The Lightning Mage

Chapter twenty four -I Spy A Hero-

Claude must have something planned for Keisukei. Why else would he have given him the Fire Stone? But what would motivate such an attack on his own brother. Shouldn't he be happy to see him alive?

I watch the mirror in front of me. Keisukei has transformed into a seagull once again to cross the threshold between Zardine and Renes. When he lands on the soft white sand outside the cave he looks around and to my surprise he finds the cave empty. But something is different. When he walks in the cave he develops a golden glow around him. Almost like the glow that was around my hands when I set the whole place ablaze. I look up at my own hands and see that they're glowing as well. Am I unknowingly protecting him? The glow stays around him the whole time he's in the cave. Then he approaches the pit in the center of the cavern.

Your precious Knight will be killed the second he steps foot into the Ivory City...

I remember Tsuna's words just as he's about to drop the ring in.

"Don't do it they'll kill you!" I shout

To my surprise Keisukei stops and looks around. Did he hear me?

I try reaching out to him again "They'll kill you the moment they see you!"

He looks up at the sky, searching for me. "Sango? Where are you?"

"The Ivory City!" I call out to him again. "You have to cloak yourself. Tsuna said he would have you killed on sight the second you entered the Ivory City."

"I'll go in cloaked. I'm coming for you okay? Just like I promised. But I need your help."

"I'll help you. I don't know how I'm able to but I will."

Kei nods and casts a cloak around himself. Something all Elves can do. I can still see the golden glow around him as he drops the ring into the vat of magma. A bright white light engulfs him and after a few seconds the Ivory City begins to form around him. Outlines of ivory towers and buildings all emerge from a floating horizon. The whole city seemed to be floating around in a sea of golden light and fluffy clouds.

"The Ivory Tower is the tallest one in the city. At the door there are two guardsmen. You'll have to evade them somehow. " I whisper to him.

He doesn't say anything to avoid breaking his cover, but he continues walking. He has about a mile and a half to go before he reaches the center of the city where the Ivory Tower stands. If I didn't know any better I'd say this place could easily look like heaven. Despite the hard reign of terror this realm causes on Errin it looks peaceful here. Children play in the streets, women shop and talk and meet with their friends. There are candy shops and nicely clad stores lining the streets. There are street performers and couples dancing together. This doesn't look like a horrible place at all. I wonder what happened to turn these people into the terrorists they are.

Keisukei remains walking, careful not to clink his armor or kick up a stone.

It takes him about an hour to reach the cobblestone steps of the Ivory Tower. He stops and looks at the guards. Waiting for my instruction.

I'm at a loss for what to do for a moment but then I remember being taught a chant at the magic school in Aliech that puts your enemies to sleep.

The time will pass quicker when you close your eyes, the pain will die down when you rest tonight. There is pain in the day but peace in the night. So go to sleep warrior, sleep through the fight

As soon as I'm done whispering the guards slump over and fall into a deep rest. Keisukei then opens the door and steps inside the tower.
There are no guards or anyone really inside the tower. Which would be strange but considering the Ivory City doesn't get many outside visitors, it kind of makes sense. The halls are decorated with gold and lavish furniture. Fine paintings hang from the walls and sculptures line the corridors. Keisukei climbs the stair case and as he does I feel his presence become more apparent.

"Do you feel that?" He whispers to me. "Do you feel the tingling in your hands too?"

"It's the magic of the Dragon Conductor leading you to me. Follow it."

He hurries his pace up the stairs. His camouflage starts to disapate but he only moves faster. He's fully visable now and no one seems to notice. The feeling of the magic is getting stronger and stronger but the more I think about it the more apparent it becomes that this is a trap. Tsuna knew when I woke up, he could see me. He's got this place wired from top to bottom. Theres no way he's not seeing Keisukei climbing the stairs right now. There must be a reason he's letting him get this close to me.

As I finish that thought Keisukei comes crashing through the door of the room, and with one swipe of his blade he shatters the chains that bind me to the wall.

I fall to the floor and struggle to find my strength to get back up.

"See I told you I would save you." He smiles. It's a genuine smile that I haven't seen in a while.

"Not so fast." A low voice erupts from the other side of the room. Tsuna stands confidently with a green sword slung over his back.

"The Demon sword..." Keisukei stares at the blade with awe and wonder.

"Thats right Keisukei. It is the fabled sword of Nekkral. And lucky for me you fell right into my trap. And I'll get to use her to kill you."

"I should've known it was a trap. It was all too easy to get up here." Keisukei hangs his head between his shoulders letting his sky blue hair fall into his face. "But it doesn't matter. I'm going to finish you anyways."

Keisukei charges at Tsuna, swinging the Alpha sword at him. But Tsuna doesn't move. Tsuna stands and laughs, because when the blade hits Tsuna it doesn't cut him. It's bouces right off of him. Sending Keisukei backwards, giving Tsuna the perfect opportunity to strike Kei. And he does. He plunges the demon sword right into his midsection. 

But Claude stands back in confusion when Keisukei doesn't turn into a puff of smoke.

The magic of the Dragon Conductor

I must still be casting my magic onto him. I must still be protecting him. But he can't hold out much longer. If I dont help him soon he will die.

"Throw them in the cage!" Tsuna shouts and two White hooded Cessair apparate on either side if him. Two of the men grab me by the arms and start dragging me up the stairs, and Keisukei follows. At the very top of the Ivory Tower a chariot awaits. It's not your usual chariot though. It's a dark chariot. With a Demon Mare pulling it along.

"Whatcha waitin for Princess climb aboard!" One of the men laughs and shoves me into the back of the chariot, and Keisukei falls in behind me.

"Sango are you okay?" Keisukei coughs, spitting up a little blood.

"I'm fine," I say as I set his head in my lap "You're not though."

"I can't die yet though. I haven't saved you from Tsuna." A smile pokes through his look of pain for a moment.

"You're nuts."

I place my hand over his wound and focus. I can feel the power getting warmer and before I know it I can feel the flesh healing back together under my palm.

The red stain looks like he's spilt red wine on the blue fabric of his armor.

"Are you breathing any better?" I ask him as he sits up.

He nods his head and wipes the blood off of his mouth. "When we get to where we're going I'm going to pretend to still be dying. That way Claude doesn't suspect that I can save you. And when the time is right I'll swoop in and rescue you. Alright?"

I nodd and Keisukei lays back down in my lap and continues to play dead. Though I fear that I may be the next one to die today.