Beyond What's Known

Chapter 5

Maybe it was just because Eli and Alana were so close to their own Infurnuses, but seeing one whose slinger willingly ghouled was sickening. It was also almost darkly amusing to Alana that the three Infurnuses in existence were all within twenty feet of each other, for the first time in who knew how long.

The potentially historic moment was ruined by the Dark Slinger firing his Darkfurnus. Eli fired Burpy back, and ducked to the side, letting Alana fire past the colliding flame slugs to fire Mage at the Dark Slinger. Burpy and the Darkfurnus swirled around each other, a ball of orange and green flames beginning to blossom out from the point of collision. Mage dove around them, speeding toward the Dark Slinger-

Who raised his second wrist blaster, already loaded with the Goon Doc.

When did he load it?!

Multiple things happened at once.

The Dark Slinger fired the Goon Doc, who tackled Mage down in midair, pinning the white Boon Doc to the ground. In a flash of green and red, Mage returned to protoform, now pale gray and green, twitching and snarling. Guilt and horror rose in Alana's throat at the sight of her healer being ghouled.

But before she could do anything, Burpy and the Darkfurnus's battle reached its peak, and it seemed like it would end in a stalemate. A wave of heat and flames suddenly rocketed out from the two, kicking up dust and blasting Eli and Alana back nearly thirty feet. She heard the clinking of slug canisters as some fell from both Eli's bandoleer and her own while they roughly rolled across the ground.

Had the battle been taking place anywhere more flammable than the Outland Reach's barren desert, Alana was sure they would have a rapid forest fire on their hands. As it was, Alana coughed as the wave of hot air passed over her, and heat prickled at her face for a few moments before it faded.

Alana blinked dust from her eyes, shakily getting to her feet and frantically looking around. She couldn't see Mage or Burpy, and she was down to only one slug canister on her bandoleer, which held her frightened Rammstone, Sarge. She could only see Eli, and that was just barely, even though he was only ten feet away. Dust particles roughly pelted against her skin, and she had to hold a hand up to shield her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Alana called, stumbling forward and wincing when her left leg almost gave out from beneath her. It definitely felt like she rolled her ankle, if not completely sprained it.

Eli barely stirred, shifting around but not making any moves to sit up. A cold laugh echoed around the clearing, and Alana fought to not completely flinch as the Dark Slinger came into view.

"That Infurnus is stronger than I thought," the Dark Slinger noted. He glanced at Alana, holding up his left hand. "And your plan was admirable. But you've forgotten that I'm faster than you, and more skilled than you, which means that I will defeat you."

He uncurled his fingers to reveal a ghouled Mage sitting in his palm. The little slug glared at Alana with one dark red eye, barking out at her. Alana gasped and scowled, reaching for her blaster-

That wasn't there.

All the color drained from Alana's face. She looked down at her empty holster, then around at the ground, but her blaster was nowhere to be found. Sarge chirped frantically from her bandoleer and jumped out, hopping away into the dust storm.

"Even your slug knows it is futile to fight back," the Dark Slinger laughed. He put Mage in his blaster, his own Goon Doc watching from his shoulder. He looked down at Eli, who had come to and was slowly propping himself up with shaking arms. "I was eager to have this one to myself, but he may be more trouble than it's worth. These champions often are, I suppose."