Scene 28

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“Come on!” Maren jammed her finger on her tablet’s screen. “Load, curse it!” 

The demon looked even worse in Mav’s firelight. His fire alone couldn’t handle it and she wasn’t powerful enough to cut something so massive into pieces. She needed a lot more water to use and a different plan from her normal slicing and dicing. 

But for it to work, she needed a water source. Preferably one that flowed near this room. In order to know where the closest one was, however, her cursed tablet needed to load! 

The beast punched at Mav, the ground rumbling. The Peace Keeper dodged, running to the side while still sending a rocket of flames to the monster. Maren’s heart pounded. Didn’t matter how strong Mav was, a few hits from that and he’d be dead. 

The map loaded. 

“Thank God,” Maren whispered, not caring if someone heard. 

She zoomed in on their position. The nearest large pipe that brought water to the labs as well as the building proper was along the highest level of an adjacent wall. That meant it was approximately ten feet above her and along the wall on her left. Most of the platforms used for moving supplies to other rooms were completely destroyed. Only one small section near the corner of the upper left wall was still intact. 

She had her plan. The only problem was there were no ladders leading to that platform, nor were there hanging beams of metal to climb. 

“Mav!” Maren yelled. “Mav!” 

The Peace Keeper was sending dozens of smaller fireballs at the monster, each erupting upon contact. “What’s up?” 

“I need to get up there!” 

Mav glanced at her to see where she pointed. “I got you!” 

Roaring another attack name, Mav thrusted both arms at the monster. A concussive blast shoved it aside. In seconds, an explosion at Mav’s feet vaulted him to Maren. Without a word, he grabbed the backs of her legs and shoulders and carried her like a baby. 

“Cover your ears,” Mav said. 

She didn’t hesitate to listen. A roaring eruption shook beneath them as Mav leaped into the massive room. They peaked too soon, however, and began to dip at least five feet from the platform. Mav readjusted her in his grip, then suddenly Maren found herself soaring alone, given new height by Mav’s shove. She tucked her legs in and landed on the platform, slowing down to only bump into the wall. 

“Mav!” Maren yelled. Mav had bounded off the wall he’d collided into and was already running toward the monster. “I need you up here, too!” 

“Shoulda said that earlier!” Mav yelled back, leaping forward to avoid another punch from the beast. 

The monster lumbered around to face Mav, who’d skirted too close to the opposite wall. Now Maren couldn’t see him due to the monster blocking her vision. It punched downward, rattling the room. A small blast brought Mav atop the monster’s head. It stood straight and Mav used its momentum and another blast to sail him across the room. 

A little too well, though. He was hurtling at an extreme rate. Hitting the wall at that speed would undoubtedly knock him out, best case scenario. 

A couple tiny blasts in front of him, however, seemed to slow him enough to hit the wall at a relatively low speed. When he fell to the platform, however, the metal groaned. 

“Easy there,” Maren said, steadying Mav. “Don’t need you falling and trying that again.” 

“Bet it looked badass, though,” Mav said. 

Maren held in a smirk. He wasn’t wrong. Not that the monster who turned to face them cared. 

“Can you destroy the wall and some pipes behind it?” Maren asked. 

An intense heat lit his left fist. “Where do I punch?” 

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Mav’s body was slowing. The cold continually encroached his muscles and skin. He’d used so much fire already, but he couldn’t stop now, even if punching a wall seemed pointless. The giant monster was beginning to lumber toward them, but Maren must have had her reasons. 

So with the same force that demolished the sewer wall which led him here, Mav blasted where Maren directed. He shielded her with his body, his own fire harmlessly sliding away from him. What followed nearly sent Mav and Maren tumbling onto the burning landscape. 

The platform lilted, dipping with a groan of metal until it stopped at an uncomfortable downward angle. Maren gripped Mav’s arm for support, dragging him back slightly. If Maren hadn’t done that, though, Mav would have been struck in the face by the torrent of water that spewed from that wall. Instead it sailed overhead, arcing onto the fiery floor. 

“Cool it!” Maren shouted, leaning into the incline. “That thing can recover from fire, but I can’t.” 

“But I got the pipe open,” Mav said, helping her find her footing to the right of the flowing water. 

Maren grumbled, then said, “I’m going to hold the water back and then send a highly powerful, pressurized blast through the beast. When I yell, I want you to hit my water with the hottest fire you can make. That should blow the thing apart and then –” 

Mav leaped from the platform. The monster was beginning to reach up for them. 

“Flaming Scattershot!” 

A dozen tiny fireballs lit the monster’s face. It faltered as Mav landed on it. Its skin tried to cling to his suit, but he ignited a small flame along his body which allowed him to slide down the creature’s back. 

“Rupturing Flame!” 

As Mav neared the base of the tail, he slammed two fists into it. The explosion removed half of the tail from its back and flung Mav into the air. He twisted until he faced the monster, then lost his footing as he landed on a semi-destroyed vat. 

The monster loomed over him. From between its legs, Mav noticed the water no longer fell onto the floor. Maren should have enough pressure built up any second now. 

Time for him to start – 

“Mav!” Maren roared from above. “Now!” 

Shit. Mav’s muscles locked up, an incredible chill escaping his lungs as flames encased his body. He compressed them into a ball in his hands. “Flashfire –!” 

 The water blast had already sailed through the beast’s chest. Mav’s heart leaped into his throat. He flung his arms skyward, hurling the fireball to the water at its chest. 

The air sizzled as the world became an intense, smoky white. Metal careened across the floor away from the sudden steam explosion. The pressure flung Mav backward until he eventually rolled to a stop, lying sideways. 

He felt cold, like lying naked in the snow. But he could do one more attack, one large blast to burn all the remaining pieces and survive. 

If the plan had worked. 

But as the steam settled, the imposing figure of the massive monster – though damaged – remained.