Whisker of ember danced through the Emberwind’s flight path. A fiery zip blazed in a sizzling point. His arrow blasted against the [Godknight]’s back, sending an explosion of flame upwards. Dust and dirt kicked forth upon impact.

  Without wasting any time, Don and Rockfer charged right into the dust. Their bodies entered the forming cloud, opening a small wind pressure.

  Dark wind by Amidela sliced forward, splitting apart the dust, and Suna’s vision was now free. His breath constricted for a moment when he watched the [Godknight]’s rapier appear to pierce through Floundea’s neck. But on a second look, it turned out the rapier’s steel melted apart upon touching her skin.

  The Thiefmaster’s shield of ember blanketed her body in a white hue of pure flame. Suna, of course, knew how Jack often boasted about Floundea’s power, and honestly, Suna did not believe Jack. To Suna, James was the epitome of a Thiefmaster, and Floundea was merely second fiddle to him. When James died, a part of Suna thought that the Tieflings no longer had a chance.

  But now?

  Blue flame ignited the knight rapier, forging its tip in pure recreation of fire. Hot, searing, smoldering air floated around the battlefield. It seemed Suna’s arrow at the [Godknight]’s back did not do any damage. But what he did was disperse the extremely hot mirage around them, allowing the two Tieflings to get in.

  The rapier gorged through, drawing a small amount of Floundea’s blood. The next instant, a huge claymore slammed the rapier down in a ringing snap. The rapier cracked a bit. Don—who held the Pyre Claymore—cleaved his claymore horizontally onto the [Godknight]’s chest plate.

  A brutal ring followed, staggering the [Godknight] back, away from Floundea. Still, that attack by Don was only meant to get the knight away from the Thiefmaster. The attack meant to kill him came right after.

  Rockfer leapt up and wrapped his leg around the Godknight’s neck. The Knight’s hand immediately went up, but too late—Suna had summoned his Flint Shadow Bow and drew a Sootroot Arrow—he released it, straight into the [Godknight]’s back chest.

  His arrow disappeared and reappeared. The next thing he knew, a loud fracture of the [Godknight]’s armor shattered the surrounding air with a push of wind.

  The knight’s back was open, and Amidela did not miss her chance.

  Slice of blackened wind drafted like a cruel blade, reaping blood from the [Godknight]’s opened flesh.

  His flesh was green just like Nathan’s, like most Undead—Yes, exactly like most Undead Suna had killed.

  A brief sympathy went through him, but he squashed it immediately. This thing killed James.

  Suna's hand moved to his quiver, and he drew an arrow in less than a second.

  Before his mind could register it, another Sootroot Arrow already flew, and this time he targeted the neck. Rockfer knew where Suna would aim, so the Tiefling quickly stuck his dagger into the [Godknight]’s neck and jumped down.

  Another crack of armor split the sky when his arrow pierced Landfred’s throat. A satisfying chortle from the Godknight echoed as the Undead slumped forward, only to be kneed by Floundea, sending the [Godknight]’s broken face up.

  In an impossible sequence, the [Godknight] steadied his right foot, and Suna could briefly sense that something was building up. A dangerous—

  “Scatter!” Floundea screamed.

  Suna rushed back with Gale Step. He quickly kicked away the ground beneath him. As his body flew back, he watched as Don was not so lucky. The poor Tiefling was about to run also with Gale Step, but the [Godknight]’s last gauntleted hand reached up and yanked the Pyre Claymore back by its steel point. That caused the Tiefling to fall.

  A bluish line of flames surrounded the [Godknight] like a thin, small needles of globe. The next instant, a smoldering inferno of blue erupted forth like a sudden tornado.

  Spiraling flame vortex towered over all of them. Not just them, but it extended forward into the sky. Consuming the air with its raging scorch that sent ash and cinders mixing into Suna’s eyes. He blinked as the moisture of his eyes dried away.

  “Amidela!” Suna called, still battling the pressure of the whirling flame. He grasped the Tiefling, who cried out as half of her body began to burn away. Suna pulled her by the hand and got her behind him. His Spirit Rabbit Cloak healed him, so Suna could still stand. But the air around them was so hot that Amidela’s body crackled like a fractured earth.

  Deciding she would die soon, Suna took a risk.

