Twenty-three people shrunk away from Mav’s flame. They looked haggard: pale, sunken cheeks clung to their bones, their eyes gaunt and lifeless like a fish on ice, and their greasy hair plastered to the sides of their heads. 

And Maren, folded against his body, legs trembling despite him steadying her, looked even worse. 

“Water,” Maren croaked. 

The door Mav had blasted away flung upward and slammed into the ceiling. The creature it had hit was on its feet, making a wet, guttural howl as its tail flailed into the wall and tables Mav could barely see. 

“Stay here,” Mav said, gently laying Maren on the floor. He turned to the crowd. “Watch over her.” 

The monstrosity bounded toward Mav, front limbs extending. 

“Fireblast!” Mav roared. 

The explosion struck the creature’s face. Most of its body flew backwards, but its outstretched arms dislodged from its body and sailed behind Mav. The attack had singed the monster’s outer layer, but the skin beneath the blackened crisps undulated. In moments, the burnt sections restored themselves. 

Gotta go hotter. Mav took a breath, a chill creeping through his bones. The fire that danced along his back grew brighter, hotter, lighting the room. Dozens of toppled hospital-style beds surrounded a long table covered with beakers, glasses, and vials; a sink dipped at its center. The creature’s tail hit the top of the table, shattering glass, and pulled itself to its feet. 

“Fire Stream!” Mav lunged forward, thrusting his arms toward the monster. 

The brilliant flames seared monster’s upper torso. It wailed, stepping back, but it kept its footing. The flames spread over its body, engulfing it entirely. 

But it didn’t grow smaller. 

“Stronger Fire Stream!” Mav yelled, his muscles growing colder as the heat intensified. 

The monster backed into a wall. Its tail lashed onto a toppled bed. 

Something slammed into Mav’s right calf. He lost his footing, sliding forward as a squishy substance enveloped his legs. An arm which had flown away had gripped him from behind and was dragging him toward its main body. The second arm was only a few feet away. 

“Flashfire Foot Explosion!” Mav’s foot burst into flames, blasting apart the creeping limb. “Double Stream!” 

He held his arms to either side, his flames over the thing’s body and its wriggling arm. The arm began to wither away. The larger body, however, walked forward, pushing against his flames. 

Just get hotter! 

Maren didn’t even croak her intention. Mav’s fire illuminated the room. There was a sink in its center. If water was still flowing, Maren could help Mav. 

So she crawled forward, heedless of the broken glass beneath her arms. 

“Hold on, young lady,” the middle-aged woman who’d spoken to her before said, gripping her shoulder and impeding her progress. “You’re in no position to fight.” 

“Gotta... help...” 

“But the Peace Keeper –” 

Maren grunted, then nodded toward the monster’s arms, crawling toward him as he pushed the monster into the wall with his fire. 

“Water.” Maren gestured to the sink. “Help.” 

The woman chewed her lip, then grabbed Maren’s wrist. “I’m going to need your help. I can’t lift you on my own.” 

“Here,” a man said, stepping forward. 

The two raised Maren’s arms over their shoulders, half carrying half dragging her bravely into the heart of the fiery fray. 

Flames had nearly consumed the first arm. The body, however, was now in striking distance and – to make matters worse – the second arm turned away and crawled toward the sink in the center of the room where Maren and two civilians stood. 

A woman filled a glass with water while a man held Maren on her feet, seemingly unaware of the encroaching limb. 

The body’s tail collided into Mav’s side. It wrapped around his upper torso, then began heaving him toward the far wall. 

Just as the hand reached the civilians.