Summoner's Second Chance

Chapter 22

The sun was high in the sky, and the air was hot and humid. It was the beginning of summer, and people started to wear lighter clothes to cope with the heat. Despite all this, Trace and his friends were standing on top of a huge boulder. Not minding the heat, he looked down from where he is standing, observing the Lizardman. Liu, who has been standing just a few steps beside him, sighed. Trace took his water bottle from his waist pack, and offered it to him. Liu shook his head, and sat down.

"1500 Lizardman and their chieftain... not to mention the additional troops of 500 Lizardman that came last night... Trace, can we really win this with just 20 archers?" Trace smiled to his friend, and nodded. "Of course. I have been amassing something interesting while you all attended class." Gilbert hugged Trace's shoulder from behind, with a somewhat sour face. "Interesting indeed. Especially the news of you getting engaged to Olivia." Trace only smiled smugly, and shrugged. Gilbert growled for a moment, before sighing. "Well, it wasn't a surprise, really. The way she looks at you and the way she looks at other is very different." Gilbert smacked his friend's back and smiled. "Take good care of her, you hear?" Trace smiled, and nodded. "You don't have to tell me."

"Young master Trace." A young man called out to Trace. He turned toward the voice and saw a young man, no older than 30 years old. He carried a bow in his hand. "The team is ready. We await your order." Trace nodded, and nodded to Fang. Fang carried a small crate, and opened it. Inside was countless papers, all scribbled with foreign symbols and writings. "This is?" Trace nodded, and took one. "I want all of you to launch your arrows at their feet. Be sure to attach the papers to your arrows and cover as much area as you can. You may use glue, or fold it around your arrow, but make sure you don't accidentally erase or tear the papers. Am I clear?" The young man nodded, and picked up the crate. "There are 300 of these in total, use as much as you like." The man was visibly confused, but Trace understood why. The man left to tend to his team after bowing to Trace, and distributed the papers.

"Trace, what was that? Are you sure we can defeat the Lizardman with that?" Trace nodded, his motion filled with confidence. "It is more than enough. Now then, let us strike while the Lizardman is still resting at their camp." Trace's friends were just as confused as the archer was, but they all trust him. If Trace said that everything is going to be alright, then that is what will happen. The three split up, and each led a team. They stood up at the edge of a cliff, surrounding the Lizardman. Fang, Liu, and Gilbert are each looking at the top of the boulder, where Trace is standing. He had his arm raised high into the sky, and the three waited for the signal. Trace swung his arm down, and the three gave command to their team to rain arrows to the enemy.

The enemy was startled, for the barrage of arrows was sudden, but they quickly re-organized. The arrows that was raining down on them was too wide-spread, and there are only a few casualties here and there. The Lizardman lets out a sound that closely resembled a chuckle, and banged their swords to their shields together, provoking the Archers. "If it is death you want, then death I shall give." Trace put his hand together and closed his eyes. He then started to chant. "O fire, who devours all. O inferno, who turns everything into ashes. Rain down upon my enemy, and return them to dust!"

The seemingly harmless paper began to glow red, and the radiance became brighter with each passing time, before it burst into a raging flame. The Lizardman was instantly thrown into a panic. Some tried to put out the fire. Others tried to run for their life. In the end, all of their efforts to escape the fire was for naught, and they all perished, devoured by a seemingly unending fire. Trace swept his gaze across the calley where the Lizardman made their camp, and confirmed that no Lizardman survived the fire. He sighed, and clapped. The raging fire that seemingly cannot be extinguished, even by seven days of rain, instantly went out. It was as if all of it was an illusion, but the charred remains of the Lizardman was proof enough that the fire was not an illusion.