Elemental Wars: The Exiled Element

Chapter 3 - The Fire Elementalist

My confidence faltered as the first figure pounced on me and socked me across my face. My eyes began to see stars as I stumbled back and fell on my butt.

Before I could even comprehend what was going on, my leg flew out with wicked speed and I felt it impact something. My eyes caught a glimpse of the creature with a dented crotch before it collapsed on its knees and was swallowed up by the muddy water.

Get up!

I hopped back on my feet and tried to back away, but when I turned around, I realised I was completely surrounded. Mute figures closed in on me from all sides.

I began to search my pocket for any weapon of sorts. As soon as the word weapon occured in my head, something appeared in my hand, an icy cool metallic rod clutched in my fist. Before I had time to question its existence, one of the figures choked me from behind.

Sputtering for air, I closed my eyes, wrenching out the metal rod in an attempt hit the creature in the face. I heard a sharp shink. The arms gripping my neck loosened as they collapsed on the floor.

I gasped, opened my eyes and there was the figure behind on the ground, its face sliced in half. I got a good look at its insides. There were no wires or flesh within its head, just solid metal.

What's even weirder was the giant sword I'm holding.

White-hot fire shot out from the hilt and seemed to be drawn to the tip of the sword, making it looked like the sword was wrapped in an inferno. There was an engraving on the sword's blade that I couldn't make out. It was so hot the rainwater around it sizzled and turned into steam even without making contact with it.

I sliced the air in a 360 degree arc, causing the figures to back off. I had no idea what I'm doing, just that I needed to get away from these guys and get some help. Even without expressions, I could tell the figures fear the sword.

"Target has the Sword of Inferno," a higher-pitched robotic voice rang from inside one of them. "Permission to kill, commander?"

The leader got up and snapped its fingers. The lightning rod levitated in the air for a brief moment. Suddenly, it made a piercing whirring noise and flew back into its hand. "Kill him. I imagine our master would prefer him dead than escaped."

They all charged me at the same time. I screamed, only out of fury this time, and blocked a blow from an axe thrown by one of them. The axe didn't last long and melted within seconds after making contact with my sword.

I stabbed in the direction of one of the figures and it easily parried the attack. I hacked at the hilt of its spear and raised my sword, determined to slice it in half.

That was a fatal mistake.

Another figure lunged and twisted my wrist, causing me to drop the sword. I grabbed its face, trying to push it away from me. It gave out what I assumed is a robotic scream when smoke started pouring out from between my fingers.

The figure I tried to kill sliced my leg with its spear. I yelled in agony and crumbled to the floor. The figure grappling onto me fell to the ground too, its face melted and distorted.

Ignoring my pain, I grabbed my sword, jumped and sliced off of the spear wielder's head. As I landed, I fell a dull stab of pain and looked down at my leg, thinking that there was a minor injury.

What I saw made me sick. An open wound split my leg apart to the point that my bone is visible through the mess of tendons and flesh. Blood is spilling out of the open gash like a waterfall.

Just then, I felt a clammy pair of hands clamp around my neck and began to strangle me again. My sword dropped out of my hand and turned back into a rod the second my hands relaxed around it.