02 Wrath of Flames

by Jr H. Lee Morgan

  His wings folded up as he ducked inside. “I feel the same way, but orders are orders. I’ll be careful.”

  Her bottom lip was gnawed on as he started stripping and throwing on his leather armor and gloves. He zipped up the front of his jacket before fitting the black gauntlets on. In less than two minutes he was ready and knelt in front of her. “I feel this is more dangerous than when we went to face the Demon Lords too. We don’t have a clear target and it’ll be up to me to find the informant. But I’m not alone.”

  She looked down. “I know, but my gut rarely feels as bad as it does now.”

  “It’s probably just nerves. We’ve been connected for so long it’ll feel wrong not being together.”

  “You’re probably right.” She sighed. “Give me a kiss before you go.”

  He grinned. “Always.” He gave her a deep kiss and as he pulled away he extracted his mind too. She whimpered almost like a newborn puppy and her eyes turned sad. “I know. I already feel hollow too. Stay warm. I’ll be home as soon as possible.” He grinned though he felt as if a hole opened up without her mind always part of his. “Keep her company, Panther, till I get back.” And like always the black cat went ‘Row’ as if to affirm he’d do it regardless.

  He slipped outside and flew fast and hard to the southern entrance of the castle while activating his headset. “My dearest angel.”

  He landed just as Kira and Baldr came running fully prepared to fight a war. Ogres had excessive strength so lugging heavy, medieval type armor was nothing. The armor was similar to Magnus’, but shiny silver honed to a mirror finish. The helmet had a hole in the forehead his long and deadly horn fit through. You’d never want a head-butt from an Ogre. Kira was breathing slow and deep as she went over the vials she managed to select as others finished adjusting their armor in its proper place along with assorted weapons.

  “Ethan, take this.” Blake said as the man turned around, holding up a long handled, single edged shortsword with a minor curve to the blade.

  “What for?” He took it anyway and in his large hand was more comparable to a dagger than a sword.

  “Everyone needs a blade and this has been collecting dust for some time. It is just an old sword enchanted to resist dulling and fire. It is sturdy and you need a blade.”

  “Better to have it and not need it than have need and not have it?”

  “Precisely. And the sheathe will thread in your belt perfectly in your lower back. I also had the sheathe enchanted decades ago so the sword wont accidently come out. It must be drawn by hand.”

  “Thanks.” He was grateful as he quickly unbelted the buckle, threaded the aged leather sheathe around to his lower back and put everything back together. “We’ve got five minutes. Ellen, what did you discover of the area we’ll be heading into?”

  The Centaur geographer said “We will be in an area tis far from any human towns. The terrain will be rocky, wild and unfortunately it is snowing, but visibility varies from a hundred to six hundred feet in the storm. If there are any humans in the area they will be hunters, but in the weather we will be entering I doubt they will be outdoors. There are some old logging roads and many game trails so when you sense any open flames we should have a fairly decent time hurrying.”

  “You can sense open flames?” Baldr asked as he finished pulling on a spiked gauntlet.

  “Goes with the territory of a Fire Elemental. I can sense every spark in my mind all the way into the mountains to the northwest where some Preservers live. Open flames to me are like a lighthouse is for a sailor during a new moon when visibility is zilch.” Ethan said. “Floa, you good?”

  “I am always ready to go.” She said as she instantly shrunk and flew up onto his shoulder. “Ready everyone?” heads bobbed and she clapped.

  They reappeared on an unused logging road that hadn’t seen any vehicle activity for two weeks at most. As Ellen said, it was snowing on the mountain they transferred to. Thick trees blocked the sides and the sky was abysmal and dark. Likely not letting up anywhere in the near future. Frigid wind whipped past them. Not a moment after adjusting to the abrupt change of scenery both Ethan and Kira’s heads whipped to the south.

  First to ask was Baldr “What do you sense, Babe?”

  “Casters, hundreds… about ten miles away… maybe less.” She replied.

