The night was deathly still, save for the occasional rumble of the Scorching Badlands. Ash drifted lazily through the air, clinging to sweat-slicked skin as the champions remained vigilant in the oppressive heat. James’s gadget hummed faintly in his hand, its core softly glowing as he tinkered nervously. He couldn’t shake the image of molten eyes from his nightmare.
His hands stilled, and he let out a shaky breath. Sleep was impossible. Even now, hours after the destruction that had nearly killed them all, his nerves buzzed like an overcharged circuit. The thought of closing his eyes, only to see that thing again, sent a chill down his spine despite the heat.
He pushed himself up from his makeshift seat and glanced around the camp. Kael was sprawled out in the dirt, his snores loud and unbothered. Thrain sat with his back against a rock, his hammer resting across his lap as he muttered something in his sleep. Sylvia, however, was awake. Her faintly glowing wings caught James’s eye as she sat apart from the others, her figure framed by the jagged volcanic ridge.
She held her Communication Runestone in her hands, the dim pulse of its glow casting soft light on her features. Her brows were furrowed, her lips pressed into a thin line of frustration. James hesitated for a moment before walking over, his boots crunching softly on the ash-coated ground.
"Still trying?" he asked quietly, stopping a few feet away.
Sylvia’s wings flickered slightly as she turned her gaze to him, her expression softening. "Always," she said with a tired sigh. "But it’s no use. The connection’s completely blocked."
James sank down beside her, his gadget resting idly in his lap. "Any idea why? I mean, it’s not like the Scorching Badlands are known for great signal coverage, but this feels... off."
Sylvia tilted her head, her golden eyes distant. "It does. The Runestones are supposed to work anywhere, even in hostile environments like this. But it’s not just interference. It feels like..." She trailed off, searching for the right words. "Like something doesn’t want us to reach out."
James frowned, the unease in his chest tightening. "You think something back home is wrong?"
"I don’t know," Sylvia admitted, her voice quiet. "But E the Radiant would never leave me without guidance unless something beyond his control was happening. He’s... meticulous like that."
James nodded, leaning back and staring up at the starless sky. "Must be nice, having someone like that to rely on. I mean, A’s great and all, but his guidance is more like vague riddles and throwing me into the deep end."
Sylvia’s lips quirked into a small, amused smile. "E isn’t much for riddles. He’s... strict, I suppose. Everything he teaches is precise, purposeful. But it’s not always easy. Sometimes, it feels like he’s asking me to be something I’m not sure I can be."
James glanced at her, surprised by the vulnerability in her tone. "Like what?"
Her wings folded slightly, dimming further. "A beacon. A leader. Someone who can shoulder the weight of a world that’s constantly teetering on the edge of chaos. Sometimes I wonder if I’m just faking it—playing the part because it’s what’s expected of me."
James was silent for a moment, letting her words settle. Then he said, "You don’t seem like you’re faking it."
Sylvia looked at him, her gaze searching. "And what about you, James? What does A expect of you?"
James let out a soft laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "A expects me to not blow myself up with one of my gadgets. Beyond that? I don’t know. He’s always been more interested in pushing me out of my comfort zone than giving me clear answers."
"And what about you?" Sylvia pressed. "Do you have any goals? Anything you want out of all this?"
James hesitated, his fingers tracing the edge of his gadget. "I used to think I did. Back home, I wanted to invent things—make life easier for people, you know? But out here... it feels like everything I thought mattered is just so small compared to what we’re facing."
Sylvia nodded slowly. "It’s hard, isn’t it? Being thrown into something so much bigger than yourself."
"Yeah," James said, his voice quiet. He looked at her, his expression thoughtful. "What about you? What do you want, Sylvia? Not what E the Radiant wants, or what your people expect. What you want."
For a moment, Sylvia didn’t answer. She stared down at the dimly glowing Runestone in her hands, her wings almost completely dark now. "I think... I just want to make a difference," she said finally. "To know that what I’ve done has mattered. That it’s helped someone."
James smiled faintly. "You’ve already done that, you know. At least for us."
Sylvia met his gaze, her golden eyes softening. "And you’ve done more than you realize, James. Don’t sell yourself short."
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They sat in companionable silence for a while, the oppressive heat of the Badlands pressing down around them. For the first time since they’d arrived, James felt a little lighter—like maybe, just maybe, they could make it through this together.
And then the ground cracked beneath them.
The silence of the night shattered, replaced by a low rumble that vibrated through the earth. James scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding as fissures spread outward, glowing with molten light. The oppressive heat intensified, and the air filled with the shrieking cries of fire elementals rising from the ground.
"Elyndor!" Sylvia’s wings flared, their light snapping back to life as she stepped in front of James, her barrier already forming. "Stay close!" she ordered, her voice sharp and steady.
James barely had time to grab his gadgets before the first wave of elementals lunged toward them, their molten forms radiating deadly heat. Whatever moment of peace they’d shared was gone, replaced by the chaos of survival.
+
Fire elementals surged forward in a chaotic wave, their molten forms flickering with an unnatural ferocity. Each creature radiated a blistering heat, their cores pulsing like fiery hearts. They moved as one, circling the group, the air rippling with their heat.
Kael reacted first, his instincts sharper than ever. With a guttural roar, his muscles tensed, veins glowing faintly as he activated a burst of primal energy. His speed doubled in an instant, and he darted forward, claws slicing through the first elemental in a vicious arc. Its fiery form screeched as its core cracked, but the searing heat licked at Kael’s fur, singeing it.
He growled, his amber eyes wild. "You’re just ash waiting to happen!" Kael spun, using his enhanced speed to stay ahead of another elemental’s molten strike. He leapt onto its back, driving his claws into its core with a force that sent sparks flying. The creature shattered into embers, but two more surged toward him. Kael gritted his teeth. He wasn’t invincible, and the heat was starting to take its toll.