“We’re going too fast,” Ignas shouted.
Faust grunted. “I am not doing anything.” He didn’t understand it. It was as if another force had taken control of the fighter.
“Land!” Ignas pleaded. “Continuing will only put us in danger.”
Faust had to agree. He squinted out the window, but he couldn’t see anything on the ground. Landing blind was not a good idea.
“Front!” Ignas shouted.
Faust threw his attention forward, and his heart raced. Clouds spiraled down in a vortex. He jerked the handle, but it locked in place. He focused on the howling wind and grasped it with his magic to form a barrier around them. “Hang on.”
The vortex swallowed the small fighter and propelled it at a horrifying speed.
Faust let go of the control stick and hung on to the handles on both sides of him. The wind threw them in a never-ending circle, and it grew difficult to keep them protected. A sharp jerk to the left slammed him into the door, and he groaned, his vision blurry.
A streak of blue crossed Faust’s vision, and he startled. The natural magic of Alimphis coiled with his magic in a joyous spark, flooding him with a sense of home. Another magic touched his in a brief pass and forced his sky stone to pulse. The magic danced with his own magic in a questioning, yet familiar manner, and it was as if time had stopped until a sharp gasp rushed around Faust, followed by a gleeful laugh. Something deep within him resonated and Faust’s eyes watered.
The fighter tore from the vortex and spiraled out of control. Faust shoved the strange feeling aside in favor of trying to stay alive. He tumbled once before he could grasp the stick again. He threw magic into the fire stone and ignited the ore while grabbing at the wind with his sky stone to level the fighter.
“Still with me, Ignas?”
“. . . Yeah.”
Faust heaved a sigh of relief and reached his water stone. The water slid off the glass, and he saw a forest. “I am going to land.”
“Don’t crash. The third lever controls the wheels.”
“I cannot promise that,” Faust mumbled. He angled the Volar into a dive. The ground came closer and closer. He threw magic into his sky stone and let the fighter glide. Faust sparked his earth stone next, and the tree branches below receded. He jerked the wheels down with a pull of the third lever and hit the ground with a bounce. It took all of Faust’s concentration to stop the Volar, forcing vines to yank the fighter to a stop.
Faust fell forward, his breathing rapid. His stones fell silent, and his magic flooded back to him in a dizzying rush. He couldn’t stop shaking.
Ignas scrambled out of the Volar and yanked Faust’s door open. He snatched the fire stone out of the notch and the fighter silenced.
Faust slumped forward, his eyes closed tight. He’d used far too much magic—the world needed to stop spinning.
Ignas pulled Faust into his arms. “Faust, can you walk?”
Faust tried to speak, but it came out a garbled mess of words, his vision blurry.
Ignas cursed. He set Faust back against the seat. “Rest,” Ignas said and grabbed a bag from under Faust’s seat. He grabbed another from his seat and lifted Faust onto his back. “Hang on. We need to find shelter.”
Faust nodded and gripped at Ignas’s shoulders, hiding in his warmth, his vision growing dark.
Fire crackled and popped near Faust. He forced his eyes open, and his vision focused on a rocky ceiling. He blinked hard and turned on his side, a cloth falling off his forehead. A bright, red aura caught Faust’s attention, and he laid eyes on Ignas stationed closer to the mouth of the cave, his guns handy.
Faust sat up, the blankets falling to his naked lap.
“Your clothes should be dry by now,” Ignas said, not looking back.
Faust looked around and found his clothes folded beside him. He put them on and tugged everything in place. “How long have I been out?” he asked and pushed his glasses into place.
“Half the night.”
Faust frowned and slipped his boots on. He felt messy, but it would do for now. He spotted his satchel near a pile of supplies, and he sighed in relief. “Where are we?”
“We were thrown farther than I thought,” Ignas said. “We’re closer to the border of Roltan, but we’re still a week’s ride out.”
“How is that possible? It should have taken us two weeks to get here.”
Ignas shrugged. “Alimphis can do strange things with the weather. Perhaps we weren’t meant to go to Akarvine.”
Faust pursed his lips. Something or someone sent them this way. He’d felt it back in the storm, but he doubted Ignas would believe that story.
Ignas looked to the sky. “Whatever that whole mess was is clearing. Once the rain stops, we should keep moving.” He turned to Faust. “How are you feeling?”
“Drained.”
Ignas gave a rueful smile. “If you hadn’t used magic, we wouldn’t still be here.”
Faust opened his mouth to agree, but the rain poured harder.
Ignas snorted. “It appears Alimphis does not want us leaving.” He stood and joined Faust inside the cave. “No one will get through that anytime soon. I think it’s safe to relax.”
Faust watched the trail of smoke leaving the cave. “What if someone sees the fire?”
Ignas frowned.
Faust lifted one hand, and his earth stone glowed a faint green, but Ignas grabbed his wrist. “I just wanted to give us a little more cover, nothing strenuous.” Faust smiled, but Ignas’s grey eyes bore into him, and his red aura flickered. “I will be fine. If the trees have more leaves, the smoke will be harder to see.”
Ignas let go of Faust’s wrist. “All right.”
Faust gave Ignas a kiss on the cheek. “You worry too much. I will not break.” His smile grew wider when Ignas averted his gaze. Faust lifted his hand again and concentrated. The trees creaked, and the ground rumbled as leaves and branches grew. He dropped his hand and took a deep breath. “There.” Ignas still stared, so he scooted closer and situated himself on the mercenary’s lap.
“Are you trying to distract me from being worried?” Ignas asked.
Faust leaned back and stroked the side of Ignas’s face. “And if I was?”
Ignas made a sound of approval and held Faust tight in his arms, nuzzling his neck. “You are warmer now, but I can make you much warmer.”
Faust squirmed. “Ignas.”
Ignas dropped kisses along Faust’s neck. “That’s my name, gorgeous.”
“We cannot afford to be that distracted.”
“No Volant would be sane enough to fly in this. We’re safe for now.” Ignas continued kissing Faust’s neck.
“We. Are. Outside.”
“And?” Ignas kissed Faust’s ear. “We’re alone.”
Faust shuddered. “And I can just make it warmer with my fire stone.”
A grunt of displeasure slipped from Ignas’s lips. “No more magic. You must learn not to rely on it so much. You may be allowed to use it now, but that may not always be the case. Those without magic will come to loathe you.”
Faust sighed. It was so nice to use his magic without restraint, but Ignas was right. Ever since he left the castle, he used his magic more and more. If he continued to do so, the people might expect him to always use magic to solve problems.