Revolutions

93 - Walumaq

As we burst into the open, the curling smoke fills my lungs—a harsh reminder of the ruination that has enveloped Analoixan. Wooden houses crumble around us, becoming nothing more than charred skeletons. The last few drops of rain sizzle as they meet the scorched ground beneath our feet. It now falls in a gentle drizzle, as if the skies themselves have grown weary of weeping over the land's devastation.

Ahead, Tlexnín's silhouette cuts through the damp haze. She inspects the destruction that's ravaged her precious city, but it's difficult to tell what she feels with her ever-present stoicism. With her obsidian-tipped spear poised and ready, the blade subtly glinting in green, she signals to her warriors to follow our lead.

Beside me, Paxilche stirs, his gaze hardening as he takes in the desolation. He grips his weapon tighter, tensely clutching Ridgebreaker as his consciousness visibly claws its way back from the dark depths to which it had been banished. He and I flank the Ulxa leader, and with her warriors close behind to form a protective circle around us, I'm taken by the sense that they're ready to reclaim what's theirs from the clutches of the Eye in the Flame.

Shattering the fleeting calm, a reverberant boom echoes through the ruins, sending a shockwave that vibrates in my chest. Glowing specks of fire coalesce in the distance, growing larger and more defined with every passing moment. Fire dogs charge towards us, and there is a far greater number of them now. Their bodies are wreathed in flames that cast an eerie light on the broken landscape, with their forms becoming massive and more menacing than before. Glowing with malevolence, their eyes fixate on us, as if we are the last obstacles standing in the way of their masters' conquest. Behind them, crimson-robed sorcerers of the Eye in the Flame emerge, witnessing the chaos with dark glee.

Tlexnín raises her spear, her jaw tightening as her gaze focuses on the approaching threat. "This ends now," she declares, her voice as sharp as an obsidian blade. Then, carrying over the tumult, she whoops a rallying cry that seems to stir something primal within me, within all of us, "For Ulxa!"

As the beasts bear down upon us, their growls merging into a single, terrifying roar, I brace myself. I can feel the heat from the fire dogs before we even meet. But also, the amulets at my chest grow warm as the surge of power flows through my veins.

With his eyes narrowed, Paxilche steps forward, ready to unleash the fury of the storm that he commands. I can feel the energy pulsing through him, eager to be set free against our foes. A twinge of fear perks up within me, hoping that, this time, he will better control his rage, concentrating it only upon the true enemy.

The first of the fiery beasts leaps into the fray. With a thunderous thump, the ground around us trembles as it lands. Baring its blackened teeth, it snarls with a bellowing growl that resonates within my chest. In a swift motion, it pounces upon a group of Ulxa warriors, pinning them to the scorched dirt beneath its paws. They howl in pain, and if I didn't know better, I'd believe the monster takes pleasure in its prey's suffering. It chomps down on its victims, splitting them in half with one gigantic bite.

Paxilche raises Ridgebreaker and shouts intelligibly to the heavens. Pounding thunder and blinding flashes of lightning reflect his anger. Bringing the war club down with a flourish, he strikes the ground with the weapon, causing the beast to be struck numerous times with electrifying bolts. The creature is able to resist, with searing shocks striking its body all over. That is, until Paxilche delivers a more intense barrage upon his target. The fire dog is disintegrated upon impact, shattering into millions upon millions of particles that scatter about the area.

But no sooner than when the monster is defeated, a dozen more appear in its place, hopping over debris to reach our location. The Ulxa charge at the beasts under Tlexnín's command, slashing fervently at the enemy with their obsidian swords. Though many only strike the fire dogs' hardened outer coat, some manage to pierce the vulnerable interior, sending the beasts into a cloud of swirling ash.