Of Fighting and Fire

Minutes prior

The Ashcroft courtyard, once pristinely maintained, even while warped by the barrier, was now a scene of carnage. Blood and bodies were scattered to the sides. Scars of scorched earth had been cut into the grass where charred, blackened **** was all that remained of once green grass. Power chords from an electric guitar mingled with the crackling of flame and clattering of steel in the chorus of battle that floated above.

In the center of the whirlwind of battle, a pair of uniformed women danced around each other, working to hold the horde surrounding them at bay. With a cry of effort, Ela Grzmot parried a spiked bat, itself prickling with lightning magic, and slashed her sword across her assailant’s chest before quickly retreating back to her comrade’s side before she could be cut off.

“WATCH OUT!” the Warden called, just in time to place herself between the Bookworm Knight and a swathe of fire, thrown forth by a sharp note from the guitar held by the enemy’s leader. As he ran his fingers down his instrument, the strings burst into flame again. That flame grew with the music, flowing away, growing in speed and strength as he held the chord.

A second wall of flame blasted itself across the length of the yard towards them, reverberating as the bard continued his song. Red and orange flames bristled, meeting the gilded radiance of Moira’s holy shield before breaking, splitting around the pair.

Ela whirled to face behind the redhead that was shielding her, moving to block a dead rush from an ambitious gangster looking for an opening. It was an inexperienced strike, taken only because the man thought it would be easy with the Warden turned away. Another parry. Another counter. Another body’s blood to water what was left of the yard.

The knight looked down with sadness at the men she’d killed. She’d always hated when the Order had had to fight people instead of monsters. The gang members around her gave no time for pity, however, as another psychotic man charged her, this one trying to shiv her with a pair of knives. She caught the first on her shield, a snap of cold shooting through her forearm as the blade bounced off the face.

Twisting to try and dodge the second stab, Ela narrowly avoided taking a knife to her heart, though it still came close enough for its warm metal to drag across her side, bouncing off a rib. The wound burned, and the Bookworm Knight winced as she rolled against the weapon, punching her assailant with the edge of her shield. As they separated, she lept backwards, returning to Moira’s flank.

The blonde panted at the exertion, sweat glistening across her forehead. Pain shot through her shield arm. As powerful as the Warden’s blessing and The Gamer’s party buffs were, Ela was reaching her limit. She could feel herself slowing down with every hit she took. A nasty cut she’d taken to her leg a minute prior was bleeding out badly, now joined by the slash on her chest. Without her suit to assist her, she’d been unable to properly close them, and the weakness was showing.

She grit her teeth, frustrated at her own limitations. The injuries she’d sustained at Scapa Flow still haunted her. Her shield arm had never truly been the same since that day. Without her combat suit to reinforce her body and brace her muscles, just how badly she had fallen was apparent. Now, her arm’s itch screamed in a burning protest against her.

It was only due to the utter chaos of the enemy attack that she’d held on this long. Their foes were numerous, but clearly untrained for this situation. They were all street fighters, trying to attack as a clump of individuals, incapable even of separating them during their leader’s magical ****. Though she was rusty, Ela had been trained for years to fight in formation with other knights. That lockstep defense was barely keeping her alive.

Slowly, the Bookworm Knight returned to her stance next to her companion, almost back to back. ’Come on, John… Please hurry.’

“The Lady’s light restores us!” came a cry from behind her, a fresh wave of golden radiance descending upon the pair of knights.

Ela’s pain began to dull as her health bar began to tick up, ever so slightly. Silently, the blonde thanked John for his UI allowing them to see how eachother was holding up. That thought only lasted momentarily, however, as she took in what remained of their opposition. A dozen enemies still surrounded them, the more cautious and powerful of the gang that had assaulted them.

Moira backed up just a step, whispering to Ela, “How much longer can you keep this up?”

“Long enough,” she answered stubbornly. Putting on her bravest face, she raised her shield defensively again. “He will make it.”

