Crimson Fire

Chapter Three

After defeating Sandra and the four men at the cattle ranch, Stella, Renee, Florian, and Jasper make their way to the village square.

"So, I'm assuming you two didn't have time to look for an inn?" Stella asked Florian and Jasper.

Jasper chuckles quietly. "No, I was busy."

"Busy?" Renee said. "Yeah, busy getting kidnapped! How did that even happen?"

"Well," Jasper began. "What happened was-"

"Just stop!" Renee snapped. "Orchis and I are hungry. We'll talk more after we eat."

"Yeah," Stella agreed and then looked at the boys. "You two hungry again?"

"Not me." Florian said.

"Doesn't matter," Stella said. "You're still coming with us. We wouldn't want anyone getting kidnapped again.

"Then why ask us…" Florian said quietly to himself.

"I'm hungry, though!" Jasper said excitedly.

"Did getting kidnapped make you hungry?" Renee said.

With that said, everyone went to a nearby restaurant. This place serves lamb meat.

Inside the restaurant, everyone sat down and waited for a server to come. After several minutes of waiting, Renee got irritated. "Why hasn't anyone come to us yet?"

Stella looks at the counter where there's a line of two people. "I think we have to get in line for our food."

Florian stands up. "I'll go. What do you guys want?"

"Grilled lamb is fine." Stella said.

"Me, too!" Renee said and looked at Jasper. "Why don't you go with him in case he needs help carrying the food?"

Florian and Jasper go to the counter to order food. After five minutes, they both come back to the table with four plates of grilled lamb, rice, and grilled tomatoes.

"So, this Andrew guy," Stella said. "Apparently, he owns the sheep ranch. Considering that we are eating lamb in this place, it must mean that the meat is from there. Any ideas as to what we should do next?"

Renee thinks for a bit. "The obvious answer is to go to the ranch."

Jasper just has a realization. "Oh! Sandra said she has a twin sister that works for Andrew. I remembered her name was Cassie."

"Yeah," Stella agreed. "If Cassie were the one that attacked Renee and me, you and Florian should go there. Renee and I will be on standby in case anything happens."

"Don't we get a say in this?" Florian asked, probably not a serious question.

"Just say yes," Renee said. "And we can start."

Florian sighs. "Fine… When do we start?"

Stella thinks for a bit. "In the afternoon. Let's find an inn for now."

Inside the inn, Florian and Jasper went to the receptionist. The receptionist was a girl in her mid-twenties.

"Hello," said the receptionist, looking bored. "Here to check in?"

"Yeah, two rooms." Florian answered.

The receptionist looks confused. "Don't you mean one room? Aren't you guys together?"

"We're not gay," Jasper said. "And we have other people with us. That's why we're booking two rooms."

"Oh," said the receptionist. "I didn't ask, but alright." She gives two keys to Florian.

Everyone goes upstairs to their respective room. The girls go to their room for a nap. The boys decide to head out for sightseeing.

Downstairs in the lobby, the boys proceed to go outside.

"Hey, guys!" said a voice. It belongs to Sandra. She smirks at the boys. "I thought I would find you here. Didn't think you'd get away from destroying the barn, did you?!" With an angry face, she approaches the boys. "You guys are coming with me!"

Four men walk in from the entrance. They were different from earlier ones.

"Let's go now!" Sandra glared at the boys. "And this time, you don't have the girls to protect you."

Two of the four men go behind Florian while the remaining two go behind Jasper.

""We'll see about that." Sandra said. "My boss will take care of you guys. And I'm not talking about the good kind."

The walk back to the cattle ranch was awkward and silent.

Back at the cattle ranch from earlier, Florian and Jasper could see the barn that was destroyed by Stella.

Standing in front of the broken barn is a man about late twenties or early thirties. He looks angry with a muscular chest. Black jeans, brown boots, and a dark red shirt. His eyes are brown, and he has dark brown hair. For some reason, he wears a helmet.

He looks to Sandra as she, the four men, Florian, and Jasper approach the barn. "I thought you said there were four of them?"

"There were, Georgios." Sandra answered. "I thought we would deal with these two first, and then their little girlfriends later."

"Good!" He then turns to the boys with a glare. "You guys destroyed my barn?!"

Jasper shakes his head. "First off, the two girls aren't our girlfriends. And second, technically, it wasn't us that destroyed your barn."

Florian nods. "Yeah, exactly as my friend said. Sooooo, we'll just leave now."

The four men step in front of the boys to prevent them from leaving.

Florian turns back around to face Georgios. "So, since we are here. How can we help you?"

Instead of receiving a verbal response from Georgios, Florian and Jasper were both run over by Georgios and his helmet. The attack was an Earth Charge using his Midrash-coated helmet. The boys took some damage and fell onto the ground.

Florian stands up and tries to throw a Poison Spellbomb with his right hand, but Georgios grabs it and punches him with an Earth Punch.

Jasper activates his Sura to bring forth his Dagger. He tries to attack Georgios with a Dust Slash, but Georgios counters with Ground Punch. The Dagger falls out of Jasper's right hand.

Georgios charges at the boys with a Ground Charge. Jasper throws a Dust Spellbomb at his opponent. Instead of moving out of the way to dodge, Georgios runs through it. The two Midrash energies collide into an explosion of particles.

Using this as an opportunity, Florian makes a series of Sludge Punches at Georgios. The helmet flies off of the latter's head. With combined effort, the battle is now over.

Sandra and the four men just stand there and watch.