Chapter 41: Painful Courage

-Keep an orderly line behind the perimeter! No shoving and no panic!- the soldier would yell.

-Easy for you to say! You're not the one seeing your home getting blown to pieces!- one of the Myra villagers would exclaim back at him. Other voices would join his efforts.

-Yeah, you tell him!

-Order pigs!

-How dare you attack a bunch of children!

At the exit to Myra village, the soldiers had rounded up the villagers and formed a sort of human cordon with all the hooded soldiers, in order to keep them from re-entering the village. The populace had turn into a mass of shaking fists and heads as they tried to get past the frontier, but the threat of the sharp blades the soldiers pointed forward kept them at bay, if only for a little bit. But that didn't stop their protesting.

-Silence, all of you! Lady Allie was kind enough to order us to remove you from the premises of the battle! But she's not responsible to whatever happens beyond it!- the soldier commander that had spoken to Allie, when she and the Roses had cornered Noah and company, spoke up. He insistently scratched the back of his neck, restless as the faint sounds of the battle inside Myra reached even outside. His hands were still shaking from the tongue-lash Allie had given him and the explosions inside the village, combined with the yelling outside of it, weren't setting him at ease.

Suddenly, he'd feel a bunch of hands grabbing onto his hood and cape, as a portion of the mob got a bit too impatient and tried to force their way past him, yelling louder and louder.

-Let us through, you villain!

-If your Elite dog is so tough, then let us face her!

-We've had enough of the Order's bullying!

-That witch is destroying our homes!

-Sile--- -his words, and everyone's protests, were interrupted by the deafening sound of an explosion sounding from inside the village. The commander would look back and see smoke rising up from between the buildings. And soon, flames could be seen spreading through the streets. The mob was dumbstruck at first, but then their efforts to re-enter the village only doubled.

The commander and the cordon began doing their best to push the people away from the entrance. Soon, a full-on fight began, with the soldiers smacking the rioters with sheathed swords or using their fists to put any dissident on the floor in pain. Some of the Myrans would be able to topple some of the soldiers and try to pry their swords from their grasp. Some summoned their own Blades, but because of the generally low soul power the poor people possessed, their dull swords or spears would be easily shattered by the riposting soldiers.

Screams erupted as one of the Myrans fell to the dusty floor, blood forming a pool underneath him. Cries would follow and the mob would desperately assault the cordon. All the while, the flames inside Myra would spread.

The leader looked at the square houses, after punching a middle-aged Myran in the gut and making him kneel over. The hooded man couldn't see the fighters, but even he could sense the powerful elemental energies flying around.

Honestly, he was scared. Terrified, even. The infamous Angel's Crow bounty hunter guild was there and Allie didn't do much to ease his tension, either. He was scared of losing his job and even of dying to the mob. He fought for the Order, yes, but even he had a family...

But suddenly, he remembered. Like a light shining inside his fear-filled mind.

The gentle hand atop of his head. Atop of every soldier's head.

And the warm smile that shone down on them and wished them luck before they left the Order Tower, with the Desert Rose Squad.

Those eyes, filled with light. Certainty that they'd someday build a land of happiness and righteousness in that gods-forsaken continent.

"Worry not, my friends. 'Tis not wickedness you spread to the people of Myra. It's hope. Hope for a better future. A future, where I will guide you myself. No matter how much blood I spill. For you, I will happily give everything. And from you, I will ask oh so little. Just a bit of faith. That's all I ask. I know one day we will build the land that Attila wished for. No war. No sadness. No chaos. Only peace, smiles...and Order."

-Yes...Balthazar blessed each and every one of us before we left for this crummy mission...- he mumbled, slowly drawing his sword as the villager would grab his leg, determined to keep fighting. Beneath the hood, his eyes would take a sudden white flash -For the world Balthazar wishes for...

And, with that, he would thrust his sword down.

