Seven Suns: Burning Sky

Chapter 8: Blood in the Rocks

Thunder roars through the sky as a singular plane flies low to the water as an attempt to stay undetected by other aircraft over the ocean. The storm soon picks up and the waves become ever bigger causing the plane to lift up higher and higher until they reach cruising altitude all 3 inside praying to whomever the believe will come to them in this time of fear.
Mei breathes slowly trying to gather herself as Ervin opens his mouth to speak "what in the hell was that. That girl looked almost exactly like the general and she took my sword what if she can track us with that"
Mei looks down at her burnt sleeves "I don't know. But we tell her nothing about that we completed the mission she gave us and that's all that matters"
"Wait Mei I thought you were-"
"It doesn't matter, we have been now and now we can prepare for what's to come."
Ben pipes up "what would that be exactly I'm not exactly caught up with all of your doings"
"Well if you didn't get captured and almost got us killed!"
"Ervin, please. Well Ben it seems you knew about the fire guy why didn't you contact the general or any of us to warn us. Maybe then we could've been better planned for the stupidity that just occurred. Perhaps some weaknesses could be helpful."
"Oh yes let me give you information on a man that I have no information about and defeated me in a few seconds and then I woke up in a Spanish prison."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I had nothing to go on so what information could I give you"
"Fine. At least now we know that smoke is a bad tactic to use against him. And he's not as powerful at long range and in the rain."
"And what are you planning to do with this it's not like you can absorb fire"
"No. But we can work around his power set"
"Oh and pray tell do you have anything for his demon sister"
"I didn't fight her now did I, Ben."
"Fair point, but Ervin you were the one who fought her the longest, what do you think"
"Uh well, she uses electricity right. So if we could use some kind of insulator to fight against her that would absorb the electricity"
"Not half bad Szabó"
Mei interjects "Ervin what if we get attacked by both of them. Fire melts insulation"
"Well we know that the girl when she got irritated by me and for some reason that's when the thunder started and the rain began to fall. And fire isn't that effective in the rain"
"So your plan here is make her mad to make her brother Less powerful and not able to melt our insulation"
"Yes precisely"
"You've got a better head on you than I originally thought Ervin. Nice work." The sky now clears up as the plane approaches the land of Morocco once again. They land and both Ervin and Ben cover their entire body so as to not be burned by the sun. They get off the plane and walk over to Henry holding the door for them 'Henry? How did you know we were-"
"Please my dear Mei, I know a menagerie of things. Some you may not be able to fathom, but please don't be shy. General Castellanos would like a word with all 3 of you."

The 3 enter the car to see the general sitting right inside her piercing yellow eyes shocking the 3 of them to their very soul. They sit down across from her and look around nervously. Ervin attempts to say something before the general looks at him, paralyzing him in fear until she looks at Mei. "I would like for you Mei, to tell me how did the mission go"
"Well general sir, we succeeded in retrieving Benjamin from the Madrid prison. We ran to some trouble in the form of a pair of skilled adversaries. But they were disposed of as you wished. However Ervin will need a new weapon as he was shattered from a unique move I have not seen before sir."
"Really, and what was this move exactly"
"The woman stuck the side of his sword and it shattered. Otherwise general there is nothing left to report"
"Really, no run-ins with any particularly powerful problems" she raises her hand and requests that Mei sit next to her.
Mei gets up and sits next to her as the general puts her hand on her shoulder. Mei's eyes dilate in fear as she answers "no sir, we've told you all that happened"
"Ah that's a shame I bet you 3 could easily defeat one of them, maybe 2" she sighs "well you all will have your chance too soon enough, now that you're back Benjamin we can finally seek our revenge and make this world a better place, did of those who seek to destroy our vision. Correct?"
All 3 respond in unison "yes general!"
"Good, now it seems we've arrived. I think you 3 should be on your way to reunite with your teammates. Tell them about your glorious victory." The three exit the car and close the doors as the general's face changes from a slight hopeful smile into a frown of hate and disgust. "Lying filth."
