Children Of Shadows Chapter Three Bandits Assault

Kevin Megan and Yukio took up a fighting stance at the gate when a lone arrow shot his ear so close he felt it. A warning shot obviously, they were honorable enough to not intended on harming children at least or so it seemed.

He turned towards them and begged "please go inside, you know what happens if they shoot something at me when I ignite Megan I will be just fine." 

"No!" She said angry he would even suggest it.

"Then I'm sorry" he put a hand on Yukio's shoulder and turned away. Megan looked confused when she felt a sudden small shock then fell unconscious.

"Hate me if you must, Yukio please take her inside and make sure she gets in her bed before the soldiers are alerted, then be sure to sneak back to your own house, if for nothing else to protect your parents." 

She looked at him wishing she could stay but knowing she lived as far from the majority of soldiers as possible in the village and her parents aren't safe. "Alright but don't you dare die, I can't handle her crying over her loss. Yes I knew since the note you lied about I saw it. You better be here in the morning." She ran off carrying Megan over her shoulders.

"So the girl is the cause of the crystal at the secret entrance? Interesting." Kyoma said observing.

"Sir what about the boy standing there he looks asleep." A scout pointed at Kevin.

"Doubtful, his eyes are closed but he is wide awake and probably waiting for us to make our move, once the eastern entrance is set up to attack have Klein lead the assault. You." Kyoma pointed to his other scout, " tell Yamaki he is to lead on this side, and I will join if the special soldier I heard of is actually here." Kyoma ordered.

"Yes sir!" They said and ran to deliver the orders.

Kevin heard a scream signaling the guard from Hitomi as planned about the same time several arrows shot right for his head. Less than half a second before getting hit they burnt to ashes without him igniting. Good he can use his concentration to focus his magic to burn anything close enough without having to show the magic itself. "Nice try losers, kiss my ass!" He shouted to taunt them pointing to his right butt cheek.

Five more arrows shot at him and burnt more than 3 meters from him without anything beyond him concentrating to generate heat in a certain area without using actual fire. Kevin burst out laughing and pointed to his left butt cheek this time smiling in the direction the arrows came from.

"What the hell is this kid four times each failing sooner" Kyoma said to himself.

Now is as good a time as any Kevin thought. He ignited his arms which sparked a almost black fire immediately. Then put out a hand motioning them closer as a taunt shouting "BRING IT!"

Seeing no arrows or movement in the trees he wondered if he scared them with just this. "Don't tell me a little fire and you run away" he yelled louder taunting them. Suddenly the tree line was gone as hundreds poured out in black. Bandits. At almost the same time the town alarm bells started going off, very very late. Hopefully the east gate wasn't the cause of the delay he thought.

Kevin started chucking fireballs at the bandits not yet engaging the soldiers in combat when a familiar soldier walked past he recognized as sir Thomas, the second best knight in their kingdom. "Kevin what are you..." he stopped and saw the fire. "Y-y-your a wizard, your cursed you are evil." Sir Thomas raised drew his sword at Kevin's neck. When a guy went to stab Thomas in his back. Kevin looked around Thomas tilting slightly and pointed at the guy who suddenly burst into flames and to ashes.

"I'm also on your side, if you want to kill me go ahead. But only AFTER this village is safe, if you try to kill me sooner you will be a pile of ash like that guy is now" eyeing the dead bandits ashes. "Find something I can do to reinforce and assist, once the village is safe you can kill me and I won't try stopping you. But only after its safe, for now consider me a weapon to burn these bandits and use me."

Thomas thought and pointed to the tower near the gate.

"As good as that is I already considered it, but the bandits are too far, I can't do anything beyond 15 meters, I can only use the tower if the bandits make it 7 meters closer."

Thomas thought about it and said under his breath "I'm going to burn for this" then gave Kevin his dagger he hadn't drawn yet. "Follow me too the front lines, I will report your powers to Megan's father and let him decide what to do with you. But at the moment the front lines need help."

Kevin drew the dagger and reignited his arms and the area over his vital organs with a black fire.

After about a half hour the north gate was secured and they went to assist the east. When Kevin spotted the presence that followed him approaching the north alone. "Sir Thomas we are being flanked, please get Megan's father because I don't think all of us from the north will be enough." Thomas stared and saw the honesty in his eyes then set off with the soldiers remaining. Kevin decided to buy some time while avoiding as much as possible. He almost got to the gate when he rounded the last corner to see the guy he noticed with his blade at a woman's throat. He recognized it as Megan's mother. "Hey!" He yelled throwing the hottest fireball he could. "Oof" he heard from the man as he toppled into the wall.

"So we meet face to face now, you have been a lot of trouble to me, but that ends now." Kyoma said. Kevin thought something in this man's voice seemed odd but couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"And you suddenly have a thing for helpless women, that ends now though" Kevin said to annoy the bandit leader. But to no avail, it didn't work.

Kevin followed his caution and started throwing fireballs at Kyoma he seemed to dodge them effortlessly. He admired the bandits footwork, the bandit seemed to almost dance  or so it seemed. Kevin stopped throwing fireballs and stood still knowing he needed to save power. Kyoma thought the boy was giving up so he rushed in head on and grabbed Kevin by the neck lifting him off the ground. He heard Megan scream and opened his eyes staring at her then smiled. "Oh look you got me, mind telling me your name? If I'm about to die it wouldn't hurt the possibility of identifying you, and if I'm going to die I should die knowing who killed me."

The bandit stared at him confused and amazed at his courage. "Kyoma. Kyoma Toto. Any last words?"

"Oh, I was right about the first arrow being a warning shot I see you didn't want to kill children, just the soldiers. I figured that meant the leader was somewhat honorable. Yeah just one word."

"And that is?" Kyoma asked.

"BURN!" Kevin yelled.

"What?" Kyoma said suddenly noticing he was on fire. 

Kevin said "leave and I won't burn you to death."

Kyoma ran for the entrance he came from screaming in pain. Even after the fire was out Kyoma didn't stop screaming until he jumped into the river he first saw them at.

Kevin went to ask Megan's mother Claire if she was alright when she ran inside and panicked. Kevin took it as a yes, then went to assist the east gate and was stopped a couple blocks away by Megan's father Flint, and Sir Thomas. He stopped put up his hands and got on his knees turned away from them hoping that proved he didn't mean any harm. He felt a heavy job like a sword hilt and next thing he knew it was morning and he was bound by chains to a metal pole near the guard house.