*

A few minutes earlier:

-And...now!- Guy would shout as he placed the Dragonic Blade close to his chest. Near it, the stone hammer of the Night Owl knight, Jimmy, would shine with a red light, as flames would erupt from it, cracks forming in the stone square like magma.

-Thanks for the light, buddy!- Jimmy would smirk and would swing the hammer down, a wave of flames cracking through the ground and colliding with the Desert Rose squad members, sending them crashing to the nearby wall.

Guy let out a sigh of relief and high-five the knight, exchanging chatter with each other as they left the alleyway where they were fighting in.

-Well, and that's my whole sob story. Soon afterwards, me and the Owl Knights began patrolling the continent in search of any Order miscreants we could bring to justice.

-Wowie, Mister Jameson, now it makes sense that you're so strong! I hope you find that balloon thief that gave you that injury, someday!

Jimmy would solemnly nod, wiping a lone tear from his eye, a very slight scar under it.

-On rainy days, this scar still aches from that day. But with reliable allies like you and the Owls, I know I can do it! But first we have to take care of the situation here. The others might be in danger!- he said, pumping his fist

-Sure! But first, we have to find Al--

His words were interrupted as a torrent of flames swallowed him and Jimmy, both of them crashing into the nearby wall. Guy, being a Pyre-born, was naturally flame-resistant, but Jimmy was of Tera, so his body was completely charred black, his eyes blinking as he slid down the wall.

-Wasn't that...a touch too much..? Bleh..!- he'd let out, slumping to the side.

-Mister Jameson!- Guy would exclaim, running over to Jimmy, but his path would be cut off by another torrent of flames. He stopped in his tracks and looked over at the figure that walked towards him, pointing her sabre at both of them -Miss Lotus ?! How did you find us so quickly?!

Allie would tuck a lock of her lilac hair behind her ear.

-A beacon of Pyre elemental energy like you is easy to find. In terms of raw firepower, you might surpass even me. We can't have that running around, right?- she asked, swinging her Blade, tongues of fire shooting out towards the black-haired boy.

Guy promptly pointed his own Blade at the flames.

-I'll just absorb-- - but before he could finish his sentence, the flames would pass right through him, lighting his track suit on fire. Guy panicked, releasing the Dragonic Blade, and taking off the jacket, stomping on it to stop the flames.

He'd look at Allie, baffled by what happened. The Elite would being to reel the Nuria sabre back, but Guy summoned the Dragonic Blade faster and shot a torrent of fire towards her.

Allie didn't even flinch, though. She'd raise her free palm at the flames and they suddenly stopped in their tracks. They would shake and begin to swirl in front of her until they formed a perfectly-shaped sphere of flames, the size of her torso. She then would swipe her hand, sending the fireball right back at Guy. The kid would point his Blade at the flames again, but upon seeing it was doing nothing, he leapt to the side, letting the ball crash through a nearby house's wall.

-I don't understand..! Why can't I absorb your flames?!- he'd ask, looking down at his Blade in a panic.

-It's a matter of willpower.- Allie would simply answer. At the confused look Guy would give her, she sighed- You really are still a kid, after all. You don't even understand what a battle of Elements truly is.

She would then tilt her head to the side, in order to avoid another flame attack from Guy, which zoomed right past her. She would then point her index finger behind her and the flames would stop. She pointed back at Guy and his flames, like under her spell, would shoot out towards their master again. Guy would dodge and desperately try to attack her again and again, only to have all of his flames turn right back on him repeatedly.

-Controlling an Element is a matter of igniting the surrounding elemental energy particles with your soul power. But once you get into a battle of Elements, between two or more people using the same near-endless particles in the space, it becomes a battle of soul power. - she would explain- Depending on your soul power, your fire can burn right through water or a stronger BladeMaster's ice can quell it. And if you're against someone of the same Element, if their soul power surpasses yours...