  “Yes, that much power being pumped means they are really eager to find this Ghoul before we do. I can tell they are coming this way, scanning entire mountains along the way. Leaving no stone or cave unturned.” Ethan said. “Stay out of the wind till I can pinpoint any fires.” He then threw himself into the air as if launched from a massive trampoline and cleared the treetops with a single bound while flapping his enormous wings.

  Falling snow made flying difficult and more dangerous and he didn’t dare see how high he needed to go to clear them. Through the speaker, the team heard “I can tell to the south are two Dragons and somewhere between a hundred and fifty to two hundred torches moving in a line coming up from the south. To the east is a small human settlement at the foot of this mountain, but to the northwest, halfway up is a single fire. Another near the peak and… six further north… about two mountains from the one we came to.”

  “Quite a handy trick.” Baldr commented.

  “Don’t I know it. But if I can sense them, so can the Dragons who are also sensitive to fire. Floa is going to stick with you. I’m pinpointing the fires to your display. Blake, lead them to the nearest fire halfway as well as the peak. I’ll fly to the northern mountain and begin checking those. If the two on this one is wrong, have Floa transfer to the next.”

  “Understood.” Blake said and Ethan flew off. A moment later all their ear pieces beeped to say a new file had been downloaded and opened automatically. They turned their heads to the pointed arrow till a tiny dot pulsed a light green. “Let’s go. Kira, hide our trail and scent.” She nodded as she took out a vial and threw the thin glass that would decompose in a few hours against a tree. Before the liquid could freeze she wrote a quick spell which turned to mist and settled over them all to disguise their scents. She then climbed up on Ellen so she could concentrate on writing runes rather than do so while running. Blake and Baldr took the lead in the run up the mountain with Magnus and Nell protecting the rear. Their footsteps filled right back in as soon as they were made.

  The road made it much quicker to locate a small log cabin after a mile and a half of running nonstop. They took a minute to scout the place for traps before Nell and Blake snuck up close to a window flickering with orange fire. Nell’s brown eye peered around a corner before shaking her head and heading back to the others. She said to everyone “Negative on first point. Just a lumberjack sitting in front of an open fire eating out of a can of baked beans. Poor bastard’s going to blow himself up with that volatile combination.”

  “Proceed to next point.” Came Ethan’s order after the chuckles subsided.

  A half mile later they came to a well hidden cabin, old and rustic with a single truck parked beneath a simple carport. Blake this time said “Negative as well. Just a pair of mates watching TV.”

  “Switch to my camera view and let Floa see the clearing I’m in. Something is up and I need help.”

  “What is it?” Blake asked calmly as he and the others told their devices to switch views. Floa looked and clapped once she got a good view to transfer to.

  Ethan stood before them covered in sparse patches of ice. His hair and beard were covered, as were almost ten percent of his wings. His skin was red as blood, matching his beard and hair. In a tight voice he said. “I can’t get the damn ice to come off and I’m putting all the heat I can into them. Get this shit off me now.”

  “How is that possible? I’ve seen you turn an ingot of tungsten into a puddle in under a second.” Magnus said. “When did it happen?”

  “I noticed on the flight over. I landed just a minute ago after my wings didn’t retract properly. I was just about to tell you about it when you checked i
n. I can’t get it off. Neither heat or my finger can get it off. It’s spreading quickly and sticking like coral to rock. Blake, shave it off my skin right now.”

  Realizing the seriousness of what he said, the Naga drew a Katana and came up to hack off the ice in his beard and hair as Ethan knelt. The hacks were quick, precise and were the smoothest shave a razor had ever done in his life.

  Then he bit back a gasp as the Blademaster came in from behind and put all his strength into slicing through Ethan’s tough skin that would chip and deflect a normal sword. He felt the bite of the metal flay his flesh. Slicing the clinging ice off with it. Every visible piece of ice was cut out in the sensitive wings, and a piece between them.

  Blood flowed free till Kira pulled a sealing vial and warned “This will sting, but I need you to keep still. I need to stop the bleeding, Boyo.”

  “Just do it quick.” He said through his teeth. The Witch quickly poured the pain increasing solution and he barely shook as she worked it all in.

