Circle of Flame, Shadow of Death

"RUN!" A shout resounded from above, sharp and urgent.

Without thinking, I echoed, "Alice, Karen, RUN!" Gripping Karen’s shoulder on one side while Alice supported the other, we half-dragged, half-guided her as she stumbled forward, doing her best to keep up.

"!"

A streak of flame tore past us, landing in the shadows behind. We didn’t dare look back; we only ran, hearts pounding, until the crackling of fire gave us a thin margin of safety.

When we finally turned, arrows wrapped in flaming cloth dotted the ground, spreading fire in a growing barrier. Relief surged in me as I glanced upward. Of course, it could only be her.

"You’re here!" I cried, smiling despite the chaos. "Thank god! I thought we were finished."

"Yeah, yeah, no need to complain, foolish human," the elf girl called down, casually plucking another arrow from her quiver. "Had to get some rice wine from the village. It took longer than expected. But worry not, here I am." She clenched an arrow between her teeth, soaked a ball of cloth, struck a match, and in one smooth motion lit the fabric before firing.

The arrow blurred from sight. Then another. And another. Her speed was almost unseeable; surely it had to be her special skill. Each strike landed perfectly, hemming the Nachtmaw within a blazing circle. Its elongated body writhed and shrieked; even the living darkness that had swallowed us before seemed frozen, unable to advance.

The elf girl then dropped a bundle from the branches above, sticks and damp cloth. "Here, catch." She tossed me a matchbox fashioned from natural wood and bark. "Wrap the cloth, light it, and throw it as close as you dare. Be careful. Then once done, I’ll strike the final blow. Its core lies in the heart, and the centre of its forehead."

"Roger that."

"I’ll wrap the cloth, and Karen, you light the matches. While you throw, Elias," Alice instructed, voice calm despite the danger.

"Yes, sister," Karen nodded, her hands trembling but steady enough to spark the fire.

We worked in unison, our rhythm was ragged but determined. I hurled flaming sticks toward the beast, sometimes like a javelin, sometimes side-armed, sometimes darting closer to get a cleaner shot. Each time I got too near, my sisters gasped and scolded me, but fear drove me forward as much as courage.

The supplies eventually dwindled. My eyes shifted to the elf. She remained still, focused, her bow drawn. Waiting. Two arrows left. Two targets.

"!"

The first arrow flew, piercing straight into the creature’s chest. Blue-green ichor sprayed, hissing as it hit the fire. The Nachtmaw shrieked, thrashing wildly, the very earth trembling under its weight. The chaos made the second strike near impossible.

Would she be able to land it? I clenched my fists, silently praying.

The elf girl closed her eyes. An ancient chant flowed from her lips in Elandric, her voice low and reverent: “Om Aditya Deva, aham tvam namami. Krpaya asmad ayogya dasim shaktya anugrahitum.”

At her call, fire gathered at her arrowhead, a blinding, molten red that pulsed like a second sun. Energy rippled through the air, humming with divine heat. Her eyes snapped open. The arrow loosed.

"..."

The strike hit with the force of a thunderbolt, burying itself in the Nachtmaw’s forehead.

Silence. Then...

A deafening cry split the forest. The creature convulsed once, then collapsed. Its body hit the ground with a final shudder, lifeless. The forest itself seemed to exhale, birds erupted into flight, and small animals scattered as though freed from an oppressive weight.

Had the nightmare finally ended?

I turned to the elf for confirmation. She met my gaze and smiled faintly. Relief surged through me, and I embraced Alice and Karen, laughing shakily.

It was over. Truly over.

"..."

But the victory was short-lived. My eyes caught the fire creeping outward. "Wait, what about the fire! Won’t it spread throughout the forest?"

"It’s… fine," the elf murmured, swaying. "The other elves will handle it—" Her words trailed, and her body slumped backwards.

"!"

I dashed forward, barely managing to catch her as she fell. She was light in my arms, yet radiated a lingering heat, the residue of her magic. I shook her gently. "Miss Elf? Are you alright? Please... answer me!"

No reply.

I pressed my fingers to her throat, then her wrist. Her pulse was steady. It seemed she was only exhausted. Relief loosened my chest. After all, she had given it all, everything, to save us. 

A hero.

Karen and Alice rushed to my side. "Are you two alright? Is Miss Elf okay?" Alice asked, worry lacing her tone.

"Yeah," I smiled, holding the elf carefully. "Our hero’s just tired."

They both sighed in relief, smiling back.

"So… what do we do now?" Karen asked softly.

"Let’s take her to Grandma’s house," Alice suggested. "She’ll be thrilled to see her. And maybe the latter is true too."

"Right. Good idea—"

"!"

A deep, masculine voice cut through the quiet. "We will be taking her. Thank you."

The words came from above.