Skye Silver & The Soul of Fire Vol.1
Chapter 10: Rogue Land is Double Trouble

Our journey was beginning to feel like a lifetime. It seemed like the more distance we covered the more there was ahead of us. The middle of the Rogue Land felt endless. At one point I was sure I had even seen the same building several times like we were walking in circles. However, Kitai and Benign assured me we were covering ground and that the center of Rogue Land was created like that purposely to confuse Rogue Demi-Gods.

“Making the center of Rogue land seem like you’re walking in circles will make you eventually stop or turn around so a lot of Demi-Gods are killed here” Kitai explained. “The trick is to understand that you’re actually not in a loop and continue forward until the illusion fades away revealing how far you truly are. Of course, the Rogue Demi-Gods don’t know this but my mom explained it to me before.”

“Wow, the Gods think of some crazy tricks to place on us,” I replied.

“The Goddess of Games & Festivities” Benign corrected. “She replaces a way to put a spin on everything to make it enjoyable for her.”

“But she never cheats.” Kitai added, “Every game the Gods create, a win must be achievable and never completely impossible or The Goddess Treasure will not allow them on any planet with the exception of Planet Mercury.”

“Where my father is?” I asked.

“Yea” Kitai responded.

“Wait Fugaze is your father?” Benign asked in a shocked tone.

“Yea, is that a problem?” I asked.

“Oh, no that’s just dope to me!” He smiled. “I’m walking around with two descendants of Gods! You two are naturally born some of the smartest as well as the strongest people on planet Earth.”

He looked at me with his Hollywood smile.

“And if you ask me it seems like the apple falls far from the tree when it comes to you and your father or you would have destroyed America rather than accepting simply being an outcast.”

He just always knew what to say but he was right. In reality, I could have burned everyone in the school with a single touch and made people bow to my feet but I never chose that route. My Father was the God of all things evil and would have been considered a mere black man in America. Without a doubt, he would have built the anger in a day and destroyed the country with everything in it.

“Thank you,” I smiled. “I guess you’re right.”

Actually, he was half right. I was angry enough to take out several people mainly bullies. However, I never knew where I would go once my power was revealed which is why I chose to never harm anyone. For the sake of not revealing my power.

“I think its amazing,” Benign said. “When you’re both adults and Kitai trains you to the best of his abilities your sparring match will be one to see.”

“I’m looking forward to it myself,” Kitai said. “That’s why I’ve been training you so hard these past few days.”

“To spar me?” I asked smiling as I began throwing play punches at Kitai while bobbing and weaving in front of him like a boxer.

He was of course easily blocking every punch I threw and smiling as well.

“Oh yea God of Darkness Daughter versus God of Wisdom Son should make for the best match,” he said while still blocking and dodging punches.

Benign watched excitedly as Kitai and I went hand to fist on at least 10 punches and he dodged just as many.

“Switch!” Kitai said.

“What?” I asked while still throwing punches.

“I said switch!”

Just as the H left Kitai’s mouth he slapped my left arm down with his right hand and as I tried to swing a right hook he used his left hand to karate chop my cubital fossa. Just as both of my arms came flying back to my sides I could see Kitai’s hand palming a small water ball coming full speed at my face. It was so fast I wasn’t able to think and react before the water came splashing into my face like a water balloon.

“You have to be able to switch from offense to defense at any time. Just in case your opponent can do the opposite.” Kitai explained.

“Oh, I see.” I smiled rubbing water off my face as I loved learning new information on the journey. It was probably my favorite part to be honest.

Kitai had me work on switching from Offense to Defense and vice versa with Benign as he ran ahead once again to scope out the canvas.

“You have to replace out your advantages with fire over the other elements,” Benign said. “That’s how Kitai taught me so many moves the Demi-Gods of the mountains have no idea they can do. The blowing fire like a flamethrower was his idea now all I need to pull it off is a small source of fire from anywhere. I could use a lighter!”

“Like evaporating the water near me with heat,” I responded.

“Exactly that gives you an advantage over water. Now, how about air?”

Benign stood in front of me. “Stay here,” he said as he walked in a straight line away from me for about 15 meters. He turned around to face me. “Are you ready?”

“Ready for what?” I asked.

Benign then proceeded to form a tornado in his hands. It instantly reminded me on the one Assail used to pull Ms. Cruise away from the tunnel. I wasn’t sure how to evade the move yet but I remembered Ms. Cruise pouring fire through it.

