Fighting water with fire

Thinman was the first to get to his feet, a deep fear in his eyes as he conjured a wall of water ten feet tall and several feet thick between him and Ignis. Scarman and Beardman stood and conjured orbs of water that floated around their torsos as Twin 1 was still groaning on the floor. John checked his vitals.

60 hp

132 mp

I’m fucked if this doesn’t end soon.

Ignis, sensing the urgency of the situation, pounced on Twin 1. John cast bolt in both hands as Twin 1 screamed in agony, shooting at Scarman and Beardman as her screams stopped abruptly, followed by a system ping.

40 dmg (Beardman)

100 dmg (Twin 1)

40 dmg (Scarman) Stunned!

John twirled to look at Ignis, suddenly very aware that these were human people he was fighting and not monsters. Ignis was shaking her head side to side and snarling, but her mouth was empty. Twin 1 had disappeared.

-10 hp

-1 hp (Ignis)

-5 hp

-1 hp (Ignis)

-5 hp

-1 hp (Ignis)

Twin 1 had somehow teleported out of Ignis's deadly grip and was throwing ice daggers at John and Ignis. No, this was Twin 2. John backflipped to dodge another dagger as Ignis opened her jaws and let loose a torrent of flames at the newcomer. She conjured a shield made of ice right before the flamethrower could turn her into a chunk of coal. Miraculously, it did not melt.

John turned to face Beardman, a bolt in each hand. There was a hint of fear in his eyes as well, his gaze darting to Scarman every few seconds before returning to John. Scarman was writhing on the floor, red sparks dancing across his torso. The orb of water that had been orbiting Scarman was now orbiting Beardman, though it seemed to wobble agitatedly on its path. John turned to regard Thinman just as Ignis yelped in pain.

John’s vision went red as he turned to see the wall Thinman had conjured evaporate against Ignis’s flames. She whimpered and whined in pain as Thinman cackled in glee.

-150 hp (Ignis)

John roared as Rageflame erupted around him, though the flames weren’t nearly as hot as Ignis’. He shot both his bolts at Thinman, immediately casting Bolt in both his hands again and shooting them at Twin 2 and Beardman before running to Ignis.

40 dmg (Thinman)

40 dmg (Thinman)

40 dmg (Beardman)

*I’m running out of mana fast, at this rate even my rageflame regen won’t save me. Two more hits and I’m done for.*

John’s bolt had shattered Twin 2’s shield, and she stood stunned as John’s fiery aura manifested.

“Matt, we gotta get outta here!” she screeched as she threw an ice dagger and it melted before hitting John.

John cast heal summon on Ignis and it seemed to ease her pain, but it drained his mana as quickly as flames did.

+10 hp (Ignis)

+10 hp (Ignis)

“I’m not running from this fight, Tina!” Beardman shouted. He held his hands high and the orbs coated them with water, pouring themselves onto him but not getting smaller.

+10 hp (Ignis)

+10 hp (Ignis)

+10 hp (Ignis)

“Matt! Tell this shitface idiot that we gotta get outta here while we still can! Kina needs a healer and I can’t heal her if I’m dead!” Tina was adamant as she conjured larger and larger ice blades to throw at John, her voice getting more and more shrill each time his flames melted them before they hit.

+10 hp (Ignis)

+10 hp (Ignis)

Ignis gekkered at Thinman, who was apparently named Matt, and he disappeared.

Enemy fled barrier

Enemy fled barrier

Tina followed him right after, but Beardman remained to face John. His orbs spun faster, becoming a wide halo of water above his head. The water covering his hands like gloves bulged out and solidified, forming huge fists made of ice. Scarman groaned on the floor as the sparks stopped arcing across his torso.

John checked his vitals before charging Beardman, his heart hammering in his chest as he took deep, heaving breaths.

44 hp

60 mp

He double cast bolt again, standing in between Ignis and Beardman, determined not to let any more harm or pain come to his first summon. He launched his attacks as Beardman charged towards him, but Beardman was ready for them. With inhuman speed, he raised an icy fist to block the sparks, cracks webbing across on impact. John stood his ground and double cast bolt again, aiming for the fist that had cracks in it and hoping to shatter it before it shattered his bones.

The first lightning bolt destroyed the icy fist, but his other fist intercepted the second bolt before it could hit his bare hand. John cast bolt with his last twenty points of mana and was about to attack when Ignis pounced, slamming Beardman into the floor and evaporating his watery halo.

100 dmg (Beardman)

-10 hp (Ignis)

20 dmg (Beardman)

-20 hp (Ignis)

20 dmg (Beardman)

“No! Please! Let me go! Please don’t kill me!” he shouted, frantically wriggling under Ignis’ paws. The system pinged.

“Ignis, come here,” John’s voice was a fierce calm, burning with inner rage. Ignis did as he asked and stood next to him, sparing Beardman’s life. His icy fist had sublimated under the **** of her flames. His skin was heavily burnt in all the places John and Ignis had attacked him, and upon noticing this John looked at Scarman, who also showed signs of severe burns. John’s regret was quickly consumed by the rage inside.

“Why should I spare your life? You and your friends attacked me. I should kill you.” His voice seemed to crackle as if his vocal chords were on fire. Which may very well be true, John thought back to the flavor text for Rageflame. Your anger fuels your mana, manifesting as a raging inferno burning inside and around you, it had said. My insides are literally on fire right now. The thought disturbed him a bit, but his attention turned to Beardman as he attempted to formulate a response.

“You embarrassed us, you beat our apprentices in front of their rivals. You made us look weak.”

“You don’t need me to make you look weak. You are weak.”

Our level differences should have made it impossible for me to beat them like this. They don’t know how to use their powers well, and they’ve apparently already graduated from Firesmith.

“You- you piece of- we’ll- I- argh!” Beardman floundered for a response.

“I’m sparing you because I want you to warn your friends and any rivals you may have. Don’t. Mess. With. Me. None of you know what I am capable of, and testing me again will earn you an unpleasant ****. Have I made myself clear?”

Beardman growled under his breath.

“What was that?”

“Yes, now let me go.” The system pinged again.

John raised his eyebrows at that request, then opened the system notification.

All enemies subdued. Barrier control granted.

Enemy requests to exit barrier. Grant?

Yes No

5+ notifications

John granted the request and Beardman disappeared. Scarman still lay **** on the floor. John shook his head, dismissed Ignis, and exited the barrier.