Having my spell matrix active for so long was beginning to put a strain on my awareness, like someone slamming bricks into my head.

With sweat dripping down my brow, gritting my teeth. I said, “I don't know how much longer I can keep this up for. Something or maybe someone is fighting my manipulation.”

Furrowing her forehead, Madison said, “Kyle, why didn't you say something sooner! Drop your spell before you really hurt yourself.

Pushing myself off the wall, I said, “It's not that bad, just a little straining is all.”

Shooting me a stern look, She said, “I wasn't asking you, I was telling you to drop your spell, now!”

“Okay, okay, no need to yell, I'll stop now,” I said, raising my hands in surrender.

Disconnecting from my spell matrix, my stomach flipped with nausea as my awareness snapped back to me like an elastic band. Grounding, and ridding myself of the excess energy from the shifted perception, and fighting that foreign awareness. Coming back to my senses, as I noticed the Flickering formation around us, and the massive wall of scraper bodies trying to tear their way through it.

Turing to Madison, Alfred said, “Hey, do you think you can torch some of these scrapers to give us some breathing room? I don’t think this formation can take any more of this stress.”

Looking at the shifting wall of scraper bodies. Madison said, “Yeah, I think I can do that.”

Madison walked towards the edge of the formation, facing the scrapers. Her mana started to boil releasing waves of scorching heat. Causing the temperature of the air surrounding us to rise. Placing her hands flush against the barrier protecting us. The heat that her boiling mana gave off, spiked. Waves started to ripple off her body, causing the very air to distort. With a whoosh of displaced air, a giant pillar of fire spewed from her hands. The screeching of dying scrapers rang out, as the heat started to drop and the flames flickered out.

Bending over, hands on her knees, and breathing deeply, Madison said, “Okay.. that was… a lot harder than I thought it would be.”

Looking over at Lukteia, Clyde, and Samson, frozen in shock. It dawned on me that what Madison just did wasn't considered normal.

Rushing to Madison’s side, holding her shoulder. Smiling, Alfred said, “Come over here and take a break, you did great. We can handle the rest of them till you feel up to more fighting.”

Once Madison got settled, the rest of the group got to work picking off one Scraper after next. With the stench of charred rat wafting through the air, Zipping in, and out of the formation, back and forth through the scrapers that weren’t incinerated from Madison fire. Now I'm back to feeling useless, down to only one spell matrix, and still not comfortable using unstructured casting. I sent forth my perception using my talent, to keep track of anything weird. That could be going on around us, better a lookout than doing nothing.

As my vision went auratic with colors from the chaotic mana floating around. Mostly dominated by traces of the scrapers mana, bright red patches that matched Madison’s mana. But there were a few splotches of silver and several golden flecks that were floating around, I assume they came from Alfred and Lukteia’s summons. Further away from us I caught flashes of varying shades of green, flashing brightly through the scrapers.

As Alfred stepped back into the formation, I said, “I think there might be another group fighting scrapers, about a quarter of the way through the south crux.”

Pausing with a thoughtful look on his face Alfred said, “I think we should head towards them, even though we are almost done with this wave of scrapers. I don't think we should count on there not being another one coming our way. Madison do you think you can move now?”

As she got up, dusting herself off. Madison said, “I've rested enough, I’m good to go whenever you guys are ready.”

Joining us, and shaking her head in agreement. Lukteia said, “I agree, it would be best to have more people.”

“Well let's get going then,” Alfred said, heading towards the opening to the south crux.

Walking in a line instead of a circular formation, Alfred leading us through the hoard of scrapers. With the glowing Shriek bell rotating between his palms. Sending blades of silver at every scraper that crossed our path. Blades of light cutting into their scaled bodies, leaving them easy prey for the other to finish off.

While Alfred and the others were dealing with the scrapers. I took in our surroundings, the south crux was almost unrecognizable from what it used to look like. Over an hour of fighting and destruction; left every stone scratched, scorched and sword marks everywhere. Black soot floated through the air as we drew closer to where the other group was fighting.