Benign’s tornado came closer as the result of him approaching me and I formed a large fireball in my hands. Just as the pressure from the tornado was beginning to lift me off my feet I launched my arms forward blasting the fireball through the tornado striking Benign directly in his palms where the source of the tornado was.

My fireball had made it through his tornado which made it possible for Ms. Cruise to survive the attack we last saw her in. However, I didn’t mention it because the days had gone by and Kitai was finally seeming a bit more like himself after the tragedy. I would rather not get his hopes high and emotions stirred in the middle of Rogue Land.

“That was actually pretty good,” Benign said shaking his hands as I approached him.

His hands were visibly burned.

“Oh my God I’m so sorry!” I said.

“Don’t worry it’s fine,” Benign laughed. “Demi-Gods regenerate a lot quicker than humans.”

He opened his palms to show me the burned tissues already replacing themselves.

“That’s amazing,” I said.

I had completely forgotten about Ms. Cruise’s bruises vanishing. Not to mention Kitai was free of scars I was sure he attained in his battle with Assail.

“The only bruises that don’t heal so quickly are major wounds like if your entire body was to be 3rd degree burned at once. Not that it could happen to you or anything.” He said. “You’d be the one doing the torching I’m sure.”

Finally, Kitai was heading back in our direction only this time unlike the others he was running back. Benign and I were about to run towards him to meet covering some of the distance but as we were about to run he waved his hand like he was trying to get our attention. We both froze and waited for him to reach us instead.

When he got within clear view of us I could see the panic in his face. He was worried.

“Run into town and hide!” He yelled as he got closer to us.

Benign and I began running to the near town. When I looked back I could see Kitai trailing us and in some distance behind him, there were two figures that seemed to be running side by side following us.

Benign and I rushed into the small town first and Kitai followed closely behind us. We ran down streets, through alleyways, and even up a small hill until we came to a halt in what seemed to be a cul-de-sac in the town. We turned around to run back to replace a way out but the two figures that were chasing us had caught up and now blocked us in the cul-de-sac.

It was a Male and a Female but they looked identical. The guy had long dreads and the girl and one long braid going down the middle of her back. They both had light brown skin and red hair. They both had two slashes through their right eyebrows and identical sinister smirks peering over to where we were.

“Is that the Rogue Twins?” Benign asked.

“Yea it is,” Kitai replied.

“The what twins?” I asked.

“Grant & Gabrielle aka the Rogue Twins,” Kitai said.

From Benign’s demeanor alone I could tell the twins were up to no good and we were in trouble. It was strange because although they looked just alike the guy had what looked like a small bolder on his forehead and the girl had the tornado emblem like Benign. They were twins born with different powers because their parents were from different regions.

“I knew he was bluffing,” Gabrielle said.

“You right,” Grant replied “But of all people who thought he’d be hiding her.”

“Who is she? She asked.

“With skin glowing like that she has to be the daughter of Loraine Silver the Queen of the Cave Region.” He described. “Which means she posses a piece of the Soul of Fire.”

“Skye Silver! Right?” He inquired.

“That’s right, who wants to know!” I replied with my confidence for once high for once in front of an opponent.

I couldn’t look weak in front of them. The rogue twins were notorious for terrorizing every town in Rogue Land. They had been there since birth and no Demi-God who faced them had ever survived. They roamed the Rogue Land together vowing to never leave each other’s side and always fight together. Being that they both held different powers and were raised in Rogue Land they were a force to be reckoned with. Most people that came in contact with them simply bowed their heads down to refrain from looking them in the eyes and having to fight. They were obsessed with becoming the most feared Demi-Gods in Rogue Land and were very well on their way to accomplishing it. Anyone in Rogue Land that didn’t bow to them was bound to fight.

Kitai could have simply bowed to them and they would have left him alone. However, he knew they would eventually run into me and notice my glowing skin. So, he attempted to outrun them but they were faster than he anticipated. Now here we were in a cul-de-sac with two of the most merciless Demi-Gods in the land.

“How does she not know us?” Gabrielle asked.

“Because she hasn’t been here in Astral since she was a baby if I’m not mistaken,” Grant replied.

“Which probably means she can’t fight very well either!” He yelled.

“We can kill her and divide her piece of the Soul of Fire and become much stronger,” he explained.

“Oh, you should’ve said that part first!” She said as she jumped into a fighting stance with the wind swirling so fast around her fist it was visible like the ring around Planet Saturn.

