The Phoenix and the Crow

The Phoenix

"Two... One..."

Kaz saw Y/N's eyes dilate. Her lips parted, and she pushed past him, stepping down from the tank. The air around her seemed to crackle, her skin glowing as if lit from something within by something miraculous. As if she'd awakened the Saint directly inside her, and now the power of the Gods flowed through her veins. She looked beautiful, fully bathed in her authority.

Her glowing, fluttering wings of unmatched flames trailed behind her, searing the floor with every step she took. Kaz finally saw why she gained the title of the Phoenix as she stood in front of him completely lost in her own mind and power.

Her line of sight was locked onto Brum and Kaz knew immediately what her goal was. He couldn't find a part of his mind that didn't justify her intended actions. He knew she'd been through hell all throughout her life and deserved to take her revenge.

The Heartrender who stood in front of the line of Fjerdan soldiers visibly shook where he stood as he watched Y/N seemingly float across the field between them. Her attention shot to the side when she finally noticed her ex-soldier. She hesitated in her steps for a split second before her arm raised at her side and her flames flew out to reach him.

"May the Saints receive you," her voice could barely be heard, but since the Crows were still close enough to her, they heard her soft-spoken words.

The burning orange flames swallowed him and his screams could be heard along with the shuffle of the soldiers around him. After a moment his screams were silenced and the Heartrender's body crumpled to the floor as Y/N's flames retreated to her fingertips.

"Stop," she raised her hands in front of her in a mock surrendered position. "And lower your weapons."

The Fjerdans all looked at each other in utter confusion before glancing back to their commanding officer. No one moved to place their rifles down causing Y/N to glare at them with a tilt of her head. She lowered her hands and waved her fingers, everyone waiting in fear and anticipation as nothing happened immediately. Within a few seconds tall glowing flames rose from the ground forming a large circle, caging the Fjerdans in. Raging hot iron-nickel began to flood the inside of the circle while remaining controlled enough to leave the soldier unscathed.

"I'd hate to repeat myself," said Y/N.

A shiver ran down Kaz's spine at the sound of her voice. It was well-projected and smooth, sounding like it belonged to royalty, but when she spoke to the Fjerdans her tone was nothing short of patronizing.

"Lower. Your. Weapons." The Inferni pulled her shoulders back and her head tilted to the other side. "Now."

Kaz could hear the smirk in her voice causing a smirk to settle across his lips.

There was no way to reach the harbor unless they walked through the large circle Y/N had created. Without a word she looked back to Kaz and nodded, silently beckoning them to join her. He watched as she pushed the slow-crawling melted and nearly boiling iron-nickel down the middle of the soldiers, forcing them to both sides and creating a path for his Crows to walk through.

Kaz joined her at her side and started to lead her down the path she created with his gloved hand barely hovering over the small of her back. He trusted her beyond his own comprehension, he didn't even think twice to raise his hand there despite the flames fluttering around her shoulders and down her back.

They all walked through in utter awe as they admired Y/N's work around them. Kaz noticed that the flames should be searing hot but the heat barely touched their skin. He turned to look at the Inferni's profile to admire her beauty and lack of strain at the control she was presenting.