Twin Mages Book 2: Deception

Chapter 7: The Successful Mission

Lily sees Kei jump through the wave, and blasts her with a stream of water. She looks to her right to see Alan charging near her, winding back for a punch. Lily uses a small wall of water to block the strike, pressing her other hand into his gut, sending the Master careening into the wall, and bouncing off to the floor.

Hearing the clanking of Kei's chains, Lily turns, stepping back to avoid her friend's attempt to detain her, grabbing the chain and whipping her downward to the ground. She's been training with Leo and Kei since last Christmas, and knows all of their movements like the back of her hand. Every step, every strike, every motion is easily predictable. "Lily, stop!" She turns to see Leo jumping toward her, right arm drawn back for a punch. Lily raises her arms into the air, sending her brother up into the air with a geyser.

"Lily, you can still surrender! Please don't make us put you down!" Lily turns chuckling, seeing Kei with a golden sword in hand. "Is that what you call this? Putting me down? I thought you wanted to help me?" Kei charges to Lily, tears in her eyes, lunging forward with the golden blade. Lily easily steps aside, grabbing Kei by the wrist and causing her to trip over.

Alan sends another stone pillar to her, and Lily jumps on top of it, being joined by Leo, who is nearly feral at this point. His animalistic movements are harder to predict, and Lily finds herself on her heels. He's faster in this state, less inhibited. Lily can feel the mana dripping off of his body like it isn't able to be contained by his skin. Lily tries to blast him with a ball of water, but Leo ducks, and connects with a punch. Lily is knocked out of breath, and he takes advantage of this, managing to pelt Lily multiple times. Every strike feels like a hot steel rod being forced through her skin, knocking her back with every searing attack. First her shoulder, and then her cheek, then her chest. Multiple flaming hits connect across her body, so fast that she is helpless to stop it. Finally, Leo flies into a backflip, swinging his leg for a kick to her jaw that blows Lily away, knocking her to the ground.

As she gets up from the ground, crouching and holding her stomach, she looks up to see Kei jumping over her, and landing directly behind her. Before she can move, Kei attaches shackles to her wrists, connecting them behind her back, forcing her into a self embrace. Lily tries to get up, but is kicked to the ground by her friend, who then steps on her back, holding Lily to the ground. Alan creates a wall of stone that Lily is picked up and forced against, as Kei creates another chain and wraps it around the pillar, pinning her to the structure.

Lily tries to kick and struggle, but it's no use. She's lost. Lily looks in front of her, seeing her family standing against her. Leo still crouched, his eyes white with fire, his body fully ablaze and glowing with an extraordinary heat. Kei and Landry stand next to him, panting from the fight. Suddenly, the sand vortex opens once again, and Captain Odji walks through with Masters Venus and Zephyr.

Lily looks at the group, broken. Everyone was here, against her. Her whole family had abandoned her, and there was nobody left on her side. No one except for Dez. Lily drops her head, defeated and exhausted, as Venus creates his flower. It floats to her, puffing it's powder and putting Lily to sleep.

As Odji and Landry prepare to take Lily away, Leo puts his flames out, standing up and walking away. "Make sure she doesn't get out." Zephyr puts his hand on the newly appointed Captain's shoulder, trying to cheer the boy up. "Congratulations on your first successful mission, Captain."

Leo shrugs the Master off, walking away with Kei following. "If you think that any part of what happened just now was a success, you're dead wrong." Zephyr sighs as the two Mages walk out of the Training Grounds, finding himself and Venus alone in the room. "Do you think this was the right move, Zephyr?" Venus asks. The Master crosses his arms in front of him as he analyzes the damage to the room, shaking his head. "I'm afraid there was no right move, Venus."