The inferno roared, wild and untamed, pressing Thorian's men into fits of coughing as acrid smoke filled their lungs. Flames danced mercilessly around them, felling trees that crashed to the ground and severed their escape routes. Thorian's eyes darted about, scouring the flaming chaos for his team of assassins.

"Alacritas, come here!"

On command, the silver-furred assassin darted towards Thorian, his fur shimmering against the blaze. "Yes, King? How may I help?"

"Take the assassins with you and head south," commanded Thorian. "Search for our men caught within the fiery chaos and help them. Proceed to Saxum and Zogthar thereafter."

Acknowledging the order, Alacritas nodded and sped off towards the rest of the assassin team. The kobolds, silver-furred like their leader, raced through the fiery tumult with swift agility.

Meanwhile, Aqua along with the other magi were locked in their own battle against the fire. They launched waterball after waterball into the inferno, but their attempts seemed to do little more than momentarily disturb the flames. Even Ventus, using his Gale Slash, struggled to make headway. His technique allowed him to slice through the flaming trees with relative success, but it was still insufficient to curb the spread of the relentless blaze.

The silver lining is that most of the trees within the village were felled earlier. Only the wall risks succumbing to the flames.

Yet, the potential devastation of the forest was far from an acceptable outcome for Thorian. A fire of such magnitude would ravage the land, leaving a desolate and barren landscape inhospitable for growth or survival.

Our current tactics are proving futile. It feels akin to trying to fill a sieve with water.

As he observed the magi hurling their waterballs into the inferno, the hopelessness of their strategy became painfully evident. However, the longer he watched Aqua and Ventus, the deeper the creases of his brow became. A potential solution seemed to hover on the precipice of his understanding.

Ah, now I remember! I completely overlooked that particular interaction.

A new strategy forming in his mind, Thorian called out to the wind-wielding kobold. "Ventus, unleash your Wind Gust!"

Upon hearing Thorian's command, Ventus found himself puzzled. "King, that will only fuel the fire!"

"Just do it," Thorian insisted, a determined note in his voice. "I have a plan."

Putting his trust in his king's judgment, Ventus clicked his tongue and prepared his spell. As he conjured the powerful gust of wind, Thorian simultaneously manifested a waterball in the palm of his hand.

Their skills synchronized just as before - Ventus's Wind Gust raced towards the fire, closely trailed by Thorian's waterball. The moment the waterball collided with the gust of wind, it exploded into countless tiny droplets, lending the gust an aqueous texture and a subtle bluish tint.

The unique fusion of their abilities struck the inferno, and the result was immediate. Flames wavered and diminished, their fiery wrath subdued and scattered. Yet, this victory was minor, affecting only a small fraction of the forest. The majority of the landscape remained ablaze, radiating intense heat all around.

"Yes!" Forlune's shout of triumph cut through the cacophony of the blaze. "We can defeat this fire! All hail the king!"

"All hail the king!" The other kobolds echoed, their voices creating a unified cry of hope.

Thorian was taken aback by Forlune's fervor, but he had no time to dwell on it.

"All water and wind magi, replicate our strategy!" He directed, his voice resounding above the din of the flames. "We will halt the advance of this fire. We shall extinguish it with our collective might!"

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The magi exchanged glances at his command before implementing the new strategy themselves. Soon, they were all emulating the king's example, merging their abilities to douse the fire, one small sector at a time.

The remaining kobolds, particularly those who had evolved into the brown-furred variant with hulking frames and rock-plated shoulders, were far from idle. They used their unique abilities to expedite the process. With powerful strikes, they cratered the ground, causing the flaming trees to tumble into the hollows. This action simplified the task for the magi by negating the need to target both the canopy and forest floor. Moreover, it made the fire's path more predictable, further aiding in their strategic attack.

Observing the advancements they were making, Thorian approached Aqua and declared, "I need you to take over my position."

Aqua looked momentarily perplexed, but then comprehension dawned on his face. "Are you venturing towards the village, my king?"

"Yes, I am," Thorian confirmed, his eyes hardening with a furious intensity. “I want to see for myself what happened to Nox.”

"May fortune accompany you, my king," Aqua respectfully inclined his head in a bow.

Thorian turned, heading towards Forlune and the other warrior kobolds. Lacking any skills beneficial to the ongoing battle with the fire, their role was relegated to vigilant watchmen, standing guard against potential threats or to aid any magi in danger.

"Forlune, dispatch a scout team to spread the word," Thorian instructed. "We need the magi from the other groups to join our efforts. Halting the spread of the fire from this side alone won't suffice."

Upon receiving Thorian's directives, the moon kobold, Forlune, responded with surprising enthusiasm. “Right away, king. I will take a small group with me and I will go immediately.” He pivoted to one of the warrior kobolds at his side, adding, “Crimen, you will be taking charge here while I’m away. Don’t let any harm happen to magi while they’re busy using their spells, understood?”

“Understood, Forlune,” Crimen responded, his voice steady. "You can depend on me."

With Forlune obediently setting about his orders, Thorian redirected his attention to the one companion he intended to bring along. "Vigil, I need your company on this journey."

The moon-tattooed priest comprehended the gravitas behind Thorian's request and bowed, his expression solemn. "Do not yield to despair, my king. We may yet find favor with fortune."

Thorian offered only a silent nod in response, his gaze heavy with unspoken concerns. He was well aware that the shadowstalker's continued absence suggested a high probability of an adverse outcome.

"I've never thought I'd see such an expression on your face," Harald strode over to Thorian with a confident gait. "Was this person dear to you? Your emotions seem in disarray."

As Thorian regarded Harald, flashes of Nox filled his mind's eye. Memories of the first day when the then night kobloid had decided to follow him, flooded his thoughts. His gaze dropped and his lips turned dry.

"I made a vow to grant him power beyond imagination," Thorian responded telepathically. "This is only the dawn of his journey. There is much he has yet to witness."

Harald regarded Thorian for a few heartbeats before lowering himself to the ground, an unspoken offer for Thorian to mount him. “Let’s move. There is no use losing hope yet.”

Thorian nodded and ascended onto the broad back of the direwolf king. As the wolf rose to his full stature, their combined presence was striking. The pair radiated a regal aura that befitted their status as twin monarchs.

Vigil, too, found his mount on a direwolf, and together, they commenced their journey through the blazing forest. Emboldened by the direwolves' power and swiftness, the flames held no terror for them. They effortlessly vaulted over the flaming obstacles, their path lit by the consuming fire.

Within mere minutes, the pair traversed the majority of the engulfed forest, the incinerated wall of the village becoming discernible in the distance. The bodies of humans and monsters, set aflame, were strewn across the landscape, their burning forms adding to the nauseating smog that choked the air.

At least the issue of the sea of decaying corpses surrounding the wall is resolved.

As they neared the village, a sudden premonition clutched Thorian's heart. Looking down, he saw the ground beneath Harald's paws glowing with an intense orange light.

Boom!

"King!" Vigil's horrified shout echoed around them as a pillar of flame surged skywards, engulfing Harald and Thorian. The surrounding roots, leaves, and grass were instantly incinerated by the furious blaze.

Suddenly, a manic cackle filled the air, emanating from an untouched thicket of bushes. From its depths emerged a man with hair as fiery as the blaze around him. His eyes glowed with a demonic light, while bone-like protrusions jutted from his forehead, resembling a fresh pair of horns.

"I killed you! Monster king - I killed you!" He raved, his voice echoing with the madness of his declaration. "Only I am king! The flame king!"