in gritted his teeth and

ing that Soll

ove

ch!" Sollel did not li

round her h

ior before

and using it

her palm, let

arp edge of

the center,

and Captain H

d her eyes t

ering under

ame, come fo

foe

ed her eyes

n the sword

efully danc

gerly covere

ng and blist

d the flaming

of her, spin

she moved

enem

as like

ame, and th

he mercilessl

oes, precise

d like she w

, not sparing

tai

his soldier

Captain Ha

y. His mind

and come b

one, but be

, the Mistr

laming sword

t of

, Captain H

and begged

kill me! I'm

not me! It's

me. Please! I

t think twic

le slash of

in Hamlin's

s neck and

he ground, i

times before

ace facing

blood dripp

ned; the fla

ured

dead enem

e flaming

sword left

in a he

the melted

her war b

of lava and

deities. It

could withst

would not mel

rom her; she

it still

ed looking a

ad to her right when sh

te stone?"

he saw

Sollela le

s is a sealin

It won'

nodded and s

t was Sollel

ing that the

gain. She k

Cira to her

ra ran a

really?" Ci

doubts and

rt

er. It's better fo

hink I deser

I lied for y

d?" Cira was

came into he

from Solle

d on her trac

a. "We have

ll be in cons

e leather p

ooked at Soll

bout the dan

risked my

ained sile

nued

Infernal Em

r you? Why

capture you

an answer from Sollel.

ke they say

flaming swo

halfling Ythe

ld such a po

make you a

t that's jus

ood Ytherian

flaming one

eyes. "Your

eal name, or

bout

ok her hea

really nam

ss of

ed into Cir

d, "I a

to laugh a

eeing Solle

d recalling t

d-her scabs

hair and e

ire soldiers

the flaming

epted the t

ubting sinc

ma

d." Cira was doing her u

ppeared on So

a small bal

I maybe wea

ged and tort

ury, but I'

e, C

ent slack, a

atic as sh

ppening. "T

al Empire is

want to r-r

air on her skin a bedtime

huma

e darkened.

or

d and imme

story she k

to the stor

Queen Sollel

as taken by

pi

istress of the Wind,

aelum. Queen

s imprisoned in the Ki

en Aenwyn,

Seas, was ta

ipel

e toward the

she control

oke to Cira

have

oing to sa

a could gues

. "Let me ac

ur guide, Q

d too eage

elf who ga

enc

Mistress of Flame would be Cira's greatest honor. "I have traveled far

o know abo

t she could

her here w

and accepted

ed a guide inde

century. S

changed ov

was imp

Cira was smi

en Sollel a

fe

a deep bre

presence she

tri

d north. "To the King

SOUNDS of

t boots co

eat hall wh

e was sittin

r. The grea

shaped room

a high ceili

chairs on b

dle was the

nly the lord

d oc

nt, the lord

n propped o

d right han

he armrest,

listening t

tst

great hall, i

t the lord o

y that he thought he did

nd man, the

to receive t

es

he door to t

lord of the

s to greet h

eyes remai

ting for th

et them, the

ust entered

imself as he

aneously bow

al Adri of

uesting an

warl

still closed

he warlord, s

callous

i immediate

f his visit t

e empire has escaped, and

assis

piqued th

How do you

ou want to

rio

ri answere

e empire wou

lord lent us

ire would a

warlord hi

he pri

the castle c

ity of the e

. "You can

I'm afraid I

s request t

wn the

ortant matters t

i gritted h

thing to get

divulged a s

get a posit

er who esca

ollel, Yther

am

s sharp blac

tress of

nodded. "Ye

r's help, and

trela. Unfor

n and burned

couldn't be

ym

her energy fighting our soldiers, wherever she is now, she's an easy prey. The warlord straightened

ou're one

escendants

i answered

strength, w

wess, you

Mistress

gritted his

f the peop

tory of Sapp

of Sappher was known

rcane weapo

ner an abili

er coul

against the Ytherians to show the whole Azitera their strength, a

that only s

e came from

fami

ecline of S

ning royal

tered throug

with a vow that someday

he Ytherian

later, the w

a descendan

is traveler

e

took a deep

e of the de

ill hunt her

one. You and

y slow m

's arrogant

h General Ad

r and should

Not only th

also much

and the gen

arriors shou

eir e

lt insulted by the wa

and agreed.

ar, and that

lp io drag t

ck to he

looked at G

leaves the g

as finally ou

abin, his r

mmander of

excell

e holding a simple set of garments: a cloak, EwO unappea

from his chair and accepted all the things

n. lf anything happened

e

d his head

May the deit

av