The Gods Among Us

Chapter 32: Burning

A:

One shadow grabs my right hand while the strange animal grabs my left. With my hands stuck at the side, I could not do anything when the second shadow shoots out both his hands. I watch as some sort of magical light shoots out from his hands and hits me. It knocks me to the ground and I skid against it. My face burns as it rubs against the asphalt. I do not even have time to get up before the strange animal jumps on top of me.

Its long black tail swings wildly in the air before shooting down toward me. I barely manage to get my head out of the way, the tail going deep into the asphalt. However, since the animal missed, its tail is now stuck in the asphalt. It screams and shouts as it tries to pull it out. With this small opening, I shoot out my own hands and place them right against the animal's slimy chest.

Bright, burning flames shoot out from my hands and right through the animal. The animal does not move as dual fire spirals shoot through it, leaving behind a wide hole in its chest. The two shadows freeze as well. They do not do anything when I launch myself up and throw both my hands through the hole in the chest. Screaming as I pull my hands apart, I rip the animal in two, both halves flying somewhere to the side.

Layafette:

I couldn't believe my eyes. I would rub them to be sure I wasn't seeing things, but I can't move. It's like A had frozen me, but I know he hadn't. For some other reasons, I can't move. All I can do is watch as the xenomorph I summoned is ripped into half.

"Lafayette," Jacob telepathically says to me. "You're right. Even without using his full power, A is still quite strong. Be careful."

"I will be," I answer, looking at Jacob and nodding my head. "You too."

Jacob nods his head as we snap out of it. We both look at A as he growls like a guard dog when he sees an intruder. His hands are encased in fire, the fires burning so bright, they light up the gas station.

A steps back and bends his knees before launching himself at us. He pulls back his burning hand and then throws it forward. Jacob crosses his arms but the force is still enough to knock me back a little. His feet scrape against the ground as A pushes him, Jacob keeps one arm up while pulling back his other arm. He sent it flying forward but A must have seen it.

A blocks the incoming attack with one of his burning hands. He pushes Jacob's hand back before grabbing Jacob's head with both his hands and slamming his own head into Jacob's head. The impact clearly stuns Jacob as after it happens, he stumbles around, rubbing the front of his head.

Though it looks like the impact stuns A as well, he's still able to run forward and punch Jacob with his burning hands. Jacob can't do anything as A punches him over and over.

"That's enough," I say, coming up from behind and grabbing A. Holding both his arms back, I look at Jacob as he drops to his knee. His face is burnt, bruised, and red and he's breathing heavily.

"I got him," I telepathically say. "I got A! Disappear and recover!"

"No," Jacob yells. "I'm not going to leave you with him!"

"Jacob, go--"

A jumps into the air with me on his back. He flies high into the air before flying back down. Slamming into the ground, stuck between a hard place and A, I accidentally let go of him. A pushes himself up while I'm still laying on the ground. He grabs me by the neck and lifts me. His hands are still on fire, and the heat from them is almost unbearable.

I feel sweat beads pouring down my forehead and face. My throat goes dry almost instantly. I'm almost blind from the light.

"Who are you," A says. "Tell me. Tell me now! Or I will do something very, very bad."

A holds his other hand in front of my face. The flames on it intensify as he brings it close to my face.

"I will not be attacked anymore," A tells me. "Nor my friends."

"Friends," I repeat. Immediately, I think of Alieen, Matt, and Alfred.

"Tell me who you are," A orders. "Tell me what you are attacking me! I know you know something about me! Tell me now! Tell me!"

With each scream, A brings his burning hand closer and closer to my own face. By the end of it, there are flicks of fire that hit my eyes.

"Tell me," A repeats. "Tell me! Tell me--"

Jacob grabs A from behind and lifts him into the air with both his hands. He then throws A onto the ground. With A on the ground, Jacob walks over to me.

"Are you okay," he asks, putting his hand on my shoulder.

Rubbing my eyes and blinking them a few times, I look back at him.

"I'm fine," I answer, standing up. Jacob stands up as well, and we both look back at A as he pushes himself up.

"As much as I hate to say this," Jacob says in between his breathing, "I think we need to retreat."

"I agree," I say. Jacob and I both start to step back. However, after three steps, A, who is still on the ground, shoots out his burning hand. He raises his hand and as he does, a large crack appears in the ground. It grows before shooting out flames and stopping us.

"No one is leaving," A shouts as he gets up. "No one is leaving."