Jeff Inlo - Chain of Bargains

The ground was charred where the infern had stood, but nothing of the creature remained. The black armor, the red hot javelin, the very body of the half-demon had all been consumed by the compressed inferno. The delver couldn't even recognize a lingering scent of the half-demon. Everything had burned away.

The Sword of Decree remained intact. The enchanted blade somehow resisted the severe heat, but it glowed red hot at the tip. Ryson was able to maintain his grip on the handle but it had warmed substantially. He sunk the blade into the dirt to disperse some of the heat into the ground.

Looking back to the buildings behind him, he was relieved to see the fire extinguished. Optimism filled him. He had found a way to defeat both the inferns and the blazes they created. All he had to do was reach them before the city burned away, but he was a delver and speed was his gift.

Moving to the next closest blaze, Ryson attacked in a similar manner. He never gave the infern an opportunity. He dashed at his target and stabbed at any opening in the armor he could find. Once the blade made contact, he used his agility to keep the sword in place.

Again, the temperature within the infern swelled and the heat created a firestorm within the black armor. The burning power of Ryson's sword magnified the blazing core of the half-demon and it pulled in every flame spawned by demon fire. Ryson had to dodge the incoming stream of fire, but he was always prepared to move. A second infern disintegrated in a burst of white hot plasma and another fire was extinguished.

One after another, the inferns fell. Ryson cut up and down the roads of Ashlan making his way from the eastern edge of the city back to its center. He disposed of eight inferns and extinguished fires across the entire eastern half of the city. His success surprised him, but it was short-lived.

After passing through the plaza at the heart of the city, Ryson approached the largest of the blazes he had yet encountered. While he moved with both speed and stealth, he found the infern responsible for the inferno standing in the center of a wide street… waiting for him.

"I'm very happy you returned," the infern snarled.

It was the same half-demon that had confronted Ryson outside the tavern during the delver's first trip to Ashlan, the infern that ordered his capture and then tried to have him incinerated by using the beacon stones.

"I knew you were back," the creature boasted. "I told you I searched you. I know your taste."

"I'm really not worried about your twisted abilities anymore," Ryson announced without bluster, but in a determined display of self-assurance. Not only had he defeated his fear of the inferns, but he had faced the half-demons in battle and emerged victorious.

The infern stared deep into the delver's face. It couldn't discount the truth in Ryson's words. The tone carried more than confidence, it delivered a rebuke. The delver did not hate or despise the creature, but he didn't succumb to any outright fear of its supernatural abilities, either. There was but one small fraction of concern in the recesses of Ryson's being, and the infern wondered if it could capitalize on it.

"You still fear the demon fire," the infern noted.

Ryson eradicated the attempt with pure logic.

"Of course I do. It would be foolish not to, but I'm not holding a beacon stone anymore."

"I don't need the stones."

"No? Somehow, I know that's not true. Oh, you can still cast demon fire, but you don't have some link to exploit, not anymore. It's just your speed against mine. I'm more than willing to see who's faster."

"But what about the fear? Any fear can be exploited."

"That's probably true, but only to a point. I reached that point a while back. You weren't around, but trust me, I dealt with it. I'm a delver, that means I need to explore. Exploring means not being afraid of the path I have to travel or the answers I might find. It also means not being afraid of what's inside. That's why I'm holding this sword."

"You think the enchantment will save you?"

"No, I think the enchantment will destroy you. If anyone has anything to fear, it's you."

The infern glared at the delver with a growing hatred of its own. It had discovered it could not build Ryson's concern into anything more than sensible respect. Any advantage it hoped to garner slipped through its fingers. Still, it did not appreciate being deemed inconsequential.

"I told you before I didn't like your overconfidence."

"Tell it to your friends… the ones I've already disposed of."

"They were not prepared for you."

"And you are?"

"You have not caught me by surprise."

"You think I have to surprise you?" Ryson scoffed. "I don't. I just have to outmaneuver you. I've already proven I can do that, even when you had the advantage."

"You were lucky when you escaped last time, but this time escape will not be so easy."

"I have no intention of escaping. I'm going to eliminate you and then finish off your friends."

"You seem to forget just how close to death you were."

"Different situation. I was trying to outrun the magic the last time. It's hard to outrun something that's a part of you. I'm not worrying about that this time." All of that was true, but Ryson glanced about at the spreading fires. He had made his point, but it was time to end the dangers to Ashlan. "Look, we're wasting time. You're no different than the rest. If you think you can just incinerate me, then do it. Do it now."

The infern snarled, but initially resisted the challenge.

"I'll do it when the time is right."

"Your time is just about up," Ryson stated. "The truth of the matter is we both know you can't do it."

The half-demon nearly exploded with rage. It kept just enough composure to hide its assault. The infern did not move, but its red eyes flared ever so slightly.

Ryson smelled the scent of demon fire. With a quick dodge, he bolted to his left and then came to an abrupt halt. While he didn't look over at the flash of white flame, he knew it would have engulfed him had he not moved, but he had moved and was never in any true danger. His speed was superior. He kept his eyes on the infern and pointed out that simple fact.

"That wasn't even close. Holli was right. You needed the beacon stones to link to me. Without them, you're firing wild. You want to try again?"

Ryson noticed another spark in the half-demons eyes and the delver raced forward several steps. He was closer to the infern when the demon fire lit up the street behind him.

"I thought you were fast?" Ryson asked.

The insult formed as a question enraged the infern further. The beast opened its mouth and spit flames directly at Ryson's face, hoping to cause great pain and suffering before ultimately incinerating the pompous delver.

Ryson never even felt the heat. He leapt to the side and ran past the half-demon in an instant. He had to admit, he was actually enjoying the encounter. His fears of the infern proved pointless, just as pointless as his concerns over the magic. Just because there was magic within him, it caused no great danger… gave no advantage to his enemy. His abilities as a delver made him uniquely able to avoid the fire and decidedly capable of battling the half-demon.

Realizing instantly it had missed its target by a wide margin, the infern accepted just the opposite. It knew its existence was in great danger. The delver held to a confidence that was unbreakable. If the half-demon could not change the facets of the battle, it would meet the same fate as its brethren.

With no intention of being destroyed, the infern chose the option of flight. In a burst of heat, it rushed upward into the night sky. It knew Ryson could not fly, and it hoped to escape before the delver decided to go on the attack. It did not, however, expect the delver would part with his weapon.