The Crystbeast reared above Kar, its front legs kicking the air. Flames suddenly engulfed its head, and the creature roared and jerked away.
"Get out of here, you brute!" A familiar voice yelled. Kar flipped around and watched as Kiya charred a path across the ground, a continuous jet of flame arcing from her outstretched palm towards the creature. It balked away from the heat, its crystal hide cracking under the temperature and pressure, then turned and galloped back toward the city.
Kar sat up slowly. Kiya whipped towards him, heaving deep breaths, her eyes crazed. She pointed her palm at him, "Get up."
He scrambled to his feet, hands raised.
She was badly injured, one arm dangling uselessly at her side and visible skin mottled with bruises.
Kar cleared his throat, it was dry and not just from the flames that danced lazily across the surrounding ground around her, "What happened to… that man you were fighting?"
She snarled, "Hells if I know and hells if I care. Where's everybody else?"
Kar hoped that meant Aldwin was alright, "They ran off when our cart broke down."
She turned and hacked out a bloody wad of spit into the grass without taking her eyes off him.
She half turned then and raised her voice as if talking to someone else, "If you don't want me to roast your friend here, you other two better come out where I can see you."
How had she known they were there?
A moment later, the grass rustled behind Kar, and Isa and Derek both stumbled out to join them.
"This is unbelievable." Kiya muttered, "I had forty, and now I'm down to these three." She shook her head in disgust, then took a deep breath.
"Alright, you three form a file and stay in front of me where I can see you. We're going back to the city edge, and we're gonna follow the path there. Be quick now, I want to get home before nightfall."
Kar, Derek, and Isa shared a look with one another. It was obvious that none of them had any notions about crossing her, so they all did as she said, Derek leading the way with Isa following just behind. Kar shambled off after them, trying not to flinch when he heard Kiya stomp into line behind them.
----
"Open the flaming gate, you dun shards!"
Kar tensed as Kiya berated and screamed abuse towards the men atop the wall.
They had reached what Kiya called the outpost. Kar had imagined something smaller. This massive walled compound on the edge of Iridess seemed a city in its own right. The sun had just set behind them, and dusk now reigned.
Blue and green fireflies blinked lazily in the fields here at the base of the wall, and Isa giggled as one alighted on her outstretched finger.
Just then, the gate groaned and creaked as it swung inward. Kiya waved the three of them ahead of her, cursing under her breath with every step she took.
They passed through the arched gateway and stepped into the broad square beyond. Guards awaited them, some holding lanterns.
"You look well, Kiya." A man in uniform said smugly.
"Shove it Marcus. Where's Destry?"
The one she'd called Marcus laughed, "Up at the Keep. He's waiting for you. Should I send a messenger and tell him you're coming?"
"Just get us a damn carriage and go back to your nap."
Marcus chuckled. He was the only one laughing, the other soldiers or guards present pointedly did not show any reaction where Kiya could see.
A short while later, Kar and Derek sat stiffly across from Kiya and Isa inside the carriage. The woman wheezed hoarsely and winced with every bump as they rolled down the dusty street.
"Tell me when we get there." Was all she grumbled before closing her eyes.
Kar stared out the window and soaked in the view. A pair of towering buildings rose just beyond the compound's walls; partly collapsed, their jagged tops and pale stone sides reflecting the last rays of the setting sun.
The outpost itself appeared to be a section of the old city's perimeter that had been walled in and separated off from the rest of the ruins out here. The old streets had been cleared and homes and structures repaired or demolished to create functional infrastructure. Everywhere Kar looked, there were people. They all lived here, he realized.
The carriage passed by an open air market where merchants traded goods from stalls covered with colorful cloth. The market buzzed with noise, and Kar wondered if he had ever seen so many people in his life.
There were some riders on horseback and a few other carriages like theirs on the main road, but not many. Most of the riders he saw were escorting lines of chained prisoners.
Kar suppressed a wave of anger. From the way Derek clenched his jaw and tightened his fists, Kar could tell his friend shared that in that fury.
There was a stark contrast between many of the buildings; some were obviously still standing remnants of the old city—large, strong, stone and metal structures—while most were constructed of more rudimentary clay and dirt bricks; obviously more recent additions. As night fully set in, more and more plumes of smoke began to rise from the chimneys of the hundreds of smaller brick homes they passed by on their way to the Keep.
They traveled in a square around the inside perimeter of the wall until they reached another gate, which they passed through into what Kar realized was an inner sanctum of the outpost, separated off from everything else. Within this inner walled area, Kar was shocked to see lush trees and gardens surrounding a large, ornate building that squatted atop a small hillock. He assumed this to be the Keep.
"Hey," Derek said loudly, nudging Kiya's foot none too gently, "We're here."
Her eyes snapped open and she glared at him.
The carriage went in a loop through the gardens and pulled to a stop at the curving front steps. Carved columns supported balconies over the front portico, and attendants stood at attention.
A pair of guards waited for them atop the steps that led up to the main entrance. Derek, Kar, and Isa stumbled out of the carriage and waited for Kiya before heading up.
"Where is the bastard?" Kiya grunted at the top. The guards looked towards one another, then opened the door and gestured inside. A grand staircase led up to the second floor.
"Great, more steps."
