Chapter 48: Return To Sender

The Firewing remained where Benign had left it. As he approached, it lifted its head and fixed him with a sharp stare.

The feathers were tucked safely inside a sheet of aluminium foil beneath his belt.

He had wrapped them before leaving, just in case the scent of blood sent the Firewing into another frenzy.

Benign wiped the sweat from his forehead and forced a smile. "Now I understand why everyone here uses portals for everything. It’s far." He let out a weak chuckle.

The Firewing didn’t blink. The soldier cleared his throat before raising one finger. "Right. First, you need a name." He raised a second finger. "Then we fly over and talk to whoever took your family. After that, we get everyone out."

He raised a third finger, then hesitated. His eyes moved to the Firewing. "Everyone gets to go home. Sounds good?"

The Firewing continued staring.

"I’ll take that as a yes." Benign brushed the feathers around its neck. "I’ll grant you a name that will improve our connection." A chirp answered him.

He smiled.

———

The Fifth Branch held its second meeting since the addition of its last member. Benign stood at the end of the line, beside Suera, while Rox and Areus narrated their findings from their recent espionage.

"They want the hero alive." Lady Alana stated, her eyes finding Benign at the back, "That means they will attack with hopes to kidnap you. If that’s already set in stone, why did they steal the firewings?"

Benign smiled. She had reached the same conclusion he did naturally. "I believe there’s another general involved."

Suera gasped beside him. Her eyes found his. "We have two generals trying to kill you?"

"Well, I hope they have a more urgent reason, but there are likely two of them, yes."

Her eyes shifted to Lady Alana. "He mustn’t go."

"I plan to," Benign announced.

Lady Alana narrowed her eyes at him. "I don’t approve."

"You all know he’ll go anyway." Rox sighed.

The meeting room stayed silent for a minute. Areus ran his hands through his hair. Every trace of victory over their last espionage was gone, if another general was trying to take the hero. "He shouldn’t go alone."

"I’ll go with him." Suera raised her hand, a smile growing on her face.

"This is serious." Benign faced her. She seemed to only want to ride the Firewing. "You could get hurt."

She slowly lowered her hand. "If I stand a chance to get hurt, then what chance do you have? You only have a sword and a Firewing. You need more help than that."

It was a stab in his chest. Benign looked away, sparing no other words. He knew more than anyone else how limited his skills were. She didn’t have to rub it in.

"My brother is very necessary to the aerial attacks," Suera explained. "Over here, I’ll just be another hand to clear out the foot soldiers."

"A very helpful hand, don’t forget." Areus faced her. "Also, we are still in the discussion that the Hero doesn’t go anywhere."

"But he will." Rox reminded. "He will sneak out tonight."

"Don’t give him ideas, Rox."

"She’s right. I will go."

Areus sent Benign a glare.

Before anyone spoke again, Lady Alana raised a hand. The meeting room fell silent. Her hand returned to her temples. She stared blankly at the ground, gathering her thoughts and forming he next words.

"Suera."

The Lady stepped forward. She pushed her back cape backward and fell to one knee. "Yes, lady Alana?"

"Go with him. Bring him back with the Firewings. Avoid fighting a general directly if you can. Understood?"

Suera nodded once. "Understood."

The soldier watched the sister leave the ground. She hopped back to where she stood beside him and nudged his sides. "Duo mission. Exciting."

He couldn’t match the excitement. Not when he wasn’t certain what awaited them. Going into the lair of one of the generals couldn’t be a walk in the park. "Lady Alana. I also think you should believe that there’s a spy here as well."

Rox glanced at him. "Here amongst us? Or at the headquarters?"

The soldier frowned. Obviously, he had meant at the headquarters. "It is easier to plant a spy within the messengers or workers here than actual Protectors whose background had to be reviewed."

"No one reviewed your background." Rox snapped back.

Benign frowned deepened. He couldn’t place where her stubbornness came from. His suggestion didn’t oppose her in any way. "Well, I thought I should mention it." He faced Lady Alana again. "If you could also spread that I am leaving, that will keep them from hurting the firewings."