The redhead scowled, but accepted her response, lining up to cover her flank. Before the next exchange of blows could begin, their opposition stepped back in unison. Wicked grins cracked across the faces of several. Ela looked around, trying to figure out what she’d missed, when a sudden wave of heat and pressure flowed over her from the side. The music had stopped.

Turning, she faced down the length of the courtyard towards where the Firebard stood.

The ill-kept guitarist held a hand up in front of him, bright crimson sigils swirling around pointed fingers. He was chanting something under his breath. In front of him, a swirling golden flame grew into a roaring fireball, a pretty gradient of the sun’s colors flaring throughout it. From within the inferno, two wings stretched out. With a single, mighty flap, they dispelled the flames surrounding, revealing the mystical beast within.

The knights knew immediately that a phoenix now stood in front of them. Its feathers were a brilliant, fiery red, beautiful oranges and yellows interspersed throughout, giving it a vibrant appearance, as if the creature itself was made of living flame. Its beak and the scales of its legs were an impressive golden color, adding further to its air of nobility. Flame flickered on the crown of its head, down its back, flaring off of its tail.

Ela would have been in awe of the creature’s beauty, if it wasn’t in such a miserable state.

Looking closer, she could tell that the phoenix was horribly malnourished, patches of tarnished feathers missing from its once-radiant coat. The flames that danced across it sputtered, barely clinging to life. Despite its impressive entrance, it seemed visibly weary as it stood awaiting command.

The worst of it was how the creature had been bound.

A cracked, wicked purple gemstone had been stabbed into the mystical beast’s heart, cruel sigils throbbing with mana as they suppressed its will. Razor wire had been wrapped around its body to secure the control crystal, leaving just enough space for its wings to move. The wire was soaked in layers and layers of dried blood, evidence that the creature had been **** to grow to full size while constrained.

The Warden and Bookworm Knight were given no time to consider this shift in the balance of their confrontation, as the Firebard hit a stunning power chord. The note seemed to shake the world as the phoenix took flight, the power of the music seeming to give it some amount of strength. All around them, the flickering fires of previous attacks seemed to find second lives, what remained of the grass withering away in the face of the oncoming fire.

The phoenix had just risen to the second story of the building around them when it burst into flame, its entire body engulfed in deep orange. Moira’s eyes widened. For the first time, a hint of fear slipped past her guard. The song built to a swell, and with a mighty cry, the beast dove, launching its entire flaming body at the pair.

“Behind me!” the Warden screamed, raising her shield in **** defense. “THE LADY’S LIGHT SHIELDS US!!”

Golden waves of light stretched out from Moira’s shield as she and Ela crouched down behind it, praying that the Lady’s Blessing could protect them. Holy radiance crept around the pair just as the gang leader hit a high note, the phoenix’s attack meeting the most blessed shield in perfect sync. Waves of brilliant crimson flame rolled over the Warden’s barrier as she chanted prayers of reinforcement.

This time, it was not the fire that broke.

Cracks ran along the redhead’s hastily called-upon defenses, which caved under the pressure of the phoenix’s ****. The Warden’s shield caught the bird’s dive bomb directly, the all-but-indestructible steel of her blessed armament all that prevented the creature from killing them. The phoenix cried as its flames began to flicker, and it exploded in a stunning burst as it flew straight upwards, the magic of the song gone.

Moira and Ela were thrown backwards across the courtyard, flames dancing along the edges of their now singed clothing. The Warden’s shield was white-hot, and she struggled to raise it as she got back to her feet. She’d lost sight of the mystical creature as it had fled to the skies, though she had no time to try and find it, as the gangsters again began to close in.

The blonde behind her slowly rose to her feet, visibly shaken. Her body thrummed with mana as she **** new cuts and bruises back together as best she could. Ela limped as she moved back to Moira’s side. ’Please… John…’

---

Present

The Gamer scrambled back across the school as fast as he could. Distant avian cries accompanied the shaking of the building around him. His companion’s health bars flickered again, sending a fresh chill down his spine, countered only by more adrenaline. A strange, numbing sickness churned through his body.

