Luxius stared into the massive reptilian eye, its slit pupil narrowing as it shifted toward the remnants of the burnt egg. His chest tightened as the creature's gaze lingered on the cracked shell and charred remains of its kin. Slowly, the eye filled with rage, glowing faintly with an inner fire.
“Damn it, Fury,” Luxius cursed inwardly, his body tense. I swear, the moment I find a way to do it, you’re getting bathed in shit.
The giant reptilian beast rose, revealing its full, hulking form, green scales shimmering with a faint etheric glow. Luxius immediately recognized it. It was the salamander he’d stolen the egg from earlier today.
The beast’s nostrils flared, steam escaping its snout as it locked onto him, letting out a guttural, ear-splitting roar.
“Oh, now this is entertaining!” Fury cackled. “If only you’d taken my advice and burned your tracks, this wouldn’t be happening.”
Luxius gritted his teeth, backing away slowly. “Shut it! You don’t care about me being tracked. You just want me to fight something so I die faster!”
“And yet here we are,” Fury said with mock sorrow.
The salamander reared its massive head, snapping its jaws before charging, its cavernous mouth wide open and aiming to swallow Luxius whole.
“Shit!” Luxius dove to the side, narrowly avoiding its snapping jaws. The beast crashed headfirst into the cave wall, shaking the entire cavern as its massive skull got wedged between the rocky surfaces.
Luxius didn’t waste the opportunity. He bolted toward the cave entrance, his heart pounding as Fury’s voice screamed in his mind. “What are you doing, coward?! It’s stuck! Attack it! Burn it! KILL IT!”
“No!” Luxius snapped, panting as he sprinted. “It’s going to break out any second, and I’m not dying just to satisfy your suicidal urges!”
Behind him, the salamander snarled and heaved, its claws raking at the ground as it dislodged itself with a deafening roar. He glanced back to see it charging after him, its massive body surprisingly agile for its size.
“Of course it’s fast,” Luxius muttered bitterly, adrenaline surging through him as he pushed his legs harder. The ground quaked beneath him with each of the salamander’s thunderous steps, the beast closing the distance rapidly.
Fury’s laughter echoed in his mind. “Run all you like, little spark! But there’s no running from destruction. Maybe if you stopped being such a pathetic coward, you’d turn and face it head-on!”
Luxius ignored the taunt, his mind racing as he frantically searched for any way to escape the relentless predator.
He sprinted through the dense forest, branches whipping at his face and arms as the ground trembled under the thunderous pursuit of the salamander. The massive beast barreled through trees, snapping them like twigs, its guttural growls and snapping jaws drawing ever closer.
“Move! Move! Move!” Luxius chanted under his breath, his lungs burning as he vaulted over a fallen log. He zigzagged through the thick underbrush, hoping to slow the beast by forcing it to maneuver through the forest's natural obstacles.
Behind him, the salamander plowed through the greenery with little effort, smashing through anything in its path. Its sheer size and strength rendered the terrain almost meaningless.
“You can’t keep running forever, Luxius!” Fury’s mocking voice rang in his head. “How long do you think those scrawny legs will last? Face it, you coward! Roast the damn thing already!”
“Not now!” Luxius hissed, narrowly ducking under a low-hanging branch. His mind raced, frantically searching for ways to widen the gap between him and the beast.
Spotting a cluster of massive roots ahead, he darted toward them, weaving through the natural maze. The salamander slowed momentarily as it tried to maneuver through the narrow spaces, but it quickly began smashing through the roots with its powerful claws.
“Of course, that didn’t work,” Luxius muttered bitterly, vaulting over a large boulder.
“Still running?” Fury jeered. “You’re pathetic. Turn and fight like a man! Or are you just going to let that overgrown lizard chew you up?”
“Shut up!” Luxius snapped, growing more frustrated as he glanced back. His heart sank as he saw the salamander was barely slowed by the forest’s defenses.
He darted around a thick tree, using the trunk as a shield before ducking into a dense thicket of vines. His foot caught on something, and before he realized what was happening, he was airborne.
“Ah, crap—”
Luxius crashed to the ground, rolling uncontrollably before coming to a halt on his back. Dazed, he barely registered the shadow looming over him.
The salamander roared triumphantly, swinging its massive tail like a battering ram. The impact sent Luxius hurtling through the air like a ragdoll, crashing through a tree before slamming into the ground. Pain shot through his body as he groaned, his vision swimming.
“You... absolute bastard!” Luxius hissed through clenched teeth, clutching his ribs. The salamander stalked toward him, its maw opening wide to deliver the killing blow.
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Desperation surged through him as Fury’s voice boomed in his mind. “Now’s your chance! Ignite! Burn it all!”
Luxius hesitated for only a moment before thrusting his hand before him as he kneeled. “Ignite!”
Blood red flames roared to life, propelling him backward like a makeshift thruster. The sudden force sent him skidding away from the snapping jaws of the salamander. Fury howled with delight.
“Finally! Yes! Use me! Burn it and this entire forest to ash!”
Luxius grimaced, feeling the drain hit him immediately. His breathing became labored, and his muscles felt heavy. “You’re insane if you think I’m fighting that thing. That blast alone nearly wiped me out!”
The salamander roared in fury, shaking off the dirt from its missed attack. Its burning eyes locked onto Lucius again as he scrambled to his feet.
“Oh, come on!” Luxius growled, raising his hand again and igniting another burst of flame. This time, he launched himself into the air, soaring above the treetops.
As the ground fell away beneath him, he sighed in momentary relief. “Finally, some breathing room. No way that thing can reach me up here.”
“Oh, Lucius,” Fury’s voice cooed, dripping with amusement. “Look down.”
Luxius’s stomach dropped as he glanced below. The salamander reared its head, its massive jaws parting as an orange glow began to build in its throat.
