The Emerging Part I: Dream

Teqqc appears at the opened gate allowing light to stream through the cavern. She marvels at the gigantic candle. She moves towards an opening overlooking the mines. She sees two rings of fire. She flashes in the middle of one of them. She senses for Uxxok, finding nothing but burning remains of shacks.

She flashes to the next ring of fire, sensing for Uxxok yet again. She frowns finding nothing but burning remains yet again. She reaches out with her aura, searching for any sign of Uxxok whatsoever.

She feels just a hint of his aura being thrown through the air. She feels it collapse. Her heart jumps in her throat, her stomach drops. She flashes away, hopefully to Uxxok’s location. But when the light of her flash dissipates, she is stunned to discover herself back in front of Jtoon’s body.

She reaches out with her aura around her, clarity raining in her mind as she finds Uxxok’s aura impression.

“Uxxok, you fool,” she says aloud to herself. “We would have found all of their bodies, you did not have to mark them so well. Where are you?” she pleads to the dim cavern around her.

Teqqc connects to the Daijoks’ auras. ‘I believe Uxxok has been in a duel with that woman that is trying to kill him. His aura has all but disappeared. I still have not found him,’ Teqqc says quickly, pleading through her aura.

The Daijoks feel Teqqc’s anxiety. They nod to one another.

‘Well, what shall we do?’ Rhino asks his fellow Daijoks after Teqqc has severed her connection.

‘We could aid our fellow Rniti,’ Shark suggests.

‘And what would we say to our classes that are still in the midst of training,’ Vulcan states.

‘That we have official Daijok business that needs attending to,’ Vaiqon replies.

‘I am afraid that will not be successful. Not anymore. Our classes are too mature to blindly believe us now,’ Rhino says.

‘And if we told them the truth, they would all want to accompany us,’ Shark adds. ‘We cannot permit that. We do not want to start a war with whomever is behind the murders and slave trade.’

‘Of course we cannot, but,’ Vaiqon says, ‘one of us can leave to aid Uxxok and Teqqc, taking one of our classes with us.’

‘Why would we take a class with us?’ Vulcan scoffs.

‘For experience, of course,’ Vaiqon says matter of factly.

Vulcan, Rhino, and Shark stare at Vaiqon in disbelief.

‘You would send another class into a very dangerous situation for no other reason than to gain experience?’ Rhino angrily booms.

Vaiqon nods, but before he can answer, Vulcan blurts, ‘I will not lead one of my classes to their potential doom.’

‘Nor I,’ Rhino spits.

‘Nor I,’ Shark says through gritted teeth.

Vaiqon merely smirks, ‘It is a shame none of you have faith in your various classes. Nonetheless, I have much faith in mine.’

Vulcan, Rhino, and Shark each give Vaiqon an incredulous expression, their eyes widen and their jaws drop.

‘Vaiqon,’ Vulcan says, anger on his tongue, ‘the last class you instructed that could provide any kind of aid is long gone. They have left the Injhihato for good, living their own lives, keeping the peace on their own terms.’

Vaiqon shakes his head. ‘You forget about my class that stands in this very Chamber. This very exceptional, very extraordinary class, filled with great potential.’

The Daijoks all turn to glance at the Pentad standing before them. The Pentad wears patient expressions on their faces.

The Daijoks turn back to each other. Vaiqon waits for a rebuttal or argument, but is shocked when none surface. He looks at his fellow Daijoks, somewhat confused.

‘Strange, when I suggested we take a class for experience you responded with much hostility, but when I mention the Pentad, you are silent,’ Vaiqon says with an amused smirk.

Vulcan, Rhino, and Shark exchange a glance among them. They turn back to Vaiqon.

‘It is your decision, Vaiqon,’ Vulcan says indifferently.

‘The Pentad is very exceptional,’ Rhino says almost in wonder.

‘Watch the Pentad carefully,’ Shark says with a look to the young Pentad.

Vaiqon nods, ‘Thank you for trusting me.’

Vaiqon is about to turn away to address the Pentad when Vulcan says, ‘It is not that we trust you, Vaiqon. We have faith in the Pentad.’

Vulcan, Rhino, and Shark flash away, severing their connections as they leave. Vaiqon turns to face the Pentad with a wide smile. The Pentad stares at Vaiqon with bemused expressions.

