Chapter 72-Khione+Ana vs Tondra and Sparky

"Oh man, that smells good, eh, Ana?!"  Khione excitedly asks Ana.

"Man, am I excited!"  Ana swoons, "I didn't think we'd ever get to eat NEARLY as good as when Gaia fed us!"

"I know, right?"  Khione replies as she and Ana stop before an expensive looking restaurant, "Let's head in!"

Khione and Ana enter the restaurant and take a seat at the bar stools.  They then pick up the menus and begin flipping through.

"Oh man, I can't read but all these pictures sure look good!"  Khione exclaims.

"Here, want me to read them out to you?"  Ana asks

"Nah, I have a better idea," Khione answers as she turns to the chef standing at the counter, "Aye boss, what do you recommend?!"

"Ah!"  The chef explains as they turn to face Khione, "Well our special is the-"

But before the chef can answer Khione's question, a voice next to Ana grunts: "Pipe down!"

"HUH?!"  Khione snaps as she shoves Ana aside, revealing two other customers wearing bright red cloaks with orange sun decals stamped on 'em.  The two have their eerie red hoods pulled up.

Ana yelps as she collapses off of her bar stool.

"What did you say to me?!"  Khione snaps as she jumps out of her seat.

"I SAID pipe down!"  The first figure in a red cloak snaps again as they lower their hood, revealing themselves to be a woman of average height, around five foot six, with electric-yellow hair and a matching left eye.  Their right eye, however, has a black sclera with a bright-purple iris.  Their pupil takes the shape of a weird, dark-brown symbol.

"Leave them be, Sparky," orders the second cloaked figure as they lower their own hood as well, revealing themselves to be female as well, around five foot seven with navy blue hair and matching their left eye.  Their right eye, much like the woman assumed to be Sparky, however, is discolored, with a black sclera and a pale-purple iris.  Their pupil takes the shape of a blueish-green symbol.

"The girl said she can't read," taunts the second woman, "She's a simpleton."

"True that!"  Sparky cackles.

"Why, you…" growls Khione as faint icy-blue sparks of energy begin to swirl around her body.

The two women flinch.

"Stand down, Khione," Ana whispers as she stands up and places a hand on Khione's shoulder, "We aren't here to start any trouble."

"I know…" Khione sighs as her aura dissipates.

The second woman narrows her eyes at Khione and Ana as she slowly takes a step off of her bar stool

Slowly, the woman's hand lowers to her hip.

Ana flinches as she notices this, and notices the long black sheath hanging from the woman's hip as well.

Swiftly, Ana's hand flicks down to her hip, and in the blink of an eye the two women draw their katanas and swing 'em outwards, and their blades clash.

Sparks and wind are sent flying from the collision of the two women's blades.

Customers scream and flee the restaurant.

"T-Tondra, Sp-Sparky!"  The chef yelps, "What's going on?!"

"Get outta here, chief, we got work to do!"  Sparky smirks.

"Woah, Ana, are you okay?!"  Khione yelps.

Ana narrows her eyes at the other woman from behind her blade, her katana struggling against the other one.

"A swordswoman…" Ana asks, "Just who are you?!"

"You can call me Tondra Prometheus."

"Are you…are you from the Land of Wind?!"

"I was, long ago…but the Land of FIRE is my home now!"

Ana's eyes widen.

Swiftly, Tondra retracts her katana and slides backwards.  Tondra crouches down as she sheaths her katana, placing one hand on its hilt and the other on the sheath.  Electric-yellow sparks of energy begin to burst and swirl around her body.

"H-her Charge Stance…is just like mine!"

"Lightning Charge, Level One-!"  Tondra shouts as she swiftly draws her katana and swings it outwards, its blade crackling with electricity, "-Charged Slash!"

"H-huh…?"  Ana asks, "The blade can't reach me…?"

"That's what you think," Tondra smirks, "-EXTEND!"

Upon chanting her cryptic order, the blade of Tondra's katana swiftly extends outwards, slashing Ana across her chest with a powerful charged slash, causing Ana to yelp in pain as she's electrocuted by Tondra's lightning.

After being electrocuted for a bit, Ana collapses face-first onto the ground, her body charred black, smoking, and twitching as she convulses from the electricity.

Ana has been knocked out.

"A-Ana!"  Khione desperately cries.

"Don't forget about me!"  Sparky cackles as she jumps off of her bar stool as well, demanding Khione's attention towards her.  Swiftly, Sparky brandishes a wand.

"A…wizard…?"  Khione asks, "Just like Gaia!"

  Sparky aims her wand at Khione, and reinforces it by using a second arm to latch onto and support her forearm.  Subsequently, electric-yellow sparks of energy begin to burst and swirl around Sparky's body.

Khione's eyes widen as she swiftly resumes her Charge Stance as well.

"Ice Charge, Level One: Permafrost!"  Khione shouts as she swipes both hands outwards, freezing the air before her, and forming a wall of ice in front of her and Ana to shield the two from Sparky's oncoming attack.

"Spark Charge, Level One-" Sparky begins to say as she flicks her wand towards the sky, "-EXPLOSION!"

Khione's wall of cie begins to glow yellow, causing Khione's eyes to widen.

But before Khione can react, her wall of ice explodes in a rush of smoke and flames, sending chunks of ice flying everywhere.

Khione flinches and turns away, using an arm to shield herself from the explosion.

"What the…what kind of E-Charge IS this?!"  Khione cries.

As the explosion subsides, Khiones turns back to face Sparky again, seeing Sparky's wand still extended towards Khione.

"And now…" Sparky smirks as she begins twirling her wand again, "-REPEAT!"

The ground below Khione begins to glow a bright electric-yellow, causing Khione'es eyes to widen as she peers down towards the floor below her.

"Oh, n-"

Before Khione can finish, the floor beneath her explodes!

Khione screams in pain as she's engulfed in a second, mighty risk of flames and smoke.

By the time Sparky's explosion subsides, Khione drops to the ground, her body charred black and bellowing with smoke, just like Ana's.

"Now, to bring these two to the Lord…" is the last thing that Khione hears before slipping unconscious.