Finding the Fallen

Chapter 20

As the group moved as a unit towards the sound, the buzzing in Logan's head increased in amplitude. They were close. Rounding a large boulder, he got his first look at the scene. Merik was leaning against a stately oak tree with his shotgun propped at his hip. He was watching the slumped form of a man at the base of an adjacent tree very closely.

Before Logan could announce his presence, he heard Merik say, "This guy's playing possum, so I'd be careful if I were you."

Approaching cautiously, Logan said, "He doesn't look like he's playing possum, Merik. He looks dead."

"Looks can be deceiving," Merik replied, his eyes still glued on his target.

"Well, let's find out if you're right," Logan said, closing his eyes. All at once, the branches of the surrounding trees began to vibrate. Merik pushed off the tree he was leaning on and turned to Logan, surprised by the sudden action.

The scout took advantage of that split second mistake, his eyes flashing open and his hands moving in a blaze of sparks and fury. A rapidly growing mass of flame erupted in midair, hovering between his outstretched hands.

"Look out, kid," Harry yelled at Merik. The distraction caused Logan to lose his concentration and he too opened his eyes to the evolving scene. The vibrations ceased as the Fire Servant raised his head and turned his body toward Merik.

Merik spun back around, but Logan could tell he was off balance. Not only that, but he had lowered his shotgun to his side when he turned to see what Logan was doing. Somehow the tip of the barrel had managed to lodge itself on an exposed tree root and was now firmly stuck in place at his feet. Merik struggled to free it, but he was losing the battle. He glanced up just as the scout hurled the huge mass of flames in his direction.

Logan cursed and reached up with his hands, looking for grapevines in the branches of the surrounding trees. Finding what he needed, he willed the vines to do his bidding, pulling them down toward him. The trees began to vibrate slightly again as a mass of long, thin vines wrenched themselves free and shot out of the branches like arrows, each one targeting the Fire Servant. Logan knew the vines wouldn't stop the fire, but they would most definitely stop the Servant...and that was half the battle.

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Merik did the only thing he could think of at the moment: he ducked. The huge fireball slammed hard into the tree behind him, narrowly missing his head. But this wasn't a standard fireball. As it struck the tree, it exploded. The flames engulfed Merik from behind, knocking him to the ground. He heard someone yell his name from what seemed like a great distance, but he couldn't tell who it was. Assuming he was on fire, he rolled to his left onto his back, only to find flames roaring over his head as the explosion reverberated off the surrounding trees and the forest floor.

He raised his hands to protect his eyes and thought, 'Wait...am I on fire, and I just don't know it?' Taking a moment to look to his left and then right, Merik could see the flames were dancing all around him, burning everything in sight...except him. Time seemed to stand still as he watched in amazement as the flames flashed blue, green, red and orange...a rainbow of color that would have been beautiful had it not been so deadly.

Finally coming out of his trance, he rolled again and again until he was clear of the blazing inferno. He stood quickly, his back to the others as he inspected his clothing and person. Logan rushed to his side as the fireball died back and fizzled out. His friend grabbed him from behind and spun him around. The look of astonishment on Logan's face said everything Merik had already discovered. He had not been burned...not even singed, in fact. His clothing was dusted with a thin layer of soot, but aside from the two holes in his shirt, everything else remained intact.