There weren't a lot of red-haired women around here. Even though he came to this planet not even a day ago, the only red-haired woman he had met was the one who also took the test with him during the day.
However, the reason why he was so wary of her at the moment was only because of the timing of her coming. After all, he came here by air with the help of his wings, meaning that he could go faster than someone who went on foot.
Yet she was here shortly after him? It didn't make any sense.
As such, Kye's thoughts swirled even more as he struggled to reconcile the odd timing of the woman's arrival with the circumstances that had led him here. The more he pondered, the more the pieces seemed to elude him, like a puzzle with missing parts. He had been flying at a slow speed, sure, but unless the woman had some kind of extraordinary ability or assistance, she shouldn't have caught up with him so quickly.
Which only made the woman even more mysterious than she already was.
"Why are you here? And how did you find me?" Kye demanded, his sword in his hand, ready to strike her.
The red-haired woman held up her hands in a gesture of non-aggression. Her eyes remained fixed on Kye, and there was an air of calmness about her that contrasted sharply with his tense posture.
"I mean you no harm," She answered, her voice gentle and soothing. "Oh, you who has the blessing of the King."
Kye's grip on Lightbringer didn't waver, but he listened closely. Although he had an idea of what she was talking about, it was better to be safe than sorry.
"Who's your king?" Enzo demanded, his voice still as sharp as earlier.
The red-haired woman seemed unfazed by Kye's caution and the sharpness of his questions. Instead, she smiled softly, as if she knew something he didn't.
"Our king is the Flame itself," she replied, her gaze still steady on Kye. "The one who nurtures and sustains all life on this planet. I am under his command, a servant of his majesty, and I sensed your arrival because you bear the mark of the King in your very being."
"Cut the crap already and tell me his name!" He already knew who she was referring to, yet he still wanted the name of her king.
"You may know him as Ras, the King of the Phoenixes."
"And what do you want from me?" To the woman's surprise, Kye's attitude didn't change in the slightest, even after hearing his friend's name.
And because of that, she lost her composure for a second.
And this second was enough for Kye, to make a move.
In that split second when the red-haired woman's composure faltered, Kye lunged forward with astonishing speed. His sword, Lightbringer, sliced through the air with deadly intent, aimed at the woman's midsection.
But she wasn't as defenseless as she appeared. Her instinct kicked in at the right moment, and with a graceful movement, she sidestepped his attack, her reflexes lightning-fast. Her hand, wreathed in flames, shot out to intercept Kye's strike, creating a shower of sparks and a wave of scorching heat.
Their weapons clashed, and the cavern filled with the clash of elements – fire against light, power against power. The red-haired woman's eyes blazed with intensity, and Kye could feel the oppressive heat emanating from her.
"You misunderstand," she hissed, her voice now tinged with an edge of anger. "I don't want to harm you, but I won't let you harm me either."
Their locked weapons created a standoff that seemed poised to erupt into a battle of titans. Kye's wings flared behind him, and his resolve remained unbroken. He had come too far and faced too many challenges to trust someone simply because they mentioned Ras' name.
"Talk," Kye demanded through gritted teeth, his muscles straining against the fiery resistance of his opponent. He already struggled for the whole day, and here he was fighting again. "Tell me why you're here and what you want from me. And if I don't like your answers, this won't end well for you."
His sword slowly changed its attribute, changing from his holy power to Aria's water, countering directly the woman's fire.
The clash between their elemental powers created a sizzling tension in the cavern, the temperature rising with each passing second. Kye's sword, now infused with Aria's water, hissed and steamed as it met the flames generated by the red-haired woman. The scalding heat met the cooling touch of water, causing steam to billow and swirl around them.
The red-haired woman's eyes flickered with surprise as Kye's countermeasure neutralized her flames, and she stepped back, breaking their deadlock. The air was heavy with the aftermath of their clash, and both of them were breathing heavily from the exertion.
"I am here to help you," the woman admitted, her anger subsiding into a more measured tone. "I was supposed to save the captured Phoenixes, but when I saw you, I wanted to see why our King had chosen you. However, I never expected you to risk your life in front of the master of the Holy Church."
"And who are you to save those Phoenixes?" Kye asked once again, his eyes burning with holy energy, almost changing the colors of his eyes.
"I am a Phoenix myself," She admitted after a short pause. Taking several steps back, the woman slowly changed her figure, transforming into a fiery-red bird with a dancing flame as her plumage. "Did I earn your trust, now?" She asked, looking him directly in the eyes.
Kye didn't answer immediately and only looked at her for a long while. Lightbringer was still coated with deadly water, meaning that his guard was still up.
"I can hel-..." Before the woman - or rather the Phoenix - could continue her phrase, Kye moved again.
However, instead of moving toward the Phoenix, he just fell to the ground, face first, his energy completely depleted.
He fainted.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l