The words cut through his ears, immediately recognizing the danger: the Astrovoids needed recruits, but already had generals.
"Oh, another figure," the figure in feminine voice waved and curtseyed. "You all can call me Twin Dust. Though I never expected to find any former army hero. So General Benjin, care to take my offer?"
"I tend not to greet unruly customers. Leave."
"Worried about your workers? Will you regain your combat urges if I kill them?"
Her glare matched her heat erupting towards the entrance.
"Drop dead!"
"Ooh, fun! Similar manifestations appeared in front of Twin to shield herself. He counted about eleven clones, matching the number of workers
"Try and make me," sending them all to target them.
"Stand back," Madam yelled, constructing two swords made of heat, and converting midair swords of fire, swinging all of Twin's clones back while creating a fiery wall she swung her swords to hurl.
Against the flaming energy wall, wind spiraled around Twin Dust's arms. Her clones mimicked her arm thrust, countering with a vacuum force dispersing Madam's magic into hot air. Everyone else watched Madam and her opponent's burning and golden aura resonate.
"You've mastered Zodiac magic to this extent?"
"High praise coming from you, General."
"Why waste that potential on a fanatic cult?"
"Just bringing reality to light. This world is doomed until we make changes, and if the Fae won't, the Voids will be our key to that. You value your workers, but what happens when the kings rule and we get stronger. When Cusp Central's freedom is stripped by those four. You don't have Umbra's support, and the least militaristic force out of the major populations. So what then?"
Sehki's eyes widened. And the heir's reception can go wonky.
"Even then, we have to be the change. And if they choose to let me lead, I'll fight to the better end against the Voids and the Fae that want to take us down. And, I'll never follow anyone who forsakes their own people for power."
"Understood," as one of her clones dashed at the group, fighting through the hate and throwing Elaine towards the origin as Madam cut them down, forcing Elaine.
"Let's see how far you'll go," sending more clones to surround the young worker, who struggled to wiggle free.
"Let her go!" Madam forged two giant lances out of heat in front of them while choking the air from outside to make a larger one from behind. Sehki and Twin Dust marveled.
"You'll have to hurt her to get to me. Agree, she's free. Your choice?"
She kept her furnace lances airborne steady, hesitating.
Sehki connected his power to the shadow of Madam's projectile, trying to reach Elaine's but to no avail.
A lack of magic or reach, turning to the other co-workers. "Quick, everyone lend me your magic power!"
They huddled around him and transferred energy into his body, granting a surge of power he used to latch onto her.
Hope this works, imagining kicking back, leaving everyone in awe when she did the same. Twin Dust's head tilt as Sehki took the chance to make Elaine elbow the Astrovoid general in the face, extending her arm for a fist smash.
Bridget's advice led to him guiding Elaine's body to stomp on Twin's leg, forcing her to dodge their swings and kicks. The Astrovid member stopped her head with a finger, but Sehki leaned up and chomped, as Elaine mimicked and bit down on their finger.
Twin pulled away, aching. "Ow!"
"Now, Madam," extending his shadow to pull Elaine down as Benjin thrusted the first giant flaming lance at full force. Twin's body dragged towards the exit attempting to holding it back with wind shaped fists.
"Elaine, I have an idea," Sehki yelled, convincing her to fire two small ice blasts to cover Twin's hands completely, allowing Madam's strike to blow them out of the building.
"We did it," Bridget yelled, grabbing and carrying Sehki and Elaine outside to follow everyone else as Madam ran after the general, constructing the same amount of clones to generate a tornado at their boss launching the other flame lance.
The collision burst into hot air Madam turned into an arsenal above Twin, forcing them to parkour and twirl onto nearby buildings to avoid attack after attack. Bridget tossed Sehki and Elaine in the air at them, and his shadow sprung Elaine's fist into Twin's body, smashing her to the ground as Madam made a cloud of heat for them to land onto.
The Astrovoid picked herself up, staring at Shadow. "Who are you?"
"Um, just a citizen who wants to protect their friends," he mumbled.
"Wait, that magic, I see," laughing.
"Damocles, Nikki, call the police," trapping her in a burning cage. "The only joke I see is thinking you could mess with my employees!"
"I guess I underestimated you. Let's see if you'll be ready when the others attack. But if I can't recruit adults, the next generation is right there at Celestial," immediately sprawling clones at Madam's feet and dragging Damocles, Nikki, and Bridget with her. Another went to reach for Sehki's clothing when Madam's thrusted a thermal spear into their chest.
The clone pulled it out, laughing and waving goodbye to him as the real Twin Dust was nowhere to be found.
Everyone headed back inside. Madam explained everything to the militia hours later while Elaine requested Bridget to improve their training. The authorities analyzed the damages to try and find any trace of activity.
Once they left, Sehki asked them if it was possible a hound could track down the scent. While they agreed it would be hard, he asked Madam for an early bonus to buy a pet.
His wander in the night led him to a fragile hound, spitting a flame that couldn't stop pursuers. He plunged his shadows, amplifying the alley's darkness to make them quiver and run.
"Hi buddy."
The hound shivered, barking, lunging at him. He took a bit to his weak hand, falling down next to them with a bowl of food for him.
"Wanna come home with me?"
They stared, crawling over.
YOU ARE READING
Celestial University: A Bully Romance
Romance"A bully romantasy about finding your greatest strength in the darkest of times." Trying to save his younger brother from his abusive father, a deadly fire leads Shemar Thomas separated from him and teleported to another world. Finding out he's the...