John’s mind raced as he tried to figure out what he needed to do. Running all the way back outside and into the library from behind seemed like it would take an eternity. Trying to come out the front door right behind them seemed outright suicidal. He needed to find some way to take advantage of what surprise factor he might have left.

An idea hit him, and he turned to dash upstairs in the admin building.

If John’s memory served, there was a small balcony out from where the principal’s office was, on the second floor. While obviously off limits to students, there was nobody to stop him from going out there now. With the open view and the high ground, perhaps he could get off a key spell or two.

The Gamer nearly tripped and faceplanted on the stairs in his hurry to get somewhere useful. He **** himself to calm as best he could, knowing that he couldn’t afford to make any silly mistakes once he got involved in the fighting. Fortunately, the upper hall was empty, and the principal’s door had been left ajar, allowing him to slip in without issue.

Looking through the windowed balcony door, he stopped for a moment to analyze the situation below. The two dozen or so gangsters that they’d seen originally had been worn down to only seven or eight, who stood in a semicircle around Ela and Moira, keeping them boxed in against the library’s wall.

The blonde was limping, nursing a nasty wound on her leg, though she was clearly attempting to maintain a position of strength at the Warden’s side. The redhead, for her part, was much worse for wear than he’d seen. Disheveled locks of her fiery hair were matted with sweat against her head, contrasting a streak of blood running down the side of her forehead. She’d placed herself forward, clearly intent on taking the brunt of the enemy aggression.

To John’s left, on the opposite side of the courtyard, the gang’s leader strummed away on his guitar, flames flickering up and down his instrument as chord after chord rang out. The beating, high-tempo thrum of metal reverberated through the walls, the fire that decorated the courtyard swelling with his music.

’Doesn’t take a genius to figure out where that fire mana in the sky must be coming from…’ he thought, narrowing his eyes at the man. ’Something must have changed the strength dynamic if he’s holding us in here. Maybe I can stop his song.’

The Gamer measured the distance between them and was disappointed to find that only his [Lesser Earth Spike] could hit, and only barely. Once he was able to move out onto the balcony, he’d probably be able to measure a halfway decent shot from the edge. But what if-

*’I don’t have time for all this… they’re literally fighting out there right now.” He took a deep breath, then pushed the door open.

John dashed out onto the balcony, amber hues glowing along his arm as he channeled his Geo magic. He did his best to swallow his nerves, pushing himself forward. Reaching the side of the balcony, The Gamer brought his staff forward, the lantern jingling slightly as he pointed his weapon at the gang leader. His spell’s targeter flashed a nasty crimson as he placed the phantom spike directly over the man’s chest - a spear through the heart.

The man turned towards John in the moment he prepared to close his fist, and as their eyes met, the nervous teen faltered.

The dying cries of the men he’d killed minutes prior rang in his ears again. His hesitation brought on thoughts of his mother. He wanted so desperately to go home and see her again, to be safe in her arms, to tell her he loved her… but at what cost? He’d taken two mothers’ sons away today. Could he take another?

His moment of humanity was all the Firebard needed to take advantage of. As soon as he recognized the threat, he lept backwards, taking cover behind one of the building’s brick pillars. Cursing himself, John turned his targeter sideways to the next best target - the guitarist’s amp. His spike of earth crashed through the rusty piece of tech, which let out a defiant screech as its sound was cut off for good.

The Gamer clenched his teeth, letting out a hiss as his heart was torn asunder - had he just thrown away his chance to free them?

He shook his head. ’What’s done is done. Make the best of it.’

Turning his staff downward, he pointed his magic at the gangsters closer to his companions. The familiar flow of mana through his body had an oddly calming effect. Wind whipped around him as verdant mana began to swirl along the warm handle of his staff. A holy-charged orb of air formed in front of him as he channeled [Lesser Air Burst].

As the remainder of the combatants looked up, realizing that someone had come and interrupted the fighting, he let loose his spells. He rained a trio of bursts on the gangsters below, trying to separate them from his friends. Green blasts of air knocked back several of the men before they reacted, separating and scattering as he continued to cast at them. A knife was thrown at him ineffectually.

