The Phoenix soul: A legend Arises

Chapter 18: "Green flame Gambit"

As the moon dipped beneath the horizon, casting the night in an impenetrable shroud

The guard's voice cut through the darkness, his tone firm but laced with a hint of warning. "It's best if you all return inside. Continuing this will only make things worse for your friend."

Emiri's eyes narrowed, her voice low and even. "Let us go, and we'll handle this discreetly. No one will talk, no one will know. We'll be back before dawn, and it'll be as if we were never gone."

The guard's expression remained unyielding, but Emiri's words dripped with a quiet confidence, a subtle promise of consequences if they weren't allowed to pass.

The guard's plea fell flat. 'I understand your legacy as the King's elite Bijins, gifted to his son. Our orders are clear: you may enter, but not depart. Your necessities will be provided, but escape is impossible. Please, return.'

Emiri's unwavering gaze made the guard's words hollow.

Another leaned in, voice barely audible. 'Sir, these Bijins – especially Akane, Hikari, and Emiri – are extraordinary. Rumors say the King underestimated their value, entrusting them to his most inept son. Their abilities are rare, perhaps unmatched. I fear we can't contain them.'

The guard's whispered warning hung in the air, laced with a mix of awe and trepidation.

The superior's expression remained unyielding. "Relax, they are just women. I know about the green flames, but they aren't top-tier or masters in it. They must touch you to induce the illusion."

The junior guard's voice trembled slightly. "But sir, that boy, Lynx - his name matches the animal's ferocity. He's one of the strongest in the academy, a—"

The top guard's sharp tone cut him off. "Silence! No matter what, we cannot lose."

His eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the Bijins. "We have the upper hand. They're trapped, and their powers are limited. Let's not underestimate, but we won't be intimidated either."

The junior guard swallowed hard, nodding obediently. "Yes, sir."

The air was thick with tension as the standoff continued, each side waiting for the other to make the first move.

*****

"I see you haven't retreated yet," the superior guard sneered, unleashing a wave of red flames toward Lynx.

As the flames reached him, Lynx raised a hand to his face and smashed them with ease.

In the moonlight, his eyes blazed red, like pyrope gemstones.

"I've learned to never underestimate and shift to pyrope as fast as possible," Lynx thought to himself, a fierce grin spreading across his face.

With a burst of flames, Lynx propelled himself toward the superior guard.

The two clashed, their movements a blur as they exchanged blows.

The superior guard stumbled back, caught off guard by Lynx's ferocity.

The fight raged on, the two combatants leaving the girls and remaining guards in the dust.

Akane, Hikari, and Emiri exchanged knowing glances.

"Time to take care of the others," Akane whispered, her green flames dancing at her fingertips.

"Let's move," Hikari said, her spear shimmering with an ethereal glow.

Emiri nodded, her eyes flashing with a mischievous spark.

Together, the three Bijins charged forward, ready to take down the remaining guards.

…

"I feel hurt that I must strike a woman, especially one as lovely as you," the guard admitted, his arms bursting into flames.

He sent the inferno toward Akane, who absorbed the flames with eerie ease. With a fluid motion, she countered with a kunai wrapped in green flames.

The guard's mouth split open as the kunai struck true. He crumpled, only to rise again, his eyes aglow with an unnatural green light.

Akane's eyes also shone bright green, her smile radiant. "Puppet acquired," she declared.

"Damn!" the guard exclaimed. "Their flames don't require contact! They can infuse. Retreat! Switch to pyrope mode! Since they're not masters, they can't control us then."

Hikari's voice cut through the chaos. "You think we'd let you try that?"

A flurry of shuriken, infused with green flames, rained down on the guards. The deadly stars cut down most of them, leaving only a few standing.

The eyes turned green, already under the Bijins' control.

…

"Akane! Look out!" Hikari warned.

The guard who had taken control unleashed a powerful blast infused with mana. Instead of the usual reddish hue, the blast glowed orange.

Akane tried to defend herself, but the blast's unique energy proved too potent. She couldn't absorb it, and the impact sent her crashing to the ground, badly injured.

