They sped forward, despite seeing flames burning in the hands of the awaiting Fire Warriors. It was like entering a castle barbican, knowing that archers were lining either wall, ready to rain death down upon invaders. His stomach dropped but he pushed on the gas all the same. They grew closer and closer, and still there was no sign from Xander.
“Close your eyes,” he said quietly to Jessica. “Something tells me you’re not going to want to watch what happens next.”
She reached out and grasped his hand as he clutched tightly to the gearshift. Sean quickly turned his hand over and laced his fingers with hers, holding her hand tightly as they drove to their impending death.
Feet before they reached the nearest Fire Warrior, the ground shook violently. In the distance, one of the massive skyscrapers crumbled and fell, filling the horizon with dust and debris. The Fire Warriors wobbled unsteadily, some toppling to the ground as the earthquake continued. The normally gently tilted road, to assist with runoff, bent sharply as the ground seemed to fold in on itself. The truck slid sideways toward the median as the ground rose on either side of the interstate. Rock shot from the ground like walls, separating the road from the city on either side. Like stone fingers, the rocky protrusions folded over on one another, forming a perfect tunnel through which the truck passed.
Glowing flowers and vines, like those they had seen in the Earth Elemental’s dome, grew hastily along the walls and ceiling of the newly formed tunnel. Sean reached forward and turned the knob on the steering column, turning on the truck’s high beams. Light flooded the tunnel but fell short of illuminating its full length. The tunnel seemed to stretch forever, angling perfectly in concert with the twists and turns of the interstate.
Sean giggled, which turned into a loud and boisterous laugh. Xander had come through at the last possible moment. Sean could just imagine the confused and angry Fire Warriors standing helplessly on the outside of the impenetrable stone tunnel, futilely pouring their flames onto its exterior to no avail.
“He did it,” Jessica said breathlessly. Her nails were digging into the back of Sean’s hand in a vice-like grip, but he didn’t seem to mind.
“Consider me impressed as well,” Lord Balor added, as he sat upright in the backseat.
“How far do you suppose this tunnel goes?” Jessica asked.
Sean shrugged. He had no idea, although he was pretty sure Xander made it just as long as it needed to be. “All the way,” he replied cryptically.
“If he built an end to the tunnel, then Fire Warriors will surely find it,” Balor said. “We’re not free yet.”
Sean nodded as he swallowed the last of his nervous laughter. They might be safe for the next few miles, but Lord Balor was right. Eventually, the tunnel would end and someone—or many someones—would be waiting for them.
They all sat in silence as Sean drove them quickly through the rocky tunnel.
General Kobal slammed his hand firmly against the stone wall before him and cursed under his breath. The Wind Warrior’s friends were in the city, of that there could be no doubt, yet all his carefully devised ambushes had just been foiled in one move. Teams of Fire Warriors distributed throughout the city were now staring at an impenetrable stone tunnel, completely encompassing the main thoroughfare into and through Los Angeles.
A Fire Warrior stumbled to Kobal’s side breathlessly. The woman tried to catch her breath, but the general shot her a disapproving stare.
“Report,” Kobal demanded coldly.
“The tunnel stretches from the edge of the city into its heart,” the blonde woman said, though she told Kobal nothing he couldn’t discern just from his own observations.
“You surely have something better to tell me than that.”
The woman nodded hastily, sensing his increased displeasure and having no desire to be his target when releasing those frustrations. “The tunnel doesn’t continue along with the road. The road continues to the sea, but the tunnel enters the heart of the city.”
Kobal clenched his teeth and sneered. “It continues toward our master?”
The woman nodded.
“Find a contingent of guards and come with me,” he demanded. “When they finally emerge from the tunnel, I want them to be exiting into their personal hell.”
Sean noticed the turn before anyone else. The tunnel led them off the interstate, at first only onto a paralleling side street before taking an exit. The tunnel narrowed as it mirrored the exit ramp.
