CHAPTER 7

Anyone could see Avani Sai was annoyed as the group sauntered down the copper coloured streets of the City of Gold once again.

"Gentleman," Ignis Tenebrio gazed to Nuri, with a playful smirk on his face, "lady," he shot a look to Avani, "and others," he looked to Vayu, who stuck a light pink tongue out of his bright red lips, "what shall it be? Expensive foods, games, booze?"

Avani spoke up, despite the fact that her attitude stunk, "booze, if you're paying, kind sir."

Ignis laughed sarcastically, "as long as you can find us a place, then it's on me, Vani."

She seemed to grit her teeth at this, but Vayu spoke up before she could bash Ignis' head in, "guys. Has anyone forgotten, but I'm like fourteen."

"Vayu, it'll be fine. I'll watch your liquor." Avani reassured him, and took off in a random direction, arriving swiftly at a badly lit bar. She knocked on the door, and one of the barmaids recognised her face, letting her in immediately.

"What can I get you?" The maid asked politely. Avani didn't look at the menu.

"Just tell Rin I'll have my usual, times four." She laughed softly, and the maid nodded, going to the bar, where a large, hairy man sat, cleaning some glasses. He winked at Avani, who nodded in his direction and then she turned back to the group.

"I'm impressed," Ignis commented, "that you actually have friends."

"For your information, I helped Rin's family out while I was still an assassin, happy?" She said mockingly, as the maid returned with four glasses, bubbling with a neon pink coloured liquid. Nuri gazed around nervously, but the dance floor wasn't exactly welcoming. Despite the pounding music, people were seen chatting around the floor, while the dancers were mashed together in a tight, sweaty mess of auras, races, genders, everything.

"You take it like a shot," Avani explained, "it heightens your senses." She said as she titled her head backward, and closed her eyes, when she opened them again, they had specks of gold lodged in them, like someone had taken an exploding bullet made of gold, and shot her in the face, leaving shrapnel in her eyes. Vayu and Ignis did the same thing, while Nuri hesitantly brought his up, and tilted it backward, his eyes lighting up. Their surroundings came into focus, the dark, dancing figures closer, the music louder, and the ambience clearer.

It became even better when a tune rung through the lively bar, the violins and flutes tearing through the air. Ignis held a hand to Nuri, who pretended to look away and hide the fact that he was blushing once again and asked, "shall we?"

"Why not?" Nuri answered with a jovial laugh as he let Ignis pull him onto the dance floor. They danced along the dance floor in an elegant manner, Nuri laughing carelessly as Ignis spun him around the small dance floor. All the guests in the bar had their eyes glued to the pair as they gleefully danced around the floor. As the song crescendoed, the duo twirled around after which Ignis said in a mock-formal tone, "shall I trip you, or will you fall of your own volition this time?"

Nuri shook his head, giving Ignis a playful glare, and replying in the same formal tone, "you may do the honours, Mr Tenebrio." Just like they had done at the benefit ball, Ignis swept Nuri off his feet, and swiftly caught him with a graceful swoop of his arm. Nuri was breathless in Ignis' grip, who held a convivial grin.

"This time it went a little better, don't you agree?" He looked to Nuri during the thunderous applause.

"Just a slight bit." Nuri agreed with a smile, and they retired back to their table.

Avani was practically cackling as they returned, "when I saw Nuri and Milo in the living room, trying to perfect the waltz, I never imagined I'd see the kid with two left feet dance."

Ignis nudged Nuri playfully as they sat down, while he shot Avani a quick glare. It was the first time anyone had seen her with anything else but a sneer on her face, and she half blamed the alcohol for it and half the fact that she was slightly enjoying herself. Ignis suddenly gazed backward, and then looked back to the group.

"I wasn't going to mention this while we were dancing, but there's this guy at the edge of the bar that's been watching us since we walked in." He said in a hushed tone. Nuri and Avani immediately surveyed the room, while Vayu's eyes drooped. Nuri saw the scattered aura colours filling up his vision, in one blinding mass of bright yellows, purples, pinks, reds, greens, and a couple of gold ones too. None of the auras stood out to him though, and when he turned to Avani, she shrugged meaning none of them stuck out to her as well. However they weren't the best "aura-seers" the filii aurea had to offer, Nuri had only used his skill once or twice, where Avani used it to make out shapes in the dark, Vayu had spent years training to discern auras and identities, so if anyone could identify the guy who was staring at them, it was to be Vayu.

