As the tail withdrew, the dragon’s face emerged from the smoke. A clawed hand slashed toward him. He couldn’t tell if it was intended to crush him under its weight or pierce his chest, but he didn’t intend to find out. A slab slid between them, and the claw struck the rock instead. Sparks flew from the impact and the concrete splintered. It fell to the ground in a crash, landing where Xander had been seconds before.
The dragon paused, unsure if it had just crushed Xander to death. The idea that the Wind Warrior was dead quickly fled from its thoughts. It expected a reaction from the elements, especially if he had been killed. The ground would have been tearing itself apart. The air would have seemed toxic to breathe. The water would have boiled, or some other such nonsense. None of it was happening, which meant the Wind Warrior still lived.
It twisted its neck as it tried to look for the dark-haired man but instead was met by another massive stone being thrown in its direction. Xander stepped from one of the shadowy entrances to the court as he flung the concrete. The dragon raised a claw defensively once more, but it did little to lessen the impact. Scales splintered and broke as the stone struck its body and face. A horn shattered atop its head, causing lancing pain through its face. The dragon collapsed in a heap, nearly buried beneath the rock.
Xander sighed as another cloud of dust and smoke rose into the air. Not one to fall for the same trick twice, he summoned a gust of air to blow the debris away. As the smoke cleared, however, the dragon was gone. Lying amidst the broken rocks was a pale-skinned, blonde-haired woman.
Sammy glanced up at him with red eyes as she climbed to her feet.
“Jessica,” Sean muttered groggily. “Get up. Come on, babe, get up.”
He stared down at his girlfriend as the truck teetered on its passenger’s side. Jessica’s eyes were still closed as she leaned through the shattered window, her head resting on the asphalt. She didn’t move when he called her name. Sean leaned over as far as his seatbelt would allow and shook her shoulder, but she didn’t move in response.
He turned his attention to General Kobal, who stood before the truck, flames burning brightly in his hand. The Fire Warrior didn’t seem like the type to toy with them, not the way General Abraxas had done. Kobal seemed far more like the type that would set them on fire and then gloat over their roasting bodies. Sean slid his hand behind him, reaching for the pistol, but it was trapped between his back and the seat. The seatbelt had locked during the accident and wouldn’t give enough for him to reach the pistol grip.
His fingers drifted to the seatbelt’s latch. He knew as soon as he released the belt, he’d tumble on top of Jessica. It wasn’t the best situation, but he knew if he didn’t free himself soon, the long-haired Fire Warrior would kill them all. As he fumbled with the release, a warm hand fell on his shoulder. Sean jumped in surprise, having completely forgotten about Lord Balor in the backseat.
The older man didn’t seem hurt at all from the accident. He wore the same stoic visage, his lips slightly downturned as though he disapproved of everything around him. Balor was standing against the rear passenger’s side door, standing upright in the overturned truck.
“Stay and take care of your woman,” Balor said sternly. “I’ll handle the Fire Warriors.”
Sean stared disbelievingly at the older man, as though he had just said he was planning on boxing with God. “You’re in no condition to—”
Balor shook his head. “You two keep trying to tell me what I can and can’t do. It’s annoying. Stop, shut up, and watch.”
Lord Balor stepped past Sean and Jessica, slipping through the gap between the headrests and roof of the truck. As he reached the front windshield, he kicked out, knocking the broken windshield free. It skittered across the ground, coming to a stop at Kobal’s feet. The long-haired warrior glanced down at the fractured glass before raising his attention back to the former lord.
“What an unpleasant surprise,” Kobal said, the flames glowing brighter in his hands. “Lord Balor, delivered to my doorstep.”
Balor brushed off his dark sleeves, refusing to pay attention to the younger Fire Warrior. “I wasn’t delivered. I came of my own accord, though not for you. I came for my daughter, but if I have to kill you to get to her, I will.”