She would gather up the flames Guy would launch at her, the fire convulsing and taking the shape of a spear. She would throw it at the boy, who tried to block it with his sword, but it pushed him right through the wall of the nearby building, having him land right on top of a sofa, in what seemed to be someone's living room, the furniture toppling to the back with the boy still on top of it, Guy rolling out of it.

-...they can control your Element. Mirror matches become a race to see who gets to control the whole monopoly of Pyre-ignited elemental particles. Your power might allow you to absorb fire to strengthen yourself, but that only really applies to flames you can control, be it flames that start without direct influence of an Element, or those of a much weaker opponent's.

Guy shakily stood up up. The result of Allie's attack had resulted in the surrounding furniture beginning to catch fire. He pointed the Dragonic Blade at them.

-That's a pretty long-winded way of explaining that you're much stronger than me.- with that, the fire inside the gill-like holes of his Blade began flickering strongly, the flames leaking out of the obsidian Blade and forming the jaw-like shape around the sword. The fire inside the house began slithering towards the gaping maw.

But suddenly, they would zip away from Guy, gathering around Allie's index finger.

-Are you daft? The flames obey me, Guy Vermilion. Before you absorb them, I'll steal them and---

Guy would take deep breath and expel a stream of fire from his mouth directly into the Dragonic's mouth. The jaw would close and the Blade would start shining brightly, surrounding itself in fierce red flames, doubling its size.

Allie would stagger back. dissipating the fire she had stole in her hand.

-You used your own flames?! Fool, you'll--

With curled up lips and shaking legs, Guy would let out a battle cry and charge towards the Elite. His body would begin emitting the aura of Astral Soul that, although not as strong as Noah's or Axel's, was still there and permitted him to jump in close to Allie before she could summon her own Blade.

-Dragonic Heart !- he'd exclaim, bringing the sword down on her, enveloping the area in light, a wave of hot air blowing across the sand-filled streets, making the slumped body of Jimmy roll from the wall to the ground, a faint "yowch" leaving his lips.

Guy was suspended in the air, the amalgamation of flames coming from his Blade not allowing him to discern whether he struck Allie or not. But he wasn't left wondering for long, as he felt his sword press up against something much more solid than the Elite's exposed skin.

-What..?- he'd let out, a gasp getting stuck on his throat.

Soon, the flames from his Blade would die down, allowing the young BladeMaster to see the giant flaming arm coating Allie's own member, the armor plating clashing against his sword.

-A half-hearted Ultima Soul, with no Soul Crash behind it, jump-started by your own flames? You either are very stupid, not taking me seriously enough...or both.- she'd snarl.

In a panic, Guy would spit more flames onto the Dragonic, but the black Blade would just sit there, not reacting to them. The fire inside the hollow object would be nearly died down.

-A desperation move is just that! Your Blade can only cannibalize its own flames once!- she'd yell.

Suddenly, the arm would shatter into many ribbon-like objects, floating in the air between Guy and Allie. The boy could recognize them as similar to the sash used by Allie during her dance.

Before he could react, the bands would wrap around the Dragonic Blade's sword, coating it like a mummy. Allie would wrap the other end around her balled up fist and would pull on them, dragging Guy, who was still holding onto the Blade's handle, in the air and making him spin around and around herself, like a hammer throw athlete.

Guy let out a shriek of terror, as he held on for dear life and Allie would soon chuck him far away, the boy's body flung across the air and through a nearby, two-story, building's window.

The boy would crash inside an office-looking space, the light from the hole where a window once was illuminating the space, a desk on the upper right corner, with many documents and framed pictures on it, the surrounding walls occupied by tall shelves filled with books. Guy's back would land against one of these with such violence, that it would begin to wobble, the heavy books beginning to topple one after another before the whole structure fell on the boy, a loud crash filling the room as a cloud of dust permeated it.

After a few seconds, Guy would open his eyes. Light was filtering from underneath the shelf, the searing pain from the impact and weight on his back and head making him flinch. But he wasn't dead yet.

