I stared at a claw in front of my eyes, pushing itself against a barrier that, though it just manifested itself, already had signs of cracking. But the beast this claw belonged to already started to growl in anger as its limb started to melt visibly while it tried to break through my defenses. I couldn’t just concentrate on the beast in front of me however as the other one hid its body behind the bigger one.

“Now, where will you come from?”

My flames flickered as I gathered them in preparation for the next attack.

The one that hid itself was already hurt. Even if it could regenerate through the surrounding snow its strength should be limited right now based on its smaller form. And the big one will maim itself if its pushing through my barrier like this.

I looked left and right waiting for the beast to show itself once more, only for it to jump above the other and crash down on the barrier. The sudden strain made it tremble, only for the beast tail to swing around soon afterwards. Before the icy stakes finished what the earlier attacks tried and broke through the barrier I jumped backwards, releasing a blast of flames towards the two beast.

Unable to dodge the beast flicked its tail in front of the fire to block it. Loud cracking noises resounded as the flames made contact with the ice, but before I could see the effects of my attack the bigger one shot around.

I lifted my arm, strengthening the heat of the fire, before another swipe of a claw send me sliding across the snow. I felt my bones rattling within me, my skin bruised and bleeding where the beast hit me, but as I lowered my arms I saw that its attack damaged itself just like me. It stared down its claw that partially broke off before directing its view at me once more, wariness in its crystal-like eyes.

They must’ve wanted to finish me off as fast as they could. Fuck, if it weren’t for my flames, they would have already done so with the first attack.

The two started to move once more, splitting up to circle around at each side of me. My eyes wandered to follow the one disappearing to my left as I strained my ears for any sign of the other coming from my blind spot.

As it moved past a certain spot however my eyes stayed fix. Behind it I could see the others, fighting off a horde of snow beast that hid inside the storm, their wounds accumulating as more and more of them stepped out of the white blanket. They didn’t cry out for help. They did their best to protect those that where weaker than them. All while waiting for me to come back.

I laughed out loudly, startling the beast with my sudden change in attitude. They stopped in their tracks, not daring to keep their eyes of me.

Is this what it feels like to be relied upon? Having someone trust you?

This thought resounded in my mind. But they weren’t my own.

“Feels good right?” I whispered to myself.

No. This is just a brief illusion of comfort. In the end it will only cause more suffering when they all died, and we are the only one left.

“Not if we can prevent it.”

I lifted my hand, the black flames quivering along it. Part of my vision began to blacken. And with a voice that wasn’t mine, but somehow part of me, we began to speak.

“Destroy to protect.”

Without even waiting for the attack of their leader to land they stormed out of the storm to keep us occupied so we didn’t have a chance to help Agni. One by one they came towards us, only to be slashed apart by a myriad of methods or even just crushed brutaly.

But for every beast that I destroyed another two came. And even though I destroyed their bodies, it didn’t take long for the fallen ones to reform once more if they weren’t molten soon after. One more a Fireball passed by me, the uncontrolled heat searing my scales in passing before it landed in a pile of snow.

The few mages that could use fire tried their best, even the little girl that Charr took in ran around while melting the remains of those beast, but while their mana reserves got bigger since the beginning it wasn’t nearly enough to finish all off that were coming towards us.

We just need to hold on until he comes back!

“[Wind Blade]!” A circle flickered up for a moment before a gust of air cut through an incoming beast only for another one to spring forth behind it. Without a chance to attack I lifted my arms, only for it to bite into it.

I couldn’t help but let out a pained scream as I felt the pointy fangs digging into my scales and flesh. Suppressing the pain, I let the scales on my arm quiver, every little one producing small blades of wind that cut into the head, shredding it into pieces.

I glanced upon my arm. Blood trickled out of the wound but before this fight ended, I wouldn’t have time to treat it, as by the time I looked back up another pair of frozen beasts dashed towards me.

Suddenly, a howl cut through the air, resounding like clinking glass, but filled with a deep sense of unpleasantness. And just like the howl, the beast in front let go of us, not caring about those that they just fought against as they stormed away.

Did he defeat them?

Opposed to my wished however he still fought against the beast. Not even against one but two even!

“Watch out!” I screamed towards him as I broke into a run, but the beasts were far quicker than myself, being used to the snow beneath their feet. And as the snow ones came near the beasts of ices began to move to, attacking him from two sides while the other stormed forth from a third.

Lifting my hand, a circle flickered into life, as I wanted to raise a shield of winds around, sharp enough to withhold the lower ones at least. Before I could however a wave of black flames rushed out, swallowing them.

As the flames flickered out nothing was left of the small ones. Even the snow they ran upon was gone, leaving a bare, scorched mountain surface behind. And only now I saw that the black flames that spread across his body claimed more and more surface, even covering part of his head and his left eye.

“No!” Charr’s voice rang out. “Not again!”

Before I could ask him what he meant however my attention was once more caught by the ice beast, as they reached him and slashed at him with their claws. They were short of ripping him apart, when the crashed into his barrier, shining with a golden light.

Without even trying to break through they sprang back at the failure of their attack. In return he lifted his arms, pointing one towards each beast. And with an explosive force fire clashed towards them, bathing one in blackened while the other shimmered in a golden fire.

Still, it wasn’t enough to finish them off completely. While their bodies showed signs of cracking, parts of it deforming as the ice melted, the beast shared a look, before they turned around and ran into the snow to flee.

He didn’t showed signs of moving after them, instead he spoke, his voice cold and eerie.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

With a flick of his hands flames rushed of towards each beast, following them into the snow. Nothing was heard afterwards, but in front of me flashed a message that showed the result.