Chapter 5 – The Flames of Doubt
Chaos reigned. The village was burning, cries mingled with the groans of the zombies still standing, and the titanic shadow of Mama loomed over everything.
Seth stepped back, fists ablaze. With every strike, his flames devoured everything in their path—even stone. But something was wrong.
He stopped, staring at his trembling hands.
— How… how can I use magic? And above all… these flames?
The flames turned a vivid crimson. Cold sweat trickled down his neck. He couldn't understand where this power came from, but he focused on the zombies attacking him.
Meanwhile, Tara was still holding her frozen brother against her. Her tears kept flowing.
— I don't want to abandon you… I can't… leave you here… I couldn't save you...
The corpse suddenly opened his eyes. Gentle. Peaceful. And for the first time, free of pain.
— Tara… I didn't mean what I said. I wanted you to keep going. To live. You don't need to save me. You must save yourself. Big sister, I'm dead, and that won't change.
She bit her lip, unable to reply. Her arms were trembling.
— But if I leave… you'll disappear… again.
Her brother's smile widened, fragile but sincere.
— Then… let me disappear in peace. For you, I wanted you to break free from those chains.
— Ahhhhhh! Tara screamed with all her strength.
Her sobs turned into a roar. She screamed, her tears shattering like glass. The chains binding Kael snapped under the shockwave she had unleashed without realizing it, and he collapsed to the ground, gasping, finally freed from his torment.
Facing Mama, Suo gathered all his energy. Shadows formed a shield around him, his eyes blazing with unshakable determination, even though he was far from fighting seriously.
— Seth! You must defeat the summoner! As long as the chief lives, this demon will not vanish!
— And you?! Seth shouted.
— Me… I'll get rid of this monster.
Without hesitation, Suo leapt at the creature. His shadow blades pierced through several arms, but the beast quickly grew new ones. The ground shook with the battle, each clash resonating like a storm in a titanic duel.
Seth turned his gaze to the sorcerer. Mani Wa was already waiting for him, eyes burning with icy madness.
— I don't have time to play with you, brat… so get out of my way.
Seth clenched his teeth.
— You dared massacre the people of your own village… you're nothing but a monster!
The sorcerer burst into laughter and unleashed a wave of dark energy. Seth leapt, fists blazing, crashing down like meteors. Flames and shadows collided, unleashing explosions that tore the ground apart. A buried instinct inside Seth awakened more and more with every blow.
The battle intensified: Seth shattered a wall of runes with a blazing uppercut.
Mani Wa summoned serpents of shadow that coiled around him. Seth roared and detonated his flames, burning them to ashes. The sorcerer hurled a spectral dagger that cut across Seth's cheek.
Seth countered with a flaming kick that shattered the ground. Mani Wa launched a sphere of corrupted energy, draining the very air around it. Seth dove into the heart of the sphere, his flames piercing through the darkness. The sorcerer staggered back, shocked, as Seth crushed him with a fiery punch.
Mani Wa fell to his knees, his runes cracking, his body fracturing.
Seth gathered all his flames into his hands and roared:
— Burn in hell, you bastard!
He unleashed his fire upon the sorcerer, engulfing him in a blazing inferno. Mani Wa screamed as his body crumbled to dust.
The moment the sorcerer vanished, Maman froze. Her hundreds of arms collapsed, her guttural scream echoing through the village. Her body tore apart in strips of shadow and blood before dissolving into nothingness.
Suo, without a single scratch, watched the beast vanish. His shadows faded, his breathing heavy.
Silence returned. But it was not peaceful. It was heavy. Crushing.
The flames continued to devour the ruins. Corpses lay scattered across the streets. The few survivors stared at Seth, Tara, Kael, and Suo… but their eyes showed no joy, no gratitude. Only terror.
Seth lowered his head, fists trembling.
— It's… it's over.
Kael, still on his knees, held Tara tightly in his arms, his memories burning in his mind. Tara, eyes red with tears, stared at the darkened sky. Suo rose slowly, his voice grave.
— Hmmm… demons…
And deep inside, one certainty remained: they had survived. But their victory was only the prelude to an even greater hell.
To be continued…