"It's that guy over there." Ignis remarked as Nuri's gaze floated back to his. The man he was pointing toward had the same hair colour as Milo, and the same eyes, except his seemed to be darker and more troubled. The more Nuri stared at him, the more his aura seemed to tint red, like he was filled with a deep sense of hate toward them. Avani looked at him as well, confirming with Nuri that it was definitely alarming, and that it must be someone who was looking for them.

She shook her head, momentarily looking at the now asleep Vayu, and then back to Ignis, "I don't know about you, but he's giving me the creeps."

Ignis' eye took on a determined look, and he shook Vayu, "we need you to look at this guy." He mumbled something in reply, but opened his inky eyes, and looked to Avani.

"Vani, don't want to." He said softly, voice laced with sleep.

"If you do, I'll buy you another round." Ignis said with a mischievous tone to his voice. At this Vayu perked up, and Avani muttered an "unbelievable" under her breath. He gazed around the room, eyes freezing on the man Ignis described, and turning back to Avani with a horrified expression on his face. She nodded once in Nuri's direction, face looking just as grim as Vayu's, and he turned to Ignis.

"We need to get out of here, like now." He said quickly, and Ignis nodded in reply. The mage dumped a couple of silvers on the table, and then got up, weaving his way through the crowd. The others followed quickly, while Nuri gazed backward to try and find the aura that seemed to loom around in the crowd. He couldn't find any discernable auras and swore under his breath as they ran into a crowded street, weaving their way through civilians.

"What did you see, Vayu?" Ignis asked as they pulled him through the crowded street, littered with golden auras.

"Someone bad." Vayu mumbled with his eyes glued to the floor, the same horrified expression still glued to his face.

"It was Aziel Aro," Avani said, and even though she was trying to mask her fear with anger, they could see even she was panicking, "the psycho who wants us dead. Meri's uncle." She sighed, but it came out almost ragged, and turned to Nuri quickly, "how did he find us?"

"I don't know." Nuri replied, also panicked. He gazed back into the sea of auras, hoping to find their pursuer.

"Well, we did kind of rule the dance floor in there," Ignis reasoned, quickening the pace, "you think he'd attack in public? We could keep going or take a shortcut through one of the alleyways, but if he's going to attack anyway."

"Aziel doesn't care about the lives of civilians. If he has a clear shot, he'll pierce you with a blade made of ice or something," Nuri replied gravely, still gazing back, "all I know is that anyone who comes into contact with him dies, and he's set on our blood specifically." From deep within the crowd, something sparkled, and the crimson aura appeared out of nowhere. Vayu opened his mouth to scream, but it was too late because Aziel's shards of ice had hit him in multiple points. Nuri had raised a giant wall of fire just before the shards pierced them as well, and now watched as Aziel emerged from the crowd cowering to the sides, dressed in death. Everyone's faces were set with determination. It was different from when they fought their own battles, this time they had to try and protect their friends, and hopefully try and hold Aziel off long enough to get Vayu to a healer.

"I don't know what your issue is, but no one hurts my friends," Ignis announced loudly, his hands wielding a blinding fire, and his eyes shining with a slight glow, "I'd appreciate it if you stand back a little." He said to the two behind him, and it was clear he was livid.

Aziel paid no attention to him, and swiped him out of the way, trapping him in an iron grip. It was worse than when Avani used her skill on him, he could still move slightly, but this was as if Aziel had him right by the blood.

Aziel's dark and dangerous eyes landed on Ignis, who was struggling against his grip, "this does not concern you, mage." He turned all of his focus to Nuri and Avani, who had taken their battle stances, Nuri the Aurean stance, and Avani the Academy stance. His hands were lit up in bright orange fire while Avani materialised two daggers coated in some or other poison in her hands, and set her gaze on the enemy in front of her. One thought flitted through her mind ELIMINATE. They sprung into action, movements in sync with one another, Nuri attacked Aziel head on, with fire knives positioned in his hands, and Aziel hurling shards of ice in his direction, while Avani danced around him, trying to slice whatever flesh was exposed. She could see she was weakening him, when suddenly she could not move at all, and she heard a familiar voice breaking through the tension.

"Over here." Ignis called, with black eyes and black flames licking his fingertips.