Anger again flared through his magic as he looked over the damage that the knights had sustained. Ela, especially, had taken a serious beating. As he glanced over at her, he realized she was trying to shout something to him.

“LEFT! LOOK TO YOUR LEFT!” He could barely make out her words over the thumping of blood in his ears.

John turned, just in time to see a flaming phoenix sweeping towards him, seemingly descending from out of the sun. The windows along the side of the building shattered from the forceful heat flowing off it. The color drained from The Gamer’s face as he stared down a painful, fiery ****. His mind short circuited as he mentally fumbled between his [Lesser Frost Wall] and [Mana Shield].

Ela’s voice cut through his indecision, “JUMP!”

He processed that faster than he could make his own decision, so he turned and leapt from the balcony, vaguely in the direction of his party members. Behind him, waves of flame scorched the balcony, all but vaporizing the wooden railing. John brought his hands up to shield his face as he fell, hoping that his landing wouldn’t be too bad. Doing his best to mimic what he’d seen in movies, he tried to roll with his impact on the ground.

Pain shot up The Gamer’s arms as he landed on them, completely failing to dissipate the landing strain. He slid and sputtered, his face smushed into the grass. Fortunately, [Gamer’s Body] spared him a broken arm as he scrambled to his feet. He looked all around him, expecting for the gangsters to be descending upon him, but instead, he found them all waiting at a distance.

’Huh? What’s goi-’

Something hit him hard in the side. He grunted in discomfort as he looked over, trying to figure out what was happening and why. A pair of blonde twintails was a dead giveaway. He had no time to wonder what Ela was doing when he noticed the phoenix fly down from straight above, slamming into the ground where he’d been standing moments prior.

Before The Gamer could even process her climbing over to shield him, the mystical creature exploded from its landing place. Cascading flame went out in every direction, singing his limbs immediately. The Bookworm Knight wrapped herself around him, absorbing the blast as best she could.

To John’s horror, her health bar simply shattered.

Precious red disappeared in an instant, the empty space where her life indicator had been simply replaced by a dark red “CRITICAL” marker, which flashed in a **** bid for help.

The pair rolled over each other until they came to a stop as they hit one of the side walls. As quickly as he could, The Gamer slid out from under the woman who’d shielded him, gently turning her over. His own pain was a distant feeling, connected to a body that his mind was barely a part of anymore. Her Ashcroft jacket was little more than ash and thread, just like the shirt below it. Her back blistered and bled from where it had eaten the wall of flame.

John’s whole body was shaking as he tried to cast his [Mend the Flesh] spell. Though it seemed to be working, slowly patching up the burns, nothing changed on his UI. The CRITICAL sign simply flashed away, ignoring his efforts entirely. The world around him seemed to fade away as he looked at his friend in front of him, motionless on the ground.

’Can’t heal what the body wouldn’t normally recover from…’

He cried.

He cursed his hesitation.

He cursed his inability to act.

He cursed everything… the fire mage especially.

Sorrow turned to anger.

Everything went red as he stood, turning to the men who were left. The Firebard and his goons were laughing at the tears that ran down his face, the all too familiar sting of mocking sneers cutting into him. The Gamer’s body rippled with mana as he prepared to fight them. He had no idea if he had the power to stop them, but he was going to try.

Before he could even consider who to start throwing spells at, a flying hammer silenced the gang leader’s laughter. In the confusion following John’s arrival and the phoenix’s attack, Moira had slid forward enough to throw her hammer at the distracted Firebard. The heavy steel of her hammer’s head crushed into the side of the guitarist’s head, and The Gamer swore he saw shattered teeth go flying as he was knocked backwards by the weapon.

“THE LADY’S LIGHT HAS DOMINION OVER THIS SPACE!!” the Shield Warden called, slamming her hand into the ground. The floor seemed to shatter outwards from the impact, amber-gold light shining through the cracks.

