A Shot from the Shadows.

Although Eric wants to invade that Town and put it under his control, under the control of the good hearted, he feels wildly discouraged thanks to what he met with at a past event.

Thankfully he chose to express it before taking any action against that town sitting all the way to the other edge of the Continent. "What's the point of reclaiming that Town? Sooner or Later that man beast I faced will find out and come burn everything to the ground."

Can you blame the kid though? That man they faced was and still is invincible compared to the Squad's Arsenal. "I can't face against him and win, it's just impossible now. Why he spared me at Crutal Town is still a mystery to me, I don't think I will ever understand why."

As soon as Eric finished his sentence. Commander Alia was about to reply, aiming to help him regain confidence with a few genuine compliments or at this rate, facts.

But she was struck speechless as an explosion was heard coming from above. The second they heard, everyone rushed out of the mine and ran up to see what's going on.

As they reached their intended destination, it seems that someone was courageous enough to make their way through the ten foot wide tunnel that Eric caused and actually shoot down a Calidum Lutum Guard.

What fool would have such courage? This is the last thing the Gang wanted to experience with barely any sleep on their eyes. Now they won't be able to sleep at all even when they try.

As the shot Guard was gasping for breath and raised his hand towards Alia, begging for help once he saw her.

Yet again the Guard got struck with these odd explosions, forced to never ask for help from anyone ever again, his words remained on his tongue. What did this Guard do to deserve such a ruthless fate? 

The second explosion tipped Stefan over, forcing him to lose balance. He almost even fell down the Volcano, his fate would be certain if he fell down there.

But to his luck, Mogranius is here with him and was swift enough to grab Stefan's arm, ultimately saving his life.

"Got ya." He hollered swiftly once he caught Stefan by the arm and pulled him to safety.

Witnessing that Guard meeting such a terribly unnecessary fate, Commander Alia shouted with clear pain in her tone. "No!"

And although that one Guard is already dead, never to return, never to breath with life once more. She sprinted her way to push the other closeby Guard to safety.

A heroic, courageous and selfless act no doubt, but it was also extreme. The chances of being shot down to death by whatever is shooting, were and are too large.

Now that the Second shot was already fired, everyone could sense where the explosions are coming from!

Whoever is shooting, is hiding in the shades of the tunnel closeby. Everyone who assumed so, is absolutely right.

Commander Alia pushed the remaining guard to safety yes, but she also left herself exposed to life threatening danger.

Obviously whoever struck twice already, had no one stopping them from striking again, since there literally is nobody rushing towards the tunnel to stop the attacker.

Understanding this situation very clearly, Mogranius is forced to act quickly.

He is only a few meters away from Alia and he feels like he is capable of permanently bailing her out of danger.

In a quick act, he dashed towards her and was able to tackle her away from danger, just in time too!

He could feel that whatever is causing the explosions, fly over his back as he tackled her down. For once, luck was by his side.

The weapon flew over his back and hit the cave wall, thankfully not hitting anyone else.

He saved her and knowing his mysterious unexplainable yet useful reflexes, he stands on his feet again faster than the eye can blink and creates a strong dependable Fire Shield.

Creating a Fire shield which formed half a Sphere like fire barrier, he provides absolute safety against whatever is threatening them.

A two Inch thick Fire Shield is more than enough to protect himself and her. At least, he hopes!

Commander Alia is safe yes, but that leaves the rest of the Gang exposed to this extensively deadly danger with it's source unknown. 

More precisely, Eric and Stefan are exposed.

Not knowing how to yet do the Fire Shield himself, Eric blasts out a blazing bear claw instead.

Grabs Stefan, who always seems to be the victim of these bear claws and throws him all the way behind the shield that Mogranius formed. 

Stefan didn't land on his feet and he certainly isn't surrounded by the Fire shield yet, but it leaves him mostly immune to the explosions.

Seeing Eric as the only remaining target, the attacker shoots again. 

Eric is swift enough to react, and blasted fire through his feet, using the quarter of a second to lift himself a meter above the ground.

The explosion struck the ground and scorched Eric's feet a tad bit enough to make him lose control over his flying a split second before he could get away.

Although his feet now covered with a pitch dark colour mixed with his own blood. His toes at least, remain intact.

Since Eric lost control of the fire he blasted out of his feet, it resulted to him uncontrollably being blasted down towards the Volcano and is soon to meet molten Lava.

If he doesn't do anything about it!

Eric's quite Certain that this is his end, he doesn't feel like he can counter attack his situation.

His life flashed before his eyes as he felt like his fate is certain. He only sees small moments with his Father, what he could imagine of his Mother and the very first moment he discovered his powers.

This short flash reached an end as he noticed that he ain't dying.

Being all the way down in lava from head to toe, but he still isn't burning! 

Insane no doubt! Infact, he isn't even feeling heat. Even his clothes aren't burning.

In his head he thought, "Have I died and gone to hell already?"

Realizing that he is well alive once trying to blast fire out of his feet again and using his hands to feel his chest.

His feet are bloody, damaged, burned. But he can still blow Fire out of them, that's all he needs to launch a counterattack against the enemy.

Blowing a horrendous wave of Fire from his feet, Fire that stretched a meter wide!

He swiftly reached the top of the Volcano to see Stefan surrounded by the Fire Shield as well.

But what he also spotted is about thirty illustratios who have surrounded the same Fire Shield. 

Armed with bows, aiming at the Shield and preventing Mogranius from doing anything.

illustratios! Who had an itch that they're behind this seemingly power hungry nonsense? 

Apart from seeing those thirty illustratios, he also saw Guard Commander Chan a few feet away from the group.

He's pushing a knife down the dead Calidum Lutum Guard's chest.

Near Chan appears to be a crossbow.

A thought popped on Eric's head. "Could it be possible that the Explosions came from that CrossBow? How?" His thoughts were short because he wanted to fly into action.

It didn't take long for Guard Commander Chan to rip the dead Guard's heart out.

And like a Coward he ran out with ten of his Archers escorting him towards safety.

But his carelessness made him forget his valuable crossbow behind.

Eric did not hesitate to blast Fireballs as Guard Commander Chan was running out.

But he had to watch out how much Fire he blasts, this situation can get worse if he causes a collapse in the Town.

But like the coward Chan is, he hid behind the Archers, using them as shields to further his miserable life.

Six of the Archers escorting Guard Commander Chan were burned to death by Eric's sudden attack.

Since Eric unleashed less Fire than he wanted, all of the victimized Archers weren't burned into nothingness. But instead just being burned alive with pain so unbearable that they met almost an instant death.

Of course that left a rather disgusting scene to see after the Fire burning on those dead Archers, met an end.

Guard Commander Chan got away and the twenty remaining archers who were surrounding the Fire Shield, suddenly all turned their attention towards Eric.

Making him his main target, ready to shoot the Ignite down.