“No way...” he whispered, his eyes widening in shock.
The beast’s maw erupted with fiery energy as it charged an enormous blast of flames, aiming straight at him.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Luxius shouted, panic setting in.
The salamander’s fiery blast erupted from its jaws like a raging inferno, hurtling toward Luxius with devastating speed. Suspended in midair with no clear escape route, he made a split-second decision, extending his hands. “Ignite!”
Crimson flames roared to life, rushing forward in a torrent to meet the salamander’s fire. The two waves collided midair in a dazzling explosion of heat and light, the forest below illuminated in a hellish glow.
Luxius braced himself, expecting the salamander’s flames to overwhelm his own, but to his surprise, the crimson blaze didn’t just hold its ground—it began consuming the opposing fire. The crimson flames grew larger, their hue intensifying as they fed on the salamander’s attack.
“Hah! Your lizard fire is pathetic compared to me!” Fury bellowed in triumph. “It’s like your feeding me with scraps! How does it feel to be outclassed, overgrown wallcrawler?”
The salamander roared in frustration, clearly unnerved by the unexpected turn of events. Luxius, hovering in disbelief, began to entertain a dangerous thought. I can fight this thing. I can actually fight it.
Before he could fully grasp his realization, the backlash of the fiery clash sent him careening through the air. Tumbling uncontrollably, Lucius managed to right himself just in time to spot the salamander charging toward him with terrifying speed, its claws tearing through the ground like plows.
“Alright then,” Luxius muttered under his breath, a sharp grin forming despite the pain coursing through his body. “Let’s do this then.”
“Finally!” Fury roared, its voice vibrating with glee. “Show it what real fire can do!”
As Luxius landed heavily on the ground, he immediately thrust his hands forward, releasing a searing wave of crimson fire at the approaching salamander. The beast veered sharply to the side, narrowly dodging the flames that singed its scales.
The forest erupted into chaos as the battle raged. Luxius darted through the dense underbrush, flames streaming from his hands in quick, controlled bursts. The salamander countered with ferocious strikes of its claws and swipes of its tail, forcing Luxius to constantly stay on the move.
Whenever the salamander was struck by the crimson fire, it let out an enraged roar, tearing at the scorched flesh with its own claws and discarding the damaged pieces. It knew how dangerous the flame was and it didn't not want to mess with it. Yet, it kept coming, relentless and unyielding.
Luxius, too, felt the toll of the battle. His body ached with every step, and fresh cuts and bruises added to the collection of injuries from earlier. But with every strike his flames landed, a faint surge of energy replenished him, the crimson fire feasting on the salamander’s Ether.
“Yes, Luxius, more!” Fury urged, its voice almost manic. “Stop holding back! Burn it down to ash!”
Luxius’s movements grew wilder, and more aggressive, as the flames consumed his thoughts. He stopped worrying about conserving energy or avoiding damage, fixating only on the destruction of his enemy. Each burst of fire became more potent, more reckless, as his bloodthirst grew.
The salamander, once majestic and imposing, now looked battered and desperate. Large sections of its body were missing, ripped away by its own claws to stop the spreading fire. Its breaths were labored, its once-glowing eyes dimming.
Luxius stood hunched, blood dripping from his numerous wounds, one arm hanging uselessly at his side, while his other hand twitched with barely contained flames. His breaths were ragged, yet his grin was feral, his eyes alight with a dangerous, unrestrained hunger.
“Come on,” he growled, his voice low and savage. “We’re not done yet.”
“That’s it, Luxius!” Fury howled in exhilaration. “More! Fight! Destroy! Let the fire consume it all!”
The salamander, sensing the endgame approaching, changed its tactics. It stopped its reckless charges and planted its powerful legs firmly into the ground, muscles rippling as it shifted its massive tail into position. Its eyes, glowing with primal fury, locked onto Luxius with deadly precision.
Lucius, breathing heavily and barely holding himself together, felt the shift in the salamander's intent. His instincts screamed that this next move would be lethal if he didn’t counter it. Yet, instead of retreating, he grinned, the bloodlust in his eyes matching the intensity of the crimson flames roaring around him.
In his battle-fueled haze, a mad idea sparked. His trembling fingers stretched forward, and flames surged into his hand, growing and shaping under his will. “Alright, let’s try something new,” he muttered, his voice laced with exhaustion and exhilaration.
The crimson flames gathered into a monstrous, burning greatsword, its edges cruel and crackling with unrestrained heat and raw energy. Fury, ever the provocateur, roared in laughter. “Yes! A weapon worthy of my fire! Show that overgrown gecko what it means to challenge us!”
Luxius tightened his grip on the fiery blade, its searing heat licking at his arm but fueling his resolve. Across from him, the salamander swung its tail in a test swipe, the sheer force of the movement toppling trees like they were mere twigs.
The two combatants locked eyes, their intent clear.
The salamander moved first, swinging its massive tail with the full weight of its enormous body behind it. The ground trembled as its tail cleaved through the forest, pulverizing everything in its path with terrifying force.
Luxius met the challenge head-on, roaring in defiance. His burning greatsword flared brighter, and he channeled every ounce of energy and will he had left into the weapon.
“Burn!” he screamed, bringing the greatsword down in a wide arc just as the salamander’s tail came crashing toward him. Fury’s voice echoed his cry, its manic laughter blending with Lucius’s roar as the two forces collided.
Crimson flames met raw, destructive power in a blinding explosion of heat and force. The impact shook the forest, sending shockwaves rippling outward, uprooting trees and scattering debris in every direction.
The roar of the explosion echoed into the distance, drowning out all other sounds. As the flames and dust began to settle, the forest fell eerily silent, the fate of the clash shrouded in suspense.