I'm drawing on my powers more than I ever have before, and I absolutely hate it. They were given to me against my will, and with terrible intentions behind them. However, that doesn't matter to me right now. All that matters to me is burning this idiotic Hunter to a crisp. If they think they can get away with threatening my Calen, they are mistaken.
I am both glad and mildly surprised Calen listened to my order of retreat. Now I just hope he doesn't try anything rash.
I dodge a blast from Crossword, spinning out of the way and using the momentum of it to launch a wave of fire at them. The white mist surrounding them seems to absorb most of it, but I grin when I see them flinch.
I already know they can be hurt, but it's nice to have it confirmed once again. I cut them when they visited me in my apartment and they admitted I could burn them with my flames, so it's just a matter of getting past their defenses. Preferably quickly, as I'm not sure how long I can keep up this very draining display of power.
Crossword's fingers move at blur speed, each of them seeming to trace separate letters into the misty cloud before pushing it toward me. As far as I can see, they're spelling out their next attack before somehow melding the letters and words into the mist, which promptly forms the onslaught.
Crossword grabs at the indecipherable words floating around them, then makes a flinging motion toward me. I throw my arms up to shield my face from the white knives flying toward me. My power surges, a wave of heat blasting out from my crossed arms and melting the knives before they can touch me. I return Crossword's attack with one of my own, sending a volley of baseball sized flames racing directly at them.
They spin out of the way, running through the air like they're on solid ground. They leap even higher off the ground, launching upwards at least thirty feet before coming to a stop. I've barely started toward them when a shockwave slams into me, more powerful even than the last one. I'm knocked back a few feet, and it takes me a moment to regain my balance and look up at them. My eyes widen at the sight that greets me.
Falcon speeds toward them, gracefully dodging a wave of spikes and a small shockwave. Crossword seems unprepared for Falcon's bold approach, and the fact that he's not slowing down. A split second later he slams into them, barely being slowed down by Crossword's force field.
They topple out of the air, falling to the ground with a crash behind a nearby house. I drop to the ground and run as fast as I can toward them, vaulting over a fence without thought and nearly landing on top of them.
Falcon is on top of Crossword, grappling with his hands to keep him from spelling out more words. Crossword lets out a loud snarl and shoves Falcon, causing them both to roll across the yard. Crossword ends up on top of Falcon, their fist pulled back to hit him. I lurch forward to pull them off, but before I can touch them they let out a shriek of pain.
My gaze snaps to their hand, caught in one of Calen's, and I feel my flames flickering at the sight of my Kitten's claws sunk into the flesh of Crosswords fist. I snap out of my momentary shock at the fact that Calen's kitty form showed up during a fight, and grab the back of Crossword's jacket, the material instantly catching on fire as I toss them away from us.
They land on their back, the green grass quickly putting out the fire before they scramble to their feet. I want to help Calen to his feet, but I know it would only result in him getting burned, so instead I turn to Crossword. This time I'm the one to tackle them to the ground, my knee pressing against their chest to keep them down as I reach to grab their hands. Unfortunately, I'm too slow.
They evade my hands long enough to press their palm flat against my chest and send me flying backward with a blast. I slam into the wall of the house, barely avoiding crashing right through it. I lock eyes with Calen, who must realize the same thing as me. He turns to Crossword and bursts into a sprint, then leaps the last ten feet.
His wings appear mid leap, just before he grabs Crossword, and when he flaps the tips of his wings brush the ground below him. I groan as I climb out the dent made in the wall, my whole body protesting. The warmth from my flames quickly soothes the ache, and I rise into the air after Falcon.
Crossword has managed to shove off of Falcon, and their protective shield is back up. Blood drips from the puncture wounds in their hand, slowing as it hits their shield, then falling to the rooftops below. "You're going to regret that," Crossword hisses. They launch a volley of misty knives at us, forcing us to dodge, and by the time we've looked back up they're farther away.
It occurs to me that they're making their escape, and I let loose a growl. I can't let them get away with this, they'll just come after us again soon. And what if I'm not there, Calen might not be able to fend them off on his own.
His thoughts must be going in the same direction as mine because a moment later he flies past me, the wind from his wings ruffling my hair. I shake out my arms, flames traveling across my body until I'm engulfed in them, and I follow quickly after Falcon.
He weaves gracefully around Crossword's attacks, rapidly growing closer to them. I can't help the satisfied sneer that twists my lips when I see the desperation in Crossword's eyes. They're starting to realize they don't stand a chance.
Falcon is within ten feet of them when a small blast manages to hit him, on his lower left ribs. He cries out, his flight faltering and causing him to drop. He barely regains control before he hits a rooftop, then lowers himself onto it, instantly collapsing to his knees and curling around his abdomen.
I slowly raise my gaze to Crossword again, and as soon as I meet their eyes the triumphant look on their face vanishes. I hurtle toward them, not caring to avoid their attacks and instead letting my flames grow so hot the waves of misty weapons evaporate before they get close to me. When I grow near them I twirl in the air, picking up speed for my own attack.
I launch a wall of flames at them, so big and so hot they can't escape it no matter what they do. When it passes them, I see their shield is noticeably weakened, and they seem to be struggling to stay in the air. I don't let up for a second, sending wave after wave, volley after volley of flames at them, until they're falling out of the air, protective shield nowhere in sight.
I watch them fall, intending to let them hit the ground, except right before they can Falcon swoops in and grabs them. I let my flames simmer down as I drop quickly to land beside them, then extinguish them completely when I find Crossword on the ground, Falcon holding them with a foot on their chest.
"You will leave this city, and you will never return!" Falcon growls, pressing down harder until Crossword wheezes and struggles for breath.
"Wait," they rasp, voice sounding very dry. The ends of their blonde hair is scorched and blackened, their skin burned a pinkish red color and very dry. "Let me talk."
I let flames ignite on one of my hands, and create flames to surround their wrists so they can't escape. "Why would I let you talk when I could kill you instead?" I ask, stepping closer and twirling the flames around and through my fingers.
Falcon scoffs, stepping off of Crossword. "Normally I would argue about killing someone, but I don't particularly think I have the strength to," he mutters, taking a few steps backward to lean against a wall.
I advance into the space he previously occupied, leaning over Crossword and letting the fire drip from my fingers, hearing it hiss as it lands near their head. "You have ten seconds to convince me not to kill you," I purr, a grin spreading across my face.
"Ten..."
"Kill me and more will come."
"Nine..."
"They won't be so skimpy this time."
"Eight..."
"They'll send more of us than you can fight."
"Seven..."
"Shit, just let me go!" They snarl, eyes wide with a mixture between incredulity and despair.
I raise an unimpressed eyebrow. "We took you easily, I'm not concerned. Six more seconds, talk fast."
"They'll find you wherever you go."
"Five..."
"Wait, I have an alternative option! They would leave you alone!"
"Four, I'm listening."
"You'd have to come back with me."
"Three..."
"Falcon could stay, he was never my mission."
"Two..."
"Please! It's the only way, I can't offer you anything else!"
"Then spit it out!" I hollar in their face, a drip from my hand burning their ear. They gasp painfully, a shudder rippling through them before they shout out the last words I ever expected to hear.
"Become a Hunter!"