SAGE (under edit)

Chapter Thirty Three - True Intentions

'Sage Lycrart, huh?'

Sage looked up, grimacing when her arms were pulled tighter behind her. The two disguised RedEarth Soldiers stood before her, a third one at her back. He had her arms incapacitated and a foot pinned between her shoulder blades, threatening to rip both arms out of their sockets if he pulled hard enough.

One of the RedEarth Soldiers had her radio comm in hand, while listening to Leon and Raidan through the comm he had stolen from Jule. Sage could hear their voices even from where she knelt, calling out to her in both fear and desperation.

'What would a Shadow Soldier be doing out here so close to Crest Soldiers?' the Drakian asked.

'What would a RedEarth Soldier be doing dressed as a Sky Soldier?' Sage countered.

He grinned, his hand closing over her comm and crushing it. He was the only one of the three who had spoken, and who had any expression at all. The other two, she suspected, were being controlled.

'And here I was thankful just to get my hands on a couple of Crest Soldiers,' the Drakian said, jerking his head toward Jule and Hayleen. 'The Elites are gonna be damn pleased when I bring you back.'

'I'm not going anywhere, but keep talking. It's only making me more thrilled to wipe that grin off your face.'

The Drakian sneered and then snapped out his foot, striking the tip of his boot to her jaw with enough force that she would have crumpled to the ground had the other RedEarth Soldier not kept his hold on her arms. She spat out a mouthful blood and looked back to the Drakian, her gaze steady.

'Well I can see why RedEarth are capturing Crest Soldiers. That was pathetic.'

'Enjoy that tongue of yours, Shadow Soldier. As soon as I get you back to the Elites you and all the other Crest Soldiers will be as obedient as these two,' said the Drakian, looking to the other RedEarth Soldiers. He suddenly pressed a hand to his ear, where his own radio comm sat. 'You've secured outskirt-camp three?'

Sage's brow lifted. Three? Sydney's at outskirt-camp three.

'I told you not to kill any of them!' the Drakian hissed into his comm. 'Just remain there, I'll be joining shortly.'

'Only outskirt-camp three?' said Sage.

The Drakian turned back to her, glowering. 'Excuse me?'

But understanding washed over her and Sage inwardly cursed herself for not realising sooner. She looked up at the RedEarth Soldier and said, 'The ambush threat... it was just a ruse, wasn't it? You were only targeting a few, or even just one, of the camps in order to capture the Crest Soldiers... while all the other camps were distracted dealing with a few Sky Soldiers acting as decoys.'

The Drakian grinned. 'Well aren't you a smart little Helian. A distracted opponent is an easy opponent, after all.'

'And I'm smarter than you think,' said Sage, offering a grin of her own. 'I guess I don't need to keep pretending anymore.'

'Pretending wh—?'

Sage ignited her Kyra blades, the purple fire engulfing not only her hands but also the hands of the RedEarth Soldier that were clasped around her wrists. He shrieked in pain and released her, and without missing a beat Sage twisted around and slashed a Kyra blade across the RedEarth Soldier's stomach to not only burn him, but slice right through his gut.

She rolled to the side as the other mindless RedEarth Soldier lunged for her and sprung to her feet, dispelling one of her Kyra blades so she could grab the Soldier by the back of his uniform and drag him to the ground. She pinned him on his back and then plunged her Kyra blade into his chest, hoping that by ending his life she was doing him a favour and freeing him from Bryce's control.