"It works!" the guard exclaimed, triumphant. "I've studied your green flames. I know how to counter you."

But his victory was short-lived. The other guards, now under Akane's control, turned on him. Their eyes glowing green, they attacked their former comrade.

The guard's triumph turned to horror as he realized he was now surrounded by his own mind-controlled unit.

The mind-controlled guards closed in, slower than usual, their attacks devoid of flames. The guard countered, shifting into pyrope mode.

Fueled by anger and stress, his power surged. His hands began to shape a massive cannonball infused with mana.

"I'll finish you all with one move," he growled, gathering his strength for a devastating blast.

Just as he prepared to unleash the bomb, Akane stood up, fully healed - one advantage of the green flames.

"Look," Hikari warned.

Emiri's eyes narrowed. "He's planning to kill us."

The three Bijins rose, their green flames dancing in unison. They began to weave their flames into something.

—

"You're strong, to have pushed me all the way here," the leader acknowledged, his voice low and gravelly.

The leader discarded his smoke-wrapped cigarette, extinguishing it in the grass. With a calculated exhale, a thick fog erupted from his mouth, shrouding the area.

But Lynx, in pyrope mode, saw through the deception. His enhanced vision tracked the leader's heat signature, revealing his hidden form.

With precision, Lynx unleashed a blazing orb infused with his mana. The fireball slammed into the leader, catching him off guard.

Before he could recover, Lynx closed in, his fists flying in a relentless barrage. The leader's face became a crimson canvas, pain etched on every strike.

Blood dripped from his battered visage as he screamed, finally triggering his own pyrope mode. Unleashing a burst of fiery energy, he blasted Lynx off, sending him stumbling back.

The air rippled with heat as the two pyrope-clad warriors faced off, their flames burning brighter, ready to clash in a frenzy of fire and fury.

…

Lynx and the leader clashed, their pyrope modes unleashing waves of flame. The air rippled with heat as they exchanged blows.

The leader landed a scorching kick, but Lynx countered with a blazing uppercut. The leader blocked, but Lynx's speed proved relentless.

In a flash, Lynx snatched a nearby stone, imbuing it with flames. The stone glowed, then melted partially, its surface fluid.

Seizing the moment, Lynx hurled the molten stone. The leader raised his hands, but the liquid rock stuck, binding his arms.

Lynx exploited the opening, striking a devastating combo. Flames engulfed the leader, his pyrope mode faltering.

The leader stumbled, defeated. Lynx stood victorious, his chest heaving.

"Clever," the leader gritted, "using the stone."

Lynx smiled, panting. "Desperate times."

Lynx's triumph was short-lived. A deafening explosion shook the ground, echoing from the direction he'd left the girls. His heart racing, Lynx sprinted toward the source.

As he approached, a greenish flame wall came into view, encasing the girls in a protective cube. The flames pulsed, solidifying into a translucent barrier.

Lynx's relief was palpable as he saw Hikari, Emiri, and Akane huddled together, safe but exhausted.

"Oh, hey, Lynx," they chimed in unison, their voices laced with fatigue.

The green flames danced around them, casting an ethereal glow. Lynx approached cautiously, not wanting to disrupt the protective barrier.

"What happened?" Lynx asked, concern etched on his face.

The girls exchanged weary glances before Hikari spoke up.

"That guard... his blast was enormous. We barely contained it."

Emiri added, "Our mana is depleted. We need time to recharge."

"No, we need to leave now," Lynx urged, glancing around cautiously. "That explosion will draw guards. We can't afford to get caught."

The girls nodded, understanding etched on their weary faces. With a collective effort, they dissolved the protective green flame wall.

"Let's move," Hikari said, shouldering her exhaustion.

The group set off swiftly, Lynx leading the way. Emiri and Akane flanked Hikari, supporting her as they hastened through the winding paths.

"We need to reach Thrain before

more guards arrive," Akane said, her voice laced with determination.

"I sense him," Emiri said, her eyes narrowing. "This way." She said, heading towards the throne room.