Kobal shook his head and unleashed a fireball toward the older man. Sean, trapped behind Balor, flinched as the flames raced toward the truck. Balor raised his hand and batted the fireball aside. It flew harmlessly wide before exploding against the wall of the tunnel.
“You were the right hand of our master,” Kobal said derisively.
“A position you seem to have claimed in my absence,” Balor replied. “Though, technically, Abraxas assumed my former role. That makes you the third choice for the job. How does that make you feel?”
Kobal released the second ball of flame but it, too, was deflected wide. Other Fire Warriors approached, surrounding the truck. Kobal raised his hand, ordering them to stay back while he faced the former lord.
Sean saw the others approaching and, whispering a silent apology to Jessica, released his seatbelt. He fell downward, crashing into the unconscious blonde woman. She groaned softly as he squished her underneath his weight. Glad to hear she was alive, Sean scrambled to his feet, untangling himself from her limbs. Jessica’s eyes fluttered open, and she immediately clutched her throbbing head.
“Sean?” she muttered.
Sean knelt beside her as best he could within the confines of the truck. “I’m here. Come on, let’s help you up.”
She squinted up at Sean. “I thought you weren’t supposed to move someone after an accident.”
Sean shrugged. “I’m pretty sure the people who wrote that rule weren’t surrounded by Fire Warriors. We need to get you up.”
The mention of Fire Warriors caught her attention and cut its way through the fog in her brain. She tried to sit up, but she was still tangled in the seatbelt. Sean pushed the release and jerked angrily at the belt until it broke free of the latch. He helped her out and into a seated position, where she could see out of the front window.
“The Fire Warriors—” she began.
“Are being handled by Balor,” Sean explained.
She glanced past him and saw the elder Fire Warrior standing defensively before the truck.
“He won’t be able to hold them off forever,” Sean said, drawing her attention back to him. He reached behind him and finally freed the pistol from his waistband. “We need to go and help him.”
As Sean squeezed through the broken windshield and turned toward the two Fire Warriors, he caught the eye of General Kobal. The general glanced past Balor and frowned. He could see Sean standing, half-perched through the broken front windshield. The warrior turned back toward Lord Balor.
“Now you’re defending humans? Oh, how far the mighty have fallen.”
“Oh, shut up, you insolent child,” Balor said, summoning flames. The fire consumed his arms and danced across his back, framing his head in a halo. Sean could feel the heat pouring over him and flinched at the stinging on his skin. He grabbed Jessica under her arms and pulled her to her feet.
They glanced around and realized there was a wall of Fire Warriors around them. Sean’s hands felt sweaty as he gripped the pistol. Flames appeared in their hands as the Fire Warriors stared threateningly at the human couple.
Sean glanced nervously toward Balor but had to look away. The flames around the lord had grown considerably, burning nearly pure white. Kobal mirrored his flames, the two men facing one another, engulfed in flames.
“You never should have betrayed our master,” Kobal yelled to be heard over the roar of the flames.
“Your master is a fool,” Balor retorted. “But no more than you. I’ll be glad to see you dead.”
Kobal roared angrily and unleashed his flames. The intensity of the fire surpassed the jets of flame Sean had seen the Fire Warriors use before. This fire burned with the intensity of a beam of pure sunlight. Balor released his flames as well.
When the two rays met between the men, a shockwave rolled over Sean and Jessica, knocking them from their feet.
The flames slammed together, splattering liquid fire like plasma, which poured onto the asphalt and melted deep potholes in its surface. Sean’s face grew bright red from the intensity, gently scorching his skin like sunburn. He raised a hand to cover his eyes, though he yearned to watch.
For a long second, the pair seemed perfectly matched. The ball of concentrated flames between them shifted slightly back and forth but made no real headway either direction. Sean wanted to shoot Kobal, but he could barely see the man’s silhouette through the searing fire.
“I’ll… kill you,” Kobal yelled.
Lord Balor was merely a shadow standing before a glowing sun, but Sean noted the man shaking his head calmly. “You were always outmatched, General.”