The composition of the tunnel changed as well. The former coarse rock gave was to textured stonework. Thought they passed quickly in the dark tunnel, Sean was certain he saw archways and windowsills incorporated into the make-up of the walls around them. It looked almost like the buildings of downtown L.A. had volunteered the raw materials to make the tunnel.
“We’re getting close, right?” Jessica asked.
“We’ve got to be,” Sean said as the tunnel widened again.
The single lane of the exit ramp gave way to five lanes of a major cross street. The tunnel, as it had done with the exit ramp, changed shape and size to match the width of the road. Captured within the center of the tunnel were streetlights, none of which glowed due to the lack of electricity, but instead looked surreal hanging in the interior of a massive, cavern-like passage.
“We’ll be coming up on the downtown area soon, or at least what’s left of it,” he said.
“They’ll be upon us soon,” Lord Balor said. “We should prepare.”
Sean pushed on the brake, and the truck slid to a stop in the middle of an intersection. He grabbed his seatbelt and buckled himself in. Jessica did the same in the passenger’s seat. Lord Balor looked at them both confusedly, and Sean had to explain the use and purpose of a seat belt before the older man was willing to put one on.
“This isn’t what I meant when I said we needed to prepare,” Balor complained as he clicked his seatbelt into place. “I meant weapons.”
The blond man held out his hand as a vibrant ball of flame sprang to life.
Sean reached into his belt and pulled out the pistol. “Will this do?”
Lord Balor nodded. “I’ve seen you use it well. It’ll do just fine.” He turned toward Jessica. “And you, young lady?”
Jessica shrugged as she looked around her seat. The truck was immaculately kept, aside from the mud and dirt they had tracked in. “I have nothing. Maybe there’s a tire iron in the back?”
Lord Balor sighed and sat back in his seat. “This has to be one of the most ill-planned rescues ever. Go ahead and drive, portly man. We might as well get this done.”
Sean was tempted to argue with the pompous Fire Warrior, but realized it was futile. Instead, he pushed on the accelerator and the truck sped forward again.
Within moments, the light at the end of the tunnel shifted from the soft glow of the bioluminescent flowers and vines to something far brighter—natural sunlight. Sean wanted to be excited, but he knew sunlight was probably their worst enemy right now. Within the tunnel, they knew they were protected. Xander had seen to their safety with his newly acquired earth powers. Beyond that tunnel, however, they were back in the land of the Fire Caste.
He wanted to slow down, but Jessica put her hand on his knee and shook her head. “Whatever we’re facing out there, might as well go all or nothing. If we go slow, we’re just going to be a better target.”
Sean nodded as he pushed on the gas. In the rearview mirror, he caught Lord Balor’s gaze. The blond man nodded encouragingly, though he still wore a deep frown of disapproval.
“Here goes nothing.”
They shot out of the tunnel and into the sunlight, just as a fireball slammed into the driver’s side of the truck. The explosion rolled under the vehicle and lifted its wheels off the road. Sean wanted to yell a warning as the truck started to tip, but it all happened so fast. The truck was driving one second, then it was skidding on the passenger’s side the next, sparks flying in through the shattered windows and fire licking the und
ercarriage. He could hear screaming, but he wasn’t sure if it was Jessica or if it was just his own voice. The lights around them flickered as they passed through the shadows of the nearby ruined high-rises.
As the truck finally came to a stop, it tilted precariously, threatening to roll onto its hood. Sean dangled from the seatbelt, his body aching and darkness creeping into his vision. He glanced over through blurry vision and could see Jessica lying limply against the door, her arm lying on the concrete.
A figure stepped in front of the car. The long-haired blond man crossed his arms over his chest as he smiled victoriously. General Kobal extended one hand and a flame appeared, even as he and Sean stared at one another.
Xander descended nimbly through the gaping hole in the stadium’s roof. The dragon was sprawled below him, buried beneath tons of concrete that had once been part of the building’s roof. He found a spot between two of the larger slabs, where the basketball court was still visible, and touched down.
