chapter 14: An army of fire soldiers
The scent of burning flesh filled the air. The four teenagers looked at each other. Terrified gasps rose among them. They took a stance as the fire soldiers stood before them, each holding fiery swords. Something flashed across Quinn's mind, these were swords that took minutes to form, if they had formed already it meant something. Quinn gazed at the soldiers, analysing their body structure. Hard fiery plates on their chest. The swift motion their legs took. His system bar shot up with a notification.
[ALERT!!!]
[GRADE E FIRE SOLDIERS]
[×4]
[TALENT: FIRE MANIPULATION]
[SKILLS: 1]
Quinn's throat scorched at the notification. He clenched his trembling fists. He waited, defeating a basic rank fire soldier was already impossible. Defeating this one's were deemed too great. Even with the four E grade students. He watched their battle hoping it would teach him a few.
The first boy turned to the others, his brown hair flailed past his shoulders. "I will take one, you guys pick one each." He barked and immediately dashed forward. His sword met the fire soldier's fiery sword and sparks flew out. Tremors quaked around them as the pressure forced him backwards. The fire soldier returned. It swiped it's sword at the boy, he dodged, parried tye second swing with his own sword just as the fire soldier rammed his knee cap into his stomach. Blood spurted out of his mouth as a burn formed in his uniform. As the boy rose, the fire soldier sent several fire balls that exploded at his feet. He dodged each by a hairs breadth. The shock wave blasted tge others back. A pink haired girl rushed towards the boy and touched his shoulder. The air scented of honeysuckle as pink hue warped her palm. Quinn narrowed his gaze at her talent. The wounds on the boy's stomach slowly vanished. Quinn watched as the boy settled for round two. He sheathed his sword and clenched his two palms together. The soldier dashed forward, as soon as he did, the sky bellowed as white flash plummeted downwards.
Quinn was thrown off his hiding spot. So we're the others. Twigs and branches broke as the lightning met the fire soldier. A magnificent explosion rippled throughout the forest, breaking trees. Quinn limped back to hide. The others growled in pain. Behind the smoke, the fire army reassembled, recuperating from the smoke. As the smoke cleared, fire balls shot out of the smoke. The teenagers ran into hiding. Explosions rippled once more as trees caught fire. Quinn leaped as the tree he hid in caught fire. He landed nicely at the back of another. His sword poised ready to kill. The soldiers dashed out instantly, sparks flew as swords met swords. The boy who had conjured tge lightning was blasted backwards. Quinn glanced at him with scorn.
"Lightning is such a big talent. Using it early is a foolish move." Quinn mocked to himself. The boy landed against a tree, blood spurted out of his mouth. Tge healing girl turned to him, her attention wavered. As soon as she did, the fire soldier nearest to her dashed forward. His elbow smashed into her head. Blood bursted out of her ears as an explosion for ed her to the wall. Quinn groaned inwardly. E grade students were already been tossed around. He crept to another tree. The two free soldiers jumped to help the other two defeat the last two students. While the students were already outmatched. The boy with lightning talent rose up, his sword sliced at the breast plate of one of the fire soldier.
Sparks flew as his sword went in. The soldier froze. The boy retreated, but it was too late. Another fire soldier had swung his sword at him. Blood escaped his chest as his lips parted. Quinn froze at the boy's defeat. The healing girl unsheathed her dagger and threw them at the fire soldier. Weirdly, it didn't even move letting the dagger pin it's head and it exploded. Her daggers fell to the floor and she rushed to the bleeding boy. She placed her hand on his chest, pink hue crackled underneath. Tears streamed down her face. The brown haired boy whizzed uncontrollably. Quinn watched the pathetic sight. He gazed at the remaining three fire soldiers and back at the oak doors.
The teenagers were heavily outmatched with one of their comrades dead. Quinn scowled at them. "Pity they were the first one to suffer." Quinn mocked as he made his way stealthily to the temple doors. He slid between trees. The shadows made him more invisible to their eyes. "I guess the child of shadows attribute wasn't that bad." He smirked.
