🔥 The Path of Fire (Path of Light and Fire Book #1)(Completed) 🔥

Chapter 28.2: Thunderstorm

I can't believe I just said that.

Sabin lumbered their way. She could run and leave these people to their fate. It was the safe move. Yet, the voice nagging the back of her mind wouldn't let her.

She gritted her teeth. "Sakima!"

"Yes?" Sakima asked. He glared at Sabin, with his back to Sikati. He might be able to subdue him, but Leena wanted them both alive.

I have to get him away from here.

"Pull the army back to Sikati." Leena held her broken wrist. "They will be a last resort in case we fail. Make sure they know they are not to engage as long as we are around. If we're dead, then I won't be around to care."

Sakima nodded. "After they are in place, I will return." He jogged to the army.

"Turrent?"

He arched an eyebrow.

"Don't look at me like that. We have to-"

"-be heroes and stop the kid from killing innocents," Turrent finished.

Leena took a deep breath. "You make it sound so sappy when you say it like that."

"That's what we are, aren't we?" Turrent laughed, not the Turrent 'I'm better than you' laugh that Leena was used to, but one full of mirth and...something else she couldn't place. She laughed too.

"What's happened to us?" she asked. "We're about to protect the innocents of this village instead of running and saving our own hides."

Turrent raised an eyebrow. "We still could."

She was unable to force away her smile. "I'm serious, Turrent. When did this happen? When did I start caring about this ridiculous calling? When did you?"

Turrent shrugged. "Maybe we were heroes all along and the kid's the only one that realized it."

Leena looked back. The army retreated. It was a slow, disorganized retreat, but Sakima had them in motion.

Now I need to figure out how to stop him.

She turned back to Sabin and continued to watch his staggering approach. "We have to stop him. He wouldn't want this. And we have to do it without dying in the process."

"I may have something. Bluish-purple sparks engulfed Turrent's right arm.

"You've been practicing moves that don't kill?"

Turrent shook his head. "This is why-"

"I'm kidding," Leena interrupted. "My plan was to encase him in a block of ice."

"Do you have enough energy for that?"

"What choice would I have? New plan: I'm going to put some ice on his feet, and you hit him with that. If that doesn't work, we're fu-"

Sabin stopped as if understanding their plans.

That's not good.

She threw a ball of steam towards his face, but he disappeared. Her eyes darted around.

"Behind you!" Turrent shouted.

She ducked and the wind rushed over her head.

Turrent swiped at Sabin with his attack. Just before he connected, light exploded in her vision and Turrent grunted.

When she could see again the boy stood in front of her.

The lines of blood leaking from his eyes had widened, each stream dripping from his cheeks.

She twisted and darted away, but Sabin caught her by the leg. He flung her straight into the air as if she had the weight of a feather.

The ground came up quick, so she blasted it with water and screamed when the vibrations irritated her wrist.

Turrent stood in front of Sabin with his bluish-purple electricity surrounding his entire body.

"I don't see a way," he said.

What is he talking about?

Turrent dodged his strikes, moving before Sabin struck as if he knew exactly what Sabin would do. She fired, hoping to hit Sabin while he was distracted with Turrent. Sabin disappeared in a flash of light and she caught Turrent flush in the chest.

"Turrent!" She sprinted to him.

Turrent crumpled to the ground and shook for a few seconds, before his body arched upwards and fell. Sabin didn't follow up with either of them. Instead, he continued his amble towards Sikati.

Turrent lay there, eyes wide and took quick breaths. She kneeled to check on him while keeping her eyes on Sabin.

"Sorry," she said.

"Don't be," Turrent shot to a seated position, before leaning back on his hands and springing to his feet. "You've figured it out."

"I have?"

"Your water hurt a lot."

"Clearly."

"No," Turrent said. "Your water reacted very strongly to my electricity. If you'd hit me flush, I bet I'd be out cold."

Leena pinched her temples. "So you're suggesting a combination of a maelstrom and a lightning strike? If we hit each other flush, won't it-?"

"Probably, but it'll get him too."

"If we miss, we won't get a second chance."

Two trails of blood led to Sabin.

He's killing himself.

Leena clenched her fists. "Then we don't miss."

They darted after him. When they got close, he stopped and blinding light emanated from him.

"Now!"

Leena pushed out with her maelstrom and every fiber of her body exploded in pain.

She blacked out.