Orion eyed the lanterns drifting in the night with a predator’s patience. He had now watched them for long enough to map out the sentry’s patrol path around the foreigner’s base. He was forced to agree with Kora the whole thing was a ruse though, a sweet cake set out to trap the Piros. The lanterns were flickering in some places, and in others there was no light, just an expanse of black. Considering the foreigners’ alleged strength, there was no way they were lax with their defence, and so the entire scenario screamed out its true nature.

Still, the Piros would fall for it.

While Orion didn’t know the other House intimately, he had known his own family well enough to draw a parallel. The Piros were the actual leaders of the Empire, and Orion was certain their ego, and frustration with the resilient invaders were enough for them to take the bait. But more than these, he believed they would fall for it was because of their magic. Their magic wasn’t transformative like the Metole’s, nor inhumane like the Cruorem’s, nor creative like the Zakari’s. No, theirs was purely destructive, the power to tame fire, and it was strongest at long ranges.

Considering these points, it seemed obvious to him the Piros would set up in one of the surrounding dunes and rain down fire upon the foreigners’ base. And if Shrien was as devious as his reputation made him, then he would use the trap as a tool to get into close range with the Piros, where they had less of an advantage. Of course, there were many counter plays both parties could take for this situation, and that was where the real fight started.

“Do we move?” Joiroa asked.

Orion considered it. They were on a sandy hill, using the foliage as cover as they spied the soon-to-be war scene. Around them were several similar dunes, each providing less of a vantage but still preferable if the trio wanted to stay hidden. However, Orion had a bone to stick with both the Piros and the foreigners, and considering Eira’s power coursing through his veins, the two parties were going to face hellfire from him.

“No,” Orion said viciously. “We’ll take this to them soon, as soon as the sky lights up,”

Joiroa nodded, keeping quiet his opinion. The aged foreigner had said little about what he had done while they were apart. Still, he had been overjoyed when he had seen Orion and Kora, although Orion wasn’t sure if this feeling sourced from friendship or from the aura of strength he and Kora exuded.

“I think—” Kora said.

Suddenly, a bright streak burst through the sky, heading right for the foreigners’ base. A little way off its target, it shattered into several pieces that flew on. But before they could burn the base down to cinders, a large purple barrier appeared metres from the base. The shattered pieces embedded themselves in the barrier, seemingly innocent and pure as they gradually lit up.

Orion realised just in time as he yelled, “DOWN!”

Kora listened, immediately ducking with her head down, but Joiroa faltered, turning to face Orion with confusion written over his face.

In the next second, the shattered pieces budded, lighting up so bright they seemed close to explosion. Orion knew this as he heard Joiroa scream in pain as the light bore holes through his eyes. Then, they exploded. The shockwaves sent the dunes around into chaos, sand sweeping up into the air to form dust screens, the ground itself shaking.

When they settled back down, Orion and Kora were beside Joiroa, holding him still as he tried to roll and scream. Eventually calming, Joiroa opened his eyes and stared right through Orion and Kora who glanced over him.

“I cannot see,” he said in a cracked voice, “Only circles of darkness with colour around,”

“It’s okay. Take a few deep breaths, give it some time and it’ll all be back to normal,” Kora promised. Though, despite her confident tone, she was doubtful whether the damage could be reversed.

To their luck, her empty words struck true as in the following moments, Joiroa’s vision returned, sending the aged man into a joyous fit.

Gazing into the distance, Orion saw the raid had already begun, or more precisely, the ambush. The barrier around the foreigners’ base had disappeared and what it had once protected was now ash and cinders piled over roasted bones. But just like they had guessed, it seemed no one cared about the causalities as all attention was on the lit-up dune in the far distance. The foreigners had ambushed the Piros right after the initial attack, taking advantage of the blinding light.

Orion faced Kora and mirrored her nod. “Alright, Jorioa. It’s time,”

“Good luck,”

Over the following seconds, the duo sped over the dunes, Kora in her vampire form and Orion gliding over ice. He had never been able to use his powers so carelessly before but now it was different.

It seemed they had been closely watched all this time as the moment they emerged, Orion noticed several men and women tailing them. They kept a safe distance away from the duo, or at least they thought, although Orion knew better. Still, he wasn’t about to do anything just yet – they were welcome to enjoy his show if they wanted. Besides, he wasn’t dumb enough to believe they would retreat after one show of power. No, they were precisely here to hound at his heels and delay his arrival.

His thoughts proved themselves as the duo crested the dune neighbouring the battlefield. The spies got desperate as they closed the net on him, some using spells. His ice shield blocked the attacks with ease, and to the closest man’s misfortune, a monstrous icicle erupted out of the sand, goring the man through the stomach. As the others momentarily recoiled at this, Orion grabbed Kora’s hand and focused his Szu on the ground, sending waves down at a rapid and dangerous pace.

The force propelled them up, shooting them into the sky. While he couldn’t fly like this, he could come crashing down like a broken rocket – a perfect entrance. Orion glanced across the dark-skinned foreigners below him as he fell through the sky. They watched him with wide eyes, some even pointing in surprise, probably more at Kora’s monstrous form than his slight one. To the other side, he saw an even more humorous sight. Waves of fire surrounded the Piros and the very same fire burned in their eyes as they stared at his figure, some visibly gritting their teeth.

Orion laughed at this. He was determined to payback everyone who had razed his family despite everything he had discovered, and the Piros were the last piece on the board: he had no qualms about wrecking their House. As for the foreigners, considering they were invading Orion’s homeland to colonise it, he had no qualms about wiping them out either. This was his last task, and he was going to take every joy in doing it.

As he landed, he waved his hand at the land and a massive lotus of ice sprouted in an instant, safely cradling the duo to the ground, the petals defending them from wild attacks. Despite feeling it chip away by the second, Orion dug deep into its core and placed his hand on the ground, focusing his whole mind and energy into the ground.

From the outside, while the waves of enemies watched curiously as the latest entrant hid away in a frozen flower, large pillars of ice grew around them at the edges of the battlefield. Each of the pillars grew at a visible rate despite being several men thick, and they converged towards the centre, creating an ice cage in a matter of seconds. Some tried to escape during this time but as they inevitably touched the thickly woven ice on the way out, they recoiled back in shock and clutched at their skin, screaming as vicious mana devoured their souls.

Finally, the lotus gave way and Orion and Kora revealed themselves, Orion taking in all the fearful yet hateful stares he was getting. He broke into a vicious grin as Kora disappeared in that second, sprinting into a melee with some nameless. Meanwhile, he knelt and put his left hand to the ground, his heart anticipating the fall.

“Collapse,” he whispered under his breath.