“Pentad, I have a very unique and special training for you today,” Vaiqon says. “I will take you with me to disrupt and destroy a slave trade.”

The Pentad stare at Vaiqon, their mouths dropping involuntarily.

Hawk is the only one to remain composed, “Why?” he asks bluntly.

Vaiqon’s smile wavers but does not disappear. “Why, Hawk, I thought you would have jumped at the chance to train in such a way.”

Hawk raises his lip in a snarl, “No. Why take us? We are still in training. How could we possibly help?”

“Oh shut up, Hawk,” Desert says. “Clearly we are strong enough, if Vaiqon asked us personally.”

Hawk glares at Desert in a way that even Desert straightens and looks away. Hawk turns back to Vaiqon, “Is this just another test of our, ‘extraordinary tendencies?’”

Vaiqon’s smile disappears altogether, his anger on the brim of his aura. He controls himself as he says, “Hawk. I asked you to join me because I truly felt you and the others of the Pentad could accomplish this mission, and that should be reason enough.”

Hawk scoffs, “I think we should discuss this before agreeing to it.” But when Hawk turns to face his Pentad, he frowns. He reads their ecstatic faces and turns back towards Vaiqon. “We will join you,” Hawk says reluctantly.

Vaiqon claps excitedly. “Excellent! Pentad, are you ready to embark on your first adventure?”

All of the Pentad except Hawk nod their head eagerly. Hawk stares at Vaiqon as if trying to read deep into the Daijok’s mind.

Vaiqon glances away from Hawk. “Pentad, interlock arms, we will be leaving now.”

Vaiqon waits for the Pentad to do as he instructed. Vaiqon then places a hand on Hawk’s chest. Vaiqon draws upon the strength of his Qigid, his Mentor, but still must connect to the children’s budding flashing ability so that he can flash them all. Vaiqon breathes and flashes them all to Uxxok’s aura.

Vaiqon and the Pentad’s eyes take a few moments to adjust to the dimness of the cavern. Vaiqon’s eyes take longer to adjust, but when they finally do, he sees the Pentad crowding around a dead body.

Vaiqon’s heart leaps. He walks in between Hawk and Santhemum to witness Jtoon’s body before him. His faces scrunches in confusion. He reaches out with his aura for Uxxok. His face relaxes as he finds Uxxok’s aura in a major impression around Jtoon.

“Ah, Pentad,” Vaiqon begins, his voice quavering, “this is clearly not Uxxok, and my heart saddens at the death of a brave Rniti such as Jtoon.”

The Pentad each kneels as if compelled. Hawk places a hand on Jtoon’s forehead as if searching for life deep within the confines of Jtoon’s skull. Hawk opens his eyes and looks among each of his Pentad.

“Jtoon was strong, brave, a valuable Rniti,” Hawk speaks. “He was killed by a woman much more skilled than he. A woman Uxxok seeks at this moment. I hope you are ready for this danger.”

The Pentad rises as one, their eyes solid as concrete, their heads straight and erect.

Hawk turns to Vaiqon, “What shall we do while you search for Uxxok?”

Vaiqon gazes upon Hawk. He sees an older version of Hawk before him. He blinks and the child version of Hawk stands before him yet again. He shivers involuntarily, “I want you to go as one and search for any slaves that need to be freed.”

Hawk nods. He begins to walk into the vast dimness, gesturing towards his Pentad to follow. Vaiqon watches as his most recent class walks into the darkness alone and unafraid.

Vaiqon smiles. He reaches out with his aura in all directions. He finds nothing but the Pentad’s aura and many slaves’ exhausted aura. Vaiqon looks all around him. His eyes gaze upward and spots the beam of light shooting across the cavernous expanse. He follows the beam to its source and flashes instantly to an open gate.

He walks through the threshold to behold the giant candle. He sees an opening over the mines below and walks to the edge of the alcove. He looks down to see two rings of fire burning brightly.

He sees a dark figure standing in the middle of the ring of fire to his left. He stretches his aura in that direction. He flashes instantly to the aura.

“Hello, Teqqc,” Vaiqon says quietly as to not startle her.

Teqqc does not turn, “Hello, Vaiqon.”