In fact, he could even see an exit! A trap door could be seen a few steps away, to the right from where he was lying. Since most buildings in Myra were one-story high, he guessed he must be in some sort of attic space on a two or more story house.

"Gotta run away...gotta meet back up with Noah...or Zeke! Y-yeah, he can deal with her easily, since he's Aqua! Gods know I can't...but they can! I'm not brave enough to face her alone! I'm not ready yet, I just started on the road Pyre wants me to go on!"

He tried to crawl away, but he could barely move under the shelf. Sinking his nails into the stone floor, Guy gritted his teeth and slowly dragged his body across.

"I'm sure Mister Jameson can get out by himself! Run away...run away...I have to get far away!"

"Next battle I'll do it! But for this one, just let me be safe!!!"

His head soon peeked out from under the shelf.

And, as soon as it did, he would spot Allie staring back at him from above, standing on his left side.

She quickly grabbed the top of the shelf and easily lifted it up, making it smack against the other shelves and fall on its side.

Guy would try to summon the Dragonic, but his hands were empty. He looked up to find it shaking in Allie's left hand, trying to return to its master. And before he could react, Allie would smack his face with the flat side of it, making him roll to the side, a weak cry escaping his lips. The Elite would then grab him by the collar, lifting him up and pressing him against another shelf. His nose was bleeding and his eyes would be glassy with tears.

-This is ridiculous!- she would spit- When I heard that you three had defeated Sobek, I thought you were some sort of geniuses. BladeMasters with mettle and battle sense to match with ours. But then I find out that...that you're just a bunch of kids! Snot-nosed brats, at that! Guided by emotions, lazy and stupid to boot! Is this what my brother is killing himself to defeat?! Some kids that don't even know how their powers work?!

Guy would grunt, kicking blindly, to try and get her to let go of him.

-At least we're not some thieves who make other people miserable, just because you're more powerful..!-he said, glaring at her, even with terrified eyes.

She would then throw Guy to the side, his body harshly bouncing off the floor. Allie would pace around, the Dragonic on her left hand and Nuria on her right, her fingers clutching both Blade and her hair.

-You think I want this?! You actually think someone would debase themselves to the point of dancing their hearts out for the sake of helping shady tax collectors gather money from some dirt-poor, backwater village dwellers?! How low do you think of me?!- she'd yell, turning around and kicking Guy in the stomach a couple of times, making him yelp in pain.

Her pacing would get faster, her fingers scratching her head.

-If I don't do this, my brother is as good as dead! That bastard will take everything from him! His dream, his lover..! Everything he holds dear! If he dies, then I die! And you dare say that I do this for the sake of some sadistic tangent?! I should kill you! I really should, you sweaty, old pig!- she exclaimed.

Her breathing got more labored as she circled around the room, mumbles leaving her lips. Her eyes became hazy and wide.

-Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid...you're just a bag of flesh...only fit to please the eyes of pigs while you're young...I should have stayed there...He told me so many times to stop and I didn't listen..! I'm here just embarrassing myself!

Guy coughed, looking up at her. He was shaking like a leaf and tears clouded his vision. But still...

-Please...Miss Allie. If this battle is so stupid, then you could join the Angel's Crow..! We can help--

His words would be interrupted by another kick to the stomach, leaving him gasping for air.

-SHUT UP! I don't need her pity! I don't need her and you to look down on me for making yet another stupid choice! I just wanted to make people happy, for once!

" 'You can go dance! You can go dance a bunch in this mission!' Isn't it just great ?! The bimbo can go shake her butt aaaalll she wants! Now, because of my selfish dreams, I'm reduced to a fucking money-grubbing child murderer, all because that blonde bastard was worried about some diaper-wearing BladeMasters and some beer-bellied ex-knights!"

Guy's eyes widened.

-Child...murderer? Isn't your job to take Noah away?

Allie's breathing would slowly calm down and she'd turn around to glare at Guy.

