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Chapter 4: The Fire Guard

Bharath made a small noise of triumphant and began to lead him back toward the Fire Temple, happily and gracefully greeting everyone who came their way while Keahi opted to stay silent through their journey. Sure, he offered a nod of his head or a small smile to greetings that were offered to him, he just wasn’t particularly good with words or bright greetings.

Instead he took this time to study his companion again, still finding himself in a sense of awe at how truly beautiful Bharath really was. How he could be lucky enough to be friends with someone so...brilliant, Keahi will probably never know.

Suddenly, Bharath turned his gaze to him and tilted his head to the side in question again. “Is something the matter, Master Keahi?”

“Huh?” Keahi muttered before realizing with a small flush to his cheeks that he had just been caught staring and shook his head. “Oh no, it’s nothing.”

And Bharath smiled that understanding smile of his. “If you are sure.”

“Damn it all!”

Surprised by a voice cursing aloud Keahi jumped slightly, his body becoming tense while Bharath tightened his grip on his arm. They paused in their movements, tensing for a possible threat. But when another string of curses was heard, this time seemingly muttered loudly through gritted teeth made them both relax immediately for they knew the owner of the voice. And for him to curse out loud wasn’t exactly a one off thing.

“Was that Brendis?” Keahi asked, even though he was pretty sure he already knew the answer to that question.

Beside him he felt Bharath’s shoulders sag as he released a deep sigh. “I really wish he would watch that mouth of his.”

Suddenly, the appearance of a slightly older man with long red hair tied back in a thin rattail that reached just above his knees skidded into view. He was wearing the garbs of a Fire Guard; yellow and brown camouflage style pants held tightly around his hips by the use of two brown belts, thick white bandages wrapped securely around his torso. A loose green sash was draped over one shoulder and across his back, the two ends tucked into his pants. His chest and arms were uncovered saved for the thick black gloves her wore on his hands.

Normally, seeing a Fire Guard worked up was a cause of alarm, but not when that guard was Brendis Egnatius, another childhood friend of Keahi. Brendis was a rather feisty and short-tempered individual who hated to lose. And he was rather humorous when he got worked-up about certain things. But he was a talented Fire Guard, one of a few people that Keahi had a true friendship with. He was loyal, enthusiastic and skilled. Being a Fire Guard, he held slightly different abilities than that of a FireBrand, but was still able to wield fire magic nonetheless.

And he was serious about his duty as a Fire Guard.

But still, with the way his bright purple eyes were narrowed with a sense of annoyance, his right eyebrow twitching in a rather comical manner, Keahi hid a smile, silently wondering what could have irritated his Fire Guard now.

“What’s wrong, Brendis?” Bharath asked as the other male jogged over to the two of them.

“There’s this blue haired guy loitering around,” Brendis explained with a great sense of annoyance in his tone. “Have any of you seen him?”

“No,” Bharath said as he furrowed his brow in thought. “Is he dangerous?”

“No,” Brendis replied as his eyebrow gave a telltale twitch. “He’s just pissing me off!”

“I see...” Bharath sighed again and Keahi had to hide a laugh. Bharath was a patient person, but Brendis was the only person who could make him so exasperated that he sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose.

Keahi must admit that he rather liked watching his two friends interact with each other. The way they exchange light-hearted banter was something that always brought a smile to his face.

“What happened?” Keahi asked the still seething Fire Guard.

That question, however, served only to rile Brendis up further. “Oh, he just comes out of nowhere while I was training and poked me on the forehead, telling me not to act so seriously while he was grinning like an idiot,” he explained as he began to pace back and forth, all but ranting as he threw his arms around in a dramatic display of his disgruntlement. “He then took off running, taunting me. Can you believe it, he was taunting me!”

This time Keahi did allow a half chuckle to pass his lips. “I see.”

“Gah,” Brendis growled as he all but bristled before he turned on his heel and stalked away. “I’ll kick his ass if it’s the last thing I’ll do!”

“Honestly,” Bharath said as he touched his forehead with his fingertips. “That man.”

Keahi can only smile as Bharath tightened his hold on his arm again, leading him into the Fire Temple. He wasn’t in such a low mood anymore, Brendis and Bharath always managed to pick him up, even without meaning to!

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