  He built up Air Pressure on his left hand and turned to Amidela.

  “Brace your hand! Bring it up!”

  Amidela did. She opened her eyes to see Suna slam his magic into her defended chest, sending the Tiefling flying back through the sky.

  Suna quickly took a further step away with Gale Step, escaping this fiery tornado that grew bigger every second. He needed to be ready to dive in for Floundea the moment it subsided. Don, and Rockfer… They were dead.

  Another dead, thanks to this monster.

  It was so hot. Suna’s feet unconsciously stepped back further, and once the heat lessened, he drew another Sootroot arrow and resummoned his Flint Shadow Bow.

  No, this wouldn’t work. The intense heat would kill it. If only there were a way to coat his Sootroot Arrow with flame resistance… Even his normal arrow could work as long as he could draw it through his new Spell bow. But that wouldn’t work.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Think, think.

  Emberwind? No, this heat would just kill it.

  Was Floundea even still alive? Suna shook his head. He could only hope for now.

  How about the Gale Step up high above to fire? But the flaming tornado extended into the sky…

  The best thing he could do was move to where Floundea would be.

  Wait… where Floundea would be.

  A plan clicked in Suna’s head.

  He immediately ran, circling the fiery death. The pressure from the tornado sent heat so blistering that the trees’ bark began to turn into cinders of ashes that blew back like a wave of sandstorm. Suna blew through them; he coughed and kept pushing onward.

  Boiling sap and vaporized leaves colored his surroundings in a depressing, deathly hue. That tornado devoured and devours. Charred ground spread further as the earth began to dry beneath. It was almost unbelievable, not seconds ago, snow covered them.

  Suna blasted the ground below and pushed his body up in a jump. His cloak flapped around him, and he still had to shield his eyes from the heat point.

  Then he saw it with his Eagle Eyes, a pocket of flame that stood alone in defense against the Godknight’s overwhelming flame.

  She was still alive.

  Like Reki, Floundea was in a circle of her creation. A control of flames so remarkable that she created a pocket space to resist the raging blue death.

  That would be Suna’s target.

  He landed on a small mound of earth that offered him elevation to scan the battlefield, and he was about to use his Gale Step again, until a voice called him.

  “Suna!”

  His heart quickened, and he flinched when he saw a figure using Drowfication approaching him.

  But something made him hesitate and not draw his bow. The figure was carrying someone else. Also, the voice was familiar.

  “Min!”

  Min landed near him; the woman used her own Gale Step. She huffed, pushing away the blonde hair of the individual she carried. A flash of hesitation colored Slea’s eyes, but it was immediately replaced by her next action.

  She rushed off Min’s hand, steadying her Brimhat, and grasped Suna’s cloak, examining him. She tilted her head and blinked once more. “It’s really you, right? Not some Undead.”

  Right, he still used Drowfication; he forgot about the spell. The aftereffects later might be nasty. But for now…

  “In trouble, Suna?” She flashed a smile, and a tear slid down her face. Slea wiped her tears with…

  “What happened to you?” Suna asked. Her hand was scaly, like the skin of a lizard. She even had a claw that looked like a small talon.

  "It's nice to see you too," she bit her cheek, clearly pushing down her annoyance. “Some things never change, I see.”

  “Not the time for a reunion, you two,” Min said, scratching her head. The woman tried to draw a huge breath, but the acrid air made her chortle instead. “What the hell have you been fighting?” Min croaked.

  “He did not use that kind of power before,” Suna said, “Must be something that keeps it… Come on, let's move. I have a plan.” He moved, about to boost himself toward where Floundea was.

  “Hold on, Suna,” Min said. “Are they alive? Reki and Noa?”

  Slea tensed beside Min, and she gazed at him.

  “They’re fine. But,” Suna looked at Slea. “Your Thiefmaster might not be.” He pointed to a small pocket of bright white flame within the fire-flood of bluish ones.

  “Floundea,” Slea gasped. “Come on, then.”

  “Are we really going?”

  Suna paused. He turned to whoever said that—It was Min.

  “Min, it's not the time,” Slea intoned, her eyes turned cold, and her retinal color plucked into iridescent red and yellow.

  “This is exactly the time, Slea,” Min shook her head, offering the girl an apologetic look. “I’m not that kind to dive into that.”

