A thousand fleshy lips vibrated over him. Fluid flowed from their insides and dug the ground below. "I will die here," Christopher whispered. He felt like running, but his legs did not allow it. He wanted to grab bolts from his pouch, but his hands stood like stiff meat. He felt awfully cold, even though he was sweating and his heart was racing.
Marigold saw him first. She shot an arrow above and fell a flower head. "Christopher!!" she screamed.
She took arrow after arrow from her quiver and shot. But she was not fast enough and her arrows dwindled. Hamilton heard her screams and looked. "Damn that boy," he muttered.
Chadwick was near the trunk. He saw Christopher and looked at Hamilton. They nodded at each other and Hamilton dashed.
"Everyone dies and everything burns. I grant you my living body for the ashes. Come dwell in me, SALAMANDER," he chanted. His body became ablaze. He forced his legs and dashed, his sword swung and flower heads fell and roasted.
