Chương 412: Fire and Madness

Eskar stared down at the beast that had once been Korin. It roared, tearing through the smoke around its body, but Eskar did not react. He slowly raised a hand and rubbed the Magma Borne under its jaw. The wyvern let out a low breath, smoke leaving its nostrils as it growled at the beast before them.

"Yes," Eskar said calmly.

"He is dangerous." He pulled his hand away and raised it toward the sky. Flames gathered in his palm, twisting together until they formed a long spear made of bone and fire. Heat rolled off the weapon, making the air around it shimmer.

"But a beast is still a beast." Eskar lowered his body, ready to move. Then Vale shouted.

"Eskar!" Eskar stopped and looked back. Vale could barely stand, yet he still forced the words out.

"He's still in there," he said, his voice shaking.

"Don't kill him... please." Eskar watched him for a moment before giving him a small smile.

"I won't." Korin lunged before Eskar could say more, but the Magma Borne moved. Its huge claw slammed into him and sent him skidding across the ground. The wyvern chased after him, its body starting to glow as it ran. Korin laughed as he got back up. The thing inside him was enjoying every second of the fight. The Magma Borne struck again, but Korin caught its claw. His fingers tightened around it before he pulled the wyvern closer and drove his fist into its body. BOOM! The wyvern was thrown backwards.

Korin slowly stood straight.

"Now, now." Something pierced through his back. Eskar stood behind him with a calm smile.

"Be nice." The spear burst into flames, and a blast tore through Korin's body. He was sent flying hundreds of meters, crashing through several trees before catching himself with one claw against the ground. For a moment, he stayed there before laughing again.

"YES! THAT'S IT! TRY TO KILL ME!" Eskar appeared behind him before he could move. The heat around the young dragon was already burning Korin's flesh.

"Oh," Eskar said calmly.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." Korin turned and swung his claw, but Eskar had already moved.

"You see, even with all that hate, you're still my friend." The ground beneath Korin exploded. He was thrown into the air as a beam of red fire rose after him and swallowed his entire body. The forest vanished beneath the flames. Korin's skin burned away, his muscles blackened, and his bones became visible, yet the voices inside him did not stop. Thousands of voices cried out at once, blending into one terrible oracle. Then his body began to heal.

Flesh grew back over his bones as the flames continued to burn around him. A moment later, his voice came from within the fire. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

"I'LL DEVOUR YOU, MEAT BAG!" Eskar frowned.

"Meat bag?" He sounded almost offended.

"I'm hurt, Korin. Aren't I your friend?" He threw the spear. SHING! The weapon tore through Korin's arm and side, sending his body flying backwards. The missing flesh quickly began to grow back as he twisted through the air and crashed into the ground. Eskar calmly stepped aside as Korin hit the earth hard enough to crack it. Eskar looked down at him with a faint smile.

"Impressive. Especially for someone who can't even control his own power." Korin looked up, that same mad grin spreading across his face. Eskar smiled back.

"But I should thank you." The Magma Borne moved behind him. Its body began to glow, and Eskar's flames answered.

"Without you," Eskar said, "I wouldn't have been able to test this." The wyvern opened its jaws as Eskar raised his hand. Both fired. Two huge beams of flame crashed together around Korin, forming a sphere of pure heat. Trees, stone, and dirt vanished inside it. Even the air seemed to bend from the heat. Anything else would have been destroyed. Korin tore through the flames. His burned body came out the other side and crossed the gap in an instant.

His clawed hand grabbed Eskar by the head and lifted him from the ground. Korin raised his other fist and brought it down. Eskar's eye flared. Heat exploded from his body, burning Korin's arm apart and sending him flying. Korin did not scream. He only smiled as his arm began to grow back. Flesh formed over bone even as it burned away, and the creature pushed forward through the pain. Then he slammed his new arm down. Eskar was driven deep into the ground. For a moment, the forest was quiet.

Korin's breathing was heavy, and his body was clearly starting to wear down, but he still smiled.

"YES! MORE!" A beam of energy formed beneath his hand. It tore apart his own arm as it fired toward him, striking him and tearing his body apart while he staggered backwards. Then something moved. Eskar rose from the ground. His jaw had grown longer, and sharp teeth showed through his mouth. Scales had begun spreading across his skin as his body slowly changed. His remaining arm reached up and grabbed Korin by the head. Eskar pulled him closer.

"Enough." Another beam of fire erupted at point-blank range. Half of Korin's skull was destroyed, yet he still lived. The damaged flesh began growing back at once. His claws became longer, and his eyes narrowed into thinner slits. With every second, he looked less human. Eskar watched him and sighed.

"Guess I'll have to end this." He whistled. The Magma Borne reacted. It tore through the forest and slammed its tail into Korin. BOOM! Korin flew through several trees before crashing into the ground. His skull boiled, his flesh melted, and his face became impossible to recognise. Even his voice had changed. It was deeper now, rougher, and more like a beast than a man. Eskar took a slow breath.

"I'll finish this now." His eye burned brighter.

"It's time for you to enter your domain." The Magma Borne hissed as Eskar raised his hand.

"Leave him to me." The wyvern hesitated, then obeyed. Eskar walked toward Korin as his skin finished growing back. The moment it did, Korin lunged again. This time, he ran on all fours, moving like a wild animal. Eskar stayed calm. Korin closed the distance in an instant, but Eskar spun and drove his heel into his jaw. BOOM! Flames burst from the impact and sent Korin flying. Yet the creature recovered once again. Every wound closed. Every lost limb returned. His body simply kept rebuilding itself.

Korin changed his attack. He slammed both hands into the ground, cracking the earth and sending dirt and stone into the air. The debris filled the area around Eskar. Eskar sighed.

"You're even dumber than I thought." A shadow moved through the dust. Korin came out of it with his fist already raised. Eskar turned. His fist was already moving too. Flames coiled around his arm as he took one breath and threw a single punch. BOOM! His fist slammed into Korin's face. The hit was so strong that the corrupted creature almost looked happy as its skull was crushed beneath the blow. Then Korin was launched away. Hundreds of meters.

His body tore through tree after tree before vanishing into the darkness. The presence inside him finally lost consciousness. Eskar lowered his fist.

"That should do it." He took a step, then another, before his knee suddenly gave out. He dropped to one knee as the fire in his eye went out. Eskar coughed hard. Dry blood spilt from his mouth. He stared at it, his face turning grim.

"I guess that's the price." The Magma Borne soon returned and stopped beside him. Eskar slowly pushed himself back onto his feet and looked toward the forest where Korin had disappeared. After a moment, he turned toward the wyvern.

"Let's go."