Chapter 92: (2) Allied
The lightning from William's hand sank with a greedy, thunderous, "Crack!" into the tree behind Marlon, showering the surrounding area with sparks and igniting the tree itself.
Marlon clapped a hand to his ear that had been grazed by the bolt. Blood immediately began to pour out from between his fingers. Marlon looked bewildered and shaken for a moment, but then his adrenaline kicked in. He dropped into a fighting stance and pulled the hammer off his back. From the size of the head and the speed at which the head moved compared to the haft, Alexandre immediately intuited that the weapon must weigh about a hundred kilos.
"What the hell's the matter with you, fool!?" Marlon shouted. "You want me to teach you another lesson, white boy?"
William laughed, though it was slightly weak. His hands shook, the skin on his arms was blistery, and it looked like his hands were covered with charcoal. This was the great weakness of Elementalists: Though they possessed the incredible power to manipulate the elements of the world around them, primal forces like fire, water, and electricity, this came at a cost. Like Boxers, Elementalists damaged their own bodies whenever they had to channel destructive power through themselves.
Nonetheless, William's smile was broad and arrogant. "I'm not like I was last time. I don't need either of you for protection! So don't ever accuse me of just wanting you as a meat shield, asshole! Take a hand when it's offered to you!"
Alexandre burst out laughing. "Marlon, did you just shit yourself? You look so serious."
Marlon's expression changed to one that was slightly sheepish. He relaxed his fighting stance and waved the hammer at William as though it weighed no more than a pencil. "I was just surprised, that's all. So you're an Elementalist, huh? Feel like you're playing Harry Potter over there? Looks like it hurts pretty bad to use that power. We'll see how good it actually is at killing Zombies."
Alexandre said, "Alright, calm down, both of you! Look, William, you've made your point. I think it's obvious you're offering this in good faith, and that you'll be of good use. I see no reason not to accept your offer to form an alliance... for this year, at least. We'll see how it works out for us in the coming months. But I warn you that I don't tolerate stragglers. If you're not up for it, I'm leaving you in the dust."