Vaiqon feels Teqqc’s aura full of anxiety. He reaches for her shoulder to console her, but Teqqc turns and knocks aside Vaiqon’s hand.

“Please, do not touch me,” Teqqc says not unkindly.

Vaiqon merely nods unperturbed by Teqqc’s action. “Very well. Have you felt anything of Uxxok’s aura?”

Teqqc shakes her head. “No, and I have grown tired of flashing to Jtoon’s body every time I feel Uxxok’s aura anew.”

“Uxxok was clever in leaving a strong impression of his aura at Jtoon’s body,” Vaiqon says in admiration.

“Yes, only now we cannot find him. He could be dead by now.”

“Oh, Teqqc. Uxxok is a valiant fighter. He could-”

“Oh shut up! You have not seen this woman in action for yourself. She moves as silent as night. As quick as a flicker of light. As deadly as a crimson flame. She has attacked and nearly killed Uxxok twice.”

Vaiqon nods his head, “Well, at least we know he is alive.”

“How?”

“The woman is not attacking me.”

Teqqc feels her anger surge, “Your arrogance will have you killed.”

Vaiqon stares at Teqqc’s eyes filled with crimson hate. ‘When did Teqqc become so violent?’ he thinks to himself.

Teqqc controls her anger. She breathes deeply twice before saying, “You did not come by yourself, where are the others?”

Vaiqon notices Teqqc did not ask where his fellow Daijoks were. “You know the other Daijoks did not accompany me?”

Teqqc nods, “How dare you! Bring another group of ill-trained Rniti here! Did you not believe the images I showed of Firose and Oukton! Jtoon should have been concrete evidence! Get the Pentad out of here! They cannot even shelter their auras! The woman will pick them off as easily as an eagle picks its prey from the ground!”

Vaiqon places both hands firmly on Teqqc’s shoulders. “Control yourself, Teqqc. You do not know the extraordinary power within these children. You have not witnessed it for yourself. Vulcan, Rhino, Shark, and I have all marveled at the strength unparalleled by the Pentad. They have already achieved Light Speed, Teqqc!” Vaiqon exclaims not in a heated argument, but in an excited wonder.

Teqqc looks into Vaiqon’s manic eyes. “I do not care if they are the Rniti brothers themselves. They are still children.”

Vaiqon breaks away from Teqqc, “If they are only children, they should not be able to hold their own against that woman, correct?”

Teqqc looks at Vaiqon suspiciously. She connects to Vaiqon’s aura and finds herself transported to Santhemum’s aura. She feels Santhemum fighting with skill well beyond her years, defending herself with calmness against the woman’s fast strikes.

Teqqc returns to her own aura. Her entire body slackens in awe. “But... how?” she blubbers.

Vaiqon smiles. He connects to the rest of the Pentad’s auras. He discovers Desert and Pork have joined forces to race through the cavern freeing as many slaves as they can, already a crowd storms behind them.

He feels Fox one a parallel path to Desert and Pork, freeing just as many slaves. He feels Hawk by himself high on a building, searching the cavern with ire eyes. He feels Santhemum causing the woman to become infuriated.

Santhemum blocks a strike coming from nowhere. She parries the blade and quickly reverts back to her defensive position next to a wall under and slight alcove. She stands ready for any attack. She throws her left blade to her left and blocks and parries another blow from the woman.

The woman stops and appears a few yards in front of Santhemum. “How are you not dead?!” she screams.

Santhemum only smiles.

The woman charges at Santhemum, charging fire behind her and then releasing the flames just feet from Santhemum’s head. Santhemum blows hard from her mouth, preventing the flames from touching her.

The woman retreats, screaming at herself, ‘How can I not defeat this girl but I easily dispatched four other more powerful Rniti!’

Santhemum glares at the woman behind her left blade extended in front of her. She connects to her sigo and unleashes a precision spark shot. The spark zooms through the space between her and the woman. The spark collides with the edge of the woman’s blade as she tries to deflect the spark, only to explode as soon as the spark makes contact, causing the woman to lose her footing.

The woman rises with anger dripping from her aura. She disappears from Santhemum’s sight. She slashes at Santhemum with fire following every strike. Santhemum blocks each strike. Santhemum sees an opening in the woman’s attack, plants her feet quickly on the wall behind her, and explodes at the woman with her swords pointed at the woman.

