Chapter 15

"Speed up. Now!" Elisa ordered her driver, who conveyed the message to the remaining escorts in front, as the burning remains of the car flew away in the wind. Alarmed, Yu and Zack looked outside, but it was no use. 

"Its too late to save them. We have to reach our destination before-" Elisa was cut off again as another escort vehicle exploded, then another, threatening to derail their vehicle. But their driver expertly swerved through all the debris and emerged back in clean air, when the roof of their car was blown off.

Zack looked skywards to see an unidentified helicopter zeroing in on their location. With his eyes, he could see that its machine guns were at the ready. He quickly raised his arms and formed a barrier that encased the car, just as the helicopter opened fire. Bullets hit the shield and bounced off harmlessly.

Yu looked around in the car for something to use, when Elisa passed him a DMR (designated marksman rifle). Nodding, Yu rose, took aim at the cockpit, and fired off three shots in succession. All found their target and the helicopter spun out of control, crashing into the land as a fiery fireball.

Yu held up the rifle for a while longer, scanning the area for any more threats, before Elisa motioned that it was safe to come down.

"That was a close one. Thanks, both of you. And Yu, you haven't lost your touch."

"Is that a regular occurrence?" Zack asked. 

"Not really. I suspect that was a militia. The extremist I mentioned earlier." Elisa answered.

"A militia with a helicopter. Must be very well funded. So was that your assassin? or the group she works with?" Elisa shrugged. And the rest of the ride was sat in anxious silence. 

When the vehicle reached Elisa's home Zack chuckled. 

"What?" Elisa asked wanting to know what he found amusing at a crucial time.

"You have the same taste in mansions as your parents. Just brought back memories is all." The men in the other escort vehicles that were left got out and started positioning themselves around the mansion with others that were already on guard. "You would figure with this many people guarding your place you'd feel safe."

"I'm sure that's what the others thought too." The doors to the house opened and Keytara was standing in the entrance. 

"Welcome back. I heard about what happened. Are all of you alright?" 

"Of course they are. Not a scratch on them from what i can see." The voice came from another girl that was leaning over the second floor balcony. She held a very close resemblance to Keytara. The same caramel colored skin and framed glasses covering her and bright blue eyes. The only main difference was that the girl was obviously younger and had two lower lip piercings. 

Elisa turned to Keytara. "Who is that?" Keytara quickly bowed in apology. 

"I'm sorry but after what i heard happen to you and your men i sent word to my sisters. There aren't very many Gifted that would protect you now so i figured you need all the help you can get." Elisa let out a sigh then stopped.

"Where is your third sister? The oldest?" 

"She's doing rounds around the house." Keytara replied. "She checking for possible entrances, exits, escape routes, blah, blah. You know how she is. She's the calculative type." Keytara moved behind the group to push them in the house and shut the doors. "Now come on. A dinner has already been prepared and you must all be hungry." Keytara looked at Yu as if she saw him for the first time. "Oh, Yu! What a pleasant surprise. I've been worried about you for the longest time." She quickly gave him a hug.

"Worried?" Yu asked. 

"Of course. You disappeared along with Ella and Lilliane and the other girl you seemed to know-"

"Yuki."

"Yes, Yuki. If they found you then maybe they found the others?" Yu shook his head. 

"As far as I know it's only been just me and Yuki that have finally come back into the open." Keytara seemed to be deep in thought but then quickly shook herself out of it and resumed her standard smile. 

"Well, like i said, dinner is prepared. We can discuss everything at the table while we eat." Keytara turned towards her sister on the second floor balcony. "Can you get Kanna and let her know it's time to eat?" Without a word her sister disappeared in search of her sister. 

"So you are Keytara," Zack started as everyone sat down at the table. "a former royal guard. Your eldest sister is Kanna, who is also in possession one of one of the rare weapons infused with elemental power." Keytara nodded. "And your youngest sister is Kani. Who was a ninja?" Yu's head perked up at the mention of the word "ninja."

"Is." Kanna corrected as she entered the dining room with her sister. Yet another look alike of the other two. She looked the most mature of the two as she were in her late twenties to early thirties. But one feature stood out. Her eyes were completely black except for the blood red iris. Zack automatically considered her to be intimidating from that feature alone. 

"I'd greatly appreciate if the guest could cease their staring." Kanna said and Zack noticed that he wasn't the only one captivated by her eyes. He figured that was why her bangs was as long as it was. It partially covered her face including her right eye.

"She's sensitive about her eyes." Kani spoke up. "Although i don't know why. I wish my eyes were like that. They are so cool!" 

"So I hear you have one of the legendary weapons." Yu changed the subject. Kanna nodded as she and her sister took their place at the table. "Would it be too much if I asked what kind of weapon is it?" 

"It's a short double edged sword. It's purely designed to act more like a wand than a melee weapon." Kanna answered uninterested. Yu could guess that she had given this explanation dozens of times.

"Then why a sword instead of a wand?" Kanna shrugged. Zack noticed that shrugging must have taken on as an international gesture and everyone was in on doing it.

"I didn't make it. But if I had to guess then it is probably because it channels quite a bit of power. For example, the sword can channel a lightning bolt, no matter the size, and send it wherever i want. I can hold the bolt's charge in my sword for a long period as well and i will not be harmed during the entire process. I don't think a wand can handle that kind of force." 

Zack spoke up again. "If your blade is mainly used for magic then do you fight with it? I find it hard to fight anyone with even an average sized sword."

"I also wield a lance." Yu's eyebrow rose. 

"You wield a lance and a sword? At the same time?" Kanna nodded to both questions. 

"She's had tons of practice." Kani cut in. "She doesn't lose fights, even at close range, because no one knows how to fight against a style like that."