Chapter 204: Hangover
Irwin roared as he struck the tree, feeding every ounce of kinetic energy into his ever-growing fire. He barely heard himself amidst the popping and cracking of wood and wood sap. He'd long since lost control of the fire, and the trees in all directions were ablaze, lighting up the world in a grand inferno.
"Left!"
He jumped sideways, trusting completely in Ambraz's warning. A massive nyzir-bull, its skin covered in gruesome blisters, purple smoke leaking out of it in tiny trickles, barged past him. It hit a tree headfirst, causing the charred outer wood to splinter apart, revealing the pale wood inside moments before the raging inferno licked it, turning it darker.
Hurry, hurry, Irwin thought as he jumped after the bull.
Irwin aimed for a hind-leg, striking it as hard as he could using the constant influx of kinetic energy the surrounding inferno was providing him. A deafening screech came from the demon as its leg was clipped away from under it, cracking like the burning trees. More purple mist oozed out of it, and Irwin jumped forward, striking the other leg. The nyzir-bull slumped to the ground, and Irwin focused his flame atop it.
He felt elated as he readied to finish one of the demons, only for another warning to ruin it.
"Incoming!' Ambraz shouted.
"Dammit!" Irwin roared as he jumped a dozen feet back.
Another nyzir-bull ran past him, angling its head to try and catch him on its horns, and Irwin slammed his hammer down, enlarging it. The dark horn creaked but didn't snap as it struck his hammer, bending dangerously before the demon shot past.
"That bloody chicken is still circling the fire!' Ambraz shouted. "You need to finish these things before the fire dies out!"
Irwin wished he could say Ambraz was wrong, but the fire born of his devouring flame seemed to hunger to grow, and over a dozen trees had already crumbled.
"How do I do that?" he shouted back.