Amity

Chapter 18: The Boy of Blue Fire

"So, you guys were covering us from the trees?" Kimmy asked Keiko as they dashed towards the edge of the curve where they ran into the other group. Tree branches shook from 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 spears for us," she said, indicating the makeshift spears entwined in her belt loop.

"I still don't understand why you guys did it," Dré said.

"Michael's a really nice person if you can get used to his grumpiness."

"Hey! Don't you all have something else to worry about rather than my kindness? Like, surviving, for instance?" Michael yelled 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 campfire from Daven's group was still glowing a dull orange.

Michael leaped from the tree and landed silently behind the group. "So, your plan?"

"I-I don't know," Dré panted. "I was just running, to be honest."

An ear-splitting roar sounded off from behind them; they all turned around to see two Edge Walkers rushing at them from the darkness. "Not this again!" Dré said wearily.

One of the Edge Walkers dashed towards Dré, 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 all his wind escape his lungs as he struck the tree and landed on his hands and knees, gasping for air.

His heart burned. In fact, it felt as if it was on fire. 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 felt in his life, as if he was facing a dragon's rage head on. He cried out as he clutched his chest. 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 something erupting inside of him, pleading to be let loose. Dré felt like a new man, a man that could take on anyone or anything. "This must be it," he whispered to himself.

He held his right hand at the Edge Walker, still watching it slowly charge at him in between his trembling fingers, and zoned everything out except the being directly in front of him. There was a warm and soothing presence embrace his hand. It made him feel powerful, confident, as if he could actually survive the encounter. He gulped as he grabbed his wrist with his free hand to keep it from trembling. "It's now or never. Move!" he commanded his group. He released all 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 stood 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 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 died down as the forest spun around him.

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