"It's fucking mud, you idiot!" suddenly roars Ayesha.
I see her run toward us to the closest group of wolves. She charges up her fists with fire, and suddenly, shoots it right at the mountain of soil trying to suffocate Johnny Seaver. The gray wolf has to turn his head to protect himself, but as soon as the witch's fire hits the mud, it suddenly stops moving. Of course! Heat solidifies it! That thing stops moving, and the wolves attack it. It's slow, but they can get rid of all that soil and move away from it now that it's not moving anymore.
I focus on my inner fire, and turn around, shooting a large blast toward the one attacking Liam. It was high time. That thing had just about trapped him under its arm, a grip of mud around his waist, but as soon as it's solid, Liam growls furiously and gets out of there. I turn back, but the brown wolves are still struggling, and I have to hold my fire. I can't shoot! If I solidify the clay around Lysandra, it's going to get heavier, and that ground is already on the verge of collapsing with all that weight... Shit! What do I do? I turn to try and find Naptera, but she's nowhere to be seen. Where the hell did that fucking witch go?! I try to look around us, but there's no way I'll be able to fill the cracks with enough water until it gets all the way to the one under Lysandra...
Suddenly, as I'm desperate for a solution, my eyes meet with Lysandra's. We lock eyes for a second, in a weird moment that seems to just stop in time. It's strange. Although she's so far from me, and in her wolf form, I could swear she's smiling at me...
“Go, Mara fucking Jones.”
It hits me violently. The reality of what's going on, of what's at stake, and what I simply can't do. I'm trembling, but those words push me away from them. I take a step back, and another. Still locking eyes with her, until I have no choice but to look away, my heart ripped in two. I don't watch what happens. I just hear the ground that collapses, and the terrible ruckus that follows the earthquake on the other side of the area. I hear voices of dozens of wolves screaming in my mind, calling their names in despair. Each voice hurts a bit more than the other. I hear some yelling orders, but I run. I cry, and I keep running. Someone yells at me to keep running again, and I have no other intention.
I run to put an end to this madness, as soon as possible. I'm furious, I'm broken, and I'm ready for this fucking fight. I gather my inner fire like a volcano prepares its lava, and I suddenly shoot it ahead of me, bursting that clay monster in front of us. The mud sprays all around, but I don't stop, and run past it as if I was flying. The black wolf runs just as fast, now staying right next to me, ready for our next opponent.
They keep coming. One golem after the other, and I can hear the fights going on behind us. Those monsters of clay are trying to slow the wolves down and throw us into the gaps. I'm not powerful enough to produce enough water and fill the cracks like Naptera did, but I burst my fire at each one I can. As soon as I spot a wolf or more fighting one of those monsters, I launch my flames to burn it. Some wolves even have to dodge my violent firepower, but I have no time and no patience left for self control right now. I hear Nora's cries and Selena's anger. I feel them as if they were right next to me, and I can only hear them right now and Liam. They are like a voice overpowering everyone else, like my soul sisters following me where I'm going. I feel their pain and anger like mine, but I don't even have time to check on the others. I just have to keep running, I have to put an end to this. You damn curse, you're going to pay for this...
I accelerate, my heart beating as loud as the earthquakes all around us. The sky above us is getting darker and darker, and I can't even tell if those are clouds or the curse. It's just horribly loud, above and below. Liam and I keep running, trying to make our way past the hills of mud and the monsters emerging out of them. Each time a golem comes out, I use my fire to burn it, and Liam tears it apart as soon as it's dry enough for him to bite into.
Although we found an efficient way to get rid of them, I feel like we're not making enough progress at all. At least, not fast enough. The ground keeps moving around us, and twice already, we had to go back to find another way before we reached a dangerous edge. I'm even more panicked that I feel the fights happening everywhere behind us. I try to shoot a fireball each time I can, but it's not enough. I'm too far from most of the wolves, and I can't help out everyone while also running away from them... If only I had even more firepower! I have to control it so I won't also injure a wolf, but those things are emerging non-stop now; nowhere is safe.