They finally made it upstairs and entered a large office where a small fire burned. Guards were stationed on either side of the room's doors. Within, bookshelves lined the walls and a well-dressed man who Kar had to assume was the one called Destry sat perched on the corner of a heavy wooden desk. He glanced up from the ledger he was examining as they entered the room.
"What the hells happened to you, Kiya?" He asked, placing the ledger down before striding towards them.
"Some Blaster from the caravan we hit yesterday chased us down around noon today. Tore my crew up before I could chase him off."
Destry eyed her up and down incredulously, "Must have been some Blaster to get the better of you."
"He didn't get the better of me!" She snarled.
"You said you chased him off, which means you couldn't kill him. And it looks like he scrambled you up pretty good in the process. In my book, that says he got the best of you."
She only glared in reply as Destry adjusted the cuffs of his shirt sleeves.
"I've already had reports from your men who rode in earlier, and we processed the… recruits they had with them. I see you have a few more you've brought in yourself?"
"Still need to be tested all the way, I don't know what they are yet." She growled.
"Excellent, allow me to introduce myself to you, three then," the man said, turning to address Kar, Destry, and Isa. "My name is Destry Morigale, and I am the governor of the outpost here. You're in Fierdi Guild territory now. I understand you were all coming to the city from the out-lands?"
Kar and Destry shared confused expressions with one another, and Kar replied hesitantly, "We're from Riftwater, sir."
"Ahh, never heard of it. The reason you have all been recruited is because-"
"We… we weren't recruited, we were attacked and abducted!" Derek yelled.
One of the guards stepped forward menacingly, but the governor waved him away, "Well now, I'm sure Kiya only used whatever methods she deemed absolutely necessary. And given time you'll likely come to view things a little differently, this is after all a wonderful opportunity for the three of you!"
Kar stared at the man incredulously, but Destry gave no sign that he saw anything wrong with what he'd said, "The reason you have been selected, is because you all exhibit some sort of affinity or capability to Focus. Do any of you understand what that means?"
"Isn't that what the Guardians do?" Isa said softly.
Destry clapped his hands together, "They do! But they aren't the only ones who can. These are exciting times in Iridess. The city is awakening! The power that once built this place is coming back, and we have the unique opportunity to benefit from that. To harness it! Now I know you have all had a very long couple of days and I would rather not keep you. We're just going to do a simple examination, and then we'll know where best to place you."
Derek was prodded forward first by one of the guards.
Destry rolled the sleeves of his shirt up one after the other, then stepped towards Derek. He held outstretched hands up to either side of the young man's head. The governor then gently placed his palms against Derek's skin, eyes closed and bearded chin raised ever so slightly.
An awkward moment of silence followed. Kar fidgeted uncomfortably, while Isa swayed with exhaustion. For a moment, Kar thought he felt something emanating from the governor, like a spark or pulse. He couldn't be sure if he was just imagining it, though.
Finally, Destry opened his eyes and lowered his hands, "Most likely a blaster, and should be a pretty powerful one at that. By chance is there any relation between you and the man that Kiya tussled with?" The last part he said while turning to smirk at the injured woman.
"Yeah," Derek said defiantly, "he happens to be my uncle."
Destry chuckled, "Excellent! I have high hopes for you then. What is your name, young man?"
"Derek."
Destry clapped him on the shoulder then stepped aside. One of the guards came forward and pulled Derek back.
"Now let's see about the young lady here, what's your name?"
Isa came forward shyly. Destry placed his hands on her upper arms and rubbed gently. She flinched and Destry smirked.
Kar bristled and felt a surge of heat rush to his face at the violation of this whole experience.
"Let's test you out." Destry said, then repeated whatever it was he'd done to Derek on Isa. Again, Kar felt something emanating from the man—some kind of pulse from Destry's hands while he did his examination—and Kar subconsciously fingered the shard in his pocket.
"Hmmm? I do believe… she's an Imbuer! And a very potent one at that."
Kiya perked up noticeably, and even the various guards shifted and smiled at one another excitedly.
"Well done Kiya!" Destry exclaimed, "Take her directly to Morrow's workshop from here. I want to have him start working with her as soon as tomorrow if possible, he's way behind quota."
He continued to shake his head admiringly as Isa stepped back and Kar was brought forward, "Now for you, last but hopefully not least. What's your name?"
"Kar," he said quietly. He felt so overwhelmed, didn't understand what their captors were talking about or why they were so excited. He tried to look away as Destry performed the examination on him, but the man was directly in front of Kar.
The Governor was not a young man, but he wasn't old either. Probably around forty if Kar had to guess. His features were angular, and he had a well trimmed, short cropped beard.
Destry's calm face shifted as the seconds ticked by, his eyebrows rising then furrowing, followed by a slight frown. Finally, he opened his eyes and stepped back.
"Also an Imbuer… I think, or maybe a… Refiner? It's strange, though, I don't know if I've ever encountered anyone with such a weak connection before."
None of them seemed to know how to take that.
"Anyway, Kiya—take Kar here along with you and the girl, then get yourself patched up by Morrow. I'll take Derek here along to the barracks and place him with a scavenger crew." He paused to look at the three of them; Kar, Derek, and Isa, "Any relation between the three of you?"
"Kar's my brother, and Derek is his best friend." Isa responded.
"Wonderful, well, I'll only tell you the once, but if you cause any trouble the others will pay for it, understand?"
Kar swallowed, his mouth dry. And all three of them nodded solemnly.