"The other Protectors might worry," Areus stated.

"No, they aren’t that dependent on a Hero." Rox looked away. "I will tell them. It will make them prepare better now that no one would quickly finish their fights by raining balls of fire."

The soldier rolled his eyes. ’This girl is impossible.’

By evening, Benign waited by the Firewings’ resting place for their departure.

If he returned to their dorms, it would be the third time he asked Suera if she was ready. It might also be the third time she’ll yell ’almost! five minutes more!’ back to him.

While the thought roamed his mind, the firewing rose to its full height beside him. Benign didn’t move even as the shadow completely engulfed his frame. "She’s not here yet, Freya." He rubbed its stomach. "You can still rest for a while—"

"I’m here! I’m here!" Suera popped out from a portal. She staggered to get her balance, then raised a hand. "In five minutes, done!"

Five minutes asked thrice? Benign left the tree he leaned on. ’Excellent maths skills.’

There was nothing changed about her clothes to have taken so long either. She still donned the black cape that fell over her frame mysteriously. A small bag hooked on her belt, and a new shine to her boots. Nothing else changed.

"Let’s go," Benign stretched a hand for her. "I’ll help you get on."

Her eyes remained on the firewing. "Is it me or..." She looked over the ten-foot creature, which had more yellow streaks across its neck and a darker hollow around the eyes. "Maybe it’s just me." She got at the back of the firewing with a satisfied grin.

The soldier smiled as she had her own conclusion. Like Kendrick, Freya also had a dramatic reaction to being named.

The effects were more noticeable, and Benign’s theory on why that might be was that Freya spent more time with him than Kendrick did. So her name held more weight than Kendrick’s.

The trio was soon in the air, drifting past the tree and toward the enemy camp. Benign purposefully went through that route so that the enemy commander would see that her prize wouldn’t be in the Protector’s headquarters. If that move could buy the Protectors more time to plan, then better.

Suera gently untied the bag on her belt as they got close. "You don’t have to worry about the arrows they could spray. I’ll handle it." A twenty-foot whip rolled out of the bag.

Suera, seated at the back, raised her whip above her head. "Could you lower your head ‌a bit?"

The soldier did as requested. Freya got closer to the enemy camp.

The first tower sighted her, and the archers faced her. They wore confused expressions as they saw the firewing bigger than they remembered.

A commander bellowed orders. "Fire!"

Arrows went loose.

And so did Suera’s whip.

CRACK! CRACK!

After two deafening cracks in the air, Benign raised his head to see the effect. The arrows froze in time with a dark blue hue over them. More arrows flew into the air but froze when they met the others.

Freya flew out of the archer’s zone, soaring above the sea.

Suera nodded once. The arrows frozen in the air disappeared. Or at least, that was how quickly they moved for Benign’s untrained eyes.

A heartbeat later, they reappeared.

The arrows pierced ‌the archers in the first tower. Each archer had one on the head and chest. Only the commander lived, but he too fainted and rolled off the tower into a bloody splat. Every sequence followed the other, and ended in silence.

"Yayy! One point for Suera, Benign, and Firewing!" She cheered.

Chaos ensued below them when someone noticed the commander’s body. Benign watched with wide eyes. With just a touch, she had returned the arrows to their sender with scary precision. Her ability contradicted Areus’ but also had expansive uses beyond descending.

He turned back to the lady cheering for herself and chanting each name.

"Freya."

Suera paused. "Who?"

"Suera, Benign and Freya." He patted the Firewing’s neck. "I named her."

The firewing received another pat from Suera. "Hey there, Freya. Maybe that’s what was different about you. You got a name." She looked back at Benign. "Do you think I can stay with Freya while you go alone into the lair where her family was taken? If you get chased, I’ll easily handle the thieves."

He nodded once. "Thank you."

There was no reason to doubt her anymore. She could support him and defend herself. He understood better when Areus said she’ll be a very helpful hand.

He looked ahead with more ease.

[Alert!]

His brows scrunched. They were still over the water with not much distance covered.

[You have entered their line of sight.]