The swoosh of flame made me flinch. Too big. I took a deep inhale to steady my pounding heart.
"I shouldn't panic… or else I'm doomed," I whispered to myself.
Slowly, I gathered the heat in my chest and let it slip down my arms.
A small flame flickered into life in my palm.
Shaky at first, then steadier.
I tightened my focus, letting the flame grow just enough. "Good… that's it…" I whispered, motivating my own self as I inching closer to the ice coffin.
My reflection wavered across the frozen surface as I lifted my hands.
"Let's melt the ice first…" I pressed both palms against the ice.
The reaction was immediate. A soft hiss and a curl of steam appeared.
The ice began to glow faintly under my touch, thin cracks of gold spreading like veins under the surface. My flame warmed, pulsing against the resistance.
The ice began to glow faintly under my touch, cracks spreading fast.
CRACK.