Aziel dismissed him once again, tightening his grip on Ignis, but letting Nuri and Avani go. They reassumed their stances, but it seemed Aziel had taken some of their life force, and absorbed it, because he seemed to be standing strong once again.

"Tell Magister to stay out of my affairs. This does not concern the Academy. I do not need her to send cocky mages with impure abilities to get in my way." Aziel said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, I'm not just cocky." Black flames burst out around Aziel, who seemed to panic and attempted to tighten his grip once again on Ignis, but to no avail, because the flames seemed to be closing in one him. Ignis used this opportunity to go over to his two tired looking companions, Avani's skin shone with sweat and Nuri's normally healthy complexion looked pale and almost sickly.

"I'm going to try something," he said, "so just hold onto me." They walked over to Vayu quickly, and joined hands, while Ignis chanted something in a foreign language. Suddenly light erupted around them, and the black flames dispersed around Aziel, who gazed around furiously. He couldn't read their auras anymore, the only thing he could see was Vayu's blood, sparkling gold in the moonlight, almost taunting him. He signalled that the group should remain quiet and started off in a direction. Avani pulled Vayu up, while Nuri trailed haphazardly next to her, trying to help, but not really doing anything. They returned to the alleyway where the portal was located, and then Ignis collapsed, breathing like he had just finished running a marathon. Although a little lightheaded, Nuri wasn't nearly as tired as Ignis, and he approached him slowly, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" He said in a nervous laugh, and stood once again, this time addressing Avani, "we should take him to the Academy, I know someone who could help him."

She shook her head however, "Vayu's ridiculously religious. It would be disrespectful if he wasn't treated by an Aurean healer." Nuri agreed as well.

"We do have great healing mages at the Academy," Ignis shot back, "they teach the students how to heal with limited resources. Professor Juvia's the best."

"I don't want to offend Vayu's religion, nor mine. Last time someone insulted him for that, they suffocated. As long as it's Professor Juvia. Mr Enlai used to say she was as well versed as he was in Aurean healing," she said with a shrug, but then agreed, "just let him suffocate you, not me please." They stepped back into the portal, feeling weightless for a second, before they stepped out, in front of a dimly lit door, decorated with various plants. Ignis stepped forward while Nuri and Avani hung back, propping Vayu up against the door. He knocked on the plant-adorned door, "professor Juvia," he called out, and there was a rumbling behind the door. It swung open, revealing a short woman with a high ponytail, sporting white pyjamas and wide spectacles.

"What do you want now...?" She almost demanded, but then her face broke into a smile, "Ignis!" She exclaimed, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug, "it's been so long! Get inside for a cup of tea, I just made some. How is the Royal Force? Any secret missions?" She raised her eyebrows playfully, while Ignis laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.

"All in due time, professor, but first, can I ask an urgent favour?" He asked, sort of hesitantly.

"Probably a potion, or healing someone, isn't it? You were always useless at that!" She laughed loudly, while Ignis smiled nervously.

"Yes. It's my friend, he's hurt. Badly. Would you help?" He asked.

"Of course I would, now get your arses in here!" She pulled him inside and then gestured for Nuri and Avani to pull Vayu in as well. The small room was a mess, and she swiped a ton of papers off a desk, and then covered it with a blanket, instructing Nuri to put Vayu down on it.

"I'll be damned..." She looked at Avani, but then dismissed the thought, "you two look like shite." She said to Avani and Nuri, who were leaning against a wall, "Ignis! Go make some herbal tea, and throw some ginseng in there! This one looks like he's about to topple over!" She demanded loudly, scribbling furiously onto a piece of paper, "and get this from my laboratory when you're done!" She said, while Ignis nodded timidly. She then turned to examine Vayu, she tore open his shirt, watching as blood oozed out of the wounds and onto her floor. She turned to Nuri.

"I know these wounds. You were in a fight with the Aro maniac weren't you?" She asked him.

He snapped out of his trance, nodding, "he found us in a private tavern. Vayu identified his aura."

"That's incredible! This one must have had rigorous training!" She marvelled, "what did you say his name was again?" She asked quickly, gathering some of Vayu's blood in a container and placing it next to her. A shrill noise came from behind them and Nuri's head whipped toward Ignis who emerged with four cups of tea, a couple of leaves still floating around in Nuri's.

"Vayu, professor. Vayu Negi." Nuri answered, thanking Ignis with a smile and blowing into his tea.

