(Outdated) The King of Elements

The Boy of Blue Fire

"So, you guys were actually covering us from the trees?" Megumi asked Keiko as they, along with Dre, dashed towards the edge of the curve where they had split up with the team. Tree branches shook above them as Michael jumped from tree to tree.

"Uh huh. Once we made it up the trees, Michael started tearing off tree branches and made these spears for us," she said, indicating the makeshift spears entwined in her belt loop.

"And you guys really didn't abandon us?" Dre asked.

Keiko shook her head. "It was Michael's idea to follow you. He's really a nice person if you can get used to his grumpiness."

Dre felt a new sense of respect for Michael after hearing that. All of this time, he thought that they had abandoned the group, when instead they were protecting them from above, even saving their lives. He couldn't hide the smile that began creeping on his face.

"Hey! Don't you all have something else to worry about rather than my kindness? Like, surviving the night, for instance?" Michael called from the trees.

A moment later, they had arrived at the edge of the curve. Three dark paths jutted from the road, each heading in a different direction. The small and shabby campfire from Daven's group still glowed a dull orange.

Michael leapt from the tree and landed silently behind the group. "This isn't good. No one's here."

"No need to worry," Dre confidently began. "They probably just ran away to separate the three Edge Walkers. I'm sure that they are on the way back as we speak.

An ear-splitting roar sounded off from behind them. They all turned around to see three Edge Walkers a ways down the path. "Oh, God. Not this again," Dre said wearily.

One dashed towards Dre, its blood-thirsty, elongated claws aiming directly for his heart. He narrowly ducked out of the way, but before he had time to react, the Edge Walker turned around on the spot and swatted him against a tree with the back of its hand. He felt the wind escape his lungs as he struck the tree and landed on his hands and knees, gasping for air.

He could feel his heart begin to burn. The fire spread out throughout his entire body, almost like it was pumping through his veins. It was far hotter than anything that he'd ever felt in his life. It was as if he was facing a dragon's rage head on. The intensity threatened to burn him from the inside out.

Just as sudden as it began, it stopped. He felt good, almost euphoric. There was a power erupting inside of him, pleading to let loose. Dre was a new man, a man that could take on anyone. "This must be it," he whispered to himself.

He held his right hand at the Edge Walker, watching it charge at him in between his trembling fingers, and zoned everything out except the being directly in front of him. He began feeling a warm, soothing presence embrace his hand. It made him feel powerful, confident, as if he could actually survive this encounter. He grabbed his wrist with his free hand to keep it from trembling. "It's now or never! Move!" he cried to his group. He released all of his anger, his worry, his stress, as a silvery-blue wave of fire erupted from his hand. It consumed not only the Edge Walker, but anything that had the misfortune to stand in the way of its might. Trees, bushes, and grass were obliterated in its path as the flame continued to rush from his hand.

Something was wrong. It was too much, more powerful than he could've hoped to fathom. "I-I can't stop it!" he called over the sounds of the burning flora. With each passing second, it felt as though he was running double-time on a never ending treadmill. He fell to a knee in complete exhaustion as the fire continued to rush out from the palm of his hand. Slowly, the wave of fire finally began to die down as the forest spun around him.

Both of his hands dangled to his sides. The ground shifted below him as he fell, face first, onto the forest floor. He was gasping for air as the blinding blue flames quickly began to spread in front of him. He could feel the smoke burning his lungs before the forest grew dark and disappeared.