Chapter 243: Touched by Fire
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Chapter 243: Touched by Fire
Touched by FireThe initial posting of this chapter occurred via N0v3l.B11n.
As Martel reached the blaze, his eyes surveyed the scene. The fire had already spread to more houses, lying by the edge of the temple square. The legionaries had organised chains to carry buckets of water from the fountain while those with axes had begun demolishing nearby buildings to prevent further spread.
Martel looked across the square. Before he could do anything, he had to make sure Shadi was safe. Breaking into a run, he circumvented the human chain and rushed towards the watchmaker's workshop. Around him, people shouted in alarm, and more and more streamed onto the street, many staring in horror. Some ran forward to help; a few returned to their houses and began hauling their possessions outside.
Martel coughed. Smoke filled the air, adding an eerie blur to the frightful site of flames stretching towards the sky. He continued onwards, ignoring the strange looks sent his way. His heart beat at a frantic pace, both from exertion and fear.
Relief overwhelmed him as he saw Shadi outside her home, her father standing behind her. "Martel! What's happening?" she asked.
He reached them and buckled over, panting for breath. "There's a fire."
"We see that, stupid boy," Master Farhad exclaimed. "Go help!" He set into motion towards the water chain, and the youths followed.
Martel only possessed sufficient skill with one element to have any hope of affecting the blaze. He had to use fire; a single spell, his final one, powerful enough to affect the entirety of the conflagration and put an end to it. But extinguishing the flames over such an area felt beyond his abilities still.
However, moving a flame required less effort than out right killing it. And if pulled into the air, the fire would eventually die out once his magic no longer grasped it, lacking material to consume. Hands against the stonework of the bell tower, Martel reached out with his magic. It easily connected with the intense flames burning happily through the wooden houses. Pouring his spellpower into the connection, Martel drew upon the fire.
Streaks of flame soared through the air. Across the blazing area, the fire abandoned its fuel to travel towards the youth touched by that very element.
Sweat poured down Martel's face, not born of heat. His body trembled with effort, but he had to maintain the connection. If he released the spell too early before the entire blaze travelled to him, it would resume spreading through the district.
The first flames reached him even as he still pulled on their remaining brethren to do the same. Engulfed in fire, Martel's innate resistance struggled to keep him safe. The burning tendrils, sustained only by his magic, eagerly sought to ignite the flammable fabrics he wore. Between maintaining the spell and easing the fire to keep it from burning him up, Martel's vision darkened.
Finally, he could do no more. He released the hold on his magic. Bereft of fuel, sorcerous or otherwise, the flames died out.
Martel gasped for breath. He felt drained like never before. Yet he did not vomit; perhaps he was getting more accustomed to the effects of utter exertion. Wiping sweat from his brow, he looked out to see the fires extinguished. Relief was his last thought before exhaustion claimed his consciousness; as the world grew black, he fell to the ground.
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Chapter 243: Touched by Fire
Touched by FireThe initial posting of this chapter occurred via N0v3l.B11n.
As Martel reached the blaze, his eyes surveyed the scene. The fire had already spread to more houses, lying by the edge of the temple square. The legionaries had organised chains to carry buckets of water from the fountain while those with axes had begun demolishing nearby buildings to prevent further spread.
Martel looked across the square. Before he could do anything, he had to make sure Shadi was safe. Breaking into a run, he circumvented the human chain and rushed towards the watchmaker's workshop. Around him, people shouted in alarm, and more and more streamed onto the street, many staring in horror. Some ran forward to help; a few returned to their houses and began hauling their possessions outside.
Martel coughed. Smoke filled the air, adding an eerie blur to the frightful site of flames stretching towards the sky. He continued onwards, ignoring the strange looks sent his way. His heart beat at a frantic pace, both from exertion and fear.
Relief overwhelmed him as he saw Shadi outside her home, her father standing behind her. "Martel! What's happening?" she asked.
He reached them and buckled over, panting for breath. "There's a fire."
"We see that, stupid boy," Master Farhad exclaimed. "Go help!" He set into motion towards the water chain, and the youths followed.
Martel only possessed sufficient skill with one element to have any hope of affecting the blaze. He had to use fire; a single spell, his final one, powerful enough to affect the entirety of the conflagration and put an end to it. But extinguishing the flames over such an area felt beyond his abilities still.