Henry rolls down the window separating him and her "now don't be so harsh, I'm sure they have a good excuse they'd like to tell you as to why they were lying"
"One that I'm not interested in hearing. I know they met them, they smell like smoke, char, a wet mutt."
"Well why did you let them get away with such an obvious deception"
"Because I don't have the energy to deal with them. And I can already see the immense fear in their eyes"
"Really now, and here I thought you were losing your touch Castellanos"
"Like I would ever, there's a reason they called me the flash of death y'know"
"I'm aware of your history of flashing and banging"
"Oh don't put it like that Henry"
"If I remember correctly you're the one that said it, exact quotes"
"Ah you know you're the only one I can stand in this whole damn army Henry"
"I thought you at least had good relations with your fellow generals"
"Oh you mean the one that wants to use my son to make in her words 'the most powerful being the planet has ever seen' yeah I think not. I don't know why he chose the 3 their weirdest people on the planet to be by his side"
"Be careful not to speak out of turn, you know yourself how violent he can get"
"Yeah you're right, and how far are we away"
"Ma'am we've been here for 12 minutes."
"We have? Well come on then let's go then"
"Of course." They both exit the car and look at the small building in front of them, and two men in front of it seem to act as guards. They look at the approaching Odelia and the two men immediately open the door and bow their heads. Odelia and Henry walk in and look down at a hole going down so far it looks pitch black. She takes a step into the darkness and begins to fall down the hole head first while Henry sighs and disappears into his shadow. He then appears on the bottom of the hole as she lands perfectly on one foot and one knee. She gets up and breathes out slowly.
"Y'know you're gonna have to teach how you do that shadow thing, doing that everyday might no a number on my knees"
"Please, you're not old enough to be complaining about your knees yet" they begin to walk into a room carved out of the rock and earth itself, lit by a dark blue fire almost black. They turn the corner and walk into a room covered in blood as Odelia looks in disgust as a Japanese woman approaches her and stretches out her hand.
"Ah General Odelia Castellanos, I haven't seen you in some time. Why is that so?"
"I've had something I needed to take care of Hanako"
"Well it is good to see you again, you as well Mr Selatero*
"Likewise, have the others arrived yet by chance"
"Yes they have they're up ahead I came to see if our great general has arrived yet"
"Alright we'll be there in a moment, alert his Majesty of our arrival" she nods her head and walks off into the darkness "see Odelia she respects you"
Odelia responds attempting to hide the rage in her voice "I guess you're right huh"
"I can still hear the anger in your voice"
She sighs and begins to walk into the darkness Hanako disappeared into. They appear on the other side in a room bathed in the light of dark blue flames, the floors soaked and at the center is a man surrounded by darkness only being able to see his hands and arms covered in tattoos, his face cloaked in darkness only being able to see his bright red eyes cut through the darkness. Odelia breathed slowly as she approached the steps of his throne. And took a knee bowing her head to him. "I apologize for my tardiness my lord, however I-"
He opens his mouth and Odelia immediately closes hers "my dear Odelia please there is no need to apologize. Tell me, is our little serpent still within the den"
"Yes my lord she is still uncompromised"
"Good. Why not be up here with me Odelia"
"My lord I"
The fire that surrounds the room turns an even darker blue and he stands up "that was not a question. Nor was it a request"
"Yes my lord" she goes up the blood soaked stairs and stands next to him.
"Good, now that you're all here. We have 3 weeks until our attack. It will be during or shortly after their big gala, they'll be vulnerable, sloppy, we will light up their perfect night. Astrid, Valeria, you two are gonna attack from the west of the island and track down Samia and Hector."
Astrid begins to giggle in glee "of course my lord it will be done" Valeria put her hand on her shoulder and Astrid calms down.
"Hanako you'll be working with Odelia's forces"
Odelia responds "but my lord-"
He looks at her directly "you, will be dealing with my son."
She grits her teeth and closes her eyes "yes my lord."
Hanako looks at his eyes "my lord if I may"
"Proceed."
"What will you be doing during all of this"
"I'll be settling a score with an old friend. Now do we have an understanding"
They all respond "yes my lord"
"You are free to prepare for the coming weeks" They all exit but he grabs Odelia's shoulder "not you."
