Tearha: The Number 139

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Tactician Grey

"Luviet!" the young man shouted to his friend. "Hurry!"

The young soldier named Luviet charged through the field with six others following desperately by his side. With each step taken, a small explosion rocked through their ears but cut off mid sound like a broken record. Behind each of their steps, the ground erupted. But the dirt stopped mid detonation, frozen in time like a flower mid bloom.

Luviet shouted back, "Pulse! Fling them away!"

"I can't concentrate enough for that! Just hurry!" Pulse replied. "I can't hold on much longer!"

As he said so, on the opposite end of the minefield, the explosion was released from the hold of time. The blast sent up a pillar of dirt. A second followed closely. And a third. Like a domino in chain, the mines detonated in sequence, chasing after the soldiers as they continued their desperate run.

Luviet raced straight towards Pulse, the latter straining all he had to prevent the mines in front of them from continuing their detonation while attempting to hold off the ones behind that had already exploded.

"Get down!" Luviet yelled, diving the last leg towards Pulse.

The time mage was tackled off his feet, falling backwards into the trench. His hold over the mines vanished and the resulting simultaneous blast rocked the very ground they landed on. Five of the other soldiers slid into the trench just as the shockwave blasted dust overhead. The sixth and last member jumped in and used magic to pull a blanket of earth over their heads just before the sound of shrapnel cuts through the air above them.

The earth mage pulled off her mask and helmet before jumping straight into Pulse's arms. "You were amazing!" She kissed him on the cheeks.

Still panting hard from his exertion, Pulse managed to reply with a smile. "Thanks, Gallena."

His eyes crossed gaze with Luviet. The latter gave Pulse a thumbs up with a tired smile. "Good job, buddy."

Within the cramp makeshift trench of dirt and mud, under a blanket of dust and shrapnel, and surrounded by a field of explosions and gunfire, the group of eight let out a victorious cheer.

***

The Watcher was awoken from his nap by a tap to his shoulder. His eyes opened to Miguel walking by. He had fallen asleep on the log outside the small cliff-side cave that Adelaide called home. Snow had begun falling again, and, despite having been told that the season was a quarter into winter, it was only the second time he had seen snowfall on Tearha, and both times were within the forest of Valendra. Miguel sat on the edge of the log. The campfire had been restarted, and the rest of their motley group of five sat around it. Night was settling, and the only warmth was the burning flame.

Though the deal with Valent had been made, they feared returningasr the crowd had continued their rowdiness after Adelaide's sudden appearance in their town square. They had decided to hide in Valendra Forest at Adelaide's old camp-site until the commotion died down.

Nadier had just arrived and took the seat opposite Watcher, positioned to the left of Luce and right of Adelaide. The dark elf noted, "This is the most pathetic army I have ever seen."

The Watcher sat up with a stretch and corrected, "We're not an army."

Adelle asked, "So what are we?" She held a pouch of snow to the back of her head, still nursing the injuries she received from her fight with Light.

Silence caught the group and everyone exchanged uncertain glances.

Miguel leaned closer to the fire to bring the conversation forward. "Let's review what we know. Light is planning something with the portals. We do not know what, but the fate of The Watcher's home world is at stake on that. I think it's safe to assume that aside from Luce, none of us will be allowed back into Everwind to find out more."