Preview: Apollo's Flare

Hearing the crying howl of Azazel, Citrix resolves to finish things with Enoch quickly

Apollo’s Flare

 

                Gunshots could be heard all around as Citrix jumped from cover to cover whenever he found an opening.  He could feel Agneyastra started to heat up as more and more shots went out.  The fox glanced around to see his companion ripping into the shadow hounds.  He smirked as he let out a soft whistle, calling the girl back to him.  The saber-toothed hound found her way to her master in an instant.

                “Arctik, you heard it too, didn’t you?  I need to get to him.  Stay back, it’s about to get spicy out here,” the fox said as he gripped the red-hot gun; the orange gem embedding in the barrel glowing bright.  Arctik gave a small nod and turned to ice and disappeared as Citrix stood up.

                “I told you before, Enoch…I cherish what’s mine.  And if something gets taken from me, I’ll do anything to take it back…” Citrix’s gaze turned to the black fox in front of him as the air temperature began rising from the heat being emitted from his gun.  “You’ll die here, and then I’ll take back what’s mine!  I’m coming…Azazel.”

                Citrix jammed the butt of Agneyastra into the ground as towers of flame erupted all around the area they were fighting.  Enoch turned on his feet in an attempt to escape, but before he could make a single move, he found his only routes away were being blocked by white flames.

                “No mercy for the damned…” Citrix whispered as flames began to coalesce around Agneyastra’s muzzle.  “No escape from your death.” The flames erupted outward from the gun and surrounded Enoch in a massive tornado of fire.  Citrix stood up as the divine gun began breaking apart, forming multiple smaller versions of itself all aimed at the black fox.  Citrix’s face showed a maniacal grin as each copy began unleashing a massive barrage of bullets into the tornado of fire he had created.  Once he was satisfied with how much time had passed, the fox’s face softened as the guns reunited and floated back into his hand.

                “Citrix!”  Erik’s voice pierced the fox’s ears as the flames dispersed, revealed the bullet hole-ridden Black Fox General Enoch laying lifeless on the ground.  “Dear god…overkill much?  Anyway, doesn’t matter.”  Erik leapt down from his floating shard of ice and looked to his comrade.  “I’m assuming you heard the scream.  We need to get moving.  Now.  We have to find one person before we rendezvous with Azazel.”

                Citrix turned to Erik with eyes wide.  The thought of going anywhere other than seeing Azazel baffled him right now.  He began advancing on the snow feline before he saw the cat’s eyes.  While focused, they were filled with worry for their friend.  Citrix stopped his advance and waiting for his friend to continue.

                “We can’t fend off Ratatoskr as just the Crusaders, not anymore.  We need an army.  I think it’s time to see if our future queen can bring people together.”