Holy light erupted all around her, and the world seemed to shift. A ripple of cool, gilded radiance shimmered over the sky as she ripped control of the barrier from the injured musician. With indignant cries, the remaining gang members tried to charge at her, but, one by one, they faded from existence, banished from the barrier by the redhead’s command.

John’s hands fell to his sides as he dropped his weapon and turned back to Ela. Again, he uselessly tried to heal her, hoping beyond hope that he could do anything to help. Nothing.

“John,” Moira said, kneeling next to him. “John!”

He didn’t hear her. His only focus was on the woman in front of him. His dear friend he’d only met two days ago, who’d dove in front of a fire blast to help him. Why? Why him? Why did he matter?

“JOHN!” Moira shouted, garnering no response.

She sighed, offering a pitying look to the man at her side. Closing her eyes, the Warden offered a prayer to the Lady, calling forth a simple blessing. It was enough to get The Gamer’s attention, as holy scripture wrote itself in light all around Ela. Lines of prayer danced around the fallen knight before gently landing on her back, soothing her burns. Her health bar did not reappear, but the CRITICAL sign stopped flashing, for the moment.

John turned, his panic-ridden mind finally aware of her presence.

“John, we don’t have time,” Moira said, lifting one of Ela’s arms. “Grab her other side. We need to move, now!”

It took him a second to snap out of his delirium, but following orders was easy enough. “What… What’s going on?”

“I- I can’t hold this barrier for long,” the Warden admitted, helping The Gamer lift Ela up, one of her arms over each of their necks. “We need to get out, get far enough away that I can call for help.”

John and Moira slowly made their way across the courtyard, back towards the library, carrying Ela along with them. Between bouts of explanation, the redhead was continuing to mutter prayer after prayer, her magic sustaining the Bookworm Knight for the time being. The former was also injured, but did her best to present herself as confident, hoping that she could keep the inexperienced late bloomer going.

“I think, now that my magic is prepared, I can prevent them from pulling us back into a trap barrier. You have Knight Grzmot’s keys, right?”

John nodded.

“Can you drive?” she asked.

“Um…” His brain was still foggy. “I have a permit, but not a license.”

Moira hid a grimace behind a confident facade. “That will have to do. I need to continue to heal Ela until we can make it back to the Manor. There, the healers can take care of her. You need to drive so that I can work.”

“OK… how are we going to get to the car?”

“Those brutes are banging on the outside of the barrier already. When we exit, I will let them in. Hopefully they’ll waste time looking for us while we get a head start.”

The pair walked in a tense silence after that. It was all The Gamer could do to not simply curl up in a ball and weep. Too much was going on. He was overloaded in every possible way. So much of his body and mind screamed to simply give up. If he did that, though, Ela and Moira wouldn’t make it. He couldn’t abandon them, right?

’I’m not that kind of person, though, am I? I’ve never been a person that someone could really rely on…’ His mind twisted and spun in a dozen directions. ’I’m not the person they need right now… Why in the world did you give these stupid powers to me?’

Nothing.

Lamentations tore away as he decided a single truth. ’Guess it doesn’t matter. It is me. I have to do it.’

He needed to succeed. Not for himself, but for Ela and Moira. He had to do, no time to try. Wiping the tears from his eyes, John found resolve that he didn’t know he had. ’We’re all going to get out of here, and then I’m going to buy you the biggest meal you’ve ever seen…’

Together, the trio made it to the library parking lot, where John spotted the barrier’s warped facsimile of Ela’s car immediately. On a count of three, the Warden and Gamer exited the barrier, the former bringing with her their injured companion. With as much haste as they could, they loaded up in Ela’s car, John in the front seat, acclimating to the vehicle, and Moira in the back. Ela was laid out across the back seat, and Moira kneeled over her, casting healing magic.

“John?” Moira spoke softly, offering her best reassuring smile to him. John met her gaze in the rear view mirror. “Ignore the speed limit.”

Taking a deep breath, The Gamer pulled the vehicle out, racing off away from Ashcroft.

A couple minutes later, three other cars followed.