Chapter 31

Yet, that wasn’t good enough for panett, he wanted his revenge, and perhaps the only chance that he had was dwindling as the gathered crowd began to dissipate. He released the half-breed's wrist as he lunged forward, years of plotting the perfect plan all fading into dust as he pulled the blade from his medical bag; plunging it into the armoured man’s neck.

Astria screamed out in shock, she had not expected such a thing from panett, her mind swirling as the crowd burst into action; rushing towards them with weapons drawn. She had to make a choice and it had to be now, she had no time to waste. Kill them, or surrender, those were her choices.

Panett released the knife, turning back to look at the girl in sorrow and happiness, he had gotten his revenge. After all of these years, he killed the man that took his life away. The half-breed dropped her knees, watching as tarian’s men crowded around the medical man, knowing that he would die for what he had done.

She could fight them, perhaps even win and escape, but as she looked into her friends' eyes, she knew that this was the end for him. He had done all he set out to do, and now he wanted to re-join the people he had lost.

She didn’t know what these people had done to him, but she did know he was a broken man, a type of person that no longer saw the need to live in this world. It was time for him to join the spirit realm.

tears formed in astria’s eyes as she was torn from the ground by one of tarian’s men, now she had to figure out how to stay alive. From their position it looked like she assisted in the murder of the armoured man. Yet, what panett had done was not part of them plan... Though, did that mean she should allow him to die? Could she live with the knowledge that she could have helped but didn’t?

He wanted to die, she could see that as he dropped to his knees, opening his arms to welcome in the spirit of death. But that was only because he had only seen the horrors of the world, no one had shown him the good parts, the parts that made each day a little easier.

Astria could feel her power surging through her as she burst into action with a sudden ferocity she had never felt before, an anger that burned the strongest of metals. She would not allow him to die in this place, she wanted to show him the beauty of the world, she wanted him to see that some people were good. That not every soul in the realm of man was as cruel as tarian and his bandits.

“panett, get down!” She screamed, the blistering fire bursting from her hands and engulfing the men around her, their screams of anguish a welcome sound.

The half-breed walked through the flames, the scorching heat gently warming her skin, but it did not hurt, the flames obeyed her every silent command. It would not harm her or panett, only the bandits that tried to kill them. She allowed the smog to enclose around her and her friend, the screams of the dying and the crackle of the fire all that assaulted their ears. No orders rang out, no voices telling them to stop her; because no one could. Astria had realised the full potential of her power, she now knew what it could do, and she wasn’t about to let them capture her, not again.

“get up panett, we have to go!” She shouted, her voice rising over the scorching flames.

Yet, the medical man made no move to get up from where he knelt on the ground, his eyes screaming that she should leave him there, that she should leave whilst she had the chance.

Astria looked around her, watching as the men died in the flames, the fire spreading towards the huts as she attempted to buy more time. She needed to find a way to get him to move before they began to put out the flames, the anguished screams fading into angered shouts.

“you must get up, i cannot slow them down for much longer.” She said panicked, pushing more flames from her hands as she spoke.

“astria you must go without me, i am of no use.” He countered, shoving her back a step. “i am ready for death.”

“well i am not ready for you to die, i cannot do this alone, i need you.” She whispered harshly, “please come with me.”

“i cannot.”

“you must. They will kill you for what you have done.”

“then that will be my fate.”

“no. You are a fighter; i have seen it. You have so much more to give, please don’t give up.”

“they took everything from me.”

“are you certain? Because from where I am stood you still have your life, and that is precious. You cannot just lay down and die, you are a healer, people need you.”

“who needs a broken old man?”

“i do. Without you i will not last the night. Will you condemn me to death also?”

Panett sighed loudly, “i did not think of that.”

The half-breed glanced around them, the fires dwindling along with her strength, she could not hold the flames for much longer; they needed to move now, before she had no power left.

“we really must go; the flames are fading and i cannot summon more at this present moment.” She stressed, attempting to keep her voice as soft as she could.

He nodded, rising to his feet as he looked around, tarian’s men gathered around the fires edge, waiting for the fire the dissipate so that they could make their move. Astria grabbed heR friends' hand, turning on her heal as the bandits around them shouted orders at one another; they wanted to stop them at all costs, caring not for the lives lost in the pursuit. Yet, astria couldn’t afford to be caught, her life depended on them escaping the clutches of tarian.

“we must move with haste; which way are the horses?” The half-breed asked panicked, her legs burning as they ran.

“that way!” Panett shouted over the voices of their pursuers, pointing towards the west side of the camp.

“are you certain?”

“yes, it’s just west of here.”

“how far?” She panted, unsure how

much longer she could hold the same pace.

“there!”