  Baldr said “None of us got that stuff on us. Maybe it is some spell to freeze flyers. Best you stay on the ground with us. Are you able to continue?”

  “Yeah. Just need a minute. That shit was so fucking cold. It’s worse than dry ice. Fire doesn’t burn me, but ice? Yeah, it hurt. Kira, do you think those Casters are responsible for the ice?” His face and body remained bright red.

  “A possibility.” She admitted. “But unlikely. No rune or spell can freeze you that we know of. Your flames are just too powerful, even combined. I think you need to either go back or wait here. You just had Blake cut the ice out of your skin like a parasite.”

  “No, I’m going to finish this.” He said while rising and looked as if the mange got hold of his face as patches of his beard remained. “If not for my internal heat, the ice wouldn’t have been slowed to a crawl. And if I can barely resist, the rest of you won’t make it if you are stricken. We know it can be cut out. I will crank up the heat for us as much as possible just incase. We need to hurry. The longer we are out here, the worse things will be.” Everyone felt heat surround them like a cocoon wrapped in a blanket surrounded by a blazing hearth. “Let’s get the hell out of here. I’ve already checked one of the six fires in this area. Ellen, take the lead. Speed is our friend right now. I’m like a beacon with the power I’m emitting.”

  They all began running, but he barely jogged. This mountain had a bit more activity, mostly due to clear cutting. But the next place of interest was a group of friends camping around a fire enjoying life. Two miles later they arrived and discovered an elderly couple cuddled together. One was empty, but had a recent human scent along with dogs who’d left less than twenty minutes ago.

  “Starting to feel like a wild goose chase.” Baldr said what they were all thinking as they reached sight of a cabin situated on a bare hill. Smoke billowed up the chimney, but there were no windows.

  “Running all day hasn’t helped keep our endurance up.” Kira added as she huffed. “At least the cold isn’t bothering us or freezing our lungs thanks to Boyo.”

  “All of you wait here and catch your breath. I’m not tired as you all are.”

  “Nor am I. Tis best we go quietly.” Ellen said as she and Ethan climbed the hill.

  His powerful sense of smell caught hold of a thread of putrefied rot as well as a mild sharpness that reminds of ice. More than already that surrounded the land further than the eye could see. He said in a low tone “I think this is it. The mild rot I’m detecting is dead human on someone’s breath. For me to smell it out here means a Ghoul is nearby. Look, fresh footsteps.”

  “I see them now.” Ellen said as she drew her bow and an arrow. “Do you sense anything else?”

  “Not that I’m aware of. We’ll knock first.” But as they got closer to the cabin something wasn’t right.

  A creeping chill came upon Ethan, slow and cruel. Crackling ice had both stopping and look down as the snow turned slick. A deep rumble happened below as something large shifted beneath. As the chill came upon him, Ethan had a déjà vu foreboding feeling like he knew someone had said to beware the cold. Then he looked at the cabin to find its appearance warping and for a moment he saw just a simple fire sitting on something blue and scaly.

  Without even thinking, Ethan shoved an arm under Ellen’s horse breast and roared as he single handedly lifted and threw her like a ragdoll to the tree line. He didn’t marvel at how she seemed so odd tumbling through the air as he forced his focus to clamp down and turned to the cabin’s illusion disappearing. His body ignited, but the sense of burning crawled up his legs and he looked down to find the ice from before creeping up so he growled to combat it.

  Beneath the snow and what was believed to be a hill was actually a huge Ice Dragon as its bluish head broke through and turned to Ethan. The fire which lured him was shrugged off her back and she glared with iceberg blue eyes saturated with malice and triumph. Her mouth opened just as his arm lifted. Ethan sent a red and purple stream of fire just as ice and snow roared from her maw to combat his power. Through the opposing elements, Ethan felt pressure settle over him and it reminded him of the time Valande first removed her helmet. He looked and found the Ice Dragon had removed some form of giant gold ring from her claw.

  Magnus stumbled first as the heavy and oppressive aura of the Ice Dragon was released. Then he collapsed. Ellen couldn’t manage to rise before it affected her too. Kira’s eyes rolled in the back of her head just as she was about to throw a vial. Blake and Baldr held on as long as possible, but they too went unconscious.

