The shot left Arvin's revolver with a whistle, fire trailing in its wake.
The creature raised its jagged, bone-shaped hand to block, but the flaming bullet tore into its flesh and lodged halfway. In an instant, fire erupted across its hand, spreading wild and unending.
It screeched, thrashing and waving its arm, trying to shake off the blaze. The sound rattled the forest, deep and piercing.
Arvin didn't hesitate. He dashed to the side and dove behind a tree, watching as the monster ripped a chunk of dirt from the ground and hurled it where he once stood.
CRASH!
The impact left a crater, soil smoldering from the heat. The flames still clung stubbornly to its hand, forcing the creature to roll it across the dirt until they finally dimmed.
"Chessie!" Arvin barked. "Pass me a hand-written spell! This thing's a Stacker who lost control. Early stages. It doesn't know how to use its power yet, nor its own mind!"
Chessie fumbled through her pocket, pulling out a thin slip of paper inked with strange symbols. A cross marked the center, with human heads drawn inside its shape. Flames scattered around the design, all framed by twisted patterns.
She sprinted through the trees and shoved it into Arvin's hand.
The creature smashed its way through the forest, splintering trees in its path. It halted just before Arvin, looming with its deer skull grinning, a grotesque smile splitting across its ruined mouth.
Arvin's heart sank, but his grip tightened.
"Chessie…" His voice was steady. "It's learning."
She was already running wide, circling behind.
BANG!
Another flaming bullet slammed into the monster's chest. Its torso burst into flames, smoke searing the air.
"BURN… BURN… BURN!" it screamed, charging straight through the fire. Skin melted from its ribs, but it pressed on, raising its skeletal arm to crush Arvin.
He rolled under its swing, dirt exploding where he had stood. Coming up behind it, he aimed again.
"Hey!"
The beast turned, just in time to meet another shot.
BANG!
The bullet blasted through its face, fire spreading across its rotting fur and gnawed skull. The thing staggered, shrieking, still clinging to life.
"Chessie! Any more spells?" Arvin shouted.
"Only blessings from Eta!" she yelled back. "They stir feelings of love… but it can't love!"
Arvin clicked his teeth. "Figures."
The creature leapt high, shadow blotting out the moonlight.
"NOW!" Arvin roared.
From the darkness behind, Chessie's black dagger sliced into its back. The beast screamed, twisting midair. Arvin took his chance, unloading two more rounds.
BANG! BANG!
Flames swallowed its chest and skull, its arms thrashing in panic. It tumbled, crashing to the ground with a sickening crack. Legs snapped. Bones punched through torn skin. The fire burned off, leaving it broken but crawling.
Arvin watched it drag itself forward, burned mouth snapping uselessly, pitiful in its desperation.
He sighed. "Such a sad one. You were probably strong once. But greed rotted your mind before anything else could."
The monster clawed toward him, fingers reaching.
Arvin raised the spell. "Bisrus, bless this work of yours."
The ink flared bright orange, glowing hot. Arvin held the edge until the paper burned down to his fingers.
The creature's hand touched him. Arvin pressed the smoldering spell into its palm.
The monster clutched it on instinct.
And in an instant, dark red flames engulfed its body, roaring high as its shrieks tore through the forest one final time.