The fire suddenly shifted violently, rocketing toward the startled Fire Warrior general. His eyes widened in surprise as the flames slammed into him and consumed him. His screams of horror filled the air, as he was quickly burned alive.
Before the other Fire Warriors could respond, Lord Balor turned his hands out to his side. The fire followed in a wide arc, pouring from his fingertips. It poured over the Fire Warriors in turn, burning them to ash.
Sean sat, stupefied, as the Fire Warriors were destroyed all around them. Within seconds, the air was filled with ash. There were blackened marks on the ground where the Fire Warriors had stood seconds before. He coughed loudly and stood, pulling Jessica up beside him. Lord Balor turned toward the two and motioned toward the Staples Center in the distance.
“Don’t look so surprised. We didn’t have time to dally with these delays.”
Sean swallowed hard when Balor referred to the destroyed Fire Warriors as “delays.”
“Your friend and my daughter are waiting,” the lord said, motioning for Sean and Jessica to follow. “We need to hurry.”
“This won’t work again,” Xander said as he stared at Sammy. It looked every bit like the blonde woman, but her eyes were glowing the same smoldering red of the Fire Elemental.
“It already has worked,” the Elemental said. “You’ve already stopped attacking. No matter how much you want me defeated, you can’t bring yourself to attack my host.”
Xander floated into the air, drifting toward the Elemental. He touched down gently on a concrete slab, resting on the ground just above the naked woman. “Sammy, I know you’re in there—”
“She’s not,” the Elemental interrupted. “At least, she’s not in any position to respond to you.”
“You saved my life in France,” Xander continued as though the dragon hadn’t spoken. “You took control of your body; you spoke to me. I know you’re still in there. Fight it, take your body back.”
“You’re wasting your breath, Fleshling. I’ve destroyed her. She has no power to control this body, not anymore.”
Xander stepped off the stone and floated down to the floor. The Elemental took a step backward at his brashness, unsure as to why he was quickly approaching it. Xander reached out his hand in an attempt to brush Sammy’s cheek.
“I love you, Sammy. I always have. I may not have understood our connection when we first met, but I do now. We were, literally, made to be together. Come back to me, please.”
The Elemental glared out of the corner of its eyes at Xander’s approaching hand. Scowling, it struck his hand aside before lashing out with its closed fist. It punched Xander in the ribs, knocking him backward. He staggered under the strike, crashing into the concrete before slumping to his knees.
Xander groaned and grasped his ribs. He could feel the bruise spreading just beneath the skin and hoped it hadn’t cracked some of his ribs. Wincing, he tried climbing back to his feet.
The Fire Elemental sneered at the Wind Warrior before stepping forward, its fist raised for another strike. It stopped in front of Xander, who had only managed to climb to a half-stoop. He stared up at the blonde, hoping to see some sign that Sammy was still alive within her body, but he saw only the red glow of the dragon’s reptilian eyes.
“I told you,” the Elemental said. “Your lover is gone. I destroyed her, just as I’m about to do to you.”
The Elemental drove its fist forward, flashing directly toward Xander’s face. Xander closed his eyes and flinched, preparing himself for what was going to be an incredibly painful hit. His eyes squeezed shut as he waited for the punch to fall. He waited. After a long moment, he slipped one eye open and glanced toward the Elemental. Its fist was paused less than an inch from his face. The hand shook as though struggling to remain in place.
Xander reached up and pushed the fist aside. Behind the quivering hand, Sammy stared at him. Her eyes shifted from red to her beautiful crystal blue, and her mouth fell open as she sighed heavily.
“Xander?” she whispered, not trusting her own voice.
Xander smiled, his heart fluttering as he looked at the defiant Fire Warrior once more. He raised his hand again to brush the side of her cheek. This time, however, she didn’t knock his hand aside. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. Unable to resist, Xander stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug. She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed into his shoulder.
“I don’t have long,” Sammy said hastily, pulling away from his embrace. “I can’t stay in control for long.”
