Chapter 23: A Burning Desire

Howard woke up in the morning with Monica staring outside with a shocked expression.

Thousands of strange, towering monsters with long necks rising above the clouds marched forward. Putting on a jean jacket, Monica looked back at Howard and smiled, watching him rise with a smile on her face.

"Uhm, Howard, have I ever told you about the Varlen?" Monica grabbed Howard's hands, looking at him as he noticed the large beasts approaching the West Branch. "Those beasts right there are their flock."

"They're huge," Howard gulped, seeing a few dozen hundred feet tall monsters ambling forward, causing mountains of dust to rise above them. Every time they moved forward, a large cloud of dust would arise, changing the hills and valleys every time their feet hit the ground. "What do they want?"

"They want access to the oasis behind us," Monica crossed her arms, "Reece has been fighting them off every day for the last three weeks. I-I'm scared Howard. I don't want anyone else I know to die!"

"Don't worry. I'll protect you," Howard gently kissed the back of her head before opening the window. "They probably need help right?"

"Are you serious? Those monsters are all in the C rank. The Authoritarian you lost to on the 20th floor of the obelisk would get crushed in an instant."

"Howard, let's go," Harley knocked at the door, bursting it open with Una standing by her side. "We need you. Reece told me to get you, and kill the girl."

"Stop joking!" Monica stuck out her tongue. "If Howard is going, I'm going!"

"Fine, let her go," Una sighed and walked into the room. "Howard, you think you can combine our attacks again!"

"Yup, I got better it at the shrine! I think I even learned a cool trick." Howard followed after Una, holding Monica's hand as they walked out towards the gates.

A few minutes later,

Howard met Reece and four woman outside the encampment. A few other, remaining in base, had their hands against massive metal beams. Pointing them at the large beasts while gathering Ki by their feet. The four girls all had on similar white attire, with hoods, and scarfs that blew in the wind and matched its hue. Seeing a hundred men approach them on horses with the large beasts behind, Reece sighed and looked at Howard.

"Howard, you really can combine two Ki frequencies?" Reece said, tapping him on the shoulder. "If you can, we can probably scare them off. If not, we're all going to have to run for the hills."

"I can do it!" Howard nodded his head. "However, those beasts seem so peaceful."

"They are under the Varlen's control," Harley said, yawning. "The Varlen go into dreamscapes and capture dream beasts. They herd them for resources, and also for Ki. Each one of those guys is like a bi gpower generator."

"Why? Why hurt such strange creatures?" Howard said, shaking his head. "Anyways, we just have to scare them right."

"Yup, now Howard. All six of the girls around you, besides Monica, are fire users." Reece patted him on the shoulder. "If you can combine five our fires, we can probably stand a chance against a C rank Dream Beast. However, if you can't, we're doomed. Fair enough?"

"He got it," Monica said, patting him on the back. "I-I'm going to go ahead and test a new skill."

"You kidding?" Harley laughed, "What can you do, little one? You've been here for eight months."

Monica scoffed and walked forward, summoning two ice marks on her hand before she pressed into the ground. A gigantic wall nearly 100 feet high spread out in the distance, before creating a T like shape that blocked the view ahead.

"I-I can do a lot." Monica coughed and wiped the sweat from her head. "I-I won't be useless!"

"That's impressive. You're still sharing Howard," Harley patted Howard on the back and then summoned a fire ball. "Anyways, kid, Monica just bought us an extra half a second. Now, we're going to summon our largest attacks. If you combine them, today, you can have a second birthday."

"Sorry about all the pressure, Howard," Una tapped him on the shoulder, holding out a fireball of her own. "Ready?"

"Ready!" Howard nodded his head, "let's do this!"

###

Three minutes later, Monica looked out in disbelief as her 10th wall collapsed.

With a single turn of its hand, a large dream beast hovering well above the nearby mountains, slammed into the ice and sent shards in every direction.

It's black skin, hidden by the storm, made it look like a moving fortress, moving through the sand with a strange grace. Beneath it, two dozen men with goggles on their foreheads, and white robes blowing in the wind, pointed their hands forward.

The large dream beast, following the man's order, slashed forward again, destroying the ice wall in seconds as Monica dropped to the ground.

'One more! I can't fall behind Howard.' Monica coughed, sending another 100 foot ice wall rising into the sky. Instantly, the large dream beast stopped stepping forward, only to jump up and cross its hands, slamming them into the ice wall.

Boom!

Snow began to fall to the ground, mixing in with the sand, as Howard held his hands over six girls flames, muttering under his breath, before the six spheres shot in opposite directions!

Boom!

Four spheres of different flames fused in his hand, however, two exploded in the distance, creating a hole deep in the ground.

"Just one more Howard, and you got this," Una wiped the sweat from her head, "Can we try again?"

"Reece, make yours a little smaller than ours, you're stronger," Una continued, patting Howard on the back. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Howard nodded his head, watching a fire grow in Reece's hand that spun towards him with a strange grace. "I-I know this sounds crazy, but Reece. Have you kissed a guy before?"

"What? Why are you asking that?"

"Just answer him!" Harley said, rubbing her shoulders. "Come on!"

"Yes, more than one guy, a few. I'm twenty-five… Is that strange?" Reece said, blushing underneath the amber tone of the fire. "Why? Why are you asking that?"

"I think it helps me understand your flames," Howard said, nodding his head. "The more I know about people, the easier it is for me to find their frequency. Do you have anything else really personal."

"You're pushing it," Reece blushed and covered her chest, trying to hold her secrets in. "Ugh, fine! I one time dated a college man when I was in highschool. He-he didn't show up for our second date!"

"I feel that!" Howard said, smiling. The next moment, the large mass of swelling, beating fire absorbed the little flame. Wiping off his sweat, Howard grinned and held it in the air. "Wooh, I think i can make a much larger one now."

"Great, let's blow them up," Reece walked over to Monica and tapped her on the back. "Girl, you're impressive, however, I think it's about time you step back."

"Did-did I do okay, Howard," Monica smiled before closing her eyes, gently falling into Reece's arms. "I-I'm still stronger than you."

"Heh, I know. You're the best Monica," Howard walked passed her while holding out his hands. A gigantic swelling of heat began to glow in his hands, floating in front of him, as the five girls walked up to him and held out their hands.

Five gigantic spheres of fire began to circle in the air, swelling larger and larger while a large dream beast appeared, breaking through the clouds above them.

"It's now or never, Howard! Combine them and fire!"