The air grew thick and heavy as the snow hissed at my feet, turning into steam. A blast of fire erupted in all directions, forcing the wolves’ encirclement to break. The flames took hold of my gloves, disintegrating them in mere moments. My skin cried out as it was exposed to the open air, burning with a violent intensity.

  The fire was a beast clawing its way out from within. Every attempt to restrain it was met with more protest.

  The flames took my fur cloak next, shredding it to ashes. Every glance at the wolves caused the flames to surge skyward — I wanted them gone. They waited just outside of the blaze, for the exact moment it dropped its monstrous claws.

  Cerulean veins ran down both of my arms, and flowing through them was every grievance I carried. The world was a cold, cruel place. In the deepest recesses, something disgusting rang out:

  Burn. It. Down.

  Against the inferno, a miniscule voice rang out

  “Leonn... are you ok?” Donvan sat huddled there, shielded in a translucent amber barrier alongside Kingscalibur.

  Not all of the world was so cruel. The beast recoiled from its fit, tamed by the boy’s presence. As much as there is cruelty, there are people like this kid. Smiling, innocent, kind. I couldn’t use this power to burn the world they loved so much. It was these wolves, and only them, that deserved it right now.

  Turning its gaze from the world, my flames glared at the mutts. One of them leapt into the fray, sensing weakness. I raised my hand, and with a flick of my wrist reduced the fool to cinders.

  My breath caught in my chest. This unleashed magic lashed at my endurance, intending to pierce straight through. I faltered — but upon noticing this, I forced my breathing steady.

  I called again, and the flames stuck themselves to my arm. It burned, but I would not give in until the wolves left. I turned to the kid, still protected in the barrier that I spontaneously conjured.

  “Everything will be ok, Donvan. But...” I took an extraordinarily deep breath, finding it was still not enough.

  “...you have a lot of explaining to do when we get back.”

  I swept my arm over at the two remaining wolves, scattering the flame in a fan. I heard a twig snap nearby, perhaps something I had not noticed, and stepped on.

  As the two wolves retreated further, I attempted to lift my arm again, but found it would not heed my command.

  Then came the pain, as it hung broken and useless at my side.

  The hounds had realized we weren’t a cause worth dying for. I envy them, for having the choice.

  My legs turned into jelly. No matter how many breaths I took it was never enough to sate my lungs. Snowflakes landed on my exposed skin, melting from the heat in a painful hiss. Amidst all of this agony, I forced myself upright. A wave of calm crashed like a tidal wave against everything else.

  It is done.

  Marie sprinted over, nearly tripping over her boots with worry.

  “Leonn! Are you-” She tried to examine my arm, now hanging down by my side, before quickly pulling back.

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  “Ow! You’re burning. What happened to you? All the sudden you just rush in there and-”

  “At least I could do something.”

  I winced at my own words, amplified by my hot blood and broken arms.

  “No... I regret that I said that. You have your reasons, and everyone came out of this ok.”

  A stray tear rolled down her eye,

  “Ok? You think you’re ok right now? What in...” She choked on her words, silenced by the shaking.

  I turned my head over to the center of the burnt grass patch I had created.

  “Donvan, kid, are you alright? There was a blood trail in the snow on the way here.”

  He nodded as he stood up, poking Kingscalibur through the barrier, before walking through himself.

  “I fell when I was being chased. It doesn’t hurt so bad.”

  My gaze returned to my front

  “Marie, lets get the kid back home.”

  She took a deep breath, before pulling herself off the ground.

  “Alright... lets get home.”

  We trudged our way through the snow, which happened to cool my skin down tremendously as the snowstorm intensified. Due to the clash against the falling snowflakes, hot and humid steam rose from my skin, enveloping my comrades and protecting them from the elements.

  I had my shirt tied fast around the joint of my broken arm; thanks to Marie’s quick thinking it saved me quite a bit of pain.

  I thought about the wolf I incinerated. Ending the life of a living creature weighed heavy, but what choice did I have? If killing an animal, even one that was after us, weighs so heavy on my mind, is it feasible to seek revenge on my father?

  Could I take a human life, or would it turn me into something else entirely?

  It did not matter. Familiar lantern light appeared between the trees. A thought that reminded me about Eligor’s lantern.

  “Damn...”

  Marie turned to me, “Leonn, what is it?”

  I sighed, grimacing through a sudden burst of pain that caused to my lungs.

  “The lantern... I completely forgot about it.”

  “Your arm's broken and you're worried about a lantern?” She pulled her cloak aside, revealing the metal box was missing a fire, but was present nonetheless.

  We neared the front door, but I found my legs rooted in place. My vision blurred and refocused, pulsating to my heartbeat as if dancing. I could see the worry on both Marie and Donvan’s blurred faces, but the ringing in my ears silenced them.

  I swayed from side to side uncontrollably, as my equilibrium shattered. The storm swallowed what was left of my vision, blocking out the blurred lights and distorting the sound around me. I thought that I held the fire, but... I burned.

  ***

  I awoke to a sound that pulsated against the void. The heat has long since dissipated, leaving my lungs coarse, my heart beating slow, and my eyes dry. Hovering above me was a man I had never met before. His arms glowed with the telltale blue of the scrawl, but I could tell he meant no harm.

  “I see my magic has done it’s work. Tell me, son, can you sit up straight?” He adjusted his thin, round glasses before removing a cloth bandana from his face.

  A conversation ensued between Gilban and Eligor in the background.

  “I will finance Leonn’s entire bill. He saved my precious son’s life.”

  “You’ll do no such thing, ya’ idiot. He’s the one who went and got himself hurt, so he’ll pay the price.”

  The man, who I assume was the town doctor, interjected. “Neither of you have to worry about that. I will not be charging for this work.”

  He turned to me, offering a kind and reassuring smile amidst the pain that still lingered, somewhat suppressed by what he had done.

  “You know, son. Many people boast that they could lay down their life for another. I have only twice seen someone who could, and once someone who survived”

  I smiled, delighted to hear the doctor calling me courageous, even if if was roundabout. I struggled to sit up, but in the process noticed that my shattered arm worked again. I held it up, confused.

  “Oh, that. Listen fast, son. You’ll have continued use of your arm, it’s all held together by magic bindings I put in place. Though you are not to overuse it while it heals.”

  I nodded in understanding. I would have spoke, but my throat refused even to try.

  Eligor turned to face me. “So, your scrawl finally decided to show up when it mattered, is that right?”

  He scoffed, “If I knew all I had to do was threaten your life, I could have done it a week ago.”

  I had felt he was trying to do so the entire week, so it was surprising to hear the thought from him. Marilleth stepped out into the common, and upon seeing me alive, rushed over.

  “You... you can’t just collapse in front of me like that. I was so worried that...”

  I outstretched my good arm, “Do you... need one of these?”

  Rather violently, she wrapped both of her arms over my shoulders, crushing my neck. It seems that she really did, as tears fell from her eyes and onto my bare shoulder. Eligor turned away, disapproving of what he saw.

  I felt as if my power was finally unchained, and pride washed over me. I survived.

  Let me know what you think of the story so far, please! I am always open to improving. I sincerely encourage you to at least leave a comment.