Novel Treatments / ARIUS- chapter 4

Chapter 4- A feast of burning flesh

The temperature rose steadily as the fire closed in on them. Ice walked up to Arya and unsheathed his sword.
“Get ready,” he muttered in an undertone as the Xy let out roars and chanted war cries, their horn blasting through the tension.

Arya nodded her sword ready to cut its way through to her freedom.

Ice mentally weighed the odds and sighed. He knew it was fruitless to fight but he had no choice now. They were now entirely surrounded by both the fire and the Xy. There was no wind to fuel the fire but it raged on ceaselessly, the heat mounting steadily.

And so the battle began.

There was barely room enough for the four to fight and the battle took off in their claustrophobic surroundings, an uncomfortable fight in between the tree trunks yet to be burnt under the rage of the fire. The air filled up with cries, shouts, clang of metal on metal and often the inevitable swish of the cloak of the stalker Death himself as he took victims into the darkness. The odds were against them again: how could four compete against an entire army? It was to be a massacre.

Arya sank her blade into the gut of a Xy but was immediately attacked by another from behind. Neither of the four were positioned in a way they could protect each other and the Xy seeing this took advantage of their weak point. Their ranks were overwhelming as the Xy bred on every full moon and their off springs multiplied like rats in a sewer. Noting that Arya was badly outnumbered Ice leapt forwards and killed the Xy attacking Arya.

“You will find that I can take care of myself perfectly well!” yelled Arya attacking another more ferociously.

Soon the battle ground was a host to dead bodies. They had to often step on the dead Xy to advance further, causing them to loose their footing often. But it was a desperate situation. Each time they killed one of the monsters; two more replaced the felled beast.

Desperate, Arya yanked out a foot long dagger and readied herself to attack with both weapons.

Ice, who was fighting a little distance away from her, had a bigger problem. The cavalry leader, Ariel’s right hand man, Vixen, joined in on the fight against Ice. Like Ariel he too was masked and Ice could only see his right green eye. Ice cursed as Vixen and the Xy attacked in unison, cutting off his movements and complicating the battle.

He knew he didn’t have a choice now, if he didn’t muster all his energy and do what he dreaded the most they would stand no chance.
Desperately he concentrated on summoning his inner energy and without warning a ball of blue light erupted from his right palm- a frozen Xy stood glinting where the bolt had hit. Placing his hand on the ground, he hurriedly released some of his energy into the ground, hoisting himself in the air while the ground around him trembled and then froze. All the Xy crowding around Ice froze with a queer creak.
Vixen disappeared in a flash of light while Ice let the ground feed a bit more on his power. But he was at a disadvantage against the elements- the fire which was burning all it its path gradually melted the frozen Xy and the battle continued unhindered.

Vixen appeared behind Wyra and sank his blade into her back. She screamed in pain, her voice echoing, and fell to the ground unconscious. Raven ran up to where she fell and took over her battle. Vixen disappeared once more and appeared in front of Ice glancing edgily at Arya who was fighting wildly, hair flying as she brought down one victim after another.
Taking advantage of the moment Ice manned his sword in a complicated pattern and attacked Vixen, catching him off guard. But Vixen managed to counter his moves. It was almost as if he knew Ices patterns by heart.

Maybe he does! Realized Ice. And that’s why he’s avoiding Arya. He is unsure of how she fights. Its time to turn the tables on him...

His sword glowed bright blue for a split second before he combined the force of his attack with his power. Vixen fell back. Triumphant Ice advanced, and bending down he unearthed a dagger from his boot and threw it with uncanny accuracy at the Xy who was giving Arya a bit of trouble.

She threw him a murderous look and managed to slice one of the Xy with both her weapons. It fell to the bloody ground in more than one piece.

Ice looked away slightly surprised.
In a flash of light Raven was bent over the ground, gasping. He sported a slash across his forehead and cheek and blood poured down his face and eyes steadily. Both his hands and chest too were injured and he could fight no more.

Arya ran over to him realizing with a pang that she had to protect two, excluding her self. Coughing slightly, she took her place near Wyra and Raven.

The battle raged on it seemed to Arya, in slow motion, as if the gods themselves had decided to slow time down for them to reflect more on their injuries and their loosing battle.

Shoulders burning, feet aching, her body sore and injured in numerous places, Arya grit her teeth, her temper flaring. She turned around and saw for a fraction of a second Ices unfair opposition. Red hot anger surged through her body causing her counter-attacks to grow slower and more reckless.
A particularly large Xy managed to take a swipe at her right hand. She dropped the dagger she held as the rusted metal cut into her skin. Retreating in hope to find a better position she tripped over the body of a dead Xy.

Her head spun as she tried to defend herself feebly from the ground, feeling nauseous. The heat rose and the thick smoke choked her, stinging her eyes. The fire had now reached the dead bodies on the ground and took them as prey. Arya coughed as a fresh scent of burning flesh hit her and this time she dropped her sword, coughing heavily, covering her nose, completely open to attack, and retreating among the debris.

Hunched like a petty animal she crawled towards her sword, her head beating angrily inside as she cursed herself for dropping it. But a large boot stomped on her hand and she let out a cry as it crushed her hand into the rocky jagged ground, tearing away her skin. Before she could try to stand, a club came down on her. She fell hopelessly, spitting blood and breathing heavily, trying desperately to hold onto her life. With one last burst of effort she lounged at her sword and looked up at the Xy who stood over her, her vision blurring. Its leering face swam in front of her face and behind it the fire danced, growing dangerously close.
On its own accord her right hand raised itself up and burned bright red. She heard her own breath come out in sharp rags, as her rage released itself. Then a scream escaped her lips, as an uncontrollable force pulled at her. Howls echoed into the night and as the heavy pungent odour hit her with full force, her surroundings burned brighter once more before her eyes closed and darkness consumed her.

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