"Negi, you say? Ah, I see why." She nodded, "I'd rather not ask what your business with Aziel Aro is, but I'll do my best to save your friend. Now get out!" She shoved them out the door before Nuri could reply, and then Ignis took off in a direction. Both Avani and Nuri followed him, in fear of getting lost. They arrived at a double door marked PROFESSOR JUVIA – MEDICINAL MAGIC LAB.

"I'll be right back." Ignis said and disappeared into the laboratory, coming back swiftly with a bunch of plants in his hands. They followed him back to professor Juvia's place, opening the door slowly. A couple of mumbles were exchanged, and Ignis emerged again with the tray of warm drinks they had left inside.

"Let's go to my room." He said, leading them in a direction toward the rest of the rooms of the Academy. They walked down the labyrinthine corridors once more, and found themselves in the middle of the hostel, going up two flights of stairs. Ignis' room was lit with candles all over and the bed on the other side of the room was in disarray.

"I usually have a roommate." He explained, "but Avani can use that bed for tonight." He said with a smile, placing the tea down on a nearby table. Avani didn't wait for him to offer her a seat, she sat down quickly, almost sinking into her seat. The tension was thick, hanging over them like a thunderstorm. Ignis offered her a cup of tea, which she declined.

"It helps with the shock." He said softly.

"I'm fine." She attempted a polite smile, but instead it took on a wry look, as she didn't meet his gaze. Nuri sighed, and gave him a look that said 'just let her be'.

A dark grey haze fell over the room as everyone's auras took on a grey variation. Nuri then remembered how Ignis had saved them in the battlefield. The initial shock of Aziel attacking them, and the intensity of his attack, as well as Vayu's acute injuries had messed with his memory.

"How did you make us disappear," Nuri asked as he saw both Ignis and Avani's eyes dart upward, "back there, with Aziel?"

Ignis answered with a question, "do any of you know who the Lux clan are?"

Nuri shrugged, "I don't know, we don't cover Magi History very often, and even then we only learned about the prominent Clans, like Magister's, I just know they were frowned upon, like most Magi Clans, for not embracing peaceful Aurean traditions. There's a belief that Mother Nature punished them for disobeying Her rule and killed off the clan in battle."

"There are many rumours of how we died out," Ignis replied, "long story short, we were a clan that had both Light and Fire blood, resulting in the white flames. I'm the first member in over a century that has the ability to yield both. My clan was killed off in battle before I could master Light magic though. I had hoped to learn about it at the Academy, but it seems the art of Light magic is something that died out with my clan," he said grimly, "I just distorted the light around us to make it look like we were gone."

"That's amazing," Nuri breathed out, but his eyes widened as soon as he realised how insensitive the answer was, "but extremely sad. I mean, I've never heard of anyone who could wield two abilities. I might be able to scorch people, but it's simply an extension of fire, just as minerals are of earth."

Avani joined in, "I once heard of a line of descendants that were obsessed with power and tried to harness two abilities by drinking the blood of the impure. Most of them were driven to insanity, and died off," she announced nonchalantly, looking toward Ignis, "sounds familiar, doesn't it?"

Ignis became visibly angered, but regained his composure before he spoke, "if you must know, my clan wasn't driven to extinction by madness or insanity. My clan was wiped out by an insanely powerful mage who'd heard of our combat abilities and decided to see what we were made of. He came in the night, while we were preparing dinner around the fire, and single-handedly killed every member of our clan. He left me there, barely able to move, because he was 'saving me for later'." He shook his head as an angry tear slid down his cheek, "I'm going to check on professor Juvia's progress." He announced, and then disappeared into the dense hallways of the Academy. Nuri wanted to follow him, but was scared that he would get lost in the labyrinth, and instead glared at Avani, who was silently sipping her cup of tea.

"Congratulations." Nuri said dismissively, sitting down on Ignis' bed so that he could look her in the eye. He could see her eyes held guilt, despite her body language projecting nonchalance, and her aura being grey.

"You know," he started as he heard her sigh, "just because you're in love with Vayu doesn't mean you can lash out on everyone, just because he's hurt." He practically scolded her, but she simply scoffed. Her aura tinged to a dark red.

"I'm not in love with Vayu." She said quickly, "I'm just not particularly excited about being back here, you of all people should know why. Go bother someone else, Nuri." She said through gritted teeth, as if she were trying to hold herself together, desperately.