Fire shoots from Santhemum’s blades, igniting in a massive pyre of flame as the woman prevents the flames from touching her. The impact of the deflection forces Santhemum from moving more than few feet from the wall.

High above the duel, Hawk sees the pyre of flame. He peers at the sight to witness Santhemum engaged in bitter combat with a dark figure. Hawk’s eyes widen at the sight. He quickly climbs down from his perch above a multiple storied shack.

When his feet finally touch the cavern’s floor again, he sprints in the direction of the pyre, hoping Santhemum can hold out for his arrival. He tears through the abandoned path, his eyes trained on the steadily rising pyre of fire.

He connects to something inside of himself and spurs himself along at Light Speed, the dimness suddenly growing brighter. He approaches the pyre just as the woman forces the pyre to collapse over Santhemum.

Santhemum watches as the fire waterfalls towards her, catching the building behind her on fire. Santhemum feels the heat raining towards her. She throws her blades in front her in a cross to protect her.

Hawk sees the fire just feet from destroying Santhemum. He connects to his ire, summons a sphere of air, and hurls it at Santhemum, forcing the air around her in a protect sheathe. He summons air currents and throws them as javelins at the fire, extinguishing the flames quickly.

Hawk makes eye contact with Santhemum. He nods and in understanding, Santhemum rushes away from the scene.

The woman shoots her gaze to her left to see Hawk standing before her with an axe in his right hand and a blade in his left hand. The woman spits, “Who are you, little boy?”

“I am Hawk,” Hawk spits back.

The woman smirks, “Very well, Hawk. How would you like to die? Slow and pain filled is my preference.”

“I prefer quick and easy,” Hawk says mildly amused.

The woman blinks, her face slack for a moment, amazed at Hawk’s statement.

The woman then charges at Hawk expecting to end his life quickly, but to her amazement, Hawk sidesteps away from her and brings his axe down upon her back. The woman winces at the pain but then strikes the pommel of her left blade at Hawk’s head, striking him hard. Hawk merely blinks at the pain before slashing with his blade at the woman’s midsection. The woman blocks the strike, sending vibrations through Hawk’s hand. Hawk retracts his blade and swings his axe at the woman’s head. The woman turns faster than a blink, throws aside Hawk’s axe, and tries to stab at Hawk’s heart, but finds Hawk’s blade deflecting the blade away, leaving both of them wholly exposed. The woman breathes fire at Hawk, but Hawk ducks and blows air at the woman’s legs, sweeping his head to his right, forcing the woman to the ground. Hawk brings his axe down at the woman, but the woman deftly brings her blade in front of her, blocking the axe head. The woman places a foot in Hawk’s midsection and lifts him up and over her. Hawk slams on the ground feeling his breath catch. He rises quickly to find the woman bringing a blade at his throat. Hawk ducks, kicks at the woman’s thigh, and spins away into a defensive pose.

The woman grunts at the pain in her leg. She glares at Hawk with red anger in her eyes, “How are you so skilled?!” she yells loudly. “How are you not dead?!”

“I like to surprise my opponents. They often underestimate me,” Hawk says nonchalantly.

The woman blinks at Hawk’s gusto. She purses her lips. “You are an arrogant scum,” she spits.

Hawk smiles, “Flattery will get you nowhere.”

The woman straightens as if she has been struck from behind. She glares at Hawk, reading his aura. Her eyes go wide, she grabs her temples as a terrible ache sets in. she feels thunder raging through her mind. A terrible beat throbbing at the back of her mind.

She collapses to her knees, yelling in agony. She finally is released from Hawk’s aura. She falls to the ground on her side. She glares at Hawk directly. She grimaces at Hawk’s bewildered face.

“How are you so trained?” she spits at him.

Hawk truly wears a baffled expression, “I am a Rniti. I am trained to be the best,” is all he says.

The woman rises to her feet. “Hmph. No matter how well-trained you are, you will not be able to defeat me.”