“Calm down,” he said. “Don’t underestimate her, we don’t know what she’s capable of.”

Just as he said those words I thought it would be the perfect time to show that I at least knew how to use my power and was not just a sitting duck behind Kitai and Benign. I threw my fist down to the sides revealing the flames around my fist and looked her in the eyes with no fear.

She squinted at me as if sizing me up.

Benign and Kitai both stood beside me and were prepared to fight.

“This should be fun,” Grant said.

Just as he said that he slammed his palm into the ground and the entire street of the cul-de-sac came rising above the houses that were nested in it. The ground stopped rising about 50 meters above the houses. We all shook and struggled to keep our balance when the ground finally came to a halt. The twins stood firm as if the ground hadn’t moved at all.

“So who are you?” Grant asked. “I like knowing who It is I kill.”

“In that case, you won’t be needing our names,” Kitai responded.

“Oh, I like when they have some fight in them,” Gabrielle said.

“Yea makes it more fun,” Grant agreed.

“These two are twisted,” Benign said.

“Twisted doesn’t describe the half,” Kitai commented. “Get ready.”

Kitai threw two fireballs one in the direction of Grant the other towards Gabrielle. Grant lifted his arms and the ground in front of him rose to block the attack while Gabrielle spent her arm in front of her sending the fireball back in the opposite direction. As Kitai dodged the fireball Grant was jumping off of his shield wall in Kitai’s direction. Benign rotated both of his arms in front of him in Grants direction and the wind pushed him out of the air. Gabrielle had begun running towards us and Benign turned to run towards her as well. The two clashed and released a wave of wind that pushed me back a few feet before catching my balance. Kitai rushed towards grant as he kicked up large chunks of the ground in Kitai’s direction. They also clashed and began fighting in hand to hand combat.

In the beginning moments, I wasn’t sure who to help. They were both holding their own in hand to hand combat. However, I couldn’t stand not helping especially after they had taught me so much. I decided to rush in aid of Benign. I know that may sound wrong considering Kitai was my best friend and always came to my aid but I chose to help Benign because Kitai was both our teacher which meant he could hold his own better as well as longer.

I ran as fast as I could to where Benign and Gabrielle were fighting in hand to hand combat and with my fist submerged in flames, I launched a punch directly at Gabrielle’s face. The punch was swift and powerful but still, Gabrielle noticed and jerked backward dodging it. With my back to her, she elbowed me in my back and I flew across the pavement.

She looked at me and giggled a little and then turned to defend from Benign who had attacked again. I looked over to Kitai and he was blasting fire out of his hand at a wall Grant was behind.

“He’s ok,” I thought to myself.

I stood to my feet brushed my self off and again started towards Benign and Gabrielle. Rather than risking my defense for a powerful attack, this time I decided to merely assist Benign in the hand to hand combat. I dove into what looked like a frenzy and began attacking.

Gabrielle was astonishing at fighting. She was blocking and dodging attacks without breaking a sweat. She even managed to sneak in a few attacks of her own in the exchange and landed them on both of us.

However, we managed to get the best of her in the exchange with Benign ducking under one of her attacks and coming up landing a fierce uppercut that sent Gabrielle flying backward. When Grant noticed his sister went down he ran to her lifting a concrete wall beside him as he ran to block any attacks we may have launched.

He attempted to help his sister up but she pushed his hand away and stood up. It was obvious that she had gotten a lot angrier when she looked at us. Kitai ran back to our side.

“Let’s finish this,” Gabrielle said.

They both faced us and Grant lifted his palms like he was signaling a band to stand. the ground beneath our feet rose and covered our feet leaving us trapped where we stood. Then he rose them higher and the ground shot up and grabbed our hands.

“Now who should we kill first,” Gabrielle said. “The pretty boy?” She said looking at Benign.

“Or maybe we should start with the princess. Ladies first am I right?” She giggled.

“Or how about Salt and pepper he seems like the leader,” Grant said.

“Better yet I don’t feel like wasting time lets just kill them all together,” Gabrielle said as she stood front and center before us.

“Hold still now!” she said as she exhaled deeply.

“Hold your breath!” Benign said.

