The Elementals [Watty Awards 2012 Action Winner]

Chapter 18

Chapter eighteen:

 [Derrek's POV]

"Malum" I hissed, my voice full of venom.

His blood red and coal black eyes stared at me emotionlessly as he chuckled lightly. "You finally know who I am. It seems to be that the Elementals like to run their mouth" His eyes flickered past me to the group of Elementals and they collapsed to the ground shrieking in pain as he inflicted pain into their bodies. "Pathetic excuses of Elementals if you ask me. I gave you the easier job than the others and you still couldn't do it properly"

I glanced at Malum and did a double take, "Others?! There are more!" I cried incredulously.

"Much more Derrek. These are the rejects of the Elementals, they show too much... humanity" Malum said with a sneer in their direction.

I looked down at Max on the ground while Helena tried desperately to keep pressure on his gash. He was growing paler by the minute and his gasps were becoming more gurgled. I could feel heat travel through my body and fire was sparking at my fingertips ignited by my anger. "Where is Val, Malum?" I shouted.

"I'm right here Sparky" an emotionless feminine voice called out calmly from behind Malum. Val stepped out from behind him and she looked... empty. Her clothes were torn in different places and dried blood covered her head and exposed skin. Her face had been burnt from her left eye all the way down the side of her neck and in several other areas. She looked completely battered and dirty.

"Val are you okay!" I asked quickly, careful to keep Malum in my sight. She didn't answer me, instead it looked as though the animalistic Val was back and seething below the surface. All traces of the Val I knew, and even the emotionless Val that spoke just a second ago was gone. She was like a zombie.

"What did you do to her!" I hissed at Malum, angry red flames slowly licking from my fingertips up my fingers and meeting in my palm.

 "She is my best experiment yet" Malum said. "I have brought out her Stinger powers by extracting my own essence from my mind and pushing it into her head. She is mine to control... your little Valerie is gone"

Malum had begun to pace slowly with his decayed hands clasped behind his back and I stepped in time to keep him from getting closer to Helena and Max, making sure I kept him within my line of sight and never leaving my back open for attack. "You sick bastard!" I yelled.

I'd heard enough.

My rage burst through every pore and it was though my body was no longer bones, muscle and skin but instead was made of stiff molten lava engulfed in coal red flames. "Take cover!" I screamed at Max and Helena and I saw Helena try to drag Max by the rock wall while Max used what he could to surround them in a thin layer of protective water.

I cried out my frustration and my golden eyes met Malum's red and black ones. "Now you die Malum!"

"Valerie, DESTROY HIM!" Malum shrieked while he pointed a decomposing white finger at Helena, Max and I. He spun suddenly and with a flick of his cloak he turned towards a hidden tunnel and disappeared. Val wailed and came charging at me snarling like a beast gone mad. She held her hand up in the air and an ice spear grew from her palm with the glinting point directed at my heart.

"Val no! Push him out! Push him out of your head!" I yelled, but it was no use.  Val's shrieks and snarls echoed through the tunnels multiplying them over and over again as she ran towards us. "I don't want to hurt you Val but I will if I have to!"

She didn't slow down so I had no choice but to defend us. I began to shape a large curved bow out of hardened molten lava and an arrow of flames appeared on the 'string'. I pulled it back hard and released it, sending it flying at Val's shoulder. The flames slammed into her, scorching her skin and sending her back temporarily at the force. As the flamed arrow hit her it disappeared exposing the charred skin underneath.