"Is there something you need my lord?"
"You don't want to fight Antonio do you"
"I am not fond of the idea, no."
He suddenly grabs the back of her neck "that sounds like weakness, and what did I say again?"
"Weakness does not belong in your army"
He lets go of her as she drops to her knees and breathes heavily "your needs and wants do not matter, you wanted to not run anymore correct"
"Yes, my lord."
"Then you've given all your free will to me. Now go and clean that blood off, you look awful"

She nods her head and walks out weakly into the darkness she went through to enter and collapses as Henry appears right behind her and puts her arm around his neck "Henry? I thought you went up to the car already?"
"I couldn't leave without you first"
"Huh, he always told me that y'know. Whenever I'd get in trouble at school"
"I know, but let's go. I'm sure you'd like to leave, wouldn't you?
"When you're right you're right Henry"
They both disappeared into a shadow and reappeared right outside next to the car "front or back"
"Front please" she coughs up a little blood "god I'm not gonna survive here"
They both get in and start the car "you could always leave"
"And get hunted down to the ends of the earth, again. I'd say I prefer this if I didn't just cough up some blood on the ground"
"You could go back home"
"That's also a horrible idea in that they'd consider me a traitor a deserter and problem kill me based on principal or something"
"So why are you still here then"
"You know how he gave me an ultimatum, I submit to him or he kills me right there on the spot. And I didn't wanna keep running but I also didn't wanna die. I was too scared of it. Now after everything I've done there's no forgiveness or right way for me anymore. You saw in the car earlier I was making kids the sam's age as mine terrified shaking in their boots, that's all I know anymore."
"That isn't all you know"
"But it basically is, I'm a monster Henry. And monsters don't get second chances"
"You'd be surprised what this world could do for you if you tried to see it from a different angle"
"Maybe for you Henry but you're not someone who went against everything she once stood for."
"Yeah, I'm not" he looks out the window at the vast rockscapes and remembers a time long ago when he used to climb on rocks just like those "hey you wanna know something"
"Not like you to share stuff about yourself but sure"
"I used to be so great at climbing rocks, one could say I was one of the best at it when I was younger. But one day I looked down and then I never climbed a rock again"
"Scared of heights now are we"
"Still am, but what I'm trying to say is-"
"I know what you're trying to say and I'm too scared to leave, and too cowardly to go back."
"I see." He continues to drive until they reach a mansion that's built into a mountain. As they arrive Henry gets out and helps her into the house as well and sets her on the couch "would you like some tea"
"No but I would like some alcohol"
"I don't think that would be the best decision"
"You're not a doctor, wait are you a doctor"
"I can be more things than a butler."
"But are you a doctor"
"Who knows, however you're coughing up blood so I think putting what is quite literally diet poison into your weakened body isn't good for you"
"Fine, I'll take the test."
Henry begins to boil the water "black or green?"
"Black add some milk too"
"The British style?"
"You know it ha" she coughs up a little more blood onto the floor "god this feels terrible"
Henry brings her the tea and snaps his fingers as the blood disappears from the floor into a shadow "perhaps a bit of rest would do you some good"
"Ha, you think so?"
"I'm the closest thing to a doctor you know"
"Yeah I guess you're right, alright help me to my bed" she finishes her tea and stands up weakly. Henry puts her arm around his neck again and helps her walk up the stairs. She coughs again but this time only a little bit of blood comes out her mouth as he puts her down into her bed.
"Goodnight Ms. Castellanos"
"Y'know you could-"
"Mrs. De Rocco"
A tear comes to her eye as she buries her face into her pillow "thanks Henry."
"You're welcome ma'am"
Henry leaves and closes the door as he goes to the bathroom and looks into his mirror, his pupils turn from round to a tall diamond shape and his iris turns from black to a pallet of warm colours. "Heh, yeah I'm just a regular old magic butler" his eyes go back to how they were before as he spits into the sink. He splashes some water on his face and exhales loudly "she still needs some work, but her actions don't shape who she can be. I will help her" he turns off the light and closes the door "even if it kills me."