Ato clenched a clump of black powder tightly in his fist, the grains falling periodically to the ground. In his other hand was his machete which he had, with great difficulty, retrieved from the hut. It was quite scary how vigilant Kweku could be when he wanted to. The boy was like a hawk, his eyes surveying the area for any sign of movement. The young man had only been able to get past his roommate in a brief moment of distraction on the older boy's part; a little boy had wandered into the hut, providing an avenue for Ato to take what he needed.

Akasi sat a little distance away, leaning his back against a solitary tree, he held a bamboo flute. The teenager's fingers worked dexterously, rising and falling over the holes of the instrument, the airy melody swam through the breeze, drowning out the distant sounds of the village.

Ato tossed the powder into the air, watching intently as it began to disperse in the wind. His blade swept out, cutting into the black cloud with ease.

[Slice]

Grains of black powder flew out, coalescing immediately into the shape of a crescent. The blade sliced through the cloud, bisecting it with ease. This was exactly what Ato wanted.

His free hand rose swiftly, his index finger and thumb making brief contact in a sharp and audible 'Snap!'

Sparks flew, and the grains of black ignited in a fiery show of power. The original cloud soon dissipated but the crescent continued moving, wisps of flame fell off, dropping onto the grass below and dissipating shortly afterwards.

And then, it exploded in a fiery show of blue flame. The searing heat cut through the air like a sharp blade, and endless perspiration began dripping from Ato's forehead. The young man stood more than 10 metres away from the blast zone yet still felt the sweltering heat of the explosion.

Akasi stopped playing and stood on his feet, observing the explosion with as confused look: "Just what did this guy do?"

Pops and Crackles sounded from the blaze, and little flaming clumps of powder were periodically ejected from this azure blue body. The flame itself couldn't be more than 6 metres in height, and lasted for about 4 minutes before finally ending.

Round the remains of the sweltering flame, only a small smouldering crater remained.

"Does that happen often?" He asked, turning towards Akasi. The teen shook his head, saying: "No, not to my current knowledge."

Ato pondered on the reason behind the phenomenon. It could be due to the acceleration. Maybe the powder acted like an enzyme, attaching itself to the oxygen in the air. The increased heat and acceleration would have increased the rate of collisions with the particles in the air, causing a greater flame.

The young man let out a smile, having just gained a new method of attack. The flaming slash would certainly aid in the destruction of the camp in the forest.

"Akasi, could you lend me some more powder tonight?"

*****

Kweku sat before the shrine of The Earth Mother, his legs folded beneath him. He took deep breath, inhaling large amounts of earthy Kra. The heavy sensation flooded his body, fixing it in place. His skin became sturdy, his expression hardening and tightening almost like a...

'Rock!'

Kweku's eyes snapped open, clumps of dry mud fell from his eyes and forehead as he frowned in confusion. He rose up, dusting the crusty dirt off his bare skin.

"How sad." Lamented a wizened voice, Kweku turned to see the familiar face of the old man, sweeping away the earthy residue from the site of the shrine. As he did this he bean to speak.

"The shrine of an Elder God is not a mere cultivation mattress, the Kra emitted from this will, as you just realised, turn you into a statue. Sit down, Young man. We have matters to discuss."

Kweku sat on a stool graciously provided by the Shrine-keeper, the old man stared intently into his eyes.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"You were there, no?"

Kweku gave a slight nod, and the old man smiled: "Good, then you know what's coming. There is much I want to say to you, but I'm sure you are as ready as you can be. That is a fact I am willing to attest to."

He reached under the stool, retrieving from it a lengthy object wrapped in ornamental cloth and handed it to Kweku. The young man unwrapped the cloth, revealing the hilt of a blade bound in aged leather and capped with a disc-shaped pommel. The cloth gave way, revealing an exquisite blade, its curved edge glimmering with a silvery sheen. The blade was light and fluid, the metal bending the rays of light around it.

"What... is this?"

"Just a little gift."

The old man rose to leave, taking his stool with him.

"That tool of yours... He seems to have his own plans."

*****

Ato stood at the edge of the forest, a small gourd attached to his waist by a cloth. His fingers curled round the grip of his machete, which he held to his side. He walked into the forest, and was swallowed by its darkness.

