Here's the next chapter. Glad I had some time to write this
STORYThe burning man lurched forward, closing in on the group.
Zaliphone quickly picked up a stone and rocketed it towards the man in an attempt to stop him. The stone collided with the burning man’s groin, bringing him to within an inch of his life. He let out a howl, the inferno consuming him taking on a new surge of intensity.
“WHERE ARE THE FUCKING TACOS?!” Arjahn Mjakhim had leapt in, ignoring the pain in his leg. Emulating Zaliphone’s tactic, he picked up a decently sized rock and threw it towards the man who was now all but obscured by the fire.
The rock was expertly thrown, but didn’t anticipate the erratic lurching of the burning man. The rock therefore merely glanced off the man’s right knee. Nonetheless, a crunching sound let the group know that he had been hit enough to slow him down.
***
The crosshairs were scanning the wreckage, going over bodies, twisted metal beam and fires. A movement to the left caught the attention of the crosshairs and they moved sideways to get a better look. The shadowy figure that was controlling the crosshairs was lying amidst a tuft of grass at the top of a dune, some way away. It turned a dial on its hunting rifle, clicking the image back into focus. A ball of flames was running towards a group of three people. No. Four people. One of them was lying on the ground. Dead? One less to worry about…
Two of the group had started hurling rocks at the ball of flames. A strange tactic, which somehow seemed to work. Strange. There must be something sentient in that inferno. As that thought crossed the shadow’s mind, a small bearded figure ran in, fists raised. How strange… Attacking a ball of fire with fists... It clicked a few more dials to zoom in on the scene. The shadow saw the small figure run in towards the fire. The bearded fellow threw a punch, but was beaten back by the sheer heat of the flames. These people must be suicidal… Being in this land with no real weapons… Time to end this.
***
“What was that supposed to be!?” shouted Zaliphone. “You don’t go hand-to-hand with a big-ass ball of flames!”
Mary Cow was too busy putting out the flames that had singed her beard to listen.
“What are we going to do with him?” said Mjakhim, as the burning man continued stumbling towards them, its right leg dragging uselessly behind.
Before a plan could be made, something whistled past his ear, causing the burning man to be propelled back, his head snapping clean off.
The group looked around, searchingfor the source of the attack.
“Good thing whoever made that shot can’t aim,” said Mary Cow. “We can’t do much against snipers out here in the open.”
“Oh trust me,” came a voice from somewhere around them. A smoky shadow rose from the ground, a hunting rifle emerging from the darkness. “If I were to have aimed for you, you would all be dead. Maseo Katana never misses…”
Zaliphone and Arjahn Mjakhim throw rocks in an attempt to stop the burning man. Mary Cow goes in with her fists but is repelled by the flames. A bullet flies past them and decapitates the burning man. The group wonder who it is - a question switfly answered as a shadowy figure emerges from the ground.
