Ep.26 Trial by Fire Part 5

Maya Pov

Time seemed to slow as I watched the Mutt launch itself toward Kai and Rowan. My body moved before my mind could catch up, instinct and desperation driving me forward despite the pain screaming through every muscle.

"NO!"

The word tore from my throat as I thrust both hands forward. Fire exploded outward—not in a controlled blast like Ms. Vera had taught me, but in a wild surge of raw power fueled by pure terror. The flames caught the Mutt mid-leap, forcing it to twist away from its intended targets.

"Maya!" Rowan's voice cut through the chaos. "Remember what Ms. Vera said about combining magic!"

Of course! Wind and fire—how could I have forgotten? During our are many training sessions, we'd discovered how Rowan's wind magic could amplify my flames, but we'd never mastered control of it. Now we had no choice.

"Kai!" I shouted. "We need you to draw its attention!"

He nodded grimly, gripping his practice sword. "Already on it!"

Kai darted forward, moving with the fluid grace Ms. Vera had drilled into him over countless hours. The Mutt snapped at him, but he was already gone, circling to its weak side. Every movement was calculated, precise—making the monster turn, keeping it distracted.

"Its right leg!" he called out. "Its weak on its right leg!"

He was right. Our earlier attacks had aggravated some old wound, making the beast's movements increasingly unstable. Each time it pivoted to follow Kai, its right leg trembled slightly.

"Rowan, now!"

My friend's eyes narrowed in concentration as he summoned a whirlwind, carefully controlling its direction like Ms. Vera had taught him. The rushing air encircled the Mutt, not strong enough to harm it, but enough to limit its movement.

I gathered my flames, not in one massive blast like before, but in smaller, controlled bursts. As each fireball entered Rowan's whirlwind, the flames expanded and accelerated, creating a tornado of fire that trapped the beast.

The Mutt howled in pain and fury, trying to leap free of the inferno. But Kai was there, timing his strikes perfectly to force it back whenever it found an opening. His wooden sword couldn't hurt the monster, but he didn't need to—he just needed to keep it contained.

"It's working!" Rowan shouted, sweat pouring down his face as he fought to maintain the whirlwind. "But I can't hold it much longer!"

The beast seemed to sense our desperation. It gathered itself, preparing to charge straight through our trap, no matter the cost. In that moment, I saw my chance.

"Kai, get back! Rowan, on my mark, direct everything upward!"

I poured every bit of remaining mana into one final attack, not a wild blast like before, but a concentrated stream of pure heat. As the Mutt launched itself forward, I released my flames into the base of Rowan's whirlwind.

"NOW!"

Rowan jerked his hands upward, and our combined magic erupted into a pillar of fire that caught the Mutt mid-leap. The beast's momentum carried it straight into the heart of our attack. Its howl of agony shook the forest as the flames engulfed it completely.

When the fire finally died down, the Mutt lay motionless on the scorched earth. Its fur was burned away in patches, revealing terribly burned flesh beneath.

It was dead.

I collapsed to my knees, exhaustion hitting me like a physical blow. Kai and Rowan were at my side instantly, supporting me before I could fall completely.

"We... we did it," I whispered, hardly believing it myself.

"Together," Rowan added, his voice hoarse from exertion.

Kai just squeezed my shoulder, his practice sword finally crumbling to ash in his other hand.

Looking at the fallen monster, I felt something shift inside me. The burning need for revenge that had driven me for so long seemed to dim, replaced by something warmer. These boys beside me—they hadn't just helped me defeat the Mutt. They'd saved me from myself.

"We should head back," I said softly. "Ms. Vera's probably worried sick."

As we turned to leave, I cast one final look at the beaten monster.It was over, the monster was dead but… it didn't matter because clementine and everyone else is still gone. Killing this monster didn't change that. Deep down I always knew that It wouldn't but it was almost like some part of me thought killing it would change everything, make everything better. Now I can only hope that the death of this monster will at least prevent anyone else from suffering the same fate as the orphanage.

We limped home together, battered but unbroken.