-The Alpha...I take to the Order Tower. The rest I butcher. Because that's something I'm good at. And that pineapple head learned that first-hand.

-"Pineapple head"?! You don't mean...-Guy would slowly say as he tried to stand up. Allie released Nuria and picked him up by the collar again.

-Zeke Truesdale is dead. You're next. Then, Rhodes and the Knights. If I must sully my hands with innocent blood to protect his dreams, then so be it! That is my determination!- she said.

Allie then pointed the Dragonic's edge towards Guy, but the boy lunged towards her and grabbed onto her left arm for dear life. Allie tried to shake him off, dragging his body across the nearby, still standing, shelves, knocking more and more books onto the floor, but Guy furiously held on and even sunk his teeth into her left hand.

A scream left her lips as the searing pain coursed through her member. The woman, in a fury, smashed the boy through the table, leaving his motionless body covered in fragments of the wood of the desk.

-Son of a..!- she growled as she staggered across the room, clutching her bitten hand.

But suddenly she stopped, looking at her hand.

-Where's the sword?-she asked. The Dragonic was nowhere in sight.

Allie looked back, towards where the outside sunlight was flooding into the room.

The obsidian greatsword was appearing in the kneeling black-haired boy's hands, its edge pointed straight at her.

And its owner glared at her, an expression so filled with hate, his face so scrunched up and his teeth clenched so hard, it seemed like he had turned into someone else entirely.

And above his head, two small flames could be seen. Shaped like...

"Are those...eyes?" she thought. Then, at the sudden realization, she gasped.

Fire enveloped Guy Vermilion's entire body and soon began convulsing and taking shape, much like it had done before when it tried to absorb fire. But this time, it came from both inside Guy and the sword. And it soon formed the last shape Allie wanted to see.

First, a set of clenched teeth could be seen. Then, the fire expanded to form a jawline. And soon, the entire head, which almost reached the ceiling, its eyes shining brightly.

The head of a dragon.

The flames kept moving, focusing around the Dragonic Blade. Guy's face revealed itself, awash with tears.

The teeth of the dragon began parting, a blinding light erupting from inside its mouth.

Guy roared, his yell of despair echoing inside Allie's skull, the last thing she heard before she was engulfed by light.

*

The side of the two story house evaporated. Completely disintegrated by the concentrated, laser-like beam of fire that erupted from inside the building. The bright orange flames destroyed everything in their path, taking a few of the nearby houses' roofs with them. The laser kept going and going, a blurry shape inside it, which it carried across town, back into the main square and into the circus tent.

The fragile cloth easily gave away as the object landed inside it, the tent catching on fire immediately.

Inside it, crashed through the wooden stage, was a giant red lotus flower. Its petals slowly began to unfurl, revealing the Elite inside, curled up in a fetal position. The flower dissipated and she slowly sat up, panting in the middle of the surrounding flames. She coughed, blood spattering on the dusty ground.

-Bastard..! He didn't absorb any flames...those came from inside him! Was it an Overload...or maybe...

She kept mumbling to herself as she wobbled from inside the tent, planning on how to handle Guy, now that he had revealed to wield so much power.

Because she wasn't looking, she didn't react when her arm received a cut from seemingly nowhere. The pain only registered a few seconds later and she flinched, looking for her assailant.

-I finally caught you...our fight isn't over yet.

She tsked.

-Give it up, you little brat. Go back to sleep.

Axel pointed Raiden at her, standing in the middle of the square, staggering a bit as well.

-You know I won't stop until I bring you to justice.

Allie summoned Nuria.

-You should have listened to your friend and stayed still. Now you'll die trying. Just like he did.

Axel clutched Raiden's handle, his hands shaking. Allie could then feel a change in the surrounding elemental energy. Like it was being drawn away from her. And gathering into Axel's body. She took her stance, as she knew that her words would garner her a much tougher battle than her first round with the Mistral-born.

-Show me your "romance", then, Axel Rhodes. Show me...

"...the ideals you'll die for!"