the towering blaze

This isn't good.

Her sides heave slightly, cleated feet anchoring into the frozen ground to keep her from losing any sort of traction. Sweat dots her brow, slipping down the side of her face, dripping away from a temple and leaving a gleaming trail there. It even falls down over her face, dripping off the edge of her nose. She might not have the cost to her magic anymore, but this is getting ridiculous. It feels like this battle has waged hours, when in reality it's only been maybe an hour at most. 

All around her, voices are raised in concern. Some shouting to others, even more just exerting sounds of effort as they launch attacks.

Even still, against a barrage of mages, the monster is only turning toward the north and moving. Some sort of twisted urge, maybe? Most monsters would have gone after the village itself, wouldn't they? Instead, this one marches north with some sick purpose. She can't imagine the mage that it used to be, but maybe it had something to do with that. Maybe he had something outside of Ivras, being as they were going to reach the border if they went even further north. Either way, most villages are safe, or so she hopes.

Turning her head, she wipes a metallic hand over her face, swiping away sweat before it can drip into her eyes and burn. 

The flames that had been growing on the barn were slowly fading out, and she could make out the silhouettes of people scattered around it. That's one less worry. She can still see patches of burning silkberry plants, spreading easily over the ground and melting a path through snow. There's nothing white here now, not close to the colossus that was screeching and stomping its way north. It's frozen mud, cold brown spots left behind where monstrous hooves have stomped into the ground.

Despite everyone fighting, despite so many mages coming against this monster, there's seemingly no dent or damage done. It doesn't react to anything thrown at it, and there's plenty of magic flying through the air. Its own magic makes Adelita want to retch; acrid and stinking, it's carried over the wind that blows unnaturally warm over her. 

A breath, and the stitch in her side subsides a little before she's closing her eyes a moment, trying to block out the sounds of the battle. Under the roars of the beast and the cries of the mages attempting to take it down, she can feel it. There's more ore here, plenty of it. But somewhere, there's another tune. Something a little stronger, maybe? Plenty of iron, yes, and while that comes in handy, maybe she can mix in with the iron, reinforce it, and let her strike this beast even harder.

She had planned to attack from the other side of the monster from where she had been, but she follows where the metals are practically singing, dropping down to her knees and slamming her hands onto the frozen earth. It churns and moves, particles of metal appearing in front of her, almost attracted like they were being magnetized. She pulls and pulls, and the metals in front of her turn into another glob, a sphere that moves and churns in the air. Lifting her hands from the ground, she grabs the rather large ball, eyes closing as she feels it sing along her arms. It's like playing with an orchestra, and she exhales as she shapes the metal again.

This time, it slides and moves, forming a long shaft with a tip that's thin and sharp. The edges serrate, curving backward and spreading apart a little more to become more like barbs. Her eyes open, and she stands, the spear resting in her hand as she turns towards the monster that shrieks. Another loud sound that rattles her very teeth, and she scowls, shifting the metal along her legs and feet. More cleats, with claws on the front instead of a simple armor shoe shape. It digs into the ground more, and she pushes off, running full tilt toward the monster, giving it wide berth.

She finds a trail just on the edge of forest, sprinting along it before letting her power curl around the spear. It hums in her ears and hands, and she finds herself drawing her arm back. With her ability clinging to her metal lower arm, she uses her own momentum to fling the spear, pushing it forward with her magic to give it a boost. 

She can practically hear it whistle through the air, and Adelita breathes out hard as it disappears into flames. Even from this distance, she can see where it strikes the bone, cracking off charred pieces and wedging itself into the long bone of a back leg. It sinks, sticks for a moment, but this far, she can't connect to that spear anymore. She can see it bending, and the heat must be incredibly hot there. Even if the shaft melts, the head of the spear is stuck in that bone now, wedged deep into the charred skeleton.

Another huff, and she straightens herself, reaching out with her senses. Another spear. She needs another one. This time, she'll aim for the face.