One Chance

Kieran took the lead. He lowered his spear and charged.

The Tengu’s neck spun to behold him.

He struck first, driving the spearhead toward its chest. The Tengu twisted aside, and the golden blade scraped across its bare skin with a shower of sparks.

“Akane!”

She moved without hesitation. The two rushed forward as the Tengu turned toward them. Kieran thrust his spear low this time, forcing it to step away as Akane’s blade swept toward its shoulder. It slipped between the attacks by jumping and ducking at the same time.

But for the first time it had stopped moving forward.

Luna, now!”

A small bolt struck the Tengu’s cheek. It turned to see a gray fluffy tail disappear down an alley way while the others backed off. Cracking its neck, it turned in her direction.

Luna was already gone, sprinting down another narrow street, her light footsteps barely making a sound against the stone. And the Tengu followed.

“Keep it moving!” Kieran’s voice echoed through the streets as the Wolfkin darted down another alley. Though its pace seemed casual, it was gaining, following behind with sling strides carrying it though the street with terrifying speed.

Luna vaulted over a fallen cart and slipped beneath a hanging beam. Behind her, the Tengu simply smashed through both.

As it rounded a corner, Celestia raised her staff right next to its temple.

“We’re closing this show with a bang.”

Luna skidded to a stop and turned just in time to see a huge wave of fire erupt skyward behind her. Instantly, the creature emerged from the flames, its crimson eyes burning brighter than before.

Another pellet bounced harmlessly off its cheek. It turned to see the wolfgirl bent over at the waist and padding her posterior with her palm.

“This way, stupid!” She called before taking off again, “Follow Luna!”

Ahead, the street opened into a small square. Buildings surrounded it on three sides, leaving only the road behind. As it arrived in the opening, it paused and searched its surroundings.

Without giving it another second, Luna emerged from behind the ruined fountain at its center. The Tengu lunged after her.

“Now!”

More magic erupted. A curtain of orange light slammed into the street behind the Tengu, cutting off its escape. Akane came from the side, her sword crashing against its arm. Kieran followed from the opposite direction, driving his spear towards its legs. Using its shin, the Tengu caught the blade.

For a moment, the three of them held their places, unmoving as the Tengu glanced between the two of them with the most ferocious of glares. The ground cracked beneath their feet as they kept pressing in on the creature.

Kieran gritted his teeth. “Hold it!”

Luna climbed onto the fountain and watched its movements.

“The left!”

Akane was already there, she swung her sword again, catching its arm once again and holding it locked still. The Tengu tried to back away, but another wall of flames surged up from behind it.

Dust and sparks filled the air. For the first time since its birth just hours ago, the Tengu was surrounded.

“Get ready!”

The Tengu suddenly roared. The sound wave shook the windows as some shattered around them. Kieran’s grip on his spear tightened. They only had one chance and they had to make it count.

Its arms flexed, and the two fighters braced themselves as the creature forced its way against them. The spear in Kieran’s hands began to bow under the pressure. Akane’s sandals scraped across the stone as she struggled to hold her ground.

“Luna!”

“Copy, Big Bro!” She leapt from the fountain and circled around them all. As she got at the right angle, she fired a bolt immediately, striking the back of its knee. The creature shifted under the weight of two warriors pressing down on it.

“Now!”

The swordswoman was already moving.

“Rising Dragon Style: Twin Serpents!”

Her sword flashed twice in rapid succession. The first strike forced the Tengu’s arm aside. The second cut across its chest, and this time, the blade bit. A thin line of black blood appeared and slowly dribbled down.

The Tengu looked down with a tilt to its head, eyes still furious. Akane’s eyes widened.”

“It can bleed,” she grinned, “We can beat it.”

Kieran did not give it time to recover. He drove the spear forward, aiming beneath its ribs. Once again, the Tengu halted the blade with its bare hand before it could make contact with its target. But instead of fighting the grip, Kieran twisted with it, stepping inside of its reach. He slammed a hard kick down onto the back of its leg.

The creature staggered.

As it fell, the ground beneath it started to glow with several magical seals appearing around it in a ring. The blast launched the Tengu airborne before it crashed into the remains of a stone building.

Before it could rise, Kieran was already there. He drove the spear into the ground beside its arm, pinning the limb against the rubble. It tried to reach to pull the polearm from the ground with its free arm, but Akane ran in and jammed her sword right below the wrist.

With arms held wide open, the monster was stuck unable to move. Kieran glanced to the far end of the square. There, Seraphina stood still with her hands together and outstretched in front of her. She stood in the middle of the ruined street, surrounded by smoke and falling ash.

Her hands trembled around a white stick gripped tightly by whitening fingers. She looked so small compared to the destruction around her. But she didn’t run, she held her ground.

“Sera!”

Her ears rang with the sound of Kieran calling her name. Her eyes were locked on the struggling Tengu and she swallowed the lump that had been forming in her throat.

Fire Ball.

Her one and only spell. It had always seemed so simple. Just one spell. One shot of flames. Nothing compared to the magic her brother could wield. Nothing worth relying on.

But Kieran had never looked at her that way. He had faith in her, enough to take her out on her first adventure. The one thing her heart had wished for most since she was a little girl.

And now, as she stood with the ruined town behind her, Seraphina finally understood something. She didn’t need to be someone else. She only needed to do what she could.

Calmly she took a deep breath and closed her eyes tightly. The air around her changed. Kieran felt the pressure before the light at the tip of her wand even appeared.

“Keep it still!”

Akane dug her feet into the ground. Kieran pushed down with all of his strength. Luna fired another bolt into its face, keeping it enraged and unfocused while Celestia prepared to block any escape it tried with more magic.

The creature let out another guttural roar from deep inside.

Slowly, Seraphina opened her eyes.

“Fire Ball.”

For a heartbeat, nothing happened. Then white light swallowed the square.

Kieran’s eyes widened in the blinding light of Seraphina’s attack.

“Akane!”

The Samurai nodded and fled as quickly as she could.

As both got away, there was no longer a ball of fire. Only a beam of super condensed heat and raw power hurtled toward the bound Tengu.

The spell tore through the square with enough force to shake the very foundations of the town itself. Windows shattered and rain glass below throughout the entire area. Roofs collapsed beneath the shockwave. Anything in its path vanished in a wave of pure heat.

All nearby were thrown backward from the blast as the Tengu disappeared inside the inferno.

Seraphina stood at the focal point of the attack. Her silvery hair whipped behind her violently as the flames reflected in her lilac eyes. For several seconds, the town was nothing but fire and thunder.

Then silence as the spell dissipated beyond the horizon. Smoke lazily drifted up from everything scorched in the ruined square. Where the Tengu once stood lay only ash and sparking embers.

Kieran slowly pushed himself upright. His ears were ringing so loudly. His gifted golden spear lay several feet away in a pile of bent and molten metal. Buildings around the square had been reduced to broken stones and burning debris.

And Seraphina was still standing. Her breathing was labored and sweat poured over her brows. Slowly she lowered her arms and let out a sigh.

She stared out at the destruction in front of her, her face going pale.

“I…” His voice barely carried on the breeze that was rushing to fill the void her spell had left.

Kieran looked at her, then toward the ruined street. They had won, but as the smoke cleared, there was no mistaking the cost.

He walked toward her through the ash.

“You did it Sera,” he caught her as her trembling legs gave out, “I always knew you could.”