Born in Blood

The Leader's expression grew grimmer as he witnessed the dreadful scene.

'Shit!' He cursed, before a look of resolve appeared on his face.

His mace was useless against a target that fast, and he couldn't hit them if he tried.

'I have no choice but to use it.'

Dropping the mace on the ground, a yellow flame grew on the Leader's palm, illuminating the surroundings and revealing the corpses scattered underneath the snow.

It grew in intensity and heat, even melting the snowflakes falling from above.

A basketball sized blaze sat on his palm, which seemed unstable and volatile.

The Leader's expression was of agony, as the fireball seemed to burn his flesh actively, charring his entire arm.

The remaining slaver didn't sit idle either.

Once he saw what the Leader was doing, his fingertips dripped with an azure liquid. He was careful how he used it though, as the water and fire element didn't mix well.

The Leader's eyes darted left and right as he waited for the dark figure to show himself.

"You sure you wanna take your time?!" The Leader yelled, standing close to the line of slaves all chained up together, the blaze in his hand getting closer and closer to one of the female slaves.

"You wanna see how her pretty face looks burnt?!"

Liam was still hidden from their line of sight, yet couldn't help but click his tongue in annoyance.

'It doesn't really matter if the slaves die, but I'll gain extra merit points if I save them.' He thought, his cold irises scanning the two slavers head to toe from behind a tree stump.

Still, he didn't show himself instantly. He didn't know much about the intense blaze in the Leader's hand, and he didn't fail to see the slaver's hand dripping with water.

He knew that if he just patiently waited, the Leader's injuries could grow severe and render his arm useless.

In reality, it already had. The slavers' leader was using sheer will to hold the fireball together, even using his other arm to support it.

"Last chance!" The Leader yelled with a growing panic, the flame in his hand getting close enough to burn the female slave's hair -- its bright orange light illuminating the surroundings.

Just then, Liam slowly stepped into the area lit by the flame, catching their attention.

His short figure became discernible to the criminals, while his blades were by his sides, pointing towards the ground.

"You midget shit! Do you know what you've cost me?!" The Leader yelled, tufts of his goatee had been completely burnt off. "Drop your blades and get on the ground, now!"

Liam's cold irises were fixed on the bald man's figure as he slowly approached the two.

"Stop! Stay where you are!" He shouted, but Liam continued to walk casually towards them.

Suddenly, Liam's foot blurred as he kicked the snow upward, creating a thin foggy veil that covered his figure entirely.

Simultaneously, his blades glowed with a strange but mesmerizing yellow light, shooting a crescent shaped arc that radiated innate sharpness through the snow.

'Second form, Solar Eclipse!'

The Leader's eyes flickered with a dangerous light.

Instantly, he hurled the flaming ball towards him. The fire shot out like a bullet, before flaring up violently.

Boom!

An explosion lit up the entire environment with a blinding light and caused the surrounding snow to melt -- trees briefly catching on fire. A heat wave spread out and slightly shook the ground around them.

Meanwhile, the Leader jumped backwards just in time to dodge the yellow arc.

However, his eyes widened once he saw where it was headed.

He realized the slash wasn't meant for him, but for the remaining slaver behind him.

The blinding light from the explosion worked in Liam's favor, as the slaver squinted his eyes and opened them, only to see a thin rapidly approaching light.

Azure and foamy water burst forth from his fingertips in an attempt to block it from severing his head, but it was too slow.

The arc split his nose in two, and continued to flow through the air before eventually dissipating.

With one arm charred black and the other injured, the Leader didn't have any strength in his body to carry his iron mace, his eyes frantically looking around the explosion radius to see if he hit his target.

'Where is he? Where is he?!' He repeated inwardly, his heart racing.

A moment later, his chest sank as he saw the dark figure -- blades in hand -- approach him from the corner of his eye.

Liam's clothes had burn marks all over them, and there were still wisps of fire that continued to flicker on his body. A dark, cold pressure surrounded him.

The infernal body had come in clutch for him once again. Due to his above average heat resistance, the fire didn't completely burn his skin black, but nonetheless, caused a few more burn marks to appear on his body.

At the same time, he felt those burn marks slowly turn into nourishment and strengthen his being.

Also, due to his quick thinking and new found dexterity, he was able to rush his way behind a tree stump before the explosion engulfed him.

Split second decisions felt longer to him now that his mental sphere had advanced quite a bit.

He dashed and brought his wakizashi to the bald man's neck, severing it under the shocked gaze of the slaves.

Liam spotted a space-ring on the Leader's hand, which he didn't hesitate to steal.

He shifted his attention to the slaves. 'I have to be quick. That explosion definitely alerted the people inside the mountain.'

His eyes fell on the young woman in the front, just a few years older than himself.

A large gash on her chest bled continuously, her eyes devoid of any life, while her wrists and ankles were still chained to another slave. He knew straight away.

It was his fault she died.

During the fight, when he aimed the arc towards the remaining slaver, it had continued on and slashed her as well.

Liam shook his head solemnly, but that's all the pity he could spare.

'I did what had to be done... I didn't mean for her death, yet my own survival was at stake.'

'You cannot gain without sacrifice.'