The woman then summons fire to her blades. The fire creeps from the guard to the tip, following the blades wherever the woman moves her swords. Hawk gulps. The woman charges, Hawk throws an air wall in front of him. The woman slams into the air wall hard, causing her to wear a dumbfounded expression for a moment. She stabs in the middle of the air wall, forcing the air to ignite in flames. She coalesces the flames onto her swords, making the flames grow brighter and stronger. Hawk gulps again. He uses ire to jump high into the air as the woman attacks him, her blades missing him by a inches. He feels his velocity decreasing and then feels himself dragged back to the ground. Using ire to direct his flight. He lands on a shack softly. The woman shoots a stream of fire from her right blade, singing the spot Hawk just occupied. Hawk gulps a third time seeing the woman’s blade still contains fire. The woman unleashes two streams simultaneously from both her blades, merging them together on opposite sides of Hawk. Hawk feels the heat on his left and right. He sees the shack catch fire. He feels the roof he sits on quickly losing strength. The woman watches as her streams finally connect, searing Hawk in the middle. She smiles.

‘Well, that took longer than expected,’ she thinks to herself.

She hears a deep roar echo from the dimness. She searches for the source of the noise when she sees a ghost storming towards her. She sees a blade drawn from the back of the ghost. She watches as the blade suddenly splits in two. She watches as Uxxok strikes towards her.

The woman blocks and parries Uxxok with her flaming blades. She looks at Uxxok in shock, “You were dead. Your aura was gone!”

Uxxok smiles. “You believe you are the only one that can manipulate auras. Even in a near unconscious state I can manipulate my aura. You were foolish to leave without ensuring my death.”

The woman roars, tearing through the space between her and Uxxok, bringing her blades in swift strikes at Uxxok. Uxxok moves just as quickly with his dual blades, deftly working them with great skill. Uxxok parries each of the woman’s strikes, causing the woman great frustration. Uxxok catches the woman off-guard by quickly flicking his right wrist at an opening in the woman’s series of attacks. Uxxok’s quick flick lands the flat of his blade on the woman’s wrist, causing her great pain. The woman retreats a few feet, favoring her left wrist. She glares at Uxxok with supreme malice. She charges at Uxxok again, moving faster than a blink, blurring through the air. Uxxok matches the woman pound for pound, the metal of their blades clashing loudly. The woman watches as Uxxok’s face betrays his exhaustion. She smirks, waiting, biding her time. She notices Uxxok is slowing. She revamps her attack, moving even faster. She watches as Uxxok’s eyes widen in fear of impending death. She moves to end the duel. She strikes at Uxxok’s right arm with both of her blades. Uxxok is forced to dodge by moving his arm out of the way, only to be caught in the woman’s trap as she redirects her attack at his now exposed right side. Her blades slash clean through Uxxok’s armor, delving deep into Uxxok’s soft flesh. She pulls away her blades to smell fresh blood glistening on the silver of her wicked blades. She moves to stab Uxxok but is then forced to the ground by a sudden gust of wind.

She grunts in annoyance, her eyes falling instantly on the source of the gust of wind. Her eyes focus on Hawk and appear just inches from him. She slashes with the flat of her blade and watches as the force of the collision of her blade and Hawk’s axe explodes only against Hawk, sending him flying toward the mountain rock high in the air.

Hawk feels himself flying. He reaches out with ire to discover himself quickly approaching the mountainside. He connects to his ire, uses the momentum of his flight, and creates an air dagger than he heaves at the dark rock he is about to slam into.

The rock is cleaved as if it were not even there, and allows sunlight to stream into the dark cavern. Hawk flies through the opening, using ire to control his descent. He lands with a soft thud on the slight incline of the mountain.

He rises to his feet, clutching his weapons tightly. He feels pain in his side, but does not see blood when he looks down. He looks up from his hidden wound to see a glare of fire zooming toward him.

The woman flies through the air on a stream of fire, amazed Hawk was able to save himself from being flattened against the mountain rock. She lands just feet away from Hawk. She summons fire in a high ring around both of them. The woman charges at Hawk. Hawk uses his ire to slide through the air as if it were not there. The woman blinks at Hawk’s sudden surge in speed.

Vaiqon feels Uxxok’s aura flash in urgency. He flashes immediately to find Uxxok kneeling on the ground, using his blades to hold himself up. Vaiqon helps Uxxok to his feet.

“What happened, Uxxok? What caused that massive explosion? Was it the woman?” Vaiqon asks in rapid fire.

Uxxok shakes his head, “No, she sent Hawk flying and he somehow exploded out the mountainside.”

