Reborn: High Strung | ONC2024

Chapter 17

Lavan stood on the other end of the village, examining the carnage calmly. He could feel the presence of the other Nova's sethra from this far. It wasn't until he quietly made his way around the edge of the village that he saw Jekuthiel standing over Zev, an angry woman wielding a twinblade, Meira watching in horror, and a strange-scaled man that resembled a dragon just getting to his feet, panic swelling in his eyes. The words reached Lavan just as he arrived. 'Burnt soul.'

Lavan stepped up from behind the battle scene clapping his hands with played up excitement. "Does somebody else see the value in my promising student? You must be quite the knowledgeable kindler, my friend."

Jekuthiel slowly turns to look at Lavan, the two Nova's take a few more steps toward each other before stopping. His wings flare out as he speaks. "You must be Lavan?"

Lavan raises his eyebrows in mock surprise, starting to raise a hand. "Aren't you a bright one?"

For the others, the movements happened in an instant: a flaming blur crashed into an exploding geyser of water, creating hot steam around the entire area as the two Novas shot into the sky. Zev tried to keep track of who was doing what, but instead just saw a light show among the steam in midair, occasionally seeing Jekuthiel catch his balance with his wings and Lavan seemingly hopping around on thin air with the whimsy of a child playing on an invisible jungle gym. Zev shifts his gaze to Ziva, realizing she was staring daggers through him; her words cut through the loud blasts in the air. "A burnt soul that hasn't been reborn is useless. But if Razerin's word is to keep you alive, then you will stay put until my chief finishes this fake."

Zev stood up off Gavriel's corpse and spoke loudly over the Nova's clashes, clutching his dagger. "I'll stay put as long as you don't hurt anyone else here."

Ziva's expression morphs into an irritated, toothy smirk. "We don't need any of these weaklings." She raises her weapon at Meira, who is still trying to grasp everything that is happening.

Zev quickly raises his dagger, shoving it against the side of his neck hard enough to get a trickle of blood running down. He speaks with firm conviction. "Whoever Razerin is is going to be really upset if you do that."

The woman's eyes widen, and she lowers her weapon quickly. Her tone was dripping with frustration. "Stop these games, burnt soul. You'll lose no matter what you try." Electricity ran through her twinblade.

Before the altercation between them could take another step further, Simon sent shadow spikes out of the ground and right up at Ziva. She notices at the last second and leaps away from the dense spikes as they dissipate as quickly as they launched out. Simon stood, mostly recovered from her ability; he was partially hidden in the steam; one hand toward her and the other gripped on his greatsword. If he wanted her attention, he got it. Her shriek of anger almost matched the raging battle overhead as she ran at Simon. "Enough of you snakes!"

Zev drops his dagger, cursing. He had hoped Simon's attack would get her while he distracted her; her instincts were too sharp. He rushes to Meira's side, helping her to her feet and making sure she is alright before watching Simon clash with the furious warrior again. Zev could see how hurt his older brother already was from fighting her before. They may be a close match, but he had the feeling Ziva had the upper hand here. Meira quickly snaps out of her shock and says, "I think I have enough sethra for one more Nightmare Cowl."

Zev's mind was racing for a moment. He slowly held both his hands up, spreading his fingers, sethra gathering quickly into them. He speaks slowly, watching sparks fly from Simon's battle. "Hang onto it, Meira. I have to do this."

"What? Even if you find the true name, the level between a new inferno and her is insane." She leans close to his ear as if she didn't want to be overheard, even in this wild mixture of sounds.