Fair.

Aella found herself strong enough to stand and read the note Doll had left.

‘Gone to get some food and supplies from nearby village, back soon’

Aella didn’t waste any time, she grabbed her things and left immediately, as much as she found she cared for Doll, she remembered that Cadence had mentioned doll was planning to kill all the other warriors, and Aella had to at least rescue Claire before she was killed, so she set off to the north east in the direction of the capital, cutting across the fields of the Cinnamon hills so as to avoid Doll when she returned. She knew Doll would realise she was gone soon enough, but she just hoped for enough of a head start that she could get to Claire first.

–

The grass was wet from the recent rainfall and the day was about to wear itself out, Aella predicted that she had an hour or so of light left, and then she planned to push on a little further, she had rested enough lately and anything she could do to put herself further from an approaching warrior was a good move she thought.

–

as Doll nears the top of the steps up the hill to the dojo she thought back to the night her sister died, did Aella really know she only used but a fraction of her strength?

Doll decided she should tell Aella about her full potential ability, and that she wont fight her until she has mastered it.

“Hey Aella, I got food. And there’s something I want to talk to you abou-”

Aella was gone, and doll saw she had left a note.

‘I imagine you cared for me so we could have a fair fight, I’m sorry but I’d rather not fight you, and I have to help my friend first. So if its something we must do, please can it wait.’

“Silly girl.” Doll became very concerned, she knew she wouldn’t be the only warrior who had seen the wanted posters.

–

The sunset gave the hills a last wave of colour whilst preparing to go for the night, the breeze blew the grass around Aella pretty strongly, if only Aella had rested more, she might have perhaps noticed that her bracelet wasn’t pulling in Doll’s direction anymore.

“So you’re Aella huh? I have to say you seem to have a lot of glows, whilst I’ve only got mine.”

Aella looked to her right, another girl, maybe three or four years older than her stood a few meters away in the grass.

“Are you here to fight me?”

“That’s the idea, though I might not have killed… what’s that, six people? I do have plenty of training, and you… you look pretty weary. I like my chances. Best follow the rules though, I’m Jasu, it wouldn’t be right to fight you without telling you my name first.”

“I’m not going to fight you, I don’t like killing.” Aella started to continue walking, away from Jasu.

“Hey what’s that about? You cant just walk away from a banded warrior like that, who they hell do you think you are!?” Jasu wasn’t happy, “That’s it bitch, if you wont fight then that just makes it easy for me!”

Aella saw her shadow cast across the ground in front of her, a bright flashing was coming from Jasu, Aella turned just in time and put up a shield, there was intense crackling as Jasu’s lightning hit Aella’s defence. Jasu stopped herself.

“Another lightning type eh? I must admit I wasn’t expecting that, this will be fun I think!”

Jasu shot another two beams of lightning this time and maintained their blast.

“Let’s see who’s tougher, you seem a little untrained and I can go much more powerful, can you feel it yet?”

“STOP IT! I don’t want to fight you! Why do we have to fight!?”

“Stupid bitch, isn’t there something you want to change about the world, something worth killing for? I sure as hell think there is, and I’m going to rise to the top in style, I’m going to be a hero for killing one of the people who attacked Koob!”

The Lightning continued and Aella started to cry.

“Please… stop, if you push much harder, I wont be able to control it.”

“Oh, you have more? In that case I want to see it!”

–

Doll followed the pull on her bracelet, she knew Aella couldn’t have gotten too far.

There was a huge blue flash a mile or so before her, one doll recognised immediately, she knew Aella was in trouble so she set off towards it as quickly as she could, but before she even covered 100 meters the light changed, it quickly became a massive pillar, reaching off into the sky and out into space, it became a deafening roar all around it and even from the distance doll was she could feel the heat, if must have been a mile wide at least.

The pillar burned for about a minute before dissipating, and Doll rushed as fast as she could towards the source of it.