Draven came crashing down, his Morphos pipe swinging with force.
"Home Run Smash!"
Sparks flew as the Morphos hit the Magma Jackal.
The Jackal flew and slammed into a distant tree.
The stunned guard looked up, blinking in disbelief.
Naisha, having just arrived, couldn't help but snicker as she shook her head.
"What a terrible name for an attack."
"Ok, next time I'll make a better one."
Draven grinned before he extended a hand to the guard, pulling him to his feet.
"Get back to others and don't trip again."
The guard nodded shakily and ran back toward the others as the Jackals began to regroup.
Draven gripped his pipe tightly.
Meanwhile, flames flickered ominously in the distance as the beasts prepared for another charge.
"They look cool. Can we pet one?"
Naisha could only shake her head.
"I don't really get it. Are you smart or just plain reckless?"
"I'm just asking, babe," Draven replied with a cheeky grin.
Before she could retort, the beasts charged at the two of them.
The first Magma Jackal lunged, its molten jaws were wide open.
Draven reacted first, stepping forward and swinging Morphos with force.
"CRACK!"
The impact sent the beast hurtling through the air.
Fiery embers scattered from its body like sparks from a forge.
It crashed and skidded into the dirt.
"Whoa—" Draven blinked. "Kinda hot when you hit 'em really hard unlike the first one."
Naisha didn't even look at him as she drove her dagger into another Jackal's flank.
"Obviously. They're Magma Jackals. Be surprised if they were cold."
Draven surged forward holding Morphos in his right hand.
With his unseen movement of smash, he caved in a jackal's skull with a single swing.
Another lunged.
He ducked, twisting into an upward strike that sent it flying.
He sidestepped claws and slammed his pipe into another's ribs.
Then pivoted to crush the next beast mid-charge.
Sparks spread around him. He ignored the heat and focused only on movement.
A jackal pounced
Draven spun, dodging its bite before driving his pipe into its back, shattering molten bones.
Another attack from behind. Draven didn't turn. He flipped his grip, thrusting Morphos backward, impaling the beast through its throat.
And another launch again at his back.
But Naisha, her dagger sank into its eye.
The beast howled, staggering.
Draven ended it with a crushing overhead smash.
"You're making this fight too easy for me, babe."
"Stop messing around. We're with the villagers. It's not safe."
The Jackal kept coming.
But two didn't stop. Each strike flowed into the next. Watching each back.
A blur of destruction. His pipe shattered fangs, crushed limbs, and sent bodies flying.
A dagger keeps slicing every throat and body.
Sparks exploded in every direction. The air was thick with heat and smoke.
Naisha's blades carved through the jackals' flesh. But jackals' claws scraped Naisha too.
Yet she didn't falter.
But Draven noticed it as he fought simultaneously with her.
"Shit! You got cut, babe! Go back with them and leave this to me!"
"Shut up! Stop looking at me and focus!"
"You're asking the impossible," Draven replied as they kept fighting nonstop.
Just as another beast lunged, Draven caught it in midair.
With a devastating swing, he sent it rocketing into its packmates like a flaming wrecking ball.
The remaining jackals hesitated now.
Panting, Naisha flicked smoky blood from her dagger.
"They're starting to lose their nerves."
But one of the jackals' noses lifted in the air as if sensing something.
It suddenly bolted, trying to bypass Naisha and Draven.
Draven's eyes sharpened.
He knew what they were planning.
"You're not getting past me!"
He dashed forward, his strengthened legs propelling him in an instant.
With a single, crushing strike, he smashed the jackal straight into the ground.
It sent a burst of fiery sparks scattering around him like fireworks.
"They're heading for the villagers!" Draven shouted to Naisha.
Naisha nodded as she gripped her dagger.
More jackals broke into a sprint, attempting to slip past them.
Naisha twisted mid-flight, her blade flashing in the firelight.
In a single motion, she buried her dagger into one of the jackal's necks before landing gracefully on her feet.
Draven touched down beside her, grinning.
"That was badass. We should make that a move."
Naisha didn't even look at him.
Instead, she planted a foot on his shoulder and launched herself forward again.
Her daggers cut through another jackal before it could react.
"Less talking! More blocking!"
"All right, darling."
Draven dashed again, leaving a deep fracture in the earth.
His pipe swung in a wide arc, sending another jackal sprawling into the dirt.
Sparks erupted around them as they moved together, holding the line as the jackals desperately tried to break through.
But the jackals kept coming.
Just then, they notice something...
The jackals have encircled them. Their molten bodies flickered like living embers.
A low growl rumbled through the pack.
Slowly, the fire ignited beneath their skins, their veins glowed red.
The heat thickened and the air shimmered.
Then...
"WHOOSH!"
The jackals pressed together, forming a burning wall surrounding them.
Flames roared from their bodies as they charged.
It looks like an unstoppable inferno rushing straight for them.
"They are really smart," Draven couldn't help but mutter.
The jackals suddenly changed tactics, while some jackals sprinted past Draven and Naisha, aiming for the villagers.
Naisha scans for an opening.
"The firewall's too high to jump across!"
The jackals continued to circle them. Their molten bodies intensify the heat.
Their growls blended with the crackling flames, closing the trap tighter.
Smoke stung Draven and Naisha's eyes as the fire thickened.
"They're not just attacking. They're cutting us off."
Draven clenched his pipe before his serious face lifted into a grin.
"But, sadly, your opponent is ME."
Suddenly, Draven lifted Naisha, carrying her with only one arm at the level of his waist.
"Hey, what are you doing?!"
"Listen, babe. If Felix and Gil already come back, leave now to the nearest Safezone. This place was already dangerous."
"How about you?"
"I'll follow. For now, I'll try to finish them all."
"But-"
Without a second, Draven twisted his body to gain momentum. Then he threw Morphos, hitting three Jackals at once.
As soon as an opening was formed, he threw Naisha towards it, keeping her safe from the Jackals.
The other Jackal immediately filled in the gap and encircled Draven.
After rolling, Naisha runs instantly straight toward the village.
As she looked back, she saw the jackals still sticking together, encircling Draven.
However, the fire keeps growing and growing.