Kira didn't hear him. She was staring at the hole where the spike had almost killed Kealor.
It was then another presence entered the clearing.
Steps. Slow. Red hair.
Sapphire.
Eoman's smile sharpened.
"Another uninvited guest," he said. "They just seem to revolve around a certain someone, don't they?" He said this while looking straight at Kira.
Sapphire stopped dead when he saw them all. "Guys! You're—"
Then he saw Eoman.
His eyes narrowed.
"This will be entertaining." Eoman said.
Eoman started again.
Without so much of a warning. Spikes emerged, flew and descended. Causing them to split. They dodged, took cover but when they wanted to retreat further. They were hit with an invisible wall. Lock in.
Kira had been stationed to a point.
Eoman's hand on her collar holding her in place despite her struggles she was made to watch as the others within the enclosed space.
No where else to run
The ground cracked. Dozens of spikes formed in the air, pointing at the boys. He was toying with them now, letting them see death slowly.
Kealor was bleeding again. Jex was crying. Lucian tried to stand in front of them. Nirro was already calculating which spike would kill first.
Kira couldn't watch.
Her knees buckled. She'd seen this before. The girl. The dead woman. The same pattern. It flickered continuously, in repetition.
It was too much.
She screamed with all her might.
"STOP!"
The spikes — ready to puncture — paused mid-air.
Everything paused.
Kira felt the grip on her release and so did her body. Her knees crashed to the ground, tears streaming uncontrollably from, a pain she didn't know where it was coming from but was tearing apart.
Eoman's hand was frozen mid-gesture.
His voice was barely audible, but it held reverence to the one who commanded him.
"Yes, master."
His hand fell to his side. The spikes retreated back into the ground.
'I wasn't expecting that one to still awaken first. It seems like I have to wait,' Eoman thought, eyes flicking to Kira with something new — euphoria, fear and a little bit of anger, all mixed.
Anger for protecting the wrong.
Before he turned fully to her, he whispered, "It won't be long."
Kira didn't understand.
The boys were still breathing heavily, shaken as they eyed their instructor.
Eoman flashed them a smile. Too wide. Too calm.
"Congratulations. Today's lesson has concluded. You may rest now."
No one laughed. No one answered.
Then Eoman stood directly in front of Kira.
"But you, my lady, have an extra lesson."
Spikes passed through Eoman's body — they weren't for him — eyes already on their target.
Kira stumbled back and fell. She was caught off guard. As she was about to hit the ground, she felt her spine stiffen, her hair stand on end.
Right below her, a spike slowly sprouted from the ground, ready to strike. Then it shot up fast.
Kira shifted to the side as she fell, barely avoiding it head-on, but it still tore at her shoulder.
Kira screamed in pain before hitting the ground. Her hand was already on the wound. Blood hot.
"KIRA!" Sapphire shouted and lunged.
Eoman was already retreating into the trees.
"Their hands are washed in our blood and soon you will have to wake up… Kiri-Sol," he said as he retreated.
His head tilted. His eyes met Kira's on his last word.
Kira's vision glitched. A woman stood where Eoman had been. Her facial features were blank, but endless warmth radiated from her as she looked down at Kira. Full of affection. A single word left her lips.
'Kiri-Sol'
It was familiar. Her subconscious knew.
She reached out—
And the vision vanished.
Replaced by the already disappearing Eoman
Kira, bleeding, ran after him.
"Kira, where are you going?!" Sapphire shouted.
"What do you mean? How did you know?!" She called out to Eoman.
Eoman turned to look at her. He didn't answer her question but rather:
"Our one-on-one training will soon begin. Come find me when it's time," Eoman said, then vanished.
"Wait. You didn't give an... answer—"
Her vision blurred. The ground tilted to meet her. Everything went black before she could feel herself crash.
The last thing she heard was voices shouting her name at once—
Then a pulse. Not a spike. A wave.
Kealor's eyes rolled back first. Then Jex. Then Lucian followed by Nirro. Then Sapphire— his hand still reaching for her.
Several crashes.
The invisible wall crumbled along
Then her own vision went black.
_______
The sky was dark as black, leaving the moon to be a light source apart from the torches lighting the training grounds. Amidst it all stood Ryven waiting for the children's arrival.
He had been here since dusk after receiving the report that none of the children who came for lunch and dinner had just passed with no sign of them.
Ryven had sent men to search the area. But all came back with the same answer.
And he couldn't interfere, as per their deal.
Which at the moment, infuriated him.
And then there were the others, why did everyone seem to agree that it was the best idea to hand over children to a maniac. Even master didn't argue and went along with it
His mood was growing more sour by the minute as his thoughts ran.
A figure appeared a couple steps behind him and bowed.
"Still no signs of them"
"Yes… Thar'gor" The warrior answered,
"No need if he doesn't want them to be found, we won't find them" Ryven said absent mindedly.
"You can return to your post now" he continued, the warriors bowed then disappeared.
Then silence. A very suspicious silence.
Till a sharp whistle broke through the air. Its target was him. Ryven fist glowed a shade of gold before he threw a blow.
The Dark spike connected with his powerful fist. A slight shift before an explosion, sweeping dust everywhere.
"You finally showed up," Ryven said, relaxing his stance.
The only reply was a chuckle.
"I am returning the properties" Eoman voice echoed and with that the space before Ryven was covered with a litter of unconscious children.
Ryven was not one bit shocked,
Eoman was gone.