It was clear the moment I landed on solid ground that shadow travel was not for the weak my stomach churned and I fell to my hands and knees throwing up.
"What the hell was that Dread!?" I loudly asked trying to regain my composure.
"Shadow travel Vitra has allotted me the power to move between shadows as I please don't worry you'll get used to it." She said her tone flat as ever.
"Where did you take us anyway none of this area looks familiar at all?" I asked as I took in our surroundings a beautiful cherry blossom forest their signature pink leaves still visible under the cover of night.
"The exact opposite end of the world from the flame crest manor." She stated seemingly not understanding what she just told me.
"THE OPPOSITE END IF THE WORLD YOU DO REALIZE THATS OVER EIGHTY THOUSAND MILES FROM HOME!!!" I yelled her demeanor not changing at all.
"I do that was the point you need to be isolated in a place you wouldn't recognize so you can learn to adapt and survive in an unfamiliar environment as well as gain actual experience in what your trained and studied for be warned this region is home to many bandits, monsters, and hunters best to stay on your guard as beautiful as this place is you are never safe." Dread spoke calmly explaining and warning me immediately acknowledging that my life would be in danger from this point on I prepared myself putting on light armor and fixing my sword sheaths to my arms.
"Let's get going never want to stay in one place to long it seems our arrival has already gained some attention." She spoke quietly gesturing for me to follow we walked for hours in silence the constant feeling of eyes accompanying our walk we were being tailed and it seemed that they didn't think we noticed. Soon after we came to an opening in the side of a hill a cave.
"We will set up here Nyssa go bring me the person who's been tailing us alive." Dread ordered I spun around and walked back the way we came whoever this was they never followed to close but I'd bet they'd come out if I were alone and who would've guessed I was right. About five minutes into my walk they began slowly approaching as he closed in I readjusted myself ready to spring at them after another minute I heard them break into a sprint towards me. I spun around ducking their fist and responded with a swift punch to the liver as they stumbled from the pain I hit them two more times once in the chest causing them to drop to the ground and lastly a kick to the head knocking them unconscious. Pulling off their mask and hood I could see it was a man slightly shorter than me I picked him up and slung him over my shoulder also taking his bag he stashed behind the tree he ran out from. By the time I reached the cave me and dread were staying in the man still hadn't woken up Dread was nowhere to be found so I bound the man and set a gravity spell on him so he couldn't move.
"Psst this thing work testing testing Miss commander can you hear me… hahaha are you there Nyssa?" The voice that was unmistakably Theresa spoke into my head proving the medallions worked.
"No I can't hear you." I replied
"Oh sorry one second…..AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.. can you hear me now."
"You banshee that hurt." I moaned my ears ringing.
"Yayyy she can hear me now your mom and my mom say hi."
"Tell them I say hi."
"Ok anyway where did dread take you guys me and your mom wanna know."
"She took us to the death blossoms for field training."
After I finished answering her question I heard Dread's foot steps enter the cave.
"Hey I gotta go Dread just came back." I said
"Ok byeee I'll contact you later."
Hearing Theresa's voice fade I stood up and walked over to the man bound to the floor where Dread was leaning against the wall.
"Do you know why I had you take him alive Nyssa?" She asked
"For information."
"Correct obtaining information more precisely using fear and torture to get it"
I flinched at the word torture I knew why she needed to teach how to use it but that didn't make me feel better about it.
"Nyssa remove his gag you'll have ten minutes to figure out what group he's apart of and where they're based and remember when someone's in pain they will say anything to make the pain stop so ensure he isn't lying time starts now." Dread said walking to the entrance and leaning against the wall. I removed his gag and he immediately tried to bite me I grabbed his head and threw it back into the wall cracking the rock and making him groan in pain.
"If you think I'm just going to give you whatever you want to know you're absolutely right I don't want to be tortured hell no I'll tell you everything if you promise to just kill me quickly."
