Thrain was already on the move. His hammer gleamed with molten energy as he slammed it into the ground, sending a ripple of force outward. The earth groaned and shifted, and jagged spikes of molten rock shot upward, impaling two advancing elementals. Their cores hissed and dimmed before crumbling to ash.
"Hold your ground!" Thrain bellowed, his voice like the roar of an avalanche. He swung his hammer in a wide arc, the impact creating a shield of molten rock that deflected the fiery tendrils of another elemental. "Kael, stop playing and start thinking!"
Kael barked a laugh, dodging another elemental’s swipe. "What do you think I’m doing, old man?"
Sylvia stood at the center of the group, her wings unfurling as her eyes glowed with an intense, radiant light. She raised her hands, and beams of divine energy shot forth, carving through the elementals with surgical precision. The air around her shimmered, her power forming a protective dome of light that shielded James as he worked.
"James, now would be a good time for one of your miracles," Sylvia said, her tone calm but sharp. Her gaze never wavered as she turned to strike down another elemental.
James’s hands trembled as he fumbled with the runes on his freezing bomb. "Almost… there…" he muttered, beads of sweat dripping into his eyes. He activated the device, its runes glowing an icy blue. With a determined breath, he hurled it toward a cluster of elementals advancing on Thrain.
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The bomb detonated in a sharp hiss, an icy mist engulfing the creatures. Their molten cores froze mid-pulse, shattering into glittering shards. James exhaled in relief, his fingers already working on another device.
"Not bad, lad!" Thrain called, slamming his hammer down again. This time, he directed the molten earth to flow around his legs, forming heavy boots that enhanced his strength. He charged into an elemental, his molten boots crushing its core with a satisfying crunch.
Kael darted back to the group, his breath ragged but his grin feral. "You’ve got some fight in you after all, tinkerer. Let’s see if you can keep up." He activated his burst of speed again, zigzagging through the battlefield. His movements were erratic but effective, confusing the elementals as he struck their cores with precise, devastating blows.
Sylvia’s barrier flickered as a particularly large elemental slammed against it, molten tendrils wrapping around the glowing dome. She narrowed her eyes, her wings flaring as she channeled more energy. The barrier pulsed, and the tendrils disintegrated in a flash of blinding light. She lowered her hands briefly, the barrier adapting into a smaller, mobile shield that allowed her to advance.
"Stay close, Kael!" she called, her beams of light cutting through the remaining elementals. Her movements were fluid, almost dance-like, as she weaved through the battlefield, protecting James while striking down threats with unwavering precision.
James noticed a smaller elemental creeping toward Sylvia’s flank. He activated a smaller gadget—a palm-sized disc that emitted a freezing pulse. "Sylvia, left!" he shouted, tossing the disc toward the creature.
Sylvia turned just in time, her wings glowing as she extended her shield to deflect the elemental’s strike. The gadget exploded in a burst of cold, freezing the creature mid-motion. She gave James a small nod, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Good eye."
The group began to move as a single unit, their earlier mistrust giving way to instinctive coordination. Kael’s speed and ferocity kept the elementals distracted, while Thrain’s earth-shaping kept the battlefield in their favor. Sylvia’s light was their anchor, her barrier protecting them and her beams eliminating threats with deadly accuracy. And James, with his quick thinking and gadgets, found ways to turn the tide in their favor, compensating for his lack of raw power.
The final elemental roared, its molten core surging with unstable energy. Thrain stepped forward, his hammer glowing as he struck the ground. A massive spike of molten rock erupted, impaling the creature and splitting its core in two. The elemental dissolved in a burst of sparks, leaving the group in a smoldering silence.
Thrain leaned on his hammer, his chest heaving. He glanced at James, his expression gruff but approving. "You’ve got more brains than brawn, lad, but it works. Those gadgets of yours saved us."
James flushed at the praise, his fingers brushing soot from his jacket. "Just doing my part," he muttered.
+
From a distant ridge, Elyndor watched, his staff planted firmly in the volcanic ground. His injuries throbbed, the burns on his arm pulsing with a dull ache. But his lips twisted into a bitter smile.
"They’re persistent," he muttered. "You’ll burn with the rest of this cursed land."
The spirits around him whispered in a chorus, their voices weaving into his mind. Elyndor raised his staff, channeling the last vestiges of his strength into the volcanic terrain. The ground beneath him glowed faintly, veins of molten energy spreading outward like a living web.
"Fall."
+
Back at the camp, James’s gadget beeped urgently, pulling his attention to the seismic scanner. His stomach sank as he watched the readings spike. "Something’s coming," he said, his voice tight with dread.
The ground shuddered violently, cracks spidering outward as molten veins pulsed beneath the surface. Sylvia’s wings flared as she raised her hands, her barrier snapping into place just as the first eruption struck.
"Scatter!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.
The group scrambled as molten debris rained down, fiery projectiles striking the earth with explosive force. Thrain slammed his hammer into the ground, creating a shield of jagged stone that deflected the worst of the molten rain. "This is why I fucking hate elves."
Kael darted through the chaos, using his speed to evade falling debris while keeping an eye on James and Sylvia.
James stumbled, his pulse racing as a molten boulder hurtled toward him. Sylvia’s shield expanded just in time, the projectile shattering against the glowing barrier. She grabbed his arm, pulling him to his feet.
"Keep moving!" she snapped, her eyes blazing with determination.
The volcanic terrain shifted beneath them, Elyndor’s trap fully activating.