guy.
"Aag? What business do you have with us?" Demian asked while Seraphina stood stiffened being in the position between Demian and Aag.
"I have but one thing to do, Your Highness," Aag said, "and that is to take your lives."
The flames writhed around them and the temperature rose rapidly, Seraphina stood right in between but she knew too much heat would be dangerous for Demian. Being a fire mage she and Aag were immune to the temperature but Demian was still as good as a human.
Aag watched the two with amusement gleaming in his eye and he brought up his hand, a fireball flickered to life, "Aren't these flames beautiful? They do whatever I command, like," He flicked his wrist and the fireball shot right for Seraphina and Demian.
"Look out!" Seraphina shouted as she grabbed Demian and got out of the way in time.
"You dodged one," He smiled, "How about you dodge these?"
Multiple fireballs came to life around him and Seraphina clenched her teeth as she got up from Demian. If only her flames weren't sealed, if only she had her old power, then she would have protected Demian in a better way. She glared at Aag who seemed to be enjoying and with a flick of his wrist the fireballs shot at her.
Seraphina stood right before Demian, if she couldn't do anything to stop them then she might as well take those attacks to herself. But right as the fireballs were about to hit she felt herself being pushed aside. She fell to the ground and quickly got up to see fire engulfing Demian's cape. Her eyes widened and she rushed to him, she patted her hands on the blazing fire and desperately ripped off the burning cloth from Demian's body. He groaned as she turned him, his cheek was slightly burned and it seemed like he had taken most of the impact on his back.
The hot tears welled up in Seraphina's eyes, it was as if the blood had boiled enough and finally made its way through her eyes. She clenched her fists and the tears dripped on Demian's chest.
"Ah, it ended pretty quickly." She heard Aag saying, "Now, shall we start Flame Queen? I know it's you."
Seraphina slowly let Demian's unconscious body down on the ground, the emotions swirling inside her were like a hurricane that slammed against the walls of her body struggling to break free. The chance which they got was from Seraphina's roar. The loud roar created such power that blew out the fire encircling them and made the guards and the attackers sway from their places.
Seraphina felt her vision going red as she stood up feeling her blood boiling under her skin. She glared right at Aag who grinned as if he had been waiting for this.
"That's it. Now, show me your flames." He said in a crazed happiness while Seraphina pulled out the dagger.
Within a second Seraphina dashed from her spot and headed right for Aag, he was sharp enough to see it coming and sidestepped right in time. Seraphina turned quickly swiping her blade over his face but he threw his head back watching as the tip of her dagger was just an inch away from his second eye. He fell back and Seraphina went in with ferocious offense, she wasn't stopping at anything, opening or not, it seemed like she was the wild animal who had been out for blood. She had managed to cut through Aag's skin at a lot of spots but none of them were much vital. Aag was surprised by the speed of the woman about whom he had only heard rumors, but she wasn't using her flames she was just attacking like a crazed animal.
Aag smirked as he found an opening and shot a fireball right at Seraphina's abdomen, she fell back for a moment and Aag took that opportunity to fire another one of his spells but somehow Seraphina recovered faster than his speed of casting another spell and she gripped his wrist and twisted it hard. The sound of bones cracking was audible followed by Aag's cry. She growled as she twisted his arm further and suddenly a fireball hit her back, she was thrown away from Aag. A mage who was fighting the guards seemed to have done it but he was soon taken out by the guard.
Seraphina stood again fixing her eyes on Aag who seemed like his plan was going in the wrong direction. He once turned to see Demian who was sitting up now, Aag smirked as he watched Seraphina.
"I guess I have no choice but to use it." He said.
"You... I'll kill you." She growled as she launched herself at him.
Aag smirked in that moment and turned to see Demain whose eyes widened.
"Seraphina no!"
Seraphina punched Aag right in his cheek and he gripped her wrist as the light exploded from his body. The smoke erupted and reached for the sky, the attackers after watching their leader exploded retreated immediately making it hard for the guards to grab them.
"No! No! Seraphina?" Demian somhow got to his feet and gripped his left arm and hurriedly limped towards where Aag had exploded with Seraphina. Demain felt his heart beating in his temples and he felt his head would burst if he wouldn't be able to see her.
As he got closer he saw the burning body and Seraphina who lied a few feet away in the bushes. Demain couldn't understand, how did Seraphina reach in the bushes? Aag had pulled her along while self-destructing.
Demain ignored Aag's charring corpse and limped towards Seraphina, she was unconscious and ger clothes had the hints of being burnt. Her hands seemed to have taken the most impact as they seemed to have seared. But of one thing Demain was glad and it was that Seraphina was alive.