“You have a lot of nerve”

Alana's words were direct and gentle. I could feel her back pressed against me. I had my knife at her throat and the others were still aiming their rifles above at us. Any bad move was sure to end poorly for Alana. I had her just where I wanted.

Our whole plan was simple. Kill Narassi. Take Alana hostage from afar. Move closer and double the threat. Let her influence do the rest for us. I look at the Lam Lathi soldiers near me. They wanted to shoot me dead, but Alana was silently motioning for them not to.

I kick at Narassi's dead body. He was the only one not under Alana's influence.

I press my knife harder into Alana's neck. There was even tiny line of blood. The others had issues with killing the messenger dancers. I didn't. That's why I was chosen for my task. Nothing got in my way, except me.

“You can’t outrun the tempests,” states Alana with a smirk. She struggles against my grip, once more in vain. With added pain, she bites her bottom lip hoping to relax the pressure of her arm pressed behind her back. Her arm was pinned against the armor of my chest. I had a firm hold on her with my hand.

“And they tempests can't kill me, without me killing you....” I reply.

I push Alana's arm up higher, just to let know her I mean business. Her eyes close tightly as she tries to ignore the pain, The tempests were all around. I understood this from talking to my possessor being. Who knew where my stupid other half was now?

At least, I knew where all the tempests were. My breath was even fogging from the nearby chills. Every one of them had been accounted for.

I wave up at my fellow resistance fighters above me. They wave back.

“Tell your soldiers to lower their weapons. Tell the tempests to leave. All of them.”

“All of them?,” tests Alana

“All of them!,” I shout.

Alana does what I tell her. She did all so quickly. I grin.

I give the signal to the aimed rifles above me to grab the gold. The Lam Lathi soldiers watch in disbelief, as resistance fighters take their loot. They look at Alana. She tells them to “wait.” Her invisible guardians had fled. They had lost this battle.

“This is no tempest to save you now, messenger,” I say sarcastically.

I push my knife closer to Alana's neck, forcing her raise her position. I was causing her pain as if all my hatred of Lam Lathi had found a scapegoat to hurt. I feel Alana press herself against me again. Her hair was against my face, below my eyes. She was moving with intention, making sure to stay very close to my chest and body.

“Don't be so sure of yourself, Atjani. I still have tempests.”

I laugh at her. We had already accounted for all of them. Even the other possessor beings among the resistance fighters had verified this. Many had merged back with their home soul and told them about what they saw. Like all dancers, Alana's ploy was a bluff and an illusion.

“You have none.”

I feel Alana struggle and push her body higher. I could feel her energy. I wanted to kiss her neck, and I wanted to slit her throat at the same time. Half of these feelings weren't my own. Her energy was highly sexualized, but I could resist. I had kidnapped messenger girls before. I knew their dirty little tricks.

The top of Alana's hair brushes against my face and even to the bottom of my eyes. Her bangs were moving slightly in the breeze and she thickens them against her brow, Her long hair falls like a weeping willow across her face. She lets her hair hang loosely, partially covering her eyes. Finally, she speaks.

“You're wrong, Atjani,” smirks Alana, with a subtle whisper. Her eyes begin to fill silver liquid. “I am a tempest too.”

Before I can react and yell to the others for help. I feel her possessor being attack me and pacify me. It was done subtly. No one was expecting it.