On Your Own

"Ugh!" Valerie's strained efforts echoed through the training ground as he practiced his moves. Arrayed before him were numerous targets. He took out some with swift karate chops and powerful jabs, but his main focus was on his fire ability. His hands ignited with blue flames, smaller than the usual red-orange inferno he was accustomed to summoning, but they still effectively torched the targets, leaving them ablaze as smoke curled into the air.

As he stepped back from the smoldering remains, his second-in-command, Derek, approached and handed him a water skin. Valerie took it eagerly, chugging down the cool water that soothed his burning throat. Despite the days that had passed, he still wasn't accustomed to the mountain's intense heat.