We held our breath and Gabrielle began sharply inhaling like Kirby. I could feel the oxygen around me being sucked away. She inhaled for at least 20 seconds before I was unable to hold my breath any longer. When I exhaled the oxygen in my lungs was being forcibly removed by Gabrielle effectively strangling me without contact. However, with the Soul of Fire coursing through every part of my body including my lungs, it wasn’t long before the fire came shooting out of my mouth like a fire-breathing dragon. The fire traced the oxygen and burned Gabrielle’s face forcing her to stop inhaling.

As Gabrielle fell to the floor screaming and holding her face Kitai blasted out of the ground with fire at his hands and feet. He was flying and not floating on water but actually flying. He flew full speed head-on into Grant’s stomach before he could realize what had just happened sending him flying across the ground holding his stomach. Kitai flew back over to us where he landed and punched through the concrete setting us free.

“You can fly?” Benign asked excitedly.

“I guess so,” Kitai said. “I was just focusing my prana to my hands and feet to break the concrete. I didn’t know when they broke I’d be flying upward.”

“That’s so amazing,” I said.

“Now lets really finish this,” Kitai said as he turned to face the twins who were both just now standing.

Gabrielle’s face burns were regenerating as they walked towards us. Kitai who was standing in-between Benign and I began levitating off of the ground.

“Show off,” Benign said smiling.

“Hey, maybe you can do it too.” Kitai smiled back.

“Are you three going to fight or socialize all day!” Gabrielle yelled over at us.

“Can you two handle her?” Kitai asked.

“Yea we got her,” Benign answered.

Kitai flew towards the twins and snatched Grant by the collar taking him to the sky.

“Hey, do you remember what Kitai did back in the mountains? Benign asked.

“Oh, yea his arm was like a flamethrower,” I responded.

“Exactly can yo do that?”

“I can try,” I replied.

“That’s good enough for me. you work on that and ill hold her off.”

Benign ran to Gabrielle and initiated another exchange of blows while I focused on turning my arm into a flamethrower. Kitai had taught me several moves but we hadn’t made it that far yet. I knew I had to focus my prana to my entire arm rather than just my hand. However, every time I swung my arm around, there was little to no fire shooting out.

Benign came sliding over to me with his head at my feet between my legs from a vicious blow. Lucky I was wearing camouflage cargo pants for women and a black t-shirt that only revealed my belly button and arms. Thanks Rihanna!

“You figure it out yet?” He asked.

“No, I’m sorry I’m trying,” I said in a panic.

“Hey don’t worry about me, I’m just having fun with her right now.” He said smiling as he stood to run back to her.

With no sign of Kitai and Benign sliding to my feet, I was nervous but I knew I had no choice or we would possibly die. I kept trying over and over with little progress and Benign in my sights losing his battle.

Finally, Gabrielle had lifted a beaten Benign in the air just as Assail did Ms. Cruise. The sight of losing a new friend the same way I lost an old friend must have sparked something in me. I ran at her full speed with fire in my eyes releasing a war cry. I swung my arm forward releasing a massive blast of fire that effectively set her entire body on fire. Benign fell out of the sky as her tornado faded and slammed into the ground. Just as Gabrielle fell to the ground still enflamed there was a loud roar in the air.

Subsequently, after the roar Kitai came crashing to the ground out of the sky. Grant followed shortly after landing near him. It was clear that Grant had sustained a lot of damage. However, when he saw his sisters corpse his wounds began to heal even quicker. He began breathing hard like an angry bull. His eyes were dead set on Benign and I. He roared to the top of his lungs and the ground that we stood on came crashing down back to the street level it was previously set at.

Benign and I fell to the floor and Grant came rushing towards us at full speed. When he was near us he jumped above and poured sand out of his hands. He then turned upside down in mid-air and came launching at us with a concrete fist. We both dodged him and when he hit the ground it split in front of him. He looked forward to Benign who had jumped backward and the split ran through his legs. Grant slammed both of his fists on the ground causing an earthquake in a small vicinity around him which caused Benign to fall. He then ran towards Benign while dragging his hands in the concrete. When he lifted his hands out to reveal them both of his hands were inside a concrete block that he used to slam on Benign’s legs.

Benign screamed to the top of his lungs in pain. Kitai was just arising from his devastating fall from the sky. Grant lifted the block once again above Benign this time going for the kill for sure.

I once again managed to pull off the flamethrower move however it wasn’t nearly as large or as effective as the one that took out Gabrielle. It burned Grant’s arm and made him stumble over to the side and the block crumbled. He turned to me and Kitai took his chance. He flew over to him punching Grant in the face from the side sending him flying into one of the houses.

