COBALT: The Red Phantom (Book One)

Chapter 20: The Art of War (Part 4/5)

Hope everyone is still enjoying the story thusfar! Nothing like some tension to spice things up. Speaking of tension, you guys are only 2/3 through when this chapter ends, so this story can go literally anywhere.

Except a flambe or mauled Vera 

#TeamFirehead

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          Vera loved executing plans almost as much as making them up. Perhaps it was watching the confusion on the face of her prey before they realised everything too late, or the rush of power she felt pulling all the strings on a play of dull puppets.

          As she stood poised in plain view of five molves with her blue ribbon in one hand, it was a little bit of both.

          The molves were beyond confused at her arrival, still checking the other entrances for a sneak attack as she calmly walked towards them. But she was the only student with the gal to even come within five skips of the molve's flag after seeing it.

          As the first molve got up to face her she stopped, a sweet smile touching her lips for the expected gesture. "I want to make a deal."

          The molve snorted, its dripping tongue lazily hanging from a row of jutting fangs as it eyed her ribbon hungrily. There wasn't a thing Vera could currently offer that could strike a sound deal with the team of molves. They knew it, and so did she.

          But the key word was currently.

          "My ribbon is barely worth anything," Vera continued, unflinching as the molve took a step towards her. "If you take it the deal's off. Don't you want to hear what I have to offer?"

          Vera didn't move as the other four molves began to rise from their lazy positions, five sets of fiery orange eyes fixed upon her, thick with anticipation to take the cocky girl's ribbon after a sad excuse. But with five blazing sets on her, not a glance was paid to the peaking black flag, where a single fiery phoenix had found its perch, a snaking trail of flames starting to eat away at the flag and giving Vera exactly what she'd come for.

          Alestra was right. Even with the whole class on their side the molves could still pull off a win, but being born and raised in Latos if there was one art Vera knew more than any, it was war. 

          And in war, if you couldn't have what you wanted, no one could.

          Vera watched the flames grow, her amused grin pulling the molves attention to their flag. Fifty points up in smoke, and the once strongest team now only worth six.

          She cleared her throat to seize her audience once more, blue ribbon still dangling from her fingers as a malicious smile warped her face with shadowed glee. "As I was saying, I have a deal. My team has eyes in the sky, ten ribbons, and a completely intact flag." she watched the molves relax a little, her excitement only growing to a pulsing tingle as she kept a laugh from leaking into her words. "What do you say we make it sixteen ribbons and a little more than three screams in twenty minutes?" 

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          Káel could feel the icy chill of the dirt numbing his palms, down on his hands and knees with Truvius as they crawled through the shadows of the small building. He kept his eyes darting around the dark, hoping for a quick escape route if the molve decided to run straight through the wall.