Chapter 4 (J) - The Fire Beast

The source of the flickering light becomes clear as we approach. Beyond Mariville’s outer wall lies a great inferno. It appears the town has been set ablaze. The girl gasps as a roar rings out from somewhere beyond the wall. A stream of flame bursts out over the wall, accompanied by an agonized human shout.

“You stay here where it’s safe! I’ve gotta help everyone!” As if fighting her own instinct, the girl beside me takes a tentative step forward, before breaking into a full sprint, vanishing through the town’s shattered gate. ...But I can’t allow that. I can’t simply stay on the sidelines while some beast destroys the town. Especially not if the beast is what I fear it is. Against my better judgement, I follow the girl into the inferno.

Following the trail of destruction, the girl is not difficult to find. I join her behind cover, a collection of mostly intact barrels.

The girl hisses, “Wh- What are you doing?! You need to stay where it’s safe!”

Ignoring the girl’s protest, I peer over the barrels to observe the target. The beast is exactly what I had feared. Reptilian in nature, with four legs and a pair of torn, tattered wings, it looks the part of an injured dragon. However, its mannerisms appear more in line with a feral beast than a sentient person. Setting it further apart from Yarost’s dragons is its flame. Yarostian dragons wield cryonic power, not incendiary. Furthermore, if this beast were to stand on its hind legs, it would be at least four stories tall, far larger than any Yarostian. This beast was created, not born or hatched by natural means. It must have broken free last night. The beast turns, and its face comes into view. Blood streams down its face, from a pair of highly obvious wounds.

The girl notes the same observation I make. “It’s blind…!” One of the beast’s eyes appears to have been gouged out by a large claw, likely similar in size to that of a bear. Its other eye appears to have a large sword embedded in it. Obviously, neither eye is functional at the moment. The beast must be operating based on either sound or smell, in which case our hiding spot is-

The girl and I each dive out of the way to either side as our cover is obliterated by a ball of fire. I make out the feeling of shrapnel impacting my cloak. The girl darts behind a house and vanishes from sight, as the dragon’s head turns to face me. Opening its mouth yet again, it roars and unleashes a stream of flame aimed directly at me.