Vaiqon’s mouth drops in genuine surprise. “How is that possible?”

“I don’t know, but the woman chased after him. We have to go, we have to aid Hawk.”

Vaiqon nods. He holds on tight to Uxxok as he flashes to Hawk’s aura. Vaiqon’s breath catches as he sees Hawk dueling the woman inside a ring of fire. He sees Hawk is losing ground, forced closer and closer to the steaming flames.

Vaiqon turns to Uxxok, “Can you connect to your fuhok?”

“Of course I can. I just need to catch my breath,” Uxxok says taking a deep breath.

Vaiqon nods, “We need to put those flames out.”

Uxxok nods, “I will draw water from the snow. When I extinguish the flames, shoot your strongest air current at the woman. I will then attack her as she is distracted. Get Hawk out of here.”

Vaiqon nods, concentrating on an air current, folding it on itself, stretching it, and folding it again. He watches as Hawk is merely yards away from his death, the woman pushing against his defense. Hawk repeatedly throws the woman away, sidestepping, blocking, parrying, but he feels the heat of the flames behind him licking at him.

Uxxok moves as fast as he can, his strength failing. He connects to his Qigid and taps into a reserve strength. He moves as fast as a blink, drawing as much water from the snow as the snow will allow. Not long does Uxxok command a sphere of water twice his height and four times his girth.

Uxxok nods to Vaiqon to his left and throws the massive sphere at the flames. The flames instantly steam as they quickly die. The woman blinks at the steam around her. She is thrown soon after by a powerful air current, overturning her as she tumbles over the snow covered ground.

Hawk collapses to his knees from exhaustion. He watches as Uxxok streams over the snow towards the woman, his blades raised before him, ready to attack. Hawk feels Vaiqon next to him. Hawk sees a flash of light and the snow capped mountains are replaced by the stone walls of the Injhihato.

Uxxok sees himself slashing with both his blades down through the woman’s collar bones. He sees the woman collapsing before him, the lights of her eyes fading, but he is drawn back to reality as the woman blocks Uxxok’s charge. She quickly strikes at Uxxok’s left blade, knocking it aside. She brings her right blade across her body at Uxxok’s right blade and knocks it aside as well. Before Uxxok can reform his defense, the woman utilizes the momentum of her cross strike, allowing her to spin quickly and stabs her left blade into Uxxok’s chest, planting it firmly inside of him.

The woman smiles at Uxxok’s shock. She drives her blade deeper into Uxxok until she feels a release of tension as her blade escapes through Uxxok’s back. Uxxok’s expression of shock soon transforms into sadness. He gazes at the woman, but sees an afterimage of Teqqc in his vision.

The woman drives her right blade into Uxxok’s stomach, driving the blade upward toward her left blade. Uxxok feels his life fading quickly. His eyes roll into the back of his head. The woman watches with twisted glee. She sees Uxxok’s eyes roll back into place, the lights of his eyes nearly gone.

The woman retracts her blades, drawing them through Uxxok’s ribs and back to her sides, Uxxok’s blood dripping greatly from the edges. Uxxok slumps instantly to the ground, the lights of his eyes now extinguished.

The woman smiles at her fallen victim. “I finished you, Uxxok. A most worthy opponent, one that discovered far too much. One that discovered the key. One that fell directly into our trap, but I still finished you,” shes says almost in reverence.

She moves to sheathe her blades but feels a powerful aura charging at her. She glances in front of her. She turns around to see nothing but snow. She shrugs and is then slammed to the ground, the back of her head throbbing from an unseen blow.

She rises instantly, her blades in front of her in defense. She sees an older woman before her, a slender sword in her hands, dressed in dark clothing, viciousness in her eyes. “Ah, Teqqc,” the woman says.

