Sorin went cold as he looked at the massive Cinderpaw.

"Well now we know why there were so many of those things." Cain said sounding just as nervous as Sorin felt.

"I think we should fall back." Linx said as the other's nodded and slowly began inching backwards. As they took their first few steps back the massive cinderpaw walked forward sniffing the air. It froze as it smelt them even from the distance they were at. With a roar the flames on its back grew in intensity and it charged.

It was fast, way faster than any of the other cinderpaws they had faced. Sorin, Linx and Cain all threw up their barriers layered right after each other. It was a good thing because the beast slammed into them with the force of a truck. Linx's barrier took the initial hit and broke after a moment causing him to stagger in backlash followed by Cain a few moments after and then Sorin's. They dove out of the path of the beast and rolled up their feet as Sorin's barrier was smashed by a burning claw. Sorin didn't see any damage from the beast making contact with his barrier like was the case with each thing that had in the past, which made sense with this creature's fire affinity.

Sorin gave a hand and arm single for an attack patter as his teammates scatter to the side. They were going with their first usual attack patter. Sorin had the regeneration skill and could take some punishment. He rushed at the cinderpaw with both of his blades and the beast responded in kind slashing with a paw of its own. As his swords made contact with the claws, they were slammed to the side with him rolling right after it. It was at that precise moment that Linx and Cain slammed their weapons into its side where it's heart should be.

The beast turned quickly feeling the pain as the aether steel sunk in and shook them off. Cain's blade went the deepest and had gotten stuck. The beast bite down toward him. Cain seeing the impending death coming at him let go of his sword and fell back into a roll flashing another barrier up between him and the beast's jaws.

Sorin was back on his feet and rushing toward the cinderpaw seeing the barrier go up. Linx ran up the beast and began attacking its spine but was immediately blasted off with a discharge of flames from its back with a scream as the front of him was scorched. Sorin could smell the fur burning on the fox beastman as he was slammed to the ground and slid into a tree near the edge of the clearing. Sorin swung his blades at the back of the beast slashing at the legs but was not getting very deep. The beast kept going toward Cain and was determined to kill him. Sorin needed to pull its attention away from his teammate.

Not knowing what else to do, Sorin got a bright idea that made him laugh out loud. He slammed his sword right up the ass of the massive cinderpaw.

With a sharp squeal the creature jumped forward and dragged its butt on the ground forcing the sword further in causing it even more pain. With this momentary distraction Cain was able to get up and ran by the beast grabbing one of Linx's daggers from the ground where it had been dropped when he was burned and blasted from its back. They were falling back toward the man in question when the beast roared in fury, allowing its rage to overcome its pain. It turned on them, murder in its gaze as molten fire leaked from its jaws.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Cain, get to Linx, I'll do my best to hold this thing off. Sorin said as Cain passed the dagger off to Sorin and took off. He had a sword and a dagger against this seemingly S rank beast.

"Well no time like the present." Sorin said and began summoning orbs of fire all around him. Seeing the orbs the massive cinder paw stopped, giving Sorin all the time he needed. He compressed each of them and began firing them, one after the other creating more orbs in their place. They began streaking in and slamming into the Cinderpaw, exploding on contact. Smoke began to fill the clearing as pained roards, growls, and cries came from the beast.

The cinderpaw disappeared under smoke and fire from the barrage of fire blasts striking it over and over and over again. After around 30 blasts Sorin halted his attack and check his AP

AP: 705/1000

Sorin was keeping his absorption running at full tilt and had gained back almost a full blast since the start of the barrage. There came a deep growling as the smoke began to clear.

A burning snout made its way out of the smoke followed by the rest of the beast. Sorin didn't thing the fire was going to do much to the monster in front of him, but had hoped the explosions would and he was somewhat correct. The cinderpaw was bleeding from its eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Wounds were ripped into its fur all over from the explosion, but it seemed to be ignoring all of the damage.

It lumbered at Sorin and slashed at him with its claw. Sorin ducked under the swipe and stabbed at its shoulder with the dagger and ripping as he went back further hooking the handle of Cain's Kopis, ripping it out. He glanced over where he thought his team was at then flung the blade back to the tree line hoping someone was watching. In that brief moment the cinderpaw slashed up at Sorin. He tried to dodge back but was not quite fast enough. The claws caught his chest and ripped the entire front of his robes and stopped at the armorweave, but scraped upward catching his cheek, caring a massive trench from jaw to scalp on his left side. Sorin fell backwards throwing up a barrier. The beast fell upon the barrier and was going around it as Cain returned and attacked from the other side. The creature didn't even care about Cain even though he had begun using his race's blood abilities. He wanted Sorin dead. Sorin was slowly regenerating, but needed some time. That's when can slashed the left front paw at the joint digging deep causing the beast to stumble and fall. Sorin saw his chance and lanced a line of his flames compressed into a solid burning line around the beast wrapping it up like a large cord like he did with the circuit he created.

*bleep*

It was a spur of the moment move and Sorin, in his desperation didn't even know if it would work, but thank God it did and worked perfectly. The beast tried to roar and struggled against he restraint around its snout, legs, and boddy. Sorin glanced at his HUD and saw his aether fall rapidly every time it struggled as hard as it could.

They attacked in earnest. Sorin slashed with his sword and Linx's dagger at its neck and Cain attacked the other side of its neck. In front the front Linx jumped and landed next to Sorin slamming his dagger into the rib cage of the beast before running up and over to the other side to the do the same thing.

"I'm almost out the aether!" Sorin yelled seeing his AP hit 50.

Warning!

AP below 10

He let go of his binding skill just as Linx slammed his dagger into the beast's lungs again and shouted.

The cinderpaw choked as smoke billowed out the side of it where the dagger was being held by Linx. Jumped back and with a pulling motion ripped a massive amount of blood from the beast, then with a pushing motion ignited the blood and pushed it right back into the creature.

It was too much, the cinderpaw sank to the ground no longer able to breathe, with literal flames running through its veins.

With a final gurgle it went still.