79 Eagle Eye (2/2)

If I was right and I really was seeing a kind of essence spreading out of our bodies, then the golden glow I'd seen trailing away might have been a faint remnant for someone's aura. Why it was golden and not white or blue might have been just because I'd placed more importance on that particular aura more than any other. Of course, I might have been wrong. This was mostly guesswork on my part and I didn't have time to test the theory out. But, somehow, I felt like I was right. Or at least somewhere close to the truth.

”Commander, we have to move,” Varda's voice sounded urgent.

There wasn't any need to wonder why she seemed worried. After all, I could see far more glowing lights now in the far distance. Past the hill our camp had hidden behind and back to last night's battlefield, tens of thousands of lights were swarming around each other. And where these lights met in the middle, glaring forks of red lightning erupted like thunderclouds during a heavy storm.

”Red's the symbol for aggression… the war's back on…” I whispered.

I turned my gaze away from the bright lights of the battlefield and returned my focus back to the golden trail. The battle didn't matter to me right now. Only finding Luca did.

My eyes followed the golden trail as it led past the trees and moved southward, toward the Darah army's rear line. However, before getting there, it veered right, like whoever the aura belonged to had suddenly changed direction to avoid colliding with something or someone in its path. It continued eastward and up to another hilltop, almost tracing a similar path to the one we'd taken when we'd challenged the Magesong clan's rear units.

”It's like a recording… like the ghost of the past coming to life so I can see it happen,” I guessed.

”The Commander's saying some really weird things, Ashley,” Varda's voice was half-exasperated and half-impressed, like she wasn't sure how to feel about me possibly losing my marbles.

”We might have to drag him out of here… Maybe even knock him out to do it,” Ashley said in a slightly amused tone that wasn't comforting to hear.

”Shut up, you two,” I scolded. ”I'm nearly there…”

The longer I followed the golden glow the more it solidified, eventually taking the form of a winged fairy with a bulky distorted form. After following it for a few more seconds, the fairy's aura split into two. No. It had been more than just one being this whole time. I'd just been confused by the golden glow. Only now I could see a fairy carrying a long limp form in its arms.

”Luca…” My voice was almost a whisper.

I watched the golden auras, one dimmer than the other, drop in speed until both had crashed into what must have been a body of water—and I recalled that we'd past a stream on our way to the enemy's rear.

Then the golden glow faded like dust carried into the wind only to be replaced by a scene of two dwindling auras, one blue and the other white, their lights fading with each breath. Almost instinctively, I knew it meant Luca and Pike were in deep trouble.

I disengaged Fool's Insight , and as soon as my vision returned to normal, I stumbled from an onrush of sudden fatigue. Luckily, Ashley caught my shoulder before I toppled over.

Still feeling faint, I gripped tightly onto her arm, sending her a squeeze of gratitude for the save. After I received a similar squeeze from Ashley, I turned my attention to Varda. ”Get all our people here back to the fallback point. Wait for further orders once you get there.”

”B-but the battle—”

I shook my head and cut her off mid sentence.

”We're staying on the bench tonight...” I turned my gaze on Ashley next. ”Are you and your squad up for a rescue mission?”

She grinned almost impishly before saying, ”Are you?”

II felt really faint. In my head, a dozen unanswered questions continued to add pressure to the strain on my mind. Chief among them was this new skill I'd just unlocked. Especially since I knew it must have been one of Fool's Insight 's many hidden powers.

A sudden flashback, a memory of that gray world I'd glimpsed the previous night after I'd stabbed Jimmy.

If last night's battles allowed me to unlock this new skill then there was one more thing to thank Jimmy Jonas for. I never would have pushed myself past my limits if I hadn't fought him to the death. Then again, this newfound skill might have nothing to do with my efforts. Perhaps it was always there waiting to be called. I would need to figure it out. Later. Not now. There was something more important to do.

”Let's go save Luca and Pike,” I said.