Chapter 6: Flames of Wrath (Part 2)
1042 Words
We are walking among the trees, down the mountaintop and away from the cottage. Our bodies are wrapped in white bandages everywhere. A deer crosses our path and turn to look before moving on when an arrow whizzes through the air and pierces into the deer's back. It groans in pain and staggers sideways before falling. Sound of branches on the ground breaking and the dry leaves crushed reach us.
'Someone's approaching.' I say.
Strangely, no footsteps are heard. And soon enough, even the unintended sounds vanish, and all is quiet again. We stand still, our eyes scanning the surrounding and looking through the side of our eyes at the deer on intervals. A rush of soft breeze blows past, lifting the ends of our cloaks. And he or she appears.
Donned in a white cloak, laced with golden strips, a masked person leaps out from the treetop and lands a metre from us. The pair of red eyes stare at us through the two holes on the mask then, whistles which brings two other masked guys out from hiding and to our presence. I exchange looks with Dane, both of us having the same thoughts at that moment: These guys are no friends.
'What can we help you with?' I ask.
The masked people give no response. As time passes, the stares slowly deepen into glares. They are as static as the trees. The shadow behind them slowly rises above their heads, Dane's eyes remain fixed on theirs. The shadow curves inwards and with his will, it fall upon them.
Immediately, they jump out of range from getting engulfed and I follow through with some punching and kicking at them. They dodge the strikes effortlessly and with ease, twisting their necks to the direction of the hit. When I punch to their abdomen, their bodies curve backwards with such flexibility before their feet trail the retreat. Dane moves about the place, guiding the shadows to his targets. But, to no avail. Dark waves weaving around, swung at the mysterious bunch but none hit their marks. They swing to the back when faced with a roundhouse kick and turn their waist when thrusted at with a jab kick to the gut. Every movement of theirs aren't wasted. Every move is calculated and precise, done and executed perfectly in the nick of time.
'Why aren't you returning our attacks?' I come to a stop.
The masked figures stand at a distance away, circling us. Dane steps to my side and whispers into my ear, 'Should we-?' His shadow rises and is wrapping around his arms. I hesitate for a moment before at last, agreeing.
I nod.
And, we finally begin. To be serious. In a flash, I appear in front of a masked man and in his eyes, I notice a surprised look. The figure steps to the side to avoid confronting me but a quick shift of weight while in my lightning mode is all I need to foil his escape. My fists slam into his face in a barrage of punches. I can feel his nose bridge breaking under the impact, his facial bones shattering into pieces with every thrust and his mind crying out for help. Another masked figure run at me, his feet a blurry sight. But, blurry it is, only.
ZAP! - I past him in the next second and he falls forward to the ground. Traces of currents remain on my fist. A massive black fist crashes and barely misses him or her. Dane drives the remaining one retreating until the person finds himself with his back to a tree. 'Giving up yet?'
'Dream on!' He... replies.
With a snap of his fingers, a brightly burning flame envelops him and so do the others and dies away, leaving nothing behind. They vanish. Without a single trace. Immediately, I say, 'Those flames... Looks like someone other than us has such power too. The power to control the elements.'
The flickering of a light rouses me from my sleep. I wake up in the bed I was provided with in the stone small cottage. 'Oh, did I wake you up?' The lady from earlier asked. She is tending the flame, poking into it with an iron rod.
In a tone more similar to that of a grumbling, I say, 'Uh, no.' I look at the flame. 'That did.' I sit straight in my bed and lie against the bedframe behind me. 'Layla, where's Dane?'
Still focused on the flame, she replies with her back to me, 'He's out to survey the village. Really careful, isn't he?' She turns and face me with a smile. I return the smile to her.
I walk out into the cold morning. The sun is barely up. The sky is still dark and barely reflects the blueness of the sea. Men, women and children are already onto their routine: The men carrying huge logs on their shoulders, the women preparing the ingredients for cooking later and the kids pulling hays along the ground. Despite my best effort to protect the village, some of the buildings are still severely damaged.
'Rex!' I turn and find Dane pacing towards me.
'So, what did you find? Anything worth sharing?' I ask, my palm brushing down my face, still weary from the previous day.
'Nothing much. Just the usual, everyday village you see. Only-' He pauses. A hesitating look replaces the previously happy one. Then, he looks up to me and continue, 'The tall, gigantic wall surrounding the volcano....' He pauses again.
'Tell me.'
'I heard a groan coming from behind the wall. And, I could have sworn it wasn't any normal groan. It was inhumane! L-Like a beast's. ' His eyes widen. 'But no one seems to believe me when I inquire about it.'
'A groan of a beast? Strange, indeed.' I rub my chin, thinking when Layla calls out to us. She joins us. Before she can even begin bringing up any topic, I question her with two glaring eyes set on hers. 'I believe that you still have something to tell me, don't you?'
The atmosphere begins to dense around us. 'What's with the sudden rise in tension? What am I not telling you?'
'Everything.'
- Writer
