Irons jogged back into the storage room, coming up next to Providence. She had put her hands down, the blockade managing itself now. She was going through some of the remaining boxes, organizing them. The fire wall blazed intensely, and a few people could be seen milling about on the other side. Occasionally one of them would chuck a rock or plank of wood at the wall, but it would disintegrate long before it actually hit. Irons whistled a bit at the display of power.
"So, Duun got away?" She asked, not looking over at the sheriff.
"...in a sense." Irons responded, not really wanting to talk about it.
"Well...can't catch everyone, I suppose. What do we do about these guys now?"
"Can you move the wall as-is?"
She nodded, understanding dawning on her face. She put a hand up, and the wall began to advance. The men on the other side began to flee back up the cave, shouting warnings. Irons and Providence walked side-by-side, going slow enough to allow them all to escape.
"So...what do we do when we get to the entrance?" The goddess asked, eying the man next to her.
"We'll have to drive them away from here. There's a lot of people, so I'm not sure how well we'll be able to fight them off..."
Providence let out a thoughtful him. "Well...I may have a solution. I'm not sure how long I can do it for, but considering how well I can keep this–"
The flame wall flickered and died. Providence swore in a language the sheriff couldn't understand. Irons chuckled a bit, patting the square of her back.
"Alright, take a breather. If you gotta use magic, go slow for a bit before we get there."
The rest of the walk was silent, no signs of the bandits. When they finally arrived, they were met with a dangerous scene. The bandits that had gone out to check the explosion had returned, and now the trucks formed a vague half-circle blockade. The bandits were gathered around the vehicles, weapons or magic at the ready. When they saw the two emerge, they fell silent.
"Stop right there!" One of them shouted, pointing a hand at them. "Surrender, there's more of us than of you!"
Irons squinted at the man. "Hey, ain't you the ice user from earlier?" He asked.
"Yes, I am! I'm Duun's second in command! Where's the boss?"
Irons went to respond, but Providence held up a hand, silencing him. She moved forward. The flame of her head growing larger. It soon began to spread around her body, quickly engulfing it all. The fire continued to grow larger and larger, until it towered high above everyone else. It was vaguely in the shape of Providence, with flames licking the sky in loud crackles and pops. The passive figure spread its arms out, voice booming across the space.
"Your master has abandoned you, leaving you to the mercy of me and my companion! I suggest, for your safety, that you all flee, lest I am forced to strike you all down!"
"W-who the hell are you!?" Someone shouted from the crowd.
Providence laughed, voice crackling loudly like burning timber. "I am Providence, the profaned flame! Guardian of the Hearth! I have returned to this world, and found it lacking! Leave my sight, or suffer the cleansing flames of a divine being!"
The bandits were silent for a second, before a panic broke out amongst them. Most piled into the trucks and sped off, but others simply fled on foot. In a matter of minutes, Irons and providence stood in an empty clearing, dust settling. Providence's massive form shrunk in an instant, and she collapsed to the ground with a gasp. Irons ran to her side, but she brushed him off.
YOU ARE READING
Iron Wasteland
خيال (فانتازيا)The world ended. Fire, radiation, and a new force of magic rended the world asunder. Years pass, too many to count. Now, the world has begun to heal, society putting itself back together bit-by-bit as it combats the monsters, bandits, and other d...
