Tales of Six

Chapter 39 : The sprites

Paul is quite uncertain on how to act when Savyna stands back up to join the group.

Paul, awkwardly- .. Are you ok ?

Savyna- I am, but the plants are not. We need to fix whatever is wrong here, and fast. I don't like it.

Savyna walks fast to catch up and leads the way along with Paul towards the fields.

Kaen, to Phil- Damn, Savyna is super motivated now. I didn't know she cared that much about nature and all.

Phil, trying to smile- Mhmm. Yeah.. I mean she is a sylvan, I guess...

Kaen, with a soothing voice- Hey everything's going to be alright, we'll get you out of that AMC thing and it'll be like it never happened.

Phil, with a trembling voice and tears pooling in her eyes- I.. *sigh* I just ... You don't understand how horrible this is. ... I just want it to stop.

Kaen, taking Phil in a hug- Soon, it'll be soon I promise. Come on, we can't let Savyna get all the credit.

Smiling, Phil nods and follows the rest of the group.

A few minutes further along the road, the path stops and the fields start. The crops are dry and bend under their own weight. The grass around is yellow and sparse. The air itself is dry and uncomfortable to breathe.

Phil, curious- The drought is recent isn't it ? The crops managed to grow, and only then started to lack water.

Paul- You're right, it was recent. And we've never seen something like this, we're not even sure of its cause. That's why we asked for help, we clearly couldn't-

A cracking sound from within the fields interrupts him and everyone there turns toward the source of the sound.

Paul, on edge- What was that !?

Savyna, mumbling with a smirk- No way...

Kaen, confused- That sounded like broken branches ?

Phil, worried- Or burning wheat ..

Paul is stepping back to increase the distance to the sound when a shapeless creature made entirely of fire emerges from the crops.

Savyna, smiling- It is.

Kaen, expecting an end to the sentence- It is.. what ?

Savyna- An elemental. A fire elemental, but you could've figured that out.

Phil- Oh no, not those.

Kaen, the only one still confused- What is this ?!?

Savyna- No time for a lesson right now, but I am surprised you didn't get taught about elementals along with the elements.

The fire creature moves slowly towards the group, leaving behind it a path of ash through the remaining crops.

Phil- Savyna, you looked like you expected it. Could you see it before ?

Savyna- It was asleep, I wasn't sure if it was traces or an active elemental. We must've awoken it.

Kaen- Ok, so what do we do ?

Savyna, ashamed- I.. I'm not sure. Paul, run back and wait for us.

Paul nods and starts moving south, away from the fields and towards Granin. Kaen draws her sword and steps forward, unsure of herself. Phil takes out her hammer that she holds low, seemingly too tired or too weak to keep a proper stance. Savyna prepares a ball of fire in between her hands, then launches it at the elemental.