Teqqc does not respond, but attacks without warning. The woman’s eyes widen, the sudden attack unexpected. The woman tries to block Teqqc’s furious charge, but soon discovers she has exerted much energy. She feels Teqqc’s strikes vibrating through her entire body. She grunts at the sudden pain she feels in her leg, remnants from Hawk’s kick. She continues to block Teqqc’s furious swings, but soon feels her own body giving into her exhaustion. Teqqc sees the woman retreating with every blow. Teqqc smirks to herself. She summons fire from her hand and throws it at the woman, blowing the woman back a few yards. The woman remains upright, but is forced into the air as Teqqc drives a spike of earth upward from under her,. Teqqc shoots the woman down with a shot of air at the woman’s chest. The woman lands with a thud, but somehow rises to her feet quickly. Teqqc continues her assault, throwing another fire blitz at the woman. The woman blocks most of the fire shots, but cannot stand as Teqqc blows another air current a the woman’s chest. Teqqc summons fire around her in a vortex and shoots it at the woman, following the vortex with a kick of earth and an air bomb. Teqqc merges the three zoltind forces and hones the attack at the woman’s chest, blowing the woman away.

Teqqc watches as the woman flies through the air. The woman crashes on to the ground a hundred yards away. The woman has lost her blades through her flight. She somehow finds the strength to stand, feeling her blood’s power coursing through her.

Teqqc watches in wonder as her enemy rises, snow falling away from her. Teqqc sees the woman has lost her weapons. She nearly pounces on the woman, but a deadly glare appears on the woman’s face.

The woman places her hands on top of her shoulders, then slowly draws her hands away, fire following the path of her hands. The woman coalesces the fire into the shape of a blade in each hand. She glares at Teqqc and attacks.

Teqqc blocks the fire blades, but cannot help being awed at the sigo prowess of her opponent. The woman feeds on her anger to drive through another duel. She attacks Teqqc with gritted teeth, looking for any opening. Teqqc adapts to every strategy her opponent can delve into, countering almost before her opponent can attack. Teqqc draws the woman into a trap. She leaves her self open, waits for her opponent to seize the opportunity, jumps to her right, slices at her opponent’s left forearm, and blasts fire with her free hand at the woman’s head.

The woman is instantly slammed to the ground. Teqqc forms cuffs from the ground beneath the snow around the woman’s wrists and ankles. The woman thrashes against her shackles. She stares up at Teqqc from her back. She feels her mind begin to ache. Her eyes widen as her aura is forcibly breached.

Teqqc storms through the woman’s aura. She feels utter hatred for the Rniti contained within the woman. She feels seething anger inside the woman. She discovers the woman’s memories of her training.

Teqqc retreats to her own aura, glaring at the woman. The memory of killing Uxxok from the woman’s perspective fresh in her mind. Teqqc brings her blade back, and stabs through the woman’s head into the snow. Blood squirts from the impact ten feet into the air, coating white snow a crimson red.

Teqqc retracts her blade and sheathes it. She sees Uxxok’s body a few yards to her right. She walks to his body and breaks down in tears as soon as she touches his face. She feels Desert, Santhemum, Fox, and Pork along with a mass gathering of freed slaves behind them approaching her.

Teqqc looks up to the four young Rniti. Teqqc connects to the Daijoks, ‘I need your help to transport these people to Karacrross for treatment.’

The Daijoks see through Teqqc’s connected aura. They combine their auras to filter through the massive crowd of freed slaves and flash them all to the great hospital in Karacrross.

Teqqc smiles at four pillars of the Pentad. She touches Desert’s shoulder and nods to the others to do the same. Teqqc flashes to the Injhihato’s infirmary where Touqoks rush about.

The Touqoks shout at one another, treating a person in a bed at the far side of the infirmary. Santhemum sees it is Hawk and rushes to the bedside. The rest of the Pentad follows behind Santhemum and stands around Hawk as well.

“Hey everybody,” Hawk says weakly. “Did we win?”

“We won,” Santhemum says, her velvet voice calming Hawk’s tired mind and body. Hawk falls asleep. The Pentad smiles at their fifth pillar and walk out of the infirmary.

Teqqc gazes at Hawk. ‘How brave he is. How strong he is.’

She feels Vaiqon enter behind her. “The freed slaves are recovering well,” he says.

“Wonderful,” Teqqc says, though her heart is not behind her words. “There is one matter that needs attending to though.”

Vaiqon lowers his head, “Yes, there is. I am having a statue commissioned as we speak in Uxxok’s honor. He will be placed in the crevice just inside the eastern door of the Gallery.”

Teqqc glances at Vaiqon, utter glee in her eyes. Vaiqon sees a giddy girl in his oldest friend. Teqqc embraces Vaiqon warmly. Vaiqon smiles. Teqqc vanishes in a flash of yellow light.