With every flicker their gaze became more fixated upon a lone red shadow dancing by itself to the rhythm of the wind and flame. There was no choir of crickets or cries of birds to accompany it, for it seemed suspense was not necessary. It was dead quiet broken up only with the occasional rustle of wheat in the distance.

  I was ready to accept whatever befell me. If I had to face retribution for the sins of my past I would do so with open arms. I waited and waited yet there was no sound of steel leaving its rest neither was there any sense of bloodlust or hatred directed towards me. I sighed a breath of relief, it seemed the worst I had imagined did not come to pass.

  "A red shadow......" Lucas murmured while staring at me, I was unsure if he might hold any resentment towards it or me. "I can't remember hearing about it."

  "The red shadow...I do know a little about them" Uriel spoke trying to recall."I remember reading about it in the library back at home, it was a lullaby that went."

  "Little red shadow, little red shadow.

  Loved by light and yet it hides.

  Kissed by her flaming lips.

  Dancing where the fire never dies.

  Little red shadow, Little red shadow.

  When will you rest your weary eyes?

  Shifting faces, a veil of lies

  Burning bright, yet fading slow

  Little red shadow, little red shadow

  Who will guide you to your rest?"

  "A hauntingly sad lullaby but that wasn't all that was written. It has been recorded there has been a couple of sightings of people with red shadows, but none of them seemed to have been captured or killed but one thing has been confirmed" She looked at me. "All of them have the ability to use flames that burn red"

  Was it coincidence or my imagination? I could feel tingling sensations in my arms and body as if flames would burst out engulfing me, but nothing happened it must have merely been my mind playing a joke on me. We decided it would be best to talk while we rode back.

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  "You could be part of a special group of people like the 'Maximus of Unos' or maybe like Lucas..."she seemed to have hesitated. " Like he's from Agnes but that's a story for later"

  "I've also heard of a cult calling themself 'Children of Light' who do not interfere with any country in specific" Lucas mentioned. "Also get ready."

  By now we had reached a grove of trees, and they began unmounting, puzzled I got down and followed their lead, Lucas held his hand out for the torch in my hand and fastened it on the horse side by conjuring a handle to hold it and let horse loose on the path we were heading, out of the grove. It was then I realised they were tricking the guards in believing we were leaving and instead planning to make a run though the field undetected, I was in awe.

  "They will never expect a noble to run through the fields, especially one who is a fine and charming lady like me." She boasted while running ankle deep in wet mud

  I ran beside them as Lucas was kept an eye out while also conjuring and maintaining a camouflage of some sort. It wasn't long before we reached a part of the wall which seemed unguarded. Uriel began climbing the wall with her bare hands and that too with absolutely no support, in a matter of seconds she was on top, she waved at us and disappeared behind the merlons and shortly a rope slide down, prompting us to climb.

  Over at the top we could see the vast city spanning out with little lamps lighting up the homes, torches hung by every house and signs...maybe a bit too many. Down below soldiers patrolled the city with their red uniforms as a few people walked around and right on top a mound stood a large fort.

  We got on top of a roof and began moving discreetly, mixing and pretending to be one of the locals certainly would have been a good idea but due to my shadow exposing us that was a no go, fortunately the houses were close enough to each other that just a simple leap would suffice.

  "Where are we heading?" I asked and we all paused

  "Looking for a lone person to question" replied Lucas. " And by the looks of it people have divided themself into three factions. First the people supporting and partaking in the military, Next the people unhappy with the military force and last but not least the people who aren't bothered by these two and instead have taken up arms to become bandits or just has been ignoring all of them. Since the military are against us it would be a good idea to find someone who doesn't like them."

  "Like the farmers from earlier. "Uriel added." They seemed pretty unhappy so maybe we could find one."

  "We could also maybe find the regent inside the fort and maybe have a talk?" I added

  "That would be a bad idea." A voice spoke behind us as a silhouette of a woman appeared and stood there. " You guys are some really sneaky fellows"

  Lucas tried manifesting a blade, but it seemed to no avail, was he out of ether? Knowing him that wasn't the case. In a flash even faster than Lucas she dashed towards us and pinned him down while she grabbed Uriel's throat disabling her from issuing a command and tried knocking me off my feet which I managed to dodge. "Not bad little rabbit." she praised only for her other hand to slam me down.

  It was then I noticed, both of her eyes had different colours, and they were glowing.