Grey Spatium 13

The dust began to settle, revealing another man—large and caked in dirt and clay—hacking and slashing at Ceara with a serrated, frozen scimitar, and two Strikers flanking a narrow earthen tunnel that led out of the small room we were in.

God Step brought me behind them, amethyst lightning arcing across my skin. The first died instantly as my aether-clad hand struck the back of his neck, breaking his spine despite his chain gorget. I backhanded the second as he began to activate one of the runes displayed along his spine, sending him flying into the tunnel wall. He landed on his own spear, impaling himself through his bare biceps.

He hissed out a curse before rolling over and tugging futilely at the spear, his spell forgotten.

Caera’s opponent growled in bestial rage as their blades clashed, a sound that cut off in wet gurgling as her sword plunged through his chest.

I dug my heel into the last mage’s bloody wound, ignoring his desperate attempt at defending himself with a shroud of fire.

“Why did you attack us?” I asked evenly, leaning down to meet his eye.

“Kage’s o-orders!” the man yelled out, his dirt-caked face contorted in pain. “Please, we’re just doing what we were told!”