The Heroes of The Elemental Academies Book 4: The Fire Within

Chapter 2: Feelings of a Commander

Rylee

   Cold water splashed onto her face as she stared at her own gaunt reflection in the tiny field mirror Rylee had brought from the Academy. Then she dabbed her face with a cloth before standing up straight and turning around. She hated the morning, it always reminded her that she had another long day ahead. With a flurry she swung her white cloak around her shoulders and clipped it in place with her eagle brooch made of simple iron. First on her list was an inspection of the supplies that the acdemy had just sent her.
She exited the low stone building she had been using for a headquarters. As she exited the two Elementian knights that stood guard outside snapped to attention and fell in to either side of her as she moved. Resplendent the their plate are and white surcoat the hooded helms they wore along with the massive longsword at their sides made them feel all the more impressive as well as oppressive. The Knight Order had been the first ever created . They had created it to give their own troops and agents something to strive for an ideal to live up to. With new demons appearing like weeds between farm crops a boost to morale was needed.
   That wasn't to say that the warrior weren't the genuine article, they were but there was so few of them that they weren't really of much use on the battle field. At least so far. Vince why she was so surprised when the Academy sent three of them to guard her day and night two on duty at any given time. Apparently something had happened back at the Academy which had the leaders of the council spooked.
   Rylee shook her head. Part of her believed they had brought it on theirselves for being arrogant and assuming nothing could slip through the defenses. The other part of her realized the trouble they were in if enemies even Stratos couldn't detect were roaming around.
It didn't take her long to reach the large wooden structure they had been using as a warehouse. Outside the door agents in full plate armor were guarding the doors holding large glowing spear in their hands. On their arms glittered glowing round shields. Each agent had the face to plates of their helms down ready for combat at anytime.
This was by Rylee's order as Seth's mother had taught her and army Marched on their stomachs. Logically the first place to attack if sabotaging was in the plan was the supplies. Normally it should be relatively safe inside a Lightforce encampment but with all the new demons appearing Rylee was prepared to gamble with the lives of those under her command. If she was going to take out an outpost like hers she would sabotage the supplies. Thus that was the first thing she set guards on.
   She nodded to the guards as she walked into the stone warehouse. Her boots clicked softly as she made her way through the sharp turning hallways that served as choke points for any intruders. Another pair of guards saluted her as she turned around the second bend. Their armor clinking as they stood upright thumping their fists into their chests. She continued past them until she came into a massive room divided into four sections. The floor in here was granite and her boots clicked even louder as she made her way into the room. Two more guards stood just inside the entrance. The walls and the four support pillars that were holding up the slightly angled roof were made up of solid gray stone flecked with amber shards. She had seen it's like before though it was apparently really good at keeping temperature inside it. Something to do with blocking heat and cold waves from entering. She never really paid much attention to Mike's ramblings on the subject.

   A man in plain brown robes entered from a side door and strode toward her. His short cropped black beard and hair marked him as a man from the fire Academy. There was a dull tired gleam in his eyes that told of many nights spent awake and working. But under lying the exhaustion she could still see the familiar gleam in the man's eyes. He moved with a youthful grace even though he was older than most of the agents u see her command. He offered her a warm smile before he reached out am pulled her into a hug.
She felt rather than saw the Knights stiffen to either side of her. At once the ground around them began to shake as the air thickened in her lungs. She quickly held up her hand motioning the guards to stand down. The. She turned her attention back to the older man trying his level best to crush the wind out of her lungs.
"Galifo," she murmured. The older man immediately released her and stepped back a respectable distance.
"Sorry Aunt," the man said straightening his robes with a sheepish grin. "It's just been a long time since I'd seen you." She shared a grin of her own.