Chapter 320 - The Verses of Victory (I) (2/2)

”Djinn are solitary beings,” said Yashi, ”There isn't much room for friends when your happiness lies in desiring what everyone else has”.

”I suppose there isn't much else to it then, is there?” asked Aegin, ”One of us will get out of this, the other one will be ashes, is that right?”

Yashi grinned, ”I don't think it's a question of which of us will live. I think it's a question of when you'll be the ashes you've readily proposed”.

Aegin grinned, extending his claws as he crouched slightly and hissed at the Djinn, ”You don't bleed, Djinn, but let's see if you'll burn”.

Aegin lunged forward.

Sevis watched the gate with Tigin. The Guards…they were still as statues. They had been for several minutes, even with the smoke to the North becoming darker and thicker as a fire spread.

Sevis looked over at Tigin in question. Tigin looked back at him in confusion.

Sevis looked back at the gate. Then he stood, in plain sight of the guards.

”Are you crazy-”

Sevis stepped forward as Tigin lunged towards him.

”Sevis-”

Tigin watched as Sevis approached the guards, fearing for his friend's life for a tense moment before he realised that the guards weren't reacting at all. They didn't even blink let alone move.

Tigin stood slowly as Sevis stepped in front of one, waving a hand in front of his face. Nothing. Tigin approached slowly just as Sevis poked the guard with his long sword. The poor guy toppled over. Tigin stood beside Sevis as they both looked down at the still statue-like guard.

”Well, he did say he'd clear a path,” Tigin stated.

”I don't even know what this is,” said Sevis, ”Could be the Djinn's work for all we know”.

”Why would the Djinn incapacitate the guards for the Tribe he's supposed to be protecting?” asked Tigin.

Sevis sighed, ”Good point”.

Tigin pointed at the wall just inside the gate, ”Look”.

It was a hastily drawn sketch, smeared in blood by the looks of the pale and dead body beneath it. Tigin curled his lip in disgust, ”I don't know how I feel about this”.

Sevis sighed, ”Come on, faster we get through this place, the faster we can get to Rima and get out”.

The two followed the arrow three blocks up, then turned down an alley to find the next sketch, all guards and other individuals they may have come across either incapacitated in some form, or dead.