Chaos Legion 2

Chapter 9: Shadows and Seals

Sieg and Arcia returned to the crossroads, the point where their journey branched east and west. The weight of their mission pressed heavily, but Arcia's playful energy was unyielding, offering a counterbalance to Sieg’s stoic determination.

"Alright," Sieg began, consulting the map in his hand. "The air seal lies to the east, the fire seal to the west. Equal distance from here. Which way?"

Arcia crossed her arms, a smirk curling on her lips. "Coin toss?"

Sieg raised an eyebrow but fished a coin from his pocket. "Fine. Heads, we head east to the air seal. Tails, we go west to the fire seal."

"Tails!" Arcia declared, her grin widening.

"Why tails?" Sieg asked, tilting his head.

"Because fire seems more dangerous. Air sounds... breezier."

"Not necessarily."

"Sieg," she said with mock exasperation, her tone edging toward impatience.

"Okay, okay," Sieg relented, flipping the coin high into the air. "You call tails. I’ll take heads."

Before the coin could fall, Arcia deftly snatched it mid-air and flipped it again. "Let’s do it my way," she teased.

"Really?" Sieg groaned but caught the coin as it fell, slapping it onto the back of his hand. "Tails," he announced.

"Yes!" Arcia cheered, punching the air.

Sieg rolled his eyes, pocketing the coin. "You realize we’ll have to face the fire temple eventually, right?"

"Pfft. Spoil sport. Party pooper. Rainmaker. Uh... joy-killer—"

"Enough, Arcia."

"Make me," she challenged, sticking her tongue out.

"Oh, dear," Sieg muttered, shaking his head.

The pair set off eastward, the tension of the decision replaced by the familiar rhythm of their banter.

---

The terrain grew rougher as they traveled. The air began to shift, carrying a faint whistle through the trees. Dust spiraled in lazy vortices around their feet, hinting at the elemental power that lay ahead.

Before they could reach the temple, screams broke through the quiet. Cresting a hill, they saw a small town under siege. Flames licked at the edges of buildings, while dark shapes roamed the streets.

"Looks like we’re making a detour," Sieg muttered, unsheathing his sword.

"Let’s go!" Arcia said, readying her rapid-fire weapon as they rushed into the fray.

The streets were chaos. Villagers fled in terror as armored fiends rampaged, their metallic forms glinting in the light of the fires they had started.

Sieg activated Flawed Legion, his blade crackling with energy. He struck with precision, each swing piercing the fiends’ thick armor and sending jolts of electricity coursing through their bodies. Arcia covered him from behind, her rapid-fire shots picking off the staggered enemies.

Halfway through the battle, a familiar chill settled over the town. The remaining fiends retreated into the shadows as if in deference to an unseen force. A shadowy figure materialized, flickering between corporeal flesh and amorphous void.

"You just can’t seem to stay out of my business," the shadow said, her voice a low, echoing hiss.

Sieg stepped forward, gripping his weapon tightly. "Let’s see what you’re made of."

The shadow’s laughter was cold and mocking. "You couldn’t scratch me the first time. What makes you think this will be any different?"

"Why don’t you stop hiding and face us for real?" Arcia snapped.

"Insolent child," the shadow growled, her form twisting unnaturally. "You truly have no idea who I am, do you?"

"Just another maniac with delusions of grandeur, like Delacroix," Arcia retorted.

"Delacroix?" The shadow’s voice dripped with disdain. "You compare me to that insignificant fool?" She leaned closer, her presence oppressive. "When I merge this world with the other, you will understand the extent of my power—if you survive long enough to witness it."

"Then why wait? Show us now!" Sieg demanded.

"In time," the shadow said, her form dissipating into the darkness.

---

Arcia shivered as the oppressive presence lifted. "Sieg... this is bad. She’s a million times worse than Victor."

Sieg’s jaw clenched. "We can’t touch her until we figure out how to keep her in one place."

"And how do we do that?"

"I don’t know yet. But the djinns might."

"And if they refuse to fight her?"

Sieg paused, his mind racing. "Then we’ll figure something else out."

Arcia stopped, her curiosity piqued. "What’s the plan?"

"Later," Sieg said, quickening his pace.

"Why not now? Come on, Sieg!"

"Later. Just keep moving."

"Ugh, you’re no fun!" Arcia groaned, jogging to catch up.

"Move, Arcia."

"Alright, alright," she muttered, following him toward the temple of air.

The wind intensified as the temple came into view, a towering structure shrouded in swirling mists. Its spires reached into the sky, and the sound of rushing air grew louder with every step. This was the domain of the air djinn—and the next piece of their mission.