  Slea's mouth opened. But, Min let out a small chuckle, cutting off whatever she was going to say.

  “I could have sworn we had this conversation before. You argue for us not to leave Noa, like you are about to do now for Floundea. And…” She mumbled.

  Her body jerked up, like she remembered something.

  “Right, I took an arrow for you before. In the heart.”

  She tapped her chest. Her lips went wry.

  “I’m no longer the same person, Slea.”

  “We’re too far in for this, Min,” Suna said, not sure where this sudden hesitation came from.

  “Exactly, we’re too deep into this. Jack told me what the god told you. We can pass just by staying still. I think Reki’s god also said the same thing…”

  Suna was about to argue how they need to keep moving, to seek deeper. It’s the way of the new world. The Rabbit Goddess made that clear to him.

  So, he was about to argue. But a hand grasped his cloak. Suna looked at Slea, who gently shook her head.

  “I get it, Min,” Slea said. “Just wait for us.”

  “I’m sorry,” Min said. Her hand went to her pocket, and she handed Suna a mana potion, “Drink, and please. Don’t die, you two.”

  He took it and drank. Suna eyed Min, and she offered him a guilty smile.

  “We will cross the Gateway together, Min,” Slea said simply. Her eyes went up to Suna, and they widened in fear. That was almost insulting.

  “Of course, we will.” Suna sighed. “I will even go back for Pito. I also want the Tiefling to win the quest.”

  “You two are kind. Both of you,” Min mumbled, gripping her shoulder. “Good luck,”

  Suna scooped Slea up. She steadied her Brimhat, clutching his cloak, and Suna rushed down the mound of earth they were on.

  Slea’s Brimhat tickled Suna’s chin, and he just realized how perfect his situation was.

  He landed far behind Floundea’s pocket of flames that slowly consumed him apart by the Pyreflames.

  Suna might have rushed up there if he had his own supply of Pyreflame. But now he barely had two hundred. Nowhere near enough to dive there and rescue Floundea.

  “Why are we stopping so far away?” Slea asked, as Suna let her down. Her body went rigid as they watched Floundea’s defense about to be consumed apart.

  “I have an arrow that can disappear and reappear straight inside the Knight,” he explained. “But the arrow will just be burnt away by the pure heat of these flames.”

  She nodded, gesturing for him to go on.

  “Here, thanks to Floundea blocking part of it, the resistance is lessened, and that made me able to draw and release.”

  “But, it will just be eaten away anyway,” Slea pointed out.

  “Sure, but I can stack my passive,” Suna muttered.

  He trailed the air horizontally with his finger, and an inky shadow formed. Suna gripped his hand, and the shadow grew into the Flint Shadow Bow. He drew an arrow and released it, only for it to be burned away to smithereens before it could even reach Floundea.

  “Stack your passive…” Slea mumbled. “They get stronger every time you release?”

  “Yes, but only if I don’t move for all of them to work.”

  “Okay, I can see it. What can I do?”

  “Perfect, you still had your Brimhat—”

  “Right, what happened to the one I gave?”

  That is a legitimate question considering their situation, and another Brimhat would be helpful, but he ignored it.

  “You have resistance to the fire, right?” Suna asked. “Your class, they looked anti-fire.”

  “Anti-fire…” She muttered, cocking her eyebrow. “Sure, they are.”

  “Good,” Suna concluded. She was truly perfect for this. “I want you to dive there,” he pointed at the raging Pyreflame.

  Her eyes widened, and her shoulders hunched like she was about to scream something. But Suna cut her off.

  “You still have your Brimhat and your class. Go there, and lessen the flames for my arrow,” he added. “And for Floundea, too. Brimhat can—”

  “I know what Brimhat can do, Suna, and yes… I can do it. Floundea burns me a lot, so I can absorb and control flame.”

  “Perfect,” Suna said again. “Go!” He released another useless arrow.

  “It's really nice seeing you again,” Slea grumbled.

  Her red mage dress swayed with her as she began walking forward, opening her palm, and Suna watched as flames obeyed her thus far.

  “Who forced the Archer class on me again?” Suna reminded her.

  “Really, Suna?” She called out over her shoulder. “Real mature.”

  Slea walked deeper into the flames without more complaint.

  Suna cracked a smile, and once again, he was truly glad for his Class.