“Mara!”
I stop, and look behind me.
The situation isn't looking great. I hadn't realized as Liam and I kept tearing those things apart before they could get big, but... the golems are just getting bigger and bigger. They are bigger than the wolves now, no longer human-sized… This is really not good. Aside from the Alphas making their way through, most wolves are overwhelmed or stopped right where they are and pushing their fight. Ben and another wolf team up against one golem, and despite their big size, they are in trouble too. I arm my fist with a gigantic fireball, and shoot it their way, bursting through that thing’s back. That's enough for them to jump and attack what’s left, but... this is just one out of so many.
“Mara! You have to keep going alone!” roars Selena.
I turn around, but... there's still a long way until I get there. While I run to Ravena, what will become of the others? I already had to watch three of them fall!
“Mara...?” calls out Liam, waiting for me a couple of steps away.
I glance at my mate, but I can't decide. I know I should keep going and not stop to worry about them, but... I can't. My inner wolf hates leaving her pack behind, and I agree with her. This isn't who we are. This isn't what I do. I am not just a witch, I'm also a wolf.
...And a wolf stands with her pack.
"Stay close to me," I tell Liam, before rushing back.
“Mara, what are you doing?!”
"You're not going to make it alone, and neither am I!" I shout back.
I speed up, going back, and powering my fists as much as I can. I have to keep them down to control the fire, and at each new step, I'm almost jumping in the air from the power bursting out of my fists. I feel as if I could almost take off and fly! I smile, but there are many fights that need me. I start attacking the first golems, one after the other. The wolves quickly understand and jump away from my fireballs, but I'm not stopping. I send one after the other, like a catapult attacking all over the ground. Liam joins me, and runs to help the closest group of wolves defeat their opponent.
“Mara, you're just wasting time!”
No, I'm not. I'm trying to think, how can I help them without being everywhere on the ground. I see Ayesha, and she is busy maintaining a barrier at the rear... A barrier against whom? Suddenly, I see them. The human chicks are gathered on the other side and fighting with another pack again. Did the fight from the seashore get all the way here? Already? The Fire Witch is busy containing them, so she can't help me in this situation... I'm on my own...
I keep powering my inner fire, so strong, it feels as if it's enveloping my whole body. The flames are, at least. I'm like a human torch, spreading my power all over the area, unable to contain it. Even Liam has to stay away from me and my fire... but it's not enough. The more I keep fueling that fire, the stronger it gets, even... thicker. I feel as if it's a body about to come out of mine, and... suddenly, I realize. I smile and step back. Forgetting all of the golems for a handful of seconds, I just focus on my inner fire, and keep it growing. I shoot right at my feet this time. I don't just burn the area, I maintain it, more and more, focusing all of my strength on it, growing that gigantic thing like a bonfire right in front of me.
"...Spark!" I shout.
A deafening roar shakes the area.
From the fire, a gigantic cat jumps out. No, the cat is the fire; I laugh, unable to contain my excitement. It's really Spark! The enormous feline I had seen from the witch circle is standing there, twice as big, and he has those magical golden eyes of my cat. He roars again, gathering everyone's attention, and turns his enormous head to me. It's as if all of the fire I had created before is now assembled to make up his body, the soot and flames battling all over like black and golden fur... I smile and caress his face, although my hand meets nothing but the warmth of that fire. He purrs, and the ground shakes under us.
"Go get them," I whisper.
A golden spark appears in his eyes, and he roars again before jumping across the field. The force of that jump has me step back and Liam crouch down. In just one jump, he's on the other side of the area, and ferociously attacks a bundle of golems that was over a dark gray wolf. It's a strange sensation, as if my inner fire had been taken out of me, and was now moving independently with its own will... Spark the giant fire cat jumps again, smashing two golems with his paws like a cat would hunt a mouse. Selena, who was the closest, lifts her golden eyes to the cat, the two of them staring at each other before Spark jumps again.