The walk to the camp was as short as it was frightening, there seemed to be no shortage of inhuman howls and chitters as he traversed over the slithering roots and thorny bushes. The young man soon arrived at his destination, and beheld the familiar sight of the ritual.

The dwarf like creatures danced happily around the carcass of a large stallion, expressions of glee stamped firmly on their faces. They voraciously consumed the flesh of the beast diving into open wounds and re-emerging completely soaked in blood.

Ato had seen it all before, so he did not so much as bat an eye. If anything, it made his conviction stronger.

"It's time."

A blinding flash of light zoomed through the air, and swept through the crowd on creatures. They screamed out in pain as the flaming crescent tore through them, slicing them to bits and searing their wounds. The crescent continued moving despite the numerous bodies surrounding it, growing in heat as it went by.

It continued moving and moving... And then it stopped. The air rippled and waved, and then exploded.

Violently.

Searing waves of blue flame expanded outward, consuming everything in their path. From the tents, to the creatures, to their sacrifices. The flames did not die out, yet continued spreading. It took the first tree, then the next, and again and again, continuously expanding until the flames licked his face.

That was the signal he needed to run.

Ato's limbs became nothing more than blurs as he dashed through the forest, leaping over roots and slapping aside branches as he fought to escape the fire. The flaming trails licked at his heels, incentivising him to sprint even faster.

Bestial howls echoed through the darkness, and Ato sensed the movement of several large things within the forest, all rushing in a singular direction.

A massive shape tore through the air, tremendous hooves bored into the ground as the horse galloped forward, its dark mane billowing like a plume of smoke behind it. Numerous beasts rushed out of the blazing canopy. Abominations of all shapes and sizes tore through the thick bark, kicking out dust clouds as they collided with each other.

Ato picked up the pace, yet it was of no avail. Massive limbs smashed into his back, and sharp talons ripped into his skin as he was lifted into the air. His heart beat wildly and the surrounding area began to shrink, the trees growing smaller by the second. With a terrifying cry, he lashed out wildly with his machete, the iron edge cutting deep into the thick leg of the creature.

[Slice]

A horrible wail resounded in the air, and a severed talon, along with a human figure fell to to the blackened earth. Ato let out a sharp wince, his back had basically been torn to shreds, each and every movement sent waves of pain coursing through his body.

'BOOM!'

'BOOM!'

'BOOM!'

Multiple explosions occurred at once, tearing up the landscape even further. Devastating shockwaves flung Ato through the air, his body ragdolling as it smashed into a large rock.

"Ghk!" A sudden grunt escaped his lips, and his left arm lay limply to his side. The young man's chest rose and fell periodically, as he took in painful gasps of air. His mouth was filled with blood, the iron-tasting liquid dribbling down his chin and dyeing his clothes as deep red colour.

"*Cough!*"

Ato spat out a red glob of blood, and rose shakily to his feet. With his good arm, he grasped his machete, and stared out into the distant scenery.

A few feet away, a large tree fell to the ground. Consumed by the ethereal mass of blue flame, it quickly turned to embers. Segments of the large wall surrounding the compound were clearly visible in the distance, pillars of smoke rising from behind them. Every once in a while, a lone beast would rush past them into the slave compound.

Ato could only imagine the horrors which went on within the compound; all the innocent lives that were currently being lost due to his failures. The young man had made a grave miscalculation, he'd underestimated the sheer power of the fire he had started.

I probably should have built a moat.

At the present moment, Ato had no sympathy to spare for those affected by his errors, he was in a dire situation himself.

"Ato!"

A figure came sprinting towards his direction, holding a strangely shaped blade. As the figure approached, Ato could finally discern their identity.

It was Kweku. Though he was battered and beaten, sporting a bruised lip and deep gashes on his arm, his firm expression and dark eyes still revealed his immense will to live.

"What..." He began, panting heavily. His eyes, clouded with strong emotion, bored deep into those of Ato. Kweku clenched his blade tightly, preventing himself from shaking with rage.

He spoke softly and succinctly.

"What have you done?"