Strong adult themes and distressing content || Court Of Amaeris || Book One ||
Solar Flare - Demon hunting guild and the new permanent residence for Astola's Tri-bloods.
Four years is a long time to be hunting demons on military orders, but...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Ri..." Ascott's meek tone worried me when he called out. Turning to where he pointed, already debating which one of the hillsides demons had stumbled across our little camp. But following his line of sight had me shoving him back towards the others, making myself the physical shield as Ascott murmured, "Fire magic."
They aren't military, I noted - based on the elemental magic I could see and the smoke that was now filling my nose through the flurry of ice and snow. A guild perhaps, checks out with the uniforms and magic?
I was not keen on why these four individuals felt the need to approach us. Anyone approaching usually had ill intentions.
Learnt that lesson years ago.
The group wore thick, black and grey uniforms, with black gloves and thick leather boots; expensive looking, albeit simplistic. Two were holding elemental weapons; one with a shield, and their supposed leader, who was now approaching us with a ball of fire in his hand - of which Ascott watched in childlike wonder. He hadn't met many other fire mages.
But that alone didn't change the fact the group were unknown to us. They approached gradually, as to show their supposed friendliness; not that any of us were convinced. We had experienced the worst of humans and their behaviour of us these past 4 years, they were enough of a stain upon my mind – and restraints within my nightmares.
I shivered against a flood of memories that I forced to the back of my mind; images of a crying Aries, of shadows wrapping around my wrists. Images I'd see repeated every night and play off like they were nothing every morning.
I locked eyes with the shield wielder, doing nothing to hide my own animosity at her groups approach.
"We truly mean no harm!" A feminine voice shouted from behind the shield as she stumbled slightly, Amos's earth magic blending with Alice's and Adele's. Vines and coiling roots weaving through broken, jagged, ripping earth - a barrier between us, and them.
"We work for a new guild known as Solar Flare; you may know the founding members. Please, give us a chance and hear us out," the fire wielding one spoke clearly, his voice vaguely recognisable; snatching me from the invasive memories.
Where have I heard that voice before?
I stepped forward with a shaky breath, glancing back to Aries with a look he understood without words. Aries moved around the kids, coming to stand next to me as he too stared down the military-esc people, standing in support with me.
He looked back to Adonis, nodding to him as he pushed the younger ones back behind him with a heavy hand, he and Amos poised to bolt.
Preparing to run away should we need to act quickly.
"What do we do Ri? Do you think their Military? Should we hear them out?" Aries questioned me, turning his gaze back to our visitors. It was the leader I had now locked eyes with, his forest green identity barely within my grasp, flecks of fire-like embers burning within. 'He's a sprite vessel?' His magic was far too similar to Ascott's to be any thing else.