"That makes my job easier as long as you don't lie I'll kill you instantly however if you do lie I'll take my time shaving you apart." I said crouching down to his level locking eyes with him fear flashing across his face.
"Ok ok we're called Shadebinder we're a small group only a few dozen people."
"And where are you based?"
"…three and a half miles southeast you'll see a forked cherry tree we're based underneath it." He said
"I'm surprised you didn't lie at all so far you're proving to be greatly useful I have just a few more questions then I will make good on my promise first do you think anyone in your group will pose a threat to me or my friend over there?"
"There's three."
"What are their names and what do they look like?"
"Vera has black hair is short with red eyes , Grayson tall muscular bald green eyes, Bjorn tall like Grayson nimble black eyes black hair easily the most dangerous of the three."
"Special abilities I should know about?"
"Vera is a b rank adventurer and a master fire mage, Grayson has no rank and is strictly physical a good martial artist, Bjorn is a master archer and a master swordsman and a trained royal assassin honestly I don't know why you want this information going there is a death sentence unless you're some crazy strong person I should know about."
"As you know I'm in training right now this whole meeting was supposed to be me torturing you for info but you being a coward made my job easier if I had to guess my next mission will be wiping all of you off the map."
"Wipe us off the map I understand we aren't the strongest group and could definitely be bested by someone if they were strong enough but you're in training so I doubt you fit the criteria."
"You'd probably be right if I were anyone else but I'm certain I will be enough now I will honor my promise I will overload and shatter your mana core killing you instantly." I said putting my hand on his shoulder.
"Any last words?"
"How are you so sure I'm not lying?"
"Because I'm the granddaughter of knowledge lying to me is impossible." The moment I finished my sentence his eyes widened as if he'd seen a ghost.
"My god you're the one responsible for the massacre of a platoon of Tirana's soldiers in the ruins of the city Esalt all their hearts torn out by a girl with red hair multicolored eyes couldn't be older than two but moved as if fully developed you're Ignia's next commandant." His words shaky laced with fear his eyes wide locked on to my face I don't know what he meant by me being the next commandant or how he knows of what happened but that doesn't matter now. I forced an ocean of mana into his body watching as he dropped dead instantly immediately I heard Dread's footsteps approach me.
"Well that was a waste you got no training from that at all well doesn't matter there will be another now southeast forked cherry tree I will meet you there." As if in queue as she finished her sentence she disappeared into the shadows. I left the cave not long after and began heading to my destination. The light from the sun shined off the pink leaves petals falling from the trees if it wasn't for the unmistakable scent of death and bones scattered around it would be the most beautiful place I've ever seen. The feeling of eyes on me was constant but as long as I shot a spell in the direction of my stalker it would usually subside for a minute except for one person they watched me for minutes no matter what I did yet they suddenly vanished. Whoever they are is keeping pace with me they came back a few minutes ago and no matter what I do they don't go away I need to know who this is while wordless casting is nice it could help in a fight if they think I have to use an incantation to teleport.
"Shimmer." I said teleporting right behind them it was a woman with short black hair had to be at least a full foot shorter than me and somehow she had no clue I teleported behind her I drew my sword before she could react holding it firmly against her neck.
"Don't move I don't want to hurt you I just want to know why you're still following me I'm tired of firing warning shots it's annoying." I said
"Well obviously it's because you kidnapped one of my guys or else I wouldn't be here would I use your fuckin head numbskull." The woman said in an aggressive tone seeing the side of her face I could see that her eyes were red.
"You've got a mouth on you little girl you're Vera I assume."
"LITTLE GIRL WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE YOU FUCKING BEANSTALK!!" She yelled spinning around I stepped back keeping the point of my sword to her throat.
"Ah ah ah ah stop moving your vulgar language gets you nowhere I've got somewhere to be so I'm going to let you go don't follow me."
