"Now!" Syl shouted hoarsely.
Akane didn't hesitate.
By the time that Syl had shouted, Akane already had her hand on the monster's head.
It screamed, and the fire roared, far greater than before. Focused only on letting out the fire now and not controlling or directing it, the quantity of flames tripled, consuming the monster's entire upper body. Flames engulfed the crystal shards, splintering them until they cracked and burst. The Golem shrieked, its voice warping into an inhuman wail before collapsing into a purplish sludge beneath her touch.
The clearing went still.
Only the crackling of burning branches remained.
Akane staggered back, breathing hard, her legs trembling. Her flames slowly dimmed, shrinking down until only faint embers flickered along her arms. She stared at the monster's remains, chest heaving, disbelief plain on her face.
Syl dropped onto the ground with a sharp wince, clutching her bleeding back.
