X-TERMS

Chapter 16: Malachi vs. Alex

"Well well, a little spark?,"whispered Malachi.

"Oh I'll show you a god damn spark!"growled Alex tightening her gauntlets.

Her tireless efforts had paid off for her, not only had her magic become stronger but now she had a new weapon that she was sure would make her family proud of her. She raised her fists up into her fighting stance, the metal shining and reflecting her face and Malachi's.

Alex's new plated gauntlets covered the tops of her hands and then the fingers were segmented at each knuckle so every section had it's own plate and the fingers tip ended in sharpened talons. The hardest part for her was making the holes under the talons to reduce the heat from her fire and if she wanted she could shoot her magic out the tips,or whatever came to mind.

"Oh-ho what shiny new toys you have! Quite a marvel!"said Malachi poking the tips of Alex's talons.

How had he gotten in front of her!? Out of her sudden fear Alex swiped at Malachi's face slicing right through it. She recoiled in shock and then wonder as Malachi lost his color and shape, shifting from pale skin to green vines and sinking into the floor.

"Well not a very nice thing to do to someone you just met,"Malachi's voice from behind her and then whispered in her ear,"I think that means it's time punish you."

"How the-"started Alex

Before she could finish her sentence a huge vine swung out of the wall and hit her mid section sending her into the far wall and knocking her breath out. As she struggled to breathe Malachi walked up to her, his face once friendly and welcoming now twisted horribly into a fiendish grin that showed his true malice and bloodlust.

Just as she recovered Malachi planted a boot on her head and smashed it into the floor grinding his foot harder and harder into her. Alex struggled against the pain and kept trying to force her head back up.

"You naughty fucking child! This is why we are aiming to destroy everything. Puny humans like you with almost no power shouldn't exist!"laughed Malachi.

"No power.."Alex closed her eyes in defeat.

This Malachi guy had the power of an X-Term no at least three of them. She was just coming into her power finally she stood no chance, she had been overconfident thinking her fire would be enough. She was just a disappointment to her family and her friends and most importantly to Foxe.

"Don't worry Alex, one day you'll be as strong as me,"Foxe's voice rang out in her mind,"You'll get to be able to join X-Terms in no time I know it."

"You're right Foxe! I have power now! I have the strength to beat this guy!"yelled Alex.

Her eyes flashed open shining crimson with her new found power, she grabbed Malalchi by the ankle and removed his foot from her head. She stood slowly her anger and inner fire rising as she did, with ease she swung him into the wall as hard as she could knocking his air out and then leapt away from him.

"I didn't have power at one point in my life but thanks to someone dear to me and my own training I'm stronger than you." Said Alex.

She inhaled deeply and the slowly let it out activating her Fire Skin as she did so, she focused on her flames and extended her Skin out of her gauntlets fingers forming see through fire claws.
The plants around Alex's feet quickly withered and burnt away.

"You! How the hell did you get so much power suddenly!?"Yelled Malachi,"This is Colt's doing! He knew and said nothing! After I kill you he's next! Now eat my poison AND DIE!!"

Within seconds all the vines sprouted multitudes of wonderfully colored flowers with exotic and amazing smells. Alex was amazed by this display and then horrified as they all began to spout purple hazes filling the room with massive amounts of poison.

"Poor Malachi, you think that'll work against a fire user!?"Alex laughed.

She roared loudly and commanded her fire out of her hands like geysers and aimed for the flowers, the plants soon caught fire and turned to ash. She walked slowly towards Malachi looking like a demoness, she once again pulled out her Fire Talons.

"Now the Predator becomes the prey."said Alex and ran her claws through Malachi's chest and burned him to cinders,"Now time to rest and then get to the others."