  Floa though was one of the strongest Pixies of all time, but even she had never felt such an oppressive aura so close before. It took all her Spirit Energy just to retain consciousness. She knew with this much Demon Energy saturating the area, her power to Translocate would not be possible. She was powerless as she flew away from Ethan’s shoulder to get further away. Breathing became labored and she barely reached the tree line before her physical strength failed her.

  Ethan had never before been opposed like this. Even focused on immolating the blue Dragon that was close to a hundred and forty to fifty feet long, he knew his friends lives were in grave danger. And he was losing. Ice continued to crackle and creep further and further up his legs. The wards Kanade made in his clothes were likewise overwhelmed.

  Then a second roar came from above as yet another Ice Dragon came dive-bombing. Ethan felt the power less than the one he was battling, but had a deadly aura as well. He knew his friends would certainly die with two unrestricted Demons at this level.

  He spread pained wings and yelled as he broke free from the ground, leaving behind several toes that had become black from frostbite. And he flew like never before, still shooting fire over a hundred thousand degrees to mostly gain attention. He roared and did as he had hoped. The more powerful Ice Dragon was so focused on him she didn’t consider his team to be worth noticing. Her wings spread and she took off right after him.

  Two Ice Dragon were on his tail as he fought through the pain of flying. Wounds reopened and blood tumbled with each stroke. But even if Blake once said Ice Dragons were rarest of all Dragons and weren’t as strong as normal ones except over prolonged time, he wasn’t prepared when yet a third appeared in front of him letting out snow in a wide area to further coat him with frost that had been cut out recently.

  These were what caused the ice that grew and burned, but didn’t melt.

  And he just got a face full of snow that choked the airway down to his lungs. He really turned up the heat and a mile wide red and purple fire tornado swirled around him. He continued trying to burn off the ice, but he felt mild tingles feeding them from just outside the vortex while also feeling icy breath from three angles combating the tornado. What was worse was the ice clinging to his body was sucking a tremendous amount of energy since all three had a hold on absorbing his energy.

  Deep down, Ethan knew he was going to lose. Badly. He tried keeping the ice from spreading while holding the th
ree at bay with his strongest ability while they drew from his body to fuel their own frigid breath. One on one he knew he could win, three on one was taking everything just to get away while they weakened him on two fronts.

  They stuck close to him and were relentless.

  Floa watched in horror as Ethan’s tornado shrunk not only due to distance, but also in size by the three lizards. It got worse as Elves and two brown Dragons appeared in what was once a hill. Her hearing picked up one tall Elf boldly saying “We got ‘em! The plan worked.”

  The team went unnoticed as snow had covered them all from the largest Ice Dragon taking off. It was all that kept Floa and the others from being killed and eaten. The Demons suddenly all disappeared to follow the fleeing fire cyclone.

  Floa then watched helplessly as she silently took off Kira’s eyepiece and said “Emergency override, Floa wife of Odin. Code three three two nine. Zoom and Priority Contact all available warriors at the First House!”

  Back in Scotland every TV changed from the emergency code Floa gave the device. She screamed “Gargoyles and all Pegesai riders, Hurry to my location! Ethan Volorum is about to be killed. HURRY!” Color went out of every person as just as her words came through it was too late for his tornado flickered and disappeared and a frozen statue of Ethan could be seen. Faintly he could be heard roaring in pain as he dropped like a stone, turning from hot red to frozen blue.

  Then one Ice Dragon plucked his frozen form from the air and suddenly vanished along with every denizen.

  Moments later Kiroq arrived with every Gargoyle and rider arrived. They searched the skies, but saw nothing other than steam from where his tornado opened up the sky far away. His large ears picked up crying and the general turned to the distressed Pixie. “Pick up their trail by any means necessary!”

  The warriors took to the sky to do as commanded as Kiroq and a small group hurried to rescue the team. He picked Floa up gently and said “What happened?” as the eyepiece fell into the snow, still transmitting.