TRAILING SHADOWS

Maerius stood still, his trusty curved blades hanging strapless from his back as usual. Out of habit, he pulled his streak of white beard, continuously in deep thought. Around him were several Guards Irunmoles with various weapons of light ranging from bows to swords to daggers to mere beams. 

From the looks of it, they appeared to be sparring or about to. The environment bus widely spaced, filled with white sand for as much as two hundred meters. Outside the circular arena, trees outlined the perimeter, beautiful butterflies and brightly colored birds adding to the l.u.s.tre.

"Ready, 3rd Prime." An Irunmole called out, a white band on his head.

Hearing that, he spaced out his legs, circling his curled fingers in the air. Still even at this, his eyes are largely unfocused.

"Come at me!" Maerius the 3rd Prime muttered.

"Hiyaaaaa..." Foosteps rammed down on the ground as all the Irunmoles in various types of white leather armor charged for him.

Without paying them the respect of focusing on them, he merely waved his hands in the air, knocking back several of them.

He jumped up into the air, charged again by the Irunmoles, one leg drawn back. 

He still does not look at them as he draws his sword from over his shoulders with one hand. The sword glows brightly as the light bands spiralling his barehands glow as well. And then, still without looking at either of them, he waved a straight curve underneath him, shooting a burst of energy.

The energy flamed down, hitting and knocking down each and every Irunmole that had leapt up at him mercilessly, sending them tumbling down to the ground.

He landed, bent knees to lessen the impact while the other hand keeps stroking his beards. Maerius tilted his head to the side as the opponents began rising up.

Just as one third of them rose up, he swiftly arched his back forward, his sword sharply plunging into the earth. And with it, a...

BOOOOOOOM!

"Insufficient! How would you stand to the unrest that is racking the lands if you are merely knocked out by me, without even focusing on either of you?" Maerius frowned, his eyes flashing.

"You know, if you are looking to spar with someone..." A feminine voice sounded from behind him. "...to take your mind off the matter, you should have come to me instead of subjecting these Omni, Lord and Omega classed Irunmoles to a beatdown."

"Anu!" Maerius exhaled, looking back.

Behind him was 2nd Prime Anu, the highest classed Irunmole in Ilu Obatala, being classed in Ascendency and the one who dealt finishing blows in addition to The Elder against the Prickled Bane Winged Wolf. Also tagged the Nagging Prime, she perpetually had a scowl ready to criticize people but today, her face is bright, smiling.

Her golden waistbeads jingle as she advances forward, gracefully catwalking, the sun glinting off her chocolate toned skin.

"They found him. In the Central Market." Anu said, ripping off the golden beads with one hand. Apparently, he had been captured by an illegal beast extractor." 

"Captured?"

"Yes, but he had broken free by the time the Guards got there." The beads floated in the air before curling around her fists. "Ninola was with him."

"What? I sealed her away." 

"Well, apparently, she broke free. She's a prodigy no matter how much we try to ignore her. Now that the gods are refusing to reply us, if things get so bad, we are going to need all the help we can get. Including her."

"You know Elder won't agree." Maerius sighed, stepping back, his sword trailing in the dust. "Subjecting a little girl to that sort of torture. Sometimes, I wonder if Trixius was actually right in all of this." 

"Enough talking. Trixius had his merits but his bad outweighed them all. Sunday should be on his way to Arlan now. Expect a report from there. And for heaven's sake, get a Timestream Orb, those Irunmoles can't reach you telepathically neither can they send you a letter lest Elder gets wind."

"Look who's doing the talk. Stop nagging me." Maerius smirked.

"What?" Anu glared at him. "Fine! You asked for it."

With that, she sped across the short distance in less than a blink. Maerius was ready however, his sword coming in to counter her punch.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Shockwaves tore through the space, rocking the air tremendously as they crashed, fists on sword.

****

Asoju Lekan stood with his hands to his back, his head tilted into the bright blue sky, surrounded by buildings on every side.

 "Your charge, Tayo has met with Sunday already."

"Ah, yes. So, I heard. He met expectations as we anticipated, WarPrime." Lekan replied without turning back.

The WarPrime's cape fluttered slowly in the wind as the shoulders and the hood that covered the head shook.

"True. But still, he lacks. He is yet to contact us as according to the plan."

"Ah, perhaps he would have, earlier. Had it been you did not log off the soul sensor to connect remotely to it, he might have been in good shape to contact us. It could have killed him to awaken a double loaded sensor."

[See Chapter: Former Friend]

"And yet, he lives. That makes him worthy"

"He's a Child, WarPrime. This life is too rough for him."

"The best of warriors are those who understood the roughness of life from childhood. Surely, you should know this."

Lekan sighed, looking down to his feet on the concrete pavement. "Please, give him some time. He will contact us with a specific location to come in."

"Hm! Asoju Lekan. I would. But understand this." The War Prime stretched a hand to rest on Lekan's shoulder. "Should he tarry long, I would not hesitate to have him dead. Traitors are not permitted at this time. Not, when the balance of everything lies on the life or death of Sunday!"