Between the Veil and Crown

Kylin 40

Kylin let his arrow fly, aimed directly for the gigantic flower's mouth. The flower chomped down on it, putting out the fire in a blink. It then pulled up a vine, breaking down a wall of the house, and extended the vine into the next house. Behind Kylin and the soldiers, a window shattered. The three of them scattered as a vine shot out.

One of the soldiers sliced at the vine, creating a good sized cut, but not breaking it cleanly. Flowers began popping up on the vine and it lunged at him. Kylin dove and knocked the soldier out of the way. The small clacking of teeth could be heard where they were standing seconds ago.

"Fire!" Kylin gasped. "We need to set it on fire!"

Both of them scrambled to their feet. The soldier took off in the direction of the main street, presumably to look for something for fire. Kylin nocked an arrow, barely having time to light it as a vine bore down on him. He fired, lodging it in still-standing wall of the original house. It began to smolder as it attempted to set fire to the wooden wall. Kylin did not stay to make sure it did, though. He pelted after the soldier.

Screams pierced the air. Rangers and soldiers tried to keep order to hustle everyone out. Kylin stepped out on the main street, where there was absolute chaos. People were evacuating in either direction, shooed away from the danger points by the Rangers and soldiers.

The soldier that Kylin had run after came hurrying back with a lantern. He looked up at Kylin and his eyes widened. Kylin whipped around. The flower's head had now grown more, visible even where they stood. The soldier ran back to the flower, passing the second soldier on the way. Kylin raced after him, not sure what the plan was but feeling he should be present to drag him away.

Kylin's arrow had started to burn the wall, but it was not particularly strong. The soldier skidded to a stop, leaning back with his arm out behind him. With an almighty heave, the soldier launched the lantern at the house. It smashed against wall, the oil splashing everywhere.

Kylin didn't hesitate. He whipped out another arrow, lit it, and fired right at the oil.

The effect was tremendous. The flame flared up immediately, eating away at the oil and the wood. The flower made another shrieking noise as the smoke wafted up to it. It shifted a vine and tore down the wall, but it did not put out the fire. It did, however, put in full view its feeding source.

The soldier blanched at the sight, taking a couple of shocked steps back.

"Hey!" Kylin called out.

That was all the soldier needed. He took a deep breath and bolted back to wherever the lantern came from. Kylin turned to go after him, dodging as a vine came out of another house. A lit arrow whizzed by him and landed in the vine that attempted to attack him. Esperi stood some distance in front of him, nocking another lit arrow. She shot it past him, embedding it in another vine.

Kylin slid to a stop next to her, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"Why's this thing growing so fast?" Esperi growled. She nocked another arrow and aimed it.

"My guess?" Kylin said through gritted teeth. "Because it's got a large food source. Don't get too close."

She fired, piercing a nearby flower.

"What's the status?" Kylin asked, looking around for evacuees.

"Evacuation is still underway," she replied.

He winced. "This thing is getting too big, too fast. They need to be out of here now."

"Doing the best we can," she reminded him.