He grabbed her shoulders tightly and stared into her eyes. “Fight it, Sammy. Force it out of your body; like you did last time we saw each other. You can do this.”
She shook her head. “It’s too strong,” she moaned. “You have no idea what it’s like keeping it suppressed. It’s like bailing out a sinking boat with nothing but a coffee mug. I’m drowning here, Xander.”
“You can do this,” he said sternly, squeezing her shoulders.
She closed her eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks. He could feel her skin warming abruptly under his hands, searing his skin. Even with the sharp pain lancing through his palms, he refused to let her go.
“Force it out. I know you can do this.”
She shook her head but kept her eyes tightly shut. The lights in the Staples Center seemed to dim, as though a cloud suddenly passed between them and the sun. He felt a chill wash over him, despite the heat radiating from Sammy’s skin.
The shadows behind Sammy elongated before they began to take shape. The shadow of her arms stretched into the silhouette of leathery wings. Her shadowed neck grew long and nimble, ending in a lizard’s skull. The silhouette of the dragon hovered over her shoulder, even as she shook from the exertion.
“That’s it,” Xander whispered, staring at the draconic figure behind her. “Just keep it up a little longer.”
He let go of her shoulder with one hand and reached out toward the shadow dragon. If it was separated enough from her body, he might be able to absorb its power and end this war. Instead, his hand passed harmlessly through the shadow. It was intangible, unable to be absorbed by his power.
“Xander?” Sammy said suddenly. Her eyes flew open. They looked bloodshot, as though the red veins were creeping in from the corners of her eyes. The pupil grew vertical, reflecting the reptile hiding within her.
“I love you, too, but it’s not enough. What I feel for you, all my fear that you’re going to get hurt by my hand, it’s not enough to push out the dragon. I’m sorry.”
Xander frowned as a sucking noise filled the vaulted, roofless room. The shadow retreated into Sammy’s body. She quivered from the effort, doubling over and clutching her stomach.
“Fight it,” Xander said again, though he knew she was losing control.
Sammy raised her head, but her eyes had returned to the Elemental’s red. It smiled wickedly before releasing its stomach and lashing out in a blindingly quick backhand. It struck Xander across the cheek, sending him sprawling onto the ground. He skidded across the ground, sliding through the sharp splinters and shards of concrete that had been shattered during the earlier fight.<
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For a second, he laid on the ground, his arms bleeding from dozens of small cuts. He slowly rose to his hands and knees, brushed away the clinging pebbles that had scraped his skin, and glowered at the dragon. The red eyes flashed defiantly at him as the Elemental placed its hands upon its hips.
“You can’t have her,” it mocked. “She’s mine, now and forever.”
It stomped toward him, ignoring the sharpened stones under its feet. He wasn’t sure it even felt the damage being done to its host or, if like Abraxas, it just kept healing from injury after injury. It stopped before him and raised its foot, preparing to crush him where he lay. The Elemental might appear as an athletic woman, but it carried the mass and might of a towering dragon. The unmarred foot hovering over him would be enough to break his bones or crush his skull. Even knowing it was trying to kill him, Xander still couldn’t bring himself to summon his powers against it, not as long as Sammy was still trapped inside. He had fought the dragon, but it was different knowing that every rock thrown was damaging Sammy’s flesh and bones.
Before it could lower its foot, however, a voice boomed over the room.
“Stop this at once!” the stern man’s voice demanded.
The Elemental hesitated, a flicker of blue flashing over the red eyes. It slowly lowered its foot, setting it back onto the ruined basketball court, Xander all but forgotten. It turned slowly and stared at the stands surrounding the court. There, upon the second landing, watching the two people battling in the center of the building, stood Lord Balor. Sean and Jessica rushed to his side, huffing from the run through the stadium. The older Fire Warrior crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head disapprovingly.
“You’re my daughter, and I won’t have you acting like a fool,” he said.
Earth God Page 28
