The girl’s eyes locked with Nido’s.
Then she flipped the table.
Mapo tofu flew like spicy confetti as she bolted through the crowd.
“She’s running!” Nido shouted, dodging a bouncing tofu and chasing after her.
General Au was already ahead. “Stay close.”
They darted into the narrow streets of Ashfall, weaving through torch-lit alleys and twisting corners like a volcanic maze.
“She’s fast!” Nido huffed.
“And rude,” came Heiminbrand’s muffled voice. “I was mid-rant when she stuffed me in that chili sack!”
“She still has you? Keep yelling—we’re using your sass as GPS!”
“Oh, good. I’m a magical tracking device now. Living the dream.”
The path spilled into a quiet clearing behind the town. No crowd. Just blackened stone and lava-glow shadows.
The girl whirled around, fiery hair whipping like a comet.
“Stand back!” she yelled. “I won’t let you take this sword!”
Nido raised a hand. “It’s barely a sword—it doesn’t even have a blade. Why do you even want it?”
“Excuse you—” Heiminbrand started.
“You’re not even sharp!” Nido added.
“Emotionally, I’m cutting. That counts.”
To Nido’s shock, the girl replied. “If you don’t shut up, I will keep you in a jar of chilli oil.”
Then, another voice chimed in. Calm. Confident. “Sol, breathe.”
She pulled out a second hilt—sleek, dark, glowing with red runes.
“I need this sword to defeat Loki. Eldrbrand, flame up!”
WHOOSH.
A blazing sword of pure fire roared to life in her hands.
“Stand down,” General Au commanded, stepping forward.
“We found her!” Nido pleaded. “This is great!”
“I don’t trust anyone who just sent from a different world,” Sol snapped. “I don’t have time for prophecies. I make my own fate.”
She charged. General Au blocked the strike, his golden blade clashing against hers with a burst of sparks.
Nido stumbled backward. “Whoa, whoa—I don’t want spicy death!”
Sol’s attacks were lightning fast. Elegant. Dangerous.
As Nido scrambled, he glanced down. A blob of mapo tofu clung to his shirt.
“Gross,” he muttered, flinging it to the ground.
Sol’s foot hit the tofu. She slipped.
In that second, Au sliced her bag—Heiminbrand tumbled free.
Nido leapt. “Mine!”
He caught the sword mid-air, grinning. “Air up!”
Poof.
A dagger.
Sol laughed. “You’re the one in the prophecy? You can’t even butter toast with that.”
Nido’s face burned. “Say that again.”
A pulse of energy shot through him. The blade stretched—just a bit.
Sol stopped laughing.
Nido lunged, slashing with all his weight.
Sol blocked effortlessly and shoved him down.
She stepped forward, sword to his neck.
“Let’s end it here.”399Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswx4L9Z9lH
End of Chapter 9
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