He didn’t allow himself any illusion that the Fire Elemental was destroyed after only a single attack. As he stood, preparing himself for the battle that was to come, the dragon began to stir. It shook its enormous body and boulders rolled from its scaly skin. Red scales glistened, and it slid aside tons of concrete as though it weighed nothing. Xander had to jump aside as a boulder rolled toward him.
As it freed itself, the dragon spread its leathery wings. The membrane between the long, bony fingers blocked the sunlight above as the Fire Elemental stretched. Light filtered through, but it cast the interior of the Staples Center in a red glow.
Rolling onto its stomach, the dragon placed its clawed feet on the ground, digging nails longer than Xander’s body into the smooth court. Xander dropped a column of pressurized air onto its back, slamming it back to the ground even as it tried to rise. He didn’t want to kill it—couldn’t kill it, if the Earth Elemental was to be believed—but he wasn’t about to lose the advantage either. He had the dragon knocked prone; it was best to keep it that way as long as he could.
Concentrating, he kept the air pouring over the dragon, pressing its wings tightly to its side. It struggled and squirmed, muscles bulging just beneath the overlapping red scales on its legs and shoulders. Xander could feel the strain as it pushed furiously against his summoned wind. Sweat broke out on his brow as he forced more pressurized air down on top of it. He didn’t know the science behind it, wasn’t sure how much pressure per square inch was pushing down on top of the dragon. Straining, he gave everything he could to keep it in place. He needed the dragon angry if his plan was going to work, and if he knew nothing else, he knew the dragon was royally pissed off.
To his amazement, the dragon planted a claw underneath its body. The air was filled with a screeching as it tore through the basketball court’s surface and deep into the building’s foundation. Muscles straining and groaning from the exertion, the Fire Elemental pushed itself upward, finding purchase as it slammed another clawed foot into the ground.
Despite his best effort, Xander could feel the dragon overwhelming him. The Earth Elemental had been right; even with the combined might of the other three elements, the dragon was at the peak of its power. This wouldn’t be an easy battle.
A quick swish of its tail sent a slab of concrete soaring toward Xander. He saw it coming out of the corner of his eye just in time to duck. It wasn’t until he was throwing himself to the ground that he realized his mistake. He could have changed its direction with the wind or froze it, suspended in air, using water. He probably could have manipulated it directly, since it was made of stone. Instead, he reflexively ducked, breaking his concentration. His column of wind shattered like a window, and the dragon rose to its full height.
“You thought you could stop me with petty parlor tricks?” the dragon bellowed as it rose on its back legs. Its wings spread as wide as the Staples Center would allow, nearly touching both sides of the building. “I’ll show you what real power looks like.”
It sucked in lungs full of air. The scales at its throat glowed a violent shade of red as the flames grew in its gullet. Leaning its head forward, it opened its maw and launched a blindingly bright stream of fire toward Xander.
The Wind Warrior raised his hands and the slabs of concrete leapt upward, forming a shield before him. The fire struck the rock, liquefying the stone even as it poured over its surface. Flames danced between the crevices between the slabs. The fire hungrily licked toward Xander, creeping closer as the concrete began to crumble under the onslaught.
Keeping the stones in place, Xander quickly searched the building. The wind had proven incredibly useful when the dragon was airborne, but ineffective once it was on the ground. The stone available—concrete and asphalt—melted under the Fire Elemental’s searing breath. There was only one element that could squelch the dragon’s flaming breath.
The pipes around the building began to rattle. They bounced up and down in the metal latches holding them to the wall. It felt like an earthquake shaking the building. The seats clanged as pipes beneath them burst. The shattered pipes in the ceiling at first dripped cold water, which quickly turned into a stream. As the pressure built, water poured onto the court.
While Xander was building the water pressure around him, it seemed impossible that the flamethrower pouring from the dragon’s gullet could continue. He knew the stone was weakening and if something didn’t change he’d soon be consumed. With one hand raised toward the wall of stone before him, Xander made a fist with his other.