"Right because I'm not going to follow to the bitch who just kidnapped and killed one of my men and is obviously heading towards my home get a fucking grip the only reason I haven't incinerated you yet is because I wanted to see if you could be a replacement for him because now we're shorthanded and I've just about had it with your bullshit so I'm going to warn you now if you don't take this blade away from my neck I'm going to blow your fucking head off understand?!" Vera threatened her patience running thin.
"Then I will move my blade and we can go our separate ways." I lowered my blade slowly Vera backed away warily slowly I began walking away while Vera didn't move clearly choosing whether to attack or not I knew what she wanted she wants to burn me alive she said it herself she kept her distance behind me for a few steps before she decided to attack. The temperature around me grew exponentially the moment I noticed I knew I couldn't avoid it with no choice and less than a second to react I entered overheat letting the flame of destruction engulf me as her attack imploded with me at the center with enough force and heat to crack a planet. As the smoke cleared her eyes grew wide as she realized she did no damage and a wicked smile spread across her face.
"A glowing blue flame and flaming runes on your arms it's clear I stand no chance who knew some random hellspawn would just show up let me guess fire is your specialty and you're completely immune to it." She said sarcastically.
"You'd be right but I've mastered every kind of magic as well as all forms of physical combat. I replied the flame of destruction fading as I withdrew it back into my body.
"You fuckin gnat that's insane you know I consider myself an expert on fire magic I've studied it for my whole life and believe me I've been around awhile-."
"So short and old." I said interrupting her.
"Oh go fuck yourself anyway I've read studied and practiced every public book scroll and tome on fire magic I've also gotten my hands on some royal hidden documents from nearly every country the only thing keeping me from growing is a cracked mana core and I have never seen or heard of a transformation like that the runes are what a really throw me off the rest of it could just be for visual pleasure but those runes are a language I've never read and they radiate power so I have to ask what was that and who are you?" She said all traces of aggression leaving her replaced by curiosity.
"Well if I tell you everything it seems I lose a very valuable card to play but I'll tell you this it's an ability only I have it's specific to me." Her eyes widened more and she began to walk towards me.
"Specific to you multicolored eyes and blazing red hair that turns to a brilliant blue flame when you enter that form safe to say I'm intrested in you no matter how much you infuriate me so I'll make you an offer I've been chasing knowledge on fire magic for my whole life fire is the most dazzling brilliant thing in all of creation and I must learn everything there is to know about it it-it's my one true purpose in life so I offer you this I will join you and assist you wherever you need and do whatever you need me to do I will devote myself to you in exchange I want to learn everything you know about fire magic every spell every technique every tome everything." A crazed look of joy and admiration appearing in her eyes while she spoke she told no lies it was all the truth.
"Tempting someone as well versed and as well travelled as you could definitely be useful I also see that you aren't lying so I accept as long as you swear not to turn on me."
"Don't get ahead of yourself just yet beautiful if someone can offer me more than you then Itll be like this conversation all over again."
"And if I heal your broken mana core?" She stepped back hearing my statement tears began to well in her eyes every a look of confusion, joy, and sadness flew across her face.
"The-then I will worship the very ground you walk on the words you speak will be my law for years my cracked core has prevented me from fully realizing my potential it's been impossible to even meet someone powerful enough to even have the chance of negotiating with them but with how much power you radiate you just might be able too help me I will follow you to the ends of the universe." Desperation lacing her voice tears flowing from her eyes.
"That was quite the change of tune but I accept your offer I will help you achieve your purpose in life to the best of my ability Vera you have my word." I extended my hand to her and she grabbed it shaking hands we agreed to outlet new partnership.
"The only reason I was so aggressive with you at first is because i thought you were useless to me but now you've proven to be usedul and have earned my some of my respect miss and what's your name no matter how useful you are you I won't call you miss constantly." Vera said wiping her tears from her face her crimson eyes sparkling while looking up at me.
"Nyssa FlameCrest."
"Oh the commandant of Ignia's brat you are definitely the best person I could've ever made a deal with." Vera said with a smile.