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Chapter 37: Torch

We were now traveling through the second half of the plains. There seemed to be more life in this area. Summer was truly in full swing. Animals, predator and prey alike, gathered around ponds and streams to drink like a scene from the African savannah, though here there was much more vegetation.

It rained every three or four days which sometimes proved to be useful. More often than not, the rain was an aid to us, not a hindrance. Only the heavy, late night storms discouraged the group at times because it made for a messy morning and the land was always covered in a dense fog that serious impaired my vision in the case of a morning hunt.

The month, according to my watch, was late June. The day was Wednesday and it was 4:26 in the afternoon. “We’re coming up on the outskirts,” I announced as our two faithful steeds carried us.

I passed Ashley the map upon her request and she looked for herself. She sighed, “Yeah, we could get there by the end of the week if doesn’t rain too much!”

“I know what you mean. It tends to get kind of muddy and that slows the horses down,” Star agreed stroking the mane of the one she was riding with me sitting behind her.

Little did we know, that the weather was the very least of our problems. There was someone coming for us. A young man not much older than ourselves. He was of uncertain Moracian origin, and it’s rumored that he lived on Earth for a while. He was hired by wealthy Lamian gamblers to destroy the competition and tip the scales in their favor. Armed only with fired infused jewelry such as rings, bracelets, and even a custom made pair of earrings in the shape of flames, he had a real, true mastery of fire. A pyromaniac to the bone. They say his very soul burned up at an early age and that is the source of his ruthlessness. This skilled teenager is known by one name, which he was given in the States. They call him Torch.

Torch had made his way to the edge of the plains by way of his clients. They’d flown him in from Lamis and dropped him off at the finish line. He’d already made a path through the forest by burning a small portion of it down along with anything else in his way.

He’d been waiting for us for at least a week at the plain’s end, but became impatient. Torch headed in our general direction using his fastest mode of transportation, himself. As I said, Torch was a master of fire and he taught himself to fly using propulsion that no normal Mage could achieve. He had the extra firepower and he used it in a way the benefited him. He flew high above the plains, looking for anything that gave signs of human life. Finally, about four days into his search, he hit the jackpot! He found us! There was a huge price on Team Neravien’s head from the start, but with Star now on the team, the price had jumped tremendously.

“It’s Neravien!” Torch laughed. “The biggest bounty first, huh? Easy money!” Torch shot straight up, and launched himself in a nosedive from about 500 feet in the air. He was planning on dive-bombing the s**t out of us and go in for an easy kill.

It was past noon and the sun was to our left. So why the bloody hell was it hurdling toward us at break neck speeds?! Luckily, we were walking beside the horses and I slapped them each on their hindquarters and sent them in a gallop in an attempt to save our belongings. If we lost the horses, we’d be left with the clothes on our backs and all the weapons we own. “Move!!” I shouted and pushed my teammates out of harm’s way.

Ashley and Star ran and hit the ground as I ran at their heels and did the same, somehow making it to safety. I instructed the girls to keep their heads down as I got up to look back. The sun had not hit Moracius or we would’ve been dead a long time ago. Thank God! A meteor maybe? No. There was no crater of any kind. Only fire and smoke. Not just any smoke, but the smoke of a Mage! I stood slowly and shakily as I saw a dark figure emerging from the flames.

Star and Ashley turned themselves around to peek, terrified of what they might see. They saw the young man, no older than us standing in the midst of the fire with a look that could burn you if he had the power. He seemed in no mood to talk, but it couldn’t hurt to try, could it? “Who are you?” I asked readying an arrow.

“Dyron I presume! You and your band of Neravees have a very hefty price on your heads! I intend to collect it!” he told us.

“That doesn’t answer my question!” I snapped aiming at his heart.

Just as suddenly as the fire had appeared before us, it disappeared as Torch absorbed it into his jewelry and introduced himself, “I am Torch. Lamian hired hitman and fire extraordinaire!!!” When he shouted, Torch threw his hands to the sky and blasted fire from his fingertips.

The girls were at my side now, rings and fists aglow. I could feel the cold breeze of their ice spells ready to be cast around my head. With that, I pulled the arrow back as far as it would go. Torch was not going to back down. We weren’t either. No one was leaving this spot unscathed either.