The river of water pouring from the ceiling became a geyser, spraying ice-cold water over the dragon. Pipes ruptured along the walls, filling the interior of the building in a freezing mist. The flames sizzled and turned to steam. The brilliant red on the dragon’s throat cooled quickly, turning back to the normal dull red of its scales. The melting stone between the two hardened once more.
Releasing the stone, the wall fell unceremoniously to the floor, shattering into its original pieces on impact. The dragon howled in rage as the water washed over it. Its scales glistened; the water danced off the surface of its body as it encountered the boiling hot armor. It flapped its wings, splashing the water aside, but the geysers spraying from above continuously replaced the dampness on its body.
Xander frowned as he felt the water pressure waning. The powerful gushes of water became unpressurized streams once more, pouring water in straight waterfalls rather than filling the entire building. The misting water that had been spraying from the walls disappeared altogether. Only a rainbow remained, dancing through the droplets of water still hanging in the air.
The dragon huffed and smoke curled from its nostrils. Xander had forgotten how large and imposing the dragon could be at its full size. Facing it in France, the dragon had mostly been airborne or trapped in ice. It seemed somehow less significant. When indoors, its body filling the center so completely, it was daunting. All the stories about dragons radiating an aura that caused men to flee in fear suddenly made sense.
“You’re spent, Wind Warrior,” it hissed, a forked tongue darting between its pointed teeth.
“You wish,” Xander replied. He didn’t feel tired, but his mind was on fire. It wasn’t ability that he lacked, but imagination. The stone, wind, and water around him would respond to his command if only he was creative enough to use it.
The Fire Elemental shook like a dog, flinging water off its body. Steam rose from its great length as the rest of the water evaporated in the heat. Xander could feel the heat radiating from the dragon. Under its horned jaw, he could see the color building as it reignited the fire in its belly.
Xander was suddenly struck with inspiration. His eyes were shot with white as he summoned a cold wind. The dragon arched its long, reptilian neck as it looked upward. The wind wasn’t freezing as it had experienced before, just a sturdy, constant breeze.
“I told you, Fleshling, you’ve grown weak. Your wind is doing little other than drying my scales.”
“The wind isn
’t there to freeze you this time,” Xander said as he strained to concentrate. Around him, the massive stones rattled as the wind coalesced around them. “The wind is just a means to an end… your end, actually.”
If the wind could lift him and his companions when they flew, then the properly applied amount of wind should be able to lift something heavier. Say, a slab of concrete, for instance.
The first massive stone shot upward, hovering a few feet above the ground. The dragon saw it rise and growled defiantly, moments before Xander sent it hurtling forward. The dragon raised a claw to stop the rock. When the concrete met its piercing claws, the rock shattered. Shards of stone ranging in size from Xander’s fist to the size of a small car splintered away from the slab and slammed into the dragon. It reared backward and crashed into the back wall.
Xander turned his attention to the next stone, which began to rattle in place. The Fire Elemental rolled over onto its stomach once more and snarled, its lips peeling away from its rows of razor-sharp teeth. Even from across the building, Xander could see fractured scales across its chest and arms. The concrete hadn’t stopped it, but it had certainly done damage.
The dragon dug its claws into the ground for purchase as it launched forward, trying to crush Xander where he stood. The second stone didn’t levitate like the last one, instead shooting forward like a bolt out of a ballistae. The concrete struck the dragon in mid leap, tossing it backward. The entire building shook at the impact, and Xander had to place his hand on the ground for support.
Smoke and dust rose from the dragon, obscuring it from sight. Xander felt an emptiness in his stomach as he realized he couldn’t see the Fire Elemental any more. He squinted through the smoke, hoping to catch sight of the dragon. Instead, what he saw was a massive tail whipping through the air.
He threw himself to the side as the tail slammed down on the ground, fracturing the already ruined basketball court. The tail rose up again, the barbs at its tip sparkling in the sunlight, before it was driven toward him once more. He rolled quickly to the side and the spikes narrowly missed piercing his chest.
Earth God Page 27
