Compared to Nero and the rest, Jackal had actually spent much more time in the military, and he had trained quite extensively with his innate ability. His flame was actually quite mundane. If he could keep it burning for a while, the temperature would eventually rise, but initially its temperature would be quite low as far as flames are concerned.
But just because his flames were not as versatile as Nero's, for example, he had learned numerous ways in which he could make them much more effective. The building kept putting out his flames using some kind of white smoke. He could not guess what that smoke was or how exactly it was putting out the flames, but he could combat it in a few ways.
The method he had opted for right now was a special, flammable gel that he had spread throughout the room, though he kept it far from the cracks leading to the next room.
Until the gel was completely burned up, the fire would not be extinguished. This was true not only for physical means of extinguishing the flame, but aetheric ways as well, since the gel was produced using someone else's innate card!
But there was just one problem with setting off such a flame three stories down in the basement, or at least one that Jackal was really concerned about. He had to make sure none of the fumes and gases followed him as he descended to the lower level. As for Nero… he would be fine.
He snapped his finger and lit a small flame on the tip of his finger. Unlike Nero, who would not be harmed by strange blue flames no matter how they grew or spread, Jackal could absolutely be burned by other flames even if they started from his own. That was why he flung the tiny flame on his finger in the far corner of the room and pulled Leonard backwards.
The gel did not immediately burst into a massive explosion, though the flames did spread rapidly across the room, even climbing onto some of the berserkers who had bits of that gel on their legs.
Only the surface of the gel lit on fire, providing a steady source of fuel for the fire to continue burning. In only a couple of seconds, the entire room was engulfed in fire, and the heat and smoke started to rise. Yet only the hall was burning yellow, for the entrance to the corridor was covered in blue flames.
By now, only Nero and the machine were left fighting the berserkers. Some had tried chasing Jackal and Leonard, but whether it was instincts or fear or something else, they pulled back as soon as the room caught on fire. Unfortunately for them, without having to worry about any allies near him, Nero began spreading his flames as well.
They climbed the walls and spread across the floor, filling the room. Such generous use of his ability was a great strain on his aether reserves, but he did not intend on continuing like this for long - just long enough for the room to cool rapidly.
Nero continued to move down the corridor, away from the crack, as he spread the flames, actually having an easier time dodging the berserkers than he would have thought. Due to their bulky stature, their high numbers and the relatively narrow corridor, they actually had trouble moving and more often than not ended up hitting each other.
They ignored the blue flames that would sizzle as it touched their skins as they were all too focused on their two targets. Moreover, unlike Nero, the machine could actually cut their bodies with its blade, though their bodies healed faster than it could hurt them.
Nero had expended nearly 20% of all his aether in spreading the flames when he suddenly felt a draft, and smiled. Suddenly, he turned and began returning back where he came from, jumping over or sliding under the berserkers, for he knew the phenomenon he was waiting for had started.
The room at the end was on fire, heating up, while the corridor was on fire, cooling down. The heated air from the room was quickly attracted to the corridor, where his blue flames quickly absorbed the heat from the air, not only refuelling his flames but producing cool air that was dropping low.
Due to the pressure difference and developing vacuum, the cool air was pulled back into the room with yellow flames, heating back up. This was the reason why he did not have his blue flames eat up the other ones this time. He was creating a fuel source to grow his flames so that all he would need to do was sustain them with his aether.
As his flames grew, and continued to burn off the cursed energy on the berserkers, they would eventually finish off all the cursed energy, killing the berserkers once and for all.
Of course, if that didn't work and the situation deteriorated quickly, he could just surround himself in his cryoflames, run through the normal fire, and run into the cracks.
He reached the other end and saw the room ablaze with unending flames, the air thick with heat and light. The corridor, instead, was a realm of icy cold, where mystical blue fire consumed all warmth.
At the threshold, where the scorching room met the chilling corridor, a swirling dance of hot and cold air created a mesmerising spectacle. The hot air from the room flowed into the corridor, instantly cooled by the mystical fire, then sank and drifted back to the room to be heated again.
This ceaseless cycle of rising and falling air formed an endless loop, a silent ballet of fire and ice, and amidst this unending dance Nero faced off against the group of ugly abominations, betting that he could last until their cursed energy was all used up.
Breathing in such circumstances might have been an issue if Nero and Jackal hadn't practised such manoeuvres already, and anticipated the issues he would face.
Before Jackal set off the fire, Nero used a card that would allow him to hold his breath for about twenty minutes. It was one that had been specially made for him by Alex.
As Nero continued to hold off the berserkers, using their lack of skill to easily divert their attacks, directing them where he wished, he began to notice various things in the back of his mind.
The berserkers were resisting the cooling of his flame because their cursed energy was fighting it off, but the machine seemed completely unaffected by it, the same as the building. Although a sheet of ice had begun to form on the walls, spreading through the cracks, the temperature did not seem to be doing any harm in itself to the building.
The white smoke that previously put out fires was not triggered, and there was no loud announcement detailing his crimes.
Nero suddenly bit his tongue and a streak of pain shot through his body, reinvigorating him. In a life or death battle, he could not allow his mind to wander. The fact that his mind was beginning to lose focus was a sign that he had been fighting for too long. Even if he could continue to push himself physically, mental fatigue was setting in.
A part of Nero had genuinely hoped that he would be able to defeat the berserkers with his clever strategy. Chances were that he just might yet. But he was getting to the level where he had to consider retreat.
So far, he had forcefully been maintaining an equilibrium, keeping his flames from exiting the corridor. This was so that the cycle of heat exchange would continue, but now he let the control go, and felt as his blue flames raced to devour the yellow ones.
Nero did not immediately retreat. He waited till the perfect moment patiently, until a berserker overextended itself. With ease and a perfectly relaxed push, as if he was in no hurry at all, he caused it to trip and block the others behind it. Then Nero dashed.
He did not even wait till all the ordinary flames were consumed, instead surrounding his body with blue flames as he ran through the inferno and towards the cracks. He heard a scream and felt the ground vibrate, but he did not turn to see if he was being followed. Instead, he jumped straight into the cracks and pushed himself as deep into them as he could.
A moment later the wall trembled as something heavy hit it, but the cracks did not extend and the wall did not move. Nero managed to push himself through to the other side.
The three teams were standing near the edge, obviously mid discussion when Nero came through.
Nero swept his gaze over them, and only when he ascertained that there was no danger did he allow himself to feel his exhaustion. He extinguished the blue flames that covered his body, but not the ones burning in the hall on the other side, and noticed small sheets of ice covering his skin.
He had been sweating, and his sweat had frozen right on his skin.