“Stay here! Watch Benign.” Kitai said as he walked over to the house he knocked Grant into.

A family came running and screaming out of the front door of the house despite the large hole Grant made right next to it. As Kitai stepped on the sidewalk Grant appeared in the hole he had just made.

“I would like to know your names!” Grant yelled. “Its the least you can tell me after killing my sister!”

“That is Skye Silver as you mentioned before, the guy she’s next to is my little brother Benign Star and my name is Kitai Cruise of the Caves son of Senary the God of Wisdom!” Kitai exclaimed.

Kitai Flew full speed ahead into Grant with Flames blasting from his hands and feet. Grant lifted his hand effectively lifting his concrete shield but Kitai’s force was too much. Kitai blasted through the wall piercing Grants stomach and pushing him through the back of the same house.

Then there was silence. No sound from either of the two. Benign groaned in pain and I sat beside him still looking at the house. I could hear things in the house still losing balance and falling over breaking.

Suddenly everyone in the cul-de-sac houses began coming out to asses the damages done to their neighborhood. All of their faces were in shock and awe however they were all Demi-Gods that had been banished from their regions for one reason or another. A fight was nothing new to them but this was no ordinary fight.

Abruptly coming out of the hole it appeared to be Grant I was frightened because I was sure Kitai had finished him.

“There’s no way he survived that!” I thought to myself.

However, just as I thought that Grant’s body came collapsing to the floor revealing Kitai holding his arm out. Kitai stepped over his body and walked back over to us. Suddenly the neighbors of the Cul-De-Sac began clapping. They were all ecstatic, smiling and cheering. I was of course confused because we had just destroyed their street but they were nonetheless cheering for us like heroes. One of the neighbors even approached us.

“How is he?” He asked.

“Not good but he can survive. His injuries are too brutal to regenerate quickly.” Kitai responded.

I felt devastated, Ms. Cruise died protecting me and now Benign had his legs destroyed protecting me. I vowed at that moment to always stand up and fight for myself no matter what it cost. I could not allow any more people I cared about to be hurt at my expense. If I had to take the pain I would take the pain of fighting and not watch others endure it for me. Never again would I stand by while my friends ran into battle for me.

Lady luck struck hard for us on this particular day. The neighbor that approached us was banished from the islands for growing illegal herbs. He specialized in all kinds and had just what Benign needed to speed up his recovery. The neighbor ran into his home to fetch the herbs while we waited with Benign.

“So I take it we won,” Benign said.

“Yea we did,” Kitai said smiling.

“Were people cheering for us or was I dreaming that part?”

“No, they were cheering,” I said Laughing while happy crying at the same time because Benign was going to be ok.

“Well, why were they cheering?” He asked.

“Because we just took out the Rogue Twins. They’ve terrorized nearly everyone in Rogue Land and some people are like the herb grower, they aren’t here for violence.” Kitai explained.

“So I guess that makes us the most feared Demi-Gods of Rogue Land,” Benign said giggling through the pain.

Just as he said that the man came running back to us.

“Hey, here it is!” He said. “Just rub this cream on his legs like lotion and with his already accelerated regeneration he’ll be walking in no time like they were never broken.”

“Wow, thanks a thousand!” Benign said. “I greatly appreciate it.”

“No, we appreciate you.” The man said as he stood clapping.

The other neighbors again joined in clapping and cheering for us. I applied the cream to Benigns legs and almost instantly he was healed like magic. He stood to his feet and thanked the man once again.

“You’re welcome!… I didn’t get your names,” he said.

“Oh I’m Kitai Cruise, This is Benign Star and my lady friend there is Skye Silver,” Kitai answered.

“Skye Silver like the daughter of Fugaze?” He asked.

“Yes I am but I’m nothing like my father,” I said.

“Oh, I see the difference truly! Everyone in Rogue Land will know you all as Hero’s I will make sure to that!” He said. “Most people come to me for herbs and they will all know your name and what you did for us today.”

“Thank you,” Kitai said

“Are you all traveling through or staying in Rogue Land?” He asked.

“We’re traveling through” Kitai answered.

“Well you must be famished after a fight like that can I interest you in some food? My lady just cooked?”

Before we could answer Benign was practically walking him back to his house. Kitai and I looked at each other and laughed as we followed.

“I didn’t get your name,” I said as we approached his house.

“Oh sorry, my name is Cameron.” He replied as he turned to continue his conversation with Benign ahead.