"I will not, Avani. You reduced a friend of mine to tears with your blatant disrespect and disregard for other human beings," he glared at her angrily, "just because your past was gory, or Vayu is hurt, doesn't mean you get to be a she-devil all the time."

This time her eyes clouded over with emotion and she stood up, "you know what, no. Don't you dare tell me how to feel!" She exclaimed angrily, "you don't even know me!"

"Correction, I know you, Avani. I've known you for two years, I know what happened to you, and you can't keep using it as an excuse." Nuri fired back.

"Stop it! Stop telling me that! Speak to me again when you have to slit throats for a living, or when the only damn person who cares about you kills your best friend and then throws you in a dungeon!" She shook her head vehemently, "talk to me again when you have no one left but some fourteen year old kid who's bleeding out on an operating table."

"Avani... I," Nuri was about to say something when the door opened again and Avani shielded her face from Ignis.

"Avani, there are people in this hostel. Please refrain from loud noises." He reprimanded, "also Professor Juvia wants to see us." He spun around on his heels, and walked back out the door, waiting for Nuri and Avani to follow. She followed with her eyes glued to the floor and Nuri with his teeth nibbling on the bottom of his lip. Ignis walked at a brisk pace, and they quickly arrived at professor Juvia's room once again. Avani and Nuri stepped in after him, and shut the door softly.

The professor gazed up with a smile on her face, "your friend is going to be OK. Thank goodness he was so intoxicated, otherwise he'd be writhing in pain right now!" She let out a laugh, while Avani almost shot her an ugly glare, "he should be up by tomorrow morning, I gave him some sedatives to speed up his recovery," then she held up the canister of Vayu's blood she had taken earlier, "I noticed his blood is gold. Would you mind if I kept some of it? It seems to be quite unique and I would like to study it."

"Um," Nuri hesitated, "if there's anything you'd like to know about our blood, you may ask me, but I'm afraid it must be disposed of. Currently we're being hunted for our blood and the fact that you can see the true colour of our blood possibly means the rest of the people can. As you might be aware, ichor is worth a fortune on the black market."

"Ichor?" The professor's eyes widened, "by God, that's amazing! So the legends are true, huh? The Aureans really are descended from Gods! I promise I will not inform anyone of it, I would simply like to do some tests, see what it's molecular composition is."

Nuri chewed on the bottom of his lip for a while, before answering, "all right."

"Lovely!" Professor Juvia exclaimed, "your friend should be fine by tomorrow morning, except for a massive headache and some stitches." Nuri exhaled in relief, while Avani meekly approached professor Juvia.

"Thank you," she said, looking into the professor's eyes with sincerity, "for saving Vayu's life." Then she turned to Ignis, the same tone of voice and look in her eyes still remaining, "and I'm sorry for what I said about your clan. My family suffered a similar fate, I of all people should know how sensitive the topic is." Ignis' reply was a silent nod.

He turned to professor Juvia, "thanks a lot for all that you've done, professor. I appreciate it." The professor gave a quick nod, "let's head back then." He remarked, exiting the room. Nuri smiled once more at professor Juvia, before turning around and pulling Avani out with him.

She tugged on his sleeve like a timid child, "who's doing Vayu duty tonight?" She asked meekly, voice fading away against the harsh rainfall.

Ignis turned to reply before Nuri could, "she gave him redroot. She was serious when she said he wouldn't be waking up until tomorrow morning."

"I know what redroot is." She replied quickly, "but sometimes... it helps... to... I don't know, sit next to him... it soothes him." She said bashfully, avoiding everyone's gaze. Ignis simply shrugged.

"If you want to, go ahead. Redroot cuts off all the senses, he won't even know you're there." He said with dark eyes, pushing the door open and softly placing Vayu's limp body down onto the second bed. From out of a trunk, appeared two other mattresses with pillows and blankets. He gestured to his bed for Avani, who nodded and sat meekly down on the edge. Everyone settled softly into their beds, almost treading around Ignis.

"Everyone ready for me to put the light off?" He asked, and Nuri nodded as well as Avani. The lights flicked off, and Nuri desperately tried to analyse Ignis' aura. It was the only indication of how he was feeling, but it didn't reveal much. It was white, empty, vast, and numb. The only time he'd ever seen a white aura was when they brought Avani in covered in blood. He sighed, and stared up at the ceiling, wishing he knew how to project stars on the ceiling, and wishing the rain would stop.