He reached the doors and as his hands reached for the knob, a bang exploded behind him. His heart pounded within his chest cage as the heat grew nearer. His eyes turned swiftly but his body didn't react as fast. He docked, a field of black warped him. The fire rocket scratched the shadow and it disintegrated it. Pain shot at Quinn body as he fell. The others noticed him, but we're too busy to even attack. One fiery soldier was already making its way to him. Quinn staggered. Blood crawled down the side of his face. Yet he felt no wound.
[SHADOW MADE CONTACT WITH FIRE]
[-5 HP]
[HP:5/10]
He groaned. His mind focused on the impending doom. The others were too occupied to even help. Quinn inhaled slowly and pulled his sword from the air. The sword radiated a blinding light as he held it. His breathing tensed up. Flashes tore through his mind. Iron scent tingled his nostrils. The reminiscence of the fire soldier smashing his rib cage appeared. The soldier gripped his sword tightly.
Quinn squeezed his, he knew better than attacking straight forward. He had no attacking energy. Plus his feeble control on shadows were irrelevant. His newly found weakness only highlighted his burden. He gritted his teeth and held the blade with two hand. The soldier dashed forward, it's sword swung down heavily at Quinn, he blocked the attack, slammed his knee upwards. The soldier parried his knee attack with its own knee. Quinn flinched as fire met his knees.
The soldier inched closer, swiping it's sword twice at him. Quinn blocked the two attack, docked and thrusted his sword upwards. The soldier dodged and slammed its foot into Quinn's chest. A small explosion blasted Quinn against the wall. A small crater formed. Quinn stumbled. The soldier retreated and Quinn's gaze snapped up. "Why is it retreating?" He thought. The air pressure doubled and his sword fell to the ground. He clung his throat for air. His face grew pale.
The heat tripled as sweats flooded his face. His chest was gasping for air as it poofed before him. The tremors grew stronger than any normal person could see them. The soldier poised it's hand at Quinn. His eyes froze as the shape of the fire completed. A rocket. The other teenagers were already exhausted as the two fire soldiers now battled them with ease. Quinn fell, his shadow dissipated as his knees hit the ground. The scent of burning ozone streamed into his nostrils. The ground crackled underneath him as heat scalded his entire body.
His mind was at the brink of losing control and the silhouette bobbed it's ugly head. Quinn's mind tore apart. His brain racked. The rocket was still forming. Quinn clenched his fists stronger. A laughter wafted last his mind.
***
"Quinn, you will survive to protect me right?" May's voice smiled. Her black air danced alongside with the gentle breeze. The green mountains stretched past the horizon. His ash-grey eyes dropped to hers. "I will May, I will protect all of us." He promised. Her hand lid into his. "Big brother, you've promised me." She smirked.
***
His eyes teared as he remembered. The rocket formed fully. As the temperature spiked up, a whizzing sound was heard. The rocket flew through space as bangs could be heard. The other teenagers were already unconscious, the two other soldiers returned to watch Quinn die. He gulped. His heart hammered his rib cage. He clenched his fists tightly and gripped his sword.
"I can't die now!" He yelled. Or so he thought. His mind tore Into two as his ash-grey eyes gleamed. He pushed his legs forward. Blasted from where he stood into the air, against an intermediate grade fire rocket. He gripped the sword tighter, shadows twirled upward slowing his acceleration enough for him to counter the fire ticket with his sword.
He roared as his sword slammed forward, crashing with the fire rocket. The massive explosion echoed for miles.
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One of the teachers head snapped at the horizon at a mushroom shaped explosion.
"what the f***k was that!" He stuttered.
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As students rushed against each other, battling to get to the temple first. A shock wave blasted their way, destroying all the trees in its wake. "What the f***k!" They shrieked.
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The sword hit the rocket as an explosion bursted through the air, flung the teenagers unconscious bodies away. The fire soldier, for once had an expression. One of utter shock. A blinding light engulfed the entire forest. Leaving nothing in its wake.