However, moving a flame required less effort than out right killing it. And if pulled into the air, the fire would eventually die out once his magic no longer grasped it, lacking material to consume. Hands against the stonework of the bell tower, Martel reached out with his magic. It easily connected with the intense flames burning happily through the wooden houses. Pouring his spellpower into the connection, Martel drew upon the fire.
Streaks of flame soared through the air. Across the blazing area, the fire abandoned its fuel to travel towards the youth touched by that very element.
Sweat poured down Martel's face, not born of heat. His body trembled with effort, but he had to maintain the connection. If he released the spell too early before the entire blaze travelled to him, it would resume spreading through the district.
The first flames reached him even as he still pulled on their remaining brethren to do the same. Engulfed in fire, Martel's innate resistance struggled to keep him safe. The burning tendrils, sustained only by his magic, eagerly sought to ignite the flammable fabrics he wore. Between maintaining the spell and easing the fire to keep it from burning him up, Martel's vision darkened.
Finally, he could do no more. He released the hold on his magic. Bereft of fuel, sorcerous or otherwise, the flames died out.
Martel gasped for breath. He felt drained like never before. Yet he did not vomit; perhaps he was getting more accustomed to the effects of utter exertion. Wiping sweat from his brow, he looked out to see the fires extinguished. Relief was his last thought before exhaustion claimed his consciousness; as the world grew black, he fell to the ground.
Chapter 243: Touched by FireTouched by FireThe initial posting of this chapter occurred via N0v3l.B11n.As Martel reached the blaze, his eyes surveyed the scene. The fire had already spread to more houses, lying by the edge of the temple square. The legionaries had organised chains to carry buckets of water from the fountain while those with axes had begun demolishing nearby buildings to prevent further spread.Martel looked across the square. Before he could do anything, he had to make sure Shadi was safe. Breaking into a run, he circumvented the human chain and rushed towards the watchmaker's workshop. Around him, people shouted in alarm, and more and more streamed onto the street, many staring in horror. Some ran forward to help; a few returned to their houses and began hauling their possessions outside.Martel coughed. Smoke filled the air, adding an eerie blur to the frightful site of flames stretching towards the sky. He continued onwards, ignoring the strange looks sent his way. His heart beat at a frantic pace, both from exertion and fear.Relief overwhelmed him as he saw Shadi outside her home, her father standing behind her. "Martel! What's happening?" she asked.He reached them and buckled over, panting for breath. "There's a fire.""We see that, stupid boy," Master Farhad exclaimed. "Go help!" He set into motion towards the water chain, and the youths followed.Martel only possessed sufficient skill with one element to have any hope of affecting the blaze. He had to use fire; a single spell, his final one, powerful enough to affect the entirety of the conflagration and put an end to it. But extinguishing the flames over such an area felt beyond his abilities still.However, moving a flame required less effort than out right killing it. And if pulled into the air, the fire would eventually die out once his magic no longer grasped it, lacking material to consume. Hands against the stonework of the bell tower, Martel reached out with his magic. It easily connected with the intense flames burning happily through the wooden houses. Pouring his spellpower into the connection, Martel drew upon the fire.Streaks of flame soared through the air. Across the blazing area, the fire abandoned its fuel to travel towards the youth touched by that very element.Sweat poured down Martel's face, not born of heat. His body trembled with effort, but he had to maintain the connection. If he released the spell too early before the entire blaze travelled to him, it would resume spreading through the district.The first flames reached him even as he still pulled on their remaining brethren to do the same. Engulfed in fire, Martel's innate resistance struggled to keep him safe. The burning tendrils, sustained only by his magic, eagerly sought to ignite the flammable fabrics he wore. Between maintaining the spell and easing the fire to keep it from burning him up, Martel's vision darkened.Finally, he could do no more. He released the hold on his magic. Bereft of fuel, sorcerous or otherwise, the flames died out.Martel gasped for breath. He felt drained like never before. Yet he did not vomit; perhaps he was getting more accustomed to the effects of utter exertion. Wiping sweat from his brow, he looked out to see the fires extinguished. Relief was his last thought before exhaustion claimed his consciousness; as the world grew black, he fell to the ground.
